Chapter 86: Chapter 86, Eighty-Six and Eighty-Seven: Armed and Armored, Unrestricted in Action
Chapter 86: Chapter 86, Eighty-Six and Eighty-Seven: Armed and Armored, Unrestricted in Action
Two hours later, at Caijia Village.
The Patrol Bureau officers arrived and set up a base here. Liu Xuelang's body was found under the rubble.
His outer layer of protection was the somewhat tattered protective umbrella, and his protective vest was mostly intact. The fatal injury was caused by a collapsing crossbeam that had fallen on top of him.
He died in a crouching position, shielding a child beneath him. The child was also unconscious, but thanks to the space Liu had created, they were still breathing and appeared unharmed.
The female senior classmate spoke softly, "It's clear now. The villagers in the surrounding rooms were all tied up, and remote-controlled explosives were buried along the road. They probably intended to lure rescuers in and then detonate the bombs. Fortunately, we moved quickly..."
Her voice trailed off, and her eyes reddened as she continued, "He could have escaped."
The male classmates remained silent.
Chen Chuan surveyed the area. The explosion had caused at least five or six houses to collapse. The child in this house had been saved by Liu Xuelang's self-sacrifice, but the villagers in those other houses were also buried beneath the rubble.
At that moment, Han Guo approached and said, "Regarding Liu's death, I will write an honest evaluation."
Wu Xuelang scoffed and said, "What's the point now that he's dead?"
Han Guo replied, "A person's name lives on after their death. What he did still holds meaning, and the Corpse Committee will assist with the arrangements." She glanced at the group, "Additionally, I must inform you that the designated assignment has been canceled."
The students were all startled and turned to look at her. The female student stared intently and asked, "What do you mean?"
Han Guo calmly replied, "It means exactly what I said. Don't ask me why; I don't know either. But you will still receive the appropriate scores. I think it might be because Fang's son was rescued?"
Wu Xuelang snorted, "Rescued? If he were rescued, he wouldn't be here."
Chen Chuan had also heard that while the Patrol Bureau was searching desperately, Fang's son was playing darts at a classmate's house, where he had been skipping class. The two children found it amusing and hid, only confirming their safety after a long time.
If not for this, the situation might not have escalated to such an extent.
Han Guo continued, "Although the designated assignment is canceled, the commission task remains. It has been transferred to the Patrol Bureau. Whether you continue or leave is up to you; the Review Committee won't interfere."
The female senior classmate asked, "What's the situation now?"
Han Guo explained, "Fang Dawei's group didn't get far. They fled to the north and took refuge in an abandoned fort from the Great Expansion Era on a hilltop. The entrance is narrow, and the Patrol Bureau has attempted to storm it several times without success. It's up to you now. If you want to leave, I'll go with you. I'll wait for you for ten minutes."
After saying this, she left without hesitation.
The students stood in silence for a while. Then, the female senior classmate spoke up, "I quit."
One of the male classmates lowered his head and said, "Me too."
Another male classmate added, "I'm also quitting. I admit I'm scared. If Liu hadn't died, I would have stayed. I advise you all to leave as well. In that terrain, we would have to rely on ourselves to break through, but how can we do that? Moreover, the designated assignment has been canceled. Why bother? I suggest you all think it through."
"I..." Wu Xuelang seemed to want to stay. He turned to Chen Chuan and asked, "Chen, what about you?"
Chen Chuan looked at the senior classmates, sensing that they also wanted him to quit. Before he could respond, a girl's voice called out, "Chen, is that you?"
He turned and saw a fair-skinned, quiet, and frail-looking girl with two braids, dressed in typical rural attire. She exuded a maturity beyond her years, and Chen Chuan was surprised, "Guan Xiaohui?"
He thought for a moment and said to the senior classmates, "Seniors, you should go ahead."
Seeing that Chen Chuan had met an acquaintance, the classmates didn't say more. They exchanged glances and left the village.
Chen Chuan approached Guan Xiaohui and asked, "Guan Xiaohui, is that really you? Do you... have relatives in Caijia Village?"
At a classmate gathering, Ding Jiao had mentioned that Guan Xiaohui's father had incurred gambling debts, and her stepmother had run off with her daughter. Guan Xiaohui could only hide in the countryside.
Guan Xiaohui nodded lightly and said, "Chen, what are you doing here?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I enrolled in Wu Yi Academy and came here for a commission task from the Government Hall."
Guan Xiaohui looked at him in surprise, seemingly finding this classmate a bit unfamiliar.
After a while, she said, "I understand." She continued softly, "My mother's hometown is Caijia Village. A few days ago, the village was occupied by a group of people, but my mother and I were outside, so we managed to escape.
We sent a message to the city seeking help, but no one paid attention. My mother contacted relatives and friends from other villages to take back the village.
We thought the Patrol Bureau's arrival would resolve the issue, but they asked us to put down our weapons. We had no choice but to watch as that group charged out."
"She glanced at the departing Wu Yi University students and asked, "Are you all leaving?"
Chen Chuan looked at her and then at the collapsed houses around them, speaking slowly, "I'll stay."
In the command post, Guan Yuming stared at the map. Although Fang Dawei and his group had escaped quickly, he had made arrangements on the outskirts, so they were now trapped on a hilltop.
