Chapter 247: Restraint
Chapter 247: Restraint
Just half a day had passed since Chen Chuan's previous visit, and the slum area remained unchanged. The lessons from the previous incident had left the affected area temporarily deserted, creating a large vacant space.
Chen Chuan asked Lao Qi to wait outside while he ventured into the slum alone. He made his way to the backyard of the haunted house, where the mannequin still held Xiao Man in its embrace, motionless.
The ritual pattern drawn on the wall had faded slightly, and the ritual materials Lao Qi had retrieved seemed to be in good condition, indicating that he hadn't been cheated. Even if left unattended, the mannequin would likely remain intact for several more days.
Chen Chuan returned to the front room and fetched a can. He scraped off Lang Teng's and Bo Chen's hair and blood, burned them, and mixed the ashes with the remaining ritual materials. Then, he extended the ritual pattern a little further.
The ritual pattern couldn't be redrawn, but it could be expanded around the edges, effectively creating a new circle. Fortunately, the previous pattern provided a solid foundation, so the additional work was minimal.
After completing the final stroke, Chen Chuan discarded the ritual brush and turned to the mannequin. If everything went according to plan, the haunting should be weakened to its lowest level.
A moment later, the dematerialization effect on the Second Self began to diminish.
With a crack, the mannequin shifted from its half-sitting position to a fully reclined one, and its arms loosened their grip on Xiao Man.
Chen Chuan waited patiently for the outcome. The dematerialization signs initially weakened gradually, but after reaching a certain threshold, they stabilized and stopped changing.
Compared to his first encounter, the haunting had intensified significantly. If there were people around, they wouldn't last more than a few days before succumbing to its effects.
It seemed that the haunting couldn't be completely resolved.
Chen Chuan had previously considered that the haunting might not be solely due to Xiao Man's obsession. The mannequin itself seemed to be problematic.
While Xiao Man's obsession was the primary trigger, if he were to give up, the haunting would fade into silence. However, Xiao Man's death had added fuel to the fire, complicating the situation further.
He approached the mannequin and pressed down on its chest and abdomen. As he suspected, the outer panel could be detached, revealing a set of modular internal organs inside—not a display mannequin but a training prop for specific groups. Judging by the marks on the mannequin's inner walls, it might have even contained real internal organs.
The source of such an item made Chen Chuan think of organizations involved in organ trafficking.
Moreover, among the normal organ models, there were also substitutes made of thin membranes and yarn. They appeared to be mere cushioning materials, but Chen Chuan knew they represented the mutated organs of Fighters, and there might be more to it...
He opened the mannequin's head, which seemed empty at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed crystalline, fibrous residues inside, creating an oddly beautiful sight.
Chen Chuan pondered the possibility that these residues might be remnants of mutated organs. A head had once been placed inside, and the presence of such mutations strongly suggested a Tier Three Fighter.
But how could the brain of a Fighter of that caliber end up in there? The haunting might have been triggered by the presence of the brain as well.
To quickly and thoroughly resolve the haunting, he would need to investigate the underlying causes.
However, Chen Chuan didn't have the time for such an endeavor. Instead, he decided to employ another approach—restraining the haunting completely and keeping it by his side.
Although he had been considering this option, he hadn't anticipated the opportunity would present itself so soon.
Long-lasting hauntings that could be restrained could serve as a substitute for medicaments to stimulate his mutated organs. However, the required Secret Sect ritual materials were not cheap.
Compared to medicaments, the ritual materials might be slightly more affordable. Given the prevalence of Secret Sects in Central City, the market for ritual materials was substantial. Moreover, the materials specifically for restraint were not overly expensive, as they were commonly used by Secret Sects.
Secret Sect materials were classified as prohibited items, not sold on platforms, and transactions involving them left no records, which was advantageous for Chen Chuan.
However, he couldn't leave such items there; he needed to find a way to move them elsewhere, or the haunting might break free from its restraints at any moment.
Typically, long-term restraint required a unique Secret Sect ritual tool, usually crafted by Secret Sects themselves or obtained from remnants left behind by hauntings. Chen Chuan might have something that could serve as a substitute, and it was worth a try.
It seemed like he needed to make a trip back to school first.
After some thought, Chen Chuan fetched a shovel and buried the mannequin back in the pit. He also needed to take care of Xiao Man's body, so he tidied up the area and carried her out.
