Chapter 305: Departure
Chapter 305: Departure
Upon returning to the company headquarters, Zhao Qian immediately summoned a trusted Resonator and an Implant Doctor to his office for a comprehensive inspection of his Boundary Token.
After the examination, both professionals concluded that there were no issues with his token.
The Resonator explained, "Supervisor, the attacker utilized Fitting Projection Techniques, manipulating the field domain resources of the entire street. Achieving this in such a short time is only possible for Resonators with access to Resonance Nests or similar equipment, which are typically owned by large corporations, organizations, and government entities."
Zhao Qian's voice turned cold as he asked, "With such a significant disturbance, it's impossible for there to be no traces. Can you track down the attacker?"
The Resonator replied, "I initiated the investigation immediately after the incident, but it might have been too late. The attacker used numerous Boundary Points for transmission. If they erased the traces at the backend, it would be challenging to find them. Based on the method, it doesn't seem to be a government operation, but it's possible they're intentionally creating confusion."
Zhao Qian turned to the Resonator and asked, "How can we prevent similar incidents in the future?"
"You only need to add a command to reject virtual field information. There's no need for an implant procedure or a new Boundary Token."
Zhao Qian promptly issued an order, "Add it now!"
With an important transportation operation about to commence, he couldn't afford any more anomalies. Although today's incident seemed insignificant, it was likely recorded by certain security personnel and secretly passed on to the headquarters and competitors. Therefore, he couldn't afford any more mistakes.
The Resonator immediately approached Zhao Qian, placed a hand on the Boundary Token, and the other on Zhao Qian's shoulder. Blue bioelectric light flashed in their eyes.
Zhao Qian felt a tingling sensation, like being electrocuted, which was necessary for transmitting strong commands. This could also be done at Boundary 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." and stepped back to their original position.
Zhao Qian turned to his assistant and instructed, "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 uncomposed or problematic. He had to handle the current situation first, and then deal with 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.
It had been almost five months since he last participated in operations. The recent activities had nothing to do with him, and it seemed like his presence made no difference. If he didn't show up this time, there would be no point in staying.
Although he had offered to step down after this operation, it was to stabilize certain individuals within 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 Boundary Token. He saw the caller and quickly accepted the call, speaking respectfully, "Director Xing."
The voice on the other end said, "The escort time has been confirmed. Remember to handle it well." and ended the call.
Zhao Qian realized that the conversation was a pre-recorded message. The director didn't even bother with a proper conversation, causing Zhao Qian's eyes to narrow slightly.
He took a moment to steady his breath and checked the time on his Boundary Token. Then, he contacted his assistant again, "The specific time has been confirmed. Arrange the convoy and coordinate with the municipal authorities..."
In the blink of an eye, several days passed.
On April 27th, Wu Bei, who had been closely monitoring the city's transportation network, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. After a careful examination, he contacted Chen Chuan and said, "Chen, it's happening. Tomorrow, the municipal transportation will comply with Union Vast Control's request and adjust several road sections."
Chen Chuan acknowledged, "Received. Thank you for your hard work, Wu Bei."
"It's no trouble."
In the apartment, Chen Chuan ended the call and turned to Gao Ming, "It seems like Union Vast Control's transportation operation is happening tomorrow."
Indeed, they couldn't ascertain the exact departure time of Union Vast Control's convoy, but armed convoys always notified the municipality one or two days in advance.
The municipality had no obligation to conceal this information, and by knowing this, they could accurately predict the departure time and make their preparations.
Gao Ming added, "According to Anta Corporation's recently disclosed intelligence analysis, Union Vast Control's convoy is likely to depart at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. The timing is extremely precise."
Chen Chuan asked, "Is there a possibility they might change the time?"
Gao Ming responded, "Even if they adjust, it won't exceed one or two days. But there's no need to, as these transportation operations are immediately known to major companies once the convoy is dispatched. It's impossible to keep it a secret."
Chen Chuan concluded, "Then we'll wait until tomorrow."
On April 28th, in the early morning, a convoy consisting of twenty-five armed vehicles and three heavy transport trucks departed from Union Vast Control's headquarters.
Large companies like Union Vast Control had government-issued temporary weapon permits, and outside the Central City, no one really monitored these matters.
Zhao Qian sat in the middle of the armored vehicle, equipped with a small bio-field organism. This vehicle allowed the entire convoy to communicate via boundary tokens even after leaving Central City.
