Chapter 115: Entering the Mountain
Chapter 115: Entering the Mountain
After ending the call with Ren Shu, Chen Chuan immediately dialed Cheng Zitong's number. He wanted to discuss the matter in person, so he confirmed Cheng's presence in the office before heading to the administrative building.
Chen Chuan returned to his dormitory, picked up the stack of documents sent by Gao Ming, and made his way to the administrative building along the Chunqiu Lake path. He entered the building and went upstairs to the logistics office.
Cheng Zitong waited for him to enter, then closed the door and asked, "The commission from the Government Hall? The Flying Skull?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Yes, Teacher. This time, we might encounter the source of those Flying Skulls, so I wanted to seek your advice on any additional precautions students should take."
Cheng Zitong spoke seriously, "Let me ask you something first. Since your last commission, have you felt any discomfort or experienced any unusual mental states?"
Chen Chuan answered, "I felt a bit odd at first, but it went away after a day."
Cheng Zitong gave him a few scrutinizing looks and said, "Alright, since you feel fine, as a practitioner of the Body Awareness School, I trust your judgment. Let's talk about the Flying Skulls."
He sat back in his seat, took a sip of tea to clear his throat, and then said, "I know how to deal with the source Flying Skulls, but I haven't personally handled them. So, what I'm about to say might not be entirely accurate.
Additionally, only those who have dealt with them know the specifics, and it's difficult for others to understand. So, what I'm about to tell you, you should remember but not adhere to rigidly. You must adjust based on the actual situation and never blindly charge ahead."
Chen Chuan listened intently and said, "Teacher, I'll keep that in mind."
Cheng Zitong, seeing that Chen Chuan was receptive, continued, "Ordinary Flying Skulls can be handled with basic attack methods, but the source Flying Skulls are genuine urban legends. External attack methods are rarely effective against them, so you can only rely on the method of endurance.
"Yes, endurance."
Cheng Zitong spoke solemnly, "The daily sacrifices for Flying Skulls are like essential meals for humans. The key is to ensure the ritual is performed, but the Skull doesn't get to enjoy the offerings. Each missed sacrifice weakens it until it eventually disappears.
However, it constantly invades people's minds, stirring emotions and awakening deep-seated desires. The more people, the stronger the effect. So, when encountering this creature, be wary of your companions.
They might stab you in the back at any moment. When dealing with this creature, it's best to have minimal people around, ideally just a few or even just yourself. Then, endure and persist until the creature vanishes."
Chen Chuan contemplated the challenge. The endurance part didn't worry him, but controlling the behavior of others was a concern.
Cheng Zitong walked to a cabinet, unlocked it with a key, and retrieved a box. He took out a piece of yellow jade and handed it to Chen Chuan, saying, "This should protect you for a while, allowing you to last longer. But if you sense something amiss, abandon it promptly. Preserving yourself is more important than eliminating the problem. As long as you're alive, there's always a solution."
Chen Chuan took the jade and nodded. He wasn't going to be reckless, and he was willing to solve the issue if it was within his capabilities. Otherwise, he'd retreat and think of another plan.
Cheng Zitong added, "There's one more thing I must say. Urban legends are diverse, and we've only encountered a fraction of them. Since you've decided to focus on urban legends, you'll inevitably encounter things we've never seen before, sometimes with no precedents. You must expand your knowledge in this area. I've compiled some information recently, and it's all here."
He walked to another cabinet and opened it. Chen Chuan saw stacks of files and knew it would take time to go through them. He took one file and said, "I'll take this to read. By the way, Teacher," he handed the stack of documents from Gao Ming to Cheng Zitong, who asked, "What's this?"
Chen Chuan explained, "My cousin Gao Ming is a lawyer. These are his assessments of several Wu Yi Academy branch students before they entered Central City, along with his personal opinions. I'd like your advice on them."
Cheng Zitong was surprised, "I'll take a good look at these."
After bidding farewell to Cheng Zitong, Chen Chuan left the administrative building and returned to the dormitory. He picked up the phone and called Ren Shu. When Ren Shu answered, Chen Chuan said, "I've accepted this commission. Please ask Mr. Ren to send Master Wei to pick me up. I'll be ready to leave soon."
Ren Shu, who had been anxiously awaiting the call, was thrilled. He immediately responded, "I'll have Master Wei drive over to pick up Mr. Chen!"
This commission was a significant one, directly assigned by the Government Hall. If they succeeded, their company would gain recognition and leave behind their previous obscurity.
