Recruitment

Chen Chuan picked up on something through the boundary credential. He gave an affirmative hum and said, "Mr. Su, I'll await your word." Soon, the sounds of rushing wind, dull groans of bodies being struck, angry shouts, and gunshots filtered through, but it was all over after just a brief moment. What followed were some routine instructions. About two minutes later, accompanied by moving footsteps, the noise gradually receded into the distance, and the other end grew quiet once more. Then an apologetic voice came through: "My apologies for keeping you waiting, sir. Shall we continue our talk?" Chen Chuan said, "May I ask why you held back?" Su Wei froze. "What?" Chen Chuan said, "Of the seven people you knocked down just now, five were aiming for your companion's vitals. Yet, Mr. Su, you merely restrained them without dealing any severe blows." Su Wei was startled. "How did you..." Then he realized that the other person had deduced the entire scene simply from the sounds transmitted through the boundary credential. Not only had he accurately pegged the number of opponents, but he had even sensed the weight of Su Wei's strikes. It seemed this employer was anything but ordinary. He answered honestly, "The situation here is complicated. Everyone's a mercenary, and life-and-death fights often break out over a single disagreement, no questions asked. I didn't know what caused it just now—maybe an acquaintance of mine started the trouble—but I didn't want to watch him die in front of me either. All I could do was stop both sides." "I see..." Hearing the tinge of bleakness in his voice, Chen Chuan sensed there was more to the story. Instead of prying further, he nodded. "Mr. Su, have you considered what I proposed earlier? I'm currently in Center City. If it's convenient for you, let's find a time to talk." Su Wei thought about it and said, "Passing through the checkpoint requires applying in advance. It might take me three to five days to reach you, sir." Once he finished speaking, the other side sent over a contact signal. "Once you arrive, Mr. Su, you can reach me using this. My surname is Chen." Rousing his spirits slightly, Su Wei said, "Understood, Mr. Chen. I will contact you once I reach Center City." After ending the call, Chen Chuan contacted the garrison station to discuss a few matters before wrapping things up. Over an hour later, Zou Handan arrived. He waited until the two had reached an agreement, then bade farewell to Tan Zhi and left with Chaoming. A day later. Su Wei walked out of the station checkpoint. Center City, bathed in bright sunlight, felt far more vibrant than the perpetually gloomy and dim Confluence, leaving him momentarily dazed. Traveling from Center City to the Confluence was difficult, but going from the Confluence to Center City was just as arduous. Those born and raised in the Confluence were almost never permitted into Center City and could not return to the normal world; their worldview was exceptionally narrow. Even though he was a third limit fighter, he only knew bits and pieces through vague impressions. To visit Center City, one first had to possess a clean record without violations. Afterward, one had to sign a non-disclosure agreement pledging not to disclose information about the Confluence to unrelated parties, pay a deposit, and wear a boundary credential for surveillance. The moment anything regarding those matters was mentioned, an immediate arrest would follow. He actually possessed a travel permit on him, which he had obtained previously to take on commissions from Center City clients. Even so, he had estimated the vetting process would take several days. To his surprise, it had been exceptionally swift this time—the application was approved almost the moment it was submitted, and he wasn't even required to pay a deposit. He surmised this was likely due to his current employer pulling strings from behind the scenes, giving him a newfound appreciation for the employer's influence. After standing under the sunlight for a bit, he suddenly felt out of place. Stepping into the shade of a nearby building, he used his boundary credential to contact the employer with the default avatar. Before long, the call connected. "Mr. Chen, I've arrived." "Very good. Please head to this location, Mr. Su. We'll meet here." Su Wei received an address and looked it up with his boundary credential. A few minutes later, he boarded a tram. After getting off at the stop, he followed the address to a beverage shop. The moment he walked inside, a voice called out, "Mr. Su, over here." Su Wei looked over and saw a handsome young man seated there, exuding a striking presence. He was slightly surprised; although the voice had suggested someone younger than him, he hadn't expected him to be this young. Yet to be a third limit fighter at such an age, coupled with the evident backing and influence, made his attitude all the more cautious. Approaching Chen Chuan, he bowed slightly in greeting and said, "Mr. Chen, I am Su Wei." Chen Chuan glanced at him. Third limit fighters usually had their own tempers; one who behaved with such deference and caution was rare, likely tied to his personal experiences. In fact, very few third limit fighters were as down on their luck as Su Wei. Besides sharing his earnings with the children and siblings of his fallen squad members, he refused to take on unprincipled commissions. Add to that someone constantly sabotaging him, and despite having real strength, he had never been able to make headway. "Mr. Su, please have a seat," Chen Chuan said. Su Wei pulled out a chair and sat down. "Mr. Chen, may I ask what exactly you're hiring me to do?" Chen Chuan replied, "It's like this: I'm currently recruiting members to expand my squad, so I'd like to invite you to join my team, Mr. Su." Su Wei was somewhat surprised. "A