Chapter 303: Operation
Chapter 303: Operation
On April 17th, Chen Chuan left the Mystic Palace Tower early in the morning, drove out of Central City, and headed north along the National Highway. He eventually arrived at a highway checkpoint far from Chongmu.
Upon reaching this location, the bioreal field had lost its effect, and the boundary token had fallen completely silent.
He didn't pass through the checkpoint but stopped his car and approached a public telephone booth by the roadside.
Stepping inside, he picked up the receiver and inserted over a dozen coins, dialing a number. After a short wait, a voice answered, "Who are you calling?"
Chen Chuan said, "Is this the Chang Inn? I'm looking for Brother Chang." After a brief pause, he added, "It's me, Chen Chuan."
"Oh, it's Brother Chen? I remember you," said the person on the other end, seemingly a staff member who had met Chen Chuan before. "Brother Chen, hold on, I'll call the boss for you."
It wasn't long before the phone seemed to be filled with loud and rapid footsteps, followed by a quick, light set of footsteps approaching the receiver. As if the moment the receiver was picked up, Chang Ba's voice came through.
"Brother Chen, is that you? Haha, why did you think of calling me? I remember you wrote last year that you were going to Central City. Are you there now? How are you doing?"
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Brother Chang, I'm in Central City now, and everything is going well."
"That's good," Chang Ba said with a hint of envy in his sigh. "Central City is truly amazing. I haven't had the chance to visit yet. I've heard that it's different from the outside, what do you think of it?"
Chen Chuan said, "Well, to be honest, it's like everyone's next-door neighbor is a sleeping devil. Sometimes people turn into devils, and sometimes devils turn back into people."
Chang Ba's eyes widened in surprise, and he exclaimed, "That's quite an exaggeration! But I don't think it's an exaggeration at all. Sigh, if Central City is as you describe, why does everyone want to go there?"
Chen Chuan said, "Perhaps it's because there's a stairway to heaven here as well."
Chang Ba thought for a moment and then said seriously, "I understand."
"But not everyone wants to go. Brother Chang, you don't want to go either."
"Of course not. I certainly don't want to go. Haha..."
After a brief laugh, Chang Ba cleared his throat and asked curiously, "Brother Chen, what's the reason for your call?"
Chen Chuan said, "Is Teacher He there?"
"Teacher He? Yes, he's here. Do you need him? I'll call him for you. Hold on."
Chen Chuan patiently waited, and after more than ten minutes, the receiver was picked up, and He Xiaoxing's deep voice came through, "Student Chen?"
Hearing his voice, Chen Chuan could picture the tall and robust figure with loose hair behind the receiver. He said, "Teacher He, it's me. I plan to take action against Zhao Qian soon."
He Xiaoxing didn't ask for the reason but spoke in a stern voice, "How do you plan to do it?"
Chen Chuan explained his thoughts and the general execution plan. Some parts were complex, so he provided additional explanations. Finally, he said, "I still need one crucial thing, Teacher He. I want a photo of Shen Xiong."
He Xiaoxing spoke sternly, "I'll mail it to you in the next few days. Remember to confirm it, and then send the specific date and time of your action through a telegram."
Chen Chuan's heart stirred, and he said okay. After ending the call and hanging up the receiver, he understood He Xiaoxing's intention—he seemed to want to be involved in this matter.
Indeed, among those initially involved in the plot to harm Shen Zheng, only Zhao Qian, the direct participant, remained unpunished. It was time to put a definitive end to this matter.
Chen Chuan left the telephone booth, returned to his Gader car, started the vehicle, and headed back to Central City. After a quarter of an hour, the central city became increasingly prominent amidst the sea fog ahead, and the boundary token began to reactivate. He contacted Gao Ming, who was waiting, and said, "Gao Ming, we can begin."
April 20th, United Heavy Control Company Building.
Zhao Qian was communicating with a client regarding business matters when an urgent communication from his assistant interrupted him. He apologized to the client and then asked, "What's the matter?"
The assistant's voice, tense and hurried, came through, "Manager, the Internal Audit Group is here. They're heading towards your office."
Zhao Qian's expression turned grim. What were they here for? The Internal Audit Group was a review team stationed in Central City by the head office. They were responsible for recording, reporting, and monitoring, and when necessary, they conveyed and executed decisions made by the head office. However, they usually didn't appear before him unless...
The sound of his female assistant's hurried objection came from outside, followed by footsteps. The office door was pushed open, and three people in dark company uniforms entered. Two men and one woman, all with distinctive cheek implants, stood expressionless.
One of the men approached Zhao Qian and stood in front of the desk, his legs slightly apart. Once Zhao Qian stood up, the man spoke in a formal tone, "Manager Zhao, this morning, the company received an investigation letter from the Processing Bureau accusing you of murdering a backup staff member from the Processing Bureau. We represent the head office in questioning you. Please provide an explanation."
Zhao Qian's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained his composure and spoke in a calm voice, "I apologize for involving the head office, but this is slander."
The woman immediately recorded his response in writing while pressing the boundary token, seemingly communicating with someone. This action exerted subtle pressure.
