Chapter 640: Connection
Chapter 640: Connection
Aboard the ocean liner, Chen Chuan did not waste this final stretch of time. Aside from enjoying some of the ship's entertainment and occasional relaxation, the rest of his time was dedicated to honing his techniques.
Currently, freehand fighting was his primary combat style, and the hard-soft force he had developed was now sufficient. As for grappling and throwing techniques, he could work on them later, using them as supplementary skills for the time being.
These skills could be developed gradually through combat with various opponents, allowing him to gain insights and improve his understanding, thereby perfecting his techniques.
The opponent he had encountered earlier, Yajian Hong, was actually a good sparring partner. This person's abilities were limited, and they were dominated by the spiritual entity attached to them. Their force techniques were commendable, and due to physical restrictions, they couldn't unleash their full power. This made them an excellent training partner.
Unfortunately, there was only one such person.
Upon returning, he could practice with Hong Fu, but she only mastered the techniques from Wu Yi Academy. What he needed now was exposure to different combat styles and more diverse force techniques to expand his own force and enrich his fighting methods.
With the foundation of Zhou Yuan's techniques, he possessed infinite potential. In his imagination, he envisioned different scenarios where he could apply various force techniques.
However, this could only be achieved step by step. Looking on the bright side, this situation wasn't bad either, as he could witness his continuous progress and maintain a sense of fresh enthusiasm.
It was night, and the cruise ship sailed on the vast ocean under a starry sky. Faint sounds of soothing music and dance could be heard from the deck, while the waves gently lapped below.
Chen Chuan stood by the ship's railing, gazing at the starry sky above. Up until now, pure essences continued to appear intermittently, indicating that the breach in the World Ring had yet to be sealed.
Chen Chuan had no intention of letting these essences go to waste. Although the Pure Essence Sect had promised to provide him with a sufficient amount, there was no doubt that these essences would greatly benefit him. The more he acquired, the more time he could buy.
After spending some time on the observation deck, he headed back, preparing to meditate for the entire night once again.
As he stepped into the cabin, he suddenly felt something amiss. He heard a thumping sound in his mind, as if there were another heart beating nearby.
He glanced at Chao Ming, who was asleep without any disturbance. Then his gaze shifted to a long, rectangular package placed aside.
Inside was what appeared to be a spinal bone.
He approached it and reached out to touch it. The thumping sound immediately ceased, as if it had been an illusion. His thoughts turned, and he attempted to sense it with his spirit.
In an instant, he felt as if he were sinking into a murky ocean, thick and viscous. And right before him, there seemed to be a colossal being.
This being was seemingly asleep, but it seemed to have sensed something and was slowly awakening.
His eyes flashed, and he decided not to continue. He wasn't sure if proceeding further would affect the passengers on the ship, so he withdrew his spirit. Instantly, the strange sensation vanished, and everything returned to normal.
He glanced at his second self, where faint afterimages appeared, but they quickly dissipated as he pulled away.
Chen Chuan walked to the private balcony, reaching for the door handle. As his gaze fell, he noticed several dead flying insects on the ground, apparently a recent occurrence. After observing for a moment, he slowly closed the door and returned to his training room to meditate.
On August 28th, after eight consecutive days of sailing, the cruise ship returned to Jinbei Province.
However, this time, it docked not at Yuanwang Port but at the seaport in Jiyang District, Central City.
Chen Chuan stood on his private balcony, gazing at the towering skyscrapers of Central City. Even without wearing the World Credential, he could sense the field resonance emanating from within the city, thanks to the spiritual power he had acquired.
But the information was too chaotic and jumbled to decipher clearly, becoming a distracting noise instead.
He also sensed the breach in the Celestial Center, though he couldn't see it at the moment. It was likely a leak from the damaged World Ring, and he felt as if something inside was trying to crawl out, causing his second self to exhibit faint signs of virtualization.
This was because his spirit was too high, attracting the taint. Fortunately, the Spider Mother's presence provided a layer of protection, minimizing its impact on him.
However, staring at it for too long still made him feel uncomfortable. It was like an ordinary person staring directly at the sun; they could endure it for a while but not indefinitely.
Constantly sensing and connecting with the field resonance was indeed a way to train his spirit, but the efficiency was too low, far inferior to regular spiritual cultivation methods. It was probably only useful for those with naturally high spirits and no access to cultivation resources. Even then, the taint could cause problems.
After observing for a while, Chen Chuan withdrew his spirit and put on the World Credential of his Investigation Director.