team? Aren't you with the Command Office?" Chen Chuan said, "It is with the Command Office. Allow me to introduce myself." He extended a hand. "Jibei Circuit Center City Defense Department Command Office, Enforcement Captain Chen Chuan. I am currently recruiting suitable members for my squad." "Enforcement Captain..." Su Wei looked at him, suppressing his internal shock as he shook his hand, saying cautiously, "So it is Captain Chen." He had dealt with personnel from the garrison Command Office quite often, but this was the first time he had ever met such a young enforcement captain. Yet he did not doubt Chen Chuan's strength in the slightest—rarely had he encountered anyone who gave him such a direct sense of oppressive pressure. He said earnestly, "Captain Chen, since you're inviting me, there are a few things I must make clear first. As I mentioned before, I've been targeted by someone for a long time. If you hire me, you'd best be prepared for that." Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "And as I said before, Mr. Su, your trouble isn't trouble to me." If whoever was targeting Su Wei truly had immense power, Su Wei wouldn't have survived until now. Even if they had some background, factions within the Confluence city couldn't interfere with the garrison anyway. He suggested, "Mr. Su, if you're willing, I can arrange for you to join the garrison. We can place you on a temporary roster within my squad, which would save you a lot of worries." Su Wei hesitated, then shook his head. "I think I'll pass." He didn't want to be tied down. Joining the military roster, even temporarily, meant abiding by military regulations. Without background or connections, he wouldn't even know how he was done in if someone schemed against him. More importantly, he didn't know what kind of person Chen Chuan was yet and didn't want to bind himself to him right off the bat. Chen Chuan said, "As you wish." Not joining was fine as well; under a private mercenary contract, Su Wei would be answerable solely to him as the employer, which presented no issue either. Su Wei said, "Then that's all from me. Does Mr. Chen have any requirements?" Chen Chuan said, "I have only one requirement: obey orders. You may rest assured, I've looked into your conditions, Mr. Su, and I won't ask you to do anything that crosses your baseline." Su Wei seemed to relax a bit and looked up. "Then I have no further questions." Chen Chuan nodded and tapped his boundary credential, sending over a recruitment form listing the various requirements and agreed-upon terms. After reading through it a few times to confirm there were no issues, Su Wei signed his name and sent it back. Moments later, both received a notification from the platform confirming that their employment relationship was established. Chen Chuan smiled slightly and said, "Squad Member Su, welcome aboard." A faint smile appeared on Su Wei's face as well. He asked, "Captain Chen, what do you need me to do right now?" Chen Chuan said, "There are no missions for now. Operations won't start until after the New Year, and the exact timing is still undetermined. This is a long-term contract; your pay and benefits will be provided as promised. All you need to do in the meantime is remain on standby." "No work to do...?" Su Wei hesitated, looking as if he wanted to say something. Receiving money without doing anything made him uneasy. Just then, an incoming call popped up on Chen Chuan's boundary credential. Glancing at it, he stood up and said, "Squad Member Su, something has come up and I must leave. I've sent you some documents; I hope you can use your experience to provide me with suitable advice. In the meantime, please keep yourself in top condition and ensure you can be reached at any time." Su Wei straightened up, stood, and replied solemnly, "Understood." Chen Chuan smiled. "I've already settled the bill. The hot drinks here are quite good; I recommend giving them a try." With that, he walked out. Once outside, he walked in the direction of Wuyi Academy and connected the call, asking, "Sister Ni, is there something going on at the bureau?" Ni Xixi's voice came through the boundary credential: "It's not a mission. There's just something I wanted to tell you, Brother Chen. Lately, we've been investigating Ferris Wheel Company's attacks on Disposal Bureau personnel and Convergence Boundary Company. Although we found some leads, Ferris Wheel dispatched their team of solicitors, so there's no result yet." Chen Chuan asked, "Is it possible they might take action again?" Ni Xixi said, "That's actually what I wanted to mention. We also uncovered that someone went to Yangzhi City last time to investigate you, and it was very likely people from Ferris Wheel Company. If you're heading back to Yangzhi this time, keep your guard up—especially once you leave Center City, since we won't be able to provide you with much support." Chen Chuan turned the thoughts over in his mind. After the ambush that day, judging from the interrogations of the captives and subsequent deductions, it seemed the attackers had been targeting him all along, while Convergence Boundary was merely incidental. Only, this point felt rather odd. Did they think getting rid of him was a prerequisite to moving against Meng Shu? Yet even if Meng Shu were eliminated, the Meng family wasn't lacking successors. As long as Meng Lai, who held the company's reins of power, was still around, putting forward another heir wouldn't be difficult. In fact, after Meng Huang was eliminated, any business dealings with Ferris Wheel or the Outer Ocean Islands had become entirely impossible. Putting all that aside, perhaps he himself was the real focal point. Though he didn't know the exact reason, there was no need to rack his brains over it right now. He said, "Sister Ni, thanks for the heads-up. I'll be careful."