Awakening

Because there were plenty of quota slots available for this hire, Chen Chuan recruited not only the fighters present, but also the two technical personnel from Wei Chang'an's team. A squad operating independently on field assignments truly needed logistical support like this—for driving, repairs, transport, and, when necessary, sending telegraph transmissions. Although the team lacked a resonancer, Chen Chuan had reserved a slot for Wu Bei from the very start, planning to assign him to this squad when the time came. While the others were reviewing the employment terms, someone from Wei Chang'an's team suddenly gasped. "We actually get a salary?" He had not looked closely at the various notes on the form earlier and had simply signed the agreement upon receiving it. That haste stemmed from his deep trust in Chen Chuan, and only now had he realized what it contained. Wei Chang'an raised his glass and said solemnly, "Junior brother, a toast to you." At his words, everyone picked up their drinks. Chen Chuan raised his glass in return, and each took a sip. Though their glasses held no liquor, every one of them felt thoroughly invigorated, for from this moment on, they had finally gained a true foothold in Center City. Cai Si said, "Junior Brother Chen, I just read over the terms. They are very generous. Nowhere else could offer conditions like these. Whatever you need us to do, junior brother, please just say the word." Wei Chang'an nodded in agreement, and his team members all looked toward Chen Chuan. Feng Xiaoqi and Luo Kaiyuan grew more serious as well. Now that they had this status, they naturally had to earn it. At that moment, every eye was fixed on Chen Chuan, waiting for his instructions. This all felt entirely natural. Back in Yangzhi City, Chen Chuan had led them through several assignments. They were long accustomed to him as their leader, and the current dynamic differed very little from their days in Yangzhi. Chen Chuan tapped his boundary credential again, sending over a dossier. "Here is the information on targets that need focused investigation within the Disposal Bureau. Moving forward, our primary attention will be on these two companies. "The bureau is also investigating them, but the personnel provided are limited. Moreover, since I've only just assumed this position, my subordinates can handle routine tasks well enough, but the moment an in-depth investigation is required, their efficiency might not amount to much." Wei Chang'an's spirits lifted. Having work to do was good; his greatest fear was receiving money and quota spots without any duties required of them, which would feel shameful to accept. As the leader of a team, he understood Chen Chuan's point perfectly. When higher-ups demanded an objective be carried out, what they needed most from subordinates was execution and initiative. Lacking those, many tasks could hardly proceed smoothly. Even if completed, the outcome often fell far short of expectations, incurring extra costs and effort. Chen Chuan had only just become a supervisor and had yet to build mutual trust with his departmental subordinates. Critical tasks naturally required people he could depend on. Wei Chang'an said earnestly, "Junior brother, we can't make any absolute guarantees, but we will certainly do our utmost." Cai Si looked over the dossier, considered it, and said, "Junior brother, only after arriving here did we realize Center City isn't Yangzhi. Many hirelings here possess extraordinary strength. Second Limit fighters are everywhere, and all of them are seasoned veterans. For ordinary contract jobs, we are confident in our capabilities, but..." He added cautiously, "If our targets are major corporations, I think it's very likely we'll encounter Third Limit fighters. That falls outside the scope of what we can handle. I'm not afraid, but I worry about failing to accomplish the mission you've entrusted to us, junior brother." Chen Chuan replied, "I've already considered that. I have several subordinates who are Third Limit fighters, all trustworthy people. In a short while, I will arrange their transfer back, and you can join their squads first." *Third Limit fighters?* Everyone was taken aback. In their impression, Chen Chuan himself was only at the Third Limit. Had he already acquired subordinates at that level? From his tone, they sounded like his trusted confidants. They could not begin to imagine how he had accomplished such a feat, and sincere admiration rose within their hearts. Chen Chuan continued, "Although you have accepted the hire, you will still need a certain amount of training. This will include studying the regulations and protocols for field missions, the various laws of Center City, and so forth." The group nodded; this was only proper. "Additionally, there is one more thing I should tell you," Chen Chuan paused. "I have now passed the examination and received a teaching credential from Wuyi Academy." They froze for an instant, then their eyes went wide. Wei Chang'an ventured, "Junior brother, do you mean... Center City Wuyi?" Chen Chuan smiled and nodded. "Junior brother, that is truly remarkable!" Wei Chang'an let out a sigh of heartfelt awe. He had not even managed to enter Center City Wuyi as a student, yet Chen Chuan had already become an instructor. He marveled, "This is truly beyond expectation..." Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Here is my thought. You are all my classmates, old friends, and companions who have undertaken assignments together with me. If your strength grows, you can assist me even better. I would like to spend some time conducting a brief training course for everyone. Would you be willing to accept it?" "Of course we are!" Feng Xiaoqi was the first to raise his hand. It was an absolute no-brainer. Setting aside Classmate Chen's sheer strength, he was an instructor at Center City Wuyi. How could they pass up such an opportunity? He had talked quite a bit with Wei Dong earlier. Even as a student of Wuyi, if Wei Dong wanted personal instruction from a teacher, his only free option was attending large public lectures; targeted guidance required paying out of pocket. Having Chen Chuan train them was effectively receiving instruction from a Wuyi teacher. Who would be foolish enough to refuse that? Wei Chang'an smiled as well. "We couldn't ask for better!" Although he was the senior apprentice-brother, Chen Chuan had long since surpassed him by leagues. Fighters respected only martial skill, not seniority or age. Chen Chuan's mastery was far superior, so he was more than qualified to be their teacher. Wu Han drained his drink in one gulp, set the cup down with a thud, and said eagerly, "Junior brother, when do we start?" Chen Chuan said, "Today is a rest day, and I happen to be free. Once we finish eating, we'll find a place, and I'll tailor a training plan for everyone." "Sounds great!" Chen Chuan notified the hotel, signaling the staff waiting outside the private dining room that they could serve the meal. The lunch proceeded in high spirits. Having broken free from the hardship and destitution that had gripped them since arriving in Center City, and now seeing a much grander horizon ahead, they were filled with excitement and eager anticipation. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and drove to a martial arts gym in Wuding District. Because Wuyi Academy was located in Wuding District, martial arts halls were everywhere. Usually, there was hardly an empty space to be found. Recently, however, due to the postponement of the tournament and the approach of the finals, most people had gone to watch the matches, leaving plenty of vacant halls. Upon entering the gym, Chen Chuan had everyone warm up, then invited each person up in turn to exchange a few moves with him. During these exchanges, by perceiving them through his spirit and field, he was able to identify an appropriate path forward for each of these old friends and classmates. As he sparred with them, he could not help but nod in approval. Every one of them was a product of Wuyi, possessing exceptionally solid fundamentals, and most held considerable potential. Compared to the likes of Fan Cheng and Kong Yao, all they lacked was a lavish pile of cultivation resources. Given sufficient supplies, their strength could leap forward significantly from its current foundation. Of course, this was also because Wei Chang'an, Feng Xiaoqi, Luo Kaiyuan, Wu Han, and the rest had all been elites of their respective classes, standout figures among their peers whose only shortfall had been opportunity, not talent. Next, tailored to their individual characteristics, he provided each of them with a customized breathing method and jin stance. These would better facilitate the growth of mutated tissue; even simple, grounded drills would make their force release noticeably more coherent and powerful. Over the course of roughly an afternoon, each person clearly felt marked progress—a sensation they had not experienced since first entering Wuyi Academy and undergoing their initial foundational training. Their enthusiasm ran sky-high. Had Chen Chuan not set a strict time limit on the training session beforehand, they would have gladly drilled on without stopping. Chen Chuan said, "The most essential element of cultivation is medicinal supplements. Certain medicines for the Second Limit are relatively easy to procure, and I will distribute some to everyone later." The bureau naturally would not provide these to him, and using operational expense funds to purchase them would leave nowhere near enough to sustain their upcoming operations. Fortunately, Instructor Wu had left behind plenty of medicines back then, and Chen Chuan had collected a large amount of spoils over his battles. He had long since outgrown the need for these supplies, making this the perfect opportunity to allocate them among the group. To keep those with strong pride from refusing, he made it clear to them in advance that these supplies were personal assistance from him, considered an advance loan that they could repay whenever their finances became comfortable in the future. He remained there throughout the afternoon, and once everything had been arranged properly, he took his leave of the group and returned to Wuyi Academy. As he arrived in the building's underground parking garage, he received a message from the Defense Department: the request he had submitted had been approved, and Yuan Qiuyuan, Qin Qingque, and Su Wei would be transferred back to Center City upon completing their current mission. He nodded to himself. With that, the core of his squad was beginning to take shape. Once the training of the others concluded, they could launch more thorough investigations. Lost in thought, he rode the elevator up to his apartment on the seventy-ninth floor. He had originally intended to take a shower, but after walking a few paces, he sensed something unusual and turned toward the spiral staircase. Reaching the second-floor training hall, his gaze fell upon the Xuejun Saber resting on its weapon rack. The weapon was humming and vibrating, with fine strands of light seeping from the seam between blade and scabbard, drifting and swirling in the surrounding air. His eyes narrowed slightly on the saber. *After all these days, has it finally awakened?* He stepped forward, reached out, and picked up the Xuejun Saber.