Chen Chuan stayed on Red Crest Island for two days. He learned a great deal more from the He siblings and uncovered details about the company targeting them.
It was none other than Antan Company.
Sure enough, wherever there was warfare and conflict, the shadow of this company could be found. It was no wonder the two had managed to move about safely for years despite being hunted, yet were never able to shake off their pursuers entirely. The company was rife with internal factions, and they frequently sold their own intelligence to opposing sides.
Antan Company was also active within Great Shun. Their business was simply too extensive, spanning intelligence, arms, mercenaries, smuggling, pharmaceuticals, and implants, touching on nearly everything. Many domestic factions dealt with them. The He siblings understood this clearly, which was why they had never returned to the country.
After learning the general situation, Chen Chuan said nothing, but he kept it in mind. The two had not mentioned the supervisor's name, but it would not be hard for him to look it up.
With the year drawing to a close, he had to return home to handle some matters in addition to his official duties. Two days later, he packed his belongings and bid farewell to the He siblings.
Before he left, not only the siblings, but also many students came to see him off, presenting him with a generous assortment of local specialties.
Although this island village did not boast much scenery, the villagers were simple, genuine, warm, and hospitable. He could understand why the He siblings were reluctant to just leave.
The siblings escorted Chen Chuan out, walking all the way to the tree where he had leaned when he first arrived. Only then did he stop and say, "Please, Seniors, there is no need to see this junior off any further."
He Zhilan said, "Little Chuan, take good care of yourself. We were closest to Senior Sister Zhen, and back in the school, she took great care of us. Besides, even though we've been living abroad, we haven't suffered much over the years. Not like you—now you have only yourself to rely on."
Chen Chuan said, "I will. Seniors, I take my leave. Once I'm back in Center City, I will write to you often." With that, he cupped his hands in salute, picked up his bags and luggage, and walked down the slope. Chaoming circled above for a moment before swiftly following him.
The He siblings watched him leave from the slope. He Zhilan said with deep emotion, "I really never expected Senior Sister Zhen's son to come this far on his own."
Then a look of worry surfaced on her face. "Even though Little Chuan is a martial artist, Yuanren Company is a global megacorporation. Can he really do it alone...?"
He Ruihai said in a deep voice, "Little Chuan is capable and surely has his own plans. Besides, didn't you hear him? Among the seniors he knows, many are martial artists. Fish swim in lakes, dragons swim in the sea—people keep company with their own kind. He moves in circles of martial artists. One person alone might struggle, but two or three possess power beyond imagination. We don't need to worry about him. I believe he can accomplish what he sets out to do."
"Mm."
He Zhilan looked at Chen Chuan's receding figure. "Brother, do you remember back then? When Senior Sister Zhen parted ways with us, it was very much like today..." She sighed melancholically. "We never saw Senior Sister Zhen again after that, and who knows what really happened to her..."
He Ruihai fell silent for a moment before saying, "It will all come to light."
After emerging from the mountains, Chen Chuan walked all the way to the docks and boarded the airship. As the craft took off, he called over one of the Ocean Exploration Group personnel accompanying the trip and said, "I took a walk around the island these past two days and felt it lacked a postal channel. It's a bit inconvenient."
Upon receiving the message, the Ocean Exploration Group promptly responded that arrangements would be made shortly. Setting up a single post office merely required adjusting their project priorities; it was no difficult task.
They also understood that this probably wasn't Chen Chuan's primary concern. His visit to the island strongly hinted that someone connected to him lived here whose identity was inconvenient to reveal openly, so he was giving them a heads-up in this manner.
The two sides had collaborated more than once, and every partnership had been pleasant. They were naturally more than happy to accommodate such a small matter, securing a favor in the process.
After leaving Red Crest Island, it took another day for Chen Chuan to return to Center City.
The Municipal Council closely tracked his whereabouts and learned of his return immediately. However, their reaction this time was not nearly as sharp as before. His frequent departures and returns suggested he was carrying out state missions, so perhaps he would be leaving again in a few days anyway?
In that case, there was no need to be overly anxious.
Upon his return, Chen Chuan went straight to the Security Defense Department.
Before departing, he had already delegated the matters discussed in the decision-making group, and now he needed to see how the implementation was progressing.
As for the joint operation with the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau, after several days of covert redeployments and preparations, it had finally been decided that two enforcement captains would lead an elite squad composed entirely of fighters into the Lower City for a raid.
This was already quite a formidable force. Though these two enforcement captains could not compare to a fighter like Xu Chan, both had mastered heart force. Even supervisor-level personnel in major corporations were roughly at this caliber. Dispatching two at once was more than sufficient for the operation.
Under his arrangements, the City Patrol would also coordinate at the appointed time, blockading and intercepting every potential key exit to ensure not a single cultist escaped.
