Chapter 718: Retrieval

Chapter 718: Chapter 69: Retrieval

The outskirts of Central City, the Southern Industrial District.

Chen Chuan drove his Gard Car here alone.

Unlike the urban center of Central City, the Southern Industrial District had no complex neon lights or billboards. It was dominated by gray concrete buildings and massive, metal-structured factories, with transport rails crisscrossing the ground on their way to Central City.

Although every factory here housed Domain Creatures, each area was independent, lacking a fully integrated information network. And the data Fang Zhixin had told him about was located in one of these isolated factories.

He checked the location against the directions and landmarks Fang Zhixin had provided, then parked the car.

It was nearly dusk, and the setting sun cast its colors onto the sheet-metal walls of the factories, bathing the cold, hard metal in a soft, golden-red hue.

In the alleyways between the factories, he could see a few stray cats lounging lazily on the warm concrete. Others watched him from near the transport rails, only springing up and leaping to high perches as he approached.

After getting his bearings, Chen Chuan walked toward an old factory building. It was a standalone repair shop. An elderly security guard stood out front. The Implant on his arm was clearly in want of maintenance, its color a stark contrast to his skin. The guard watched him with a wary, scrutinizing gaze, his hand resting on the gun at his hip.

Seeing that the man matched Fang Zhixin’s description, Chen Chuan stopped about ten paces away. “I’m here to pick up something being kept in storage.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s five forty-five, the exact time we agreed on.”

The old guard fell silent for a moment before turning to go inside. “Follow me.”

Chen Chuan followed him in. Despite his age, the man’s movements were nimble and his pace was quick. He led Chen Chuan to an inconspicuous break room, unhooked a keyring from his belt, and fumbled for a moment before finding the right one. He unlocked the door, pushed it open, and said, “It’s in there. You can take everything. There’s a dolly outside you can use.”

Without another word, he turned and left.

Chen Chuan walked into the room alone. It was small, only about twenty square meters. A bookshelf stood against one wall, next to a heavy, wide desk. A sturdy single bed faced the desk, with a hard hat and work clothes hanging on the wall above the headboard.

The bookshelf was filled with books that all looked like technical manuals for maintenance and machinery. He ignored them, walked over to the bed, and dragged out a box from underneath.

After wiping away a thick layer of dust, he opened it using the password Fang Zhixin had provided. Inside were neat stacks of files on the Merging Land, a jar full of hundred-denomination Jianyuan Coins and loose change, and several badges of some collectible value.

However, he knew the files in the box were a mix of true and false—merely a Blinding Technique. To take them would be to fall into a trap. He pulled a very specific badge from among them, then turned to the desk. He walked over, opened the drawer, and found an old, inconspicuous Realm Token. The real data was inside it.

But to view its contents, one needed to touch it with this badge to trigger a response.

He took out the badge and put on the Realm Token. He touched the token lightly with the badge, and the previously inert device immediately came to life. A faint light projected out, displaying rows and rows of files.

However, the Realm Token had been in some sort of hibernation and was currently very weak. He would need to take it back and soak it in a nutrient solution before it could display its full contents. He would have to review it all later.

He gathered his things, placed everything he needed into the box, and walked out carrying it with one hand.

After bidding the old guard farewell, he left the area and returned to his Gard Car. Once inside, he glanced at the case on the passenger seat. ‘Should I turn these files over to the Processing Bureau?’ He mulled it over but decided against it. The Processing Bureau itself seemed fine, but he didn’t trust certain people within it.

Besides, Chen Bitong had hidden this information here instead of turning it over to the government for a reason. Chen Chuan decided to respect his intentions.

Just as he was about to start the car, a call came through on his Realm Token. He glanced at the caller ID and accepted it. “Assistant Ling? Is something wrong?”

Assistant Ling’s voice sounded crystal clear inside the car.

“Manager Chen, do you remember me mentioning that some academy members from the Lynx Federation delegation wanted to hold an exchange match with Wuyi? The event is in a few days, and I was wondering if you might be available.”

Chen Chuan declined. “I can’t. I have a mission from the Bureau, so I won’t be able to come. I’m sure Wuyi Academy will hold its own against the delegation even without me. Especially with you there, Assistant Ling.”

Assistant Ling gave a slight smile. “In that case, let’s leave it at that, Manager Chen. Our previous agreement is still valid. I’ll contact you again after the exchange match.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Chen Chuan said.

After ending the call, he glanced outside. The sun had sunk below the horizon, and dusk was settling in. One by one, the factory lights and streetlamps flickered on, illuminating the road.

He started the car and drove off slowly, heading back toward Central City.

