Chapter 415: The Cavern
Chapter 415: The Cavern
Liang Guanghai raised his hand, and a map of various central cities appeared on the table, marked with annotations. He tapped on several locations, his expression turning solemn as he spoke.
"Last year, a gap appeared on the holographic screen, affecting several central cities, including our Ji Bei Dao. We suffered significant casualties, and not only that, but we also had many unmonitored areas, leading to unforeseen situations."
"This loophole hasn't been completely sealed, and it's clear that some of them have crossed over from the other side to our territory. For instance, Meng Huang, from the Fusion Boundary Corporation, whom you dealt with before, might have been possessed by one of them. We've handled many cases, but it's hard to say if any have slipped through the net."
"The main personnel at the Handling Bureau are still investigating this matter, and we suspect an internal issue when the gap appeared on the screen."
He raised his hand again, and a holographic screen appeared behind him, displaying a man.
Chen Chuan glanced at the man, who wore a half-face mask and a protective windbreaker. His cheeks were hollow, and deep wrinkles surrounded his eyes, which were sharp and penetrating. He seemed to be in his mid-forties.
"Chen Bitong, a Tier Three Fighter and an excellent fighter approaching the level of a Martial Artist. He was in the vicinity when the incident occurred, and he leads a small team that has been stationed at the World Ring Frontline, with notable achievements. Moreover, he has a certain background."
"The investigation team has looked into him without finding any issues, but his suspicion cannot be entirely ruled out. According to the analysis report, even if he wasn't personally involved, someone close to him is highly likely to be connected to this matter."
Liang Guanghai turned to Chen Chuan, "Executor Chen, your record is clean, your background is reliable, and your combat capabilities are sufficient. So, we will temporarily assign you to a region near his frequent haunts."
"You don't need to do anything special or deliberately interact with anyone. If you come across him, just observe from a distance and record what you see and hear."
Chen Chuan nodded, "I understand."
Liang Guanghai said, "I know you still have an ongoing mission, so I'll give you some time to wrap it up. Report to me by the end of the month."
He handed over a Boundary Token, and the woman re-entered the conference room, holding a box.
She placed the box on the table and opened it, revealing another Boundary Token.
"This Boundary Token is specially made by the Defense Department," Liang Guanghai explained. "It has strong anti-interference capabilities and self-repair functions, adaptable to various combat environments. It contains a wealth of information, including guidelines and specific details about Chen Bitong. Take it with you and review it at your leisure. When you engage in defense missions, use this token."
"Executor Chen, do you have any questions?" Liang Guanghai asked.
Chen Chuan thought for a moment, "None for now."
"In that case, let's conclude today's discussion."
The woman stepped aside and gestured for Chen Chuan to follow her. After escorting Chen Chuan out, she returned to the conference room.
Liang Guanghai turned to the woman, "Well?"
A hint of black mist flickered in her eyes as she replied, "No issues found. His body is clean, and his Field Domain is stable. It's certain he hasn't been invaded or infected."
Liang Guanghai spoke in a low voice, "This is the current situation, but it doesn't guarantee the future. I hope that when he arrives there, he won't be swayed by the Fusionists."
"If the Specialist has faith in him, wouldn't it be better to let him mature for a year or two?" the woman asked.
Liang Guanghai shook his head, "I also wish for talent to be nurtured gradually, but after the last incident, we've lost a large number of personnel. Those traitors are still active, and the current situation is dire. Despite supplementing our forces with personnel from various sources, it's still insufficient. Currently, we can only rely on the available talent."
After a moment's consideration, he instructed, "Send a suggestion to the Handling Bureau, requesting that they offer more favorable terms regarding his treatment and benefits."
The woman agreed, "Yes, Specialist."
After Chen Chuan left the Handling Bureau and returned to his vehicle, he received a message from Wu Bei.
"Chen, I've been keeping an eye on that building you mentioned. I spotted two suspicious individuals, but their movements were shielded, making it impossible to track them beyond the Deep Uncharted Zone. I tried to trace the blocking signal, but to no avail."
Wu Bei raised his voice, "The opposition is formidable. However, I've set up response signals around you, so if they appear again, I should be able to detect them."
Chen Chuan's heart stirred slightly, and he said, "Thank you, Wu Bei."
He pondered for a moment, surprised that even Wu Bei, with his Resonance Nest, couldn't track these two individuals. They must have both the skills and equipment, indicating an extraordinary background.
