Chapter 219: eting
After his phone call with Lei Guangcheng, Chen Chuan decided not to go back to the university but instead went back ho for a bit.
Since this was a day off, his entire family was in. When they were having dinner together, Nian Fuli suddenly asked, “Xiao Chuan, don’t you have a team? And don’t you always have gatherings at Douyi Hotel with them?”
“We don’t go there all the ti. We’ve only been there twice,” Chen Chuan replied.
“For the ti being, don’t go anywhere near there for gatherings,” Nian Fuli then cautioned him sternly.
“What happened?” Yu Wan asked worriedly.
Nian Fuli put down his chopsticks and looked at them both. “We’ve discovered explosives planted in Douyi Hotel recently.”
“Explosives?” Yu Wan was shocked.
“It’s not just Douyi Hotel. We found explosives in other places in the downtown area too. One of them was really close to the Departnt of Administrative Affairs’ conference hall. We have reason to believe that the resistance group planted them. Even though we managed to locate them all in ti, what if we missed one?
“Recently, all sorts of companies and officials from other cities have co here for a eting, and the higher-ups have told us to tighten security. I’m pretty sure that the resistance group has planted the bombs to target these guys, and I think they’re going to be really active over this period of ti.”
Yu Wan turned to Chen Chuan. With worry evident in her eyes, she said, “Chan’er...”
Chen Chuan imdiately reassured them. “Don’t worry, Uncle, Aunty. I won’t be going to the downtown area over this period of ti.”
“Good. Instead of being on guard against threats, it’s better to avoid them altogether. If you can avoid that place, do it,” Nian Fuli said.
anwhile, Chen Chuan was thinking about what he said. If he connected the incident of the resistance group installing bombs in the downtown area with the conclusion he had ford, it was highly likely that they were doing this to attract the Constabulary’s attention so that they could have an easier ti doing other things.
The resistance group had done this multiple tis before, and it always worked, because even though the Departnt of Administrative Affairs and the Constabulary knew that the resistance group was just trying to draw their attention away, they still had to tighten security over those areas. Worse still, this ti, it was in the downtown area. The conference hall where various divisions of the Departnt of Administrative Affairs were going to have their etings was the most important building of them all, and the Constabulary had to inspect it even more closely.
After dinner, Chen Chuan stayed the night at ho before returning to the campus the next day.
He walked one round around the Spring-Autumn Lake while guiding his breathing. When he was done, he went to the Weapons Departnt’s training hall to practice his saber.
Whenever he ca here, an upperclassman from the Weapons Departnt would co over to spar with him, and he welcod the experience. When he fought against students using other weapons, he could also get experience in fighting against their weapons of choice.
Even though the opponents he t outside mostly used guns, if he fought against another martial artist, he was most likely going to end up clashing with them with lee weapons.
With a snap, the wooden staff in his opponent’s hands broke, unable to bear the force of the refined force that charged into it. The upperclassman lowered the broken staff in regret and gave him a fist-and-palm salute. “Thank you for your ti, Chen Chuan.”
Chen Chuan returned the salute.
The upperclassman took two steps away before asking, “How did you exercise such precise control over your refined force?”
Isn’t this what the stronger martial artists do when they fight weaker martial artists? Chen Chuan thought, but he said seriously, “Through lots of practice.”
The upperclassman mulled over his words before nodding in agreent as he mumbled, “That ans I haven’t practiced enough. I need to practice even more.”
Then, he said clearly, “Thank you, Chen Chuan.”
He threw away the broken staff and left.
The students who had been watching their sparring session also gave Chen Chuan a fist-and-palm salute before leaving with admiration and excitent so that they could return to their own training.
After they left, Chen Chuan went to a single training room and practiced his throwing art.
When he used the throwing art, he found the effects much better than when he used a gun. He could throw a stone quickly and discreetly, and it didn’t cause too much of a commotion either. It could make up for his weakness in long-distance attacks.
Chen Chuan practiced the entire morning before returning to his room for a shower. Just as he was about to go to the cafeteria to eat, his phone rang, and he answered it.
Lei Guangcheng’s voice ca through. “Chen Chuan? It’s , Lei Guangcheng. After our conversation yesterday, I had soone investigate Spill Hill in secret. We haven’t found anything abnormal as of now.”
“It isn’t there?” Chen Chuan was quite surprised.
But Lei Guangcheng said, “No, I think that your deduction should be correct. Just because we don’t see the entire thing, doesn’t an that the array isn’t there. So of the materials produced in Central City can hide it from plain sight.
“As technology improves, the cultists have co up with things that can replace traditional materials, making them even harder to find and fend against. Fortunately, these materials are rarely produced, and I believe that there’s also only a handful of them that can be of practical use.”
“Are there cults in Central City too?” Chen Chuan asked.
“Central City is the breeding ground for cults. Each social class can get comfort from them, even have their demands and interests t. What we’re doing is only suppressing them. We can never get rid of them fully,” Lei Guangcheng remarked gravely.
Chen Chuan grunted in acknowledgent.
“I called you today to tell you sothing else. This matter is quite complicated, so the Cult Investigation Bureau can’t handle it alone. We’re going to have a eting two days later, and the governnt officials from other departnts are going to join the discussion about this. I hope that you can attend it too.”