The next day, as Chen Chuan was using his Realm Token to sort through and examine the files on the Merging Land, he received a message from Wubei. It said that the director and key personnel of the Lianwei Zhongyu Branch might be traveling to the Outer Ocean to negotiate a business deal.

A thought struck him. The Lianwei Zhongyu Branch had been quiet for days, but now they were suddenly heading out to sea. The timing, coming right after his own move the previous day, was too close for comfort; he couldn’t help but draw a connection.

He then thought of Fusion Boundary. They were also scheduled to go to the Outer Ocean in October, apparently to expand their business as well. After a moment of consideration, he contacted Yan Yi.

Once the call connected, he asked, “Assistant Yan, you mentioned before that Meng Shu might be going to the Outer Ocean in October. How certain are you about this business deal?”

“We’re very confident,” Yan Yi replied. “We have the full backing of the Administrative Affairs Hall this time, and we’ve already settled most of the details in the preliminary talks. While other companies are competing with us, their chances of winning are slim if it comes down to just commercial negotiations.”

Chen Chuan understood. It seemed Fusion Boundary had all but won on the negotiation front. But business competition wasn’t limited to the negotiating table; it also involved other forms of rivalry, including threats to the team’s personal safety.

If the negotiators themselves ceased to exist, the deal would naturally fall through. That was why every major company nowadays had its own security forces.

The Administrative Affairs Hall had already provided them with commercial support, but for security, they were on their own.

He couldn’t be sure of Lianwei Zhongyu’s true intentions, but he had to ensure proper security precautions were in place.

He said, “Mr. Mishiro is very familiar with the Outer Ocean, but he is only one man. I’ll send another capable person to assist you.”

He decided to send Su Wei over before they officially departed. That should guarantee there would be no problems.

“Additionally, I’ll give you two contacts.”

He tapped his Realm Token, sending over one Realm Token contact and two telegraph frequencies.

“One of them is Gu Haiting, from the public relations department of Canglong Company. If you run into any trouble in the Outer Ocean, you can contact him directly. Just tell him I sent you.”

“The other is Tarlu, master of the Single Stream Hall. She’s a powerful Third Limit Fighter. If the company can provide her fighting hall with a generous enough donation, you can hire her to help you.”

After receiving the information, Yan Yi thanked him sincerely. “Thank you, Manager Chen. I’m grateful for your support of the company.”

She knew just how significant Chen Chuan’s help was. Although Fusion Boundary Company was currently well-funded, the fighters it had cultivated weren’t particularly formidable. The only person at Meng Shu’s side whom she could truly trust was Aunt Yu.

Things were manageable in Central City because of Chen Chuan. Even without making a personal appearance, his influence was enough to solve most problems. But the Outer Ocean was a different story. His connections and reputation in Central City would be useless there.

But with Chen Chuan’s arrangements, plus Aunt Yu, they could gather at least four Third Limit Fighters. Combined with the mercenaries they hired themselves, it should be enough to ensure the safety of their party.

The most critical part, however, was the connection to Canglong Company. The Outer Ocean was largely within the sphere of influence of Canglong and the Overseas Development Group. Having a relationship with Canglong Company would make their operations in the Outer Ocean far smoother than they would have been otherwise.

“As the company’s head of security, this is part of my job,” Chen Chuan said. “Also, let me give the company a warning. Regarding the upcoming Merging Land event, even if the Administrative Affairs Hall dispatches personnel, do not get deeply involved.”

Yan Yi listened and replied earnestly, “I will pass your message on to Ms. Meng, Manager Chen.”

After the call, Chen Chuan saw that his information team had yet to report back, so he decided to resume his morning training. He left the Profound Palace Building, and ten minutes later, arrived at the airship dock in the Wuding District. He then boarded an Airship and headed out over the ocean.

His cultivation session that day went smoothly. As the morning drew to a close, he watched the Rift before him slowly seal itself shut and sheathed his Snow Monarch Blade. But just then, he sensed something unusual.

‘This is…’

He focused on the sensation and realized that, without him even noticing, his Second Self had developed Spiritual Power.

Although his Second Self had previously reached the Third Limit, it had yet to attain its own Spiritual Power. Now, however, its strength was clearly approaching that of his main body.

Now, when his Second Self merged with his primary self, the power he could wield would be far greater than before. However, his main body’s spiritual cultivation was still some way off from true Perfection.

‘But at my current pace, it won’t be long.’

He looked out the Airship’s window. The bright, late-September sunlight streamed through the porthole, bathing him in its rays. Everything inside and out was awash in a dazzling brilliance. He knocked on the cockpit door. “Let’s head back.”

A moment later, the Airship began a slow turn in the clear sky, letting the sea breeze guide it back toward Central City.