Chapter 111: The Impact
Chapter 111: The Impact
Upon hearing Chen Chuan's request, Wu Dagold, who had been cooperative a moment ago, hesitated, "But what about the ancestral hall...?"
He didn't care about the flying head; his concern was for the townspeople. As long as they were safe, he didn't see the need to chase after the remaining flying head.
Chen Chuan immediately understood his thoughts and said, "The town's flying head is gone, but if this one is still around, there's no guarantee that the previous incidents won't happen again."
Wu Dagold was startled by this possibility and quickly responded, "I'll take care of it right away!"
As Chen Chuan watched Wu Dagold's hurried departure, he couldn't blame the man for his narrow-mindedness. In this world, many people only cared about their immediate concerns and stayed within their own circles, not wanting to get involved in other matters because sometimes, getting involved only led to trouble.
At this moment, most of the onlookers had already fled, crawling and rolling away. They had witnessed the danger, but Chen Chuan couldn't help but admire the curiosity of some people. He saw a few individuals vomiting while still craning their necks to get a better view, their hands reaching out as if they were missing a phone to capture the moment.
Two security team members, still shaken by the experience, remained at the scene, constantly bowing and kowtowing. Wu Dagold, growing impatient after waiting for a while, ordered, "Damn it, take them to the newly built altar and bury them there!"
Witnessing this, Chen Chuan thought for a moment and decided to let it be. He didn't want to interfere more than necessary. The security team quickly set up another altar and brought over a sheep, knocking it unconscious and placing it on the altar.
The crowd retreated and waited, and with the flying head issue resolved, there was no longer any need for the commission agency to stay. If they wanted him to deal with another flying head, they could place another commission. But the reason they stayed was out of respect for Chen Chuan.
They, too, had realized that Chen Chuan's actions were purely to help them, so they were returning the favor. Besides, they didn't need to get involved, and honestly, forming a connection with an expert in handling urban legends would be beneficial to them.
Chen Chuan stood not far from the altar, gazing into the sky. He wasn't sure if dealing with one flying head would attract the other, but he was willing to give it a try.
The flying head seemed mindless, and as a simple sacrificial ritual began, the other flying head unexpectedly returned and circled above before diving towards the altar. It quickly started to gnaw on the sheep below.
Chen Chuan adjusted his breathing, as this was his first time dealing with such a creature. He had to rely on his instincts, and this time, he was more prepared. So, he stepped forward, moving outside the flying head's alert zone and striking first. Like an arrow released from a bow, he rushed forward and, in one smooth motion, sliced with his sword!
The strike was so swift and powerful that it not only cut the flying head in half but also sliced through the sheep's body and split the entire altar in two!
The two halves of the flying head twitched once before becoming still.
Chen Chuan glanced at his body, noticing that the signs of dematerialization had intensified, but he didn't pay it much mind. Compared to the midnight phantom he encountered at the cinema, this was a milder case.
He gave his sword a light shake and walked back, instructing Wu Dagold, "Captain Wu, don't get too close to these things for now. In a few days, they'll rot, and then you can bury them."
Wu Dagold took a look; the insides of the split flying head revealed dark, withered tissue, and the split face still seemed to wear a smile, giving off a creepy vibe. He shuddered and nodded, then asked anxiously, "What about the people affected by the flying head? What will happen to them?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Most people will be fine after a few days of rest, but those deeply affected... take good care of them."
Currently, it was unknown how these urban legends caused harm, and everyone involved today had, to some extent, suffered damage, some more than others.
Those with breath techniques and altered tissue might recover quickly, but ordinary people, especially the elderly and children, would likely be more severely affected than young adults.
Wu Dagold understood his implication and had prepared himself mentally for this outcome, which he considered a good result. He held Chen Chuan's hand and said sincerely, "Thank you, Chen Chuan. The people of Noon Town will remember your help."
He turned to the commission agency members and bowed, "Thank you for giving me face, everyone. If you ever visit Noon Town again, we will welcome you warmly."
Most of the agency members responded indifferently, with only a few offering a reply, but Wu Dagold didn't mind.
Chen Chuan provided Wu Dagold with some additional instructions and, seeing that everything was under control, got into Ren Su's car to return to the city.
Ren Su had watched Chen Chuan handle the situation with great admiration. Unlike other partners, his impression of clients wasn't based on second-hand accounts; he had witnessed their actions firsthand, and that was just for ordinary incidents, nothing as thrilling as today's experience.
Although the company specialized in handling urban legend commissions, this was Ren Su's first encounter with a genuine urban legend. Chen Chuan's calm and composed demeanor throughout the entire process reassured Ren Su that they had chosen the right expert for the job.
He couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Chen, do you handle all commissions as effortlessly as you did today?"
"Chen Chuan spoke earnestly, "It's not as easy as it seems. Solving urban legends primarily relies on prior knowledge, preparation, and employing the right methods. If the approach is incorrect, the troubles and difficulties can multiply tenfold."
Ren Su couldn't help but nod in agreement, recalling the helplessness of so many before Chen Chuan's arrival.
Chen Chuan continued, "Finding the right method is just one condition. If these legends were easily resolved, they would've been dealt with long ago."
The constant threat of harm to others indicated a deeper issue. Long-term exposure to such phenomena could lead to unknown problems, which might explain the rarity of experts in this field.
It was only because of his second self that he didn't need to worry too much about this.
At that moment, he also noticed that the altered tissue within his body was slowly growing. This was different from what he had seen in the cinema, where the altered tissue reacted immediately and then disappeared. The current situation, however, seemed to be a delayed reaction.
Ren Su, curious, asked, "Mr. Chen, what exactly are those flying skulls?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I'd like to know the answer too, but unfortunately, we haven't found any yet. We can only address the problem once it arises."
He had studied the materials provided by Cheng Zitong and currently had a theory. Aside from the first born flying skull, the others were likely real human heads that had transformed.
The appearance of two flying skulls so close to Yangzhi City implied that more would emerge in the surrounding areas. It seemed that the Yangzhi City Government Hall would soon have to take significant action.
Ren Su glanced at him and cautiously said, "Mr. Chen, after discussing with my partners, we've decided to provide you with two vehicles due to the upcoming commissions. One will be kept in the city, and the other will facilitate your travel for commissions outside the city. What do you think, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Chuan nodded and agreed, "That's fine." Having a vehicle would make travel more convenient, benefit his commission tasks, and make it easier to carry things. He wouldn't have to worry about maintenance either, which was a relief.
Seeing Chen Chuan's acceptance, Ren Su pointed to the nearby driver and said, "Mr. Chen, how about Xiao Wei? He's our company's dedicated driver."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "No problem."
Ren Su said, "In that case, Mr. Chen, I'll buy a garage near your school and set up a telephone line. Xiao Wei will be waiting there. If you need him, you can call him directly. For now, you'll have to use the company's phone."
"Alright, Ren Su," Chen Chuan said, "Thank you for your company's cooperation and care."
He knew Ren Su and his associates were well-off. A typical commission company would never offer such consideration; they'd likely deduct from commission fees or create difficulties with commission ratings.
Ren Su quickly responded, "It's the least we can do."
The vehicles returned smoothly, and they parted ways at the patrol officers' residential area. Chen Chuan headed home.
Nian Lifu had gone to the bureau early that morning, and Yu Wan was visiting her cousins. Chen Chuan went to the bathroom to freshen up and change his clothes before returning to his room. He turned on the new radio Nian Lifu's apprentice, Xiao Wu, had given him for the New Year.
The radio soon filled the room with a static-like sound. He turned the knob and landed on the news. Then, he took out the Snow Lady Sword and carefully cleaned it with a cloth.
As he cleaned, he felt a deeper resonance between the sword and himself, more so than the last time. His gaze shifted, indicating that not only fighting against others but also against urban legends could stimulate the sword.
This made sense; if urban legends could stimulate his altered tissue, they might also affect the sword. However, he wasn't sure if this would cause any damage. Considering the sword's self-repairing ability, he believed there shouldn't be any issues.
Just then, a news report caught his attention.
"A mass poisoning incident occurred in Wujiatown, north of Yangzhi City, where hundreds of residents exhibited symptoms of drinking contaminated water. Under the Yangzhi City Government Hall's order, the responsible party has been severely dealt with, and the townspeople's emotions have been soothed..."
The brief report summarized the incident, but discussing flying skulls openly could lead to copycat incidents.
However, the explanation of water poisoning seemed...
He thought for a moment. After putting away the Snow Lady Sword, he opened the map of Yangzhi City. The city was primarily traversed by two rivers, both major tributaries of Xuan River, the country's primary river.
One river flowed from the west through the city, while the other originated in the southeast and skirted the city, passing through a large industrial area in the southeast before heading north. Wujiatown was located downstream, which seemed reasonable, but perhaps too convenient, almost as if it was meant to be.
As he pondered, the phone rang. He answered, and Gao Ming's voice came through, "Cousin, are you home? Can you talk?"
"My aunt and uncle are out, so it's just me," Chen Chuan replied. "Go ahead."
"Cousin, after returning, I've been reviewing numerous case files and have come to a conclusion," Gao Ming said seriously. "If possible, I believe you should obtain the Infinite Defense License as soon as possible, and the sooner, the better."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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