Chapter 847: Strange News During a Conversation
Chapter 847: Strange News During a Conversation
The off-road vehicle gradually left the main urban area, and the guards on both sides became less and less. As the vehicle moved, the sky slowly brightened, and the warm, gentle light of the rising sun shone from the front.
Nian Fulu sat in the back, thinking about the scenes he had witnessed on the road. His nephew was not yet twenty years old, and he still had a lot of room for improvement. He couldn't imagine how far his nephew could go.
Looking at Chen Chuan's focused profile, Nian Fulu couldn't help but sigh, "Xiaochuan, you really change every year."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Uncle, some things change, and some things remain the same."
At that moment, his gaze swept across, and he saw a patrol vehicle from the Patrol Bureau approaching from the opposite direction. Covered in dust, it was clear that the vehicle had just returned from outside the city, perhaps even from the wilderness.
"Uncle," Chen Chuan asked, "has the Patrol Bureau increased its external patrols?"
"Yes," Nian Fulu replied, "and not just once. After cracking down on crime inside and outside the city, Director Guan reorganized the personnel and sent them to the wilderness to eliminate armed bandits. This cut off many people's sources of income. For the past two years, those who wanted to cause trouble for the Patrol Bureau kept coming in waves, but fortunately, Governor Zhu not only didn't tie our hands but also strongly supported us. So, whatever the Patrol Bureau wants to do, no one can stop us."
Chen Chuan nodded. The Patrol Bureau was directly under the National Patrol Bureau, a relatively closed system. Many local companies and armed groups relied on the Patrol Bureau's local branches for supervision. As long as the Civil Affairs Bureau cooperated and there were no companies like Mo Lan causing trouble, no one could stop them.
The armed bandits were involved in various smuggling and violent activities. Some had connections with local companies and families in Yangzhi and the surrounding counties, while others were supported and infiltrated by foreign forces. Over the years, the government had been intentionally suppressing and eliminating these bandits.
Governor Zhu, who was transferred from another region, must have been carrying out the higher-ups' intentions by vigorously promoting this strategy. In this regard, his stance was consistent with that of the Patrol Bureau.
At this thought, Chen Chuan asked, "How is the Yuan'an Company that moved in recently?"
"The Yuan'an Company doesn't interfere with any city affairs," Nian Fulu replied. "They only care about the railway connecting to Cold Valley City in the north. Most of their armed forces are concentrated there. Speaking of this, Xiaochuan, I recently heard some rumors from there, but I don't know if they're true."
"What rumors?"
Nian Fulu stood up from his seat, bent down, and sat in the seat behind the co-pilot. "It's said that several people were dug up in the snow in the north while constructing an additional railway line. It's probably a secret line, like the ones I used to ride on when I was in the military. These people were reportedly found there, and they're said to be quite tall."
In the past, he would have been half-believing and half-doubting such stories, but after hearing Chen Chuan's account of the Great Collision and the Converged Land, and considering his own experiences, he felt that it might be possible.
Chen Chuan seemed deep in thought. Tall people? This reminded him of certain similar situations.
Moreover, it was said that several "people" had been dug up. Were they dead or...? He pondered this, deciding to pay attention to this matter later.
As the director of security and defense for the central city, he could theoretically inquire about and intervene in any security-related matters in Ji Bei Dao. However, it was normal not to receive information about the Yuan'an Company's actions in the north, as it involved the Western Sea Province. But if he actively requested information, unless it involved genuine national secrets, it would generally be provided, and his request would be reasonable given his position.
As they spoke, the two young boys, Nian Mo and Nian Lu, were crouched by the car window, curiously looking outside through the glass. They had rarely ventured to the outskirts of the city, but after getting on the national highway, the surroundings became increasingly desolate, with only the faint outline of Jiao Mountain visible in the distance.
Chen Chuan also glanced in the direction of Jiao Mountain. In fact, this situation was very abnormal, but he had not been able to access the relevant information before. Now, in his new position, he had the authority to do so, but his tenure had been too short to pay attention to it. He would need to be more vigilant in the future.
The vehicle arrived at the remote checkpoint, where the guards had already been notified and were standing in a row. As the car slowly came to a stop, Chen Chuan opened the door and stepped out, and the captain called out, "Salute!" All the guards saluted him respectfully.
After all, the personnel at the national highway checkpoint were part of the Ji Bei Dao security and defense system, making them Chen Chuan's subordinates.
Chen Chuan returned the salute and then dismissed them.