The man continued his expressionless questioning, "The Processing Bureau demands that you accept their summons and investigation within two days. Is there anything you'd like to say to the company?"
"Zhao Qian solemnly addressed the group, "Please convey my message to the company's directors. I will handle this matter promptly and ensure it doesn't affect our operations."
One of the men responded, "We will deliver your message faithfully, Mr. Zhao. The company will evaluate your work performance and your handling of this situation. An assessment form will be sent to you within two days."
"I will comply with the company's arrangements," Zhao Qian affirmed.
"The inquiry is complete, Mr. Zhao. Director Xing has a matter to discuss with you. Please pay attention to your communications and expect a call soon. Farewell." With that, the three men turned and left without looking back.
As soon as they were out of sight, Zhao Qian's expression turned somber. He wondered where things had gone wrong and how his identity had been exposed. How much did the Processing Bureau know? Logically, his request should have been anonymous through the platform.
But now, pondering these questions was futile. He needed to find a way to resolve this issue.
He immediately contacted Director Xing, the nominal head of the Central City branch but who rarely worked there, choosing to remain at the headquarters instead.
When the call connected, an impatient recorded message played: "Zhao Qian, regardless of whether you're involved or not, resolve this matter swiftly. The company's escort mission for this month is imminent. Before and after this mission, I don't want to hear any more similar news."
The message ended, and the call abruptly disconnected.
Zhao Qian's face remained cold as he contemplated the situation. He walked to the window and contacted someone. Once connected, he asked, "How's the investigation going?"
"Boss, there's nothing significant to report yet. His daily routine is highly regular, and I haven't seen him meet anyone unusual. If I had to pick one person, well, he visits Ink Sticker Mountain once a month.
I looked into it, and it seems the Processing Bureau assigned him a teacher there, but the mountain's internal defenses are tight, so I haven't been able to identify that person yet."
Zhao Qian's voice deepened, "Since there's no conclusion yet, there's no need to continue the investigation for now. We'll discuss it again when I have more information."
"It seems you have something going on, boss. I'll follow your instructions and stop for now."
Zhao Qian took a deep breath. For the time being, he couldn't hand over the task to Chen Chuan. With the Processing Bureau publicly exposing this matter, they would undoubtedly keep a close eye on him. Even the slightest movement would trigger a more significant response.
Having just dealt with the previous troubles, the Processing Bureau was now focusing on him again, which could prompt those within the company who coveted his position to make their move.
He had to resolve this situation promptly.
After careful consideration, he used the Boundary Token to contact someone. The call was answered quickly, but no sound came from the other end. Zhao Qian knew they were listening, and he said, "Help me once more."
After a brief pause, a soft, feminine voice responded, "What do you want?"
Zhao Qian remained calm, "The company's evaluation season is approaching, and I need to successfully complete this quarter's final escort mission. After this, I'll request a transfer away from Jinbei Dao, leaving this position open."
When she remained silent, he continued, "I know you dislike me, but I'm important to you. Right now, you don't have a single person outside you can trust. Even if you despise me, I can still be your eyes and ears, and lend you a hand."
After a long silence, the girl's voice sounded again, "Alright."
Zhao Qian ended the call and gazed coldly ahead. The situation was far from over.
Two days later, on April 22nd, Zhao Qian left the Union Vast Control Company with his private solicitor and arrived at the Processing Bureau in a car. He underwent an investigation and questioning.
Since the Ink Orchid Corporation's demise, he had been here several times. This time, the Processing Bureau was no less harsh, even requesting him to present his Boundary Token for inspection during the inquiry.
However, his private solicitor objected, citing potential disclosure of company secrets, and demanded the Bureau provide genuine evidence for their accusations instead of intimidating his employer.
The Bureau officials merely presented some ambiguous evidence, but their words implied that if Zhao Qian cooperated, they would leave him alone for the time being.
Zhao Qian understood what the Bureau wanted from him, but agreeing would be a poor choice. Without his managerial position, he held no value to them, making it easier for them to manipulate him. By holding his ground, he could protect himself. So, he didn't respond.
The Bureau didn't expect him to yield so quickly, and they kept him there for twelve hours before releasing him, requesting he return for further questioning the next day.
At that moment, Chen Chuan had already received the results from Ni Qianqian and shared them with Gao Ming, "As expected, the Processing Bureau isn't planning to deal with Zhao Qian."
Gao Ming replied, "It's predictable. A middle manager handling major affairs is valuable. The Bureau won't give up easily. If they were to deal with Zhao Qian, they'd lose a valuable connection. Fortunately, he's now in the open, so they can't target your cousin for a while."
"Even if they need to, they'll wait until he's outside. If he's away and someone attacks your cousin, he can clear himself of suspicion and ensure that Central City in Jinbei Dao won't pursue him for the time being."
Chen Chuan calmly stated, "He won't have that chance." Just then, Wu Bei's excited yet tense voice came through the Boundary Token, "Chen Chuan, he's out of the Processing Bureau."
"Good, Wu Bei. I'll leave the rest to you."
...
(End of Chapter)
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