Chapter 1015: A Lofty Vision
Chapter 1015: A Lofty Vision
As Xu Xian walked forward, he suddenly felt an inexplicable pressure, as if his body had suddenly become much heavier, and the closer he got to the figure ahead, the stronger this feeling became.
Yet, the other party hadn't transmitted any domain information or mental power towards him. It was simply their presence that gave him this sensation.
He sighed inwardly, thinking that Chen Chuan must have made significant progress in his cultivation this time. Reaching the sea embankment, he took a slight breath and said, "Director, you're back?"
Chen Chuan, who had also come from the lower ranks, looked towards the distant Original People Company building and nodded, "I just got back a while ago." He turned to Xu Xian and smiled, "I received the news, Old Xu, congratulations."
Xu Xian replied, "Thank you, Director."
He felt deeply moved in his heart. This time, his breakthrough to the level of a Martial Artist was not only due to his own accumulation but also to the support provided by Chen Chuan, which greatly increased his chances of success. Of course, there was also the assistance and guidance from Mr. Zuan.
In fact, any one of these conditions would have been a great help, and now that they were all in place, it made his breakthrough much smoother.
He was sincerely grateful for the help from Chen Chuan and Mr. Zuan. If it were him, he would have only chosen to be an executive captain or a Third Limit Martial Artist, and that might have been his fate for life.
Sometimes he wondered if he could go further, living up to his accumulated potential. But having seen and known too much, he was aware that moving up required making certain choices, which he wasn't willing to make. Yet, just when he thought he had given up and didn't need to think about it anymore, a new path unexpectedly appeared before him.
Now that he had become a Martial Artist, it meant he could decide his own path, and his family would also benefit and change their fate along with him.
Chen Chuan asked about his current feelings and discussed the possible issues he might encounter, but he didn't inquire about the Swefu that Xu Xian had made. This was the Martial Artist's own privacy, and if they didn't bring it up, there was no need to ask.
However, it was also possible that Xu Xian had a good foundation, and with the help provided, he might not need to use this, which would be the best-case scenario.
After a brief chat, he turned the topic to official matters.
"Old Xu, I've read the telegrams and newspapers. It's been very peaceful these past six months, and our colleagues have done an excellent job."
Chen Chuan, having come from the lower ranks himself, understood that true success was not about having matters to handle but about being capable of handling them when they arose.
Xu Xian said, "Director, although there haven't been any major incidents in the city recently, and there's no issue with the traffic between the two routes, there's something that feels off to me, and I'm not entirely sure about it, so I'm reporting it to you."
"What's the matter?" asked Chen Chuan.
Xu Xian tapped his Boundary Token and transmitted a set of information to Chen Chuan, which included all the data he had gathered about Green Origin Ecology during this period, along with some of his own judgments.
"I now have partial access to the Andun system, so I had them help me analyze it. The conclusion also proves that this company's problem is not minor and may pose a threat to Central City. However, just like before, this company is very cautious in its operations, conducting all external activities through third parties and leaving no overt evidence.
Before, I had sent a report to the Defense Bureau, thinking it necessary to conduct a comprehensive inspection. But it might also trigger some uncertain situations, and with you, Director, not being here, none of the three deputy directors dared to make a decision.
After my breakthrough, these past two months have also been a preparation period. If it's not approved from above and you, Director, haven't returned, then I plan to take action on my own."
Chen Chuan nodded, pondering for a moment before saying, "Old Xu, you're right, these matters deserve attention. I've also noticed that after the Ring of the World appeared, the environment in Jinbei Province is completely different from the surrounding areas, which is very conducive to various companies' technological experiments.
They won't be able to hold back. Currently, there must be many companies making discreet moves, and Green Origin Ecology has always been on our key monitoring list."
He paused, his eyes sharp, "The security policy meeting for this month hasn't been held yet. I'll propose a motion of distrust towards this company at the meeting, first asking them to conduct a self-inspection. If they can't solve the problem themselves, then the Defense Bureau and the Enforcement Bureau can help them resolve it."
Doing this in the past would have been difficult because the other companies in Jinbei Province would also worry that the Government Hall would treat them the same way, and they would surely unite in resistance, with the City Council also intervening and opposing it.
But things were different now. With the success of the Skyline Project, companies worldwide were trying to jump on this fast-moving train.
The Enforcement Bureau established a branch office in the White Bird District, and although the companies verbally threatened to reduce investment, in reality, not a single one withdrew. This was because they knew that if they wanted to make money and gain benefits, they had to stay here, but to stay here, they had to follow the rules.
Xu Xian thought that if this was the case, this problem would indeed be easy to solve. Indeed, the current situation was different from the past, at least in Jinbei Province. They no longer needed to worry about the influence of those companies as before; they only needed to use a certain amount of administrative power to suppress and scrutinize these companies without directly resorting to harsh measures.
