Chapter 160: Unforeseen Changes
Chapter 160: Unforeseen Changes
Chen Chuan left the arena without further involvement in the matters at hand and headed straight back to his dormitory.
As he exited, he learned from a patrolling officer that not only had Fu Shouxin been subjected to brain manipulation, but during the conflict between Zhuo Bao and himself, the Iron Chain Gang had also launched a large-scale attack on a crucial Bloodstain Gang stronghold, causing significant damage.
An hour earlier, a company openly affiliated with the Bloodstain Gang had been raided, and the gang members guarding it were killed in a very short time, all by blade wounds. The warehouse storing their goods and important documents were set ablaze, resulting in catastrophic losses.
The timing of these events seemed too coincidental, almost as if the two sides were working in tandem. No wonder Zhuo Bao's mental state was so disturbed, even shouting about framing Chen Chuan. It seemed he had been affected by these events as well.
It was clear to anyone with a discerning eye that there was a hidden instigator behind these attacks on the Bloodstain Gang.
But who could it be? In Yangzhi City's underground world, aside from the Iron Chain Gang, there was hardly any force capable of rivaling the Bloodstain Gang, as they had the backing of Ink Lotus Corporation.
Moreover, this didn't seem like the typical modus operandi of the authorities.
The brain manipulation technique, unless it was a Haunt, was likely a technological advancement. Only a significant player could possess such a skill.
With both technology and power, and the ability to leave the Bloodstain Gang in such disarray, Chen Chuan considered the possibility of another corporation's involvement.
Only a force of this caliber could rival Ink Lotus Corporation.
If this was the case, it meant a corporate struggle was at play.
However, these conflicts were of no concern to him. His original intention was to find the Skull Splitter Demon, a Haunt, and use the stimulation from encountering such a creature to replace his drug consumption. But now, it seemed that was not going to be possible.
Chen Chuan cleaned the Xuejun Blade and, after freshening up, prepared to retire for the night. But before he could step into the bedroom, the phone in the living room rang again, causing him to pause.
It was almost eleven o'clock, and a call at this hour meant something urgent.
He picked up the phone and answered, "Hello, this is Chen Chuan."
"Chen Chuan?"
Chen Chuan was surprised to hear the voice of Director Lei, "Director Lei, what's the matter?"
Director Lei spoke in a grave tone, "I've received news that Liu Zhan may be reassigned soon."
Chen Chuan's eyes widened at this news, immediately grasping the implications.
Liu Zhan had initially promised to keep his evaluation under wraps as long as he remained in his position. But if he were to be reassigned, there would be no need to uphold that promise, and he might even take the initiative to expose the truth.
Director Lei continued, "It's just a rumor for now, and the handover process won't be immediate. But it's likely to happen within the next month or two. You need to be cautious."
"Thank you, Director Lei."
Chen Chuan hung up the phone and stood in thought for a moment. He glanced at the clock on the wall and then dialed another number, calling the place where Gao Ming resided.
The phone was quickly answered, and Chen Chuan said, "Gao Ming, it's me. Are you free now?"
"Brother, it's just me here."
Chen Chuan said, "Liu Zhan might be reassigned, and I think we need to prepare thoroughly."
Gao Ming immediately understood his meaning, his tone turning serious, "I understand, brother. I'll return as soon as I can."
Chen Chuan acknowledged with a hum and hung up the phone.
It seemed many things needed to be expedited.
Chen Chuan had initially planned to cultivate for a while, waiting for the rapid growth phase of the second limit to fully pass. But now, he feared he wouldn't have that luxury.
If the Mutual Aid Society and the aristocrats backing them learned about his evaluations from the Foreign Affairs Bureau or even the Secret Sect Review Bureau, they would undoubtedly suppress him, ensuring he had no chance to rise.
Chen Chuan contemplated this and decided he should also inform Cheng Zitong promptly, even though it might already be too late. It didn't seem urgent at this moment, but he'd rather be cautious than careless.
So, he dialed Cheng Zitong's number and, once connected, informed him of Liu Zhan's impending reassignment.
Cheng Zitong immediately grasped the consequences, his tone turning stern, "Chen Chuan, since this is the case, you must prepare ahead of time.
"Yes, teacher," Chen Chuan replied.
This time, they would likely be up against the Mutual Aid Society and the forces behind them. Chen Chuan couldn't predict the outcome, but he had some confidence. Still, he heeded Cheng Zitong's advice and began arranging for the fallback options he had suggested. In the event of any mishaps, he could retreat, for as long as he lived, there were infinite possibilities.
