This convoy was composed of the security personnel escorting Bureau Director Lei to his post. Evidently, the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau of Center City attached great importance to him.
Wu Han had been listening to a joke on the radio, but now he glanced back and said, "Whoa, that's quite a lineup! Is this the person you were waiting for, Junior Chen?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
As the convoy drew near, an extended armored vehicle pulled up beside the Jiade. Its window rolled down smoothly, revealing Bureau Director Lei seated in the back.
Beside him sat a man in his thirties wearing protective goggles—a third limit fighter dispatched by the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau to serve as Lei's close-protection bodyguard.
Chen Chuan glanced over. When his gaze landed on the man, the bodyguard stiffened as if pricked by a needle, instinctively sitting upright with an expression of surprise. Chen Chuan gave him a friendly nod, and the man hurriedly returned the gesture.
Bureau Director Lei said, "Trainee Chen, we have pre-configured a field organism on our end. You can connect your boundary credential now."
Chen Chuan agreed. He picked up the boundary credential resting beside him and put it on, soon linking into the convoy's regional field channel, ensuring that everyone could be alerted immediately should any situation arise.
Then he said to Wu Han and Wei Dong, "Why don't you two put yours on and give them a try?"
After the pair fiddled with the devices for a moment and put them on, Chen Chuan assigned them to a sub-channel under his own and set them to listen-only mode.
This way, the two could hear what others said without transmitting their own voices outward.
After speaking briefly with Bureau Director Lei to confirm everything was in order and passing inspection at this checkpoint, both parties started their vehicles and drove forward.
In the back seat, Wu Han and Wei Dong found the experience novel. Speaking to each other over a distance through boundary credentials for the first time, they traded banter back and forth, having the time of their lives.
Chen Chuan understood. Anyone encountering such technology for the first time would react similarly. If he had not lived in a world with advanced telecommunications in his past life, his own reaction upon first donning a boundary credential would hardly have been any better. He said, "You two, stay alert later on."
Hearing this, Wu Han instantly perked up. Tearing his attention away from the boundary credential, he leaned forward and asked, "Junior, is there... trouble brewing?"
"Not certain yet," Chen Chuan replied, "but there's a good chance."
Wu Han and Wei Dong exchanged a glance, both seeing eager excitement in the other's eyes. Sitting in a car for hours was mind-numbingly dull with only radio shows to listen to, but being part of the action was another matter entirely.
Chen Chuan said, "If something happens, I will deal with the formidable experts. As for the rest, you two handle them as you see fit, but be careful."
"Don't worry, Junior. We know what we're doing."
Wu Han said, his expression growing markedly more serious.
He and Wei Dong had undertaken plenty of commissions and always fought on the front lines. If they lacked sharp eyes, fast reflexes, or the ability to assess enemy movements, no amount of skill would keep them alive.
They were not reckless brawlers who only knew how to charge forward; they knew how to read a situation and find better ways to handle things.
The convoy rolled along the National Boulevard. After driving for nearly four hours without incident, the time slipped into the afternoon.
Up in the sky, Chaoming kept pace with the vehicles. Chen Chuan had tested the bird earlier: though not yet fully grown, it possessed ample stamina, capable of flying continuously for eight or nine hours while maintaining a solid speed.
With Chaoming above, he effectively had an extra pair of eyes in the sky, allowing him to spot unusual developments early.
From the ground, Chaoming appeared only as a slightly larger dark speck. Ordinary observers would pay it no mind, and even if someone noticed, there was nothing they could do from such a distance.
The afternoon sunlight shone bright. The road was utterly deserted, and the monotonous scenery dulled one's senses. Right then, a bird call of moderate pitch echoed from the sky.
Birds frequently flew over this region, so the sound did not seem out of place. Yet when Chen Chuan heard it, he realized something was amiss. Resting a hand on his boundary credential, he said, "Director Lei, keep an eye on what lies ahead."
Upon receiving the warning, the security advisor beside Director Lei promptly alerted the entire convoy without hesitation, putting all armed personnel on high alert.
Before long, they spotted an oncoming convoy in the distance. They could vaguely make out several large transport vehicles within it. On this stretch of the National Boulevard, such convoys were rarely seen, especially traveling from that direction.
Two armored vehicles detached from the escort convoy, accelerated past Chen Chuan, and sped ahead to meet the approaching vehicles.
As escort vehicles sent by Center City's Esoteric Cult Bureau, both were equipped with monitoring equipment capable of detecting whether oncoming vehicles possessed shielding devices or field interference organisms. If any were detected, it would indicate potential danger, allowing them to instantly signal the vehicles behind to exercise caution.
Yet everything was normal. The opposing convoy did not even slow down much; the driver of the lead vehicle merely threw them a few glances before calmly looking straight ahead again.
