Chapter 237: Investigation
Chapter 237: Investigation
In the southeast corner of the Wu Yi Holistic Palace Tower, there stood a sky garden covered by a glass dome. Lush greenery filled the area, with two inactive consciousness entities monitoring soil moisture, plant needs, and controlling water supply around the clock.
The fusion of virtual and physical environments allowed for the simulation of various climates, seasons, and landscapes from different regions. At this moment, the scene resembled an oasis in the desert. A man in a pinstriped imported suit stood at the edge of the oasis, gazing at the swirling sandstorm in the distance.
He appeared to be in his forties, with a neatly trimmed beard, a robust and tall stature, and well-tailored attire. The slight frost at his temples added a touch of maturity to his charm, but his eyes held a hint of aggression. At this moment, facing the vast expanse of yellow sand, he seemed to conceal a sense of eagerness and provocation.
His hair and clothing were being whipped by the wind, and just as he was about to confront the storm, everything suddenly vanished. Before him appeared a lush courtyard filled with greenery, where the clear chirping of birds and the gentle sound of flowing water replaced the howling wind.
He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Hong Fu?"
The voice of Hong Fu sounded in his ear, "Assistant Ling, I apologize for interrupting, but you mentioned that if the student Chen Chuan undergoes the admission test, the information should be sent to you immediately. His data assessment results are now available."
"Oh?" Assistant Ling quickly responded, "Send it over for me to see."
He was particularly interested in this student who had obtained the Infinite Defense Permit in his first year and was one of the rare civilian-aligned students. Perhaps this student could help him advance his plan more smoothly.
The interface quickly displayed Chen Chuan's assessment results, but there was no potential evaluation listed, nor was it clear if Hong Fu had overlooked it or if there was another reason for its absence.
"72 points..."
After reviewing the results, Assistant Ling furrowed his brow slightly, feeling a bit disappointed.
This score was already considered good in the Academy, but the students at the Main Campus were all elites from various regions. Most of them started at the Second Limit, and those who achieved high scores were the top students. However, this score fell short of his expectations and requirements.
He pondered for a moment and asked, "Hong Fu, I recall he defeated Tan Wang, right?"
"According to the information analysis, the student may have taken a special drug when facing Tan Wang. Since Tan Wang is currently detained by the government, his confession has not been made public. It's unclear whether the student received any external assistance during this process."
Assistant Ling made a sound of acknowledgment, as this explanation seemed reasonable.
After all, Tan Wang wasn't particularly strong, and when he returned, all his implants had been damaged. This incident had attracted attention because it was rare for a fighter from the Central City to return in such a disheveled state. He was aware of this as well.
If Chen Chuan had taken the drug, combined with some luck or help from others, it was possible.
After considering this, he slowly said, "Regardless, the courage to confront a Third Limit fighter is commendable. If he took the drug at a critical moment, he could still be a valuable asset in a battle. So, for now, let's include him in the backup plan."
"Okay."
Assistant Ling walked to the edge of the courtyard with his hands in his pockets. He turned off the interface and looked out through the glass wall, which was entwined with delicate branches, at the towering skyscrapers outside.
He said, "The recommended quotas for various Wu Yi Academies are mostly monopolized by influential families below. This is not just the case in Jinbeidao; other regions face the same issue.
Most of the Main Campus students are recommended students who serve the interests of their families and companies, paying little attention to the Academy's interests. The echoes of the world are intensifying, and before that, the Academy urgently needs a transformation, a grand transformation..."
Hong Fu remained silent, but seemed to be listening.
In the dormitory, Chen Chuan finished his afternoon combat cultivation training in the training room, consumed several nutrient gels, and returned to the living room. He approached the window, glanced at the dazzling neon lights outside, drew the curtains, and sat on the sofa to browse through the news and some topics of interest.
He mainly focused on unusual occurrences, but he noticed that some messages he had searched for the day before were suddenly gone. He searched several times but couldn't find them.
He pondered for a moment, wondering if they had been deleted.
However, the suspicious cases he had seen the day before were still there, and a few new ones had appeared.
He carefully examined each one, taking notes, and decided to personally check them out later to confirm if these situations were caused by urban legends.
The drugs obtained by the special operations group were sufficient for use until February. After that, he would need to purchase them with money, so he had to find a solution soon to ensure an adequate supply of drugs. He couldn't afford to delay this matter, so he decided to start the next day.