Upon exiting the slum, he found Lao Qi asleep in the car. The latter had been busy all night, driving them back and forth, and being a non-Fighter, he was understandably exhausted.
As Chen Chuan approached, Old Qi awoke, likely due to a preset prompt on his Boundary Token. He saw Chen Chuan and quickly sat up, asking, "Xiao Brother Chen, how are you?"
Chen Chuan replied, "There's still something I need to take care of. I have to go back to the school to get something." He put down Xiao Man's body and said to Old Qi, "Old Qi, I'd appreciate it if you could take care of this."
Old Qi sighed at the sight of Xiao Man's body, "This child is so pitiful. Your matters are more important, Chen Chuan. You go ahead, and I'll handle this."
Chen Chuan glanced at him and said, "Old Qi, you must be tired too. Finish up and go back. I can handle the rest on my own."
Old Qi agreed.
Chen Chuan entrusted Xiao Man's body to him and turned to leave.
Once he was out of sight, Old Qi seemed to remember something and slapped his forehead, "Oh no, the money..." Chen Chuan's voice echoed from the Boundary Token, "Old Qi, keep the money with you for now. We'll discuss it later."
"Alright, sure."
Chen Chuan went outside and boarded a tram, soon arriving back at the school. He entered the vicinity of the Mystic Palace Tower, and his Boundary Token connected with Hong Fu.
"The system has detected that the trainee did not return to the dormitory yesterday. For the trainee's safety, the academy suggests implanting a small observation implant that does not hinder physical activities.
This implant can monitor the trainee's internal bodily functions. In case of danger, real-time data can be transmitted to the academy for prompt action..."
The message went on to list the benefits of these implants, such as recording detailed combat data when interacting with others, real-time hormone level monitoring, and tracking the growth of altered organs. Combined with evaluation results, more tailored training programs can be provided.
After reading this, Chen Chuan immediately declined without a second thought.
[A 16-9-1 version of the book is available for free reading!]
Aside from his reluctance to have an implant, he knew that if his data was transmitted to the platform, it would mean his whereabouts and personal information would be exposed to others.
While it might make training and targeted practice easier, he preferred to be a more intuitive fighter, or perhaps even a pure fighter.
As he stepped into the elevator and headed towards the dormitory, he received two messages. The first was from Tan Zhi, containing several photos. It seemed that Tan Zhi was still at the party, surrounded by boldly dressed, alluring young women.
One photo showed Tan Zhi striking a pose, with one hand on his forehead and the other stretched out behind him. His expression was one of ecstatic euphoria, surrounded by a circle of women raising their hands and lifting their feet, their skirts billowing in a dynamic scene.
Tan Zhi's dance skills were indeed impressive. Chen Chuan quickly glanced through the photos and swiped them away.
The second message was from a teacher at Wu Yi Academy, who had noticed Chen Chuan's combat techniques on the academy's platform and offered to provide guidance. The teacher included their past evaluations for reference.
Chen Chuan skimmed through the message, marking it as unread, and stepped out of the elevator, quickly returning to his dormitory. He freshened up, changed clothes, consumed some nutritional paste, and rummaged through his suitcase, eventually taking out an upper jawbone with sharp teeth.
This was a remnant from the Mountain Ghost Haunt incident.
He always kept remnants from past Haunts, and this jawbone might be useful for restraining a Haunt. He had never attempted such a task before, only relying on the information provided by Director Lei. In theory, it should be feasible.
Moreover, he didn't need to control the Haunt; simply restraining and keeping it by his side would suffice, making the task relatively easy. It would only require the most basic application of skills, as controlling a Haunt could be geometrically more complex.
The person who controlled the large-scale esoteric ritual must have had profound expertise in this field, which explained why the Mo Lan Company invested in them.
After retrieving the jawbone, Chen Chuan also took a booklet and placed it in a sturdy bag, then left the school and returned to the slum area by tram.
Old Qi's car was gone, likely attending to Xiao Man's affairs.
Chen Chuan made his way to Xiao Man's backyard alone and buried the jawbone, placing it on the dummy's chest.
He opened the booklet in front of him and flipped to a specific page, taking out the last of the ritual materials and carefully tracing the intricate ritual pattern.
Due to its complexity, he had to copy it meticulously.
After working for most of the day, he finally completed the ritual pattern, using up almost all the ritual materials without any mistakes.
He stepped back a few paces, unsure of the outcome, and waited for the results.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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