December 29th, No. 15 Golden Maple Villas.
The warm sunlight of a winter morning spilled across Lake Xingtan. Chaoming soared above the water with spread wings, its gorgeous plumage vibrant and eye-catching in the light.
Wei Chang'an, Wu Han, Feng Xiaoqi, Luo Kaiyuan, and the others from Yangzhi had all gathered in Chen Chuan's residence. They had been staying here for the past two days, conducting trial training sessions in the underground training ground using simulated environments powered by Fumu's resources.
Having never encountered such simulated scenarios before, they were utterly amazed. After testing them out, they couldn't stop praising how incredible it was. Although it was only a simulated field, the sensory perception of pain and environmental feedback felt no different from reality. There was no room for relaxation whatsoever; they had to remain on high alert throughout the entire process.
Pressed by such realistic life-or-death stakes, they were forced to squeeze out every drop of potential from their bodies. The training results were nothing short of extraordinary, leaving them wishing they could spend twenty-four hours a day immersed in it.
Up on the third floor of the villa, Chen Chuan stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, on a call with Yan Yi from Convergence Boundary Company.
"Chief Chen, while Miss Meng was on Anying Island, she already wanted to mention to you that she intends to hire Mr. Sancheng as our head of security. However, Mr. Sancheng refused to give us a definitive answer, saying only that he would defer to your wishes.
"Chief Chen has been rushing about all over the place lately, and the young lady didn't want me bothering you. But now that we heard Chief Chen is heading back to Yangzhi, I wanted to ask for your thoughts."
Chen Chuan knew that after his departure, Convergence Boundary indeed lacked a suitable security chief. It was a crucial position; unless filled by someone raised within their own ranks, earning complete trust was difficult, and trouble could break out in the company at any moment.
During the time Sancheng Huang had been assigned to protect Meng Shu, he had carried out his duties commendably. Looking ahead, Convergence Boundary might expand its maritime business, and the title of a Langtao Hall disciple carried considerable weight. That was likely another reason why Convergence Boundary wished to hire him.
Fairly speaking, Convergence Boundary Company and he had engaged in mutually beneficial cooperation: he had helped stabilize the firm, and they had rewarded him in turn. Even though he had left now, he was still willing to lend a hand with minor matters like this.
He said, "Understood. I will make the arrangements shortly."
Yan Yi said, "Thank you, Chief Chen."
Meng Shu's voice came through at that moment: "Chief Chen, have a pleasant journey home." She paused, then added, "Old classmate, Happy New Year."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Happy New Year, old classmate."
After hanging up, he stood before the window for a while until he spotted a silver airship cruising slowly toward the villa. He picked up his Xuejun Saber along with his personal belongings and stepped outside.
The approaching airship drifted smoothly across the lake. Its streamlined silver envelope gleamed in the sun, while its powerful propeller blades stirred ripples over the water's surface, the drifting spray catching the sunlight to form a rainbow.
It was normally parked at an airfield near the Government Affairs Building, where dedicated personnel maintained and inspected it around the clock to ensure it was always ready for his departure. Flying over from there took only a few minutes.
By now, the others had also emerged from the villa carrying their luggage. They watched the colossal airship arrive overhead, casting a wide shadow over them.
Everyone tilted their heads up. Gao Ming adjusted his glasses, while Wei Chang'an called out over the roar of the propellers, "Now this airship is seriously magnificent!"
The others nodded in unison. An airship this imposing—when would they ever be able to get one of their own?
Chen Chuan walked over to them and said, "The Government Affairs Hall procured this from the Fighting Council. It's built with a large quantity of biological materials, allowing damaged areas to self-repair. It carries virtually no weaponry; its focus is on structural stability, ample interior space, and high speed."
Airships built for martial artists prioritized sturdiness and spaciousness, providing them with plenty of room to move around. Each vessel also bore a designation unique to its martial artist; if the martial artist died in battle or went missing, that designation would never be reused.
As for weapons, there was no need for them at all. For one, whenever a martial artist traveled by airship, armed escort airships accompanied them along the route, which was more than enough to handle ordinary ambushes.
And if another martial artist truly attacked, an airship could never hope to withstand it. Back then, Wei Guochan had been brought down in an instant, without the slightest chance of resistance.
The Municipal Council's monster airships could handle regular armed troops and fighters, but against a martial artist, they were utterly useless. Even if the martial artist did not launch an attack, once they hit full speed, landing a hit on them was out of the question.
Once the airship moored to the adjacent docking tower, Chen Chuan said, "Let's go." With that, he led the group up the metal tower's stairway.
Two armed guards stood by the cabin hatch. Seeing him approach, they snapped to attention and saluted in unison.
Chen Chuan nodded in acknowledgment and walked inside. The others followed him in, finding the interior exceptionally spacious, elegantly decorated, and fully equipped. One could easily live here as if in a luxury hotel, and it even featured audiovisual field equipment that ordinary hotels lacked.
