Chapter 672: The Situation
Chapter 672: The Situation
As they stepped into the light, the figures of these individuals were fully revealed. They were giants encased in thick, heavy biological armor.
The armor was predominantly gray, covering their heads, torsos, and limbs, making them appear sturdy and robust. However, their movements were not sluggish; instead, they seemed agile, intentionally slowing down their pace.
These were external implants, a military technology where most of the implants were located outside the human body, yet connected to internal organs and nerve tissues, forming a separable yet interconnected whole.
The Linax Federation was renowned for its advanced implant technology, and Dashi also had its own research in this field. However, they were somewhat behind in this aspect, and this gap was said to be due to the influence of the lost artifact.
In the Linax Federation, there was a specialized military force composed entirely of implanted soldiers, known as the Yongying Legion. These soldiers were collectively referred to as "Giant Guardians" when outside their home country.
After the Giant Guardians emerged, they lined up neatly on both sides of the red carpet and the Beast Armored Vehicles. They held weapons that matched their massive physiques, and the bulging portions on their backs indicated the presence of additional biological weapons.
As Chen Chuan observed this scene, he suddenly noticed that the field domain screen became slightly blurred, making it difficult to see clearly. This was likely due to some field interference initiated by the Linax Federation.
He paused for a moment, then said, "Andun, provide me with a list of personnel from the Linax Federation."
"Received, Director Chen," Andun replied. "Please note that due to the sensitive nature of the personnel list, it will be deleted in ten minutes."
A moment later, Chen Chuan received a file via his world credential. As the Linax delegation had proactively visited as a diplomatic team, they had provided Dashi with a list of their traveling members in advance.
As the director of the investigation bureau, Chen Chuan had the authority and clearance to review this list.
He took a look and noticed that the Linax Federation's diplomatic team was of a relatively high standard, led by a state councilor with a military advisor as the deputy leader. Several company representatives from the Linax Federation were also part of the delegation.
Among them was the Gigas Plant Company, which had previously collaborated with Jinbei Province Central City in the lower district. The plants in that area had been introduced by the Gigas Plant Company, but due to an undisclosed reason, the company had been expelled and had not established any branches or outposts in Jinbei Province since then.
After reviewing the administrative and company representatives, Chen Chuan focused on the accompanying armed personnel, primarily the warriors.
There were fifteen third-limitation warriors on the list, most of whom had military backgrounds.
However, three individuals stood out. These three were entirely bound in grayish-white bandages, with only their eyes exposed. Their bodies were thin, and they appeared emaciated.
According to the brief introduction, these three warriors were all from the Sabug Fist School. This was a well-known martial arts school originating from the Isthmus connecting the Eastern and Western continents.
During the old era, this fist school had given rise to over a dozen branches and produced numerous skilled fighters. One of these branches was brought to the Linax Federation during the great migration period and took root there. Over time, it spread widely, and many internationally renowned martial artists emerged from this school.
Members of this school were known for their incredibly resilient bodies, almost comparable to those trained in the Crossroad Power Method. They could maintain their combat effectiveness even with physical disabilities, and the school advocated a moral code of loyalty. As a result, they were often employed as security personnel.
After reading the list, Chen Chuan contemplated for a moment. The fact that the Linax Federation had chosen Jinbei Province as their first stop indicated that they had more than just a casual interest in the lost artifact.
Therefore, these individuals were likely just the tip of the iceberg, and there might be more armed personnel secretly entering Central City.
Ten minutes later, the list automatically deleted itself from his world credential.
As Chen Chuan was about to search for additional information, a voice sounded from his world credential, "Director Chen, this is Wu Quan. If you have the time, please come to my office now."
"I do have time, and I'll be right there," Chen Chuan replied.
He left his office and made his way to Director Wu's office. The attendant at the door saluted him and opened the door.
Upon entering, Director Wu was already waiting. He first asked the attendant to serve tea and then invited Chen Chuan to take a seat next to him. Afterward, he said, "I saw that you just accessed the list of the Linax diplomatic team, Director Chen. That's good; we need to keep an eye on them and proactively gather information. But remember, that list is just the tip of the iceberg."
He slid a report across the glass coffee table, "Here's a more detailed one; take a look."
Chen Chuan reached out and picked up the report. This list contained much more information than the previous one, especially regarding the armed personnel, which was over four times longer. Most of them were currently aboard the rear battleship.
Moreover, he noticed that there was a martial artist from the Linax Federation accompanying the diplomatic team.
However, this individual was neither on the battleship nor had they landed in Central City. Instead, they were aboard an airship docked on an offshore island.