After flipping through these, he suddenly remembered something that had been puzzling him for a while. He searched for the keywords "Macha People, Echoes of the World."
The results for the Macha People appeared quickly, and the incident of the Macha traitor stealing the sacred object in Yangzhi City was included.
Hmm, even the Central City was aware of this incident and had added it to the event list. Director Liu should be relieved to know this.
It wasn't as easy to find information on "Echoes of the World" as he had hoped. Despite several attempts and variations in search terms, no results were yielded. This only emphasized the importance of the matter, something worth keeping an eye on.
That night, he trained for a while, then went to bed at the usual time after his evening routine. The next day, he woke up on time, got ready, and proceeded with his daily training routine.
After 9 a.m., he changed into a new set of clothes and was about to head out when someone from the university delivered a set of student uniforms from the main campus. There were two sets in total, one for spring and one for autumn, each with matching shoes, socks, gloves, and scarves.
The uniform had a subtle design of golden and silver threads woven into cloud patterns, not too flashy but still noticeable. The fabric was made from an unknown biological silk, and when worn, it adjusted itself to fit the wearer perfectly.
He asked Red Flicker about the clothing, and she confirmed that it had excellent damage resistance, ensuring the students' clothing remained intact during combat. Even if damaged, it would self-repair under sunlight and help filter toxic gases. The intricate thread patterns weren't just decorative; they glowed faintly at night, aiding students in identifying objects and maintaining a better connection with Red Flicker even when outside.
However, the uniform was too eye-catching for his current mission, so he put it away in the closet after organizing it.
He left the Xuan Gong Tower with the Snow Lady Sword in its sheath. It was a holiday, so the campus was mostly empty except for security personnel and occasional maintenance workers.
Outside the tower, a city tram station stood across the square. A tall indicator screen displayed his current location, tram schedules, and various business advertisements for shops and restaurants nearby.
Despite the wide street, towering buildings dominated the view, their large billboards blaring noisy advertisements. People waiting at the station ignored each other, each engrossed in their own virtual world through their Boundary Vessels.
The street was bustling with vehicles and pedestrians, most of whom had either noticeable or subtle implants. Through their Boundary Vessels, their clothing displayed unique appearances, generally tasteful and not overly exaggerated. It seemed that a period of eccentric fashion had recently passed, and the trend was now shifting towards more subdued styles.
As he observed, he noticed that his Boundary Vessel would prompt him if someone was not a citizen and display any criminal records they might have.
After a short wait, the tram arrived, and he boarded with the crowd. Inside, a news program host named Luo Qi was ranting about the ineffectiveness of city patrols and mocking the government's inefficiency.
The tram soon departed, and Chen Chuan looked out at the city. He had been unable to discern much the night before, but now he could take in the sights.
Stripping away the flashy holographic effects, most buildings had a sturdy and solid design, with a unique feature being the extensive greenery on the top and middle floors of nearly every building. Even without the fancy additions, the city had a pleasant look.
After about ten minutes, the tram passed through a towering building, and as it did, he caught a glimpse of colorful clothing displays.
His Boundary Vessel timely displayed information about the building—the Crosswalk Tower, owned by Celebrity Fashion Corporation. Below, it listed the company's products.
He swiped away the information and, as the tram continued, the sunlight outside cast shadows and light into the carriage, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow as the tram sped along.
Midway through the journey, he changed trams at a station. After about a quarter of an hour, he arrived at his destination.
He walked for another ten minutes and reached his target—two adjacent towers with a Crimson Bird emblem. Lush greenery cascaded from the rooftops down to the ground, and sunlight filtered through the gaps between the buildings, casting shadows on the walls and ground.
He checked his Boundary Vessel and looked to the right, where the suspicious commission location was two kilometers ahead. He crossed the street and headed in that direction.
At this moment, a group of people appeared about fifty meters behind him. They watched Chen Chuan's departing figure without approaching, their gazes conveying ill intent.
One of them said, "Boss, this kid's clothes don't have the glow effect, and he came by tram. He's definitely new to Central City."
The boss, a man with silver-frosted hair, lit a cigarette with a lighter, took a drag, and slowly exhaled. The smoke obscured his face as he spoke to his companions, "Call the brothers; we've got work to do."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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