Visits

Two days later, on New Year's Eve. Amid drifting snowflakes, the lively crackle and pop of firecrackers sounded outside the house. Inside the cozy, warm room, Chen Chuan sat around a table laden with dishes alongside his aunt's family, chatting as they ate, while festive New Year broadcasts played over the nearby radio. The only regret was that his cousin Nian Qian, having been deployed overseas to an island with the military the previous year, could once again send back only a telegram. After dinner, Chen Chuan walked out into the courtyard with his hands thrust into his coat pockets. He looked up at the falling specks of snow and the colorful fireworks leaping and sparkling across the night sky. Although Center City was dazzling and magnificent, even when it was right before one's eyes, it felt like peering into another world. Yet these fleeting bursts of fireworks allowed him to look past that distance and feel the vibrant lives and genuine breath of reality. "Cousin, Cousin, let's set off firecrackers!" Watching the two little ones dash happily out of the house, Chen Chuan smiled faintly. "All right. Cousin will take you to set them off." Amid the clamor of firecrackers, the ninety-fourth year of Jianzhi in the Republic of Great Shun drew to a close. After the New Year arrived, many subordinates came to Nian Fuli's home to offer New Year greetings, and even Director Guan phoned ahead of time to extend his wishes. This was primarily on account of Chen Chuan. After all, Chen Chuan's official rank was now one grade higher than Director Guan's. Although the two were not in the same system, certain courtesies and protocols still could not be ignored. Once the third day of the New Year had passed, and after accompanying Nian Fuli to visit their closer colleagues and friends, Chen Chuan went to pay a New Year visit to Instructor Wen. Instructor Wen was not a Yangzhi native, and his family was not here. Normally, the constabulary assigned him a cleaner specifically to cook and handle chores, giving him more time to instruct and train the constables. During the New Year holiday, however, he was home alone, and the courtyard felt rather quiet and desolate when Chen Chuan entered. Inside the living room, Chen Chuan offered the gifts he had brought. "Instructor Wen, a small token of respect I brought for you from Center City." The techniques Instructor Wen had taught him had helped him immensely, so for this visit home, Chen Chuan had prepared gifts for him as well, mainly high-grade tea ware and combat protective gear from Center City. Instructor Wen smiled and took them. "Thank you." He set the gifts aside, turned back to retrieve a tin of tea, brewed two cups, and placed one before Chen Chuan. "An old friend of mine grew this himself. It has the effect of calming the mind. Take a tin back with you later." "Thank you, Instructor." Once they were settled, Wen Tong asked, "How many days do you plan to stay this time?" Chen Chuan replied, "I'll head back before the new semester starts in February." Instructor Wen said, "A while back, people came to Yangzhi asking about you. Director Guan gave me a heads-up to keep an eye out, but no one has come back since." Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, Instructor Wen, and thank Director Guan for looking out for me. Those people were indeed after me, but a portion of them have been dealt with." Instructor Wen smiled faintly. "Certain weeds won't disappear on their own when they sprout; you can only rest easy once you pull them up by the roots." Chen Chuan nodded. "Instructor, I understand." Instructor Wen scrutinized him for several moments, seemingly sensing something yet uncertain. After a pause, he asked, "Have you already taken special medicine?" "Yes." Instructor Wen nodded. "As expected. It seems you must have already taken part in defense missions." He raised his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly, "We cannot dictate the changes in the world, but we can maintain control over ourselves. "When martial cultivation reaches this stage, you will soon face the most difficult hurdle. If the first limit through the third limit have no real bottleneck to speak of—provided you have enough resources and talent, you can cross them—moving any higher is not so simple, because there exists a true barrier." He looked at Chen Chuan. "That is not something that can be overcome by innate talent alone." Chen Chuan felt a slight stir within. Instructor Wen said, "Wait a moment." He rose and walked into the inner room. After a short while, he emerged carrying a handwritten booklet, handed it to Chen Chuan, and said with a smile, "Don't be in a rush to flip through it. When the time comes that you know how you want to walk your path, take it out and read it." Chen Chuan took it. The booklet reminded him of the one He Xiaoxing had given him back then; they looked very similar. He immediately realized this was likely something circulated within the Purist Faction. However, since Instructor Wen told him not to read it now, there was naturally good reason for it. So he stowed it away first and expressed his solemn thanks. After sitting with Instructor Wen for a while and finishing his cup of tea, he took his leave. He had quite a few people to visit over the holidays. He had already spoken with his teacher, Cheng Zitong, over the phone. Cheng Zitong was being invited to banquets everywhere for the New Year and likely wouldn't have free time until after the sixth day, so Chen Chuan decided to pay a visit to Bureau Director Lei first. After the New Year, Bureau Director Lei was scheduled to take up a post at the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau in Center City, so perhaps the two of them could travel together. Returning home, he got into his Jiade car and drove out of the constabulary residential compound. Flanked by the incessant popping of firecrackers on either side, he made his way to Bureau Director Lei's residence. Because they had already spoken over the phone when exchanging New Year greetings, as soon as the car stopped in front of the residence, the front door opened from within, and Bureau Director Lei and Senior Sister He emerged holding hands with Xiao Ying. Chen Chuan stepped out of the car. After exchanging a few pleasantries at the doorway, they all went inside together. Once seated, He Nan went to pour tea for them, while