Chapter 305: Departure
Chapter 305: Departure
Upon returning to the company building, Zhao Qian immediately summoned a Resonator and a trusted Implant Surgeon to his office for a comprehensive inspection of his Boundary Vessel.
After the examination, the two concluded that there were no issues with Zhao Qian's vessel.
The Resonator explained, "Supervisor, the attacker used Fit Projection Technique, directly manipulating your vessel. Your vessel merely served as an observation and reception tool. I've checked, and the field resources of the entire street were concentrated, but to achieve this in such a short time, it could only be the work of a Resonator with a Resonance Nest or similar equipment. Usually, only large corporations, organizations, and government entities possess such capabilities."
Zhao Qian asked coldly, "With such a big commotion, it's impossible for him to leave no traces. Can you track him down?"
The Resonator replied, "I've been investigating, but it might be a bit late. The attacker used multiple Interface Points for transmission. If they erased the traces at the backend, it will be challenging to find them. Judging by the method, this doesn't seem to be the government's style, but it's possible they're creating a smokescreen."
Zhao Qian turned to him, "If a similar situation occurs again, how can we prevent it?"
"You only need to add a command to reject the reception of projected field information. There's no need for an implant surgery or a vessel replacement."
Zhao Qian immediately issued the order, "Add it now!"
With an important transportation operation about to take place, he couldn't afford any more anomalies. Today's incident, though minor, would likely be recorded by some security personnel and secretly passed on to the headquarters and competitors. Therefore, there must be no more mistakes.
The Resonator immediately approached Zhao Qian, placed a hand on his vessel, and the other on Zhao Qian's shoulder. Blue biological electricity flashed in his eyes.
Zhao Qian felt a tingling sensation, like being electrocuted, which was necessary for transmitting strong commands. The same effect could be achieved at Interface Points, but the difference was that it was temporary and could be canceled at any time.
After about half a minute, the Resonator said, "Done." He stepped back to his original position.
Zhao Qian turned to his assistant and said, "If anyone asks about today's incident, tell them I had a combat inspiration and am seeking a breakthrough."
The assistant quickly agreed.
Zhao Qian knew this explanation was weak, but with the upcoming transportation operation, he couldn't afford to appear uncalm or problematic. He would deal with the current situation and address the negative impact later.
He waved for the Resonator and assistant to leave. After they exited the office, Zhao Qian stood up and began pacing inside.
He hadn't been involved in operations for nearly five months, and the recent operations had nothing to do with him. It seemed like his presence or absence made no difference. If he didn't show up this time, there was no point in staying in his position.
Although he had offered to step down after this operation to reassure certain individuals in the company, if he could resolve both internal and external issues, there was no reason he couldn't return.
Just then, a call came through on his vessel. He saw the caller and respectfully said, "Director Xing."
A pre-recorded voice from the other side replied, "The escort time has been set. Remember to handle it well."
The conversation ended abruptly.
Zhao Qian realized that the director hadn't even bothered with a live conversation and didn't seem interested in a proper exchange. He couldn't help but feel a chill in his eyes.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Zhao Qian checked the time on his vessel and immediately contacted his assistant again, "The time has been set. Arrange the convoy and coordinate with the Municipal Transportation."
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
On April 27th, Wu Bei, who had been monitoring the city's transportation network, suddenly felt a jolt. After a careful examination, he contacted Chen Chuan and said, "Chen, it's happening. Tomorrow, the Municipal Transportation will follow Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation's request and adjust several road sections."
Chen Chuan acknowledged, "Received. Thank you, Wu Bei."
"No problem."
In the apartment, Chen Chuan ended the call and turned to Gao Ming, "It seems Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation's transportation is happening tomorrow."
Indeed, they had no way of knowing the exact departure time, but an armed convoy's departure would require a one or two-day advance notice to the Municipal Transportation.
The Municipal Transportation had no obligation to conceal this information, and by observing their actions, they could accurately predict the departure time and make their preparations accordingly.
Gao Ming said, "According to Antan Corporation's recent intelligence analysis, Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation's convoy is likely to depart at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. The timing is very precise."
Chen Chuan asked, "Is there a possibility they might change the date?"
Gao Ming replied, "Even if they adjust, it won't exceed two days. But there's no need because such transportation operations are immediately noticed by major companies once the convoy is on the move. It's impossible to keep it a secret."
Chen Chuan said, "Then we'll wait until tomorrow."
On April 28th, early in the morning, a convoy consisting of twenty-five armed vehicles and three heavy transport vehicles departed from the Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation.
Large corporations like Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation possess temporary weapon permits granted by the government. However, once they leave Central City, there's virtually no oversight.