Beside him was a Third Limit Fighter named Chi Duan, a person cultivated by the Zhao Family during their heyday, tasked with handling matters that Zhao Qian couldn't address directly. Chi Duan accompanied Zhao Qian on every transport operation.
The security captain of the entire convoy, known as "You Sun," was dispatched by the headquarters.
Although everyone, including You Sun, was nominally under Zhao Qian's command, the security team was actually led by You Sun. If they encountered any issues during the journey, You Sun would immediately contact headquarters via radio instead of seeking Zhao Qian's opinion.
Looking at the two-wheeled motor vehicles flanking the convoy, Zhao Qian had an inexplicable feeling that this escort mission might not go as smoothly as expected. However, the convoy's heavy armaments gave him confidence.
Leaning against the car window, Zhao Qian watched the passing scenery, running his fingers through his grayish-white hair. He believed that he could overcome any minor issues that might arise.
In Room 1 of the 49th floor of Xuan Gong Tower, Chen Chuan stood by the window, gazing at the morning sun. At that moment, his boundary token rang, and Wu Bei's voice came through, "Chen, they're on their way out."
"Okay."
Chen Chuan stepped away from the window, turning his back to the morning sun. He put on the protective suit, windbreaker, mask, top hat, and scarf that had been issued to him by the Ministry of Administration. Lastly, he donned the protective gloves, tightening them securely.
Reaching out, he took the Xuejun Blade from the knife rack, drew it out, and sheathed it after a moment's inspection. He then left the dormitory, took the elevator directly to the underground garage, and as he exited the elevator, he pressed his boundary token, saying to Wu Bei, "I'm heading out now."
"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 rumble of the engine, the car left the underground garage and drove onto the road, heading swiftly towards the western part of the city.
Although the Union Vast Control convoy had set off earlier than Chen Chuan, he wasn't anxious. Even though the Monster had a certain distance limitation when activated, it was still effective within an hour's drive. This time, he planned to strike when the armed team was far enough from Central City.
When he and Gao Ming were formulating the plan, Chen Chuan initially thought it might be better to ambush them on their return journey. The team would be at their most alert and well-prepared right after departure.
However, Gao Ming analyzed the situation and pointed out that Zhao Qian had a decisive side. At critical moments, he was willing to make sacrifices. When Ink Orchid Corporation had not yet collapsed, Zhao Qian had already cut ties with the Zhao Family. As a result, he hadn't gained much of the family's wealth, and their downfall didn't implicate him.
Currently, the circumstances were not in Zhao Qian's favor. If he chose not to return or settled in another Central City, it would be difficult to deal with him.
Moreover, Zhao Qian could still hire assassins through certain platforms after reaching his destination. He might even wait for the impact to subside before returning. This was something they hadn't anticipated.
Chen Chuan eventually agreed with Gao Ming's suggestion, although he had expressed more conservative views in front of Gao Ming. However, he was confident in using the Monster to deal with Zhao Qian.
Chen Chuan had witnessed Yawen's success in previous missions targeting certain companies' middle management. This indicated that managers at this level often struggled to defend against such Monster attacks.
Even though Chen Chuan had modified the covenant, potentially reducing the Monster's power, a severe injury could still be enough to incapacitate the target. The convoy's medical conditions were inferior to those in Central City, and their only option would be to return the injured person for treatment.
However, it was unlikely for the convoy] to turn back just for one person, effectively splitting up the team. This was the only interval they could exploit.
Additionally, Zhao Qian was a Class B client for city security. Once he returned to the city, security teams would immediately respond to assist him.
Simultaneously, Zhao Qian was also a Level 3 client for parallel emergency medical care. Even with severe injuries, as long as the person was found, the emergency team could potentially save them. Therefore, it was crucial to prevent him from re-entering the city and ensure he was blocked outside.
There was also an extreme scenario to consider: the Monster might not work at all, or even if the target was severely injured, they might remain hidden within the convoy.
Although the probability was small, it didn't mean it couldn't happen. In such a case, they might have to temporarily abandon the mission, as a direct assault with their current resources wouldn't be wise.
Chen Chuan drove for over an hour, reaching the outskirts of the city's west side. He stopped at a pre-prepared small house, exited with the Xuejun Blade in hand, and received a message that the convoy had left Central City over twenty minutes ago. In a short while, it would be time to launch the Monster.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
