When Chen Chuan stepped inside the car, he saw a tall, burly figure sitting in the rear seat, muscles straining against his clothing.
Upon seeing him, Chen Chuan immediately recalled that back when he was returning from an assignment with Special Envoy Feng, he had caught a glimpse of this person. So this was Mr. Chu.
The rear compartment of the armored vehicle was spacious. He took a seat across from the man, and the car door was shut from the outside.
Mr. Chu said, "Captain Chen, you are not an easy man to invite."
Chen Chuan said, "Is that so? It seems Mr. Chu has only invited me once."
Mr. Chu said, "Captain Chen seems somewhat hostile toward us. I can understand that." He gave a slight nod toward the front, and the driver smoothly put the vehicle into motion.
Once on the road, he continued, "We have our own responsibilities and matters we must investigate. That inevitably impinges on the interests of many, but that is precisely the reason our Operations Committee exists."
Chen Chuan asked, "Did Mr. Chu ask me here today over the matter of Chen Bitong as well?"
Mr. Chu said, "That doesn't matter anymore. Chen Bitong's affair is in the past, and the current resolution is for the best. We are not incapable of compromise."
Looking at Chen Chuan, he said, "The only reason I invited you here today is for you, Captain Chen, as an individual."
Chen Chuan said, "Me? What advice might Mr. Chu have for me?"
Mr. Chu said, "Captain Chen, back in Yangzhi City I already held you in high regard. When dealing with those corporations, one must eradicate them root and branch, leaving no leeway and no lingering hazards. Here in Center City, you have proved your stance and value once again. That is precisely what our Temporary Operations Committee needs."
Chen Chuan's expression remained calm.
Mr. Chu said, "The current enemies of Great Shun are the corporations of various nations. They monopolize vast resources and possess armed military strength capable of contending with sovereign governments, standing in the way of national progress and development.
"This is a chronic ailment left behind after the dynastic revolution and the collapse of the Grand Alliance. Yet we cannot turn a blind eye. Someone must rectify this, rather than endlessly compromising.
"I believe you have been in Center City long enough to understand what I mean."
Chen Chuan offered neither agreement nor denial.
Mr. Chu continued, "I have reviewed your record. Back in Yangzhi, relying on yourself and skillfully leveraging the broader momentum, you turned around an impossible situation and breached a gap through that enclosing wall. I truly admire your effort and your indomitable courage.
"Yet have you ever considered that when you smash through a high wall, what lies on the other side might not be the open world you imagined, but an even taller, grander wall?"
Chen Chuan said, "Is Mr. Chu referring to Center City?"
Mr. Chu said, "Center City? No. You might not feel it yet, Captain Chen, because the path you currently walk is one they permit."
He pointed a finger. "You haven't yet reached the line they have drawn, but you are not far from it.
"I can share a piece of news with you: documents regarding your promotion are already sitting on the desks of the Disposal Bureau and the Defense Department.
"Barring any surprises, you will likely become the youngest investigation supervisor in the Jibei Dao Disposal Bureau—a rank equivalent to deputy director. Quite remarkable.
"And yet, you will soon realize that when you wish to climb higher, or when you seek more resources to enhance your strength, every single step will become impossibly difficult. Because above that lies an invisible ceiling."
He added with deep meaning, "For someone rising from the bottom, without satisfying certain conditions or gaining the acceptance and permission of a certain circle, this is as far as you can ever go."
As he spoke, he looked at Chen Chuan, seemingly waiting for him to absorb and reflect. After a moment, his tone took on greater weight:
"However, besides those established paths, that does not mean no other road exists. Our Special Operations Committee can provide that road—and without requiring any of those prerequisites.
"Of course, if you are content to stop here, harbor no greater ambitions, and have no desire to further elevate your strength, then this position will be enough to sustain you until retirement.
"But would you truly be satisfied with that?
"Your ability is second to none. Among all the young people I have ever met, you rank among the very finest. Your talents ought to be put to proper use, rather than wasted and frittered away here."
With that, he reached into his pocket, took out a calling card, and held it out before Chen Chuan. "This is my calling card. You will soon come to understand what I've told you. If you ever wish to step beyond the high wall, you can come find me."
Chen Chuan glanced at it, pondered for a moment, and reached out to take it.
Mr. Chu seemed pleased that he accepted the card. "Then let our conversation end here for today. Captain Chen, you might as well give what I said some careful thought. I am in no hurry, and there is no need for you to rush into a decision."
The armored convoy made a circuit around the streets and returned once more to the plaza before the Xuangong Building.
The car door opened, and Chen Chuan stepped out.
"By the way, Captain Chen."
Chen Chuan turned around and saw the car window rolling down slowly. From the rear seat, Mr. Chu said to him, "In a few days, the Government Affairs Hall will hold a security screening. It was proposed by the Municipal Council under the pretext of Center City's security. All personnel who made contact with the split sub-bodies or that entity during the split period are required to attend.
