The Corporate United Syndicate, abbreviated as "the Syndicate," was an organization established by numerous multinational megacorporations across the globe. It was originally intended to counter incursions from the world on the other side, since not every government in the world was as dominant and forceful as that of Great Shun.
Yet as its membership grew and its influence expanded, it gradually emerged into a worldwide entity that stood above most national governments.
As an enforcement officer of the Disposal Bureau, Chen Chuan had naturally reviewed files regarding the Syndicate; it was unavoidable in his line of work.
Within the Syndicate, members were tiered into distinct ranks based on corporate scale, location, and influence. Its core members shared resources and intelligence, pooled risks, and swayed government policymaking in various nations.
Although Ferris Wheel Company could not match those megacorporations in sheer size, gaining entry into the Syndicate would help it circumvent multinational regulations, grant it access to shared intelligence, and lend it lobbying power to exert pressure on governments. Furthermore, it would gain access to proprietary technologies within the Syndicate that were never sold to outsiders.
Nor did the Syndicate's influence end in the physical world. The joint forces formed by the Syndicate were likewise part of the power maintaining the Ring of the World—and an exceptionally formidable one at that.
Consequently, the world's major powers chose to adopt an attitude of temporary tolerance toward it. After all, the Great Collision was right before their eyes, and internal strife would only erode their own strength.
Chen Chuan could easily foresee that if Ferris Wheel Company's membership went through, resolving the matter through governmental channels would become virtually impossible.
He hadn't asked Director Wu what the higher-ups intended to do, but it took little imagination to know that Great Shun's government would certainly seek to obstruct the bid. Still, the outcome remained difficult to predict.
However, these affairs were not his to fret over.
Right now, his foremost priority was to fulfill the Defense Department's requirement, take part in the defense mission for the Ring of the World, and find an instructor who could guide him on his next steps forward.
No matter how the world shifted and turned, the only thing he could truly rely upon was his own strength.
Once his call with Director Wu concluded, he drove back to Wuyi and carried the weapons from his car up to the training room.
His collection here was growing steadily larger, spanning all sorts of varieties, and it was taking up a fair amount of room. He had only basic weapon racks and a few empty cabinets here, which were hardly suitable for display.
After all, a training room was not a dedicated armory, nor was it convenient for maintenance. Thinking it over, he felt it really was time to consider moving them to that villa.
With that in mind, he decided to handle the matter today.
He packed the weapons into carrying cases, transported them down to the Jiade in two trips, and drove toward the estate. Because the distance was short, he arrived at the villa in less than ten minutes.
Five sword guards watched over the estate. He contacted them via his boundary credential, and upon seeing his arrival, they opened the main gate for him. After parking the car in the private garage, he declined any assistance, carrying the belongings up to the weapon gallery himself.
This place was entirely different from his dormitory. It was divided into several display zones, with dedicated mountings along the walls and stands tailored to different kinds of weapons.
Beyond bracketed shelving, there were both recessed niches and wall-mounted fixtures. Each display point was illuminated by its own downlight, allowing the owner to admire every single weapon arrayed within.
He gave each weapon a thorough wipe-down first, then chose a spot for each and set them up one by one.
Stepping back a few paces to look, he felt an immediate wave of accomplishment and satisfaction.
The only pity was that the collection was still rather small; a single sweep of the eyes took in everything.
While it had seemed like quite a lot just moments ago, looking at it now, it occupied only a small corner of the gallery. He would have to keep up the good work.
After admiring them for a good while, he finally stepped outside and pulled the door shut. This armory was semi-enclosed, exceptionally suited for preservation, with no need for constant supervision.
He headed downstairs to the kitchen, brewed himself a cup of tea, and carried a chair out onto the fourth-floor terrace, sitting down to gaze out at the view.
The surroundings were serene. Outside, birds warbled amid lush greenery, and just ahead lay a wetland park. Had it not been for Hongfu acting as his sparring partner at Wuyi, along with its higher security clearance, this place would actually have been far more pleasant to live in.
To establish full-fledged security here, he would first need a field-interference creature. Otherwise, external biological fields could easily intrude. Moreover, for a large estate like this, without a resonator guard, it enjoyed virtually no concealment from the outside world.
So if he truly decided to move in, he would still need to acquire a field-interference creature, a resonance nest, and a dedicated resonator.
At this thought, he pulled open the boundary credential's light curtain and browsed casually across it.
With his current status as a third-limit fighter, he could now access many platforms that had once been restricted to him, browsing a vast array of goods that had previously been out of reach.
Yet he had only searched for a short while before numerous advertisements were recommended to him, among which were several skill-type dolls highly praised by buyers.
Glancing over them, he saw that these dolls were all products of the Paper Doll Corporation.
He was already quite familiar with them; the sword guards downstairs, as well as that "Number Thirteen," had all originated from this company.
Beyond the security models, there were also dolls equipped with resonator capabilities, which were well-received by many in the middle and upper classes.
