CHAPTER 199: ROUNDING OFF

After beheading the man, Chen Chuan walked over and used his saber to pry open the man’s jacket, and he saw a thick protective vest underneath.

The vest appeared to be high-end from its appearance alone. It seemed like it could block slashes and thrusts without the martial artist even needing to channel any refined force. Chen Chuan hadn’t used the Heavy Slash Force, so he didn’t know whether it was actually effective against slashes and thrusts. Earlier, the man had clearly wanted to use this unique characteristic of the vest to catch Chen Chuan off guard. Anyone else in his shoes would have been unable to react in time.

Still, if Tranquil Fields could distribute such protective vests to their team, then Black Orchid Co.’s Blood Ink Guards would have even better protective gear.

If he ran into them, they would be difficult opponents. Chen Chuan had to think about how he should fight them.

The other Tranquil Fields employees had left without hesitation. After all, they could not help when it came to fights at this level. They wouldn’t know where to fire to be of help. Besides, they had just earned a huge sum of money and wanted to enjoy their lives with it. Why should they risk their necks fighting?

***

When the team leader saw this from the slope, he asked, “Should we go after them, Sir?”

Lao Feng shook his head. Their goal was just to intercept the handover of the goods. They didn’t need to waste their manpower or resources to kill off the Tranquil Fields employees. After all, even if they killed one batch, another would appear.

Tranquil Fields had also left behind a pretty good martial artist. They didn’t do this just to prevent Chen Chuan from chasing after them, but also to send a warning.

“Send a telegram to Lao Tian that he can attack the base now,” he instructed. Since they had managed to intercept the liaison officers from Black Orchid Co., there was no need to let that base exist anymore. They might as well destroy it.

The team leader nodded and went to send the telegram.

At the same time, gunshots tore through the air on the other slope. Some members from the two teams that had come with Lao Feng had launched a pincer attack on the unidentified armed group.

Lao Feng could tell based on the gunshots that it was his teams attacking that group. His teams’ gunshots were rhythmic, and they had perfect teamwork between long-distance and close-range attackers. They paused between waves of gunshots to let those skilled in melee combat to attack the armed group.

Meanwhile, the other side’s attacks were an absolute mess. They lacked teamwork, and some of them just kept pulling the trigger. They were basically at the same level as certain gangs in the wilderness.

If such a group had managed to survive until now, they either had good martial artists on their side or better-than-average implants.

But those were useless in front of his teams. They had plenty of ways to take out such people. Besides, Chen Chuan’s team had also joined the pincer attack. They were wearing protective gear and were highly efficient in ambushes.

Lao Feng chose to ignore that side after listening to the shootout for a while. He led whoever remained on his side down to the site of the skirmish.

His teammates went up to fire a second shot at the people on the ground before Lao Feng came over to inspect the goods. He opened the delivery truck’s container. It had a truckload of calorie and nutrient dense nutritional injections.

It seemed like all the foreign nutritional injections Black Orchid Co. had ordered were here. As for the combat praying mantises, there weren’t as many as Lao Feng expected. He only found ten boxes. It wasn’t too shocking. After all, even if Black Orchid Co. bought a lot of combat praying mantises, they wouldn’t be able to use them without nutritional injections.

Once Lao Feng was sure nothing was wrong, he felt at ease. Their operation was a complete success. The team leader turned around, and Lao Feng did the same. Chen Chuan was walking toward them.

“Bravo, Chen Chuan!” Lao Feng praised him.

“It’s because all of you gave me this chance,” Chen Chuan said humbly.

Lao Feng smiled at that. This was one of the reasons why he had such a high opinion of Chen Chuan. He didn’t have the arrogance of someone so powerful that he didn’t have to care about other people’s opinions. He didn’t care for it, but many people did.

Lao Feng turned around and said, “The operation is a success. After we go back, I’ll ask Mr. Cao to give all of you credit.”

“Thank you, Sir!” his other teammates immediately responded.

The operation was really easy. While Chen Chuan might have seemed to have done most of the work, Lao Feng had intentionally made it that way because he wanted to help him build his future. Even so, no one said anything about it.

They had managed to complete the operation without much effort, so what was there to complain about? They could get more rewards if they risked their lives, but no one wanted to die. All their families would get afterward would be bereavement money.

They would fight if necessary, but if they could save their strength, they would do exactly that.

Chen Chuan’s team and the members from the two teams came back. The team leader went forward and said, “Sir, we’ve defeated the unidentified armed group. We killed thirty-four of them and captured the rest. We have five people.”

“Where are the captives?” Lao Feng asked.

“Bring them here.” The team leader beckoned them over.

The five captives were immediately brought forward. Xiao Xiao was one of them. He was bound with special ropes and missing his arms, which revealed the severed tissue of his implants. The interstitial fluid was still flowing out.

His eyes shone with defiance, but when he saw Chen Chuan, he remembered what had happened, and fear as well as shock appeared on his face. He ducked his head.

Since Mr. Ling was clearly the leader, he was brought before Lao Feng. “Which company do you belong to?”

Mr. Ling gritted his teeth and refused to answer.

“We have plenty of ways to make you speak, but it’ll save us time if you tell us yourself. Besides, even if you somehow manage to keep your silence, I’ll figure it out after some digging.”

As he spoke, one of his teammates took out a handgun and pointed it at Mr. Ling’s head, as if he was going to shoot him if he gave the wrong answer.

Mr. Ling wasn’t a person with strong willpower, but he felt that he would look cheap if he answered the moment Lao Feng asked. When he saw that things were looking bad for him, he immediately said, “Ferris Wheel.”

