Chapter 310: The Serpent's Robe
Chapter 310: The Serpent's Robe
On May 2nd, Chen Chuan received a message from the Processing Bureau through his Boundary Token, requesting his presence at their headquarters in Wuding District. They had some questions for him.
"Is it finally happening?" he thought to himself.
He had expected the Bureau to contact him within a day or two after the incident with Zhao Qian, but several days had passed without any word. Perhaps the matter was discovered later than he thought?
Just then, his Boundary Token buzzed again. It was Ni Qianqian, so he accepted the call, "Sister Ni?"
Ni Qianqian asked, "Did you receive the message from the Bureau asking you to come in for questioning?"
"Yes, but I don't know what they want to ask."
"It's about Zhao Qian. He's gone missing. Did you know that?"
Chen Chuan was taken aback, "Missing? I know he's dead, but I had no idea he went missing."
"Yes, that's the matter."
Ni Qianqian said, "Didn't you accuse him of hiring people to attack you? Because of this conflict, some people at the Bureau suspect that you might be involved in his disappearance."
Chen Chuan sincerely replied, "I assure you, his disappearance has nothing to do with me."
"It doesn't matter if there's a connection."
Ni Qianqian's tone was dismissive, "The evidence you provided is right there. Instead of seeking justice for their own, some people are more concerned with how to use this incident to their advantage, without even offering you any comfort. If they don't consider you as one of their own, then you shouldn't bother yourself with them."
Chen Chuan already understood the situation. He asked, "Sister Ni, is there anything I should pay attention to during the questioning?"
Ni Qianqian said, "Nothing much. What can they really do to you? Just answer their questions, and that's it."
Chen Chuan nodded, "I understand. Thank you, Sister Ni."
After ending the call, he changed his clothes and arrived at the Processing Bureau's headquarters in Wuding District as agreed. Upon his arrival, he was escorted to an office, offered a cup of tea, and asked a few questions. On the surface, they were polite and didn't create an uncomfortable atmosphere.
But in less than half an hour, he was escorted out.
Once outside, on his way to the parking lot to retrieve his car, Chen Chuan spoke to Gao Ming, "Gao Ming, I'm out. They did ask those questions, but they didn't go into much detail, just as you predicted."
Gao Ming's voice came through, "Cousin, their questioning is more about following a self-examination procedure. No matter who does the questioning, they have to go through the motions.
Even if there's direct evidence, they won't expose the truth and target you, their own investment. After all, Zhao Qian is already dead. Right now, you're undoubtedly more valuable. Once you achieve Tier Three, they'll act as if this incident never happened.
No matter how you look at it, Tier Three is a watershed moment."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "It won't be long."
Inside the Processing Bureau's building, a middle-aged man with sharp eyes, wearing a uniform and a wide-brimmed hat, stood at a high window, watching Chen Chuan's departure.
Someone behind him said, "Director Wu, this must be related to him."
Director Wu replied, "Zhao Qian is already dead. There's no point in digging deeper. And if Zhao Qian was indeed murdered, we should be glad that we'll have a highly promising fellow officer in the future."
The person behind him expressed skepticism, "One of us? I think he's more likely to join the Ministry of Administration."
Director Wu said, "A fellow officer is someone who shares the same ideals and goals. I can sense that, in the coming years, the contributions he'll make to the Bureau will far exceed the resources we've invested in him."
The person behind him remained silent.
Director Wu watched as Chen Chuan drove away and asked in a low voice, "What's the response from Union Vast Control?"
The person behind him immediately answered, "No reaction so far."
"It seems they were prepared to give up on Zhao Qian. So, this matter ends here."
Director Wu glanced at his Boundary Token, where an image of Zhao Qian's skull appeared. He said solemnly, "Send a report to the higher-ups, confirming that Zhao Qian, a member of the Zhao family in Yangzhi City, is deceased. File and seal the case."
"Yes, sir."
On his drive back, Chen Chuan received another call from Ni Qianqian, who said, "I have some good news. The Bureau has just decided to grant you an additional hour of sunlight quota each month."
Chen Chuan was slightly surprised, "What's the reason?"
Ni Qianqian pouted, "They're giving you a carrot after hitting you with a stick."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said sincerely, "They can hit me with more sticks."
Ni Qianqian couldn't help but laugh, and Chen Chuan knew she had a low threshold for humor, so he remained calm.
After a while, Ni Qianqian calmed down and said, "Well, there's something else. Those young ones from the exchange program are still quite upset with you. They want a rematch. It can be with fists or weapons, and you'll be compensated, more than last time. It's up to you if you want to go."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Okay, Sister Ni, I'll consider it."
At the top of the Mystic Palace Tower, Ling Zhili sat in the garden hall, his fingers tapping on the chair's armrest. He was using his Boundary Token to communicate with someone, "Yes, Zhao Qian has gone missing."
