Terms

Just as Guan Yuming was on the phone with headquarters, three armored transport vehicles were driving toward Caijia Stockade. Emblazoned upon each was an ink-black orchid in full bloom, its dark petals somber yet magnificent. Seated in the middle transport were He Yaoxian, Molan Company's newly appointed external liaison director, and Wan Poming, captain of Field Security Team Three. He Yaoxian appeared to be in his twenties, with an indelible smile plastered across his face. Though slightly portly, he was bursting with vigor. At his rank within Molan Company, even without martial training, one was allotted an annual ration of medications to maintain physical vitality. Although he was nearly forty, his hair remained thick, and his muscles showed no signs of slackening—they were firm and robust, his eyes bright and spirited. Not only did he still look like a young man, but just three hours of sleep each night were enough to keep him sharp and energized throughout the workday. Such was the benefit of biotechnological drugs. The drugs enjoyed by each rank differed; the higher the station, the more one received. Yet by that same token, if he failed to keep his post and could not deliver satisfactory returns to the company, everything he enjoyed would vanish like mist. But how could that happen? He might have felt inadequate amid the cutthroat competition back in Center City, but here in the Yangzhi branch, all he had to handle were minor local affairs. There was simply no reason he could not manage them. He glanced over at Wan Poming. The captain of Team Three was typically taciturn, having not uttered a single word throughout the entire ride. That was something He Yaoxian rather appreciated. Men like this made fine tools—and tools did not need to ask questions; they only needed to obey orders. At ease, he asked, "Captain Wan, are you confident about this assignment?" Wan Poming replied with absolute composure, "Director He, I have reviewed all the files on Fang Dawei's gang. The implants they use are all obsolete or defective prototypes with severe side effects. Even if they hold advantageous terrain, my squad can bring them down within five to ten minutes." Puzzled, He Yaoxian asked, "Why five to ten minutes? If you are confident, shouldn't you take them down in the shortest possible time?" Wan Poming explained, "Because under the stimulation of their implants, some individuals undergo abnormal mutations. The extent varies from person to person, which might complicate things slightly. But that isn't necessarily bad. The company is often glad to see such developments, as they provide new ideas and materials for the laboratories." "As expected of a company veteran," He Yaoxian praised him. As the newly appointed external liaison director, he truly knew little about such technicalities. His past work had mostly involved communicating with subsidiary firms and municipal departments, leaving him with little experience handling field operations. More importantly, in a place like Yangzhi City, many matters required no deliberate intervention; the people below usually resolved them on their own before anything ever reached upper management. "Director He, we're almost there," the female assistant beside him whispered softly. He Yaoxian glanced outside, spotting patrol officers stationed along both sides of the road and constabulary vehicles driving back and forth in apparent haste. An amused smile played across his lips. The three Molan armored transports turned onto an uphill ramp. After a short distance, they reached a broad clearing situated directly beneath the outpost command station, where several constabulary vehicles were already parked. Once the transports came to a halt, heavily armed security personnel—wielding custom firearms, wearing full-face helmets, and clad in two layers of protective gear—stepped out first. Only after they had established a perimeter did He Yaoxian disembark. He glanced up at the sun and remarked, "It's a bit warm today." His female assistant hurriedly produced a fan and began fanning him. He Yaoxian pointed toward the outpost checkpoint, and an attendant immediately walked over to negotiate with the patrol officers on duty. The attendant announced that Molan's team had arrived and requested to see Deputy Chief Guan Yuming to arrange a handover, after which Molan Company would take over the operation. The attendant soon returned and reported, "Director, they say Deputy Chief Guan isn't here. He went down to the village ahead to comfort the residents." "Comfort the villagers?" He Yaoxian scoffed, not believing a single word. *Stalling for time?* he thought. *Pointless. If the constabulary had what it took to bring down Fang Dawei's gang, they would have done it long ago. Stalling won't change a thing.* He started back toward the transport and said, "In that case, since Chief Guan is so busy that he can't receive us, we might as well put ourselves out and go meet him in person." Just as he spoke, an open-topped constabulary off-road vehicle drove up from the opposite direction. The female assistant peered over and said, "Director, it's Guan Yuming. He doesn't seem to be in his dedicated car." He Yaoxian paused in his tracks. The off-road vehicle quickly pulled up, and the moment it halted, the surrounding patrol officers snapped to attention, executing a crisp salute. Guan Yuming returned the salute from inside before stepping down from the vehicle. He Yaoxian took the initiative to walk over, plastering on a warm smile. "Chief Guan, I heard you went down to the village ahead to handle business. I trust everything went smoothly?" "Everything is handled," Guan Yuming replied. "We're preparing to pull out." He Yaoxian felt thoroughly satisfied. If Guan Yuming was willing to cooperate, it would save a great deal of trouble. While Molan Company could sway certain decisions of the Municipal Administration, it had little sway over the constabulary, an agency subordinated directly to the higher authorities. In fact, the primary targets the constabulary kept watch over in the city were not ordinary bandits or criminals, but Molan Company