Zhao Qian sat in the middle of the armored vehicle, equipped with a small field creature that enabled the entire transport convoy to use the Boundary Vessel for simple signal transmission even after leaving Central City.
Beside him was a Tier Three Combat Master named Chi Duan, whom Zhao's family had cultivated during their heyday. Chi Duan was responsible for handling Zhao's inconvenient matters, and he accompanied Zhao on every transport mission.
The security captain of the entire convoy, known as "You Sun," was sent by the headquarters.
Although everyone, including You Sun, was nominally under Zhao Qian's command, the security team's actual leadership was with You Sun. If they encountered any issues during the journey, You Sun would immediately contact headquarters via radio instead of seeking Zhao's opinion.
Gazing at the two-wheeled vehicles flanking the convoy, Zhao Qian had an inexplicable feeling that this escort mission might not be as peaceful as expected. However, the convoy's formidable armaments gave him confidence.
Leaning against the car window, Zhao watched the passing scenery. He ran his fingers through his grayish-white hair, believing that he could overcome any minor problems.
In the 49th-floor Number One Dormitory of the Mystic Palace Tower, Chen Chuan stood by the window, gazing at the shining morning sun. At that moment, the Boundary Vessel rang, and Wu Bei's voice came through, "Chen, they're on their way out."
"Okay," Chen Chuan replied.
Chen Chuan stepped away from the window, his back to the morning sun. He put on the protective suit that had been laid out on the table, followed by the windbreaker, face mask, fedora hat, and scarf provided by the Bureau of Administration. Lastly, he donned the protective gloves.
Reaching out, he took the Snow Lady Sword from the sword rack, drew it out, and examined it briefly. After a moment, he slowly sheathed the gleaming blade and left the dormitory. He took the elevator directly to the underground garage. As he exited the elevator, he pressed the Boundary Vessel and said to Wu Bei, "I'm on my way, Wu."
"I'm keeping an eye on them," Wu Bei replied.
Chen Chuan walked to the Gader Car, opened the door, and got in. With a dull roar of the engine, the car emerged from the underground garage and headed west at high speed after reaching the road.
Although Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation's convoy had set off earlier, Chen Chuan wasn't anxious. Even though the Whisper had a certain distance limitation when activated, it could still function effectively within an hour's journey. This time, he planned to wait until the armed team was far enough from Central City before taking action.
When discussing the plan with Gao Ming, Chen Chuan had initially suggested ambushing them on their return journey, as the team would be at their most alert and prepared right after departure.
However, Gao Ming analyzed the situation and told Chen Chuan that Zhao Qian had a decisive side. At critical moments, Zhao was willing to make tough choices. When Mo Lan Corporation was on the verge of collapse, Zhao had already cut ties with the Zhao family, ensuring that he didn't benefit from their wealth. As a result, Zhao's downfall didn't implicate him.
Gao Ming explained that Zhao Qian's current situation was unfavorable in many aspects. If Zhao chose not to return or decided to stay in another Central City, it would be challenging to deal with him.
Furthermore, even after reaching his destination, Zhao could continue to hire assassins through certain platforms to deal with Gao Ming. He could even wait for the impact to fade before returning. Therefore, it was best to take action at the moment of departure, as it would be completely unexpected by the team.
Chen Chuan eventually agreed with Gao Ming's opinion, although he had initially expressed a more conservative stance. Chen Chuan felt confident in using the Whisper to deal with Zhao Qian.
He had witnessed several instances where the Whisper was successfully employed to eliminate targets after being commissioned by a certain company's middle management. Each attempt had been successful, indicating that managers of this level found it difficult to defend against such Whisper attacks.
While Chen Chuan had modified the Whisper through a binding ritual, reducing its power, even a severe injury would be sufficient. The convoy's medical capabilities were inferior to those of Central City, and their only option would be to promptly return the injured for treatment.
However, once the convoy set off, it was unlikely to turn back for one person, effectively splitting up the team. This was the only interval Chen Chuan and Gao Ming could exploit.
There was one potential extreme scenario: the Whisper might not work at all, or Zhao Qian could remain hidden in the convoy, even if severely injured.
Although the likelihood was small, it didn't mean it couldn't happen. In such a case, they would have to temporarily abandon the mission. With their current resources, a direct assault wouldn't be wise.
Chen Chuan drove for over an hour and stopped at a pre-prepared cottage on the western edge of the city. He exited the cottage, carrying the Snow Lady Sword. He had just received a message that the transport convoy had left Central City over 20 minutes ago. In a while, they would launch the attack.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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