Chapter 68: Urban Legends
Chapter 68: Urban Legends
After attending the invitation class, Chen Chuan proceeded to a public lecture and then returned to the dormitory. As he entered the lobby, the dormitory supervisor approached him and said, "Mr. Chen, a teacher from the Executive Office is looking for you."
Chen Chuan glanced over and saw a young teacher approaching him. The teacher first presented his name card and politely introduced himself, "Hello, Mr. Chen. I'm He Mei from the Executive Office. I have something to discuss with you. Can we talk in your dormitory?"
"Of course," Chen Chuan replied.
The two took the elevator to Chen Chuan's floor. Upon reaching his room, Chen Chuan invited the teacher in, offering him a seat and a glass of water.
"Mr. Chen, please don't trouble yourself. Let's talk while seated," said Teacher He. Once Chen Chuan was seated, he continued, "I'm here regarding the matter of Qiu Xin. The situation has been clarified, and the fault lies entirely with Qiu Xin."
"Is it because of Zhong Wu?" Chen Chuan asked.
"Yes," Teacher He replied. "Qiu Xin and Zhong Wu, who was once your assessment instructor, have always been close. Upon learning about Zhong Wu's situation, Qiu Xin immediately resigned from his current position and returned to the school. He has been assisting various invitation class teachers as an assistant."
"He's usually quiet and diligent, so the teachers don't mind his presence. However, he admitted that the reason he returned to school was to wait for an opportunity to target you. Since you would inevitably attend invitation classes, he was willing to wait for years if necessary. Therefore, it's highly likely that this incident was bound to happen."
Chen Chuan couldn't help but admire the man's determination and persistence. After a moment of thought, he said, "Qiu Xin's attack was severe. If I hadn't been prepared, I might have been seriously injured. His actions cannot be excused as mere negligence. He won't be able to escape the consequences."
"Indeed," Teacher He agreed. "He admitted as much. He said he sought help, but no one was willing to stand up for Zhong Wu. So, he took matters into his own hands. Moreover, he claimed that since he chose this path, he didn't care about the outcome. He regretted not achieving his goal but acknowledged the price he had to pay for his actions."
He paused for a moment and continued, "The medical examination revealed that his internal organs have suffered significant damage. He might have to spend the rest of his life bedridden. Considering his friendship with Zhong Wu, we arranged for them to be together as a humanitarian gesture."
"Thank you for informing me, Teacher He," Chen Chuan expressed his gratitude.
Teacher He smiled and said, "It's our duty. Well, I should be going now." He stood up.
Chen Chuan also rose to his feet.
"Mr. Chen, a prominent tree will be blown down by the wind. Be cautious, but remember, the more you are targeted, the more it proves your excellence. I look forward to seeing your future achievements." Teacher He extended his hand and shook Chen Chuan's hand before bidding farewell.
Chen Chuan thanked him again, and after seeing the teacher off, he headed to the training room to resume his daily practice.
As nightfall approached, Cheng Zitong also came to visit. Upon entering, he asked, "I heard about the incident this afternoon. Are you alright?"
"Don't worry, Teacher. I was prepared for it," Chen Chuan assured him.
"I trust your judgment. You have a plan, and now that you've mastered the Vitality Technique, you can afford to be cautious when necessary. But when you have the ability, it's only right to address issues rather than let them linger," Cheng Zitong said.
"That's exactly what I was thinking, Teacher," Chen Chuan agreed.
Cheng Zitong nodded and said, "I've taken care of the firearms license matter, but once you apply, you may receive an exam task at any time. The exam content is still unknown, but based on past experiences, there will likely be one or more designated assignments. It could be local or in another city, so you must be prepared. Consolidate your skills as much as possible this month."
Chen Chuan nodded, "I understand the importance of the firearms license."
"Good, as long as you realize that. Do your best to obtain it as soon as possible." Cheng Zitong emphasized again, then added, "Oh, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you.