“Alright. I’ll be there,” Chen Chuan answered decisively.
“Good. I’ll tell you the specific location of the eting when it’s finalized. By the way, that alumni of yours woke up yesterday. All that’s left for her is to take her ti recovering. The ones who went missing with her are still in a coma, even the martial artists. She’s lucky.”
Chen Chuan nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Lei.”
“You’re welco. Wait for my notice,” Lei Guangcheng said.
After the call, Chen Chuan put his phone down and invited Feng Xiaoqi and Luo Kaiyuan for lunch in the cafeteria when they ca back upstairs. When he was back, he rested for a little while. Just when he was about to begin his afternoon training, Cheng Zitong called him and said, “Xiao Chuan, the new director of the Departnt of Administrative Affairs wants to see you.”
“?” Chen Chuan was quite surprised at that and asked, “For what, though?”
“He’s the one who approved your application to Central City. As the new director of the Departnt of Administrative Affairs, I think he wants to express his goodwill toward Martial Valor University through you.”
Chen Chuan pondered over this and thought of a likely reason as to why the new director would want to see him. He asked, “When does he want to see , Mr. Cheng?”
“Mr. Zhu is quite the gentleman. He says that he knows that you’re training hard and hasn’t set a specific date and ti yet. But I think that regardless of whether he’s sincere or fake about this, he’s put on a good outward show of politeness. That’s why we shouldn’t let him wait too long. Besides, once you’ve t him, that also ans that fewer people will be paying attention to you, and you can focus on your training again,” Cheng Zitong answered.
“You’re right. If that’s the case, I’ll et him now. I have ti,” Chen Chuan said.
“Alright. I’ll send you there. et at the dorm entrance later,” Cheng Zitong replied.
After hanging up, Chen Chuan went back, washed his face, and put in formal wear before walking out of the dorm. When he was outside, Cheng Zitong was already waiting for him. Chen Chuan walked over and got into the car.
Cheng Zitong then drove out of the campus and headed south. In less than twenty minutes, he arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, located at the south of the city, and he said, “Go on in, Xiao Chuan. I’ve already notified them earlier. Soone will receive you once you’re inside.”
Chen Chuan nodded and got out of the car. He walked up to the entrance and spoke to the security guards there. Soon, a governnt official of the Departnt of Administrative Affairs ca out and politely led him inside.
Cheng Zitong waited in the car. About half an hour later, he saw Chen Chuan co out. Once he got in, Cheng Zitong asked, “Have you t him?”
Chen Chuan nodded.
“What did he say? Did he give you trouble?”
“No, actually. He’s just like you said. He’s really polite and didn’t put on airs. When we t, he asked
about my life. After learning that I’ve submitted my application to go to Central City, he gave
a few words of encouragent. He didn’t say anything else. It seems like he really just wanted to see ,” Chen Chuan said.
“Seeing you already shows his stance on the matter. Whatever small talk he says with you isn’t important, in this case,” Cheng Zitong said.
Every move politicians made carried aning. They always found subtle ways to get their points across. Even if sending a ssage wasn’t what they wanted, they’d still think about the repercussions and effects of their actions before doing sothing.
Chen Chuan cast a glance at the Civil Affairs Bureau. While Zhu Xian hadn’t ntioned anything else, Chen Chuan could sense that Zhu Xian had sought him out for the matter regarding the ritual.
The car engine started, and they went back to Martial Valor University.
***
Zhu Xian stared at a map of Yangzhi City in his office. As the new director of the Departnt of Administrative Affairs, he was incredibly wary of the resistance group and cults that had caused turmoil in Yangzhi City for a long period of ti.
According to his subordinates’ reports, he knew that they might be able to catch those people’s tails this ti. If he could get rid of them in one go, that would be an outstanding achievent that could let him set up his prestige in the city and set his foot firmly here.
Similarly, if he failed, it would be devastating for him. That was why he couldn’t show his stance on the matter.
This ti, he had t Chen Chuan because he knew that Chen Chuan was a participant in this operation. But on the surface, he was just showing concern for an outstanding student of Martial Valor University and also showing his goodwill to the university. It wouldn’t lead to any complications.
However, if they managed to get rid of the target this ti, his eting with Chen Chuan would show that he had great foresight. Then, through so ingenious publicity stunts, the people would think that the operation was a success due to his arrangents and encouragent. anwhile, even if it failed, if he downplayed his involvent in the matter, he wouldn’t be blad for it. No matter what, he wouldn’t lose out on eting Chen Chuan.
But Chen Chuan struck him as different.
When he recalled how relaxed Chen Chuan had been when he stood in front of Zhu Xian, the director felt ill at ease.
How should he put this? Usually, when teenagers saw him, they would feel awkward and nervous. That was due to the difference brought by their statuses.
Yet Chen Chuan had been calm the entire ti. When he stared at Zhu Xian with those composed eyes, Zhu Xian felt an indescribable sense of intimidation from him, causing him to recall his eting with Wen Tong on the train that day.
It was as if his life no longer belonged to himself at that mont.
He ca to a quiet decision: He was going to avoid these martial artists as much as possible in the future. He couldn’t let such people get too close to him anymore.
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