Chapter 248: Curriculum
Chapter 248: Curriculum
Tran Chen stood at the edge of the ritual pattern, keeping a close eye on the changes occurring in his Second Self. After about two to three minutes, the dematerialization on its body suddenly vanished, and his eyes lit up. Almost immediately, he walked over and began digging into the soil.
At that moment, the dummy inside had disappeared, leaving only the upper jawbone behind.
Success!
He bent down and reached out, picking up the jawbone. In that instant of contact, he witnessed intense dematerialization emanating from his Second Self.
It was clear that without direct contact, one wouldn't sense it.
This was precisely what he was after.
Now, the issue here was resolved. As long as he brought the jawbone back, no one else would be subjected to further attacks in this place.
He placed the item in his bag and took his leave from the site.
While he was handling this matter, the 'City Cleanup Team' of Central City had already cleaned up the scene at the Golden Shrimp Building.
The City Cleanup Team didn't merely collect corpses and clear the site; they were also responsible for identifying traces, collecting data, and reconstructing the scene and specific processes.
This data would eventually be uploaded to 'Po Sa', where it would be stored. The next time a similar situation occurred, a data comparison could be performed.
However, the field information at the scene had been deleted by Wu Bei, and most of the bodies had been further damaged by gang members who arrived later. It was impossible to make an accurate reconstruction.
Therefore, the only way to supplement the details was through written records from those who had been at the scene, but these records, due to their subjective nature and personal experience, could not be considered primary documentation. They could only serve as references, significantly reducing their importance. Most likely, they would end up stored away in some remote corner.
But the aftermath of this incident didn't subside. The Golden Shrimp Team had its own headquarters and an elite team. Aside from regular commissions, they also had their own underground channels. They not only took on private, unsavory jobs for prominent figures but also frequently engaged in illicit and forbidden dealings with certain gangs.
When such a team was annihilated within a day, journalists and news media teams with keen noses rushed to dig into the hidden details.
Indeed, the Golden Shrimp Team had taken on unsavory jobs for influential figures, but not a single one of them showed any reaction after the fact. Even traces of these people's existence were thoroughly erased."
As Lao Qi had anticipated, unless there was an extremely deep connection or a familial relationship, these people would not only refuse to support the Golden Shrimp Team but would also quickly disassociate themselves from any trouble. After all, they had plenty of people willing to risk their lives for them, so losing one batch and replacing it with another was no big deal.
This incident caused quite a stir among those who gave commissions, but not a single one of them felt sympathy for the Golden Shrimp Team. These people had always operated without rules, acting ruthlessly and with almost no bottom line. Even some who considered themselves ruthless felt disturbed by their actions.
This was because the Golden Shrimp Team primarily took on Anomaly Commissions and engaged in illicit activities, with little overlap in their operations with those who gave commissions. Therefore, when they were annihilated, no one felt sympathy, and instead, everyone seemed to revel in their misfortune.
After Lao Qi dealt with Xiao Man's matter, he returned home and hid the money bag as soon as possible. Then, he fell asleep, and when he woke up, it was already noon the next day.
First, he saw the message his daughter had left in the Boundary Vessel, and a smile couldn't help but appear on his face.
Considering the recent events, he had asked his brother-in-law to look after his daughter, and now it seemed she was having a great time.
He then noticed the flashing communication interface, the dense light almost blinding him. He got up to wash up while checking the messages, feigning ignorance, "Jiji, what's up so early in the morning?"
An impatient voice replied, "Lao Qi, do you know? The Golden Shrimp Team is finished."
Lao Qi pretended to be surprised, "Golden Shrimp? Which Golden Shrimp?"
"Which Golden Shrimp?" The voice suddenly rose, "The Golden Shrimp Commission Team!"
"What?" Lao Qi's tone revealed shock and disbelief, "It was them?"
"Yes, it was them! You didn't know? The scene was terrible, and they say the implants and equipment were stripped. Tsk, such a brutal method is clearly the work of the Moss Gang, only picking the good stuff and leaving the trash and cheap goods.
If it were the Sewer Hunters, there wouldn't even be bodies left. This time, the Moss Gang hit the jackpot. Why can't I ever run into such good luck, bro?"
Lao Qi exaggeratedly exclaimed, "You're saying it wasn't the Moss Gang? They even got a good deal out of it?"
His tone was slightly exaggerated, unlike his usual style, but fortunately, the guy on the other end was in high spirits, eager to satisfy his urge to confide, so he didn't pay much attention to this.
"Who said it wasn't them? When the Moss Gang arrived, everything was already done. Tsk tsk, Jing Li must have spent a fortune on these guys under him. Maybe all the profits were invested in them. If this job was done by my bro, he could retire tomorrow."
Lao Qi couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain at these words. Indeed, this was a substantial amount of money.
