Chapter 174: Returning Home
Chapter 174: Returning Home
Chang Ba sent Chen Chuan to the train station and bid him farewell. Before boarding the train, Chen Chuan found a public phone booth and called Cheng Zitong.
When the call connected, Cheng Zitong asked, "Chuan, how's everything going?"
Chen Chuan replied, "It's going well, Teacher. I'm at the train station and will be heading back soon."
"That's good," Cheng Zitong said. "A few days ago, you mentioned that your medicine was almost finished, right? I've been thinking about it, and while it's easy for me to get more medicine, if the Mutual Aid Society gets involved, they will definitely investigate the flow of the medicine to gauge your cultivation progress."
"If I get more, they might be able to deduce your cultivation level based on your medication usage. Since you're coming back anyway, you can pick up some medicine on the way, and as for the money, you can owe it to me."
"Owe it?" Chen Chuan asked.
Cheng Zitong laughed and said meaningfully, "It's better to owe it for now. You can write an IOU, and we can settle it after this situation passes."
Chen Chuan understood and said, "Okay, Teacher. Where should I go to get it?"
Cheng Zitong instructed, "After you arrive in Shangbu City, find a pharmacy called Fengji Pharmacy on Shufeng Street in the northern part of the city. Look for an old man named Old Ou. I've already contacted him. Once you get there, give me a call, and I'll have him arrange everything for you. You can just pick up the medicine and leave. Remember this place; if you need medicine in the future, you can come here to get it."
"Okay, Teacher," Chen Chuan said.
He understood Cheng Zitong's intention. If the Mutual Aid Society got involved, many things could become complicated, and the medicine was crucial for his future training. It was a good idea to prepare in advance, and if he ever needed to hide outside, he would have a reliable source.
After the call, Chen Chuan entered the train station. When the train arrived, he boarded it directly and traveled for two days. Upon reaching Shangbu City, he located the Fengji Pharmacy not far from the train station, as Cheng Zitong had directed. After a phone call with Cheng Zitong, Chen Chuan smoothly obtained the medicine from the pharmacy. The man named Old Ou was very friendly and packed the medicine into a large box.
Chen Chuan estimated the quantity and thought that even for himself, it would last two to three months, while it could last an ordinary person a year or two.
Old Ou even offered to send someone to deliver the medicine, but Chen Chuan politely declined and carried the box with one hand, leaving with ease.
This trip, both leaving and returning, took less than an hour. After returning, Chen Chuan bought a bus ticket and boarded the bus within half an hour.
He checked the time; it was not yet ten in the morning. He estimated that he would be back in Yangzhi City by around four in the afternoon.
This trip, which lasted about a month, had been very fruitful. Although he hadn't encountered any strong opponents, the dangers he faced during the training were unprecedented. Missteps in certain situations could have been fatal, which also provided a significant stimulus for his second self.
Especially the final exhilarating swim, which resonated deeply with his second self. According to his calculations, each convergence increased by at least three hours, totaling around eight hours. He was getting closer to his goal, as the twenty-four-hour mark was now within reach.
He looked ahead, watching the scenery on both sides passing by in a blur.
'Almost there,' he thought.
After more than five hours, the bus arrived at the Yangzhi City bus station. Chen Chuan took his luggage and, carrying the Snow Lady Sword on his back, he exited the station. However, he noticed a team of armed patrol officers from the Patrol Bureau guarding the exit, inspecting passersby. The atmosphere seemed tense.
He was surprised because usually, only the station's security personnel were present. It was rare to see patrol officers stationed there.
During the inspection, he showed his weapon permit. The leading officer, upon seeing his name, couldn't help but glance at him a few times and politely asked, "Mr. Chen, are you the nephew of Year Captain Nian?"
"Yes, it's me," Chen Chuan confirmed.
The officer's attitude immediately improved, and he smiled, introducing himself, "I'm Xu Gui, the patrol officer for the entire Zhou District. Chen, my apologies, but we're following orders from above to conduct these inspections."
"Xu, it's no trouble at all," Chen Chuan said. "I understand it's your duty, but has something happened recently?"
Xu Gui looked around and signaled two officers to take over the inspections. Leading Chen Chuan away from the checkpoint, he explained, "Recently, there was a conflict between the Bloodstain Gang and the Iron Chain Gang, right? And just last month, three more leaders of the Bloodstain Gang were killed. Tsk tsk, they're losing their heads. Several of their bases have been destroyed, and their businesses have been repeatedly attacked. No wonder they're causing a ruckus. Initially, the fighting was limited to the night, but now it's happening during the day as well. We at the Patrol Bureau had to increase our manpower."
"On top of that, the resistance organization is also stirring up trouble. Just last month, the recently repaired railway was bombed again, and the station was also affected. The higher-ups are concerned about the passenger station, so they sent us here to keep an eye on things."
Only then did Chen Chuan understand. The conflict between the two gangs had not subsided during his absence; instead, it had escalated. The force behind this incident seemed to be intensifying its efforts.