Chen Chuan hung up the phone and returned to pack his belongings. Of course, he would bring the Snow Lady Sword and the Halberd Gun with him, considering that some urban legends might have abnormal effects, and it was inevitable that clothes would get damaged during a fight. So, he decided to pack two extra sets of clothes.
As he was organizing his things, there was a light knock on the door. He went to open it and saw a young student with features similar to Teacher Duma, likely a Makah.
The student greeted him warmly, "Hello, my name is Zu A, and my full name is Qiu Chengzu."
Chen Chuan nodded in response, "I'm Chen Chuan. Nice to meet you, Qiu. What can I do for you?"
Qiu Chengzu spoke shyly, "Well, our Makah people aren't as skilled in combat as you Dashi people. Our teacher and captain asked us to interact more with Wu Yi Academy students. May I spar with you, Chen?"
Chen Chuan was surprised that a Makah student had come to exchange so soon. Normally, he would be more than happy to oblige, even though he could tell that Qiu Chengzu's skill level was not high. But at this moment, he simply didn't have the time.
He apologized, "Sorry, I have something urgent to attend to and need to leave soon. I won't be able to spar with you today."
"Oh, no worries, it's my fault for being too forward," Qiu Chengzu seemed embarrassed, then added hopefully, "Then... can I come find you another time?"
"We'll see," Chen Chuan replied.
"Okay," Qiu Chengzu realized Chen Chuan was busy and quickly excused himself before turning to leave.
Chen Chuan closed the door and continued his preparations. After getting everything ready, he sheathed his sword and headed out. As he reached the school gate, he saw an SUV waiting there, and Xiao Wei, the driver, was standing by the door, waving at him from a distance.
Chen Chuan approached the vehicle, and Xiao Wei opened the door for him. Once he was seated, Xiao Wei politely asked, "Mr. Chen, would you like to turn on the radio?"
"Sure," Chen Chuan replied, thinking it would be nice to listen to the radio during the drive.
Xiao Wei turned on the radio and asked what he wanted to listen to. Chen Chuan casually suggested, "The news, I guess."
After all, there were only a few programs available in the Yangzhi City area at this time, such as opera, news commentary, and a few others. Opera was bearable in small doses, but the news was the best option.
The SUV quickly hit the road, heading northwest. After driving for about forty-five minutes, they had already left the city, and at that moment, a news report came on.
"The Yangzhi City Government Hall has recently shut down another polluting factory in Huosui, the second closure this month... The Government Hall is committed to creating a better living environment for its citizens..."
The same news again.
Chen Chuan paid attention, noticing that this story had been in the news for several days, seemingly triggered by the incident in Wujia Town.
Although he knew the real cause was the Headless Demon, he couldn't rule out the possibility of water pollution. The news had been covering this story repeatedly for over ten days, with brief mentions each time, but it felt like they were deliberately emphasizing it.
He pondered for a moment, perhaps some officials in the Government Hall needed to showcase their achievements, after all, it was just after the new year, and it was rumored that this was the time when positions were adjusted.
But this was none of his concern.
At that moment, he looked outside; as they left the city, there were still many vehicles, but now the number was dwindling. On one side was a flat plain, and on the other, a dense forest. The terrain was gradually rising, and he asked, "How much further?"
Xiao Wei replied, "About twenty-five minutes, Mr. Chen. We're about to enter the mountain roads. There's a paved road ahead, but it turns into a dirt road, which might be bumpy."
Chen Chuan nodded and continued to observe the surroundings.
He had rarely been to this area before. Unlike the eastern wilderness, this place, though outside the city, was lush with vegetation. Occasionally, he could see small villages nestled in the landscape, but as they progressed, the smooth road ended, and the villages became less visible.
"Mr. Chen, we're almost there," Xiao Wei informed him.
Chen Chuan looked ahead, and there was a prominent road sign by the roadside. The SUV turned in the direction indicated, heading towards a barren slope. It was a narrow road with many rocks and pebbles, some already crushed flat by the passage of numerous vehicles.
After driving for about two to three miles, they reached a large clearing. A stream flowed down from the mountain, and in the clearing, several tents were set up in an organized manner, with ample space between them.
Chen Chuan estimated that there were at least two to three hundred people present, undoubtedly all participants in this encirclement operation.
The SUV slowed down and stopped near the other vehicles. Chen Chuan and Xiao Wei got out.
Someone immediately approached them and asked for identification. Xiao Wei presented his credentials, and the person became enthusiastic, inviting them to the center of the camp.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