itself. The constabulary knew it, and Molan Company knew it just as well. He said, "Chief Guan, in that case, let us proceed with the handover as quickly as possible. After all, bringing down Fang Dawei's gang promptly to give the Municipal Administration an accounting benefits both our sides, wouldn't you say?" "Fang Dawei's gang caused no small amount of harm," Guan Yuming said. "They have been wanted for so long, yet our constabulary only just tracked them down, allowing them to stir up such turmoil in the city. It is truly shameful on our part." He Yaoxian sighed sympathetically. "Chief Guan, you are too hard on yourself. Yangzhi City has a population of over six million. With such vast jurisdiction to oversee, oversights are bound to happen." "Which is why we must remedy those oversights," Guan Yuming said. "While preventing trouble before it happens is difficult, mending the fold after losing sheep is still worth trying." He Yaoxian raised an eyebrow and let out a light laugh. "Chief Guan, this truly isn't your fault. Look, the Municipal Administration doesn't plan to pursue the matter, and Molan Company is more than willing to help resolve it. We will also ensure the constabulary receives favorable coverage in subsequent newspaper releases. A win-win for everyone—how does that sound?" He assumed Guan Yuming was angling to negotiate terms. This was familiar territory for him; he could easily arrange for the press to publish flattering remarks about the constabulary, though he wouldn't offer anything beyond that. "Then we thank Director He, but there is really no need to trouble your esteemed company on this matter." Guan Yuming paused briefly before continuing, "We have already resolved the situation. All bandits have been dealt with or captured. Not a single one escaped the net." He Yaoxian stared in stunned disbelief. He looked instinctively to both sides, then back at Guan Yuming. "Chief Guan... resolved? You're not joking, are you?" "The suspects and corpses are right over there, and the report will be printed in the newspapers today," Guan Yuming said evenly. "When it comes to those who cross the line, our constabulary never shows leniency." He glanced at He Yaoxian once more. "Well then, Director He, I must escort the remaining prisoners back as soon as possible. There is a mountain of business waiting for me at headquarters, so please excuse me." With that, he climbed back into the off-road vehicle. Then he paused and turned his head. "By the way, your company's newspapers will probably need to revise their drafts. I'll have to trouble Director He to look into that." He gave a brief signal, and the vehicle started up and drove away. A whistle blew, and the rows of patrol officers slung their rifles over their shoulders, turned sharply in unison, and jogged down toward their transports. He Yaoxian's face turned utterly grim. *The constabulary actually resolved the situation? Damn it!* Failing the company's objective was bad enough, but worse still was that Fang Dawei's gang knew far too many secrets—and there were live survivors. Now that the constabulary had them in hand, there was no telling how much leverage they could exploit. Molan Company would not collapse, nor would it suffer catastrophic losses. But afterward, upper management would certainly look for someone to take the blame. And the most convenient scapegoat... His face drained of all color, and his entire body began to tremble. His female assistant rushed forward to wipe his sweat, but it poured out faster than she could dab it away. Wan Poming watched him in complete silence. Over the years, he had seen far too many company executives like this. They basked in glory while in office, but the moment they took a wrong step, their downfall was horrific—truly too ghastly to behold. After his thoughts raced in frantic circles, He Yaoxian realized he had to save himself. Grabbing his female assistant by the collar, his expression contorted into something savage under her terrified gaze. "Go find Chief Guan! Even someone close to him will do! Tell him that whatever terms he has, I will do everything in my power to satisfy them! And if it's beyond my authority, I'll take it straight to the top!" *** Meanwhile, the constabulary chief's official car was cruising toward the city. While the interior was not lavishly opulent, it was remarkably spacious and comfortable. The chauffeur was exceedingly skilled, keeping the ride smooth and steady even along the rough roads outside the city. Senior Wu lay on a reclined seat, speaking to Chen Chuan, who sat beside him looking out at the passing scenery. "Getting to ride in this car... I really have you to thank for the honor, Junior Brother Chen." "Compared to what you did, Senior Brother Wu, this is nothing," Chen Chuan replied. Senior Wu chuckled and sat up straight. "I did that because I wanted revenge for Big Brother Liu; I didn't care about anything else. Junior Brother Chen, as for what happened today, you've earned Old Wu's full respect. If you ever need anything in the future, just say the word—if I so much as knit a brow, you can spell my name backward." Chen Chuan said, "Senior Brother Wu, if you had been in Senior Brother Liu's position today, would you have gone to save those people?" Senior Wu considered it for a moment, then answered, "In the past, maybe not. But from now on..." He spoke with certainty: "I will!" Chen Chuan nodded. Extending a hand, he said, "Chen Chuan, first-year student of Wuyi College." Senior Wu paused, a bright spark igniting in his eyes. He reached out and clasped Chen Chuan's hand firmly, declaring solemnly, "Wu Han, second-year student of Wuyi!" Just then, the car took a turn. Seeing that this was not the route back to the academy, Chen Chuan tapped on the partition wall. Once the communication hatch slid open, he asked, "Patrol Sergeant Bei, may I ask where we are heading?" Sitting in the front passenger seat, the chief's aide smiled and replied, "Brother Chen, Chief Guan gave instructions to take you to Captain Nian's home first so you can let your family know you're safe. After that, we'll escort you back to school."