Chapter 459: The Decision
Chapter 459: The Decision
The gates of the Yangzhi Wu Yi Academy opened, and the security guards saluted as a Gaud car slowly entered the academy.
Chen Chuan steered the wheel and drove into the compound. It was the holiday season, and both teachers and students were on vacation, so aside from the security personnel, the roads were nearly deserted, with only a thin layer of snow remaining on the tree branches and eaves.
As they drove along the road, they soon reached the edge of the Spring and Autumn Lake. On one side, a dormitory building came into view.
It had been less than half a year since his last visit, and most of the students from his batch had already graduated. Only the dorm manager remained, after all, he was still waiting for his retirement benefits.
After passing by the lake, they continued driving further into the compound, eventually reaching the lakeside residential area at the back, which belonged to the academy's teachers.
During his time at the academy, Cheng Zitong had visited his home a few times, but most of his training sessions took place in his dorm's training room, and occasionally, he would visit other training halls.
The snow had stopped a few days ago, and at this moment, the sun was shining brightly. Outside the cleaned courtyard, two elderly men were sitting at a stone table, playing chess.
They noticed the approaching car and looked in its direction.
One of them said, "Is it a relative of another teacher? I don't recall seeing this person before."
"Judging from the destination..." The other elder peered forward, "It seems to be heading to Director Cheng's place."
"Hey, the visitors to Director Cheng's house have been non-stop since the start of the year. As for us, we're left with nothing but these old bones, barely any meat left on them. No one cares about us anymore."
"You're selling yourself short, old man. Who else would want you besides Director Cheng? There weren't this many visitors to his place in the past few years. A couple of days ago, someone even came from Central City, supposedly a relative of Director Cheng's, specifically to see him."
"That's quite a rare occurrence. It's been so many years, and after all these years of estrangement between father and son, it seems like Director Cheng is finally willing to compromise."
"It's hard to say. I think it's because he has a good student who graduated from his teachings."
"The one who went to Central City?"
"Yes, the one who's now an executive captain at the Central City Handling Bureau. What a prestigious position! He returned half a year ago, and it's said that his position is already quite high. In a few more years, I bet even the principal will have to bow to him."
"No wonder Director Cheng has put on some weight this past year. He must be enjoying quite a few extra meals."
At that moment, the car stopped in front of the courtyard, and as the door opened, the two elders saw a young man in a military overcoat, handsome and tall.
One of the elders said, "Old Qian, is this the student of Director Cheng you mentioned?"
"Yes, it seems so."
"This uniform... It looks quite extraordinary to me..."
The two men squinted from a distance, and in the next instant, both their hearts skipped a beat simultaneously."
It wasn't just the recognition of the uniform that caught their attention, but as they looked on, they felt an indescribable aura emanating from the young man.
The connection of auras between fighters is highly sensitive, and even though the young man didn't turn around, they both felt a prickling sensation on their skin, as if needles were piercing them, causing their hairs to stand on end simultaneously.
The two elders exchanged a glance.
"Director Cheng's student is truly remarkable."
Cheng Zitong was the deputy director of logistics, so there were security guards at the gate, who had been notified early in the morning about Chen Chuan's arrival. They immediately opened the gates and saluted him.
Chen Chuan nodded and walked in with a gift. As he crossed the front hall, he saw Director Cheng coming out from inside. Compared to half a year ago, the teacher's belly had grown by a full circle, and he exuded vitality, clearly well-fed and well-rested.
"Little Chuan, come in. Oh, you've come, and you even brought something with you."
"It's just a small token of appreciation from your student," Chen Chuan replied.
"Good, good," Director Cheng said, examining him for a moment. His eyes lit up, "Is that an executive captain's uniform? When did you get promoted?"
"Not long ago, just a couple of months ago," Chen Chuan answered.
"Excellent, excellent!" Director Cheng seemed even more delighted, as if something had occurred to him. "That uniform fits you well. It's meant for you. Come, let's go inside and sit down."
Following Director Cheng, Chen Chuan entered the courtyard. The layout of this residence was similar to that of the teachers' houses, with an old-fashioned style. Inside the flower hall, he took the teapot offered by Director Cheng and said, "Teacher, I'll do it."
