Armed and Armored, Bound by Nothing

Two hours later, Caijia Stockade. Officers from the constabulary had moved in, and Senior Liu's body was recovered from beneath the rubble. The outermost layer over his body was the battered protective umbrella. His protective suit was largely intact; the fatal injury had come from a broken ceiling beam crashing down onto him. He had died braced on his hands and knees over the ground. Beneath him was a child he had shielded tightly. Though the child was unconscious, thanks to the pocket of space Senior Liu had held open with all his might, the child was still breathing and outwardly unharmed. The female senior whispered, "We've pieced it together. The surrounding rooms actually had villagers tied up inside them, and remote-controlled explosives were planted along the paths. They must have wanted to lure people in to attempt a rescue before hitting the detonator. It was fortunate we moved quickly..." Her eyes reddened. "He could have gotten away." The male students around her fell silent. Chen Chuan surveyed the surroundings. At least five or six houses had collapsed from the blasts. While the child in this room had been saved through Senior Liu's sacrifice, the villagers in those other buildings lay buried underneath all the same. Han Guo walked over and said, "Regarding Student Liu's death, I will write an honest evaluation." Senior Wu scoffed. "He's dead. What difference does it make?" Han Guo replied, "A man leaves behind his name. What he did still mattered, and the committee will help handle the arrangements for his remains." She looked at the group. "Additionally, I must inform you that the designated assignment has been canceled." The students were startled and turned to look at her at once. The female senior stared hard at her. "What do you mean?" Han Guo said flatly, "Literally what I said. Don't ask me why; I don't know either. But you will still receive the evaluation scores you're entitled to. My guess is that Councilor Fang's son was rescued." Senior Wu let out a sneer. "Rescued? He was never here to begin with." Chen Chuan had heard about this earlier as well. While the constabulary had been pouring every effort into the search, Councilor Fang's son had actually been playing darts at the home of a classmate he had skipped school with. The family had assumed he was kidnapped, and when the two kids realized what was happening, they had thought it was fun and deliberately hidden themselves. It had taken a long time before anyone confirmed the truth. If not for that, such a massive commotion wouldn't have been stirred up in the first place. Han Guo said, "Though the designated assignment has been canceled, the commission itself remains. It has simply been handed over to the constabulary. Whether you continue or leave is entirely up to you; the Review Committee will not interfere." The female senior asked, "What is the situation right now?" Han Guo said, "Fang Dawei and his crew didn't manage to get very far. They fled north to a patch of high ground, where there's an abandoned outpost left over from the Great Expansion era. However, the entrance is through narrow terrain, and the constabulary has charged several times without breaking through. You can decide for yourselves. Anyone who wants to leave can come with me. I'll wait ten minutes." With that, she turned and walked away. The group stood in silence. After a long moment, the female senior said, "I'm withdrawing." One of the male students lowered his head. "Me too." "I'm withdrawing as well." The other male student looked around. "I admit it—I'm scared. If Senior Liu hadn't died, I would have stayed. I suggest you all leave too. Given that terrain, breaking through will definitely fall on us, but how are we supposed to breach it? Besides, the designated assignment has already been canceled. Why risk our lives? Think it through, everyone." "I..." Senior Wu seemed to want to stay, but struggled to make up his mind. He looked toward Chen Chuan and asked, "Junior Chen, what about you?" Chen Chuan looked at the seniors. It seemed they were hoping he would back out alongside them. But before he could answer, a girl's voice called out from nearby: "Student Chen, is that you?" He looked over and saw a pale, quiet, slender young woman standing there. Her hair was tied into two braids, and she was dressed in ordinary rural clothes, yet she carried an air of maturity that surpassed her age. Surprised, he said, "Guan Xiaohui?" He thought for a moment and told the other students, "Seniors, you go ahead." Seeing that he had run into an acquaintance, the students said nothing more. Exchanging glances, they walked away. Chen Chuan walked over. "Guan Xiaohui, it really is you. Do you... have relatives here in Caijia Stockade?" At the class gathering, he had heard Ding Jiao mention that Guan Xiaohui's father had run up gambling debts, after which her stepmother fled with her own daughter, leaving Guan Xiaohui with no choice but to take refuge in the countryside. Could it be here? Guan Xiaohui nodded gently. "Student Chen, why are you here?" Chen Chuan said, "I got into Wuyi College. I'm here because I took on a commissioned task from the Municipal Administration." Guan Xiaohui looked at him in utter astonishment, as if she could hardly recognize her former classmate. After a moment, she said, "I see." She continued softly, "My mother's family is from Caijia Stockade. But a few days ago, a gang took over the village. My uncle and I happened to be away, so we managed to get away. "We sent word into the city asking for help, but nobody paid any attention. My uncle gathered