Chapter 218: The Painter
Chapter 218: The Painter
Chen Chuan gazed at the river outside and said, "If my guess is correct, he probably intended to obtain Secret Sect materials through Mo Lan Corporation and use Yangzhi City's waterways to set up a Secret Sect ritual. This might have involved incorporating a portion or even the entire Yangzhi City into the ritual."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Director Lei's voice came through, clear and solemn. "Chen, please tell me everything you saw and the clues you've gathered, slowly and clearly. I'm listening."
"Yes, Director Lei," Chen Chuan replied, and proceeded to describe what he had witnessed during his previous mission, along with his new discoveries from today. Finally, he added, "Director Lei, I suspect that these materials leaked by Mo Lan Corporation might have been intentionally used as part of the Secret Sect's plan."
"If we can prove this, then the rumors about these soils having beauty and health benefits were likely spread by that person behind the scenes. I suspect there might be someone from the acquiring party involved as well," Chen Chuan speculated.
Director Lei said, "The Investigation Bureau has examined those soils, but we haven't reached a conclusion about their true nature yet. While they are not sufficient to be considered Secret Sect materials on their own, there's more to it..."
He continued, "The water in Yangzhi City has unique properties. If these soils and the water were combined, it's hard to say what effects might occur. This is an easily overlooked aspect, and I'll arrange for someone to investigate it shortly."
"Director Lei, for this person to be able to carry out such actions in the waterways near Mo Lan Corporation, the company must have been aware of it," Chen Chuan said. "It's possible that Mo Lan Corporation was involved in facilitating this from behind the scenes."
"However, Mo Lan Corporation collapsed without any significant incidents, so it seems they didn't succeed in their original plan. But from the current situation, it appears this person hasn't given up on their initial idea," he added.
Director Lei said, "If we consider the ritual's arrangement based on your findings, it seems to encompass the entire city. But that's not enough; it's just the outer periphery. The central part must have substantial filling, which goes beyond what the waterways alone can accomplish..."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Hold on for a moment..."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, and then Director Lei's voice came through again, this time with a heightened sense of seriousness. "If the ritual is arranged along the waterway, then the ceremony at Olive Street might not have been solely for diverting Life Force. Instead, it could have served as a cover, making it part of a larger ritual."
"If that's the case, the old factory you stayed at in the western part of the city might also be one of the nodes in this grand plan," Chen Chuan realized.
"Before that, we discovered and disrupted various rituals in the south and north of the city. While the distances varied, each of these outer peripheries undoubtedly had corresponding waterways or underground rivers," Director Lei explained.
"It seems this person had a grand plan in mind and was very patient, taking years to gradually advance it, improve their skills, and eventually piece together the entire puzzle," Chen Chuan said, piecing things together.
Director Lei's voice turned somber as he said, "But his plan is too grand, and his ambitions are too high. To achieve such an effect, it would require the absence of the Yangzhi City Secret Sect Review Bureau."
Chen Chuan nodded silently. Even if the Review Bureau had not known about this plan beforehand, their professionalism and expertise had still managed to disrupt a significant portion of it.
However, that was also because the Review Bureau had an experienced director like Director Lei. Chen Chuan couldn't help but think back to the incident with Director Lei's son three years ago; it didn't seem like a mere coincidence.
He pondered for a moment before asking, "Director Lei, what would be the outcome if this Secret Sect ritual were to succeed?"
Director Lei paused for a moment before answering, "It's hard to tell at the moment because this ritual doesn't exist in any records. It's likely a modification he made based on actual conditions.
There has never been a Secret Sect ritual of this scale before, and even its success or failure is uncertain. So, it's possible that even he doesn't know the full extent of it. This time, he might have been aiming for success in skill, and only after trying it out will he pursue the desired effect."
"In that case, Mo Lan Corporation might have been used by him as well," Chen Chuan mused. "Or perhaps Mo Lan Corporation doesn't care about these investments, and even though the corporation is no more, he's still trying to restore the ritual."
Director Lei spoke in a grave tone, "We have disrupted many nodes in his plan, so it's impossible for him to achieve the original scale. If he only completes a portion of it, it won't have much significance. But there's another possibility..."
"If he considers the waterways as boundaries and focuses outward instead of inward, targeting the areas and people outside the river, then it's feasible," Director Lei explained.
"Beyond the river... So, that would be outside the city?" Chen Chuan asked.
He suddenly recalled the Bloodstain Gang's attack on Cai Family Village, which included Secret Sect members. Could that have been related to this purpose?
