The Depths

Inside the car, Mr. Pan was on pins and needles. He had not really wanted to take this route—not just because the surroundings felt deeply unsettling, but because the Plague Cult had a notorious reputation even in the Lower District. Normally, no one was willing to venture near this area. Yet he had no choice. If he failed to point out a viable route today, he might never get out of this car alive. As the vehicle rolled forward, a profound unease crept over him. It was not merely the dim lighting; aside from the drone of their own vehicle, there was not a whisper of sound outside. The dark, winding tunnel ahead felt like an abyss threatening to swallow them whole, suffocatingly oppressive. Che Gaoyi narrowed his eyes. They had been driving here for over half an hour, yet there was still no sign of an exit. What was more, he had noticed a peculiar detail: the graffiti on the walls had begun to repeat. Third-limit fighters generally possessed exceptional memories, and he was particularly gifted in that regard. Even in a passing glance, he had memorized every pattern they had passed. They were not heading toward their destination; they were driving in circles! The moment he realized this, he barked into his boundary credential, "Halt!" The entire convoy ground to an immediate stop. "All vehicles report in. Check your transports," he ordered. Each armored vehicle promptly checked in, but they soon realized one was unaccounted for—and it had reported in just five minutes prior. Mr. Pan grew increasingly alarmed. Rumors about the Plague Cult flooded his mind. "M-Mr. Che, this... this..." Che Gaoyi said coldly, "What are you panicking for?" Although a vehicle was missing, no one had ambushed them along the way. That meant whoever was lurking in the shadows either did not want to clash head-on or lacked the strength to do so. Speaking into his boundary credential, he commanded, "All vehicles check in every two minutes. Follow my lead and reverse out of here." He had his own vehicle turn around to take the lead. In his mind, every detail of the route they had just traversed—the variations in the wall graffiti, the marks on the ground—surfaced one by one. He did not even need to look at the path ahead. He simply guided the convoy back along those traces, retracing their steps. In this state, his perception was as razor-sharp as that of an active conscious entity. Over half an hour later, they successfully retreated back to the entrance where they had first entered the tunnel. "We're out." Seeing the familiar glow of the sun vines outside, Mr. Pan felt his tense nerves suddenly slacken, and he slumped in his seat, panting heavily. Yet when they conducted another roll call, they discovered another vehicle had vanished. A wave of horror swept through the men. They had just checked in with everyone right before emerging! How had another vehicle disappeared? They were not afraid of a genuine, bloody fight, but something like this—defying all common sense—made their scalps prickle with dread. Che Gaoyi was the only one in the entire convoy who remained completely calm. He had no intention of searching for the two missing vehicles. The split sub-body they were escorting was not inside them, and he would never halt the mission for two cars and their crews. Mr. Pan looked at him timidly. "Mr. Che, what do we do now?" With both routes cut off, he was at his wit's end, terrified the man would turn his fury on him. Che Gaoyi made an immediate call. "Head back to our original route. We'll punch our way through there." Though forcing their way through the Disposal Bureau's checkpoint was far from ideal, it was their only viable way out at present—infinitely better than wandering blindly into the unknown. At his command, the convoy started up again. As they departed, he cast a deep, lingering glance back into the seemingly endless, gloomy tunnel. *** In Hongsheng District, in the plaza where the fissure had closed, Chen Chuan wore a dustcoat and sat inside an armored vehicle, sipping a hot beverage provided by the response unit. He looked down at his palm. Chen Bitong's final punch had imparted a burst of spiritual power, and within it, Chen Chuan could sense a message. Unlocking it, however, required his spirit to be just a little higher. It would not take long. He could feel he was only a hair's breadth away—just that tiny fraction. And the day was still long; he would have his chance. Even setting this aside, for the sake of the pure substance that would soon arrive, he needed to elevate his spiritual power anyway. Only then could he hope to harvest more of it. After finishing the hot drink, he rested for a moment until an alert sounded on his boundary credential. He glanced at it and accepted the call. "Commissioner?" Commissioner Liang's voice came through. "Captain Chen, I know you must be exhausted after handling things there, but I need to impose on you once more. You are the only person suited for this." "Go ahead, Commissioner," Chen Chuan replied. Commissioner Liang said, "Several split sub-bodies are currently missing out there. We suspect the Lianwei Heavy Control Company took on a contract to transport one, and their convoy has already headed into the Lower District. "An hour ago, an outpost we set up at a concealed entrance spotted a group attempting to pass through, likely Lianwei Heavy Control. While there has been no news from them since, they are bound to be searching for another way out. "The