Instantly, information flowed through.
An Dun's voice sounded in his ear:
"Hello, Director Chen. An Dun is at your service. The port is functioning well, and land transportation is smooth. Your dedicated vehicle and security personnel are waiting for you at the port.
Chen Chuan picked up a cup of hot drink and took a sip. "Thank you, An Dun."
"It's my pleasure to serve you," An Dun replied politely.
Chen Chuan patted the nearby Chao Ming, who immediately took flight, exiting from the liner. In no time, he was soaring in the sky. Chen Chuan, on the other hand, returned to his room, picked up his already packed luggage, and made his way out.
As he had booked a first-class cabin, he was among the first passengers to disembark. But before he could even step off the gangway, An Dun's voice sounded again.
"There's an unknown communication channel attempting to contact you. Results indicate that the sender is from the Gray Shell Agency."
"Gray Shell Agency?" Chen Chuan asked.
Hearing his question, An Dun immediately displayed information about this agency on his World Credential.
Chen Chuan glanced through the agency's introduction. Its scope of work was quite extensive, mostly related to political activities, including protection, lobbying, crisis management, secret negotiations, and even international business dealings.
The services provided by this agency were similar to those of high-end commissioned companies, but they were more targeted. Their primary clients were disciples of high-ranking officials, company executives, or even the managers themselves.
After reading through the information, Chen Chuan said, "Check the sender's identity."
Almost instantly, An Dun responded, "Sender identity verified: Ji Xinmin, Gray Shell Agency officer, Third Limit Fighter, male, thirty-five years old... Remaining information is blocked by agreement. Do you wish to apply for special access?"
"No need," Chen Chuan replied.
Upon seeing the name Ji Xinmin, Chen Chuan immediately knew who the sender was. This Gray Shell Agency must be an operative organization under the Refinement Sect.
"Director Chen, do you want to connect the call?" An Dun asked.
"No need," Chen Chuan answered.
Outside the port, Ji Xinmin noticed that the communication signal he was using had been cut off, indicating that the other party had rejected his attempt at contact.
In the 16th book of the 19th series, the first edition, there was no mistake!
He couldn't help but frown.
Since his initial meeting with Chen Chuan was in Yangzhi, they hadn't exchanged any contact information for World Credential communication.
Moreover, they didn't think much of it. If Chen Chuan didn't agree, they could always resort to various means after returning. Once he realized the reality, he would naturally come looking for them.
However, upon their return, they received news that Chen Chuan had already joined the Pure Essence Sect. Their subsequent plans had to be abandoned.
They had thought the matter was over, but now a high-ranking official above wanted them to make contact with Chen Chuan. So, they had no choice but to take the initiative.
Ji Xinmin thought for a moment and tapped on his World Credential, marking a specific route. He then instructed his two companions, "This person will definitely return to Wuding District, and he'll pass through this road. Let's wait for him on this route..."
After further consideration, he added, "When we do this..."
The two companions understood and nodded. They quickly rushed to their vehicles and sped off.
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan, having disembarked from the liner, met with the security team sent to greet him. He boarded his private car, and the vehicle slowly started, heading back to his residence in Wuding District.
Chen Chuan began to address the messages he had received earlier. He checked for any urgent tasks directed to him but found none, so he ignored them for the time being.
One message was from Wu Han, informing him that Wei Chang'an and the others had arrived in Central City in early August.
Chen Chuan contacted Wu Han, and after a brief pause, the call connected. Wu Han's voice sounded excited, "Xue Di, you're back?"
"I just got off the ship..." Chen Chuan replied.
At that moment, another call came in. An Dun provided a prompt, indicating it was the same person but from a different communication channel.
"Director Chen, the caller is two hundred meters behind you and approaching rapidly... Safety protocol check completed. The caller has no wanted records or criminal history, so heightened security measures are not advised."
Chen Chuan glanced back and saw a car approaching. "Block all signals from this person," he ordered.
"Received... Signal blocked," An Dun replied.
Ji Xinmin's expression in the car turned grim as he received feedback, indicating he had been blocked. He immediately notified his team, "Get ready. His convoy is almost here."
Just as Chen Chuan had blocked the signal, he noticed several vehicles blocking the road ahead, completely obstructing the path.
The security team leader, Yu Xiao, immediately asked, "Director, we've encountered a blockade ahead. Their purpose is unclear. Should we change course?"
"Did they identify themselves?" Chen Chuan asked.
"No," came the reply.
"Don't evade. Ram through them," Chen Chuan commanded.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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