After leaving the invitation class, Chen Chuan attended an open class before returning to his dormitory. But as soon as he stepped into the lobby, the dorm supervisor called out to him, "Student Chen, an instructor from the Enforcement Office is looking for you."
Chen Chuan looked over and saw a young instructor walking toward him. The man first presented his identification card, then said politely, "Hello, Student Chen. I'm He Mei from the Enforcement Office; you may call me Teacher He. I have a few matters to discuss with you. Could we speak in your dorm room?"
"Of course," Chen Chuan replied.
He rode the elevator upstairs with Teacher He. Leading him into his dorm room, he invited him to sit and poured him a glass of water.
Teacher He said, "No need to trouble yourself, Student Chen. Have a seat." Once Chen Chuan sat down, he continued, "I came to see you about Qiu Xin. The matter has been thoroughly investigated, and the fault lies entirely with Qiu Xin."
Chen Chuan asked, "Is it because of Zhong Wu?"
Teacher He said, "Yes. Qiu Xin and Zhong Wu—who served as your assessment opponent back then—have always been close friends. After hearing what happened to Zhong Wu, he immediately resigned from his former post and returned to the academy, working as an assistant for various invitation class instructors.
"He is usually quiet and hardworking, bearing burdens without complaint, so none of the instructors had any objections to him.
"However, he also admitted that the sole reason he returned to the academy was to wait for an opportunity to strike at you. Since you would inevitably attend an invitation class sooner or later, he said he would have kept waiting even if it took three years. So an incident like this was almost bound to happen eventually."
Chen Chuan actually felt a bit of admiration for the man's tenacity and obsession. After a moment's thought, he said, "Qiu Xin struck with heavy force. If I hadn't been on guard and something serious really happened on stage, his actions couldn't have been brushed off as a mere accident. He wouldn't have escaped consequences either."
Teacher He said, "Indeed. He admitted as much himself. He said he had begged others, but no one was willing to stand up for Zhong Wu, so he had to take matters into his own hands. He also stated that once he chose this path, he didn't care about the consequences; his only regret was failing to achieve his goal. But he has paid the price for his actions."
He paused, then added, "The medical examination showed extreme strain on his internal organs. He may spend the rest of his life bedridden. In consideration of his friendship with Zhong Wu, we arranged for the two of them to share quarters—a humane gesture, you might say."
Chen Chuan said, "I see. Thank you for letting me know, Teacher."
Teacher He smiled. "Think nothing of it; it's our duty. Well, I should take my leave." With that, he stood up.
Chen Chuan stood as well.
Teacher He said, "Student Chen, 'a tree that rises above the forest will be battered by the wind.' Keep your guard up. Still, the more people target you, the more it proves your excellence. I look forward to your future performance." After finishing, he shook Chen Chuan's hand, bid farewell, and departed.
Chen Chuan thanked him once more and saw him out. He then went into his training room and began his daily practice.
As dusk approached, Cheng Zitong also dropped by. The moment he stepped inside, he asked, "I heard about what happened this afternoon. Are you all right?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Rest assured, Teacher. Since I went, I was prepared."
Cheng Zitong said, "I'm not worried on that front—you have a good head on your shoulders. Besides, you've mastered a jin technique. When you lack the ability, you can play it safe, but once you have the capability, problems must be resolved. There's no sense in letting an issue fester."
Chen Chuan said, "Teacher, that was my thinking as well."
Cheng Zitong gave a nod. "I've already handled the paperwork for the weapons license. However, once you register, the exam mission could be assigned at any time. We don't know the exact contents yet, but based on past precedent, there will be one or more designated commissions. They could be local or in another city, so you must be ready at all times. Use this month to consolidate your foundation as best you can."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Understood. The weapons license is very important."
"Good, as long as you understand. You must find a way to obtain it, the sooner the better," Cheng Zitong reminded him again. He paused, pondering for a moment. "Right, there's another matter I want to discuss with you.
"Your upcoming training will likely require more combat experience, as well as more medicinal supplements. That means your earlier remuneration might not be enough. I have some commissions here that I'd like you to take on. It will also help you gain experience in handling commissions alone. Would you be willing?"
