Chapter 682: The Chase
Chapter 682: The Chase
The explosion was sudden and powerful, sending a wave of heat and shock through the air, affecting even those at a distance from the street. The deafening blast and shattering sounds filled the ears of everyone nearby, while the buildings around shook from the impact, raining down debris and fragments.
Amidst the smoke and dust, Chen Chuan emerged unscathed, his mask now marred with pits and dents, and his cover garment torn and tattered. He ripped off the garment and removed his mask, tossing it to the ground.
Tiny fragments and debris continued to fall from above, some landing on him, evidence of the shock grenade's impact. The ground beneath his feet was noticeably different in color from the surrounding area.
At that moment, he sensed a rustling sound through his World Credential, and both the audio and visual became blurred, likely due to the explosion's impact.
However, the World Credential had self-healing capabilities, and his customized version was designed to withstand intense explosions. Although it was currently affected, it should recover soon.
Looking at the ground, he realized that the larvae weren't just digging a tunnel; they were also uncovering buried explosives.
He could sense that this was a premeditated attack, specifically targeting him.
The scale of the explosion, with explosives buried beneath an entire street, was a significant move. Even powerful fighters would struggle to escape unharmed if they entered this area, and those caught in the blast would suffer severe injuries, if not death.
But Chen Chuan was different; even without a second self, he could withstand the blast with his Firm Heart Technique.
That was precisely what had just happened.
In fact, the reason the spiritual premonition was slightly delayed was that the explosion, while dangerous, wasn't life-threatening to him. Had he faced a perilous situation, he would have sensed it and received a premonition before entering the area.
However, he didn't know how many residents were on this street, and it was unlikely anyone could survive such an explosion.
Still, a search and rescue operation was necessary.
Chen Chuan had already left the blast zone and glanced at Chao Ming, still hovering in the distance. It seemed that the explosion had prompted Chao Ming to approach him, so he signaled for Chao Ming to continue the pursuit.
Chao Ming let out a whistle and resumed the chase.
Meanwhile, the World Credential displayed a mix of clear and blurred images, revealing a person trying to assess the situation. After checking the area above, they continued running forward.
Though the person couldn't see Chen Chuan, Chao Ming's movements provided clues about Chen Chuan's current state.
Chen Chuan's gaze fixed ahead, and his figure suddenly sped up, closing the distance.
After a while, he felt the World Credential becoming clearer, and he received a message from behind. The team that had stayed behind was also startled by the explosion and was urgently seeking information from him.
He replied, assuring them that he was unharmed and instructing them to proceed with the plan. Then, he spoke to An Dun, "An Dun, deploy the city security team to clear the rubble and send the survivors for medical treatment."
"Understood, Chen Supervisor, but I must inform you that most residents in this area are non-citizens, and they cannot access the medical services of the Central City."
Chen Chuan calmly stated, "Include the relevant personnel in this operation's assistance, and record the medical expenses as part of the operation's budget."
"Understood, An Dun."
The person running ahead seemed to have confirmed that Chen Chuan wasn't harmed in the explosion, so they picked up their pace again.
This individual appeared to be very familiar with the local terrain and residences, navigating through alleys and sometimes cutting through buildings, disappearing for a while, which hindered Chao Ming's aerial surveillance and Chen Chuan's pursuit.
The area was crowded with pedestrians, makeshift structures, and numerous obstacles, preventing the person from running at full speed. In contrast, the pursuer didn't seem to care about these hindrances, likely due to Chao Ming's advantage in the sky, which made it difficult for the person to shake them off.
However, if the person continued circling this area, they would soon lose this advantage once the backup team arrived and set up a containment perimeter.
Chen Chuan kept his eyes on the figure in the World Credential, and despite the obstacles, An Dun's analysis and early warnings allowed him to choose the most reasonable and optimized path, gradually catching up.
Once he reduced the distance between them to within a mile, his spiritual power could reach the person, and they would no longer be able to shake him off.
Suddenly, Chen Chuan noticed the person pressing a button on a nearby building.
This small action seemed mysterious, perhaps a signal or a trigger for something, subconsciously reminding him of the recent explosion.