relatives and friends from other villages, hoping to fight our way back in. "We thought when the constabulary arrived today, the matter would be resolved. But they made us lay down our weapons, and we could only watch as that gang broke out." She looked toward the departing Wuyi students and asked, "Are you all leaving?" Chen Chuan looked at her, then glanced at the collapsed houses around them. In a steady voice, he said, "I'm staying." *** Inside the outpost command post, Guan Yuming studied the map. Although Fang Dawei's gang had moved fast, Guan had already set up outer cordons, leaving the outlaws pinned down on a ridge of high ground. Taking the position, however, was tricky. Three sides were steep slopes, and because villagers often stayed in the old outpost, a stockpile of food and water was stored there. There was no hope of waiting them out in the short term. Moreover, Guan could sense that once Councilor Fang's son was confirmed safe, the Municipal Administration's concern and support for this operation had dwindled rapidly. Right now, things were locked in a stalemate. It was manageable during the day, but once night fell, other problems might arise. Most of all, a massive contingent of constabulary officers was tied down out here. If a rebel organization was behind this incident, would trouble break out back in the city? "Chief Guan," his aide came in and reported. "A group of villagers has gathered outside, young and old. They all claim family members were killed by the bandits and are begging us to deal with them." Guan Yuming stepped out and looked down at the villagers standing beyond the cordon. In a deep voice, he said, "Tell them I will do everything I can." A dispatch messenger ran up from behind. "Deputy Chief Guan, a call from the Chief." Guan Yuming walked back inside and picked up the receiver. "Hello, this is Guan Yuming." "Let me inform you of something: Molan Company's security unit is already en route to your position." Guan Yuming frowned. "What are they coming for?" "Because our progress has been slow, and the Municipal Administration is thoroughly dissatisfied. Molan Company has convinced the Municipal Administration to let them take over and capture Fang Dawei's gang." Guan Yuming's expression shifted. "Chief, how can we hand this over to them? There's clearly something..." The voice on the other end cut him off without hesitation. "Let me ask you: now that you know Councilor Fang's son wasn't there, why did you linger in the village for so long?" Guan Yuming explained, "There were explosions in the village, burying many villagers beneath the rubble. There could still be survivors, so I had the officers help clear the debris and carry out rescues." "Neglecting your duties for trivia! What does the life or death of those villagers have to do with you?" Guan Yuming inhaled sharply. "Chief, our duty is to—" "Don't lecture me on duty! I know it better than you! You're already outside the city limits—why are you meddling in things that don't concern you?" The voice softened slightly. "Alright, Old Guan. Molan Company's people will reach your position in forty minutes at most. If you can resolve it, resolve it. If not, let Molan Company's security team handle it. That's all." With that, the line went dead. Guan Yuming frowned, staring at the map with troubled thoughts. Just then, his aide entered. Seeing that Guan was deep in thought, the aide hesitated, hanging back as if unsure whether to speak. Without looking back, Guan asked, "What is it now? Speak." The aide said, "One of the Wuyi students says he's willing to assist us in storming the outpost." Guan Yuming slowly turned around. "Didn't they head back?" "There's one left." "Just one?" Guan Yuming felt a pang of disappointment. The commission operatives had charged earlier and failed. A single student wouldn't make much difference. The aide added, "He says he can get up there." Guan Yuming thought for a moment. "Bring him over. I'll question him myself." "Yes, sir." A moment later, Chen Chuan stepped inside. Guan Yuming fixed him with a sharp gaze. "I want to know: since the others all left, why did you stay? Don't tell me it's for the assignment. The designated commission has already been canceled." Chen Chuan offered no elaborate explanations, offering only a single sentence: "My uncle is Nian Fuli. I'm constabulary family too." Guan Yuming froze, slowly straightening up. The aide looked at Chen Chuan as well. Whatever doubts they had harbored vanished the instant he stated his background, replaced by an innate sense of trust. The aide said with excitement, "Chief Guan, I knew it! When push comes to shove, it's our constabulary family that can be relied on!" Even though Chen Chuan framed it that way to the two men, he knew in his heart that he wasn't doing this for the constabulary, nor for any commission. He was doing it simply because those scoundrels deserved to die! Guan Yuming glanced at the long saber in Chen Chuan's hand, then turned to his aide. "Go, bring me my protective suit!" "Yes, sir!" Guan Yuming looked back at Chen Chuan. "I just received a call. Molan Company's security team will take over this operation shortly. We have less than forty minutes. Are you confident?" Chen Chuan raised his head. "Forty minutes is plenty!" Before long, the aide returned carrying a light-colored protective suit. Chen Chuan took off his coat and slipped the suit on underneath. The suit covered his neck, torso, and limbs, and even included a pair of gloves, yet it didn't feel stifling at all. After a few movements, it molded comfortably to his physique. Looking closely, one