Chapter 452: Intermission
Chapter 452: Intermission
After placing the items in the Weapon Collection Room, Chen Chuan carefully positioned them in a corner and illuminated them with a light, causing each armor plate to glisten.
He then retrieved the repaired Iron Demon spear from the Iron Demon and placed it in the humanoid's hands, securing the movable joints. Stepping back, he examined his work and nodded in satisfaction.
Perfect, he thought.
Next, he took out the two ceremonial swords he had been awarded and the short sword confiscated from Feitong's office. After a quick polish with maintenance oil, he placed them in their designated spots.
Finally, he hung the Star Valor Pistol on the wall-mounted gun rack.
Although this trip hadn't yielded much, he believed that over time, this collection would grow.
After admiring his handiwork for a while, Chen Chuan left the villa and drove back to Xuan Gong Tower. As he entered the underground parking lot, he nodded towards the Vermillion Whisker above.
Parking his car and returning to his dorm, he freshened up and practiced his breathing meditation before retiring for the night.
The next morning, after his daily routine, he made a hot drink and stood by the window, gazing at the outside world from the corner of the tower.
The winter sunlight shone brightly, illuminating the room and casting long shadows behind him.
After a moment, he tapped his Boundary Token and logged into the Fusion Boundary Corporation's platform.
By participating in the Defense Program, he would not only gain access to special medication but also establish connections with higher-level forces.
Now, he could request a tutor from Wu Yi Academy to guide him on his cultivation path.
With a few quick taps, he accessed the relevant interface and submitted his application.
This time, he checked the option indicating his involvement in the Defense Program and sent the request.
After a brief wait, Vermillion Whisker's voice sounded in his ear: "Cadet Chen Chuan, your tutor application has been received. We need a few hours to verify your eligibility, so please be patient."
Chen Chuan pondered; the Convergence Zone's data must not have been updated yet, so he had no choice but to wait. He checked the time; it was already late December, and he could soon return to Yangzhi.
With this in mind, he sent a telegram to his family, informing them of his return in a couple of days.
Then, he contacted Old Qi to inquire about his recent situation.
Old Qi told him that Qi Qi had successfully transferred to Fusion Boundary Corporation with their help and that he had been hiding in the room arranged by Wu Bei. Everything was normal, and no one had caused them trouble.
However, to lay low and avoid attention, they had stayed indoors, and money was running low. They planned to wait until after the New Year to take on new commissions.
Wu Bei interjected, "I haven't seen anyone searching for Old Qi in the vicinity lately. I think they either gave up or found the real culprit."
Chen Chuan acknowledged, "That's for the best, but we can't be careless. During the New Year, I won't be in Central City. Old Qi, if you need money, you can take it from the squad's public expenses. Don't worry about repaying it right away; you can make it up later."
Old Qi understood that it was better to be cautious, even if it meant forgoing small gains. "Chen, Wu, rest assured. I'll be careful. You two have helped me so much, and I'm grateful. I'll do my best to repay you."
Chen Chuan thought that if the Plague Group from the Lower City didn't bother them again, he wouldn't pursue the matter further. After all, it had nothing to do with them, but if they came looking for trouble, he wouldn't hold back.
After the call, he contacted Fusion Boundary Corporation and spoke with Yan Yi, who informed him that there were no abnormalities with Meng Shu and that the company's operations had returned to normal. Yan Yi also mentioned that a year-end bonus would be deposited into his account.
With everything in order, Chen Chuan reached out to Gao Ming and Lu Fang, among others, to inform them of his imminent return. Gao Ming said he would be occupied with the office during the New Year and had no plans to go back home since his family wasn't there.
Lu Fang, however, intended to return to Yangzhi, so Chen Chuan offered him a ride, and they agreed on a departure date.
After notifying everyone, Chen Chuan began preparing for his journey home.
As he worked, he logged into the Defense Program's platform to browse. After his visit to the Convergence Zone, many new functions became available, the most prominent being the Trading Platform.
The primary focus of this platform was the trade of special medication, as some Tier Three Combatants lacked the motivation to ascend due to their limited abilities. They opted to sell the special medication as a source of income instead.
These medications were highly sought-after, and as long as the price wasn't exorbitant, they were quickly snatched up.
The platform also facilitated the trade of various unique items and intelligence from the Convergence Zone.
The Convergence Zone was vast, and new species and previously unknown objects were discovered almost daily, all of which were acquired by official organizations, companies, and even specialized intelligence agencies.
