Chapter 248: The Tutorial
Chapter 248: The Tutorial
Chen Chuan stood at the edge of the ritual pattern, closely monitoring the changes in his Second Self. After about two or three minutes, the dematerialization on his body suddenly vanished, and Chen's eyes lit up. He immediately stepped forward and began digging into the soil.
At that moment, the dummy inside had mysteriously 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 physical contact, one wouldn't be able to sense it.
This was exactly what he was after.
Now, the problem here seemed to be resolved. As long as he brought back the new jawbone, no one would be subjected to further attacks in this place.
Chen placed the item in his bag and took his leave.
While he was handling this matter, the "City Cleanup Team" from Central City had already cleaned up the scene at the Golden Shrimp Building.
The City Cleanup Team not only dealt with the dead bodies and cleared the site but also handled evidence identification, data collection, and scene reconstruction.
This information would eventually be uploaded to "Po Sa" for data storage, allowing for comparisons during similar future incidents.
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, making an accurate reconstruction impossible.
Therefore, the only way to fill in the details was through written records from those who had been at the scene, but these records, due to their subjective nature, were not considered primary data according to regulations and were only for reference. Their importance was greatly diminished, and they would likely end up stored away in some obscure corner.
The aftermath of this incident, however, did not fade away. The Golden Shrimp Team had their own headquarters and an elite team. Aside from legitimate commissions, they also had their underground channels. They often did dirty work for higher-ups and engaged in illegal business with certain gangs.
When such a team was wiped out within a day, journalists and news media teams with keen senses rushed to uncover the inside story.
It was true that the Golden Shrimp Team had provided information to several high-profile figures, but now, none of them acknowledged any connection. Even traces of their existence were thoroughly erased.
Just as Chen Chuan had thought, unless there were deeply entangled interests or blood relations between the two parties, these figures would not only refuse to support the Golden Shrimp Team but also quickly disassociate themselves in case of trouble. After all, there were plenty of people willing to risk their lives for them, and they could easily replace those who were lost.
This incident also caused quite a stir among commissioners, but no one spoke up for the Golden Shrimp Team. These people had always operated without rules, acting ruthlessly and without a bottom line. Even some who considered themselves ruthless felt disgusted by their actions.
The Golden Shrimp Team primarily took on anomaly commissions and engaged in underground activities, with little overlap in their business with commissioners. Therefore, while no one usually spoke ill of them, this time, after their annihilation, there was no sympathy, only schadenfreude.
After dealing with Xiao Man's matter, Lao Qi returned home and immediately hid the money bag before falling into a deep sleep. When he woke up, it was already noon the next day.
First, he saw his daughter's message on the Boundary Token, which brought a smile to his face.
Considering the recent events, he had entrusted his daughter's care to his brother-in-law. Now it seemed like she was having a great time.
Then, he noticed the communication interface flashing incessantly, the intensity of the light almost blinding him. He got up to wash up and, at the same time, opened the message, feigning ignorance: "Ah Ji, what's up so early in the morning?"
An eager voice replied: "Lao Qi, did you hear? The Golden Shrimp Team is finished."
Lao Qi pretended to be surprised: "Golden Shrimp? Which Golden Shrimp?"
"What other Golden Shrimp?" The voice suddenly rose, "The Golden Shrimp Commission Team!"
"What?" Lao Qi's tone revealed shock and disbelief, "It was them?"
"Yes, them! Didn't you know? The scene was terrible, and they say their implants and equipment were stripped. Tsk, such a brutal method is clearly the work of the Moss Gang, picking only the good stuff and leaving the trash and cheap goods behind.
If it were the Sewer guys, there wouldn't even be bodies left. The Moss Gang hit the jackpot this time, why can't my buddies ever run into such good luck?
Lao Qi feigned surprise: "You're saying it wasn't the Moss Gang? They even got a bargain 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? By the time the Moss Gang arrived, everything was already done. Tsk tsk, Jing Li spent a fortune on these guys under him, probably dumping all his earnings over the years on them. If my buddies had done this job, he could've retired tomorrow."
Lao Qi also felt a twinge of pain hearing this. Indeed, it was a substantial sum.
In reality, even they wouldn't be able to profit from such illegal goods without the right channels and connections. Otherwise, they'd be stuck with unsellable merchandise, becoming mere caretakers for others' goods.
At this point, he asked with a mix of tension and anticipation: "By the way, you haven't told me who did it."
The guy on the other end lowered his voice and said mysteriously: "I heard it was the government."
"The government?" Lao Qi's expression was one of disbelief.
"Yeah, it's probably them. You know..."
