Chapter 219: The Meeting
Chapter 219: The Meeting
After Chen Chuan's call with Director Lei ended, he pondered for a moment and decided not to return to school directly. Instead, he made a detour to his aunt's house.
Since it was a weekend, the whole family was at home, and they had dinner together in the evening. Nian Fuli suddenly said, "Chuan, do you have a small team that often dines at the Duiyi Hotel?"
Chen Chuan replied, "It's not that frequent. I've only been there twice."
Nian Fuli solemnly reminded him, "Then, you should avoid eating near that place recently."
"What's wrong?" Yu Wan asked with concern.
Nian Fuli put down his chopsticks and glanced at the two of them. "Recently, a bomb was found at the Duiyi Hotel."
Yu Wan was startled by the mention of a bomb.
Nian Fuli sighed and said, "It's not just the Duiyi Hotel. Some bombs have also been found in other areas around the city center. One of them was very close to the Municipal Conference Hall, and it's likely the work of the resistance organization. Although they were all discovered in time, we can't rule out the possibility of something going wrong."
"Recently, various companies and officials from other cities have come here for a meeting. Our superiors have instructed us to step up our vigilance. It looks like the resistance organization is targeting this event, and they probably won't stop their actions anytime soon."
Yu Wan looked at Chen Chuan with worry in her eyes, and said, "Chuan..."
Chen Chuan immediately assured them, "Auntie, Uncle, don't worry. I won't go near that place for a while."
Nian Fuli said, "That's good. Instead of being on guard, it's better to avoid it altogether. If you can avoid going, then don't go."
Chen Chuan's thoughts turned in his mind. Combining his previous deductions, he realized that the resistance organization's act of planting bombs was likely just a way to divert the attention of the Patrol Bureau, making it easier for them to carry out their plans.
The resistance organization had used this tactic before, and it had always been successful. Even if the Government Hall and the Patrol Bureau knew that the organization was trying to attract attention, they still had to strengthen their guard. Moreover, this time, the incident occurred in the city center, and the administrative conference building where various parties gathered was of utmost importance. It required even stricter inspections.
After dinner, Chen Chuan stayed at his aunt's house for the night and returned to the academy the next day.
He walked around Spring Autumn Lake, slowly guiding his breathing technique. After that, he went to the training hall of the Martial Arts Department to practice his sword skills.
Every time he came to train here, a senior student from the department would come to spar with him, and he welcomed the opportunity. Through these sparring sessions with students using various weapons, Chen Chuan gained valuable experience in countering different types of weaponry.
Although firearms were the most commonly encountered in the outside world, when facing fighters, it often became a battle of weapons and close-quarters combat.
There was a loud 'crack' as the wooden stick couldn't withstand the force and snapped in half. The senior student across from him regretfully put down the broken half of the stick and gave Chen Chuan a fist salute, saying, "Sorry for disturbing you, Chen."
Chen Chuan returned the salute with a fist.
The senior student took a couple of steps and couldn't help but ask, "Chen, how do you manage to control your power so precisely?"
Chen Chuan thought to himself that wasn't it the case that the strong always overpowered the weak? He solemnly replied, "I think the only way is to practice relentlessly."
The senior student nodded in agreement, then muttered to himself, "I need to practice more. I'll have to train harder when I get back." He tossed aside the short stick and strode away.
The other students who had been watching the match from the sidelines also saluted Chen Chuan with a fist, their eyes filled with admiration and excitement. They then left to continue their own training.
After Chen Chuan and the others left, he went to a single-person training room to practice his throwing technique.
When he used this skill, it was more effective than firearms at close range. It was fast, concealed, and didn't make much noise, making it a good supplement to long-range techniques.
After practicing for the entire morning, he returned to his dormitory, took a shower, and was about to head to the cafeteria for lunch when the phone on his desk rang. He picked it up.
Director Lei's voice came through the line, "Chen? I had someone secretly check Xieshan Mountain after our conversation yesterday, but nothing unusual has been found so far."
Chen Chuan was slightly surprised.
Director Lei said, "No, I think your deduction is correct. But the secret ritual doesn't necessarily need to be visible in its entirety. For example, some materials produced in Central City can achieve that."
With the advancement of technology, some traditional ritual materials are being replaced. This makes it even harder to guard against, but fortunately, these materials are scarce, and their practical application should be very limited.
Chen Chuan asked, "Director Lei, is there a secret sect in Central City?"
Director Lei replied in a deep voice, "I should say that places like Central City are breeding grounds for secret sects. Every stratum can find solace, fulfillment, and even necessities within them. All we can do is curb their influence, not eradicate them."
Chen Chuan responded with a hum.