Paper Doll Corporation utilized a triple-layer control system comprising hypnotic command words, implant passkeys, and pharmaceutical regulation to ensure that a doll remained loyal solely to the purchaser, incapable of betrayal. They even guaranteed that even if the master ordered the doll to attack Paper Doll Corporation itself, it would not disobey.
In truth, when it came to doll technology, the undisputed leader was Yuanren Corporation. However, that company walked a high-end luxury route, and dolls were not its primary line of business. Within the country, the most widespread provider in this field remained Paper Doll Corporation.
He reflected for a moment. Speaking of which, Yuanren Corporation also maintained a branch in Jibei Circuit Center City, situated in the hub where multinational megacorporations clustered in Weiguang District. It was also one of Wuyi's major financial sponsors, though it usually kept a low profile.
Unless someone went out of their way to mention it, most people tended to overlook the company's presence. Yet Yuanren was one of the core members of the Corporate United Syndicate that Director Wu had spoken of earlier, an undeniable force among the world's corporate elite.
And Chen Chuan held that Yuanren Corporation card. It seemed his parents in this life had harbored some connection to the firm, though the card had been invalidated more than a decade ago.
A thick fog still obscured much of the truth.
Yet he was in no hurry. He believed that as he delved deeper using memory potions, he would eventually unearth clues and behold the reality.
Finishing his cup of tea, he swapped in the boundary credential Commissioner Liang had issued him and contacted the woman who had picked him up last time. When she had driven him out that day, he had learned her surname was Ji.
Once the connection went through, he said, "Officer Ji, Commissioner Liang told me to report before the end of the month. I have already cleared my current assignments and am ready for deployment at any time."
Officer Ji promptly forwarded him a form and said, "Enforcement Officer Chen, please fill out this registration form and send it back to me. If there is anything unclear, you may contact me via text or direct voice call."
Chen Chuan acknowledged her. Taking a glance, he saw that it was a registration form for the defense initiative. After filling it out, he transmitted it over.
After a brief wait, Officer Ji said, "The form has been submitted. Please wait patiently, Enforcement Officer Chen. We will issue your assignment sheet within three days. Please make your preparations and refrain from accepting other missions or commissions in the meantime."
Chen Chuan said, "Thank you for the reminder. Understood."
With the defense mission approaching, he was unsure how long he would be gone. Judging by Director Wu's words, it shouldn't take too long, but it was unlikely to conclude in a matter of days either. He needed to notify those with whom he kept regular contact.
He first reached out to Gao Ming, giving him a few instructions, and then checked in with Wu Bei. Next, he contacted Tan Zhi to let him know that Chaoming might need to remain boarded with him for a bit longer.
Tan Zhi assured him it was no problem at all, adding that he was no longer staying in the dorms; he had rented a place outside to facilitate training under an instructor. If Chen Chuan ever wanted to come by and visit, he was welcome anytime.
With that, he sent over an address.
Chen Chuan took a look. The location wasn't far from Wuyi. Fifty meters away stood a well-known dance bar, and within two kilometers was a theater and dance hall.
He gave a faint smile. It was quite a splendid choice of location—very much the sort of place Tan Zhi would pick to live.
Next, he contacted Old Qi. This time, however, the call rang for quite a while before connecting, and Old Qi's voice sounded slightly hoarse and exhausted when he picked up.
Sensing something was amiss, Chen Chuan asked, "Old Qi, what happened?"
Old Qi said, "Brother Chen, I was actually just thinking of looking for you. If you were planning to buy esoteric cult materials from me, I'm afraid I won't be able to get hold of any for a while..."
Chen Chuan raised an eyebrow. The esoteric cult materials he had used before were all purchased through Old Qi; the quality was solid and the quantity ample, making him quite a reliable supplier.
Even if he couldn't purchase them through Old Qi, however, it wouldn't be an issue now, as he had established a channel through Lutong Logistics. Many items from the Lower District could be acquired there.
What he cared about was Old Qi's situation. He asked, "Old Qi, is everything all right on your end?"
Old Qi seemed to hesitate before finally answering, "That friend who was always supplying me with esoteric cult materials was running his own side hustle off the books. The people backing him found out, so he fled from the Lower District. I tried to help him find a place to lay low, but the gangs from the Lower District came looking for him.
"He was dragged off, and those gang members don't seem keen on letting the matter drop. They want to trace where the materials went. I can't safely go home right now, so these past few days I've had to stay in the car with Xiaoqi."
"How long has this been going on?"
Old Qi said, "About four or five days."
Chen Chuan asked, "Old Qi, where are you right now? ...Alright, don't worry about it for now. I'll head over shortly."
Ending the call, he finished his tea and went downstairs. He first called home to explain that he would be going on a mission soon and might be hard to reach for a while; if anything came up and the school dormitory phone couldn't be reached, they could contact Gao Ming.
Then he left the villa, climbed into the Jiade, and drove off toward the location Old Qi had given.
Chapter 423