Lao Feng ran through the names in his memory and found that it did ring a bell. This was a small new company that had come up with quite a number of products. Right now, though, the National General Affairs Bureau’s attention was on the big companies rather than the little players. Still, since they decided to show their faces in front of them, Lao Feng couldn’t just pretend that he didn’t see them.

“Bring them back and set up a file for Ferris Wheel. We need to pay more attention to that company in the future.”

Once the captives were led away, he asked, “Have we figured out who was the first group who attacked Black Orchid?”

“We have. They were hired mercenaries. We don’t know who their client is, though.”

“I’m sure someone was coordinating things behind the scenes. Otherwise, these mercenaries would have run away the moment they got their money. Lao Zhao, think of some way to drag that person out of the shadows,” Lao Feng ordered.

“Understood,” a capable-looking man said.

A telegraph clerk came over and saluted Lao Feng. “Sir, Mr. Cao asked whether we’re done on our end.”

Lao Feng checked his watch. “He sent a telegram asking about our progress just after 4 a.m.? Isn’t he too impatient? Anyway, send him a telegram saying that we’re done here. As for the others, clean up the place, and we’ll go back.”

“Understood,” his men answered.

Half an hour later, they finished cleaning up the place and went back. When they returned to Yangzhi City, it was almost 9 a.m.

This time, the National General Affairs Bureau had set up a temporary base at the Constabulary’s headquarters. It was a perfectly intact fort and bunker left behind from the Great Expansion. Even if any accidents occurred, they could hold their ground there for a long time.

When Lao Feng brought Chen Chuan into the base, the members inside were talking about how to attack Black Orchid Co.

“I’m saying that we should concentrate our forces on attacking Black Orchid. That way, none of them can leave, and we can get rid of them in one go. That will solve all of our problems!” said someone with a powerful voice.

Mr. Cao answered the speaker. “Black Orchid is in the downtown area. It’s less than one kilometer away from the Department of Administrative Affairs’ council hall. The downtown area is densely populated too. If we fight them there, we’ll cause too many casualties.”

“We can just tell the civilians to leave beforehand. Besides, you can’t avoid collateral damage when it comes to this kind of stuff. The sooner we get this over with, the fewer people will get hurt. If you keep dragging this out, the higher-ups are going to switch you out.”

“I insist on the plan I’ve submitted. Let Black Orchid come out of their hiding hole themselves. Then, we will attack them.”

“And how do you intend to make them come out?”

“They will come out.” That was all Mr. Cao was willing to say.

“Fine. I’ll wait, but only for ten days. If you can’t get them to come out within ten days, I’ll launch the second plan on my own. Then, there will be even more of that collateral damage you’re so worried about.”

Once the argument ended, the one with the powerful voice strode out of the room, and Chen Chuan saw that he was a burly man of about two meters in height. He appeared to be around his fifties. There was a straight scar left by a knife at the corner of his eye, and his uniform was stretched tight because of his muscles. His lips were pursed, and when he walked, it felt as if the ground trembled with every step he took.

The man glanced at Lao Feng before shifting his eyes to Chen Chuan. After observing him for a while, he said, “You’re Chen Chuan? I’ve read the transcript of what you said during your trial. You’re good! When it comes to such hostile individuals, you should attack them and leave none alive! Once we’re done with this operation, you can come to me. I have a place suitable for you to display your strength.”

He didn’t wait for Chen Chuan’s reply and just left.

“Who was that?” Chen Chuan asked.

“A member of the National Ad Hoc Special Operations Committee. He’s here on orders from the top government officials to oversee our work. He’s quite extreme, so I suggest staying away from him. Only a handful of people working with him remain in one piece. Let’s go in.” Lao Feng gestured at the room.

They entered a spacious war room. A large map of Yangzhi City was pasted on the wall directly ahead of Chen Chuan. Some places had been marked with black lines and red dots. Meanwhile, at the center of the war room was a sand table showing a miniature version of Yangzhi City. The building that stood out the most on the sand table was Black Orchid Co.’s company building.

Mr. Cao stared at the sand table as if he was studying something. After they came in, he said without even looking up, “You did well. Black Orchid should have received word about it by now. I believe they’ll make their move no later than the day after tomorrow.”

“Are you sure they’ll leave, Lao Cao?” Lao Feng asked.

“If they stay, they’ll die. Why wouldn’t they leave?”

“Ten days...” Lao Feng mumbled as he pondered over the words from earlier. “Even if we manage to force them out, how do you intend to take them out? Surrounding and taking them down outside will be much harder.”

“I have a plan,” Mr. Cao said and turned to Chen Chuan. “I’ve received Lao Feng’s telegram. You did well. Join us in the next operation too.”

“What is it?” Chen Chuan asked.

“We’ll be attacking Black Orchid Co.’s company. Even if they leave, a group of people will be told to stay back to hold down the fort and slow us down,” Mr. Cao answered.

“When will that be?”

“Within three days. Go home and get ready. The country will provide you with all the consumables you need during the operation. Make good use of this chance.”

Chen Chuan nodded. This had to be the benefit from participating in a state operation. “If you don’t need me here, I’ll be going back first.”

Chen Chuan said goodbye to the two men and left the war room.

Mr. Cao and Lao Feng were the only ones left inside.

Lao Feng looked quite worried. “Lao Cao, taking down Black Orchid is important, but getting those goods is equally important. The top government officials place much more importance on that. If you let them leave, finding the goods will become much more difficult.”

“Even if we attacked now, they would think of a way to transport the goods out. It’s better for us if they take the goods with them when they run away.” Mr. Cao’s eyes landed on the sand table. “They won’t be able to escape.”