"No, that's not right!" Chen Chuan realized. "The distance from the main waterway is too far, and it's unclear where it would extend. If the ritual is directed outward, it can only be effective if it's arranged along the nearby waterways."
"The area outside the waterways is more important, and it's the part that hasn't been utilized yet..." Chen Chuan thought.
Suddenly, a place name popped into his mind.
Xieshan Mountain!
This mountain, located in the southeast, is extremely close to the Baihe River, and beneath it lies a railway route that has been repeatedly targeted for sabotage.
Although it has been repaired, there's no guarantee it won't become a target again.
Xieshan is one of the three mountains in the Three Mountains legend and is known for its frequent lore. He had previously eliminated the Mountain Spirit here! But this doesn't mean that Xieshan only has one such lore. If the Secret Sect Ritual can harness the lore within Xieshan, then even with the railway reopened, it will become extremely dangerous.
Especially since the Resistance Organization has repeatedly caused trouble here, and now it seems they are connected to the Bloodstain Gang and that man behind the scenes. Could this be the crucial link?
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. So, after hanging up, he shared his thoughts with Director Lei. The latter replied, "Chen Chuan, your speculation is highly likely. The key is understanding what that man's ultimate goal is. Judging by his actions, if he doesn't achieve a certain effect, it's meaningless to him."
Chen Chuan spoke solemnly, "Recently, the ownership of Ink Lotus Tower is being decided, and several mega corporations will come to Yangzhi. Domestic companies can choose to travel in their armored vehicles, while foreign companies will have to use the railway. So, the newly repaired railway section might become a target."
"Even if there's only a slight possibility, we can't ignore it. I'll find a way to communicate with the relevant people and discreetly investigate this matter first."
Then he added, "If this is confirmed, we must find a way to stop it. Chen Chuan, we might have a mission for you when the time comes. Wait for my call."
Chen Chuan hung up the phone, stepped out of the phone booth, and glanced at the flowing river outside.
He wasn't particularly interested in escorting those corporate bigwigs, but the train would mostly carry ordinary passengers, who were innocent.
Moreover, whether it was Shen Zheng's incident or the old factory incident directly related to him, that man was involved. So, he should get his just deserts.
At almost the same time, in Shangbu City, within a secret base, the Resistance Organization's leader, Bao Yuan, was on the phone.
"Manager Han, I'll keep my promise, but what about the firearms and funds you pledged to us? You've retreated to a place of chaos, but we're still dealing with the Gray Dogs. Brothers need to eat to fight..."
"The last batch? Don't mention it. It was intercepted by the Gray Dogs on the way; it never reached us..."
"Hmph... I'll take action. Which part of the Mo Lan Corporation's task did I not fulfill?"
"...To be honest, Manager Han, you know what we do. If I don't step up, my brothers won't respect me. Isn't that right?"
"So, don't worry, I'll take action as soon as I get the goods. I'll handle it, no matter how big or small. You won't lose out, right?"
"Okay, I'll wait. As soon as the funds and firearms arrive, we'll take action..."
"...Just watch. This time, I'll give them a show."
With a click, Bao Yuan hung up and turned to the team member beside him. "It's settled. The goods will arrive in a few days. Once the money and weapons are here, we'll strike back at Yangzhi City and create a big scene."
The team member's spirits lifted, but then he had a thought and reminded Bao Yuan, "Captain, the Cai Family Village Gang seems to be looking for us everywhere. Should we..."
Bao Yuan frowned, "If the Bloodstain Gang doesn't deal with them, consider them lucky. We don't have time to bother with them now."
The team member complained, "Captain, with them dragging us down, many things can't be done. They keep badmouthing us to the higher-ups. Why don't we..."
Bao Yuan spoke sternly, "No. We can't take action ourselves, but if they dare to provoke us, we'll fight them together. Go and tell the brothers to stay low and not cause any trouble."
"Okay." The team member left reluctantly.
Bao Yuan thought for a moment, then went to the adjacent telegraph room and spoke to the telegraph operator waiting there, "Send a telegram to the painter. Ask if the painting will be delivered on time?"
The operator immediately sent the telegram as instructed.
Bao Yuan didn't leave; he waited there. After nearly an hour with no response, his patience seemed endless. Finally, after almost two hours, the operator received a reply. Bao Yuan stood up and asked eagerly, "What did they say?"
The operator translated and replied, "Captain, the painter says the painting will be delivered on time."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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