It was here that he realized that in addition to the government and company-organized fighters, the platform was also flooded with civilian fighters. These individuals preferred to work as mercenaries, accepting employment contracts without being bound by restrictions. Most of the time, they were hired by companies, and occasionally, they would also take on missions from governments around the world.
Among these mercenaries, aside from a small number of Tier Three Fighters, the majority were actually Tier One and Tier Two Fighters.
He initially had no idea where these people came from, but after a conversation with Pei Can Shi, he learned that most of the soldiers and fighters in the garrison were trained by the military. Some others originated from the residential areas and cities established behind the Convergence Zone.
These places were initially just outposts and exploration sites jointly established by governments and companies from various countries, but over the past seventy years, they had grown significantly in scale.
The residents of these cities and residential areas formed the primary source of lower-tier mercenaries in the Convergence Zone. Being on the front lines themselves, they had the motivation and willingness to participate in defense programs.
However, because most of them had lived in the Convergence Zone since birth, with little interaction with the peripheral cities and Central City, he saw potential hidden dangers in this arrangement.
But these were not his concerns for now. He went to the information section, and after gathering the necessary information, his main task was to form a small team. So, he wanted to see if he could recruit suitable personnel from here.
After inputting his identification number, numerous personnel profiles appeared on the screen.
He quickly skimmed through them and found several seemingly suitable candidates. But he needed to meet them in person to be sure. As he scrolled through the profiles, he identified one person who seemed more appropriate, so he sent a chat invitation.
After waiting for a while, there was no response, indicating that the other party was not online.
At that moment, a notification from Vermillion Whisker sounded in the Boundary Token:
"A new version of the book is available for reading at 16:19!"
"Chen Chuan, your tutor application has passed the review committee's examination. Please be patient, and the academy will send you the tutor's information in a month."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment. In a month, it would be after the new year, but that was fine. Even if a tutor was assigned now, they wouldn't come to teach him at the end of the year, so it wouldn't delay his return to Yangzhi.
After receiving this message, his mood improved significantly.
He logged out of the platform and spent half a day organizing his belongings. Then, he went out again to the Baoguo Market to buy some gifts, as usual.
On his way back, he turned the steering wheel and headed towards Tan Zhi's residence.
Tan Zhi's place was a large mansion with a layout similar to Zheng Teacher's estate. After contacting Tan Zhi through the Outer Boundary Token, the front gate opened, and he drove in.
Tan Zhi's voice reached his ears, "Chen Chuan, you can park anywhere on the open ground. I'm in the training room. Come on in."
Chen Chuan parked outside and entered the training room, taking off his shoes.
Inside, he saw Tan Zhi standing in front of a weapon rack, wiping sweat from his forehead with a towel. Across from him was a female teacher with a fit physique, wearing a training uniform, exuding a sharp aura.
When this teacher saw Chen Chuan, her eyes flickered with a hint of nervousness, but she quickly composed herself.
Tan Zhi introduced them, "This is Wei Teacher. I specially invited her to guide me. Wei Teacher, this is my classmate, Chen Chuan."
Chen Chuan sensed that when Wei Teacher saw him, a fleeting look of panic flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly suppressed.
He nodded and said, "Wei Teacher."
Wei Teacher smiled, "So, you're Chen Chuan. I've heard about you from Tan Zhi, and I watched the recording of your fight with Wei Wusheng. You're very skilled."
"Thank you," Chen Chuan replied.
Wei Teacher turned to Tan Zhi and said, "Tan Zhi, since your classmate is here, we won't disturb you anymore." She nodded at both of them and left the room.
Tan Zhi called out, "Wei Teacher, take care!"
He turned to Chen Chuan and explained, "It wasn't easy to invite Wei Teacher. She's currently a security advisor for the city council, and they say she has a good relationship with a certain council member. You know how it is... If it weren't for my family's previous support, she wouldn't have come to teach me."
As he spoke, he went to the fridge, took out two cans of drinks, and handed one to Chen Chuan. After opening his, he took a long gulp, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Today, the neighboring Dance and Drama Theater is premiering a new musical. I heard there are some new students joining. How about it? Do you want to watch it with Pan Xiaode and Qi Huixin?"
"I'll pass," Chen Chuan replied. "I need to prepare for my trip back to Yangzhi in the next few days. I came to see you today and also to pick up Chao Ming."
Tan Zhi expressed his disappointment, "Then we'll have to wait for next time. By the way, Chen Chuan, you mentioned that you purchased some services from the Serpent Sect. They require a recommender. Can you introduce me to them?"
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Chapter end
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