The Squad

After talking on the roof, Su Wei followed Chen Chuan into the Jiade car. He didn't ask where they were going or what they were about to do. Over these past few days of self-training, he had also read several military regulations handbooks and understood that this was different from Confluence contract teams. In the military, superior orders had to be strictly obeyed; when executing a mission, whatever the squad leader said went, and there was no need to ask questions. Chen Chuan drove the car out of Hongsheng District, back into Wuding District, and stopped at a transit station that had an underground passage. After presenting his credentials, he led Su Wei inside. Counselor Pei had contacted him again over the past few days, informing him that the Defense Department had detected substantial unusual activity at the unrepaired breach in the Ring of the World as the Fumu's condition shifted. Currently, the Defense Department had mobilized a significant amount of additional forces there. This meant the situation in Center City would likely grow even more tense. Once the Fumu began to fission and reproduce, the Defense Department would dispatch missions to him, and he was told to remain on standby at all times. Chen Chuan had acknowledged the order, but he knew full well that until personal power reached a certain threshold, the strength of a team remained immensely useful. That was why he had recalled Su Wei. Beyond him, Chen Chuan had also submitted an application to higher-ups to transfer Qin Qingque and Yuan Qiuyuan, who had been stationed in the Confluence. While this was undeniably a crisis, it was also an opportunity to earn merits. As the car had been en route, both Qin and Yuan had already replied with messages stating they were about to arrive in Center City. Taking the elevator down, they reached the deserted waiting platform. After waiting for only a few minutes, Chen Chuan saw Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque walking over from the far end of the passageway, packs slung over their backs. "Captain!" Yuan Qiuyuan quickened his pace as soon as he spotted Chen Chuan, looking exceptionally excited. "Greetings, Captain." Qin Qingque stepped forward and offered a crisp, textbook salute. Yuan Qiuyuan hastily saluted as well. Chen Chuan returned the salute in kind. Then Yuan and Qin's gazes settled onto Su Wei, who was standing behind him. Chen Chuan said, "Let me introduce you. This is Su Wei. In future operations in the Confluence, he will be joining our unit. If higher-ups order a larger operation, the three of you will each be responsible for leading a squad." "Whoa, handpicked by the Captain himself! Nice to meet you, Squad Member Su. Let's find time for a spar sometime." Yuan Qiuyuan showed no reserve toward this newcomer. Su Wei glanced at Chen Chuan. Seeing no objection, he answered earnestly, "I would be glad to." "Then it's a deal!" Yuan Qiuyuan looked back at Chen Chuan, rubbing his hands together. "Captain, ever since you left, we've been waiting for your summons! Isn't that right, Operative Qin?" Qin Qingque nodded. Chen Chuan said, "Come with me first. Once we get to my place, I'll fill you in on the details." Turning to lead the way, he brought the three out of the station and walked over to the parked Jiade car. Seeing the vehicle, Qin Qingque said, "Captain, let me drive." Chen Chuan asked, "Have you been to Jibei Circuit Center City before?" "I've been here once," Qin Qingque replied. "Just send me the coordinates of wherever you're heading, Captain." Chen Chuan knew she was both steady and swift behind the wheel, so he transmitted the location of his residence in Wuding District to her and took the front passenger seat. Su Wei and Yuan Qiuyuan climbed into the back. Once the car set off, Yuan Qiuyuan spoke up from behind. "Captain, we haven't slackened off over these days! Aside from our daytime guard duties, we spent all our free time training hard, just hoping we can keep up with your pace." Then he leaned forward slightly. "Captain, I heard there's going to be a huge scene this time?" Without turning around, Chen Chuan replied from his seat, "You heard about it?" "Well, when Counselor Pei arranged for us to come over, he told us the situation in Center City was extremely grim and that you needed us, Captain. But he didn't disclose any specifics, saying we'd find out once we met up with you. Heh, don't tell me we're facing an opponent like Iron Demon again?" Chen Chuan looked at the road ahead and said calmly, "More than that. Exactly what we will face is hard to say right now." Yuan Qiuyuan picked up an unusual undertone in his words. His expression grew sober, and he leaned back into his seat, though deep in his eyes, an eagerness to test himself still flickered. Su Wei remained silent in the back seat throughout the ride, quietly sizing up these two teammates. In less than fifteen minutes, the car pulled into Chen Chuan's spacious residence in Wuding District. After parking outside, he brought the three into the living room, stepped over, and opened the chiller. "Help yourselves to whatever you'd like to drink," he said. He walked to the side to pick up a tea canister. Seeing this, Qin Qingque took the initiative to step forward, take it from him, and brew the tea. Once they were all seated, Chen Chuan explained the ramifications of the Fumu's fission and reproduction, as well as the circumstances they might need to confront in the days ahead. "From the way you describe it, Captain, this is going to be massive." Yuan Qiuyuan couldn't help feeling excited. He realized that under such conditions, opportunities to earn merits would be everywhere. Following the Captain really did mean getting a share of the