However, this is also related to his position. He had always been an execution squad leader, and later promoted to an investigation supervisor. He was thinking about solving problems with action and had not yet adjusted his mindset to view and handle issues from a higher-level perspective.
But if you change your perspective and approach to a problem, the outcome could be vastly different.
Xu Xian said, "Minister, I've already reported the matter of Mr. Zuan becoming a fighter to headquarters through Mr. Zuan himself. Recently, they sent some messages saying that after your return, they will conduct an inspection of the Jinbei Province branch."
Chen Chuan hummed in agreement. Two fighters appeared in the branch, and headquarters wouldn't ignore this. Moreover, after the murder of Zhao Zhenye last time, the headquarters should also send personnel to investigate and confirm the situation.
However, if headquarters were to send another fighter at this time, it might provoke even more vigilance and attention from other factions. The higher-ups would likely take notice, and who knows how they would arrange things later on.
Xu Xian said, "I'll handle this matter."
Xu Xian expressed his understanding. After finishing the official business, he relaxed a bit and said, "Minister, you probably haven't had dinner yet since your return. I know a great restaurant with delicious food. Why don't we go and try it? It's on me."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Sure, this meal is on you, Old Xu."
Moke Mountain, Cao Clan Estate.
In the study, Cao Guiqi was holding a scroll and slowly flipping through it. These were some out-of-print books that Chen Chuan had sent earlier, among which were many rare editions, precious editions, and even lost painting scrolls and music scores from the medieval age, which made him particularly delighted.
After browsing for a while, he seemed to have confirmed something, and his mood was excellent. He put down the book in his hand, carefully placed it, and then changed into a pair of gloves. He then called for Ding Shu, who helped him slowly unroll a silk painting.
This was a three-meter-long scroll. As the content gradually unfolded, he said, "Uncle Ding, look, this is Su Tui's 'A Thousand Birds over the Lake.' It's very well-preserved."
Below was a lake shrouded in mist and rain, with thousands of birds hovering above. It was said that each bird had a unique form and species, and what he had seen before were only copies by later artists, never the original. Now, he could finally make up for this regret."
He took a closer look at the painting.
Uncle Ding glanced at it. He didn't understand paintings, but he could sense the beauty of this artwork. Every bird above the lake was lifelike, and the appearance of so many different species in one painting was harmonious and cohesive, a true testament to the painter's skill.
After fully unrolling the scroll, he said, "Young Master, this is a great painting. Young Master mentioned a thousand birds in the painting, are there really a thousand birds?"
Cao Guiqi smiled and said, "There are different opinions about this in later generations. I just counted, and there are nine hundred and ninety-eight birds visible in the painting, which matches the records in Du Kai's 'Inscription of Seclusion.'"
Uncle Ding said, "So it's not a thousand then."
"Uncle Ding, you know only one part of it, not the whole story."
Cao Guiqi smiled and said, "It's said that after Su Tui painted nine hundred and ninety-eight birds, he couldn't paint any more of the species he knew. No matter what he tried, he couldn't paint a bird that was completely different from the previous ones."
Later, Su Tui became implicated in the Prince of Liang's rebellion case. Although he was later released due to the efforts of friends, his property had been confiscated. This painting was also lost until his son, Hai Zhai, found it when he was seventy years old.
Hai Zhai knew that his father's lifelong regret was not completing this painting. So, he spent half his life obtaining a unique species of bird and painted it in the top right corner with special paint. He then used a seal to hide it, and only by viewing both sides of the painting could one discern its true form. This way, he both consoled the thoughts of his ancestor and avoided disgracing his ancestor's brushwork due to his own insufficient skills."
Uncle Ding took a closer look. Indeed, under the seal, there was a bird shape. He couldn't help but ask, "So, there's still one missing, Young Master. Is there another one?"
Cao Guiqi smiled and said, "So there's also an interesting story..."
Just then, a servant entered and said, "Young Master, there's a visitor. They brought a token." He handed it over with both hands.
Uncle Ding quickly helped Cao Guiqi put away the painting scroll and then took the token to examine it. He whispered, "Young Master, it's someone from there."
Cao Guiqi frowned, seemingly displeased.
Uncle Ding said, "Young Master, do you want to meet them? Or should I send them away?"
Cao Guiqi thought for a moment and finally said coldly, "Let them in. If we don't meet them, they won't be satisfied, and they'll keep coming. I also want to see what they're up to."
After a while, an elderly man wearing imported formal attire entered, led by Uncle Ding. The man had a head full of silver hair but wore a traditional topknot. His beard was also lush, and his eyes shone with sharp intelligence. He wore a traditional longsword at his waist.
After greeting Cao Guiqi with a traditional etiquette, he said respectfully, "I am Hu Zhanshan, sent by my master to pay respects to the young master."
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(End of Chapter)
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