Cheng Zitong thought for a moment and then said, "I initially thought we had ample time, but now... Let me talk to Old He and see if he can take you on for a while, so you can train intensively with him. That might increase our chances."
Chen Chuan's spirits lifted, and he asked, "Can I?" He Xiaoxing had only guided him for one night, and it had already brought him significant progress. If he could study with him for a while longer, he would surely gain a lot.
Cheng Zitong said solemnly, "The teacher will take care of this. You focus on your own affairs and be careful."
Chen Chuan replied, "Yes." After hanging up the phone, he took a deep breath and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. He looked at the leaves swaying outside and the gloomy sky, slowly raising his head. It seemed he needed to prepare for the coming storm.
In Wubian City, Wei Jun sat on the sofa in the hotel, his face dark and filled with irritation and suppression.
The Infinite Defense Certificate examination had run into problems. Many of the death-row inmates who were supposed to be the assessment targets had been killed prematurely. This wasn't a big deal; the assessment team could always arrange new targets.
However, the most critical issue was that at one of the examination sites, both a candidate and an assessment target had been attacked. One candidate was shot to death, his limbs broken, and his head crushed.
Wei Jun recognized this student; he was the one who had boasted about pouring cement on a civilian candidate and sinking him in the lake. Thinking about his death, it was highly likely that someone had come to exact revenge.
He began to suspect that the exam information might have been intentionally leaked by someone in the review team. Although the assessment team itself might not do such a thing, it was possible that someone who knew the information had acted on it.
This made him uneasy, as he himself was not clean. He had done similar things before, like his involvement in the Shen Zheng incident. If someone targeted him the same way, what would he do?
This was not Yangzhi City, and he had no protection other than the security team he had brought with him.
He clenched his fist and said to the butler standing beside him, "Call home and have them send another security team over. No, make it two teams."
The butler replied, "Yes, young master."
Seeing that the butler didn't move, Wei Jun turned his head and frowned, "Is there something else?"
The butler hesitated and said, "The assessment team just notified us that due to the serious incident of a candidate's death, the examination may need to be postponed."
Wei Jun felt a sense of foreboding and asked, "How long?"
The butler replied, "Possibly two months."
"Shit!"
Wei Jun couldn't help but feel angry. It was already late June, and two months later would be the start of the next academic year.
The problem was that the recommendation process for going to Central City ended in September. If he didn't get the Infinite Defense Certificate by then, he would definitely be held back.
While he could still go to Central City through other channels, he wouldn't get a spot at the main campus, and there was no way to make up for that. If he missed it, he missed it.
Even if this time it was understandable and the Wu Yi Academy could allocate a spot for him in the next semester, he would have to compete with the next batch of recommended students.
Each batch's spots were the result of negotiations and compromises between the families and interest groups of the recommended students. If he wanted to take another spot, he would have to offer more compensation.
It wasn't just that. He was still in the stage of physical growth, and his combat skills were at a critical point of improvement. Delaying his trip to Central City by half a year or a year would be a huge loss.
"This damn thing..."
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn't demand that the review team expedite the process; it was a national task involving personnel from various departments, and they wouldn't listen to a local aristocrat.
When his emotions calmed down a bit, the butler cautiously asked, "Young master, what should we do next?"
Wei Jun's face darkened as he said, "What else can we do? Wait here, and I'll visit some people to see if there's any way to turn things around."
Meanwhile, in a distant inn, Tai Dongwei and Geng Zhen exchanged glances after receiving the news of the examination delay. They both looked at Deng Fu with a peculiar expression.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Deng Fu put down his magazine and looked at the two of them with a helpless expression.
Geng Zhen couldn't help but say, "You said that if we just wait, we'll eventually see what we want to see. The exam delay was predicted by you. Did you know about it beforehand?"
"Hey, hey, don't say that. This has nothing to do with me," Deng Fu waved his hands frantically. "If I were involved, would I have said it?"
Geng Zhen thought about it and agreed.
Tai Dongwei looked at Deng Fu but didn't say anything. He felt as if he was meeting this classmate for the first time.
Seeing that they were no longer entangled in this, Deng Fu relaxed and resumed his carefree demeanor. He propped his hands behind his head and swung his feet, saying, "The review committee will have to take responsibility for this issue. We won't encounter such problems in the future. Don't think too much about it. Just focus on improving yourself and try to live a bit longer."
Geng Zhen said earnestly, "Yes, Brother Deng is right."
Deng Fu was taken aback, then smiled, picked up his magazine, and slowly flipped through it.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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