Chapter 266: Handling
Chapter 266: Handling
As Chen Chuan gradually approached the scene, he could hear the intense gunfire in the distance, and the streets were filled with panicked people fleeing. In some places, there were even traffic accidents.
Suddenly, the ornamental trees on both sides shook, and insects flew out from within. Each one was the size of a fist, possessing strong jaws and blade-like abdominal legs. Once they emerged, they hovered around the shops, intimidating every passerby and preventing them from approaching.
These were the "Harvesters" produced by Compound Eye Corporation.
These combat weapons were responsible for supplementing urban defense, but they were only stationed in a few locations. Only shops and residences that had purchased security insurance would receive their protection first. As for the rest, these combat weapons would ignore them and even attack anyone who approached during such times.
Chen Chuan retracted his gaze and glanced at the Nexus Token. The incident occurred at Treasure Nest Market, a second-hand supermarket. The attackers' motives for choosing that location were unclear, as those who shopped there were not wealthy, and the goods were mostly cheap second-hand items. However, not far away, there was an Exchange Shop that housed a large number of valuable goods.
After turning another street corner, he saw the location—a five-story building. The security patrol team had surrounded it, but at this moment, they were all hiding behind vehicles and buildings. The attackers inside seemed to be excellent marksmen, keeping the patrol team pinned down.
Despite their large numbers, the patrol team could have divided into two groups, with one group drawing attention while the other breached from another direction. However, they discovered through the information platform that two of the attackers possessed Level Two Combatant status, so no one dared to approach.
It was too dangerous to apprehend fully armed combatants, even for those with the same level of training. They decided to wait for someone capable of handling the situation, as the patrol platform had already notified them that help was on the way.
When Chen Chuan arrived, his identity was displayed on the patrol team's Nexus Token, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Carrying the Xuejun Blade, he approached the building and stopped in front of it. Looking up, he saw several shattered windows on the second floor, with faint silhouettes moving inside.
The explosion seemed to have occurred on the third floor, where thick black smoke was still billowing. The colorful, rotating octagonal flying disk continued to emit various noisy advertisements.
The surrounding crowd had long since fled or been evacuated, leaving only the echoing sounds in the empty streets.
According to the Nexus Token's prompts, all four attackers were holed up on the second floor, each positioned in a different direction. Chen Chuan heard faint arguing, as if they were blaming each other.
He felt something and raised his hand, feeling a slight vibration in his palm. A roaring sound rang in his ear, and the entire street seemed to reverberate.
A bullet dropped from his palm and landed at his feet, making a crisp sound on the street. Shouts of panic and anger came from inside the building.
Chen Chuan lowered his hand and looked up. His center of gravity shifted slightly, and in the next moment, his figure disappeared from where he stood. A glass window on the second floor suddenly shattered.
Chen Chuan chose to breach directly from the front. He leaped from his position and instantly reached the second floor, smashing through the window. Countless shards of glass flew in all directions as he entered.
There were two people on either side, aiming their guns at the outside. As the glass shards flew towards them, they didn't even blink, quickly turning their guns towards Chen Chuan and firing.
Chen Chuan didn't dodge. The bullets landed on his body, but the rounds slid off harmlessly. As his feet touched the ground, the floor cracked, and he surged forward.
The man who had been shooting was caught by Chen Chuan's knife handle and folded over, flying horizontally into the air.
Behind this man, a robust figure emerged—one of the combatants. He was the primary target Chen Chuan needed to deal with.
The man showed no signs of evading, his eyes red and fixed on Chen Chuan. He was clearly under the influence of drugs.
When Chen Chuan entered his attack range, the man roared and lunged at him with a dagger.
To Chen Chuan, even under the influence of drugs, the man was still much slower. With a casual lift of his hand, he caught the man's arm and lifted him into the air. With a powerful slam, he threw him to the ground! A loud bang echoed as the man hit the ground, and cracks spread like a spider web. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and his implants and armor shattered from the impact and force.
As Chen Chuan surged forward, the remaining two combatants turned their guns towards him and fired frantically.
Without pausing, Chen Chuan charged towards the other combatant. This combatant seemed unconcerned about his companion's fate. Seeing Chen Chuan approach, he tossed away his pistol and drew a whip from his waist, rushing towards Chen Chuan.