He considered the possibilities; the person might be bluffing, or there could be an actual issue there.
However, without knowing the cause of the explosion, if his presence triggered another blast, that wasn't something he wanted. So, he decided to take a detour, knowing that he might lose some ground to the person, but he could catch up later.
After observing the man occasionally touching the houses on both sides in the same manner, it was clear that he was trying to hinder Chen Chuan's pursuit. However, An Dun, who was observing from a distance, could provide Chen Chuan with some analysis. If there was a certain probability of explosives, he would choose to avoid them; if the probability was small, he would ignore it.
The man seemed to have realized that this method was no longer effective against Chen Chuan, so he stopped using it and fled from the residential area, reaching the street outside.
Chen Chuan did not linger but quickly crossed the street and darted into the tall buildings across the street.
Looking ahead, Chen Chuan knew that if it were any other place, he would have already deployed combat creatures and security personnel at potential exit locations and set up roadblocks on the street to block the way.
However, in Hongsheng District, the center of the city, this area had the oldest and most dilapidated security facilities, so none of these measures were in place. Even the local security forces, due to their poor treatment, were slow to respond and had not arrived yet, making it impossible to rely on them.
Therefore, Chen Chuan could only continue tracking the man.
As he reached the street from the residential area, he suddenly sensed something and quickly dodged a bullet.
He then flicked his hand a few times, deflecting the subsequent bullets. On the building across the street, there was a long-range gunman with extremely accurate marksmanship, each shot aimed directly at Chen Chuan's face.
This indicated that the man had planned his escape route, including setting up a trap here. Chen Chuan knew he had to be cautious.
In a moment, he caught a bullet with his hand and threw it back with a flick of his wrist, sending it flying back.
The gunman was a fighter who had injected a stimulant, which allowed him to barely capture Chen Chuan's figure and rely on his instincts to fire extremely precise shots. But the instincts honed on the battlefield made him sense danger, and he immediately tried to dodge to the side.
In a 6-1-9-1-bar-1-look-1-wrong version!
However, the distance between them was only three to four hundred meters. The bullet, when thrown back, was faster than when it was fired, and it drilled straight into the gunman's forehead. His entire body fell backward, and the bullet's momentum continued, creating a shallow pit in the concrete wall behind him.
After dealing with the gunman, Chen Chuan followed the man's escape route. But after running for only a few hundred meters, the man turned a corner and disappeared. Chen Chuan did not see him again.
A few seconds later, Chen Chuan arrived at the spot. With a glance, he quickly found a passage leading to a lower abandoned waterway.
Looking at the pit below, Chen Chuan had no intention of entering.
Based on the man's previous actions, he was someone who considered all possibilities. If Chen Chuan were in his position, to ensure his escape, he would likely have planted explosives underground.
With good luck, he could trap Chen Chuan inside, and with bad luck, he could still hinder Chen Chuan's path.
If this were the case, the man would indeed have successfully escaped.
However...
A vision flashed before Chen Chuan's eyes, showing a dense network of sewers with his current position marked.
With An Dun's information resources, Chen Chuan could receive powerful support.
Moreover, the terrain here was much more open, so Chen Chuan didn't need to suppress his speed as before. After a quick glance, he suddenly accelerated and ran along the route indicated by An Dun.
A few seconds later, Chen Chuan's psychic talent sensed a strong aura underground.
The owner of this aura also seemed to sense something and immediately retracted his domain, but although the domain could be retracted, the momentary psychic connection could not be severed. Chen Chuan had no choice but to increase his speed.
However, he could feel that no matter where he went, Chen Chuan was always right above him, unable to shake him off.
So he paused for a moment and suddenly changed direction, instantly creating distance between them.
Chen Chuan immediately realized that the man's turn was likely leading him deeper underground, as only there could such a feat be possible.
The sewers were not usually this deep. The man was probably heading towards the lower city district.
The lower city district...
Chen Chuan touched his world credential, and a light screen appeared, showing the roads in the lower city district.
Since he had been to this area during the rescue operation and had previously investigated it, the information was recently updated, including details about side roads and man-made tunnels, making it very comprehensive.
After a few glances, Chen Chuan made a decision.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
