Seeing Chen Chuan receive an invitation from Chen Bitong, quite a few people around looked on with envy.
Word of Chen Bitong's training class had actually spread some time ago. Although they themselves were fitted with implants and had no chance of walking this path, some of their relatives and friends needed it.
However, Chen Bitong kept strict control over admissions: anyone receiving his instruction had to possess genuine talent and pay a hefty tuition fee. Those who received direct invitations, like Chen Chuan, were exempt from this, but such people were few and far between.
After speaking with Chen Bitong, Chen Chuan did not linger around him. Following a polite courtesy, he walked toward his teammates. But he had only gone a few steps when he heard Zhan Yi call out to him from behind.
He stopped and turned. Once Zhan Yi caught up, he asked, "Captain Zhan, is there something?"
Zhan Yi approached, looked at him, and said, "Captain Chen, my teacher seems to think highly of you, and I also have high hopes for you. That is why I would like to invite you to join our 'Blood Elite Society.'"
Chen Chuan asked with a puzzled look, "The Blood Elite Society?" He had not heard this name before.
Zhan Yi explained, "It's an organization formed by a group of like-minded young talents dedicated to serving the country. I'll send you a file later. If you're interested, you can contact me afterward, and I can act as your sponsor." With that, he smiled, gave him a nod, turned, and walked away.
Chen Chuan thought it over. Cliques and factions existed everywhere, each with its own little circle. He had encountered the Mutual Aid Society in the past, and this Blood Elite Society was presumably something similar.
Afterward, he had no further interaction with Chen Bitong's group. However, several young officers came up to chat with him from time to time, exchanging contact frequencies with him.
Once the tea gathering ended, Chen Chuan politely bade farewell to Chen Bitong and the others, then walked out of the briefing hall alongside Qin Qingque and Yuan Qiuyuan, the latter still savoring the experience.
After giving a few instructions to his two squad members, he walked back alone to the reception room where he had met Counselor Pei before.
Counselor Pei was waiting for him there. Seeing him enter, he took the initiative to pour him a cup of tea, and once Chen Chuan sat down, asked, "Captain Chen, how did you feel after interacting with Chen Bitong today?"
Chen Chuan replied, "It's hard to tell much for now. But today, he invited me to his training and guidance class. Once I return to Center City, I plan to go have a look."
Counselor Pei said, "That's very good. First build a good relationship with him. Going to study in his guidance class will be an opportunity for close-range observation. Just remember to avoid arousing his suspicion as much as possible. That way, once his mandatory leave ends, even if he still has a chance to return, we can arrange for you to be at his side."
Chen Chuan asked, "Can he still return?"
Counselor Pei pondered for a moment before speaking. "It's hard to say. This man wields too much influence, and his sway over the middle and lower ranks is immense. You must have seen it today, Captain Chen. Forcing him onto mandatory leave is already the most fitting measure the higher-ups could reach after weighing all factors. But how long it will last is truly hard to say—it largely depends on his own willingness.
"However... this man possesses genuine capability. You can follow along and learn from him in passing, Captain Chen; it will do you good. But you must manage your distance properly, and remember to keep records after every conversation and report in promptly."
Chen Chuan nodded, then said, "There's one more thing. Today, that Zhan Yi invited me to join the Blood Elite Society. May I ask Counselor Pei, what kind of organization is that?"
Counselor Pei's expression grew a bit solemn. "Enforcement Officer Chen, do not join them. That is a group composed of young, radical officers. It first arose abroad and later swept into our country. They advocate eliminating all corporations by force and bringing them under state rule.
"Sounds good, doesn't it? But setting aside whether it's even feasible, even if they pull it off, would things truly be any different from when the corporations were around? Besides, slogans are just slogans; what they truly seek are the spoils they can seize from the process.
"Moreover, these people represent only a small faction and do not speak for the military as a whole. So try to avoid getting close to them; otherwise, trouble will come knocking in the future."
Chen Chuan said, "I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Counselor Pei. But since the higher-ups know, isn't there any effort to rein them in?"
Counselor Pei sighed at this and said, "Ever since the old era ended and the Grand Alliance collapsed, struggles over technology and authority have never ceased. This is true not just for Great Shun, but for nations across the world. However, we now face a common enemy. The Great Collision is right before our eyes, so any internal conflicts can only be diffused or deferred as best as possible."
Hearing him say this, Chen Chuan could not help thinking of what Senior Cao had told him—about trying to enter a higher limit before the Great Collision.
Yet when Senior Cao crossed his mind, a realization suddenly struck him. Earlier, when he took off the Iron Demon's mask, he had found the Iron Demon's face somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
Now, he suddenly remembered who it resembled.
Uncle Ding.
Uncle Ding, who was at Senior Cao's side, shared many facial similarities with the Iron Demon. Was this mere coincidence, or was there a blood relation?
Perhaps he could ask Senior Cao later. Still, it wasn't anything critically important, so he could bring it up when an opportunity arose.
