Chapter 441: Chapter 171: Report and Reward
In a lounge on one side of the manor, Chen Chuan finished reading the documents Director Wu had sent him. He now had a general understanding of Meng Huang’s motives.
’To activate a Consciousness Body?’
It was no wonder the man had been so obsessed with his status as heir. This was something only an heir or the head of the company was qualified to access.
He involuntarily thought of the thing dwelling within the Snow Monarch Blade. ’What could that be?’ In the end, it had actually managed to devour the extension of that other entity.
’Are they the same kind of thing?’
He couldn’t find anything similar in the documents for now.
This thing had certainly come from Xiong Jianyi’s body. The day Gong Zhanyi took the risk of harboring a wanted criminal like Xiong Jianyi... Thinking deeper, perhaps it was mainly for this thing.
Then it might be related to the Gongshi. It might even involve the Ferris Wheel Company, and he couldn’t rule out a connection to the entity from the other side.
But there was no need to worry about all that. For now, the thing seemed beneficial, or at least harmless, and it was bound by his will. So, there was nothing to worry about at the moment.
In fact, it wouldn’t matter even if it really was an entity from the other side. He had already dispatched one, so even if problems arose, he could handle them.
After reviewing the documents, he saw there was a form to be filled out.
It was a request for an action report—a detailed description and summary of the battle process and the entity, preferably with a recording from his Realm Token.
Unlike the fight against Wei Wusheng, which had many witnesses, or the confrontation with the Viper Corps, which at least left clear traces, this time, absolutely nothing was left behind. Therefore, he needed to provide a detailed statement on the matter.
This was actually crucial. Besides the need to file the operation for future reference and proof of action, it would also serve as invaluable data for anyone who might encounter such an entity in the future.
Much of the material he had read before had been compiled and summarized by many others, some of whom had sacrificed their lives in the process. So he took this very seriously, writing down the course of the fight and the general strategies he had employed.
However, he added a note at the end: some parts were merely his personal tactical choices, strategies executed based on his own unique characteristics, and he did not recommend others imitate them.
After the main statement, he found there were more questions to answer, such as a specific assessment of the entity from the other side, asking if it had exhibited any distinct personality or preferences.
The question seemed a bit odd, as if it were treating the entity as a person.
But having carefully read some of the documents from the Processing Bureau, he knew the question wasn’t meaningless.
There was a theory that if an entity from the other side came into this world and managed to achieve parasitism or symbiosis, it was possible it could gradually adapt to this world.
The longer they stayed, the more human-like they would become, and they might even start to think like humans. Eventually, it could become impossible to discern their true identities. The theory also suggested that some entities from the other side were already mingling among them.
If that was the case, the infiltration of this world by entities from the other side was far more severe than imagined.
’Taking it a step further,’ he thought, ’did these entities only start invading and possessing people recently, with the two realms about to collide? Or have they been around since previous Periods of Change?’
In the new era, they at least had methods for defense and identification. In the old era, it would have been impossible to figure it out.
But these matters were not for him to consider; the nations of the world would naturally worry about them. After a moment of thought, he wrote down his direct observations and left it to his superiors to make the final judgment.
He filled out the next few questions one by one, pausing slightly at the last one. It asked if he had sensed any obvious improvement in the entity from the other side during their fight.
This question was worth considering.
He recalled the battle. From a purely combat perspective, Meng Huang’s movements had been clumsy. He wasn’t a Fighter, after all, and Chen Chuan hadn’t given him much room to maneuver.
However, he had a feeling, some subtle sense, that the entity had been constantly self-adjusting. Perhaps with enough time, it could have gradually learned how to wield its power effectively.
Imagine a massive humanoid creature that also possessed a suitable method of Force Application. The difficulty of dealing with it would increase exponentially.
This also served as a reminder to him. It wasn’t impossible for such an opponent to exist, and fighting something with a large body was a completely different concept. It would require specific skills and weapons.
As he mulled this over, he finished answering the question and sent the form back, deleting all the documents Director Wu had sent him.
Then he stood up, brewed a cup of tea, and went out onto the balcony. He looked at the scenery outside as a cool autumn breeze brushed against his cheeks, rustling the tips of his hair.
Outside the manor, various plants swayed, their branches and leaves undulating like waves. The manor was situated high enough that he could see all the way to the distant sea, and beyond it, the vast, hazy silhouette of Central City. In the sky, several small, silver-white airships flew back and forth.
