Chapter 141: The Archives
Chapter 141: The Archives
On the way back to Yangzhi, Chen Chuan sat in the car, gazing at the scenery outside and reflecting on the recent handling of the case.
This was the first time he had encountered a monster tale he had never heard of before, and thankfully, it had been successfully dealt with.
However, if it weren't for the unexpected death, the handling might have been much more complicated, and perhaps a few more lives would have been lost in the process.
This was already the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
But could it have been done better?
He pondered for a moment. Currently, it seemed that with monster tales, one could only go with the flow and choose the most appropriate approach. Having strength alone didn't seem to be enough; perhaps the strength wasn't sufficient. With greater strength, one would have more options and, undoubtedly, a higher tolerance for mistakes.
He also realized that monster tales had become more frequent than before, and it wasn't just because he had entered this circle. The number of monster tale cases had indeed been increasing annually, as evident from the commission forms. What could be the reason for this?
He couldn't help but recall the words spoken by Dumo, "The world's echo is deepening." Could this be connected to the recent events?
As he was deep in thought, the car suddenly came to a screeching halt. Sensing the change in momentum, he quickly reached out and pressed against the front seat, stepping on the accelerator with his foot. Simultaneously, his altered tissues transmitted the force, preventing him from being thrown forward.
The driver in the front seat cursed. It turned out that several two-wheeled motor vehicles had emerged at high speed from the canyon, almost grazing the car. They had narrowly avoided a collision.
After those vehicles passed, they seemed to realize that the car didn't belong to Jiaxian County and wasn't accompanied by anyone from the county. Surprisingly, they turned around and followed the vehicle on both sides. They were incredibly bold, occasionally coming up to the car's front to taunt them.
The driver asked, "Mr. Chen, what should we do?"
Chen Chuan took a glance. Although the motor vehicles were close by, they were mostly showing off their driving skills. He said, "Don't pay attention to those who get too close. Just drive as you usually do, and if anyone blocks your way, do what you must."
The driver's spirits lifted, and he said, "With your words, Mr. Chen, I know exactly what to do." He wasn't without connections; each of the company's bosses had their origins, so why fear these country bumpkins?
He honked the horn, stepped on the accelerator, and shifted gears, causing the car's speed to surge forward. The two vehicles blocking the way, seen in the rearview mirror, were startled by his sudden acceleration and quickly moved aside. They narrowly avoided a collision, and a cold sweat broke out on their brows. As it was a downhill road, the car's speed was swift, and in an instant, they had left the others behind.
The driver turned to look back and saw that the motor vehicles were still following them. He said with a hint of regret, "It's a pity it's not Young Master Sun's hurricane sports car; otherwise, we'd have easily shaken them off."
Chen Chuan thought to himself that it was no wonder the company had assigned this bold driver for the trip instead of the more cautious Little Wei. This driver was better suited for such situations.
However, after some time, they exited Pingkong Gorge, and the road turned into winding mountain roads. The driver skillfully navigated the curves, ensuring that the motor vehicles behind couldn't overtake them.
Soon after they left Jiaxian County and passed the highway checkpoint, the vehicles stopped pursuing them. Apparently, they knew they wouldn't fare well outside the county.
Over an hour later, Chen Chuan returned to Yangzhi. He first went back to the commission company to report on the case's progress before and after his involvement and drafted a form for record-keeping.
Ren Su was delighted. Since the county government office had received this commission through the recommendation of the government hall, its successful completion would undoubtedly enhance the company's reputation. In the future, when other government departments needed to handle similar cases, they would undoubtedly think of them first. Their previous strategy had been correct.
However, it was a pity that very few people could take on monster tale commissions, and even ordinary individuals were hard to find. Finding experts like Chen Chuan was even more challenging. This limited their business expansion, and for now, they could only gradually build their reputation. Fortunately, they didn't have to worry about funding. Their current goal was to become the best in this field.
After Chen Chuan finished his business at the company, he had Little Wei drive him back to school.
This trip to Jiaxian County had taken several days, and before he knew it, it was already March.
Although he had missed a few days of training in Jiaxian County, it didn't matter much for his current skill level. The crucial part was to pursue the powerful altered tissues, and the gains from this trip were more than enough to make up for the missed training, with plenty of room to spare.
Overall, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Upon returning to school, Chen Chuan, as usual, called Cheng Zitong to discuss his handling of the case. After a thorough conversation, they ended the call, and he immersed himself in his daily training.
The medication's effects were diminishing, but thankfully he had the bone orb obtained from Qi Sai, which could substitute for the drugs for the next two months.
Several days passed in a flash, and soon it was the first fortnight rest day.
Chen Chuan had arranged to meet Gao Ming, so he stayed in his dormitory, waiting. As noon approached, the phone rang, and he answered it. Gao Ming's voice came through the receiver, "Cousin, I've arrived."
