Chapter 445: The Tea Gathering
Chapter 445: The Tea Gathering
The following afternoon, Chen Chuan emerged from the dormitory and met up with two of his teammates before heading to the tea gathering.
Although the invitation was extended solely to him, the invitee was allowed to bring a few companions. Yuan Qiuyuan, upon learning of the invitation the previous day, expressed his desire to join as well. Considering they were a squad and would likely be assigned to Chen Bitong in the future, he decided to include Qin Qingque as well.
When the trio arrived, many people were already present, chatting in groups of three or five while holding wine glasses.
The attendees included both men and women, all dressed in low-ranking officer uniforms, likely the ones who had arrived by train. Their common trait was their youthful appearance, and one could distinctly sense the air of military aristocracy about them.
Chen Chuan, through his field technique, could discern that many of them had undergone implant modifications, which was clearly not the typical path for a fighter.
This further confirmed his previous judgment: these individuals were not proteges under Chen Bitong's guidance, nor did they require his mentorship. They were representatives of a faction, here to express their support and provide a platform for Chen Bitong.
The reason for choosing this location for the meeting was that, in a few days, Chen Bitong would be leaving the Convergence Zone for a vacation in Central City, making this his final stop before departing the Convergence Zone.
Yuan Qiuyuan glanced around and noticed the long table filled with exquisite tea snacks and top-quality beverages. The air was permeated with a sweet and cloying scent, all of which were delicacies not usually seen in the outpost's restaurant. These were undoubtedly transported specially from Central City by train.
He also recognized the features of the military aristocracy and asked Qin Qingque beside him, "Executor Qin, do you know anyone here?"
Qin Qingque shook her head, "I don't recognize anyone."
The crowd also noticed the arrival of Chen Chuan and his teammates. Although there were many people, Chen Chuan's youth and the fact that he already donned the uniform of an Executive Captain drew the attention of many.
The handsome man approached and greeted Chen Chuan, "Hello, Captain Chen. I'm Zhan Yi."
Chen Chuan examined his uniform and rank insignia and recognized him as another Executive Captain, though he appeared to be a decade older, looking to be in his thirties. "Greetings, Captain Zhan."
Zhan Yi said, "My teacher wishes to meet you. Please come with me."
Chen Chuan replied, "Then I'd be honored to be introduced."
After informing his teammates, he followed Zhan Yi to where Chen Bitong was conversing with Captain Lai Wu. Several resident officers and staff members were also present, but like the previous day, the outpost's main officials were conspicuously absent.
"Teacher, this is Captain Chen," Zhan Yi introduced as he approached. The officers and staff members also turned to look.
Chen Bitong glanced at Chen Chuan and said, "Young man, we met yesterday."
Those around were taken aback. Yesterday? When did they meet?
Chen Chuan understood he was referring to their previous spiritual field encounter and explained, "I was indeed present when welcoming Instructor Chen. I didn't expect him to notice me from such a distance."
The crowd finally understood.
Chen Bitong spoke slowly, "An outstanding and exceptional young man, even in a crowd, can be noticed at a glance."
A resident staff member smiled and said, "Instructor Chen's judgment in people is indeed accurate. Captain Chen, the one who defeated the Iron Demon and resolved a major problem for our region, is a rare talent."
One officer, curious, asked, "Captain Chen, how did you defeat the Iron Demon? The report didn't provide many details. Now that you're here, could you share the story with us?"
The crowd showed similar interest, and some of the younger officers nearby gathered closer.
To be honest, most of them weren't particularly interested in specific fighting techniques or skills; they wouldn't understand them anyway.
They preferred the convenience of high-quality implants with fewer side effects and minimal visible signs, except for those with exceptional talent. Most chose the easy path rather than enduring the hardships of training and cultivation.
However, they were intrigued by stories of combat, especially those involving enemies like the Iron Demon, who had a certain reputation.
Chen Chuan, noticing Chen Bitong's gaze, said, "There's nothing I can't share."
He briefly recounted that night's events: the surprise attack, the decision to take the initiative, and ultimately, the victory in the face-to-face battle against the Iron Demon.
He didn't embellish or exaggerate the story, keeping it simple and straightforward. While it might not sound extraordinary, he emphasized that without the deceptive intelligence from the Intelligence Department, the Iron Demon wouldn't have returned to fight them so easily. Therefore, he believed the Intelligence Department deserved at least half the credit.
