Chen Chuan tapped his boundary credential and sent a plan he had prepared well in advance to Qi Weizhao and the others. While they reviewed it, he offered an additional explanation from the side:
"I sense that this entity is rather unusual. We cannot evaluate it through conventional reasoning.
"Judging by the fact that it never showed itself during several past incidents across the city, it is exceptionally cautious. It rarely stirs up trouble under ordinary circumstances, appearing focused primarily on self-preservation.
"I suspect its level of power may be relatively high, which requires it to remain inert most of the time to maintain its existence. If that is all there is to it, it wouldn't be too difficult to handle. Because of the Ring of the World, whatever could slip through cannot be excessively high in tier, no matter how elevated it is. We possess the capability to deal with it.
"There is also another possibility..."
At this point, he paused briefly. "It may have a longer-term design in mind. If so, that warrants the utmost vigilance."
A longer-term design...
Everyone before the screens immediately thought of one possibility.
Qi Weizhao asked solemnly, "Could it be related to the Great Impact?"
Chen Chuan said, "It is possible."
Liang Guanghai considered this for a moment and said, "Gentlemen, allow me to interject. Previously, the fission and reproduction of the Fumu dealt a major shock to Center City. Through multilateral cooperation, we managed to bring the situation under control, but our current environment is actually no longer the same as before. It already differs from the other center cities."
He tapped his boundary credential, and an environmental analysis report appeared on the screen. Several trendlines displayed an inverted upward curve, touching a crimson line near the top.
"That red line at the top represents the environment of the convergence zone. Having endured several days of fissure shock, Jibei Dao's environment has been steadily drifting closer to that of the convergence zone. It climbed higher every single day, and only this year has that upward momentum begun to slow.
"Although there remains a gap from a true convergence zone environment, Jibei Dao has, in fact, become far more hospitable to the survival of the things from the other side."
Qi Weizhao and the others looked grim. If Jibei Dao's environment had grown more suitable for the survival of those entities, then naturally, it would also become much easier to breach.
Qiao Weiting pondered for a moment and asked, "Commissioner Liang, is there any international precedent for this kind of shift?"
Commissioner Liang said, "Yes. A few similar instances have occurred in the Sanmawojia Continental Association. That is also where the Ring of the World has the most breaches. Subsequent testing revealed that the environment there had undergone drastic transformations."
As he spoke, photographs appeared across the screen. They depicted several local center cities in the Sanmawojia Continental Association, showing numerous deformed, abnormal flora and fauna both inside and outside the cities.
"The surrounding biomes of those cities experienced significant degrees of mutation. Right now, several research institutions from the Albion Strait Alliance, the Norland Northern Alliance, and the Linakes Federation are permanently stationed there, churning out a massive stream of new technologies from their laboratories every year.
"However, they also endure frequent incursions. Evidence shows that a considerable number of entities have slipped through from the other side. Some people have even attempted to communicate with them, trying repeatedly both openly and in secret. For now, they can still maintain a semblance of stability, but no one knows how long it will last."
He stopped there without elaborating further. Everyone present understood full well that numerous individuals and factions within various governments maintained contact and cooperation with the entities from the opposite side. In some severe cases, the crises were entirely man-made.
And this time, their greatest fear was precisely this kind of internal and external collusion. Once it occurred, it could shatter their current standing.
Qi Weizhao made a definitive, unequivocal ruling: "Such filth must be purged completely!" He then looked up and said, "Section Chief Chen, please proceed with your plan."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Given that this entity is adept at hiding itself, if we launch an overt, large-scale search into the Lower City, it might flee the moment it detects our intentions. That is entirely possible, and it would make matters far more difficult to resolve."
Commissioner Liang glanced over the plan. "So Section Chief Chen's intention is... to wait for it to show itself?"
Chen Chuan nodded. Although he was confident he could eliminate the creature once he found it, he could not guarantee finding it with certainty, let alone within a short window of time.
If such an entity were determined to flee, it would be far more slippery and troublesome than a martial artist in the Visage of the Divine realm. Therefore, the best approach was to prompt it to reveal itself.
It carried some risk, but being prepared versus unprepared were two completely different matters.
Of course, remaining purely passive did not suit his habits, so he had added an arrangement to the plan.
He intended to allow a batch of 'dissidents,' fugitive 'councilors,' and 'faction remnants' to slip into the Lower City, using their pursuit as a pretext to launch a mop-up operation.
This was thoroughly reasonable and would not arouse excessive suspicion from the entity.
He said, "In fact, a group of people has already fled into the Lower City earlier. Our justification is ready-made. However, I feel their weight is not yet enough. We need a figure of sufficient stature—someone worthy of the Government Affairs Department's focused attention—so that we can follow up naturally."
"A figure of sufficient stature..."
Qi Weizhao and the other committee members glanced at the notes on the plan's documentation. They saw several candidates proposed therein. A few were expected, but one was genuinely surprising, and their weight was indeed substantial.