"I'm calling you today to inform you of another matter. Because this issue involves a large scope, it's not something the Secret Sect Review Bureau can handle alone. So, in a couple of days, there will be a meeting with colleagues from other departments to discuss this matter. I hope you can attend."
Chen Chuan agreed without hesitation, "Okay, Director Lei. I'll be there."
"Good. I'll inform you of the specific location later. By the way, the martial arts instructor you mentioned yesterday has regained consciousness. She'll slowly recover from here on out. As for the others in her group, even the fighters are still unconscious. She's considered lucky."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Thank you, Director Lei."
Director Lei replied, "Don't mention it. I'll let you know when I have news."
After the call, Chen Chuan hung up the phone, called Feng Xiaoqi and Luo Kaiyuan, who were returning, to go to the cafeteria for lunch. After a short rest, he prepared to continue the afternoon training, but received a call from Cheng Zitong, informing him, "Little Chuan, the new Minister Zhu Xian wants to meet you."
"Meet me?" Chen Chuan was slightly surprised and asked, "Teacher, what's this about?"
Cheng Zitong explained, "He signed your application form. As the new Minister, I guess he wants to show goodwill to Wu Yi Academy through you."
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment, and a possible reason came to mind. He asked, "Teacher, when is the meeting?"
Cheng Zitong said, "This new Minister Zhu is very courteous and respectful. He knows you're training hard and doesn't require a specific time. I think, whether he's sincere or not, he's made a good show of it. We shouldn't keep him waiting, and it's better to settle this quickly so you can focus on training with less attention."
"You're right, Teacher," Chen Chuan agreed. "Since it's like this, I have time right now."
Cheng Zitong nodded. "Alright, I'll drive you there. I'll be at the dormitory building soon."
After hanging up, Chen Chuan went back to wash his face and changed into a formal outfit. He left the dormitory and met Cheng Zitong, who had just arrived. Chen Chuan quickly got into the car.
Cheng Zitong drove out of the school gate and headed south along the main road. In less than twenty minutes, they arrived at the administrative building of the municipal government in South City. "Little Chuan, go ahead. I've called ahead, and someone will attend to you."
Chen Chuan nodded and got out of the car. He spoke briefly with the security personnel at the entrance, and soon a staff member from the government hall came out and politely escorted him into the administrative building.
Cheng Zitong waited in the car. After about half an hour, he saw Chen Chuan coming out. As Chen Chuan entered the car, he asked, "Did you meet him?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
"What did he say to you? Did he give you a hard time?"
"Not at all," Chen Chuan replied. "Minister Zhu was indeed as you described, very friendly and without any airs. After meeting, he asked about the students' lives. Upon learning that the application for the Central City quota had been submitted, he also encouraged the students. He didn't say anything else, as if he just wanted to meet the students."
Cheng Zitong said, "Meeting you was the important part; what was said is less significant."
The actions of officials always carry meaning, indirectly conveying messages to the public. Even if one doesn't intend to, they would still consider the potential repercussions and consequences of their actions beforehand.
Chen Chuan looked at the administrative building. Although Minister Zhu hadn't mentioned anything extra during the meeting, he sensed that the reason the Minister had sought him out was likely related to that matter.
At that moment, the vehicle beneath them restarted and drove back towards Wu Yi Academy along the main road.
Inside the Minister's office, Zhu Xian examined the map of Yangzhi City. As the newly appointed Minister, he was particularly concerned about the long-standing resistance organization and secret sect causing trouble within the city.
Through reports, he knew that this time, they might have a chance to capture these troublemakers. If they could eliminate them in one fell swoop, it would be a remarkable achievement, establishing his authority in Yangzhi and solidifying his position.
However, if this operation failed, it would also reflect poorly on him, so he couldn't openly express his stance.
The reason for meeting Chen Chuan was that he knew Chen Chuan was one of the participants in this operation. By showing concern for Wu Yi's outstanding students and demonstrating goodwill towards Wu Yi, he could avoid any direct involvement.
If the operation succeeded in eliminating the targets, it would highlight his foresight. With clever publicity, others would believe that it was his planning and encouragement that led to success. Even if it failed, as long as it was downplayed, it wouldn't implicate him, and he wouldn't lose either way.
However, this student gave him a different feeling.
Recalling Chen Chuan standing calmly before him, Zhu Xian felt a sense of discomfort.
Typically, students in their teens would be nervous and uneasy in front of him due to the difference in status and position.
But this student remained composed throughout, and his calm gaze made Zhu Xian feel an indescribable sense of oppression, reminding him of the encounter with Wen Tongshi on the train.
It was as if his life no longer belonged to him at that moment.
He silently decided to keep his distance from these fighters in the future and not let them get too close.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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