Chapter 679: The Meeting
Chapter 679: The Meeting
Upon returning to Central City, Chen Chuan put his World Credential back on, only to find an unread message from Xu Chan.
A slight stir arose within him as he recalled their previous interactions during the crisis at the Dangerous Affairs Center. They had exchanged a few voice messages since then, but this sudden contact must be regarding something important. He tapped on Xu Chan's profile picture.
After a while, the call connected, and he asked, "Captain Xu, what can I do for you?"
Xu Chan's voice came through, "Supervisor Chen, I apologize for the intrusion. I'd like to invite you for a meal if you're available."
Smiling, Chen Chuan replied, "If Captain Xu is treating, I certainly won't decline."
Xu Chan, upon hearing his agreement, promptly arranged a meeting place.
Chen Chuan took a look; the location was a famous noodle restaurant in Fengde District, and coincidentally, less than a mile away was the base of the SkyForgiveness Gang.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face. Once the airship reached the docking point, he immediately drove towards the destination. After about an hour and a half, he arrived at the agreed-upon spot.
Xu Chan had already arrived and was sitting in his car. Seeing Chen Chuan's car approach, he stepped out from the driver's seat and greeted him through the car window.
After parking his car, Chen Chuan got out and shook hands with Xu Chan. The latter pointed towards the noodle shop ahead, saying, "This is my favorite noodle place. It's been open for twenty years. When I first came to Jinbei Province, this was my first stop for a meal. It suits my taste perfectly, and I wonder if Supervisor Chen will like it too."
Chen Chuan looked up and saw the signboard with the golden characters, "Southern Kingdom Noodle House." He said, "I've never been here before, but since Captain Xu recommends it, I'll give it a try today."
As they entered, Xu Chan, being a regular, ordered two bowls of noodles and asked about Chen Chuan's preferences before ordering some side dishes.
Soon, two steaming bowls of noodles were served.
Xu Chan picked up two pairs of sealed chopsticks and handed a pair to Chen Chuan. He pointed at the thin, evenly-sized white noodles, saying, "This is 'Spring Snow Noodles.' The noodles are like a comb, resembling the backbone of a fish, hence the name 'Fish Backbone Comb.' With a sprinkle of scallions and a secret-recipe meat topping, the taste is exceptional. Supervisor Chen, give it a try."
Chen Chuan observed the soup's glossy and refreshing appearance, and its aroma alone made one feel satisfied. He took out the chopsticks from the sealed wrapper, stirred the noodles a bit, and then picked up a bite. The noodles were smooth, delicate, and moderately soft. Each strand seemed to be infused with the sweet soup, indeed deserving of its reputation.
He noticed that most of the customers who came to taste the noodles didn't say much but focused on eating, creating a symphony of slurping sounds. Everyone was sweating profusely as they ate.
However, being fighters, they couldn't feel hunger or fullness from ordinary food; it was purely a matter of tasting the flavors.
Just then, the side dishes were served. They ordered two bowls of duck blood vermicelli, a plate of meat-filled spring rolls, a dish of crystal shrimp, a bowl of water shield fish ball soup, and two bottles of osmanthus honey dew.
Xu Chan poured a cup of osmanthus honey dew for Chen Chuan and said, "This isn't alcohol, just a sweet drink from the south. I'm not sure if Supervisor Chen will like it."
Chen Chuan took a sip and felt the drink's refreshing sweetness and lingering aftertaste, along with a faint fragrance of osmanthus. He nodded in appreciation, "Indeed, it's good." Then he asked, "Isn't Captain Xu from Jinbei Province?"
Xu Chan replied, "I'm from Huainan Province, and I also studied at the WuYi Academy there. Later, I joined the military and was eventually transferred to Jinbei Province. This year marks exactly twenty years since I came here. Time sure flies." He looked around, "Except for the old signboard, not much has changed here."
He glanced outside, and for a moment, he felt like he was still that ambitious and confident young officer.
"Does Captain Xu's family live here too?"
Xu Chan took out a name card holder and opened it, revealing a photograph of a young woman holding a pair of twins. He said, "My wife and two children are there, but I haven't visited them in a long time. I can only communicate with them through phone calls and telegrams."
Chen Chuan didn't ask why he didn't bring his family over. The situation in Central City and Xu Chan's actions often made it easy to offend people. However, being separated by Central City ensured that his treatment wouldn't change, and it was safer for him there.
At this moment, Xu Chan put down his chopsticks and looked outside, saying to Chen Chuan, "Look over there."
Their seating position was right by the window, providing a clear view of the outside. Chen Chuan saw several armed vehicles passing by, each with the characters 'SkyForgiveness' on their bodies, exuding a domineering and disdainful aura.
Xu Chan took a sip of the honey dew and said, "SkyForgiveness Gang is the largest gang in Fode District. Every year, they train a large number of fighters. A small portion joins the government, while most enter companies. But the real elites aim to enter the Central City government, and they are a force to be reckoned with."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly, recalling his encounters with Wei Wusheng, Chang Hai, and others who were all from SkyForgiveness Gang, leaving him with a deep impression.
Xu Chan continued, "SkyForgiveness Gang has two elders. One is Yu Hongming, an old fellow who is over 110 years old. He has honed his spirit and body to the extreme. Seventy or eighty years ago, he was a renowned master, and the older he gets, the more seasoned he becomes. Even though his vitality has declined and his altered tissues have shrunk, his wealth of fighting experience remains formidable.