After solemn consideration, Qi Weizhao said firmly, "Section Chief Chen, I support your proposal. Whatever you intend to do, the Government Affairs Department will cooperate to the fullest."
The other committee members exchanged brief words and likewise approved the plan. Bold though it was, with proper coordination, it possessed great feasibility.
Qiao Weiting asked, "Section Chief Chen, does this plan have a code name?"
Chen Chuan looked around at everyone on the screen. "If the operation goes smoothly, we may also flush out a batch of fugitives in one stroke, temporarily solving the crisis that has loomed over Center City recently. Therefore..." He lifted his head. "I have designated this operation the 'Ebb Tide Plan.'"
Once the security decision conference concluded, the screens dimmed.
Chen Chuan sat for a while before rising to his feet. With the plan approved by the decision committee, it was time to consider the concrete execution.
This time, the personnel deployed had to be absolute elites—and people he could trust completely.
Just as he was thinking this over, a notification chime sounded from his boundary credential.
He glanced down. It was a text transmission from Lu Fang, stating that their combat gym had officially received its operational permit, formally making it a legitimate martial arts gym of Center City. Furthermore, several combat equipment companies had proactively reached out, offering to remodel their facilities free of charge and donate a set of instructional equipment.
Chen Chuan immediately contacted Lu Fang to offer his congratulations. After a brief chat, he ended the call, entered the elevator, and descended from upstairs to the underground training hall.
At this moment, squad members including Wei Chang'an, Luo Kaiyuan, Feng Xiaoqi, Yuan Qiuyuan, and Qin Qingque were training intensively. Thanks to the simulated field environment, every evening after completing their daytime duties while Chen Chuan had been away hunting and cultivating, they came here to train. Their progress had been remarkably swift.
In particular, they practiced breathing techniques tailored specifically to each of them under Chen Chuan's guidance. Paired with ample medicine provided by the Disposal Bureau, a single month of cultivation matched several months of ordinary effort.
Even so, reaching the third limit was by no means an easy feat for Wei Chang'an and the others. Talent remained an inevitable hurdle after all. Yet if it had once been an unattainable dream, they could now finally glimpse a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough.
When Chen Chuan stepped out of the elevator, everyone was taking a brief rest. They stood up one after another to greet him. Wiping away his sweat, Wei Chang'an walked over and said, "Junior, I heard Senior Lu broke through to the third limit after the New Year?"
Chen Chuan nodded. "Yes. He just messaged me that the combat gym's official permit came through."
Wei Chang'an could not help feeling a pang of envy. Having secured citizenship in Center City and watching his career progress methodically, his ambitions had naturally shifted from what they once were.
As a martial practitioner, he naturally yearned to see the scenery from higher ground. Only by attaining the third limit could one truly be counted as a genuine martial artist.
The two sat down to the side. Chen Chuan grabbed a bottle of beverage from a nearby rack and tossed it over. Wei Chang'an caught it deftly and thanked him.
After unscrewing the cap and taking a few gulps, he wiped his mouth and said, "Lately I've been thinking, if I can reach the third limit, I'll definitely do what you did, Junior—bring my parents over to live in Center City too."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Brother Wei, you have a fair chance."
Wei Chang'an's spirits rose at once. "Great! With those words from you, I feel confident. Oh, right..."
He turned his head. "I was on the phone with my dad a couple of days ago. He said that a while back, several formidable urban legends appeared in Yangzhi City. They caused a ruckus for quite some time, leaving the Esoteric Cult Bureau completely helpless. Later, a brother and sister from out of town resolved them. It really reminded me of you, Junior—you used to handle those kinds of things all the time back then."
"Urban legends... a brother and sister..."
Chen Chuan grew thoughtful. He was reminded of the Lan Shengu siblings. Yuangan's research facility lay just north of Yangzhi City, so it was entirely possible they had passed through Yangzhi beforehand.
In truth, as the two worlds drew closer together, such supernatural phenomena were ultimately unavoidable. There were even more of them here in Center City.
However, the situation had steadily improved following Director Lei's appointment, as he actively led his personnel across Center City to resolve such incidents, substantially expanding the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau's influence in the process.
During his administrative leave, Chen Chuan had spoken with Director Lei, who had hoped the Defense Department could provide more support to the Esoteric Cult Bureau.
Chen Chuan supported this unreservedly. Doing so fostered stability in Center City, and the upcoming operation in the Lower City might also require the cooperation of the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau.
They chatted a bit longer. Since it was now lunchtime, he invited the squad members to dine together. The meal was held on the lawn before the villa, a buffet prepared by the villa's culinary staff, featuring ingredients he had brought back from the convergence zone.
While they were eating, Chen Chuan received a notification informing him that an item had arrived.
He looked up and saw a transport airship cruising slowly toward the area. Upon reaching the airspace overhead, its underside hatch opened, and an enormous hammer was steadily lowered down from above.
Chapter 920