Having turned the thought over, he added, "There's one more matter. Earlier, someone in the outpost leaked my communication channel to Zhan Yi. I had Enforcement Officer Qin look into it, and someone in the communications department committed an infraction."
He took out a pen and a slip of paper, wrote two names, and pushed it across to Counselor Pei. "These two people."
Counselor Pei took it, looked it over, folded it, and placed it into his breast pocket. "Understood. I will handle this matter."
Chen Bitong's party stayed at Outpost 4 for three days in total before setting off back to Center City. With his departure, most of the visitors left as well, and the fortress garrison returned to its quiet, desolate state.
On that day, Ding Mou, the tactical staff officer who had assigned Chen Chuan's squad their previous mission, came looking for him again.
"An order has come down from headquarters. This time, your squad is to proceed to Outpost 285 to investigate the situation. For two days now, no accurate information has been transmitted back from there."
Chen Chuan picked up the dossier and looked through it. For two consecutive days, Outpost 285 had sent back only meaningless telegraph signals. Earlier, the nearest outpost had dispatched a team over, but the result had been the same. Thus, they judged that something had likely gone wrong there.
And very likely, there was abnormal influence involved.
He had heard Tian Yu mention before that outposts not only served military functions, but also shouldered certain exploratory and pioneering duties. However, conditions in the Confluence were complex; sometimes one never knew what one might encounter.
Ding Mou said, "I recall, Captain Chen, your report stated that you have some knowledge of esoteric rituals?"
"That's right. I know a bit."
"All the better. We judge that you may encounter abnormal phenomena this time, so having you lead the team is most fitting."
Chen Chuan said, "However, I will need esoteric ritual materials. Last time, I used what I brought myself, and after the previous mission, they are mostly depleted."
Ding Mou replied, "You need not worry about that. We will prepare them for you. Captain Chen, conditions there are unclear, so I hope your squad sets out as soon as possible to get to the bottom of this."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood. I'll get ready and depart."
He gathered the dossier, returned to his quarters, and notified Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque via boundary credential: "We have a mission. Come over so we can discuss the arrangements."
Yuan Qiuyuan called back loudly, "Got it, Captain! On my way."
"Captain, reporting in right away."
Once the two arrived at his room, Chen Chuan showed them the dossier, discussed several operational details, and sent them back to prepare.
Because this was not an operation aimed at hostile human forces, no tactical advisor accompanied them this time. However, the auxiliary and logistical support squad was still brought along.
Since the situation was uncertain, there might still be survivors and wounded who needed medical treatment. While the three of them possessed ample combat strength, they were not adept at handling such tasks.
Two hours later, seven off-road vehicles drove out from the outpost, heading in the direction of that garrison.
No railway reached that area. Going by driving time alone, it was roughly a five-day journey. Round trip, plus time to handle the situation, might push things to the end of the month, which meant missing the chance to return for the New Year. Therefore, Chen Chuan's aim was to resolve the matter properly as swiftly as circumstances permitted.
Four days later, they reached a rest stop, just one day's drive away from Outpost 285.
Because this outpost was comparatively remote—separated from the nearest garrison by more than two days of travel—only simple rest stops like this existed along the way.
When Chen Chuan and his team arrived, snow and wind swept across the sky. They were already accustomed to this. Since arriving in the Confluence, it had been snowing at least a third of the time; the only period of fair weather had actually been during their pursuit of the Iron Demon.
The rest stop had garrison soldiers stationed there—an ordinary three-man squad. Upon seeing their arrival, the soldiers checked their orders and documentation before letting them in.
Though the post was not large, everything necessary had been considered when it was built, so the vacant barracks had ample room to accommodate their squad.
After parking the vehicles inside, they immediately assigned sentry duties, particularly assigning guards to the vehicle carrying the field organism, as their internal communications depended on it.
Once arrangements were complete, those scheduled for later shifts were dismissed to rest, preparing to set out at daybreak tomorrow.
As squad captain, Chen Chuan stayed in a private room. He did not cultivate this time; he merely did light exercises with his breathing technique and maintained constant vigilance.
The first half of the night passed uneventfully and peacefully. But in the latter half of the night, a rustling static came through the boundary credential, followed by the voice of a patrolling squad member: "Captain, we have a situation."
Chen Chuan immediately pushed the door open and stepped out. The two orderlies standing guard outside promptly saluted him. He gestured for them to follow and strode swiftly to the location of the report.
It was an empty warehouse. The reporting squad member was guarding the entrance. Seeing Chen Chuan arrive, he saluted and immediately explained the situation.
"Captain, when we passed by earlier, we caught a strange smell, so we came in to check. And then we found them..."
Stepping inside, Chen Chuan saw them: three corpses. Judging by their faces and uniforms, they were none other than the three soldiers who had received them earlier. For some reason, they had suddenly died here.
Yet looking at this scene...
He ordered, "Call the medical team over to examine them."
Two members of the medical team hurried over. After an examination, one spoke with a strange expression: "Captain... there's no clear cause of death for these three, except..."
"Except what?"
The medic hesitated. "Judging from the traces... their estimated time of death is roughly forty-eight hours ago."
Chapter 445