Training Camp

"Purist Faction techniques?" Chen Chuan looked at Gao Yanjun. "Can you be sure?" Chang Dong explained from the side, "Comrade Gao possesses certain spiritual talents. She has a natural, keen perception of fighters' fields. Even if she can't see an opponent's movements, she can glean a bit of information purely through the field." Chen Chuan nodded slightly. If that was the case, it explained how a Second Limit fighter could detect being tailed by a Third Limit fighter. Gao Yanjun adjusted her decorative glasses. Exceptional as her ability was, at this moment she could not sense Chen Chuan's field in the slightest. It wasn't because Chen Chuan had suppressed it upon learning of her talent; it had been that way from the very start. Chen Chuan asked, "Mr. Chang, Ms. Gao, do you think it could be someone from the Refinement School or the Convergence Faction?" "No!" Gao Yanjun said with absolute certainty, "If it was an imitation, there's no way it could fool me." Chang Dong agreed. "Besides, whether Refinement School or Convergence Faction, we've only just made a show of force against them. At this stage, they'll do everything they can to avoid conflicting with us. What's more, both factions have their own esoteric arts and techniques. Putting aside whether practicing our techniques could even form a coherent system, even if they mastered them, it would only ignite conflict between factions. They'd hide it as fast as they could, not expose it so casually out in the open." He looked at the two of them, his expression turning slightly grave. "For someone to know our Purist Faction techniques right now, and to appear right here, I can't help but suspect this person might be connected to that target from back then..." He propped his fleshy chin in thought, an introspective look surfacing. "Perhaps the recent events alarmed him. But we can't rule out the Convergence Faction or Refinement School intentionally leaking word, letting him know we were about to establish a branch so he sent someone over to investigate." Chen Chuan pondered briefly. That deduction was plausible. If he were in that person's shoes, learning that the Purist Faction was re-establishing a branch here without knowing whether it was aimed at him, he would certainly pay close attention. Judging by the current situation, this conjecture was indeed the most reasonable. Chang Dong added, "Director Chen, earlier, out of concern for Comrade Gao's safety, I had her come directly here." Chen Chuan nodded. It had been the right move. If the other party was determined to investigate, this location couldn't be kept secret anyway. Leaving Gao Yanjun out on her own was far more dangerous than gathering together. He said, "We still don't know what this person's objective is. If they truly came for us, since all three of us are here today, there's a strong chance he will come to probe. I'll see if I can detain him. If he doesn't show, I'll arrange safe lodgings for the two of you tomorrow." Chang Dong had reviewed Chen Chuan's record and knew his combat strength. It was fair to say the branch's primary fighting capability rested entirely upon Chen Chuan, so he agreed immediately. "Alright, let's do that!" Having finished their discussion outside, they simply moved over to where Instructor Wu used to live. The area had already been cleared out, and a prefabricated board house had been erected here as well. Chang Dong said, "Director Chen, thanks to the connections you provided, acquiring this plot went smoothly." Chen Chuan gave an affirmative sound. Earlier, he had asked Convergence Boundary to help Chang Dong secure the land, which made things much more convenient. The process had faced no real obstacles, as the plot had been undeveloped for at least thirty years and had long since turned into wasteland. Not only that, but because the site had once suffered a form of contamination, it was virtually impossible for anyone else to develop it. Hongsheng District already suffered from thoroughly antiquated infrastructure, so the land had been bought for a rock-bottom price. By now, Gao Yanjun deftly located cups and tea leaves, pouring drinks for both men. Learning neither had eaten yet, she picked up a case and headed next door to prepare a specialized nutritional meal for fighters. After a short while, she returned holding two bowls of white jelly, translucent and crystalline as agar. Just inhaling the scent made the two men feel the mutated tissue in their bodies stirring awake with vigor. Chen Chuan knew this meant the mutated tissue deeply craved the nutrients within, and he guessed some ingredients from the Confluence had likely been incorporated. Gao Yanjun also provided each of them with a hot beverage, each uniquely prepared. Chen Chuan expressed his thanks, picked up the white jelly, and took a small sip. He instantly felt a cool, refreshing comfort spread through his entire body, causing his eyes to gleam with light, while the mutated tissue inside him seemed to brim with life and vitality. Chang Dong took a drink and praised, "This is miles ahead of those dry sticks of nutritional paste. With Comrade Gao here, we're in for a treat." He then retrieved a briefcase, took out several documents, and handed them to Chen Chuan. "These are the recent expense statements. Take a look, Director Chen. You too, Comrade Gao. If you have no objections, just sign them." Chen Chuan took them. In truth, the funds flowed internally within the Purist Faction and had little to do with him, but Chang Dong had explained earlier that procedural rules required branch members to supervise each other, with everyone providing confirmation signatures at the end. He glanced through them and passed the papers to Gao Yanjun, who said, "Director Chen, everything looks fine." Both then signed their names. Chen Chuan handed the documents back to Chang Dong. After discussing a few more branch matters, he picked up the Xuejun Saber and headed outside to conduct his daily practice. