Chapter 313: Off-Roll Student
Chapter 313: Off-Roll Student
In the Jinwei Beverage Shop, soothing melodies floated in the air, and gentle light illuminated the surroundings. The dazzling light screens outside the glass walls seemed distant from the bustling atmosphere at this moment.
Chen Chuan and Lu Fang sat facing each other, and after the server left with their drinks, Lu Fang, with a hint of anticipation, asked, "Chen, you called me here today. Have you found any leads?"
Chen Chuan replied, "There are some clues, but I can't be sure yet. This matter may require further investigation. To get the real result, we might need to wait a little longer."
Lu Fang understood perfectly and sighed, "Chen, thank you for your efforts. I didn't expect to know the result immediately. Every step in Central City is challenging, and I'm sure you've encountered many difficulties, especially with Zhao Qian blocking the way. I'm well aware of the difficulties here..."
Chen Chuan spoke up, "Zhao Qian isn't the problem. He's already dead."
Zhao Qian...
What?
Lu Fang was momentarily stunned, then he raised his head to look at Chen Chuan, his expression filled with hesitation and uncertainty. "Chen, did you just say..."
Chen Chuan spoke naturally, "Zhao Qian was part of a transport convoy, but due to a sudden acute condition, he had to leave the convoy and return to Central City. However, on his way back, he encountered an unknown force and is confirmed to be dead."
Lu Fang sat motionless for a while, and it took him some time to regain his composure. He gripped his cup tightly and exclaimed with excitement, "Good! He got what he deserved!"
His eyes slightly reddened, and he picked up the hot drink from the table, gulping it down in one go. He then placed the cup back on the table with a thud and exhaled a breath. He turned to Chen Chuan and nodded at him, implying that the unknown force was likely Chen Chuan's doing.
This junior, who had previously overthrown the Mutual Aid Society, had done it again by taking down Zhao Qian!
Lu Fang's voice carried a mix of sentiment and gratitude as he said, "Junior, I've always known that what we couldn't accomplish, only you could. Just like in Yangzhi City, you were the one who gave us hope!" He poured another cup of hot drink and offered it to Chen Chuan as a gesture of respect.
Chen Chuan also picked up his drink, and they toasted each other, slowly sipping their beverages.
At this moment, Lu Fang's emotions had settled, and he asked with a hint of anticipation, "Junior, you mentioned that there are some leads. Could you elaborate?"
Using the Boundary Vessel, Chen Chuan projected the scenes Wu Bei had shown him into Lu Fang's Boundary Vessel and said, "Based on the limited information we have, a young girl appeared beside Zhao Qian. She somewhat resembles the person we're looking for, but the clues are insufficient, and we can't confirm it yet."
Lu Fang examined the scenes for a while. Unlike Chen Chuan, he wasn't excited by the girl's resemblance to Shen Zheng. Instead, he frowned slightly upon seeing her kneeling before Zhao Qian. He seemed much calmer than before.
"Junior, can we find her?" Lu Fang asked.
"This scene is from inside the Lianwei Heavy Control Corporation, but this girl only appeared once, so she's probably not an employee but more like Zhao Qian's personal associate. This narrows down the search," Chen Chuan explained.
At this point, Chen Chuan sent Lu Fang a location, which Wu Bei had also shared with him earlier.
"This is the Xun Feng Yuan Residential Area. There's a private residence of Zhao Qian's here. According to the records, he visits this place once every two months. Since it's not his official residence, and the owner isn't registered under his name, if he has any secrets, they're likely hidden here. We might be able to find something if we investigate this place."
After reviewing the information, Lu Fang said solemnly, "Junior, you've already done so much for us. Let me handle this matter from here."
Chen Chuan replied, "Places like these usually have special field anchors, and intruding without preparation will alert the city patrol teams. So, when you're ready to go, let me know, and I'll find a technical expert to help you with the field anchor issue."
"Okay, I'll follow your lead," Lu Fang agreed.
Chen Chuan was confident in Lu Fang's abilities as a second-limit brawler and a graduate of Wu Yi Academy. Aside from third-limit brawlers, few could pose a threat to him.
As long as the technical issues were addressed, there shouldn't be any significant problems.
"Junior, we shouldn't delay. I'll go back and prepare," Lu Fang said.
Chen Chuan acknowledged with a 'yes.'
"Junior, then I'll take my leave." Lu Fang stood up and said, "I'll settle the bill today." After that, he went to the front desk to pay and then left the shop.
Chen Chuan looked out the glass window and noticed that Lu Fang's departing figure seemed less burdened than before. He leaned back into the soft sofa and quietly listened to the soothing music.
Half an hour later, Chen Chuan left the shop and crossed the plaza to return to the Xuan Gong Mansion. But as soon as he entered, he saw groups of students gathered in the lobby, all wearing Wu Yi Academy uniforms.
