Chen Chuan strode into the car. "Looks like you’re the one responsible for setting all this up," he said.

The man scrambled backward in a panic and grabbed the handle to the rear door. He couldn’t tell if it was already locked or if he was too flustered to apply enough force, but after several twists, it still wouldn’t open.

He pounded, kicked, and yanked on the door, but couldn’t get it to budge. As he was still trying, a hand reached out, grabbed his head, and slammed it against the door with a sickening THUD. The man’s face, along with the Secret Ceremony markings on it, was smashed into a pulp. He left a bloody smear as he slid limply to the floor.

Chen Chuan glanced at his Second Self. The intense signs of dematerialization were gone. ’Now that this wretch has been caught, this ritual node is gone. The phenomenon won’t be shackled here any longer.’

He returned to the previous car. Just then, panicked screams, shouts, and the sounds of people retching erupted from outside. The entire train seemed to shudder.

He knew at once. ’The passengers have been freed from the Esoteric Ritual. Director Lei must have destroyed the ritual’s external node.’

Just then, Lindenberg, who had been repeating the same words over and over, snapped out of it. He took in his surroundings with some surprise. Despite the carnage on the floor, he remained remarkably calm. He looked at the masked Chen Chuan. "Sir, have I been taken hostage?"

Chen Chuan met his gaze. "You’re safe now."

"Are you with the Dashun Government?"

Though it was a question, Lindenberg’s tone was certain. He sized up Chen Chuan’s attire and nodded. Fumbling on the floor, he found his hat, put it on, and got to his feet. He brushed the dust from his clothes and looked around. "It seems I was one of the lucky ones."

He was indeed lucky. Of the three company representatives present, he was the only survivor. It wasn’t entirely luck, though. Beneath the scraped skin of his forehead, a dark gray, almost metallic bone was visible—a cranial hardening implant.

Lindenberg seemed to notice something. He took a few steps over and opened a carry-on bag, revealing bundles of red-painted, cylindrical objects.

"Ah, Dashun-made ’Thunder Fire’ explosives. Frighteningly powerful stuff. It seems they didn’t have time to plant them."

He looked up. "Sir, you arrived just in time. Any later, and even this hard head of mine wouldn’t have saved me." He tapped his forehead jokingly as he spoke.

"I didn’t come here just to save you," Chen Chuan said.

"Then you came to rescue the passengers?" Lindenberg asked. "I’m a passenger too, so I still owe you my thanks."

He took off his hat, held it to his chest, and gave a slight bow. "Sven Lindenberg, business representative of the Porlon Company. Thank you for your assistance."

Chen Chuan gave him a nod, then turned and walked out, blade in hand. He strode through the car, ignoring the passengers’ terrified stares, until he reached one of the doors. He ripped away the chain binding it shut and stepped outside.

The sky outside had brightened a little. Gunfire no longer echoed from the mountains on either side. ’My teammates must have dealt with the resistance members there.’

He looked up at the sky. The hot-air balloon that had been hovering high above was now drifting toward a specific spot, looking as if it was descending. He raised an eyebrow.

’But that’s a problem for Director Lei to handle. My part is done.’

Just then, Lindenberg followed him off the train, a briefcase in hand. He stood a short distance away and said, "Forgive me. The stench of blood in there is just too overpowering."

Chen Chuan ignored him.

The passengers inside had been too terrified to move. But now, seeing that no one was stopping them and that it seemed safe to leave, they all scrambled off the train. The conditions inside were more than any ordinary person could bear.

Just then, Chen Chuan heard the sound of approaching vehicles. Turning, he saw a convoy of armed patrol cars from the Patrol Bureau.

To avoid arousing the resistance’s suspicion, most of the Patrol Bureau’s officers had been stationed in the city beforehand. However, the moment the telegram was sent, Guan Yuming dispatched a pre-assembled team. The resistance members sent to intercept them were no match for such a large force of Patrol Officers.

When the patrol cars arrived, the Patrol Officers were taken aback by the sight of Chen Chuan’s intimidating mask. A captain stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Brother Chen?" He glanced toward the train. "Is it dealt with?"

Chen Chuan nodded and flashed his Weapon Permit. He had no intention of removing his mask, wanting to avoid future complications.

The captain visibly relaxed upon seeing the permit. He saluted Chen Chuan, then turned to dispatch his men and a coroner to inspect the train cars.