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred throughout the entire afternoon, and before long, night fell. As darkness gathered, Chang Dong used the algae oil generator to switch on several industrial floodlights stationed around the perimeter, bathing the hillside in brilliant illumination. Looking downward, Chang Dong remarked, "You know, the contamination on this ground isn't without its perks. Even bugs won't come near it. Otherwise, turning on lights like this at night would draw a whole sky full of swarming insects, wouldn't it? Huh?" Chen Chuan's eyes shifted at the same moment. He thrust his hand forward, catching a concrete fragment firmly in his grasp with a sharp snap. Opening his fingers, he let it tumble to the ground. Chang Dong looked into the distance and could sense someone watching them from afar, radiating a palpable sense of threat. The figure stood there with hands shoved into trouser pockets, glancing up at them several times before abruptly blurring forward, rushing directly toward their position. Almost the instant Chang Dong saw the movement, that fierce momentum seemed already upon them. His heart leaped in shock. *So fast!* Yet in the space of a single blink, he realized Chen Chuan had also vanished from beside him. A blast of wind surged from the ground, setting the floodlights swaying violently, and in the next heartbeat, explosive cracks resembling thunder blasted through the air, reverberating continuously in the surrounding darkness. Only a few breaths later, however, total silence descended. Eyes wide, Chang Dong stared toward the perimeter. Chen Chuan's silhouette emerged from the pitch-black night, stepping into the steady light while dragging a figure by hand. Walking slowly to the open ground before the house, he tossed the man down. Chang Dong immediately looked over. The captive was a slender young man in his twenties with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes, gasping for breath on the ground, coughing and vomiting blood repeatedly. He stared up at Chen Chuan with eyes full of terror and disbelief. Chang Dong remarked, "Director Chen, he doesn't seem to recognize you, which probably means he just arrived in Center City." He sniffed lightly and grunted. "The smell of the Confluence is very heavy on him. He's most likely come from the Confluence, so it's no wonder he doesn't know who you are." Chen Chuan replied, "Even in Center City, not everyone knows me." Chang Dong chuckled. "Fighters in Jibei Dao certainly know you, Director Chen." He took two steps closer to the youth, crouched down, and patted his shoulder. "Start talking." "Heh." The youth merely let out a cold laugh. Unfazed by the defiance, Chang Dong kept his hand resting on the youth's shoulder and asked, "What you used just now was the Lingkong breathing technique and the Zongheng jin technique, wasn't it? Those are secret arts of our Purist Faction. Who taught you?" The young man's consciousness suddenly blurred. He shook his head, struggling to maintain awareness, but after a short while, exhaustion overwhelmed him, leaving his gaze vacant and dull. He murmured slowly, "My instructor taught me." Chang Dong fixed him with a stare. "Who is your instructor? What's his name?" The youth twitched, seemingly resistant to answering. Seeing this, Chang Dong immediately shifted topics. "Do you revere your instructor?" The youth relaxed and nodded vigorously. "What is your name?" "Qu Tianli." "Why did you target us?" "I heard Purist Faction people came to Center City, so I came especially to say hello... and if possible, get rid of you all." Chang Dong asked, "Did your instructor send you?" "No, they don't know. I wanted to meet you myself, to see just how capable the so-called Purist Faction really is." After asking a few more questions, Chang Dong noticed the young man beginning to tremble slightly again. Rather than pressing further on those points, he shifted to mundane, trivial topics. As the conversation progressed, the youth's resistance steadily softened, until he no longer balked at sensitive inquiries. Chang Dong then steered the questioning back, meeting with far greater success and drawing out substantial information. According to Qu Tianli's account, he hailed from a place in the Confluence called the Marsh Training Camp. That facility specifically scouted youths of suitable age for training. He had been selected thirteen years ago, receiving training there and mastering an array of combat skills. As far as he knew, there were two instructors at the camp. Above them, however, stood a head instructor—the founder and spiritual leader of the Marsh Training Camp. After finishing the interrogation, Chang Dong frowned and said, "Judging by the camp's heritage of techniques, a good deal of them are our Purist Faction's secret arts. That founder is almost certainly the target we're looking for. To think that after all these years, he's actually trained an entire cohort of students. This is going to be somewhat troublesome."