The problem was that this location was difficult to attack. Three sides were steep slopes, and the fort had a regular presence of villagers, storing water and food. It was unlikely that the group would succumb to hunger and thirst anytime soon.
Moreover, he could sense that with the discovery of the senator's son, the support and concern from the government hall for this operation had gradually diminished.
The stalemate continued, and while it was manageable during the day, there might be other issues at night, especially with a large number of patrol officers from the Patrol Bureau being held outside. If there was resistance from the organization, would there be trouble in the city?
"Director Guan," the deputy entered and said, "A group of villagers, young and old, have arrived outside. They claim that their loved ones were killed by bandits and want us to help deal with them."
Guan Yuming stepped out, looked at the villagers standing outside the warning line at the bottom of the outpost, and said sternly, "Tell them I'll do my best."
The messenger patrol officer chased after him and said, "Director Guan, the director is on the phone."
Guan Yuming returned and picked up the receiver, "Hello, this is Guan Yuming."
"I'm telling you something. The Mulan Corporation's security team is already on their way to you."
Guan Yuming frowned, "What are they coming for?"
"Because of our slow progress, the government hall is quite dissatisfied. Mulan Corporation has convinced the government hall to take over and capture Fang Dawei's group."
Guan Yuming's expression changed, "How can this matter be handed over to them? It's obvious that..."
The other end of the line interrupted without hesitation, "I'm asking you, knowing that the senator's son isn't there, why did you stay in the village for so long?"
Guan Yuming explained, "There was an explosion in the village, and many villagers were buried. There might still be survivors, so I asked the patrol officers to rescue them as well."
"You're neglecting your duties. What does the life and death of those villagers have to do with you?"
Guan Yuming took a breath, "Director, our duty is..."
"Don't talk to me about duty. I understand better than you. Once you're out of the city, why are you meddling in these affairs?"
The person on the other end softened their tone, "Alright, Old Guan. The Mulan Corporation's team will arrive at your location in about forty minutes. If you can't handle it, let the Mulan Corporation's security team take care of it."
As he spoke, the call was abruptly hung up.
Guan Yuming furrowed his brows, staring at the map as if deep in thought. At this moment, the deputy entered and stood behind him, hesitating to speak.
Without turning, Guan Yuming asked, "What is it? Speak."
The deputy said, "A student from Wu Yi University is willing to cooperate with us in raiding that fort."
Guan Yuming slowly turned around, "Didn't they all leave?"
"There's one left."
"Just one person?"
Guan Yuming was slightly disappointed. The people from the commission company had also left, and with just one person, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
The deputy said, "He says he can go up."
Guan Yuming thought for a moment, "Bring him here, I'll ask him."
"Yes, sir."
Soon after, Chen Chuan entered.
Guan Yuming looked at him, his eyes filled with curiosity, "I want to know, with everyone else gone, why did you choose to stay? Don't tell me it's for the mission; the designated assignment has been canceled."
Chen Chuan didn't offer much explanation, only saying, "My uncle is Nian Li Fu, and I'm also a descendant of the Patrol Bureau."
Guan Yuming was taken aback and slowly straightened his body. The deputy, who had been watching, now felt a sense of trust in his words.
The deputy exclaimed, "Director Guan, I knew it! In critical moments, we can always count on the descendants of the Patrol Bureau!"
Although Chen Chuan had spoken to both of them, he knew that he wasn't doing this for the Patrol Bureau or any assigned mission. It was simply because these people deserved to die!
Guan Yuming glanced at the longsword in Chen Chuan's hand, then said to the deputy, "Go get my protective vest!"
"Yes, sir!"
Guan Yuming looked at him and said, "I just received a call. The Mulan Corporation's security team is on its way to handle the situation. We have less than forty minutes. Are you confident?"
Chen Chuan raised his head and said, "Forty minutes is more than enough!"
Soon, the deputy returned with a light-colored protective suit. Chen Chuan removed his jacket and put on the protective suit underneath.
The suit covered the neck, torso, and limbs, including a pair of gloves. It felt breathable, and the fit was perfect for his body type. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be intricate patterns on the surface.
Guan Yuming explained, "This protective suit was allocated to me by the central bureau. With the technology from Central City, even a machine gun's long-range sweep can be withstood."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Thank you."
Just then, he spotted a figure approaching him, which surprised him. He took a closer look and said, "Wu Xuelang? I thought you had left."
Wu Xuelang walked up to him, grumbling, "I just can't swallow this. Damn it, even if it costs me my life, I'm going to avenge Brother Liu! Chen Xiongdi, are you planning to storm that fort? I'm in, Wu Xiong!"
Chen Chuan looked at him and replied without hesitation, "Great! Then, Wu Xiong, I need your help."
"No problem! Chen Xiongdi, I've heard about you, and I believe you can do it. Wu Xiong is all yours today!"
Chen Chuan gave him a few instructions, and after listening, he nodded repeatedly, patting his chest and saying, "Don't worry, leave it to me!"
At that moment, the deputy drove the car over, and Chen Chuan quickly opened the door and jumped into the vehicle.
As soon as he got in, the car sped off. On the way, the deputy discussed some tactics with him and also shared the specific situation obtained after the previous battle. It was confirmed that among Fang Dawei's group, there were six individuals with implants, while the rest only wore protective vests. Therefore, they needed to be extra cautious with these six individuals.
(End of Chapter)
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