Chapter 559: Blockade
Chapter 559: Blockade
Chen Bitong fell silent for a moment before speaking, "We can have a proper talk here; this place is just right."
The location where the two were standing happened to be the boundary line between the two sides, so there was no fear of anyone overhearing their conversation.
Chen Chuan listened intently.
Chen Bitong looked at him earnestly and said, "Captain Chen, you have a bright future. I didn't want to involve you in this matter, but your abilities convinced me."
He leaned against his spear, gazing towards the front of the rift.
"I've been guarding the World Ring for twenty years. I've lost count of how many times I've repelled invasions from the outside. In my younger years, I had a terrible temper, and I considered myself a man of principle. I was extremely strict with my subordinates and had no desire to socialize with the powerful or my superiors.
My children were also very talented. They reached the Third Tier at the ages of eighteen and nineteen, graduated early, and joined the Defense Department. Together, we guarded the World Ring.
But... they also sacrificed themselves there in the end."
Chen Chuan slowly said, "I've heard about that."
Chen Bitong reached out, feeling around his body, and took out two wooden carvings, each of which was a small animal representing his children's names.
Chen Chuan glanced at them; each had two rows of small characters carved on them, 'Chen Xiao Hu' and 'Chen Xiao Yan'. The wooden carvings were full of childlike charm, obviously carved by small, tender hands.
Chen Bitong caressed the wooden carvings and slowly said, "They weren't injured at the time; they were exposed to something on the other side. After I heard about it, I rushed to the rear.
The commander there informed me that anyone infected with this thing would inevitably be controlled by a certain being from the other side. There was no known cure at the time, and there was a chance it could spread to others. He hoped I could find a way to deal with it quickly, and if I couldn't, the Defense Department would take over."
His voice grew heavy as he continued, "When Xiao Yan and Xiao Hu learned about this, they didn't want their father to see them like this. So, when I returned, they left a letter and once again rushed to the battlefield..."
Chen Chuan remained silent, listening intently.
"I remember the letter said: 'Dad, you've always been a hero in our hearts. We admire you, and we're proud of you. We hope you can be proud of us too.'"
Chen Bitong's eyes slightly moistened as he spoke, and he took a deep breath. He carefully put the wooden carvings back in his pocket, pressing them gently. Even during the most intense moments of the battle, even when he seemed like a different person, he hadn't let these wooden carvings get damaged.
He leaned back and murmured, "After that, I changed Xiao Jing's name to Xiao Jin..."
He paused for a moment, took a slight breath, and then forced the topic in a stiff tone, "Later, during my time guarding the World Ring, I encountered many similar incidents. Among them were some of my long-time comrades-in-arms. The advice from the rear was always to deal with it quickly or have them send someone to supervise the process.
So, most of the infected soldiers, after entrusting their families to their comrades, turned and charged back to the front lines.
We always thought this was the right way to handle it. But once, a young officer who followed his superior officer to the front lines for an inspection also got infected. However, they didn't handle him the same way. Instead, they sent him to the rear for treatment.
Two months later, I saw him at a celebration banquet, chatting and laughing with others, and he had even been promoted.
I had someone look into his records. His so-called merit was getting infected with this thing. He claimed to have fought on the front lines and almost died, but he had been there for less than three hours and never left his vehicle.
Later, I learned that he was the son of a high-ranking official in the Defense Department, and his mother's family seemed to hold an even higher status.
After that, I did some investigations. Through various channels, I learned that infection wasn't completely untreatable. It required specially approved medication, which some people kept for themselves, not letting those below know about it. They only used it to treat those they deemed worthy."
At this point, Chen Chuan asked, "So, is what Teacher Chen is doing now a form of revenge for your comrades and children?"
Chen Bitong shook his head and said solemnly, "I've been a soldier all my life, and I have my duties to uphold. Xiao Yan and Xiao Hu were also soldiers. Once they stepped onto the battlefield, they had to be prepared for all kinds of situations. I don't blame or seek revenge on anyone for this.
Moreover, taking revenge on these people won't truly solve the problem.