In the room, a staff officer spoke up, "This is probably because only Captain Chen's squad was in pursuit at the time, so the Iron Demon thought he had you all figured out." He turned around, looked at the crowd, and smiled, "But no one expected Captain Chen's exceptional strength, and he ended up there in the end."
As he spoke, he lightly clapped his hands, and the people around politely followed suit. To be honest, many in the room were disappointed after hearing Chen Chuan's description; it wasn't as thrilling and heart-pounding as they had imagined, not stimulating at all.
Standing beside him, Zhan Yi noticed something else, "Captain Chen, I heard you say that the Iron Demon experienced an aberration at the end?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Yes, his metamorphosis organization grew beyond his body's surface, and as a result, he acquired robust protective abilities and strength. However, due to this, his body exhibited uncoordinated conditions, and overall, he was less adept than before."
At this moment, Chen Bitong spoke up, "The Iron Demon should have become a Demoghost."
"A Demoghost..." Zhan Yi frowned.
The staff officer then said, "Captain Zhan has been abroad for a long time and has just arrived at the Convergence Zone, so he might not be clear about the situation here. The old imperial family in the Convergence Zone has long merged with the Demoghosts. In the past, they would bestow the Demoghost identity upon some of the royal family's offspring who showed promise, allowing them to acquire strength beyond ordinary people.
Well, this is active transformation, and it is said that this activation technology is controllable. Not only can people maintain their original sanity, but they can also achieve higher potential.
However, the situation may have changed now. Not only some of the royal family but also some of the ennobled samurai who are valued can undergo activation transformation. They consider this a great honor.
But I guess this Iron Demon might not have been activated for long, or there might be some technical issues, and he didn't truly merge well, so that problem occurred."
A young officer seemed very interested in the matter of Demoghosts and couldn't help but ask, "Fa Shuofan, do we have this technology in Dashun?"
Fa Shuofan smiled and said, "Our Dashun government would never do such a thing, but it's hard to say for some companies. They might do it secretly. They can maintain their original sanity and achieve higher potential."
He didn't seem to want to talk more on this topic, smiling at Chen Chuan, "Fortunately, this Iron Demon was dealt with by Captain Chen, or else, when his fusion degree gets higher, in the future, he might become an even more challenging opponent."
This time, there was another round of applause, slightly more enthusiastic than before.
However, at this moment, another discordant voice sounded, "Captain Chen, I noticed in your report that you stayed outside for a night while pursuing the Iron Demon. You used a secret sect ceremony to resist the Convergence Zone's night, it seems Captain Chen knows a lot about secret sect ceremonies."
Everyone turned around and saw a tall officer in a Discipline Department uniform standing there, wearing round glasses and a center-parted hairstyle, smiling at Chen Chuan at this moment.
Seeing this person raise this question, everyone looked at each other, revealing a knowing smile.
Secret sect ceremonies are closely monitored in Dashun, and some are strictly prohibited. But Chen Chuan understands these, where did he learn them? Did he join some sect?
Chen Chuan calmly said, "I do understand some. When I was in school, I came into contact with some abnormal cases and was once supported and responded to by the secret sect inspection department, so I learned a bit about this.
Actually, if it weren't for later enrolling in the Imperial Samurai of Center City, I might be working in the secret sect inspection department today, instead of coming to the Convergence Zone to fight people."
"Is that so..." The tall officer stared at him for a few moments, then smiled and didn't say anything more.
At this time, Chen Chuan looked towards Chen Bitong's direction, walked two steps forward, and reached his side, saying, "Instructor Chen, I'd like to ask you a question."
Chen Bitong wore a half-face mask, his face deeply etched with lines, appearing very stern. But at this moment, his tone was gentle, "Captain Chen, what do you want to ask?"
Chen Chuan said, "When I fought the Iron Demon, I discovered he had a certain sense for impending danger. This side of the outpost also knows this; he often avoids the most dangerous places. I'd like to ask, is this ability some kind of fighting skill, or does it come from his Demoghost identity?"
Hearing this question, everyone looked at each other, revealing a knowing smile.
However, Chen Bitong didn't directly answer this question but said, "Captain Chen, after I return this time, I'll be in Center City, focusing on recuperation. I'll probably open a training guidance class with a friend's funding. Captain Chen, if you have time, you can come to me, and I'll give you an answer at that time."
Chen Chuan looked at him, setting aside his position and the problems behind it, this person definitely has real skills. If he can teach me something, it will be beneficial to me, so he said, "Instructor Chen, I'll come."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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