He was surprised because most of the junior students at the main campus spent most of their time training with various teachers, while the seniors were often employed by companies or the government, rarely seen on campus. The only time they gathered in large numbers was when using the Boundary Vessel.
Among the students, there were several of his peers, except for Tan Zhi and a few others, whom he had met through the Boundary Vessel. This situation was new to him.
As he took a closer look, he realized that all these students all had implants, and it dawned on him that these must be the off-roll students.
A few days ago, he had seen a notice on the academy's platform announcing the upcoming Combat Arena Tournament. Even off-roll students were recognized as part of Wu Yi Academy, and they were likely here for pre-tournament training. After all, the main campus had the best facilities, venues, and instructors.
These students had been engaged in lively discussions, but as he entered, their voices immediately lowered. As he walked by, all eyes were on him.
Off-roll students had complex feelings towards the regular students.
The arena battles they fought were often life-or-death affairs, as only such intensity could attract more spectators. They lived on the edge, longing for the superior environment of the regular students while also mocking them for hiding in offices, sipping hot drinks, and giving orders.
Chen Chuan entered the elevator, turned around, and watched as the two elevator doors slowly closed. Just before they fully shut, a hand suddenly reached out, and two off-roll students, each standing over two meters tall, stepped in. Fortunately, the elevator was spacious enough, so it didn't feel crowded.
As the doors closed, one of the students kept sizing up Chen Chuan. After a while, the elevator started to ascend, and a hint of provocation appeared in the student's eyes. "Hey, regular student, I've always wanted to know the difference between us. Can you give me a chance?"
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "We're all classmates. No need to be so formal."
The student immediately perked up. He flexed his wrist and then threw a punch. His eyes were fixed on Chen Chuan, while his other hand was hidden in his lower abdomen. When he had intentionally moved closer, he had found the perfect angle to strike.
Both were second-limit fighters, and in such a confined space, with an attack so swift and sudden, Chen Chuan couldn't muster enough strength to counter. If he tried to dodge or block, the other student would instantly adjust his movements accordingly. He was confident that Chen Chuan wouldn't be able to handle it.
He wanted to prove that off-roll students were no worse than the regular ones.
However, as this thought crossed his mind, he noticed that Chen Chuan didn't make any move to block, counterattack, or dodge. Instead, Chen Chuan unexpectedly took a step forward, slightly turning his body to the side, and his shoulder actively met the incoming punch. Before the punch could fully extend, it hit Chen Chuan's shoulder and was pushed back, carrying an incredibly powerful force that lifted the student's feet off the ground, and his back slammed into the elevator door.
The other student, seeing this, kicked out, aiming for Chen Chuan's back. This wasn't an intentional act of ganging up on him; it was a reflex. When two people are teammates on the arena, if one is at a disadvantage, the other will instinctively attack to distract and assist.
Chen Chuan, almost in sync with the kick, took a step forward, grabbed the other student's hand, and with a quick spin, avoided the kick and pulled the student back, then used the momentum to fling him towards the rear.
The student's kick missed, and as he stumbled forward, trying to regain his balance, he suddenly saw a figure rapidly approaching. He quickly raised his hand to block, but a powerful force rushed towards him, and both students fell to the ground, rolling into a ball until they hit the back wall of the elevator.
Chen Chuan watched as the two students quickly scrambled to their feet, instinctively assuming defensive postures. He addressed the student who had thrown the first punch, "Your punches are fast, but you overthink things. Be a bit more decisive next time." Then, he turned to the other student, "Your timing for kicking was excellent, but you're putting too much at stake. Leaving some room for retreat would be better."
Hearing this, both students were taken aback. Just then, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to the sides. Chen Chuan glanced at the display—the 28th floor. He stepped aside to make way.
The two students exchanged glances and then stepped out. Once outside, one of them turned back and said, "Cao Rui!"
Chen Chuan nodded and introduced himself, "Chen Chuan." The elevator doors slowly closed.
As the elevator ascended, the other student couldn't help but comment, "Cao Rui, he's really strong." He had noticed that Chen Chuan had only moved one hand, while his other hand holding the knife hadn't budged at all."
Cao Rui, feeling a mix of resentment and disappointment, asked, "Are all regular students this strong?"
He had achieved good rankings and results in the arena tournament and thought he wasn't far behind the regular students. Having experienced numerous life-or-death battles, he believed he could hold his own against a regular student of a similar limit, but the recent spar had dealt him a heavy blow.
The other student sighed, "Regular students have access to far more resources."
Cao Rui suddenly headed towards another elevator, pressed the button, and the other student, surprised, asked, "Where are you going?"
"You guys go ahead. I need to keep training," Cao Rui replied.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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