But in reality, they wouldn't profit from it either. Dealing with such illicit goods required connections and background. Otherwise, they would be stuck with them, unable to offload them, and eventually become mere custodians for others.
He then asked with a mix of tension and anticipation, "By the way, you haven't said who did it."
The guy on the other end lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously, "I heard it was the government's people."
"The government's people?" Lao Qi's expression momentarily froze.
"Yes, that's right. You know, they say that the security team turned back right after Jing Li died. It's unusual for them to retreat so readily, and the people who took action don't seem to be from the company. So, it's likely that they were government agents."
"Makes sense..." Lao Qi agreed, thinking it was better this way, as it wouldn't implicate Chen Xiao and the others.
He chatted for a while longer, about ten minutes, before ending the call. He then checked the client's contact platform and found that everyone was discussing the same matter.
Both in words and actions, they admired the mysterious individuals who had intervened. Lao Qi, being a participant, felt a secret thrill reading the praises and exclamations, but he couldn't express it openly. He could only keep it to himself, feeling a tingling sensation in his heart.
Finally, he decided to close the interface and make himself a meal. Midway through, he received a message from Chen Chuan, asking him to count the cash in the money bag and inform him.
Lao Qi felt a sense of trust from Chen Chuan. After agreeing, he went to count the money and found it to be an exact amount—a full ten thousand yuan.
This was indeed a substantial sum, even a small fortune. He knew there was a lot, but he hadn't expected it to be this much.
Lao Qi contacted Chen Chuan and Wu Bei, informing them of the amount.
Wu Bei was curious, "They have so much cash, are they planning to buy something?"
Lao Qi pondered and replied, "It's possible. But they also take on many private jobs, so this money might be from those. Or it could be a deposit from someone else."
Chen Chuan said, "Don't worry about the purpose. Everyone contributed this time, so you two should take a portion of it."
Wu Bei thought for a moment and agreed. He didn't need the money, but he felt it would be inappropriate for him not to take it, so he decided to accept it.
Lao Qi spoke sincerely, "Chen Xiao, Wu Xiao, I won't be pretentious. I need the money, but I only contributed a little this time, so I'll only take what I'm entitled to." Although he desperately needed the money, he wouldn't reach for what wasn't his. He knew his own limits.
Chen Chuan considered for a moment and said, "How about this: Wu Xiao and I will each take 25,000, and you can take 5,000. The rest will go to the team's public account. I'll give you an additional 20,000 from the public funds to upgrade your implants. You should contribute more to the team in the future."
Wu Bei added, "Yes, Lao Qi, your implants are outdated. Get a new set."
Lao Qi was touched by their consideration. Instead of refusing, he solemnly agreed, "Alright, I'll get it replaced right away."
Two hundred thousand yuan was more than enough for a high-end implant upgrade and expansion, especially if it was for civilian use. The key was finding a reliable implant doctor to maximize the benefits.
After Chen Chuan ended his call, he looked at the upper jawbone on his study desk. With this haunting tale, he wouldn't need the drugs for a while.
But haunting tales didn't last forever. If they didn't affect the outside world, they might fade away over time.
This was why when a place was deserted, the haunting tales would also disappear.
However, with his second self taking the brunt of the assault, it was as if an uninhabited environment had been created. It might fade over time, but the process would be prolonged, and it could last for months without issue. The urgency for drugs had finally lessened.
He withdrew his gaze and noticed a teacher on the interface who had tried to contact him earlier.
Now that he had the time, it would be impolite not to respond, especially since this teacher had reached out during the holidays.
He replied to the teacher's message, expecting a delay, but to his surprise, the teacher responded immediately.
"Is this Teacher Wu? It's me."
Teacher Wu's deep, resonant voice greeted him, "Hello, Chen."
Chen Chuan asked, "I reviewed the materials you provided, Teacher Wu. You said you could help me improve my combat skills in a short time?"
"Undoubtedly." Teacher Wu affirmed.
"I've personally mentored over three hundred students. These are verifiable facts, and I have extensive teaching experience. You can trust me." Teacher Wu's tone was confident.
Chen Chuan considered his words. The number of students didn't necessarily reflect the teacher's skill, as the best teachers often had fewer students, focusing on quality over quantity.
"Do you have any suggestions, Teacher Wu?" Chen Chuan asked politely.
"Chen, I've reviewed your profile. You're from a small city, and I don't mean any offense by that. It's just that small towns often have outdated combat techniques," Teacher Wu explained.
"I have a curriculum that can make up for your shortcomings and ensure you pass the school's assessments. It's not expensive, and I can offer you a discounted price." As he spoke, he sent over the curriculum materials. "Take a look..."
Chen Chuan glanced at the materials and politely responded, "Thank you, Teacher Wu. I'll review it first."
On the other side of the interface, in a dimly lit, disorganized room, a man with a nervous demeanor ended his call and stared intently, muttering, "He'll contact me again... He'll contact me again..."
...
(End of Chapter)
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