Since they were already in the open wilderness, with strong winds, sand, and gravel, and it being winter, the checkpoint staff invited Chen Chuan and his family inside, offering them hot tea and providing newspapers and reading materials.
Nian Fulu didn't want to wait inside, but instead stood outside, looking towards the distant end of the road. Chen Chuan accompanied him and chatted, updating him on the situation in Central City.
After waiting for over an hour, a straight road ahead revealed a double-decker passenger bus approaching.
The bus was fully occupied by passengers traveling from the port to the city. On the second-floor rear seats, Nian Qian sat with a newspaper in hand.
With short hair, broad shoulders, and thick muscles on his chest and back, he was a robust young man. His face was strikingly similar to Nian Fulu's, and faint implant marks could be seen near his ears.
Now a major, he was only twenty-three years old. At his age, only those from the Martial Arts Academy or officers from military academies could achieve such rapid promotions.
Of course, besides his outstanding performance, he was also a rare compatible body for biomechatronic implants.
The military's current biological implantation technology was relatively advanced, requiring minimal alterations to the original organs. By adding some implanted alienating organizations, individuals could gain considerable combat power and certain information processing capabilities. However, compatible bodies for high-end implants were often scarce, and he was one of them. As a key mid-level officer cultivated by the military, he was also well-liked by his superiors due to his people skills.
After flipping through the previous period's newspapers, he picked up today's paper. There was an additional printed news item, roughly stating, "Chen Chuan, Director of Security and Defense from Central City, returns to his hometown of Yangzhi for a family visit, receiving a warm welcome from the Yangzhi government and citizens."
He was surprised, wondering why the name was the same as his cousin's.
He smiled, finding it quite a coincidence.
Even though he was in the military, as a technical officer, he was still familiar with the positions in Central City.
The position of Director of Security and Defense was indeed very high. Excluding the Grand Expansion era, it was the highest position achieved by anyone from Yangzhi City in the past few decades, making it a source of pride for the city. It was no wonder that the people of Yangzhi were so excited.
Those who held this position were usually in their forties or fifties. This person must have left Yangzhi over twenty years ago, coinciding with the Northern Rebellion Suppression War. Perhaps he rose through the ranks based on his battle merits and then transferred to the administrative department.
As the passenger bus slowly approached the checkpoint, it gradually came to a stop before reaching it. Passengers carrying large and small bags disembarked, and whether they were headed to Yangzhi or Central City, they would need to transfer to other vehicles.
Nian Qian casually carried a large suitcase and a military backpack as he descended from the bus. Even without his uniform, his upright posture and confident stride immediately identified him as a military man.
From a distance, a familiar and affectionate voice called out, "Qian'er!" followed by "Brother, brother!"
His eyes widened as he scanned the crowd of departing passengers. He immediately spotted Yu Wan, as well as Nian Fulu and the two little ones jumping and waving. He couldn't help but feel excited.
Behind the family stood a tall young man, smiling at him. Recognizing his cousin Chen Chuan, he returned the smile and quickly walked over.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he set down his luggage and saluted Nian Fulu, "Dad!" Then, he swiftly turned towards Yu Wan and saluted again, "Mom!"
Yu Wan, who hadn't seen her son in years, had tears welling up. She was amused by his sudden salute and responded with a "Hey~"
Nian Fulu, a retired military man himself, saw nothing wrong with the gesture. Instead, he was very pleased and returned a standard salute. After observing his eldest son for a moment, he nodded and said, "You're a good soldier, not any worse than your father back then."
Nian Qian laughed, "Dad fought on the battlefield, crawled through trenches, and climbed over barbed wire. I've only carried a gun for a few years, how can I compare to you?"
Nian Fulu's face lit up with a smile, but he shook his head, "It's different, different. The guns we held back then weren't like yours now."
Nian Qian turned to his younger siblings, baring his teeth at them, and then ruffled their hair. He looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Xiao Chuan, I heard from Mom and Dad that you got into Wuyi Academy and hold a high position in the Central City Administration Bureau. Impressive! I'm truly impressed, cousin! Did you drive Mom and Dad here? Thank you!"
Chen Chuan smiled, "Cousin, we're family, no need to thank me."
"That's right," Nian Qian said seriously, "We're family, but while I was away these years, you were the one supporting and taking care of the family. So, I should be the one thanking you!"
Chen Chuan smiled again, "Cousin, it's windy here, not a place for talking. Let's get on the bus."
"Okay!"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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