"Captain Chen, you were the last person to see Chen Bitong, so you will be a primary focus of this screening. If you encounter any trouble when the time comes, the Special Operations Committee can resolve it for you—if you are willing."
With that said, the window rolled back up, and the armored vehicles filed out one after another, driving away into the distance.
Chen Chuan turned the thought over in his mind. *A security screening...*
If he guessed correctly, this matter was likely tied to the pure substance leak.
The upper echelons of the Government Affairs Hall and the various corporations might not know with absolute certainty that Chen Bitong was the one who tore open the rift, but they would undoubtedly suspect him; after all, his actions had been the most suspicious of all.
And as the last person to come into contact with Chen Bitong, Chen Chuan would inevitably share that suspicion. Looking at it from another angle, any fighter with an ambition to improve themselves who learned of this would never be able to resist taking in pure substance.
However, he had factored this in long ago.
He possessed the second self, which could suppress the manifested state of his body—even reducing it to an expression where spiritual power appeared nonexistent. He could even have the second self shield against a certain degree of field detection. As for the specifics, he could evaluate them when the moment arrived.
Having thought through this, he walked into the building. Along the way, he noticed that whenever students encountered one another, they greeted each other—a stark contrast to their previous hurried, mutually indifferent behavior.
After reflecting on it, he supposed this was because the students and instructors had fought alongside each other over the past few days. Bonds forged in battle were inherently different.
Taking the elevator back to his dormitory, he was about to resume his afternoon training when a notification chimed from his boundary credential.
He glanced at it to find a voice message sent by Tan Zhi. Upon opening it, a voice came through:
"Student Chen, how have you been these past few days? Instructor Wei asked me to pass along a word: be careful lately."
*Instructor Wei?*
Chen Chuan's interest stirred slightly. He remembered Instructor Wei—Tan Zhi's private coach, who reportedly had close ties with a certain council member.
*A council member, is it...*
With that thought, he sent back a voice message: "Student Tan, thank you, and please thank Instructor Wei on my behalf as well."
He could roughly guess why Instructor Wei had warned him. Combined with what Mr. Chu had just revealed, it seemed the people coming this time genuinely harbored ill intent, intent on digging something up.
Counselor Pei's suggestion that he take time off to travel might have been motivated by this as well.
Yet if the issue remained unresolved, leaving town would not necessarily help him avoid it; in fact, it might invite even greater suspicion.
Although the corporations and governments of various nations contested with one another, they were very likely united on the stance of locking down the pure substance.
In that case, perhaps he could use this opportunity to settle the matter once and for all.
The official notice arrived swiftly. That very afternoon, he received a notification issued by both the Government Affairs Hall and the Disposal Bureau, directing those who had participated in the day's operation to report tomorrow to the Crisis Affairs Center in the Weiguang District for a security screening.
He looked over the message, taking a sip of a hot beverage and swallowing a wisp of freshly captured pure substance along with it.
Though pure substance had become difficult to come by now, as long as one stayed watchful, there was always something to be gained.
Once he finished the cup of hot drink and the pure substance within his body was fully circulated and assimilated, he resumed his daily cultivation.
The next day, donning his Disposal Bureau uniform, he drove toward the Crisis Affairs Center.
When he arrived at the location, patrol airships drifted overhead, and heavily armed guard troops lined both sides of the roadway.
The soldiers all wore visored helmets and heavy black protective suits, fully equipped with both firearms and melee weapons. Visible implant seam lines traced across their exposed faces, giving them a sharp, formidable appearance.
This was a force under the exclusive command of the Municipal Council. Ample funding endowed them with the finest equipment and the most advanced implant weaponry available.
Yet whether during ordinary urban peacekeeping or the recent Fumu split, this force had never once made an appearance. That was because back then, they had been assigned to protect the safety of every single council member.
There was perhaps another unspoken reason as well: when necessary, they served as a military counterweight to guard against and suppress government departments.
Upon arriving here, the voice of an inactive conscious entity sounded in his ear, and following its directions, he parked his car in the designated area.
Once parked, he looked up at the high-rise of the Crisis Affairs Center, its translucent glass curtain wall reflecting half the sky and the neighboring buildings.
On a light screen ahead, a rotating, web-like pattern appeared, seemingly enclosing a reflective, eyeball-shaped object that appeared to scrutinize everyone passing by, entering, or leaving.
He withdrew his gaze and walked inward along the marked walkway.
Right at that moment, a middle-aged man standing near the entrance in imported formal attire glanced in his direction, tapped his boundary credential, and spoke into it: "Report. The primary target of interest has entered the central perimeter. Initiate Level Two Alert..."
Chapter 596