Chapter 80: Secret Mission
Chapter 80: Secret Mission
"So, this is Mr. Chen."
Upon hearing that the young man before them was Chen Chuan, the team leader couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.
The battle in the Gateway District had made quite an impact, and news of Chen Chuan had already reached various commission companies and even the desks of commissioners themselves.
They didn't dare to inquire too deeply into the origin of the military implants on Scarface, but Chen Chuan, who could directly confront a military implant user, had caught their attention. Some companies even had the idea of recruiting him.
However, Chen Chuan was invited by Wei Chang'an, and they were merely collaborators, not superior and subordinate. Moreover, they were both alumni of Wu Yi Academy, which was beyond the reach of these companies.
Chen Chuan would be allowed to intern outside the school in a year or two, and these companies were willing to wait. Some even considered sending people to make contact with him in advance.
There was no other reason; strength was the best passport.
For someone like Chen Chuan, it was only natural to be courteous.
He apologized, "Mr. Chen, I'm sorry. My young master doesn't like socializing with outsiders. Wei Entrustee can go in, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait outside. Please forgive me."
Wei Chang'an) said to Chen Chuan, "Junior Brother, then wait for me. I'll go in and ask, and I'll be right out."
Chen Chuan replied, "Sure, Brother Wei."
The man immediately stepped aside, making room and saying, "Please."
Wei Chang'an entered, and with the man's guidance, he went straight to a temporary office. There, a man in a yellow-brown imported suit, his hair slicked back with oil, was lounging on a sofa, filing his nails. An assistant was bent over, signing and drafting documents for him.
Seeing Wei Chang'an enter, the man showed impatience, "Wei Entrustee, what's the matter now?"
Wei Chang'an said, "Hu Entrustee, I'd like to inquire about the specific mission details. As a member of this operation, I should be informed, shouldn't I?"
Hu Shiguang didn't respond but kicked the assistant in front of him. The assistant straightened up, adjusted his glasses, and said to Wei Chang'an, "Wei Entrustee, for the sake of caution, the mission details must remain confidential. We ask that you follow the previous arrangement and guard a checkpoint. Rest assured, your name won't be missing from the commission list after the task is completed."
"Did you hear me?" Hu Shiguang showed a sense of entitlement, shaking his crossed legs, "Wei Entrustee, the operation is about to begin. Don't cause us any trouble, will you?"
Wei Chang'an gave Hu Shiguang a deep look and left without saying more.
At this moment, his determination to go independent grew stronger. It wasn't just about the low pay, but the feeling of being controlled by others was suffocating.
He found Chen Chuan and headed towards the checkpoint assigned to them by Hu Shiguang. However, he knew that Hu Shiguang was just making an excuse to keep him away. If Tong Qianjiang were to come, he wouldn't get anywhere near here.
After walking for about half a mile, they reached the designated location. It used to be a factory park with slides and frames welded from steel for exercise and children's play. But now, it was covered in rust, and the surrounding area was overgrown with weeds.
They found a worn-out chair, and Wei Chang'an took out a prepared newspaper and laid it on the chair before sitting down. "I couldn't get any details about the mission. Hu Shiguang clearly doesn't want us involved in the operation."
Chen Chuan didn't sit but leaned against a tree. "Brother Wei, I can't speak for your company, but I don't think this is the first time you've faced this situation. The night before dawn is always the darkest, but it'll get better once we get through it."
"You're right, Junior Brother," Wei Chang'an said, "but what I'm worried about is Hu Shiguang's lack of experience and his tendency to be overly clever. I'm afraid he'll mess things up, and no one will benefit from it. It might even delay the capture of Fang Dawei and his group."
"Since he's coming here, he must have experienced people with him, right?" Chen Chuan asked.
"That's the logical assumption," Wei Chang'an said, "but you should know that there's a rumor going around the company about Hu Shiguang relying solely on his status as the boss's son. It's true that he's inexperienced, but he loves to show off. I'm afraid he won't listen to others' sound advice and will insist on doing things his way."
Chen Chuan's heart echoed, 'Brother Wei, this guy is probably one of those who acts big but lacks real skill.'
Time quickly passed, and it was already 8 o'clock. With no specific action to take in the capture, the two could only chat about other topics.
Wei Chang'an said, "Junior Brother, do you know that around this time every year, the teacher from Central City would visit the school? Perhaps he's already there, and with your outstanding performance, he might even seek you out."
Chen Chuan was surprised, "I thought you said he only teaches recommended students, Brother Wei?"