After thanking Xu Gui, Chen Chuan left and headed to his aunt's house. On his trip, he had brought back some local specialties like dried mutton and fruit preserves, and the quantity was not small.
Yu Wan was delighted by this. After all, it was rare for patrol officers and their families from the Patrol Bureau to have the opportunity to leave Yangzhi City and interact with the outside world, so they rarely came across these local specialties.
Chen Chuan took out two cigarettes and handed them to Nian Lilu, "Uncle, these are cigarettes I brought from the northwest. They're said to be good local cigarettes, and a friend recommended them. I don't smoke, so I don't know if they're any good."
"Oh, Red Camel!"
Nian Lilu instantly became spirited, "They say this cigarette has a rich flavor and satisfies cravings. I've got to try it." But before he could reach for it, Yu Wan snatched it away, giving him a glare, "One pack a day isn't enough for you, I'll keep it safe for you."
Nian Lilu grumbled, "This is a gift from Xiao Chuan, but you..."
Chen Chuan smiled and didn't get involved in their conversation. He walked over to give his cousins a few toys and some comic books, then headed to his room.
After putting down his things, he took a refreshing shower and returned to tidy up. He planned to stay there for the night and go back to the training hall the next day, as he needed his daily cultivation. Staying at home was inconvenient. At that moment, a phone call came from the living room, and Yu Wan's voice could be heard, "Xiao Chuan, your phone is ringing. It seems to be your teacher calling."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chuan stood up and walked outside.
At the same time, in a private club in the south of the city, Wei Jun emerged from the artificial lake in front of the club.
After coming out of the water, his muscles rippled, shaking off the water droplets. He took a cloth from a servant and wiped himself down, then put on a pair of sunglasses and sat in a recliner, his face remaining stern.
He had returned five days ago after receiving confirmation that the bandits had not been captured. The assessment time had been repeatedly delayed, and it was now certain that the C-level certification assessment would be postponed until August.
According to tradition, even after passing the C-level assessment, it would take another ten days to obtain the certificate. This meant that even if he made it onto the recommendation list to go to Central City this year, he would still be unable to go through the academy channel due to the lack of a crucial defense certificate.
The family would have to renegotiate and communicate with other interest groups to try and secure a spot from the next batch. Wei Jun was also thinking of a way to resolve this.
At this moment, the butler approached him and said, "Young Master, the person is here."
Wei Jun sat up and saw Jiang Wei, Shao Xiaobie, and another beautiful female trainee with a fit physique entering from outside.
He waited for the three to come over, invited them to sit down, and then turned to Jiang Wei and the female trainee, "You know why I called you here. Qiao Rong, Jiang Wei, one of you must give up a spot."
Qiao Rong chuckled, "Senior Wei, you couldn't get it done yourself, so you're asking us for a spot. Don't you think that's a bit much?"
Jiang Wei smiled and said, "I understand what Senior Wei means, and I've looked into the situation. But what kind of compensation can make up for our loss? I'm willing to give up the spot if you can tell me."
Qiao Rong glanced at Jiang Wei. If the two of them stood firm, Wei Jun wouldn't have a choice. However, Jiang Wei didn't seem to have that intention, so it wasn't very interesting. She started examining her newly painted nails.
Shao Xiaobie crossed his legs. This matter didn't concern him much, even though he was also in his third year. He was well aware that his combat skills were far inferior to those present. However, with the connections of the Mutual Aid Society, he could still find another way to Central City.
Wei Jun said, "If you want to talk about interests, the company and the family are handling that. I don't have much to say. But today, we can talk about something else."
He took off his sunglasses, leaned forward, and stared at the two of them, "You should know that I have the best relationship with Zhao, who is currently in Central City.
It's not easy to survive in the Central City Academy. You must have heard about the intense competition. Without someone to look after you, can you stand your ground? Without me as a connection, if you go there, Zhao will only take care of you out of courtesy." He waved his finger, "Don't expect him to treat you too well."
Qiao Rong frowned at these words, and she suddenly lost interest in her nails.
Jiang Wei maintained his smile and said, "I've considered what Senior Wei said, but that's a matter for after entering Central City. Compared to a spot in Central City, I still think it's not enough."
Wei Jun slowly sat up straight and said, "Okay, if you want to hear something else, I'll be more direct. If others don't make things easy for me, I won't make it easy for them either. Even without going to the Academy, I can still go to Central City. You should understand what I mean."
His teacher, Tan Wang, was from the Venomous Snake Sect, which was based in Central City. Even if he didn't go through the Academy route, he could still get to Central City through other means. However, there were many conditions he didn't like, so he initially didn't want to take this path. But if there was no other way, he wouldn't mind trying it.
He wouldn't make things easy for those who had made things difficult for him.
Just as he was waiting for the two to respond, the butler approached and said, "Young Master, there's something you should probably pay attention to." He whispered a few words in Wei Jun's ear, and Wei Jun, who initially didn't seem to care, suddenly turned to look at him, "Where is this person?"
The butler respectfully said, "He's waiting outside."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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