Chapter 370: The Old Place
Chapter 370: The Old Place
On the seventh day of September, the Wu Yi Academy was bustling with students rushing up and down the elevators. After each class, they hurried to their next classroom, a sight rarely seen in the past.
Chen Chuan felt that since his arrival half a semester ago, the vast Xuan Gong Mansion had been nearly empty of students most of the time. This was because the students spent most of their time outside, and even if they failed a course, they could simply pay their way through.
However, with the new rule of downgrading evaluation scores, many students found themselves in a panic, desperate to avoid being sent to the arena as test subjects. The only way out was to study hard.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, Chen Chuan's casual demeanor as he entered and exited the academy seemed out of place.
Upon reaching the Third Limit, evaluation scores no longer constrained him. Moreover, fighters at this limit had more opportunities to acquire wealth and also enjoyed a certain social status. If he had no greater ambitions, this would have been enough.
But his unfettered thoughts clashed with the reality of the world before him. He had to continue climbing upwards, ensuring he possessed sufficient strength, or at least the ability to protect himself, before the Great Collision arrived.
As the Processing Bureau had yet to finalize their plan, these days were free of distractions beyond training. He decided to visit the address left by his parents.
In the morning, he contacted Wu Bei, asking for assistance in concealing his whereabouts. Then, he drove his Garde vehicle out of the Xuan Gong Mansion.
To ensure no mishaps, he didn't drive directly to his destination. Instead, he drove to the outpost he had used to leave the city previously and parked there.
From there, he exited the city, using his Second Self to conceal his field information before returning. This guaranteed that no means could track him.
The address was not found on the Boundary Vessel initially, but it was marked on an old map. He spent over two hours to reach the location.
It was a high-end apartment building located at the edge of the Deep Frontier Zone, with security patrols all around.
It made sense; if this place had been uninhabited for a long time or was located in a remote area, given the Jinbei Province Central City's security situation, it would likely have been invaded by thieves or squatters, making it impossible to safeguard the contents within.
Unwilling to expose himself, he climbed in from the edge, using his Second Self to conceal his presence, easily entering without alerting anyone. He climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and reached Room 501.
He took out the key he had obtained from the old house and tried it. Indeed, it opened the door with a single turn. Stepping inside, he gently closed the door behind him.
Just then, he heard footsteps coming from within the room, as if someone was moving around. He glanced at the dust on the desk, unmoved.
Surveying the room, he noticed similarities in the furniture and layout to his old home, indicating the person who had arranged it shared similar living habits.
After a quick look around without finding anything, he entered the nearest room, where the door was ajar. Inside, there was no one, and the footsteps had long faded.
He searched both this room and the adjacent two rooms, finding nothing of use. It seemed like a simple residence. However, the Estate Ownership Certificate remained, still bearing his name.
His parents couldn't have just left him an apartment in the Central City, could they? That wouldn't require such complexity.
There must be something else.
He recalled a memory from his previous life when he was young, and returned to the room. He pulled out the entire drawer and, on the underside, found a key stuck to it.
He examined the key, noticing a 'Wan' character and a string of numbers engraved on it.
This was... a key to Wansheng Bank's vault?
This must be the most important item.
Placing the key in his pocket, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he thoroughly inspected the place once more, inside and out, ensuring nothing else was overlooked. Only then did he depart, heading straight for Wansheng Bank.
Wansheng Bank had branches in most Central Cities worldwide, even in fringe cities and chaotic regions, with its sub-branches and exchange offices making it a top global bank from the Da Shun Republic.
The Jinbei Province Central City branch was located in the Wei Guang District, with its own active consciousness and independent security system.
Upon arrival, Chen Chuan presented the key, and a manager named Wan came forward, maintaining a polite smile. "Sir, the client who deposited the items requested that besides the key, a token of trust be presented by the guest."
Chen Chuan's thoughts raced, and he produced the black card from the Old Company.
Only this could serve as a token of trust.
The manager took the black card and asked Chen Chuan to wait for a moment. He then retrieved a document from his bag, compared it with the information on the embedded boundary token, and nodded in satisfaction. He returned the item to Chen Chuan and stood up from his seat, saying, "Please follow me, sir."