Director Wu said, "I've read your report on the captured individuals. The next move will likely be from the Union, as they're employing mercenaries and following the Commission Company's path, leaving no direct evidence against them. They won't give up easily.
And now, the Linax Federation is about to join the game."
He pointed to the file in Chen Chuan's hand, "The list in your hand, along with the armed personnel from the Union, every single one of them is a potential enemy, and each of them may enter the Convergence Zone after a period of time."
Chen Chuan looked up and asked, "Can the diplomatic team from the Linax Federation also enter the Convergence Zone?"
Director Wu's voice turned solemn, "This time, not only the government team but also several security personnel from various companies have arrived. These armed personnel are not allowed to do anything other than protection on the surface, but they can take advantage of certain regulations to second these personnel to local companies, and then have them 'support' the Convergence Zone, thus achieving their goal of entering it in disguise."
Chen Chuan was about to ask how such a loophole could exist in the regulations, but as soon as he thought of the City Council, he understood.
"It seems you've figured it out."
Director Wu said to him, "We are now working on abolishing this regulation, but we are facing significant obstruction."
"We have never feared external enemies, but we fear the enemies within. We have made many efforts, but some people are determined to destroy our hard work."
"In the current situation, we can't afford to take drastic measures, we can only chip away at it bit by bit. Even then, it's difficult to maintain any gains we make, and one misstep could cause us to lose everything."
Chen Chuan understood what he meant. For instance, the government had previously eliminated the Skywheel Company and expelled the Outer World's presence, expanding and consolidating its authority. But this move had also provoked a counterattack from the City Council.
Their actions had been continuous, whether it was the previous Union delegation or the arrival of the Linax Federation's diplomatic team, all could be seen as an extension of this counterattack.
Director Wu said, "Even if it's for the sake of what we've already invested, we must win this battle. The relics in the Convergence Zone are crucial, and we must find a way to secure them. We can't let the City Council, the Union, or even the Linax Federation take them away."
This time, the Defense Bureau had decided to send out several people, including Captain Xu, to stabilize the situation in the Convergence Zone.
Upon hearing that even Captain Xu would be dispatched, Chen Chuan understood that the higher-ups were treating this matter with utmost importance.
"But we have too few people. We've already sent a batch of personnel to the Convergence Zone, and many capable personnel are needed to protect important officials and ensure the safety of several key areas. If we redeploy them, many places will be left unattended."
Chen Chuan nodded.
He understood the situation. This incident could be considered another critical juncture after the Mother Worm's split, and even more intense in terms of severity.
It was known that the last time, only some relatively ordinary mercenaries and mercenary groups from both domestic and foreign had arrived. But now, judging from yesterday's situation, some well-known international mercenary organizations were getting involved.
During the time of the Mother Worm's split, various government departments had indeed suffered losses in personnel.
Ordinary personnel could be easily replenished, but it was different for elite personnel. Even after some time had passed, some gaps had not been filled, and now they suddenly had to deal with such a challenging situation. It was indeed a difficult task.
He said seriously, "Director Wu, you can rest assured that I will complete the task assigned to me."
Director Wu looked at him and nodded, "Let's end our conversation here for today."
Chen Chuan stood up and extended his hand, "Director Chen, let's work together to overcome this difficult situation."
Chen Chuan stood up and shook his hand, saying, "I will."
After finishing the conversation, Chen Chuan walked out of Director Wu's office, left the Processing Bureau, and took a special car back to the Wu Yi Academy.
After staying at the Academy for a night, the next morning, Chen Chuan brought Chao Ming to the port and boarded a mini airship to continue his spiritual cultivation at sea.
To ensure that no important information was missed, he specifically brought along a telegraph operator from the Processing Bureau, so they could return immediately if there was an emergency.
The airship stopped at a certain location at sea, and Chen Chuan, holding the Snow Lady Sword in one hand and carrying his luggage in the other, entered the inner cabin. Soon after, he took out the spine bone.
The last time he had killed the being within the relic, it had been a close call.
During his previous entries, he had not overlapped with his second self but relied purely on his physical body, allowing the growth of his physical body to also drive the progress of his second self.
Now, relying on his physical body had almost reached its limit, so this time, he decided to utilize his second self, enabling him to face stronger beings.
He drew out the Snow Lady Sword, and with a thought, his second self instantly merged with him. He then reached out and took the spine bone.
As he communicated with his second self, in an instant, he once again stood on the body of the being, filled with wrinkles.
And this time, a massive shadow loomed over him as soon as he appeared.
(End of Chapter)
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