He smiled, "There aren't that many coincidences in the world. Whether he achieved this through medication or had this ability all along, it proves that he's suitable to join our plan."
"He watched as one by one, the illusory birds with colorful wings flew past, landing and folding their wings on the ground. With a smile, he said, "Of course not now. Only by truly entering the Third Limit can one face the truth."
After Chen Chuan returned to the dormitory, he felt a sense of relief in his heart. Zhao Qian wasn't just a threat he had to face recently, but also a continuation of the Yangzhi City incident.
Zhao Qian's death meant that this matter could finally come to an end.
However, he guessed that someone must have intentionally leaked his information to Zhao Qian. Although he couldn't be entirely sure who it was, he instinctively thought of one person.
He remembered Wu Laoshi's reminder before his death, so he still needed to maintain a certain level of vigilance.
There was also the matter of Shen Xuelong's sister. Zhao Qian was dead, but they might find clues from the implant. He was waiting for news from Wu Bei. If they couldn't find anything there, they could think of other ways. At least without Zhao Qian's obstruction, investigating the matter would be more convenient.
In the 6th month, on the 19th day, a book bar, a look, no mistake!
In the following days, Chen Chuan continued his regular training and studies. With the improvement in his evaluation score, many non-public materials and books were made available to him, including some records from the Ancient Era and valuable rare books. Whenever he had free time, he would go and read them.
On the day before the rest day, Cao Guixi's butler, Ding Shu, contacted him.
"Young Master and the Serpent Sect have already been in touch. Due to the unique nature of the service, they will send someone to meet and discuss the matter with you, Chen. Whenever you're free, we can set a time."
Chen Chuan gave it some thought and said, "I'm available tomorrow."
Ding Shu said, "Then let's make it tomorrow. It's the rest day tomorrow, at 2 p.m. If it's convenient for you, Chen, please come."
Chen Chuan agreed and said yes.
The next day, after noon, he drove to Ink Sticker Mountain, and the person sent by the Serpent Sect had already arrived.
He was a man with skin ashen skin, a true beauty. However, there were obvious implants on his face and neck, and his eyes had been replaced with serpentine pupils. His hair was tied in a bun, and if it weren't for prior notice, one might mistake him for a woman at first glance.
After meeting, he introduced himself, "I am Zou Handan from the Serpent Sect. Mr. Cao recommended me as the guarantor for this project, and I'm in charge of providing the service to you, Mr. Chen."
His voice carried a hint of theatrical resonance, with a unique charm, as if someone on stage was speaking to you.
"But first, I must inform Mr. Chen that although our Serpent Sect's service has a high success rate, it also carries certain risks. If not handled with care or proper protection, it can be fatal. So, we will provide you with some information and ask that you confirm after reviewing it."
As he spoke, he took out a scroll and placed it on the table, sliding it towards Chen Chuan, "This is the information we provide. Mr. Chen, please review it, and if you agree, sign it after reading."
Chen Chuan picked up the scroll, untied the knot, and opened it in front of him. The content was half illustrations and half text, clearly outlining the evolution from its origins to the present.
Combatants in the past didn't have the conveniences of modern times. They spent their lives in pursuit and competition for secret elixirs. To break free from these shackles, the Serpent Sect, in the distant past of the Ancient Era, conceived an idea—to cultivate a special breed of snakes to assist in the cultivation of Combatants.
After generations of trials, even with long-term cultivation, the snakes still fell short of expectations. It wasn't until the New Era, after the Algal Revolution, that a breakthrough in biotechnology allowed the Serpent Sect to finally succeed.
The scroll was accompanied by illustrations in the traditional style, with the first one being a snake-catching scene. A Serpent Sect ancestor, with a snake basket on his back, ventured deep into the mountains to capture snakes.
The snakes in the illustrations were exaggerated, either bizarrely shaped, gigantic, or even with wings. The Serpent Sect ancestors often struggled to capture them, enduring countless hardships before finding suitable ones.
The second illustration depicted snake breeding, feeding the snakes with rare medicinal herbs, and using blood and body feeding methods from the Ancient Era.
The third illustration showed a person being swallowed by a snake, and in the fourth, the snake died, and the person emerged by tearing through the snake's skin.
"Serpent Shedding Technique."
Zou Handan waited for Chen Chuan to reach this part before slowly saying, "The founders of the Serpent Sect believed that shedding skin brought new life. After nine times, encountering lightning, the snake transforms into a dragon. If a person uses the snake's skin, shedding and transforming, they can also gain a new life."
He looked at Chen Chuan with his serpentine eyes, "As Mr. Chen can see, this service requires our specially bred snake to swallow Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen will need to remain in the snake's belly for a period of time to achieve the desired effect of this service. I wonder if Mr. Chen is willing to undergo this?"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
