Cooperation

Chen Chuan and Gu Haiting walked out onto the deck. Spring sunlight bathed the sea, swaying in dazzling speckles of gold, while a warm breeze stirred their clothes and hair. Looking toward the magnificent, sprawling Center City in the distance, the two walked over to the railing. Below them, azure waters rose and fell in undulating waves, with white seabirds occasionally skimming past close to the shore. Chen Chuan glanced toward Yinglu District. Even across such a distance, he could still make out the silhouette of that colossal Ferris wheel. Gu Haiting took two boxes from an attendant, handed one to Chen Chuan, and opened the one in his own hand. Down below, frothing waves surged as several dolphins swam over. Some raised their heads to look at them, while others circled beneath the yacht's hull. Gu Haiting grabbed a handful of granular feed from the box and scattered it down. The dolphins below broke into joyful squeals at once, leaping out of the water to vie for the food. Some jumped astonishingly high, clearing the yacht's bow to land on the other side with tremendous splashes. Such performance was far beyond ordinary dolphins. "These are mutated dolphins," Gu Haiting said. "Modified organisms specially developed by our company and fitted with implants. They help us conduct rescues and locate certain special things." "Special things?" Chen Chuan asked. Gu Haiting said, "Does Captain Chen know that just as fissures between the two worlds exist on land, they also exist on the ocean floor? Yet that realm has always remained largely unknown to us. "Based on records dating back to the Old Era, as well as surveys in the New Era, fissures in the sea seem to be quite rare. The first piece of evidence is that marine mutations are exceedingly sparse. Moreover, we once attempted to build a Center City in the Outer Ocean, but gathered very few fissures. Due to that and other factors, the project was never pursued further. "Yet while these fissures are rare, whenever one does appear, it still affects nearby marine life, inducing a degree of mutation. These modified dolphins can help us effectively track down such mutated organisms, which in turn leads us to the fissures. "One of the responsibilities assumed by our Canglong Company and the Ocean Exploration Group since our founding was to find ways to eliminate these mutated creatures, clarify the state of underwater fissures, and isolate and seal them." Chen Chuan listened quietly. He knew very well that beyond any assumed responsibilities, both companies undoubtedly reaped substantial profits from this work. Furthermore, the uses for modified organisms were hardly limited to this. Researching combat implants and various biological modification technologies was likely their true underlying goal. Yet under the current global backdrop, this was hardly out of the ordinary. With the Great Collision drawing near, corporations worldwide were doing almost the exact same thing. Gu Haiting scattered another handful of feed. "The people in the Outer Ocean have always wanted to build a Center City of their own. The government has continually used our two companies to suppress them. There's no need to recount all the historical entanglements—in short, there is no reason for us to hand over what is already in our grasp. "Those Outer Ocean factions are backed by the Linakes Federation and several international organizations, constantly vying with us for dominance over the Outer Ocean. In fact, some of the technologies used to establish Ferris Wheel Company clearly bear the fingerprints of the Linakes Federation." He spoke without the slightest hesitation: "No matter what their original purpose was, from the moment that company was established, they became our enemy." He looked at Chen Chuan again. "And by that, I don't just mean Canglong Company and the Ocean Exploration Group. I mean you as well, Captain Chen." "Oh?" Chen Chuan said. "How so?" "Captain Chen, please log into our internal platform. There is something I'd like to show you." Chen Chuan tapped his boundary credential and found an invitation from the nearby platform of the Ivory. He logged in, and Gu Haiting promptly transmitted a roster to him. "Captain Chen, this is an intelligence report we've compiled. It lists individuals who died under mysterious circumstances over the past six months, but we can confirm that all of them were murdered." Chen Chuan looked through it. In Center City, many people died each day from violent altercations—far too many to track in full detail. On the surface, the victims differed widely in identity and age; there was nothing noticeably special about them. He considered it for a moment and asked, "Is there any connection between these people?" "Looking only at that, one really can't tell," Gu Haiting said. "However..." He tapped again, and photographs of the individuals appeared, with each person's time and cause of death listed beneath. Now Chen Chuan noticed something. All of their deaths were concentrated within the past few months. Most appeared to have died from shootings, car crashes, overdoses, or similar incidents, but according to the summary analysis, the modus operandi was strikingly consistent. He looked up. "These people died in organized assassinations?" Gu Haiting nodded. "Blended into the constant stream of deaths across Center City, they appeared completely unremarkable. But no matter how concealed an act is, it always leaves traces. "Ever since we