Chen Chuan said, "I'd ask for nothing better."
Cheng Zitong perked up instantly. "Then let me explain. Choosing commissions is actually quite nuanced. If the tier is too low, it carries little prestige; even if you earn top marks every time, clients won't hold you in high regard.
"And I can guarantee plenty of students want to test for their weapons license right now. High-tier, well-paying commissions are bound to be fiercely contested. Competing for them comes down to connections and backing, but fighting that battle isn't worth it, nor should you waste your time on it. So instead of jostling in the crowd with them, we can carve out a different path."
Chen Chuan asked, "What do you have in mind, Teacher?"
Cheng Zitong looked at him and asked, "Have you heard of urban legends?"
Chen Chuan was slightly surprised, then answered affirmatively, "I've heard of them. My uncle is in the constabulary, and he said most urban legends bear traces of human handiwork."
Cheng Zitong nodded. "Your uncle is right. Most urban legends are indeed like that, but there are exceptions. The next commission I've arranged for you is to resolve an incident involving an urban legend. Don't worry—I've researched this field for a long time and won't lead you astray. As long as you follow my instructions, you'll be fine."
Chen Chuan said, "Naturally, I trust you, Teacher."
Pleased, Cheng Zitong said, "Wait a moment." He retrieved a stack of documents from his briefcase and pushed them forward. "I've prepared everything for you. Here is the dossier; look through it first. I'll handle the negotiations with the client—you just focus on completing the commission."
Chen Chuan took the documents and leafed through them, feeling a slight stir. "Child in the Well? I think I heard this urban legend when I was a kid..."
In fact, virtually everyone born and raised in Yangzhi City had heard the bizarre tale of the Child in the Well during childhood.
Legend had it that between October and November each year, after nine o'clock at night, if one poured half a bowl of soybeans and half a bowl of black beans into a well, a beautiful child would emerge from the water, and the well water would turn to wine.
Adults felt nothing from drinking this water, but children who drank it would fall into a deep slumber for an entire day. Children loved it because it let them skip school. However, most would forget the events of that day or two upon waking, and occasionally a child would be left dim-witted because of it.
It wasn't that no one had tried to resolve the phenomenon, but none had succeeded. In the end, adults could only keep a tighter rein on their children, yet tales like this still surfaced from time to time.
He recalled that as a child, his predecessor had tried it with a bunch of playmates, but aside from wasting half a bowl of black beans and soybeans, they had seen nothing at all.
As he flipped through the dossier and read the detailed records, he realized that what they had done had been entirely futile.
The "Child in the Well" only appeared around the Old City God Temple in the northern suburbs, and its appearances followed a distinct pattern.
Every year, it began in October, appearing according to a specific cycle in old wells across the northern district that were at least thirty years old. Included in the dossier was a hand-drawn distribution map of the wells.
Judging from the activity curve drawn on it, it seemed to move alongside the underground water currents. If a well did not lie along its path, or if the food was dropped in the wrong location, one was guaranteed never to encounter it.
Below that, a note written in red ink explained that as long as one calculated the next well where the Child in the Well was likely to appear, drew a bucket of water a few minutes before nine o'clock at night, and poured half a bowl of soybeans and black beans inside, the Child in the Well would climb up along the well wall and crawl into the bucket on its own. At that point, one simply had to take it away and deliver it to the designated location.
The dossier included a detailed map clearly marking the location of every old well in that area, with corresponding dates annotated beneath each one.
With this, the task became far simpler. Even if it couldn't be pinpointed immediately, having a rough range and using the process of elimination would allow him to locate the correct target.
Chen Chuan looked up and asked, "Teacher, did you compile all of this?"
Cheng Zitong replied, "That's right. I've always loved digging into this kind of stuff. The old man is always scolding me for neglecting my proper duties. Sigh, what do you think?"
Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then answered earnestly, "I think it's quite good. These mysterious occurrences present people with the unknown, and the feeling of exploring the unknown—the process of seeking answers—is wonderful."
Chapter 68