https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-845-New-Paths-from-Old-Beginnings/13041261/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-847-Strange-News-from-the-Outside-World/13041263/
Chapter 846: Past Doubts and Uncertainties
Chapter 846: Past Doubts and Uncertainties
Chen Chuanxian shared the news of the Great Collision with Nian Fuli and Yu Wan, as it was only right for them, as family members of martial artists, to know about such matters.
In fact, during his time as an investigation supervisor, he could have informed the families about these matters. The reason he hadn't done so before was to avoid causing unnecessary worry for his uncle and aunt upon learning the truth.
However, with the Great Collision drawing near and the upcoming move to the Central City, it seemed necessary to disclose these matters.
Nian Fuli and Yu Wan were both shocked after hearing about the Great Collision. It felt as if their entire worldview had shattered.
Yu Wan asked, "Chan'er, is this... is this real?"
Chen Chuan nodded and replied, "It's real."
Nian Fuli quickly regained his composure and said, "Xiao Chuan, talking about this reminds me of something from my time as a soldier. There was a period when we didn't know where we were, and all we could see was a sky filled with light. The things near the battlefield were also very strange."
"I couldn't figure out some things back then, but now that I think about it, it's very likely that the place we went to was the Fusion Land you mentioned, Xiao Chuan."
Chen Chuan's heart stirred, and he said, "Uncle, I remember you telling me about this when I was little. I think you said you were going to fight rebels, right?"
Yu Wan nodded and said, "Yes, Elder. I remember the newspapers that year were talking about fighting rebels."
"The official statement was that they were suppressing an armed rebellion in the north."
Nian Fuli gave a light scoff. "I was barely in my twenties back then. I believed whatever they told us. We fought wherever our superiors ordered, and when we weren't fighting, we were digging trenches or building fortifications. We were exhausted like dead dogs, and it wasn't until we had some downtime that I started to realize something was off. But it's all in the past now, so what's the point of thinking about it?" He shook his head as he spoke.
Chen Chuan paused for a moment, then said, "I remember you mentioning that the casualties in the military were high and that you encountered some strange things, Uncle."
Nian Fuli silently nodded and said, "There's something I've never told you before. It was towards the end of the war, and we had captured a rebel station. The old company commander assigned me and another comrade to guard a warehouse.
This comrade could jump six feet high, and his butt seemed to have nails growing out of it because he couldn't sit still. His nickname was 'Flea,' and he had a particularly energetic spirit.
That night, we kept hearing a strange sound coming from the warehouse, like something was hitting the walls from the inside, or something was crawling on them. Flea kept going over to listen, but he couldn't make out what it was.
We guarded the warehouse until the middle of the night when two people in black clothes approached us and showed us their identification. They asked us for a favor.
At that time, it was just Flea and me, and we couldn't both leave. The person in black had initially chosen me, but Flea couldn't sit still and insisted on going in my place. He even gave me half a pack of cigarettes.
As Nian Fuli spoke, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes. "I remember that person smiling at Flea and saying, 'Okay, you go then.'
Soon after Flea left, strange things started happening. The sounds from the warehouse stopped, and I never saw Flea again. What's even stranger is that I can't remember what was written on that identification, and I can't recall what those two people looked like."
"Later, I secretly asked the old company commander about this. When he heard it, his face changed, and he growled at me to shut up. After that, I withdrew from the military with the rest of the troops."
He lit a cigarette, unable to hold back, and continued, "A few years later, the old company commander became the director of the Patrol Bureau. During a drinking session, I brought up this matter again. The old company commander told me that he actually didn't remember anyone like that in the military. The comrade who was supposed to guard the warehouse with me was someone else, but he had diarrhea and was too weak to go."
Yu Wan's heart trembled with fear as she listened. "Elder, then... who was Flea?"
Nian Fuli took a deep breath and smiled bitterly. "Who knows? I still can't tell them apart. I don't know which one was real, the one I met or the one the old company commander met. But I think that whether or not there was a person named Flea, if he hadn't stepped forward, I might not have made it back."
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment. If the location of the battle during the Great Collision was the Fusion Land, such a situation was highly likely. He asked, "Uncle, do you remember where the battlefield was?"
Nian Fuli thought for a moment and replied, "I only remember taking a boat for several days and nights, probably heading north. I can't describe it precisely because when we traveled, everyone's heads were foggy, and we didn't know why. The same thing happened during the withdrawal. The most vivid memory I have is the colorful light everywhere at night."
"I think that place in Cold Valley City in the north, where a military force is still stationed, might be where we landed, but I can't confirm it."
Chen Chuan nodded and kept this matter in mind because he had just thought of something that might be related.
At this moment, a hint of worry appeared on Yu Wan's face. "Chan'er, if that thing you mentioned, the Great Collision... If we go to the Central City, what about our neighbors and friends here?"