could see faint, intricate patterns woven across its surface. Guan Yuming said, "This protective suit was issued to me by headquarters, made with Center City technology. It can protect against machine-gun strafing even from a distance." Chen Chuan said, "Chief Guan, I'll head out now." Guan Yuming stepped forward, clapped Chen Chuan on the shoulder, and said solemnly, "If the resistance is too fierce, it's fine if you don't succeed. You have a bright future ahead of you. Knowing when to retreat is what allows one to advance; there's no need to stake your life here." He turned to his aide. "Use my car. Drive him over." "Yes, sir." Chen Chuan cupped his hands to Guan Yuming in salute, then turned and left the outpost under Guan's watchful eyes. Guan Yuming instructed the dispatch messenger, "Tell the men down below to offer full cooperation." The messenger saluted, paused at the door, and looked back. "Chief Guan, no need to instruct them—the brothers down there will back him all the way!" Guan Yuming hummed an acknowledgment, checked his wristwatch, and thought to himself, *Only half an hour left. Will it be enough...?* *** When Chen Chuan came down from the command post, he saw the crowd of villagers again. Guan Xiaohui was among them. Their eyes met, and Guan Xiaohui called out, "Wait, Student Chen, where are you going?" Chen Chuan paused, walked over, and asked, "To do what needs to be done. Did you have something to tell me, Student Guan?" Guan Xiaohui hesitated before saying, "There's a hidden path beneath the fortress, but only one person can pass through at a time. Someone could go up that way, though I don't know if it will be of any use to you." Chen Chuan wondered why she hadn't mentioned this to the constabulary—was it a lack of trust? He nodded and said, "Thank you." Just then, he saw a figure striding toward him. Surprised, he took a closer look. "Senior Wu? Didn't you leave?" Senior Wu came up to him, cursing under his breath. "I just couldn't swallow this anger. Dammit, even if it costs me my life, I'm going to avenge Brother Liu! Junior Chen, are you planning to storm that outpost? Count Old Wu in!" Chen Chuan looked at him and didn't mince words. "Alright! Then I'll need your help with something, Senior Wu." "You got it! Junior Chen, I've heard about you, and I believe you can pull it off. Old Wu's life is yours today!" Chen Chuan gave him a few instructions. Senior Wu nodded repeatedly, thumping his chest. "Don't worry, leave it to me!" By then, the aide had pulled the car up. Chen Chuan covered the distance in a few quick strides, yanked the door open, and leaped in. The car sped off the moment he was aboard. Along the way, the aide discussed tactics briefly and shared intelligence gathered from the earlier skirmish: among Fang Dawei's gang, exactly six possessed implants, while the rest wore only protective suits. Those six demanded extra caution. The car soon arrived at the base of the outpost ridge. The surrounding ground had already been trenched by constabulary officers, with crude earthen ramparts thrown up. Wei Laohu was overseeing this sector. Having already been briefed via the field telephone, he walked over as the aide and Chen Chuan stepped out of the car. He looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Little Chuan, right? I saw you once. Still remember Uncle Wei?" Chen Chuan said, "I remember. Brother Wei talks about you all the time." "That rascal definitely doesn't say anything nice about me." Wei Laohu looked him over. "Little Chuan, can you do this?" Chen Chuan said, "Rest easy, Uncle Wei. I'm certain of it." "Then that's all I need to hear! If Chang'an says you're good, I trust you too!" Chen Chuan said, "It's not just me, Uncle Wei." He glanced at the surrounding officers. "With so many constabulary elders here, isn't this our home turf? What is there to fear?" "Well said, Little Chuan!" "Young Brother Chen is right!" "Damn straight!" The nearby constabulary officers felt their blood surge with heat at his words. None of them wanted to lose face in front of a junior. Chen Chuan looked up toward the outpost. A winding path climbed toward the top. The structure had only a single entrance on its front, though years of neglect had left several gaping holes in the roof and walls. He had no intention of using the hidden passage below; he planned to break through directly from the front. Tightening his grip on his scabbard, Chen Chuan stepped out alone under the gaze of Wei Laohu, the aide, and over six hundred constabulary officers. He walked to the foot of the ascending road and came to a halt. He looked up first at the sun above, then at the outpost perched atop the ridge. With a surge of force, he thrust the scabbard of the Xuejun Saber half its length into the ground, gripped the hilt, and drew the blade out slowly. The scraping friction of steel leaving the sheath resonated through the air, ending in a sharp *clang* as a dazzling flash of cold light gleamed beneath the sunlight. He steadied his breathing, feeling the blade in his hand practically pulsing with anticipation, while the protective suit expanded and contracted in sync with his chest and abdomen. In that moment, a phrase Wei Chang'an had once told him unbiddenly surfaced in his mind: *"Armed and armored, bound by nothing!"* Fixing his gaze on the outpost above, he gripped the hilt tightly and leaned forward into a stride. The instant his boot struck the ground with a heavy thud, the Second Self behind him abruptly merged into his body. With a sharp crack, dust exploded from where he had stood, and a silhouette surged furiously up the slope!