"That's what they say," Wei Chang'an replied, "but who he teaches and how he teaches are up to him. If someone stands out, they're more likely to catch his attention." He glanced at Chen Chuan, "I heard he has a way to bring people to Central City without taking up a recommendation slot."
"So, it doesn't take up a recommendation slot?"
Chen Chuan's heart skipped a beat. He thought for a moment and said, "That's probably not as simple as it sounds."
Wei Chang'an nodded, "I heard this from someone else. He might not even come looking for you. I'm just saying this so you don't take it too seriously."
Chen Chuan didn't have many thoughts on the matter. If it were truly advantageous without drawbacks, everyone would be fighting for it, and it certainly wouldn't be his turn.
After this chat, the two continued discussing other matters. However, when Chen Chuan mentioned the military implant, Wei Chang'an seemed reluctant to delve deeper. He advised Chen Chuan not to be overly curious, as the waters were deep and he shouldn't get involved.
Wei Chang'an added, "Scarface was taken away by people from the Government Hall after they questioned him. Now, we don't know where he is, so don't expect to get any leads from him."
He looked towards the intersection ahead, "We can only hope this operation succeeds so that Fang Dawei and his gang will cause less trouble."
The two chatted intermittently, and by around 8:30 pm, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps. A person from the Commission Company rushed towards them and excitedly announced to Wei Chang'an, "Mr. Wei, we caught him! We caught the person!"
Wei Chang'an stood up immediately and said to Chen Chuan, "Let's go!"
Chen Chuan followed suit.
The two arrived at the abandoned factory they had visited earlier. Inside, they saw a masked person pinned to the ground, with a baseball cap lying nearby. Hu Shiguang stood there triumphantly, surrounded by a crowd.
Wei Chang'an glanced at the person on the ground, sensing something amiss. Seeing no one else speaking up, he stepped forward and asked, "Wait, how can you be sure he's Tong Qianjiang?"
Hu Shiguang hummed and gestured, "Identify him."
Someone immediately pulled off the mask, revealing a stranger's face. The person identified him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Sir, this doesn't seem to be Tong Qianjiang..."
"What?" Hu Shiguang was both surprised and angry. He pointed and asked, "Then who is he?"
The man was terrified, but despite the questioning, he couldn't utter a word. He tried to speak, but only managed to force out some air from his throat.
Someone realized what was happening, "It's the mute drug. Give him a voice pill." The mute drug was a common item in the Commission Company, used to prevent unexpected vocalizations during operations.
After taking the pill, the man finally spoke up after a while, shouting, "I'm not involved! I'm not involved!" He wailed, "I was forced to come here! They held a knife to my wife and child's necks. I had no choice, I was forced..."
Wei Chang'an shook his head, understanding the situation. Tong Qianjiang was cautious and sent someone else to scout ahead. He might have been nearby earlier, but now he was likely long gone.
This wasn't a particularly clever tactic; anyone from the company would see through it. But now, it had failed.
Wei Chang'an glanced at Hu Shiguang, who was still yelling and pulling at his assistant's collar, and said to Chen Chuan, "Let's go, junior. This capture operation has failed."
Chen Chuan also looked at Hu Shiguang, nodded, and the two of them left.
Despite the failed operation, Hu Shiguang seemed unwilling to give up. He deployed a large number of people to search the area, hoping to find Tong Qianjiang, but to no avail.
They worked tirelessly until midnight, and after everyone was exhausted, Hu Shiguang finally gave up. However, before the team could officially disband, he drove off alone. When the rest returned, they were speechless and muttered curses behind his back.
Hu Shiguang drove back to the mansion district in the south of the city. As soon as he entered, the despondency and agitation in his eyes vanished. He dismissed the maid who had come to change his shoes and walked to the phone, dialing a number. "Father, I did everything you asked of me."
A voice on the other end replied, "Son, I know you've endured hardship. You're actually quite capable."
Hu Shiguang scoffed, "What good is being capable? I know with big brother around, it'll never be my turn. It's better to be less capable and not be seen as a rival. That way, he won't treat me as an enemy in the future. But father, why did you do this?"
"The waters are deep. It's best to let this matter rest."
"Can't you tell me something? I worked hard and even risked the company's reputation."
"You're not the boss, and some things are better left unknown. This is for your own good."
Hu Shiguang snorted, "For my own good? I just don't want to be dragged down. I don't want to share the benefits but end up sharing the losses."
"I understand this matter. Just know your place, and big brother won't make things difficult for you." With that, the call ended.
Hu Shiguang fidgeted with his tie, muttering to himself, "Old man, I hope you truly understand."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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