spoils. Chen Chuan continued, "Once the Fumu fissions, setting aside the capture and disposal of those split bodies, the two worlds will be pulled closer together, which will inevitably give rise to numerous fissures. "In the past, Center City had experience handling this, but that was under the premise that the Ring of the World remained intact. Now that a breach has opened, there's no telling how things will unfold—especially since there is a very high probability that things from the Confluence will leak through. "Right now, higher-ups likely cannot make an accurate assessment of the eventual situation either. That is why no specific missions have been assigned yet. But once we encounter anything, it will be extraordinarily dangerous. Therefore, when cooperating with the Center City government's operations, I want you to look out for your own safety. Self-preservation must be your first rule." Qin, Yuan, and Su all nodded, their expressions turning solemn. All three possessed a solid understanding of the Confluence and knew how troublesome the entities from there were. In Chen Chuan's view, those outside fighters would actually be a minor matter when the time came. Those fighters who came purely to reap benefits when the Heavenly Gate opened might not even be entirely destabilizing elements for the Center City government. What they sought was personal sublimation. Once the fissures opened, they would likely clash directly with whatever emerged from the other side, serving as prime cannon fodder free of charge. The real enemies the Center City government had to guard against were always the major corporations, powerful factions, and the entities across the Confluence. Those were the genuine threats. He had a faint premonition that when the time arrived, his targets might very well be these forces—or perhaps a specific individual. At that thought, a silhouette drifted across his mind. Though hampered by a lack of information, the four of them proceeded to draft several contingency plans, each tailored against different hypothetical adversaries. Yet plans were merely plans, paper outlines after all. The actual situation would be far more complicated, meaning they would have to adapt to whatever happened on the ground. After going over the plans, Qin Qingque spoke up: "Captain, this residence of yours is an excellent stronghold if arranged properly, but it lacks a field-disrupting organism, making it vulnerable to monitoring. I suggest we try to lease a military jamming organism from the Defense Department and install it in the basement. "Considering that signal transmission through the field may suffer disruptions once the Fumu fissions, it would also be best to acquire a small field organism. It doesn't need to be top-tier; a communication radius of two to three kilometers will suffice. We can keep it in the vehicle so we can stay in touch if we get separated within that range." Chen Chuan said, "Agreed. Operative Qin, I'll leave this to you. Coordinate with the Defense Department regarding the lease." Making extra preparations was never a bad idea. Besides, since they were cooperating with the government, operational expenses would naturally be reimbursed by the Defense Department afterward. He wouldn't have to spend a cent of his own money, so there was every reason to make use of whatever they could get. *** Outside Center City, along the northern coastline, sea waves surged forward rhythmically, churning with loud splashes. In the far reaches of the night sky, several white lights flickered, drawing closer alongside the throbbing hum of rotors. Ferris Wheel Company's security director Guan Shangjing and deputy director Song Zicheng stood waiting. Behind them, in addition to logistics personnel, stood a squad of implant-enhanced soldiers armed with guns and blades, wearing conical protective helmets. Guided by ground signal lights, an unmarked small airship gradually materialized and eased down onto a temporary mooring station. Once it settled firmly, the hatch opened, and a retractable gangway extended to the ground. A group of people descended. Leading them was a young fighter wearing an antique red robe with a left lapel over a flowing black skirt. He had short hair and wore a pair of round-rimmed glasses. The man appeared to be in his early thirties and carried a remarkably gentle demeanor. If not for the long saber sheathed at his waist, one might have mistaken him for an ordinary scholar. Behind him followed a youth of fourteen or fifteen, holding a cross-spear in his hands. Guan Shangjing led his personnel forward, bowing low. "Senior Brother Miyahide!" Behind him, his subordinates bowed in unison with a crisp rustle. Nagahide Miyahide smiled and bowed in return. "Junior Brother Guan Shang." Guan Shangjing straightened up and said, "Senior Brother, it has been a tiring journey. Please follow me." Nagahide Miyahide replied, "Much obliged." Watching him follow Guan Shangjing into the car, the logistics personnel couldn't help feeling somewhat surprised by his genial smile and refined, gentle presence. Once inside their vehicle, two clerks exchanged low whispers: "Is that really Nagahide Miyahide? He doesn't look the part at all." "Yeah, I thought so too. It felt like watching an elder brother from next door coming home. His voice sounds so scholarly and polite—he's surprisingly approachable." However, the team leader for this operation turned around and snapped sternly, "You two, take this seriously!" "Yes, Team Leader." The two hastily sat up straight. The team leader gazed ahead, a look of vigilance and dread surfacing in his eyes as he murmured, "Nagahide Miyahide is also known as 'Ghost Miyahide.' His true nature is nothing like what you just saw!"