Chen Chuan hung up the phone, left the dormitory, and walked to the school gate. Outside, in the square, Gao Ming was leaning against the car door. Chen Chuan approached him and asked, "Didn't you go home first?"
Gao Ming smiled and said, "Cousin, this matter is my top priority here.
"He gestured with his hand, inviting Chen Chuan to get into the car."
Chen Chuan opened the car door, got in, and closed it behind him. Gao Ming reached into his bag, pulled out a folder, and handed it to Chen Chuan, "All the information is here, Brother. You can take it back and review it at your leisure. I'll just give you a brief overview of the main details."
Gao Ming spoke with a touch of gravity, "I've been searching for this student's records, but as I delved deeper, I realized that there's very little information about him. Aside from what we found earlier, there's almost nothing. I had to search elsewhere for more clues."
"To be honest, I thought that if I couldn't find anything, it might be a good thing. It would mean this student successfully made it to Central City and probably assumed an important position. That's why his case file was transferred there."
"Last month, I was lucky. A senior colleague was delivering documents to a high-level firm in Central City. I asked him to help me investigate this matter, and he agreed."
Gao Ming smiled, "But Central City is a complex place, so I didn't have high hopes. However, he got back to me quickly because this person is quite unique."
Chen Chuan's thoughts immediately turned to the unique nature of Central City, which was no ordinary place.
"He's somewhat famous in Central City, but not in a good way."
Gao Ming raised his hand, "Brother, let me start with some good news. Fifteen years ago, after receiving the recommendation to go to Central City, this student successfully entered the city. This proves that our plan can work.
Upon arriving in Central City, he first worked at the Central City Processing Bureau. Later, for reasons unknown, possibly personal choices, he joined a company. But just halfway through, he became entangled in a lawsuit and had to leave after two years.
Up to this point, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. However, just six months later, an explosion occurred within the company, resulting in the deaths of many employees and executives. It was suspected that this person was involved, so his earlier records were transferred, which is why I couldn't find them."
Gao Ming looked at Chen Chuan, "Brother, what happened afterward took place in Central City, but the earlier events prove his success.
We must consider one thing, though. Because of his actions, some people might become more vigilant about civilians from our city entering Central City. This could make your path to Central City even more challenging."
Gao Ming smiled again, "But personally, I think this might be an opportunity for you, Brother. This situation might even work in your favor."
Chen Chuan asked, "How so?"
Gao Ming's expression turned serious, and he pointed upward with his hand, "We overlooked one factor—the perspective of the higher-ups. I've been trying to find a way to open this path from the bottom up, but then I researched the policies regarding the Wu Yi Branch Academy over the past decade. I realized that they've been favoring civilian students.
In the 1691 book, it's all there!
However, local power struggles hinder progress. Most resources are in the hands of these influential people, so our efforts have been minimal. But if we have a suitable student, they might be more likely to gain the attention of those above."
"It's a fifty-fifty chance, to be honest. Without more information, this is the best deduction we can make. I've shared all I can, and the final decision is up to you, Brother. But I believe that if you don't take this chance, you'll never know what the outcome could be."
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and said, "Thank you, Gao Ming."
Gao Ming smiled, "It's nothing. I want to help you with this."
"Your previous advice was very helpful. I might take the Infinite Defense Certificate exam early, but I need your help with some other matters."
Gao Ming's demeanor turned serious, "Tell me, Brother."
"Do you have any paper and a pen?"
Gao Ming searched and handed them to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan took them, jotted down a few notes, circled something, and handed the paper back. Gao Ming looked it over, nodded, and said, "I understand, Brother. I'll wait for your news."
After their conversation ended, they bid each other farewell. Chen Chuan got out of the car, returned to his dormitory to review the materials, and then headed straight to Cheng Zitong's office with the documents in hand.
When Cheng Zitong saw Chen Chuan approaching with a file folder, he understood the purpose of his visit. He paused his work and asked, "Did you get the documents?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
Cheng Zitong instructed, "Close the door and let me see the documents." Chen Chuan turned and closed the door, then walked over and handed the folder to him.
Cheng Zitong placed the folder on the desk and scrutinized its contents. Finally, he read the note Gao Ming had written at the end, which essentially summarized what Gao Ming had told Chen Chuan.
After reading, Cheng Zitong looked up at Chen Chuan.
"What do you think?"
Chen Chuan replied earnestly, "Teacher, all the things I've done were to increase my chances of going to Central City. Regardless of what these documents reveal, I've already decided to compete for that spot.
And the results in these documents are even better than I expected, which strengthens my resolve. I plan to submit my application and take the Infinite Defense Certificate exam this month."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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