Your upcoming training may require more combat training and medications, and the previous rewards might not be sufficient. I have some assignment tasks ready for you, which will not only provide additional income but also allow you to gain experience in handling assignments independently. Are you willing to take them on?"
Chen Chuan said, "I would love to hear about it, Teacher."
Cheng Zitong seemed to perk up and said, "In that case, let's discuss the assignment choices. The selection of commissions is actually quite an art. If the level is too low, the value is insufficient. Even if you perform exceptionally, the various clients won't hold you in high regard."
"I dare say that many students are currently seeking firearms licenses. High-level and well-paid assignments are highly competitive. This is where connections and background power come into play. However, it's not worth fighting for these opportunities, and there's no need to waste time on them. So, we don't have to crowd with them; instead, we can explore alternative paths."
Chen Chuan asked, "What do you have in mind, Teacher?"
Cheng Zitong looked at him and asked, "Do you know about urban legends?"
Chen Chuan was slightly surprised but quickly nodded in agreement. "I've heard about them. My uncle-in-law works at the Patrol Bureau, and he says that many urban legends have traces of human involvement."
Cheng Zitong nodded and said, "Your uncle-in-law is right. Most urban legends are indeed like that, but there are exceptions. The next assignment I'm arranging for you involves solving an issue related to an urban legend. Don't worry; I've been studying this for a long time. I won't let you down. Just follow my instructions, and you'll be fine."
"I trust you, Teacher," Chen Chuan assured him.
Cheng Zitong was delighted. "Wait a moment," he said, taking out a stack of papers from his briefcase and pushing them towards Chen Chuan. "I've prepared these materials for you. Take a look. I'll handle the negotiations with the client. You just focus on completing the assignment."
Chen Chuan took the papers and began to flip through them. A thought crossed his mind, "The Well Baby? I think I've heard of this urban legend when I was a child..."
In fact, every native of Yangzhi City has heard the eerie tale of the Well Baby during their childhood.
According to the legend, from October to November, after 9 p.m., if you pour half a bowl of soybeans and half a bowl of black beans into the well water, a beautiful child will emerge from the well, and the well water will turn into wine.
Adults who drink this water feel nothing, but children who drink it will fall into a deep sleep for an entire day. Children love this because it allows them to skip school. However, most children forget what happened during those one or two days, but occasionally, some children become foolish.
It's not that no one has tried to solve this issue, but all attempts have been unsuccessful. In the end, adults can only restrict their children, but they still hear about such incidents from time to time.
Chen Chuan remembered that in his previous life, he and a group of friends had also tried it, but they only wasted half a bowl of black beans and soybeans without seeing anything.
As he continued to read through the materials and saw the detailed records, he realized that his previous attempts had been futile.
The Well Baby only appears in the old City God Temple in the northern suburbs, and its appearances follow a specific pattern.
It always starts in October and occurs in wells that are at least thirty years old in the northern part of the city. The materials included a hand-drawn map showing the distribution of these wells.
The activity curve on the map suggested that the Well Baby might be following the groundwater flow. Therefore, if a well is not directly on the route, or if the feeding location is incorrect, it is impossible to encounter it.
Below the map, a sentence written in red ink explained that as long as you accurately calculate the next well where the Well Baby might appear, a few minutes before 9 p.m., you should take a bucket of water from the well, pour in half a bowl of soybeans and black beans, and the Well Baby will climb out along the well wall and run into the bucket. Then, you can take it to the designated location.
The materials included a detailed map indicating the location of every old well in that area, with corresponding dates marked below each well.
With this information, the task became much simpler. Even if they couldn't determine the exact well immediately, having a general range allowed them to use the process of elimination to find the correct target.
Chen Chuan looked up and asked, "Teacher, did you compile this yourself?"
Cheng Zitong nodded and said, "Yes, I enjoy researching these things in my free time. The old man always scolds me for not focusing on my main duties. Well, what do you think?"
Chen Chuan replied sincerely, "I think it's great. These mysterious matters provide people with many unknowns, and the feeling of exploring the unknown and seeking answers is truly wonderful."
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(End of Chapter)
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