His thoughts turned to the warning from the Lower City District, but he quickly dismissed it. After all, he hadn't told anyone in the Upper City when he would return, so it was impossible for them to have sent someone to wait for him here.
As the man recalled the other party's words, he believed that since the person had left, it was highly likely that they were affiliated with a faction from the Upper District. He carefully replayed the events in his mind, piecing together some clues, but couldn't be entirely sure.
However, he didn't think it was worth dwelling on too much. The other party was likely just observing his movements and waiting for an opportunity to make a move. He decided to remain vigilant and keep a close eye on the situation.
After getting into his car, he drove towards Lu Lan Lake. The last time he heard from Officer Qiu, he learned that Xu Xian Wen had a hideout hidden in an underground river nearby. Since he was in the area, he decided to take the opportunity to investigate.
Originally, he had planned to visit Cao Xuelang on his way through Mietie Mountain, but upon arriving at the estate, he noticed several luxury vehicles parked in the courtyard and many guests. As he hadn't informed them of his visit beforehand, he took a quick look and then left.
After driving north for a while, he passed Mietie Mountain and arrived at Lu Lan Lake. The location he was heading to was on the opposite side of the lake, and the quickest route was to cross the lake itself rather than follow the lengthy shoreline.
He got out of the car and quickened his pace, parting the reeds along the shore and stepping onto the lake's surface. With a ripple of water, he moved swiftly towards his destination.
After six or seven minutes, he neared the location and sank into the water with a splash. Adjusting his body, he swam towards a spot in the lake.
With the guidance of the Boundary Token and its comparison function, he quickly located a submerged cave, but the water current there was unusually swift.
This didn't pose much of a problem for him; he simply followed the current into the cave. Despite several bumps along the way, his robust physique remained unharmed.
After swimming for about half a mile, he approached the underwater river and saw clusters of light above. He knew he was close, so he accelerated upwards and emerged from a small pool.
As he stepped onto solid ground, steam rose from his body, drying his clothes. He surveyed his surroundings and realized he was in a cave. A mining lamp hung above, emitting a blinding, hot glow, indicating that the generator was still running, likely powered by a sufficient supply of algae oil.
He circled the cave, which was not very large, estimating it to be around 50 square meters. It was divided into three large and two small spaces, with a narrow path leading to a forest at the back. This path seemed to be the reason for the presence of several lizards specifically bred to prey on insects and ants.
In the largest space, there was a wardrobe, a bed for resting, and a bedside table. Wooden boards were attached to the cave wall, creating a makeshift shelf.
On the shelf were several bottles of medication, a box of nutritional cream, and even some special medication. However, there were only two bottles of the latter, and he couldn't tell if they were originally few in number or if some had been used. From their appearance, they seemed to be from the Fusion Boundary Company, most likely provided by Meng Huang.
He inspected the bedside table and wardrobe, finding valuable items and identity cards. There was some money, around 200,000 to 300,000, a gold ticket from the Wansheng Bank, a dagger, and a pistol.
It seemed that this place was just a transit point and wouldn't hold anything of significant value.
However, he soon made another discovery.
Behind the wardrobe, there was a movable panel concealing a hidden compartment. Inside, he found a set of thick books carefully wrapped in waterproof cloth.
He removed the cloth and examined the books, which were three volumes of the Venomous Snake Sect's scriptures. They appeared old, but every edge was neatly trimmed, indicating careful preservation.
Chen Chuan flipped through the pages, noticing that each one was made from a particular type of animal skin, with characters carved and painted in a vermilion-like substance.
The first book contained the sect's doctrine, which he quickly skimmed over, as such ancient teachings could be easily found on the Venomous Snake Sect's online platform and were no longer of interest, even to the sect's followers.
The second book was more practical, filled with secret ritual patterns. He glanced through it and found that it didn't exceed the information provided by Director Lei.
As expected, the third book was about martial arts, detailing various secret techniques of the Venomous Snake Sect, including the Mystic Snake Power.
However, this information was superficial. It only mentioned how to guide breathing, which mutated tissues to focus on, and what medications to take during the process, without providing any real insights.
The true secrets were not revealed here. If this book fell into the wrong hands, it would be impossible to master the techniques solely based on its contents.
Interestingly, the book did describe the characteristics and abilities that could be achieved at each limit, and after reading through the descriptions of the first three limits, he noticed that the book still had considerable thickness remaining.
A thought crossed his mind: Could there be more?
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