Chen Chuan stood up and followed the manager into the elevator, which led them to the underground vault. Along the way, the manager explained, "This is Wan Sheng Financial's Class C Independent Vault. There are sixty-four identical storage cabinets with the same code. Every three hours, the encoder will generate a new set of sorting passwords."
"If the cabinets are not opened in the correct order, even with the key, you won't be able to find the right storage cabinet. After three incorrect attempts, the entire vault will be locked down, and it can only be tried again after three days..."
Chen Chuan was led into the vault and stopped in front of a single cabinet. The manager gave him some instructions and then bowed slightly before retreating.
Chen Chuan waited for the manager to leave and then proceeded to open each cabinet door according to the newly generated code sequence.
Even with the prompts, Chen Chuan worked swiftly, making no mistakes, but it still took him around two minutes to complete the entire process, something an average person would take at least seven or eight minutes to accomplish. He couldn't help but wonder what was so important that his parents had placed so much value in it.
As he inserted the key into the last cabinet door, he heard a series of turning sounds from behind, and a drawer slid out slightly. He took a step back and pulled the drawer open a bit further, revealing a package wrapped neatly in packing paper.
Chen Chuan took out the package and placed it on the table nearby. He carefully unwrapped it, trying not to damage the original packaging. Inside was a small password-protected lockbox that required a password to open.
Password...
He remembered the string of numbers he had received along with the address and entered it into the lockbox.
The password was correct, and with a click, the lockbox opened, revealing two glass vials inside. One was red, and the other was blue.
There was also a note beside the vials, written in the handwriting of his biological mother. The note explained that the blue vial contained a memory needle and described its function.
This was a memory duplication technology drug that could only be used between direct relatives. It allowed for the transfer and sharing of critical information and memories.
Chen Chuan picked up the blue vial and injected it into his hand. He wasn't worried, even if there were any side effects, as his second self would handle it.
After the injection, Chen Chuan didn't experience any immediate effects, as memory transfer required some time. Sometimes, the effects would manifest during sleep, and other times, they would appear unexpectedly, not as quickly as one might expect.
Since he had already obtained it, Chen Chuan wasn't in a hurry. He figured he would eventually find out what the vial contained.
As for the contents of the other vial, the note didn't mention it, implying that the information would be revealed through the transferred memories.
At this point, Chen Chuan couldn't help but think about the direct-relative memory transfer technology used in the vials. If his original self had truly died on that day without his later replacement, and if the vials were discovered by someone else, perhaps the contents would never be known to outsiders.
Chen Chuan didn't take the other vial with him. Instead, he put it back into the drawer, locked it, and placed it in the storage cabinet.
Before coming down, he had inquired about the storage cabinet, which had been in service for thirteen years, and the storage fees had been paid for twenty years in advance. This meant it would be available until he turned twenty-five years old.
Leaving the vault, Chen Chuan bid farewell to the manager and signed another document before leaving Wan Sheng Financial. As soon as he stepped out of the main entrance, a memory flashed in his mind—a perspective from the steps of Wan Sheng Financial, looking upwards and then slowly ascending.
Chen Chuan realized that the memory transfer was taking effect, triggered by encountering a scene in reality that matched his memory.
Just as he was about to continue "remembering," a notification sound came from the boundary token he had just used.
He glanced at the message, which was an invitation from Qing Nang Yu Fang, inviting him to continue the drug trial. It also included a message from Supervisor Fan Qingshan:
"Executor Chen, we have learned about your situation, and congratulations on becoming a Tier Three Fighter. Based on our previous good cooperation, we will continue to offer you drugs at a discounted price."
Supervisor Fan Qingshan then added, "The world is changing rapidly, and everyone needs to find their position and path early on. If Executor Chen is willing to join Qing Nang Yu Fang after completing his studies, we will provide you with excellent treatment and conditions. If you have made a decision, please contact me."
The voice message ended.
Chen Chuan stood on the steps, looking at the flashing lights on the building's display screen, the constant flow of people and vehicles below, and then up towards the sky. He walked down the steps and along the avenue in front of him, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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