Chen Chuan briefly explained the situation to the captain, who immediately sent men up the mountains on both sides to investigate. A short while later, Wei Chang’an and Ren Xiaotian came down from the mountains and regrouped with him.

They all seemed relaxed, and none of them were injured.

With the help of the Combat Spiders, Ren Xiaotian’s team had taken down the resistance members without them putting up any meaningful fight.

Wei Chang’an’s task had been slightly more complicated, requiring them to traverse a mountain path. Luckily, the enemy numbers were small, and his team had superior personnel, firearms, and equipment, so neutralizing them posed no real difficulty.

The train couldn’t remain stopped for long, and the situation at the scene was straightforward enough that there was no need to investigate the causes of death. After about forty-five minutes of clearing away all the remains and verifying every passenger’s identity and ticket, the Patrol Officers finally allowed everyone to re-board.

Lindenberg approached Chen Chuan and presented a Name Card with both hands.

"I believe this is where we part ways, Sir. This is my personal Name Card. If you ever wish to purchase an Implant from the Porlon Company, you can find me in Central City. I can get you the best possible price. The Porlon Company has an excellent reputation on the world market for its sensory and neural Implants."

He was clever. He never once asked for Chen Chuan’s name, simply offering his own Name Card.

Chen Chuan accepted it. ’I don’t need anything like this, but in a place like Central City, dealing with these corporations is unavoidable.’

’Even if I don’t use it, someone I know might.’

Seeing the passengers shakily re-boarding the train under the direction of the Patrol Officers, he turned to his team. "Everyone, our mission is complete. We can head back now." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Meanwhile, the Patrol Officers had radioed in a report of the situation. Guan Yuming was relieved when he received it. Although nearly all the corporate representatives were dead, most of the passengers had, thankfully, survived.

He immediately called the bureau. Once connected, he reported the situation, concluding with, "Director, we could have saved those people before the train was even stopped."

The Director’s voice came over the line. "Save them beforehand? And who would see it? We’re willing to get our hands dirty, but we can’t do it quietly. People need to know we’re taking action. Especially certain people. We can’t let them take our efforts for granted."

"But a lot of corporate representatives died this time."

"They were from foreign companies, not our Dashun Company. What’s it to us? Did I invite them? Yangzhi is better off without them!"

Guan Yuming said gravely, "Those companies might pressure the Administrative Affairs Hall. After all, this happened on Yangzhi City’s soil."

The voice on the other end of the line spoke with deep meaning. "Old Guan, I won’t be in this position for much longer. You need to understand what our superiors truly want." Then, with a CLICK, the line went dead.

At the same time Chen Chuan was resolving the situation on the train, Director Lei was leading the Esoteric Patrol Bureau in pursuit of the descending hot-air balloon.

The problem was, the landing site was in the mountains. It looked close but was difficult to reach, with steep slopes forcing them to take detours. It took them nearly an Hour to reach the spot where the balloon had come down. As expected, the basket was empty.

A team member took off his hat, panting. "Director, looks like they got away."

Director Lei examined the tracks on the ground. After a moment of thought, he said, "Not necessarily."

He turned to his subordinates. "When we get back, send a telegram. Have the Patrol Bureau cooperate. I want every single person who disembarked from that train checked. Verify all of their identities, as thoroughly as possible."

Meanwhile, after another forty-five minutes of travel, the restarted Changshun train finally pulled into the Yangzhi City station. The moment it stopped, the still-traumatized passengers scrambled off the train as if fleeing for their lives.

Among the crowd, a young, long-haired man disembarked. He carried a drawing board on his back and walked unhurriedly toward the exit. Compared to the frantic scramble of the other passengers, his calm demeanor seemed almost abnormal, conspicuously out of place.

Outside the station, he stood in the plaza and squinted at the bright sun. He held out a hand to his right, and a moment later, a luxury sedan pulled up beside him.

He walked over, opened the door, and slid into the back seat. Once the door was shut, the driver turned his head slightly. "Sir, was the exhibition a success?"

The man sighed, his voice smooth and magnetic. "A true shame. This exhibition was far too rushed, and there were too many flaws. It was not a successful piece. I think... I need to go elsewhere to seek new inspiration."

"Where to next, sir?"

The man smiled. "Let’s go to Central City. I’m sure there are many more people there, thirsting for new colors."

"Of course, sir. Please hold on."

The man smiled, resting his hand on the open window frame. He gave a gentle wave to the air outside, as if bidding farewell to someone unseen. The sedan then pulled smoothly out of the station plaza, heading toward National Path.

...

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