Chapter 226: Arrival at the Station
Chapter 226: Arrival at the Station
Chen Chuan slowly walked into the carriage and said, "So, you're the one in charge of setting up this train, I presume?"
The man, in a state of extreme panic, ran towards the back of the carriage and grabbed the handle of the rear door. However, whether the door was originally locked or he failed to apply enough force in his haste, he tried several times without success.
He kept banging, kicking, and pulling at the door, but to no avail. Just as he was still trying, a hand reached out and slammed his head against the train door with a loud bang. The person's face, including the secret ritual patterns on it, was instantly smashed into a bloody mess, and then he slumped to the ground, leaving a trail of blood.
Chen Chuan glanced at the Second Self, where the strong signs of virtualization had already disappeared. With the capture of this little goblin, the node of this ritual was broken, and the haunting tale that had trapped the demon here was also released.
He turned back and walked into the original carriage. At that moment, a startled scream echoed from outside, along with sounds of vomiting and shouting. The entire train seemed to shake.
He immediately realized that the passengers had broken free from the secret ritual. This must be because Director Lei had already dismantled the external ritual node.
At this moment, Lindenberg, who had been repeating his previous words, also woke up. He looked at his current situation and couldn't help but feel surprised. Despite the bloody scene around him, he remained remarkably calm. He looked at Chen Chuan, who was wearing a mask, and said, "Sir, have I been kidnapped?"
Chen Chuan's gaze fell, and he said, "You're safe now."
"Are you from the Dashun government?"
Although it was a question, Lindenberg's tone was affirmative. He examined Chen Chuan's clothing, nodded, and reached down to find a hat on the ground. He put it on, stood up, and brushed off the dust from his clothes. Looking around, he said, "It seems I'm quite lucky."
Indeed, he was fortunate. Among the three company representatives present, he was the only one who survived. However, this wasn't entirely due to luck. One could see that beneath the scraped forehead, a deep gray skull with a metallic sheen was exposed—a sign of an implanted hardened skull.
Lindenberg seemed to notice something and took a few steps to open a bag, revealing bundles of cylindrical objects painted red.
"Hmm, the 'Thunderbolt Fire' explosives produced by Dashun are incredibly powerful. It seems they didn't have time to install them."
He raised his head and said, "Sir, you arrived just in time. If you had been a little later, even this hardened skull would have been of no use." As he spoke, he playfully tapped his own head.
Chen Chuan said, "I didn't come here specifically to rescue you."
Lindenberg said, "Then, sir, did you come to save the passengers? I'm also a passenger, so I should thank you."
He removed his hat, pressed it to his chest, and bowed slightly. "Sven Lindenberg, business representative of Pollen Corporation, expresses his gratitude for your rescue."
Chen Chuan nodded at him, then drew his sword and walked out of the carriage. He passed through the carriage amidst the terrified gazes of the passengers and reached a train door. He yanked off the iron chain wrapped around it and stepped outside.
The sky outside was a little brighter than before, and the gunfire from the mountains on both sides had ceased. The resistance organization members there should have been subdued by their teammates.
At this moment, he looked up at the sky. The hot air balloon that had been hovering high above was now drifting towards a certain location, seemingly preparing to land. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
However, that was something Director Lei needed to handle. Chen Chuan had already completed his task.
Lindenberg followed him out of the carriage, carrying a bag in his hand. He stood a short distance behind Chen Chuan and said, "Please excuse the intense bloody smell inside the train."
Chen Chuan didn't pay him any mind.
The passengers inside the train had been terrified and dared not move freely. Now, seeing that no one was stopping them and that it seemed safe to get off the train, they hurriedly scrambled out. The environment inside the train was not something ordinary people could bear.
At that moment, Chen Chuan heard the sound of vehicles approaching from a distance. He turned to look, and it was a patrol of the Inspectorate's armored vehicles.
To avoid arousing suspicion from the resistance organization, most of the Inspectorate's patrol officers had been deployed within the city beforehand. However, as soon as the telegram was sent, Guan Yuming immediately dispatched a team he had prepared earlier. The resistance organization members who tried to block them were no match for the large number of patrol officers.
When the patrol vehicles arrived, the officers were startled to see Chen Chuan. The mask he wore was quite intimidating. A captain stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Chen Chuan?" He glanced at the train's interior and asked, "Is it handled?"