Lower District is extremely convoluted. Our personnel cannot easily penetrate it and are met with deep distrust. We know Convergence Boundary Company backs an underground logistics outfit down there, and since you hold the post of security supervisor for Convergence Boundary, operating down there will be far easier for you than for us. "Therefore, we want you to go down there and find a way to intercept Lianwei Heavy Control's convoy." Chen Chuan pondered briefly, then asked, "How much authority does the Defense Department grant me?" Commissioner Liang said in a solemn voice, "In the name of the Defense Department and the Government Affairs Hall, I hereby authorize you to use any and all means at your disposal regarding matters tied to the split sub-body. During this operation, all communications channels and teams will coordinate to your requirements. "I have only one demand: do everything in your power to intercept that convoy down there. If you locate the split sub-body, confirm its identity and destroy it on the spot." "Understood, Commissioner," Chen Chuan said. "I will see it done." "Captain Chen, I have already dispatched a dedicated transport convoy to pick you up. The Lower District is not like other places; stay sharp and be careful." Chen Chuan thanked him and ended the call. After waiting a short while, he heard the rumble of an approaching armored motorcade. Stepping out of the vehicle, he walked to the center of the road. The convoy pulled up a short distance ahead. The acting officer in charge hopped out briskly with his men, stepped before Chen Chuan, and saluted before stepping aside. A security guard brought forward a brand-new enforcement captain's uniform on a tray, complete with a replacement sword. Chen Chuan glanced over it and changed into the uniform right there. Once he set the peaked cap on his head, an attendant stepped forward to drape a protective coat over his shoulders. He tugged his protective gloves tight, cast a sweep of his eyes over his surroundings, and boarded the armored vehicle. The convoy swiftly turned around and rolled out under the watchful gaze of the response unit. Flickering fissures could still be seen along the roads from time to time. Although some of the earlier ones had vanished, more would continue to surface until the splitting phase concluded. Fortunately, these fissures only appeared directly above Fumu's massive form and did not extend beyond that perimeter. Otherwise, the Lower District would currently be in even greater turmoil than the Upper District. Using the frequency band provided by the Defense Department, Chen Chuan contacted Convergence Boundary Company. Through the dedicated channel set up by the company, he reached Lan Xinnan. After exchanging information and learning the current lay of the land from her, they arranged a rendezvous point. A few minutes later, the convoy descended into the Lower District via the nearest tunnel entrance. Once inside, they navigated to the coordinates Chen Chuan provided and found the nearby outpost of Lutong Logistics. The outpost crew had initially bristled with hostility and suspicion, but once Chen Chuan presented his credentials as Convergence Boundary's security supervisor, the atmosphere softened immediately, and they even dispatched a guide to lead the way. Half an hour later, the convoy arrived at a tunnel mouth. Lan Xinnan was waiting there astride a two-wheeled motor vehicle, backed by over thirty armed riders. The armored cars pulled up and halted. The window rolled down, and Chen Chuan looked out from inside. "Captain Lan." Lan Xinnan stared for a brief, dazed moment. Sitting inside the car in a peaked cap and protective coat, Chen Chuan looked strikingly different from before, making her feel slightly intimidated. She composed herself and said earnestly, "Mr. Chen. We received the directive from the company instructing us to cooperate fully with you. "However, a large motorcade moving through the underground will provoke suspicion and hostility from all factions. That will hinder your operation and negatively impact Lutong Logistics as well." Chen Chuan acknowledged her point. "Captain Lan, I understand your concerns. This time, you will only be answerable to me, and I will not drag Lutong Logistics into this." Speaking into his boundary credential, he ordered, "Leave the vehicles loaded with field organisms and signal-jamming equipment behind. All other personnel are to withdraw." Because they had already received orders from above to follow Chen Chuan's commands without question, the armed escorts showed no hesitation. Leaving behind the vehicles carrying the specialized gear, the rest immediately turned their vehicles around and departed. Chen Chuan then turned to her. "Captain Lan, can your people operate this equipment?" "We can." Lan Xinnan had her riders wheel their bikes aside and directed her men to take over the vehicles. She then climbed into Chen Chuan's car and took a seat. Feeling far less tense now, she asked, "Brother Chen, are you looking for the Lianwei Heavy Control convoy?" Chen Chuan nodded. "Them. They're transporting an extremely critical item and intend to move it out through the Lower District. Can you help us track them down, Captain Lan?" Lan Xinnan answered with confidence, "They made too much noise. We've been keeping tabs on their movements all along, and we have a good guess where they're heading." Chen Chuan nodded. "Then lead the way, Captain Lan. Let's move."