On May 26th, two days had passed since the Fumu finished its split.
On the forty-ninth floor of the Xuangong Building, Chen Chuan stood by the window, facing the bright, dazzling rays of the morning sun.
At the moment, he was browsing the news feeds pushed to his boundary credential. Almost every headline covered the fall of the Ferris Wheel Company, though public sentiment leaned overwhelmingly negative.
Once the Fumu's split concluded and the field shielding was lifted, the Municipal Council had learned of the situation at Ferris Wheel almost immediately.
They had promptly unleashed severe condemnations and protests against the Government Affairs Hall and multiple departments, mobilizing a massive array of their media outlets to broadcast aggressive reports alleging government encroachment on commercial interests and the violent suppression of private enterprise.
They claimed these actions deeply unsettled many businesses, cast doubt on the Jibei Dao Center City government's ability to maintain a stable commercial and security environment, and demanded a reasonable explanation from the Government Affairs Hall.
Some council members even demanded that the Chief of Government Affairs appear in person to explain and apologize, proposing amendments to emergency legislation to ensure no similar incident could ever occur again.
Yet the Government Affairs Hall remained entirely unresponsive. Rather than looking helpless, however, their silence felt more like they were brewing and waiting for something.
Chen Chuan considered this. The Government Affairs Hall had launched this initiative deliberately; they would not be without counters and contingency plans.
Even if the Municipal Council knew that, they had no choice but to take this stance. Representing the interests of corporations and local factions, they were obligated to speak out.
After reading a little longer, he closed the feed. All the clamor and the countless repetitive voices vanished at once, leaving only the wind brushing against his cheeks.
He looked up toward the far edges of the city, feeling as though his spirit had drifted to an unimaginably distant realm.
Over the past three days, he had been absorbing pure substance without pause, sensing the barrier blocking his path growing increasingly fragile.
Even so, the total amount of pure substance he had absorbed over these days did not match what he had acquired on that single day. Even when his spirit lingered across the divide, it took a long time to seize even a wisp.
This aligned with what Chen Bitong had told him. The pure substance was likely dispersing across Great Shun and across the entire world, which meant what he could reach had dwindled.
Moreover, someone must have begun patching the breach in the Ring of the World. For that reason, he hadn't slept at all over the past few days, seizing every second day and night to capture and absorb as much as he could.
Yet even if the breach could be sealed, it could not stifle the stirrings in human hearts.
If something happened once in this world, it would happen a second time.
It would be one thing had it never occurred before. But now that it had happened, and had been proven possible, someone would certainly attempt it again. Before, they could see no path; now, they knew another option existed.
He gazed at the blinding sunlight above, feeling the ubiquitous radiance cast down upon him. He thought that this was likely Teacher Chen's true intention—not merely tearing open a rift, but creating hope.
After lingering a moment longer, he turned and returned to the training room. Having absorbed so much pure substance and quintessence, he needed to convert them into true strength as quickly as possible.
A morning slipped away in cultivation. Toward noon, he received a voice message from Counselor Pei, asking if he was free to discuss a few matters.
He replied, agreeing to meet two hours later.
A little after one in the afternoon, Chen Chuan stepped out of the training room, washed up, changed his clothes, and headed downstairs.
The moment he walked out of the Xuangong Building, a familiar car pulled up. As it stopped before him, the window rolled down, and Counselor Pei raised a hand in greeting from the back seat. "Captain Chen, hop in."
Chen Chuan walked over, opened the door, and took his seat. The car slowly pulled away and headed toward the elevated highway.
Counselor Pei said, "Have you seen the news these past few days?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I saw it. Nothing but criticism and accusations."
Counselor Pei chuckled. "That only proves we did the right thing."
As the car climbed onto the elevated highway, he continued, "The higher-ups sent me to ask how you feel Chen Bitong should be dealt with. They'd like to hear your thoughts."
Chen Chuan looked at him. "What are the higher-ups considering?"
Counselor Pei sighed. "Letting him pass away as a hero is best for everyone. It preserves his reputation and offers a satisfactory account to others."
Through their investigations over the past few days, the Defense Department had gotten a general sense of what Chen Bitong had been trying to accomplish.
Yet whether to keep information contained or due to other considerations, they had no desire to expose the truth. Doing so would implicate far too many people and matters.
Chen Bitong dying as a hero was the cleanest outcome. That way, military morale would not be shaken, and the many individuals connected to him could be placated.