It was rumored that Jing Li's team had just died, and the security team immediately retreated. With such a swift withdrawal and the unusual style of the attackers, it was most likely the government's doing."
"That makes sense..." Old Qi thought, and it was indeed a relief that this wouldn't involve Xiao Brother Chen and his team.
He chatted with the other party for over ten minutes before ending the call. He then checked the commissioner's contact platform and found everyone discussing the same matter.
Everyone seemed to admire the mysterious attackers, wondering who they were.
Old Qi, being a participant, felt a secret thrill reading the praises and exclamations, but he couldn't express it openly, so he kept it to himself, feeling a tingling sensation in his heart.
In the end, he decided to clear his mind and closed the interface. He made himself breakfast and, halfway through, received a message from Chen Chuan, asking him to count the cash in the bag and inform him later.
Old Qi felt a sense of trust and agreed. When he checked the bag, he found an exact amount—ten thousand yuan.
This was indeed a substantial sum, a veritable fortune. He knew there was a lot, but he hadn't expected it to be this much.
He immediately contacted Chen Chuan and Wu Bei, informing them of the amount.
Wu Bei was curious, "Why did they keep so much cash? Were they planning to buy something?"
Old Qi pondered, "It's possible. But they also take on a lot of black market jobs, so this money can't be transferred through the platform. It might also be a deposit from someone else."
Chen Chuan said, "No need to worry about the purpose. Everyone contributed this time, so you two should take a share as well."
Wu Bei thought for a moment and agreed. He didn't need the money, but he felt it would be awkward if he didn't take it, so he decided to accept.
Old Qi spoke sincerely, "Xiao Brother Chen, Wu Xiao, I'm not being sentimental. I need money, but I only contributed a little this time, so I'll only take what I'm entitled to." He needed money desperately, but he wouldn't take what wasn't rightfully his. He knew his own limits.
In the 1619 book, there is no mistake!
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said, "How about this: Xiao Brother Chen and I will each take 25,000, and you, Old Qi, take 5,000. The rest will be the team's public fund. Old Qi, I'll give you an additional 20,000 from the public account to upgrade your implants. You should contribute more to the team in the future."
Wu Bei agreed, "Yes, Old Qi, your implants are too outdated. It's time for an upgrade."
Old Qi, touched by the care shown by the two, felt touched. This time, instead of hesitating, he replied solemnly, "Alright, I'll get it replaced soon."
While 20,000 yuan wasn't enough for a high-end implant, it could cover an upgrade and expansion for civilian use. The key was finding a reliable implant doctor to maximize its potential.
After ending the call, Chen Chuan looked at the upper jawbone on his study desk. With this Haunt, he wouldn't need drugs for a while.
However, Haunts didn't exist indefinitely. If they couldn't affect the outside world for an extended period, they might self-destruct over time.
This was why, when a place became deserted, the Haunts would also disappear.
But with his second self enduring the assault, it was as if he had created an uninhabited environment. Over time, the Haunt would fade, but it would persist for a long period, likely several months. The urgency for drugs had lessened, at least for now.
He retracted his gaze and noticed a message on the Nexus from a teacher who had previously tried to contact him.
He hadn't had the time to respond earlier, but now he could. After all, it was a teacher from the academy, and it was polite to reply during the holidays when the teacher had taken the initiative to reach out.
He sent a reply, expecting a delay, but the teacher responded promptly.
"Is this Teacher Wu? I'm student Chen Chuan."
"Yes, it's me."
Teacher Wu's deep, low voice resonated as he spoke, "Hello, student Chen."
Chen Chuan said, "I've reviewed the materials you shared, Teacher Wu. You mentioned you could help me improve my combat skills in a short time?"
"That's certain."
Teacher Wu affirmed, "I've personally mentored over three hundred students, and these are verifiable facts. With my extensive teaching experience, you can trust me."
Chen Chuan considered that the number of students didn't necessarily indicate quality. The best teachers often focused on elite training, keeping their classes small to maintain high standards.
He politely asked, "Do you have any suggestions, Teacher Wu?"
"Student Chen Chuan, I've reviewed your profile. You're from a small city, and I don't mean to belittle you. It's just that small towns often have traditional and outdated combat concepts.
I have a tutorial that can fill the gaps in your knowledge and ensure you pass the school's assessments. This tutorial is currently priced affordably, and I can offer you a discount." As he spoke, he sent over an introduction to the materials, "You can take a look first..."
Chen Chuan glanced at it and politely said, "Thank you, Teacher Wu. I'll review it."
On the other end of the Nexus, in a messy, dark room, a man with deep forehead wrinkles and a neurotic demeanor ended his call. He stared out the window with an intense gaze, muttering, "They'll contact me again... They'll contact me again..."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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