Chen Chuan spoke seriously. "Aunt, Yangzhi is also my hometown. Those neighbors and friends watched me grow up. If there comes a day when I have the ability, I will find a way to protect them all."
Yu Wan, however, was more concerned, "Chan'er..."
Chen Chuan smiled, "Auntie, don't worry. I'll do my best and won't be reckless. Just like Uncle always says, 'Keep to your own bowl and eat your own rice.'"
Nian Fuli patted Yu Wan's back and said, "That's right. Xiao Chuan will consider these things himself. He stands tall and sees far, so we don't need to worry about him."
Yu Wan nodded.
"Alright, let's not talk about these unhappy things anymore. It's almost the New Year, and if there's anything else, we can discuss it after the New Year."
Nian Fuli asked Chen Chuan, "Xiao Chuan, how long will you be staying this time?"
Chen Chuan replied, "If there are no urgent official matters, I'll be here for about a month."
Nian Fuli said, "That's great. I was just about to tell you that Xiao Qian sent a telegram saying he's coming back. But he's traveling by ship and is coming from the military, so the timing is uncertain. If all goes well, he should be here tomorrow or the day after, and he'll send a telegram as soon as he arrives."
Chen Chuan was surprised, "Oh? Is my cousin coming back too? That's wonderful."
He thought about how his cousin had been transferred to the outer ocean, and now that the war there was almost over, it was indeed time for him to return.
After chatting for a while longer, Chen Chuan got up to help clean up a bit. Then, carrying his suitcase, he returned to his room and put his things away. He approached the desk and looked at the young man and woman in the photo frame, smiling at him.
It was clear that even when he wasn't around, his aunt would take care of his room, as there wasn't a speck of dust on the frame.
He silently gazed at the photo, recalling the memories and experiences associated with it. The scenes flashed before his eyes, and as he slowly closed his eyes, a glint of sharpness appeared when he opened them again.
Just then, the phone rang outside the living room, and it kept ringing non-stop. As expected, the calls were all from people trying to connect with Nian Fuli, some of them even being the parents of Nian Lu and Nian Mo's classmates. But their intentions were clear—they wanted to establish a relationship and curry favor.
Most people from the fringe cities wanted to go to the central city, but it wasn't enough to just get there; they needed a proper identity. Now that Nian Fuli's nephew had become an official in the central city, wasn't it reasonable to ask for a favor or two for friends?
Nian Fuli had been in the patrol bureau for over twenty years and had seen all kinds of people. He spoke with precision, leaving no room for error, and deftly handled each person.
At the same time, within the Wu Yi Academy, the phone on Cheng Zitong's desk had been ringing ever since Chen Chuan left Yangzhi. Cheng Zitong, with his hands behind his back and humming a tune, stood by the window, admiring the view of Spring Autumn Lake. No matter how the phone rang, he didn't answer it.
He looked in the direction of where his senior brother, Qiao Linhu, used to live, feeling a sense of loss. Ever since his senior brother went to the central city, he hadn't been able to enjoy the fragrant rice from his brother's home.
He missed his senior brother during these past six months.
He turned his gaze back to the central city, the sunlight hitting his now rounder face. He put on his sunglasses, a smirk on his face. Old man, I'm Cheng Zitong's student! Are you impressed?
Early the next morning, Nian Fuli received a telegram from the telegraph office. It was from his eldest son, Nian Qian, saying that he had arrived at the Far View Port by ferry around 3 am and was now on a passenger bus, probably stopping at the checkpoint.
Nian Fuli had originally planned to borrow a car from the bureau to pick up his son, but since Chen Chuan had a car, he decided it wasn't necessary. He would drive and take the family to pick up this cousin.
Nian Fuli agreed and went back to change his clothes, fixing his hair and trimming his beard, trying to hide the white hairs a bit more. After he finished, he came out, and Yu Wan had already packed, helping Nian Mo straighten his crooked hat. He turned and asked, "Old man, why are you taking so long?"
Nian Fuli said, "What's the rush? Can't I make this kid wait a few years before he comes back?"
Yu Wan playfully slapped him and said, "You're just stalling."
Chen Chuan couldn't help but laugh. Anyone could see that Nian Fuli was trying to act nonchalant about this matter, but it was clear that he was happier than anyone about his eldest son's return.
The family left the house, and as they walked through the neighborhood, the early-rising neighbors greeted them. They reached the street corner and boarded the brand-new airship that Chen Chuan had brought back.
Chen Chuan waited for everyone to fasten their seatbelts, then started the vehicle, slowly driving out of the neighborhood and turning onto the main road outside.
It was evident that security had been tightened outside, with armed personnel patrolling the entire area around the patrol bureau's residential compound. The civil affairs bureau had clearly raised the security level for the surrounding neighborhoods.
After leaving the neighborhood, the off-road vehicle drove towards the city, with guards on both sides of the street saluting as they passed by.
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(End)
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