noticed this pattern, our company has kept a close eye on it. By comparing and analyzing data through an active conscious entity, we gradually identified these similar cases, eventually piecing together a trail that points to a single source." He looked at Chen Chuan and gave an answer that came as no surprise: "Ferris Wheel Company." Chen Chuan looked at the listed individuals once more. Some held notable status, but others were ordinary citizens who posed no conceivable threat to Ferris Wheel Company. That the company would specifically target these people seemed entirely without clear motive, almost completely arbitrary. "Why kill them?" Gu Haiting shook his head. "We don't know. But it cannot be aimless slaughter." He looked at Chen Chuan. "Captain Chen was previously attacked by Ferris Wheel Company. So we wondered—could this seemingly purposeless pattern of attacks be the very reason Ferris Wheel Company targeted you? "Otherwise, given your official position, there was no need for them to go out of their way to hire someone from Langtao Arena to deal with you..." He offered an apologetic smile. "Pardon me, I don't mean to belittle you, Captain Chen. It's simply that the administrative authority you wield doesn't pose an actual threat to them." Chen Chuan agreed with this assessment. "That's true." Then he added, "I didn't expect your company would have heard about that as well." Gu Haiting said, "Because of our business, we have to keep close tabs on developments in the Outer Ocean. Mashiba Masaru, whom you killed, was the most prized disciple of this generation at Langtao Arena. "Word has it that upon receiving the news, a disciple named Sancheng Huang expressed great interest in you and claimed he would come to challenge you. He is far stronger than Mashiba Masaru. You should be careful, Captain Chen." Chen Chuan replied calmly, "Is that so? I look forward to it." If a worthy opponent came looking for him, he was more than willing to test his skills against them. Gu Haiting said, "Captain Chen, we saw Ferris Wheel Company's apology and compensation to the Disposal Bureau, but frankly, that was mere window dressing. "Though they seem to have quieted down recently, our informants inside Ferris Wheel Company report that their personnel have been bustling across various regions of the Outer Ocean, maintaining contact and passing messages. They are definitely preparing some major move in the near future." He said earnestly, "Captain Chen, we make no secret of our desire to deal with Ferris Wheel Company. If you are on their list, they will reach for you again sooner or later. Therefore, seeing as we share a common enemy, we believe we can offer you some assistance." Chen Chuan looked at him. "Then I appreciate it." He did not reject the overture of goodwill. Gu Haiting was right—they were currently standing in the same camp. Back when he discussed things with Gao Ming, he had already considered this point. Taking on Ferris Wheel Company all on his own would be difficult, and their ambushes were hard to guard against. But if Canglong Company stepped in, it would be a different story. Even if they only provided intelligence, that alone would be of immense help. Gu Haiting smiled. "In the coming days, the atmosphere in Center City will likely grow even more tense. Ah..." He ventured cautiously, "Captain Chen must already know about this?" Chen Chuan nodded. Seeing that Chen Chuan was indeed aware, Gu Haiting was reassured. He continued, "When that time comes, higher authorities will direct all their strength toward handling the impending crisis. Ferris Wheel Company won't just sit quietly then." Chen Chuan caught his implication. At such a time, Ferris Wheel Company might attempt things they normally wouldn't dare or couldn't easily manage. Furthermore, another thought struck him: the Corporate United Syndicate had chosen this exact juncture to move in and conduct an inspection of Ferris Wheel Company. Could their motives really be that simple? No matter how one looked at it, that was impossible. "Mr. Gu, thank you for the warning," he said. Gu Haiting said, "You're too polite, Captain Chen. Oh, right—aside from that Langtao Arena disciple I mentioned, you should also be wary of this man." As he spoke, he transmitted the photograph of a somber, middle-aged man. "This is Guan Shangjing, Ferris Wheel Company's head of external operations and security director. He's a disciple of Fenglin Arena, one of the three great martial arenas of the Outer Ocean. In an environment like the Outer Ocean, a security director must possess formidable martial prowess; his combat capability is exceptionally high. "Our analysis suggests that if they refuse to let the matter with you drop, he might choose to step in personally. But beyond that, you don't need to worry too much elsewhere." He added with a chilling edge to his voice, "While there are things the government cannot directly act upon, corporate rivalry is entirely standard." Chen Chuan understood his meaning immediately. He said slowly, "If he really comes for me, I won't let him go back." The smile on Gu Haiting's face widened. He extended a hand and said with utmost sincerity, "Captain Chen, during this period we are willing to provide you with certain conveniences. If you need anything, you can contact me directly. Canglong Company and the Ocean Exploration Group are ready to offer you any necessary support." Chen Chuan reached out and shook his hand. "I won't be shy."