Bureau Director Lei said, "Do you still remember that case from half a year ago?" Chen Chuan nodded. "I remember." Bureau Director Lei said, "Not long after I submitted the case, someone came to warn me, attempting to suppress the matter. I had anticipated that and had already reported it to higher authorities through secret channels beforehand. The affair dragged on for several months and only settled down just before the New Year." Chen Chuan said, "At the time, you mentioned, Director Lei, that there might be Sun Worship Cult followers domestically as well, possibly in high positions." Bureau Director Lei said in a low voice, "Even higher than I had previously thought." Chen Chuan looked at him. "It didn't affect you, Director Lei?" "Things went fairly smoothly. The individual has already been taken down in secret. The higher-ups didn't want to cause a public uproar, so there was no clear public sentencing, only another excuse." Bureau Director Lei shook his head and said, "In this day and age, with matters involving evil cults, the more they are publicized, the more people tend to emulate them. This resolution is the best possible one under the circumstances." He paused, then added in a deep voice, "Center City transferring me over this time is likely because the cult problem in the Lower District is growing increasingly severe, and a great deal of foreign influence has infiltrated it. It has reached a point where it must be dealt with." Chen Chuan suddenly had a feeling that the superiors' purpose in reassigning Bureau Director Lei was not so straightforward, and might instead be in preparation to deal with something specific. Chen Chuan asked, "May I ask when you will take up your post, Director Lei?" Bureau Director Lei said, "I need to arrive at the Esoteric Cult Bureau before late February, but I will depart early. There are matters I need to settle beforehand." Chen Chuan said, "Then would you like to travel together with me when the time comes, Director Lei?" Bureau Director Lei looked at him and nodded. "All right." Senior Sister He came over carrying refreshments and scolded affectionately, "Old Lei, it's rare to see each other over the New Year, so why are you talking only about business?" She then addressed Chen Chuan, "Junior Brother Chen, I made candied date and white fungus soup. Give it a try." Bureau Director Lei chuckled. "It's been a while since you tasted your senior sister's cooking, hasn't it?" Chen Chuan said, "I haven't forgotten that meal from the last time I visited." He lifted the bowl of white fungus soup and took a sip. Finding it wonderfully sweet, thick, and refreshing, he nodded. "Senior Sister's cooking is second to none." After finishing it, they stopped discussing official business and instead chatted about what Chen Chuan had seen and experienced recently in Center City. However, because he had signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding the Confluence, he did not mention it. With Bureau Director Lei's rank and the scope of his duties, he would surely learn about it soon enough after arriving in Center City anyway. Chen Chuan stayed until noon, had lunch with Bureau Director Lei's family, settled on a departure date, and then took his leave. Driving out, he headed toward the western district of the city until he reached the residential building where Wei Dong lived. After parking the car, he went upstairs and knocked on the door. "Wei Dong, it's me." "Coming!" Thudding footsteps rushed over, and Wei Dong pulled the door open. Seeing Chen Chuan, he looked thrilled, exuding an unmistakable eagerness, as if itching for another spar. Yet after studying Chen Chuan for a few moments, he suddenly deflated and confessed honestly, "I can't beat you." Chen Chuan smiled. He had subtly released a bit of his field just now, and Wei Dong had sensed it immediately; his intuition was as sharp as ever. Walking inside, Chen Chuan asked, "What are you working on?" Wei Dong scratched his head. "I'm heading to Center City after the New Year. Leaving this training equipment out makes it hard to maintain, so I planned to wipe it down and pack it away." In truth, he rarely used the equipment left behind by the old man once his formal training began, and after becoming a recognized fighter, the pieces served as little more than keepsakes. Even so, he had kept them here, wiping and maintaining them whenever he had free time. Chen Chuan said, "Let me give you a hand." He helped Wei Dong tidy up. But after packing only a few pieces of equipment, Wei Dong suddenly looked up, a fierce fighting spirit flaring in his eyes. "No, Brother Chen, I still have to fight you once!" With that, he raised his bandage-wrapped fist. Chen Chuan gave a gentle push with his hand. Wei Dong flew sideways through the air, sailed across an entire room, and slammed heavily into the far wall. With a resounding boom, it sounded as if the whole building could hear it. After a while, Wei Dong charged back out with a shout, only to fly backward without suspense the very next second. Chen Chuan put down a protective headguard and picked up a hand gripper to wipe. Over the next few minutes, Wei Dong shouted and rushed out of the room again and again, but every single time, he was knocked flying back before his shout had even faded. Ten minutes later, Wei Dong lay sprawled out on the floor, grimacing and hissing as he sucked in cold breaths of air. Though his external conditioning was formidable, Chen Chuan's strikes were far more than simple attacks—they carried an infusing jin that penetrated deep within, leaving Wei Dong aching all over. Chen Chuan had just finished wiping the last item on hand and set it aside. Looking down at Wei Dong on the floor, he said, "Brother Wei, you've made progress." Wei Dong lay there a moment longer, then rubbed his head and back as he sat up. "Brother Chen, will I be able to learn the things you just used once I get to Center City?" Chen Chuan smiled. "You could, but our paths are different. I think it would be better for you to keep walking the path of external conditioning." Sitting there for a brief moment, over the span of just those few sentences, the soreness coursing through Wei Dong subsided, and he became energetic and lively once more. Bumping his two fists together in front of him, he said, "I think so too! Just you wait, Brother Chen, I'll definitely keep up with you!"