However, they remained unsure of Chen Chuan's stance. After all, if the matter was settled this way, Chen Chuan's credit for taking down Chen Bitong would essentially be wiped clean. For an ordinary fighter, a simple notification paired with compensation would suffice, but with Chen Chuan, they had to consider his feelings.
Throughout the crisis, Chen Chuan had displayed extraordinary strength, playing a pivotal role in every operation. In particular, thousands of people had witnessed his final strike falling from the sky. As the events continued to ripple outward, his influence was spreading. Without Chen Chuan even realizing it, he had earned immense prestige among the troops below. Because of that, they had to tread carefully.
Seeing Chen Chuan remain silent, Counselor Pei added, "Captain Chen, rest assured. Before I came, the Defense Department already instructed me that we will grant you reasonable compensation."
Chen Chuan actually took no issue with it. Frankly, this was already the best outcome he could have envisioned. He said, "Then let's handle it as the higher-ups see fit."
Counselor Pei visibly relaxed upon hearing no objection.
"Right, there's one more thing to mention. Going forward, the Government Affairs Hall will emphasize the justice and necessity of this operation. In their reports and narrative, they may put forward a representative figure."
He paused, then said, "Furthermore, since Chen Bitong has fallen, someone will have to fill his vacancy. Among all candidates, the most likely one is you, Captain Chen."
He looked at Chen Chuan. "This isn't necessarily a bad thing for you. Why didn't the higher-ups take Chen Bitong down even when they knew he was suspicious?
"For lack of evidence? No. It was because he possessed extensive influence and connections, meaning they had to proceed strictly on evidence. Otherwise, to say nothing of his powerful old acquaintances, military morale would have taken a massive hit.
"Of course, gaining prestige means bearing the burdens that come with it. We respect your wishes. If you're unwilling, we won't force you."
Chen Chuan had no interest in this. Being placed on a pedestal meant every move was scrutinized, bringing restraint and outside influence—something he didn't want.
He believed personal strength was what truly mattered, not hollow accolades. Once strength reached a certain height, it was no longer a matter of him accommodating others; others would have to accommodate him.
Seeing that he showed no interest, Counselor Pei dropped the subject and said, "Captain Chen, here's some news you'll definitely like. In recognition of your service, the Defense Department has granted you three months of leave. You can take a good rest. If you wish to travel to other Center Cities or go abroad, we can arrange special clearance."
Chen Chuan looked at Counselor Pei. "Is there a problem?" Even with leave granted, they wouldn't go out of their way to suggest he leave the city.
Counselor Pei sighed before replying, "Captain Chen, you performed exceptionally well, but you might also draw unwanted attention."
He warned, "The Municipal Council is paying close attention to your performance. Moving forward, they might try to use you as a breakthrough point."
Chen Chuan considered this briefly. "Thank you for the warning, Counselor Pei. I understand."
After driving a circuit around the city, Counselor Pei dropped him back off at Wuyi Academy. As Chen Chuan stepped out and prepared to head inside the building, an incoming signal flashed and chimed on his boundary credential.
He glanced at it, saw that it was Yu Lie, and after a moment's thought, accepted the call. "Major Yu, what is it?"
Yu Lie's voice came through: "Captain Chen, pardon the interruption. Someone wishes to meet with you. Would you happen to be available?"
Chen Chuan asked directly, "Someone from the Temporary Special Operations Committee?"
Yu Lie paused, then answered candidly, "Yes. Rest assured, I give you my word that he only wants to speak with you and discuss a few things, nothing more. If you feel uneasy, Captain Chen, you can notify other departments beforehand."
Chen Chuan weighed his options. Yu Lie's guarantee carried little weight, but he had nothing to fear.
Judging by what Counselor Pei had said, Chen Bitong's matter was already settled. There was little chance of reopening it, so the meeting was likely about something else.
If the Operations Committee was going to keep hounding him, avoiding them would be impossible. It was better to meet, hear what they had to say, and decide on a response from there.
He said, "In that case, let's meet. I have time right now."
Yu Lie quickly agreed, adding that someone would arrive shortly to pick him up and asking him to wait, before hurriedly ending the call.
Chen Chuan drafted a brief report on the matter and sent it straight to Chief Wu. Barely five minutes later, three armored vehicles drove up from the outside and came to a stop before him. The door opened, and Yu Lie stepped out.
He walked up to Chen Chuan, his expression complicated. "Captain Chen, Mr. Chu is waiting for you in the car." With that, he stepped aside and made an inviting gesture.
Chen Chuan looked toward the vehicle, adjusted the brim of his cap, and walked forward.
Chapter 595