After reviewing the operational plan and finding nothing that needed amending, he signed his name directly on it and instructed his subordinates to proceed according to plan when the time came.
On another report, the combat airship squads that had been assembled were now formally integrated into the Security Defense Department's organization, having been properly arranged over the past few days by the two newly appointed deputy chiefs. He then turned to the third report.
Deputy Chief Lü's position had been left vacant, essentially waiting for his decision. Three recommended candidates were presented to him now. He looked through them: the first had previously served in the Defense Department handling clerical affairs in the convergence zone, possessed a measure of military experience, was in his forties, and appeared to be a fairly suitable choice.
The second was an administrative affairs official and former secretarial officer to the previous chief administrator. Around fifty years old, he was a candidate selected and recommended by Secretary Qiao Yang.
The third was recommended by another Center City. He had previously worked in the Internal Inspection Office, specifically overseeing internal discipline. He was also a fighter from Wuyi Academy, with a remarkably tough work style and zero tolerance for personal favors or saving face.
Chen Chuan weighed his options. Considering the Security Defense Department's inherent situation, the first candidate was the most suitable, while the second also offered distinct advantages, making communication with the Government Affairs Department more convenient.
However, Chen Chuan himself could anchor the department's martial strength, and the other two deputy chiefs were more than enough to handle operational affairs. What mattered most going forward was preventing internal problems. If another incident like Deputy Chief Lü's occurred, what good would high competence be?
The choice was clear.
He looked at the third candidate, whose name was "Yu Ziran." Picking up a pen, he checked the name and had a courier deliver the document to the Government Affairs Department.
With these matters settled, he checked the date. It was already the twenty-seventh, and New Year's was only a few days away. He planned to leave for Yangzhi the day after tomorrow.
Although he had to prepare for a confrontation with Yuanren Company, this matter required careful thought. He needed to arrange everything properly and proceed only once all concerns were settled.
He reached out, tapped his boundary credential, and contacted Gao Ming. Once the connection went through, he said, "Gao Ming, I will send a new requisition list for supplies to the Municipal Council over the next two days. Pass it along to them and let them know that this is what they promised, and I expect them to fulfill it."
Gao Ming smiled and said, "Understood, Cousin."
Chen Chuan said, "I'll be returning to Yangzhi in a few days. Are you going back this time?"
Gao Ming said, "Cousin, I do plan on going home this year."
"Good. I'll send someone to pick you up then, and we'll head back together."
After ending the call, Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then sent messages asking Wei Chang'an, Wu Han, Feng Xiaoqi, and the others whether they intended to return to Yangzhi this year, offering to give them a lift if they did.
Replies arrived shortly. Aside from Wei Dong, who planned to stay at Wuyi to take advantage of the holiday resources for cultivation, Wei Chang'an, Wu Han, Feng Xiaoqi, Luo Kaiyuan, and the rest were planning to return.
Chen Chuan considered this. With so many people, driving wouldn't be suitable, so they might as well take an airship back; that way, he could bring everyone along.
As a martial artist, he had a dedicated airship allocated to him by the Government Affairs Department. However, in his previous travels, he had always relied on airships from the Martial Arts Council and Ocean Exploration Group, rarely using his own. Now, heading home, he could finally put it to use.
The boundary credential chimed once more. Seeing a reply from Lu Fang, he connected the call.
Lu Fang's voice came through: "Junior, I won't be heading back this year." Pausing briefly, he continued, "I think I may be on the verge of a breakthrough. The opportunity I've been waiting for lies within this period."
Chen Chuan's expression shifted slightly. Previously, he had shared several methods for breaking through the third limit with Lu Fang. In the new era, people typically relied on guidance from predecessors, medicinal supplies, and similar approaches. Yet Lu Fang had chosen the method of the old era: blending spirit and flesh to seek self-perfection.
"Junior, I've already made an appointment with someone who also aspires to break through. We'll engage in a one-on-one duel to help each other achieve fulfillment. Because of this, I'll need twenty to thirty days of quiet meditation to tune myself to peak condition, so I intend to stay in Center City to prepare."
Chen Chuan nodded. He knew Lu Fang harbored his own obsession. Back then, Chen Chuan had offered to guide him personally, which would have been exceedingly safe, but Lu Fang had declined. He preferred to achieve it through a battle of his own.
Chen Chuan respected his choice. For certain fighters, their initial conviction and obsession were often paramount. If one bypassed them, even if a breakthrough was achieved, future prospects might well plateau right there. Lu Fang clearly harbored higher aspirations; whether he succeeded or not, possessing such drive was commendable.
He said, "Senior Lu, then I wish you success in advance."
Lu Fang said solemnly, "Junior, thank you."
Chapter 841