The fighter advisor beside Bureau Director Lei asked the scouts ahead over the boundary credential, "Can you identify their background?"
Someone replied, "Judging from the license plates and markings, they are most likely vehicles belonging to Center City's Lianwei Heavy Control Company."
Chen Chuan's eyes shifted slightly. Lianwei Heavy Control Company's main operations consisted of security contracting and inter-regional transport services, so seeing them on the National Boulevard seemed ordinary enough.
However, back when he had investigated them to deal with Zhao Qian, he had learned that their operations generally ran between center cities and rarely extended to fringe cities.
Furthermore, this route led only toward Yangzhi City. While Yangzhi also connected to Yuanwang Port to the east, any cargo headed overseas could be shipped directly through Center City's Jiyang District; there was no reason to take such a detour here.
He exchanged a few private words with Bureau Director Lei over the boundary credential.
At that moment, the oncoming vehicles passed by, crossing paths with them without any apparent problem.
A moment later, Bureau Director Lei sent word back: "I have spoken with Advisor Yao. He says he has made arrangements."
Chen Chuan nodded.
The convoy continued forward. Another half-hour elapsed. At this rate, they would reach the final checkpoint in under thirty minutes, after which they would enter the territory of Center City.
Once there, while not entirely free of danger, they would at least be able to establish communications with the city. The Disposal Bureau personnel stationed across various districts were primarily responsible for protecting government officials like Bureau Director Lei; should any trouble arise, they would arrive promptly.
Just then, Chen Chuan heard another cry from Chaoming—this time short and urgent. Though Chen Chuan saw nothing ahead, he trusted Chaoming's vantage point from above. The bird must have spotted something abnormal. Without hesitation, he spoke into his boundary credential: "Director Lei, perhaps we should stop for now."
Bureau Director Lei trusted him implicitly and immediately ordered the vehicles to halt.
Although the escort team had not detected anything either, Chen Chuan had previously spotted that other convoy well ahead of time. They assumed he might have noticed something again. For the sake of safety, they would rather stop and wait.
If nothing was wrong, all the better; if there was danger, they could prepare in advance.
Following the transmission, the entire convoy slowed down, pulling to a halt one after another. Only the two lead vehicles kept going, moving forward to scout ahead.
At that very moment, roughly three kilometers ahead of them on either side of the National Boulevard, two teams lay in ambush. Concealed in pre-dug hollows, they monitored the convoy's movements through binoculars.
Seeing the smoothly moving convoy suddenly grind to a halt with only two vehicles pressing forward, they were unsure what had happened and promptly signaled to the personnel ambushing further back, who in turn reported the situation via radio.
After a brief wait, clear orders came back from behind: wait no longer, strike immediately.
On the National Boulevard, while the two advance vehicles were warily scanning their surroundings, on the verge of reaching the ambush site, they heard commotion ahead. Far down the opposite lane, yet another convoy was approaching.
Their attention was immediately drawn forward. Raising their guard, they accelerated slightly to meet it.
Right at that moment, a burst of static crackled through their boundary credentials. This was no communication disruption caused by excessive distance—it was the work of a field interference organism!
There really was danger!
They immediately engaged their radios to transmit a message back.
Just then, combat organisms leapt over the guardrails lining both sides of the National Boulevard. Every single one of them appeared to be a combat mantis from Compound Eye Company.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, they reached the two vehicles, slashing their razor-sharp forelegs toward the bodies and windshields. Yet before the strikes could land, they tumbled limply from midair one after another, raining down onto the pavement.
Those leaping slightly ahead slid down against the armored plating, only to be crushed beneath reinforced tires. Bone and carapace crunched as blood and fluids burst across the road.
The vehicles dispatched by Center City's Esoteric Cult Bureau were heavily armored and embedded with esoteric ritual patterns within the cabin walls. Once activated, any living organism drawing near would suffer severe physiological and psychological trauma. Thus, when the armed personnel inside saw these combat organisms charge, they remained completely unperturbed.
Yet their expressions instantly changed. Following the swarm of combat mantises, figures wielding long blades, wearing goggles and protective armor—implant combatants—vaulted over the guardrails on both sides.
One exceptionally agile figure landed squarely in front with a thud, raising his blade high above his head.
The driver's face fell, and he frantically jerked the steering wheel to swerve. Yet in the very next instant, the figure seemed to bridge tens of meters in a flash, appearing right before the windshield. Then, the blade swung down!
The entire vehicle was sliced apart like paper. Carried forward by its remaining momentum, the split halves slid apart to either side and slammed into the curb.
Reflected in the swordsman's goggles was the distant convoy. He flicked the blade, spun it in a neat flourish, and held it ready as implant combatants and biological weapons streamed past him from behind, charging aggressively forward.
Chapter 462