Chen Chuan nodded and showed his weapon permit to indicate that he didn't intend to remove his mask, to avoid unnecessary trouble later.
The captain, upon seeing this, felt relieved. He saluted Chen Chuan respectfully and then turned to arrange for officers and a coroner to enter the train carriages for inspection.
Chen Chuan briefly explained the situation to the captain, who immediately sent people to both sides of the mountain to check the situation. Not long after, Wei Chang'an and Ren Xiaotian also descended from the mountains on both sides and reunited with Chen Chuan.
They all seemed relaxed, and no one was injured.
Ren Xiaotian's side had the cooperation of the Battle Spiders, so the resistance members didn't even put up a decent fight before they were subdued.
Wei Chang'an's team faced a slightly more challenging situation as they had to traverse a mountain path. Fortunately, the numbers were small, and they had the advantage in personnel, firearms, and equipment, making the task relatively easy.
As the train couldn't stay blocked for long and there was no need to investigate the cause of death, they spent about three quarters of an hour clearing the dismembered bodies and verifying each person's identity and ticket. Only then did the patrol officers allow the passengers to reboard.
At this point, Sven Lindenberg approached Chen Chuan and presented him with a business card, saying, "I believe this is where we part ways. This is my personal business card. If you wish to purchase an implant from Pollen Corporation, you can find me in Central City. I can get you the best price, as Pollen Corporation has an excellent reputation in the global market for sensory and neural implants."
He was clever enough not to ask Chen Chuan's name directly but offered the business card instead.
Chen Chuan accepted the card without refusing. He didn't need such a thing, but if he went to Central City, he would inevitably have to deal with these companies.
Even if he didn't need it, someone he knew might.
As the passengers, trembling under the patrol officers' instructions, reboarded the train, Chen Chuan addressed them, "Ladies and gentlemen, our mission is complete. We can now return."
Meanwhile, the patrol officers had already reported the situation via radio. Guan Yuming, having received the report, felt relieved. Although most of the company representatives had died, the majority of the passengers had survived.
He immediately called the bureau and briefed the director. At the end of the call, he said, "Director, we could have saved those people before the train was stopped."
The director's voice came through the phone, "Save them before? For whom? We're willing to act, but we can't do it silently. We need others to know we're doing something, especially certain people. We can't let them think we're doing this as a matter of course."
"Many representatives from those companies died this time."
"Foreign companies, not ours. What's it got to do with us? Did I invite them? Without these people, Yangzhi will be more peaceful!"
Guan Yuming spoke in a low voice, "Those companies might pressure the Government Hall later. After all, this incident happened within Yangzhi City's jurisdiction."
The voice on the other end of the line replied meaningfully, "Old Guan, I won't be in this position for much longer. You should understand what the higher-ups truly want." Then, a click, and the call ended.
As Chen Chuan was resolving the train situation, Director Lei was already leading the Secret Sect Patrol Bureau towards the hot air balloon's crash site.
The site was in the mountains, appearing close but actually very difficult to reach. Some steep slopes required detours, so it took nearly an hour to reach the crash site. It was clear that the basket was empty.
A patrol officer removed his hat and panted, "Director, it seems the person is already gone."
Director Lei examined the surroundings and fell into deep thought for a moment. "Not necessarily."
He turned and said to the officers below, "After we return, send a telegram to the Patrol Bureau. Ask them to check everyone who got off the train and verify each person's identity as much as possible."
On the other side, the train, having restarted, arrived at Yangzhi City Station after three quarters of an hour. As the train came to a stop, the passengers, still shaken, fled from the station like refugees.
Among them was a young man with long hair, carrying an easel. He walked calmly towards the exit, standing out from the chaotic passengers.
After leaving the station, he stood in the square, squinting at the glaring sunlight. He extended his hand to the right, and after a while, a luxury car pulled up beside him.
He opened the door and sat in the back seat. As the door closed, the driver asked, "Sir, how was your exhibition?"
The man sighed, his voice carrying a hint of magnetism, "It's a pity. This exhibition was too rushed. The flaws make it an unsuccessful piece. I think I need to change locations to seek new inspiration."
"Sir, where shall we go next?"
The man smiled, "Let's go to Central City. There must be many there who yearn for new colors."
"Yes, sir. Please hold on."
The man smiled and placed his hand on the open car window, waving gently as if bidding farewell to an unseen person. The car then slowly left the station square, heading towards the National Highway.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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