Attendants came forward to help arrange their luggage and ask if they had any requests.
Wei Chang'an tugged at his collar and took a seat beside an observation window. Glancing down and then looking around, he sighed in admiration. "Junior, this really is something."
Chen Chuan chuckled and teased, "Brother Wei, work hard, and you'll have one too."
Wei Chang'an laughed as well. "Teasing your Brother Wei, are you?" He patted the seat with a grin. "Looks like this is my next goal. Though your Brother Wei isn't nearly as capable as you, Junior, and probably won't reach your heights in this lifetime, a man still has to have dreams, right?"
Chen Chuan smiled again and repeated, "Brother Wei, you will."
Wei Chang'an looked at him and nodded. Then, with another grin, he said, "Now I really do have confidence. Since you're holding things up for your Brother Wei, I have to step up and catch the torch, don't I?"
Once preparations inside the airship were complete and everyone was settled in their seats, the vessel departed from the docking tower. It was only just past seven in the morning; at the airship's cruising speed, they would reach Yangzhi City around noon.
After clearing the villa area, the massive airship flew over the central district of Weiguang District. Geng Zheng, Tai Dongwei, and Deng Fu were currently on patrol.
Suddenly spotting the giant vessel cruising above the cluster of skyscrapers and gliding past the shimmering neon lights, they couldn't help looking up to watch.
Tai Dongwei said, "Look at that airship. That's our chief's personal vessel, isn't it?"
Deng Fu said, "That's the one, no doubt about it."
Others might not recognize Chen Chuan's dedicated airship, but the city patrol certainly did. Every single patrol officer had been required to learn how to identify it, as its passenger was not only a martial artist of Center City, but their direct superior.
Tai Dongwei marveled, "I really didn't expect the chief to reach that level so quickly. I used to think some of my own ideas were bold enough, but now I feel like I'm completely lacking in imagination."
"It'd be weird if you did," Deng Fu replied. "When have we ever anticipated what our chief would do? It was like that in Yangzhi City, and it's the same here in Center City. The way I see it, who knows what jaw-dropping things he'll pull off next? He's bound to leave all of Center City slack-jawed."
Tai Dongwei and Geng Zheng nodded in agreement, then both snapped their heads around to stare at Deng Fu.
The latter blinked. "Hey, what are you looking at me like that for?"
Tai Dongwei rubbed his chin and muttered faintly, "I'm wondering when I should get an implanted chin, just so mine doesn't actually drop off when the time comes."
Geng Zheng nodded in serious agreement.
Deng Fu waved his hand in exasperation. "Cut the crap! Listen, brothers, let's talk business. The man came out of Yangzhi just like us. We've got to hold on tight to those thick coattails!"
Tai and Geng nodded once more. After all, they were both from Yangzhi. Sure, they had belonged to the Mutual Aid Society in the past, but they had forsaken the darkness for the light long ago!
In front of the Municipal Council Building, Speaker Quan leaned on his cane behind a glass curtain wall, watching the immense airship drift across the sky not far ahead.
Someone behind him spoke up: "Speaker, that man submitted far too many supply demands this time. We had people examine the list—it's enough to sustain five or six martial artists, and that's a conservative estimate. If this continues, the cost to us will simply be too great."
Speaker Quan said, "As long as the signed agreement does not impose counter-restrictions on the demands he puts forward, his claims are reasonable, and we must satisfy them.
"Tell those people to think carefully about what matters more: their lives or their money. If we fail to uphold the agreement, we will be the ones in the wrong. Then, if he moves against us ruthlessly, he will have legitimate justification—something the Government Affairs Hall would surely be delighted to see. Besides, it won't be for long; we only need to endure these next two or three years.
"However, we can let the Consortium and the Federation know of our predicament and ask for their assistance. If we fall, I trust they wouldn't want to see that, would they?"
The airship headed northeast, exiting Weiguang District, passing through Shenwei District, and veering due north. As it flew over Jiyang District, a large transport vessel in the harbor spotted the airship from afar.
The personnel aboard were all employees of Yuanren Company, carrying important items and technical equipment shipped from headquarters.
Mr. Chi was currently on the ship as well. Hearing the report from outside, he stepped out of the cabin and gazed at the distant silver airship, musing silently, *Has he returned to Yangzhi?*
He was thoroughly familiar with Chen Chuan's dossier. He had previously attempted to send operatives to Yangzhi for an investigation, only to discover upon arrival that security there had long been tightened, with personnel from the General Affairs Bureau active in the area. Consequently, he had recalled his people immediately.
Pondering the task assigned to him by the company, he stood there watching the airship drift into the distance until it was lost from view.
After the dedicated airship cleared Center City's urban airspace and reached the outskirts, two combat airships that had long been stationed there rendezvoused with it, escorting it as they flew together toward Yangzhi City.
Chapter 842