After a long while, his Realm Token chimed. He answered the call, and Director Wu’s voice came through. "Mr. Chen, I’ve seen the report. This matter has been filed. Once everything is settled, the Bureau will assess your commendation.
Also, Mr. Chen. I need to ask, as someone who has signed a non-disclosure agreement, have you decided to participate in the World Ring defense plan?"
"Of course," Chen Chuan said.
Even if he didn’t actively seek them out, those things would enter the world regardless. He had a premonition that such incidents would only become more frequent. There was no hiding from it. Instead of avoiding it, it was better to face it head-on.
Director Wu said, "If you agree, you will need to participate in at least one defensive operation before the end of the year. This will be beneficial for you and will also make it easier for you to apply for special medicine."
Chen Chuan understood. Although he wasn’t short on special medicine for the time being, the more of it he had, the better. Even if he didn’t use it himself, such medicine was a high-value commodity among Fighters, more useful than money.
He thought for a moment and asked, "When I go there, my job will just be to defend against the things from the other side?"
Director Wu replied in a somber tone, "More often than not, you’ll need to be on guard against people from our own world."
After ending the call, Chen Chuan stood there for a long time. He didn’t turn to go back inside until he had finished another cup of tea.
Nothing else happened for the rest of the day, but he knew this was only a superficial calm. The Fusion Boundary Company would surely purge the factions loyal to Meng Huang, and some members of the Meng Clan might get caught up in it. But none of that had anything to do with him.
The next day, a servant led Chen Chuan to Meng Shu. Seeing that she looked much more relaxed than the day before, he said, "It looks like you’ve handled your affairs?"
Meng Shu said, "Grandfather said he will formally announce his resignation from all company positions before the end of the month. He will no longer participate in any company management and will hand over control of the company to me."
"It seems Mr. Meng is a man of his word," Chen Chuan commented.
Meng Shu looked at him and said earnestly, "Chen Chuan, my promise won’t change either."
Chen Chuan looked at her and nodded.
Just then, Yan Yi walked over and handed him an envelope. "Mr. Chen, my lady found this and had it specially prepared for you."
"What is this?"
Meng Shu said, "It’s a record of Meng Huang’s dealings with some Island Countries in the Outer Ocean. There’s also a batch of goods on an island awaiting a transaction. One of his subordinates revealed it to us. I believe it will be useful to the Processing Bureau."
Chen Chuan understood her intention. If the company handed this over to the Processing Bureau, it would just be a simple report to show their stance. But if he delivered it, it could potentially boost his personal merits, while still conveying the company’s attitude.
He didn’t stand on ceremony. He took it and said, "I’ll take it to the Bureau."
Yan Yi added, "My lady has also decided to give you the portion of special medicine that was originally allocated to Meng Huang."
Chen Chuan asked, "You’re not planning to recruit other Fighters?"
Yan Yi replied, "Experience has shown that they are not as reliable as you, Mr. Chen. Besides, the company has other resources controlled by the board of directors, which are sufficient for now."
Meng Shu then said, "Chen Chuan, you’ve been away from home for a long time. You should go back and rest. Here at the manor, we have Aunt Yu and the security team that reports directly to my grandfather. There shouldn’t be any problems for the time being."
Chen Chuan knew she was giving him time off. He had been away for quite a while and did have some things to take care of. He contacted the Processing Bureau, and they immediately approved it. As long as Meng Shu didn’t travel and there were no internal issues, staying at the manor in White Bird District was basically safe.
After getting approval, he handed over his security duties and took a private car arranged by Yan Yi back to the Central City Main District.
On the way back, he received a notification. First, a personal bonus of 600,000 from Meng Shu. It also said that the house awarded by the company had been transferred to his name; he just needed to sign to confirm it.
He took a look. The house was located in the Wuding District, not far from the academy. It was also very close to the Fighting Hall where he had previously sparred with the disciples of the Fighting Families—only a five or six-minute drive.
The most upscale residential area in Central City was undoubtedly the White Bird District, followed by Shang Hill in the Weiguang District, and Motie Mountain in South City. Shang Hill was mainly inhabited by high-ranking government officials, while Motie Mountain was an enclave for celebrities and the upper class.
Although the location of this residence couldn’t be considered top-tier, the neighborhood was home to prominent Fighters. Perhaps for that same reason, the layout of the house was also designed according to the habits of a Fighter, which suited him quite well.
He thought for a moment, signed his name on the Realm Token, and then told the driver to head to the new house for a look after they got off the Celestial Bridge.
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