Fortunately, when he was young, although he was fierce and unruly, he adhered to the rules. Now that he's older, he's even more detached from worldly desires. Most of the gang's affairs are handled by him and his disciples, making him a very old-school fighter."
There is an Elder named Yue Hongtao, who is of the same generation as Yu Hongming, but slightly younger, only in his nineties. Compared to Yu Hongming, this man is very pragmatic and calculative. He has deep connections with the City Council, and his role in the long-standing existence of the SkyForgiveness Gang is significant.
Many of the Council's important armed security forces originated from the SkyForgiveness Gang. Nominally, these individuals have left the gang and obtained legal identities, but in reality, they still maintain intricate ties with Yue Hongtao's faction.
The SkyForgiveness Gang has been firmly rooted here since the old era, and with these two individuals, it is almost impossible to shake their position. The Bureau's strategy has always been to divide and conquer the two factions.
Chen Chuan's gaze shifted, and he thought that if the SkyForgiveness Gang were just an ordinary gang, the Bureau might not target them so specifically. However, with such deep connections to the City Council, they could almost be considered a subordinate force of the Council. In that case, it was necessary to find a way to dismantle them.
Xu Chan took a sip of his drink and said, "Apart from going to the Convergence Zone for missions, I will be stationed in Fengde District during my remaining time. My main task is to let the SkyForgiveness Gang know that I'm here and to prevent them from acting too recklessly." He spoke solemnly, "One should never overestimate a gang's limits, especially when they have the backing of power."
After a brief pause, he added, "However, I will be going to the Convergence Zone soon and might not return until the end of the year. During this time, the SkyForgiveness Gang might make some moves."
He looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Supervisor Chen, I know you are very capable, perhaps even more so than me. After I leave, I might have to rely on you for some matters."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Director Wu also mentioned this to me. I will handle it properly."
Seeing Chen Chuan's agreement, Xu Chan's expression relaxed slightly. He continued, "There's one more thing. The City Council is currently in deep conflict with the Government Hall. Recently, the Hall has introduced some regulations to address previous loopholes. If successful, the Council's power will be further curtailed. There's one person who is crucial in this matter."
He tapped the World Credential, and a middle-aged man with a serious expression appeared on the screen.
"This is Yao Kang, a key member of the Government Law Bureau. He has a strong sense of justice and refuses to be swayed by the Council's lobbying. He firmly enforces the Hall's decrees. The Bureau has been protecting him for several months, primarily through one of my team members."
Xu Chan explained, "They know he's my team member. When I was here, some people didn't dare to make any moves. But if I go to the Convergence Zone, I might not be able to deter them in time."
Chen Chuan looked at the screen and said, "I understand, Captain Xu. I will keep an eye on this matter after you leave."
Xu Chan raised his cup in gratitude.
In the 16th book of the 9th volume, there is no mistake!
Chen Chuan also raised his cup and clinked it with Xu Chan's.
After taking a sip, Xu Chan tapped the World Credential again, and Chen Chuan saw that a list of personnel had been uploaded to the credential.
"This is..." Chen Chuan began.
Xu Chan explained, "This is a list of people the Bureau can trust. I've spoken to them, and if you need anything, they will follow your instructions, Supervisor Chen."
Chen Chuan knew that Xu Chan was a senior member of the Bureau. It wouldn't be difficult for him to refuse a promotion and become an investigation director. These people were probably his former subordinates.
Chen Chuan asked about some of the individuals on the list, and Xu Chan provided detailed information about each one. After a while, the two men finished their meal and left the restaurant.
Once outside, Chen Chuan looked down the street and could see the entrance to the SkyForgiveness Gang's headquarters. He said, "Captain Xu, as long as we can deter the SkyForgiveness Gang, this matter won't be difficult." As he spoke, he turned towards the gang's headquarters and slowly walked in that direction.
Xu Chan was initially startled but soon realized what Chen Chuan intended to do. He thought for a moment and stood still, not moving from his spot.
At that moment, in the upper floors of the SkyForgiveness Gang's headquarters, Yu Hongming stood before a domain screen in the Long Life Pavilion. On the screen, he saw the silhouettes of two people, and on the other half of the screen, there was another elderly man.
This elderly man was tall and thin, with a braided beard. Compared to Yu Hongming's amiable appearance, there was a hint of arrogance in his eyes.
Yu Hongming, gazing at the screen, said, "Xu Chan might be going to the Convergence Zone. These two people came to demonstrate and warn us not to interfere. After he leaves, this person will likely be in charge of keeping an eye on us."
The thin, elderly man looked and said, "The Bureau's investigation director, Chang Hai, was the one who arrested him, right? Old Yu, your own disciple was beaten and is still in custody. How can you tolerate this?"
Yu Hongming remained calm and said, "They chose their own path. As their teacher, I can only teach them skills. How they use them is beyond my control."
The thin, elderly man scoffed, "I wonder where your youthful fire has gone."
Yu Hongming spoke slowly, "It's just that I've gained some respect and fear."
"Respect and fear?" The thin, elderly man was unconvinced. "I have some respect for Xu Chan. After all, he has real abilities. But to think that a young man like him wants to deter us just by being an investigation director? Is that all it takes?"
At that moment, Yu Hongming suddenly noticed something and stared intently. He saw Chen Chuan walking towards them.
The thin, elderly man also spotted Chen Chuan. When Chen Chuan reached the street corner, he stopped and watched them from a distance, puzzled. "What is he up to?"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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