Yes, I might be able to kill all these people, or I might sacrifice myself to take down those who concealed this situation, but what difference would it make?
As I die with these people, nothing will change because of my actions. Things will remain as they were, and what is meant to happen will continue to happen."
His voice grew calm and powerful as he spoke, "Only when the change is significant enough to affect the Central City, or even the entire Great Shun, or the whole world, will it be meaningful."
Chen Chuan looked at him, sensing that what this person was attempting to do might be far from simple.
"There are things in this world that should belong to everyone, but some people use their power to tightly grasp them, making them their exclusive possessions."
Chen Bitong lifted his head and said, "Captain Chen, you stand at the threshold of a higher limit. You're not far from reaching it. But to break through that limitation, in addition to what I mentioned about drawing power from the outside, there's one more thing you need."
In the past, when the two worlds attracted each other, whether during the active or dormant periods, these things were not difficult for the fighters of the old era to find as they approached the limit.
But things are different now."
His voice turned solemn, "These things are now strictly sealed off. Only the major powers and giant corporations of the world have access to them; no other individuals can obtain them."
Chen Chuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Like special drugs?"
Chen Bitong shook his head, "Special drugs are also controlled, but the various cultivation sects outside still have ways to acquire them if they have access to the Rift. Additionally, special drugs are a hard currency among the Third Limit group, and they circulate outside as well."
"But the things I'm talking about have long been sealed off by the world's major powers and giant enterprises using the World Ring. Not a single trace of them has leaked outside."
"Nowadays, all folk sects and small countries, unless they have the legacy of their predecessors, will almost never obtain these things without the approval and permission of the governments of the major powers and the giant corporations."
"Unless they use stealth methods to bypass the World Ring, but that's extremely risky. There's a joint force within the World Ring specifically tasked with eliminating these people."
Chen Chuan paused to think. This matter was undoubtedly related to him, so he asked, "What's the reason for the countries and companies sealing off these things?"
"The control of such things began during the era of the Grand Alliance. At that time, it was believed that fighters had immense destructive power, and each fighter needed to be assessed and restrained to prevent major upheavals around the world. This would also ensure that future fighters could join the forces against the other world."
"Perhaps that was the original intention, but after so many years, the channels for these things have long been controlled by a small group of interest groups. They've formed a vast network, and unless you're already part of their group, you can only obtain their charity by signing harsh treaties and agreements."
"This situation cannot continue!"
His gaze turned to the outside of the Rift, and he said solemnly, "What I'm trying to do today is to break through that blockade. At the very least, I want to tear open a crack in that seal, allowing those things to spill out and giving more people the opportunity to acquire them."
Chen Chuan fell silent for a moment and then asked, "Using the Rift?"
"Yes, the Rift!"
Chen Bitong nodded, "But there's more. There's also the Split Body, which can help us pass through the World Ring, which already has a breach, and reach the place where those things are located. If done correctly, once successful, many people will no longer be restrained, and more changes will occur."
Chen Chuan pondered. He didn't know how powerful higher-limit fighters were, but from the mere hint of power on Chen Bitong's body, he could imagine the destructive force such individuals might possess.
Even the addition of just one or two more of these individuals could potentially alter the balance of a region.
However, Chen Chuan still felt that Chen Bitong had more to say. Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly sensed something and looked outside the Rift. Someone was approaching, and they brought with them an air of threat.
It seemed that the person climbing up was not ordinary.
Chen Chuan turned his gaze to the other side, where his Snow Lady Sword was stuck, now enveloped by the expanding Rift.
He walked over, grasped the hilt, and pulled it out. Although the sword had not yet awakened, it was still a formidable weapon.
He glanced at Chen Bitong, "Teacher Chen, did you open the breach in the World Ring?"
Chen Bitong paused for a moment, then said, "I wouldn't actively do such a thing, but I admit that I didn't stop it in time."
Chen Chuan stood at the forefront, sword in hand, gazing at the Rift. After a moment, he turned his head and asked, "By the way, what's that thing called?"
"We call it 'Pure Essence' now."
Chen Bitong explained, "Its original name has been erased from archives and most records because of what it truly is."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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