After brewing the tea, Chen Chuan served a cup to Director Cheng and then sat down. Director Cheng held the steaming teacup and sighed, "As I know, promotions in Central City aren't easy to come by. If it were another student, I'd advise them not to push themselves too hard. But I know you, and I know your student has the capability."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Teacher, your past teachings are always remembered by your student."
Director Cheng, with his plump face full of smiles, set down his teacup. "Little Chuan, tell me about your recent experiences in Central City."
Chen Chuan nodded.
The teacher and student sat in the flower hall, chatting over tea. During this time, guests arrived one after another, but they only paid a brief visit, leaving their gifts before departing.
At noon, Chen Chuan had a meal here and stayed until three or four in the afternoon. As the sky began to darken, he bid farewell and left. Director Cheng saw him off to the gate and watched as the car drove away before turning back inside.
Upon returning to the inner room, he thought for a moment, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.
"Hello, Teacher, I'm coming to see you... Is it that we can't visit after the New Year's greetings?"
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Brother Wei, this is great news!" He had always been encouraging about this, as Yangzhi's limitations were evident. Staying here would only hinder their growth, especially for Wei Chang'an and his team. Not only would their combat abilities stagnate, but they might forever remain as mere commissioners, wasting their potential. In contrast, the Central City offered opportunities for them to truly make a name for themselves.
Furthermore, with the impending arrival of the Great Collision, the world was in flux, making it easier to transcend the boundaries of social classes.
Cai Sai added, "It's not just us with this plan. I know of several commissioner teams that have already headed to the Central City recently."
Ever since the downfall of the Mo Lan Corporation and the Bloodstain Gang, the Iron Chain Gang had turned to legitimate business. Under the leadership of Commissioner Guan, the Patrol Bureau had tightened security within the city, making it almost incident-free.
While there were still many incidents outside the city, the smuggling routes to Yangzhi had also been severely disrupted. Aside from conflicts with the armed gangs in the Wasteland, there were hardly any major commissions left.
Shaking his head, Cai Sai said, "The pie is only so big, and there are so many eyes on it. Instead of fighting over scraps here, it's better to seek opportunities elsewhere."
Several members of their team shared this sentiment, even the usually quiet Ren Xiaotian silently nodded in agreement.
Wu Han and Wei Dong exchanged a glance, seemingly puzzled. Their unspoken question seemed to be, "Fewer commissions? How come we didn't notice that?"
Cai Sai understood their confusion and helplessly explained, "You guys only take on commissions from the Wasteland, and you're not picky about them. Of course, you wouldn't feel the decrease."
Commission companies particularly favored Wu Han and Wei Dong's approach—taking on any commission without questioning its difficulty. Some commissioner teams also preferred working with them because of their fearless and proactive nature, always ready to charge to the front lines. Whenever they were available, the success rate of commission tasks skyrocketed.
It was estimated that they would never run out of commissions until the armed gangs in the Wasteland were eliminated.
Wu Han said, "I and Wei Dong work well together. Now that he's studying at the Wu Yi Central Academy..." He turned to Feng Xiaoqi and Luo Kaiyuan, "Feng and Luo, are you two interested in joining us?" Seeing their nods, he sighed, "If it's just me, I might as well head to the Central City too."
Chen Chuan spoke up, "The Central City offers numerous opportunities and resources far beyond what Yangzhi can provide. The Central City refers to the surrounding cities as 'peripheral cities,' which may sound derogatory, but the gap between them is undeniable. If you aspire to reach greater heights, that's the only place to find what you seek."
After a brief pause, he continued, "I've managed to establish a small foothold in the Central City. If you all decide to go there, I can offer some assistance."
If not for the confidentiality agreements signed by his team members or their origins from the Convergence Zone, he would have recruited them into his team. Perhaps there would be opportunities in the future.
Wei Chang'an's expression turned solemn as he said, "You're right, Brother Chen. We'll have to rely on you when we get to the Central City, as we'll be like fish out of water there."
Chen Chuan nodded, "With the skills of you, Brother Wei, and Brother Cai, I'm sure you'll thrive wherever you go."
Wu Han slapped the table and declared, "It's decided! After the New Year, I'm going to the Central City!"
He raised his cup towards Chen Chuan, "Brother Chen, we'll meet again in the Central City. This is a toast to you." As he stood up, he lifted the cup from the table.
Following his action, everyone else also stood and raised their cups.
Chen Chuan smiled slightly and rose, picking up his own cup. "Good. I'll be waiting for all of you in the Central City."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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