Yet, just halfway through his charge, his movements suddenly halted. Xuejun's blade, still sheathed, pierced straight through the man's abdomen, and despite the effects of the drugs and implants, the man maintained a certain level of combat ability. He tightly grasped the sheath, drawing the rifle from his back with one hand and raising the gun.
In that moment, Chen Chuan swiftly sidestepped and retreated, drawing the Xuejun Blade from its sheath. With a swift spin, he executed a spinning slash, and the man's head flew off in an instant, illuminated by the flashing blade.
Simultaneously, Chen Chuan casually tossed a stone in the other direction, striking the last attacker hiding behind the shelves. The attacker's head jerked back, and the skin and flesh on his forehead exploded, revealing the enhanced skull beneath. His body staggered like a drunk, taking a few wobbly steps before collapsing to the ground.
Chen Chuan sheathed the Xuejun Blade behind him, and with a zhing, the blade slid into the sheath. He then withdrew it, and the headless corpse behind him swayed and fell to the ground.
Surveying his surroundings, Chen Chuan noticed seven or eight corpses lying around, likely customers who had been in the shop. Not far away, there was a second-hand implant stall, and the owner's head had been blown apart. The bullet had likely been fired through the narrow transaction window, but the goods on the shelves were all intact, with no signs of looting.
After confirming that there were no more attackers, Chen Chuan connected to the platform via the Boundary Token and reported, "All attackers have been dealt with. Requesting reception."
Immediately, the non-active consciousness body's stiff voice echoed through the Boundary Token, "Received. Submitting application to the Processing Bureau... Please wait patiently..."
A moment later, Ni Xixi's voice sounded, "Well done, Chen. You handled it so quickly, much more proactive than the other two trainees. I have high hopes for you."
Chen Chuan approached the window and gazed into the distance, "I feel like there were more than just four of them."
Judging from their weapons and equipment, this didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment plan. And if their target was merely a second-hand goods market, it didn't make sense for them to go to such lengths.
"Chen, you're very perceptive," Ni Xixi said. "We've tracked down their other accomplices. They did have a big purchase today, and colleagues from the Bureau are already handling it. You can just confirm it on the platform and then leave. Let the City Patrol Team take over from here."
Chen Chuan acknowledged and confirmed the situation on the platform before leaving the building.
6◇9◇Book◇Bar
Ni Xixi continued, "Chen, I'll also tell you something else. The Bureau has opened an account for you on the trading platform and transferred some money into it. There's also something from the Bureau for you, but I know you don't have time to come and get it, so we sent it to your school. Remember to sign for it when you get back."
"Money?" Chen Chuan was taken aback. "What's this for?" The Bureau's investment was for academic support, providing various conveniences for his martial arts cultivation, but they would never directly give him money.
Ni Xixi confidently replied, "Didn't the Palace Clan's security forces shoot at you? And they dared to shoot at a Processing Bureau member? Of course, they need to give an explanation. The Bureau has given them a penalty fee, and this portion is specifically for your compensation. Rest assured, it's all done by the book."
Although the Palace Clan claimed they didn't know you were from the Processing Bureau and were only targeting Xiong Jianyi, the problem is they used field interference and there was indeed a wanted criminal in their convoy. This is a serious issue, so they had to pay a price to get past this hurdle.
After understanding the situation, Chen Chuan thanked Ni Xixi and ended the call. He found a nearby station and took the tram back to the Mystic Palace Tower.
By the time he returned to the dormitory, it was already past eight in the evening. The package had arrived, and he signed for it on the Boundary Token. Opening it, he found a custom-made outfit.
This was no ordinary clothing but had protective functions, resembling military uniforms with a slim-fit design. It came with a long coat that covered most of the body and a wide-brimmed hat with a full-face mask.
Along with the outfit, there was also a non-implantable Boundary Token, a step up from the Yuxiang-style one he had. It was worth at least five figures.
The Boundary Token had a neck guard with only a thin membrane at the front, which could combine with the full-face mask. It had more functions, allowing him to identify special scents, see human silhouettes through field imaging, and even hear distant sounds when he wasn't focused.
For example, if he had this device earlier, he could have heard the attackers' specific conversations downstairs. These devices were highly practical, designed for law enforcement purposes.
Chen Chuan checked his account and noticed an additional ten thousand yuan, a substantial amount, especially since it was given to him. He wondered if he could use this to request a Radiance Exposure session from the academy...
...
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(End of Chapter)
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