Chapter 80: Moving Secretly
“Oh, you’re Mr. Chen Chuan?”
When the leader heard that the young man beside Wei Changan was Chen Chuan, he became much more respectful.
The battle at the Checkpoint District had a great impact, and information about Chen Chuan had traveled to various agent companies and agents.
They neither wanted nor dared to dig deep into the origins of Scar Face’s military-grade implants, but Chen Chuan had managed to defeat someone like that. This caught everyone’s attention. Some companies even thought about recruiting him.
But Wei Changan was the one who had called Chen Chuan over to the mission. They were partners, not a superior and subordinate pair. They were also both from Martial Valor University, so there was no way anyone else could recruit Chen Chuan.
Fortunately, the university would allow Chen Chuan to have an internship in a year or two. They could afford to wait. Some of them even came up with the idea to send some agents to get acquainted with him for no other reason than his strength. After all, it was the key that opened the doors to all sorts of opportunities.
Naturally, the leader had to be polite to Chen Chuan.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Chen, but the young master doesn’t like meeting outsiders. While Agent Wei can go in, you’ll have to wait outside. Again, I’m truly sorry about that,” he said apologetically.
“Wait for me, Chen Chuan. I’m just going in to ask some questions,” Wei Changan said.
“Sure,” Chen Chuan replied.
The leader immediately made way. “Come with me.”
Wei Changan went in, and the leader led him to a hastily prepared office. A man with oiled hair and an almond suit had his legs propped up on the table while sitting on the sofa filing his nails. An assistant was signing and writing reports for him with his back bent over a desk.
When the man saw Wei Changan, he snapped impatiently, “What now, Agent Wei?”
“I just want to know the specifics of the operation. As one of the members involved, I have the right to know, don't I?” Wei Changan asked.
Hu Shiguang said nothing to him. He just kicked his assistant. The latter sat up straight, nudged his glasses up, and said, “To be on the safe side, we have to keep the details of the operation a secret. You don’t have to worry about it. You just need to keep a lookout over the entrance, just like we told you to do before. Once the operation is over, we’ll be sure to include your name in the mission report.”
Hu Shiguang crossed his legs again and jiggled the top one. The arrangement seemed to make perfect, logical sense to him. “Hear that? The operation is about to start. Could you stop giving us trouble?”
Wei Changan gave Hu Shiguang a meaningful look and walked out.
His determination to go solo grew stronger. This was not just about getting a higher pay, but also about no longer having his actions restricted.
Wei Changan came out, found Chen Chuan, and went to the entrance he was assigned to guard. He knew that Hu Shiguang was just looking for an excuse to get him out of the way. If Tong Qianjiang came and then chose to run, he would never come to this place.
After walking for approximately five hundred meters, they reached the destination. It was originally an industrial park. The workers had welded together some steel beams for people to train and slides and jungle gyms for children to play. But as time passed, the steel beams got covered in rust, and the ground was overtaken by weeds.
The two found an old bench. Wei Changan took out a newspaper he had prepared beforehand and covered the bench before sitting down. “I didn’t manage to fish out any details. It’s clear Hu Shiguang stationed us at the perimeter because he doesn’t want us participating.”
Chen Chuan did not sit down. Instead, he leaned against a tree and remarked, “I’m not in a position to comment on your company, but I feel like this isn’t the first time you’ve encountered something like this. You should know it’s always darkest before the dawn. Once the sun rises, everything will be okay.”
“You’re right. But that’s not what I’m worried about. Hu Shiguang has no experience but thinks that he’s the smartest person around. I’m afraid he’ll ruin everything. Not only will it benefit none of us, but we’ll also lose track of Fang Dawei and his gang for who knows how long,” Wei Changan said as he looked at the abandoned factory.
“I’m sure he brought some experienced agents with him,” Chen Chuan said to comfort him.
“That would be the reasonable thing to do, yes. But you see, a certain comment has been circulating in the company lately. People have been whispering that Hu Shiguang only got his achievements because he’s the owner’s son. If he doesn’t have help, he’s nothing.
“That’s the truth, but truth hurts, and he loves showing off. I’m worried that he’ll act on impulse and insist on his way instead of listening to suggestions.”
I get it. Hu Shiguang has a lot of ego but no skill, Chen Chuan thought.
8 p.m. arrived soon. Since they were not part of the operation to capture Tong Qianjiang, they had nothing to do and could talk about other things.
“Did you know that the lecturer from Central City is coming to the university and might have already arrived? Considering how outstanding you are, he might see you,” Wei Changan said.
“Didn’t you say that he only teaches recommended students?” Chen Chuan was quite surprised.
“That’s what I said, yes, but he’s the one who decides who to teach and how to teach them. If you’re outstanding, you may catch his attention. I heard that he has a way to bring someone to Central City without taking one of the university’s recommended slots,” Wei Changan remarked.
“Without taking one of the university’s recommended slots?” Chen Chuan felt a stir in his heart, after thinking it over, he said, “It should be quite hard to get him to do it.”
“I only heard about it from someone else. He might not even approach you. I just made an offhand comment, so don’t dwell on it too much,” Wei Changan said with a nod.
Chen Chuan did not think much about it. If it was really something that promised great benefits and had no cons whatsoever, plenty of people would fight for it, and that chance would never come to him.
They changed the topic afterwards, but when Chen Chuan mentioned military-grade implants, Wei Changan did not seem to want to dive deep into the topic. He also cautioned Chen Chuan to not be too curious about them, because there were far more things going on beneath the surface, and it was best not to get involved in it.
“After we got the info from Scar Face, the government official from the Department of Administrative Affairs came to take him away. I have no idea where he is right now, and it’s impossible for us to get any more clues from him.”
He looked ahead. “We can only hope that this operation is a success. Then, Fang Dawei and his gang won’t be able to hurt anymore people.”
While they continued chatting, time ticked by until it was around 8:30 p.m. Suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps. Someone who was obviously from the company ran over and said happily, “We caught him, Agent Wei!”
Wei Changan shot to his feet. “Let’s go!”
Chen Chuan followed him.
They soon arrived at the factory from before. Inside, they saw someone wearing a face mask pinned against the floor. His baseball cap had fallen to the side, and Hu Shiguang was standing next to him smugly. A group of people surrounded them.
Wei Changan checked the pinned man and thought that something was off. When he saw that no one seemed to be voicing what was obviously wrong, he went over. “Hang on. Are you sure that he’s Tong Qianjiang?”
Hu Shiguang huffed and gestured with his chin. “See whether he’s the real deal.”
An agent immediately went forward to yank off the man’s face mask, only to see the face of a random person one could find anywhere on the street. The agent examined the man for a while. After some hesitation, he said, “Young Master, I don’t think this is Tong Qianjiang...”
Hu Shiguang pointed at him and asked in shock and anger, “What? Then who is he?!”
The person on the floor was terrified, but even as they continued badgering him for answers, he could not speak. When he tried forcing words out of his mouth, he only managed to squeeze out puffs of air.
One agent realized what was going on. “He’s under the effects of the mute drug. Give him a throat-opening pill.”
The mute drug was pretty common in agent companies. It was often used to prevent people from making any unnecessary sounds while they were on missions.
Some time after the person took the pill, he was finally able to speak and immediately exclaimed while crying, “This has nothing to do with me! I was forced to come here! He was threatening to kill my wife and children! I had no choice. I had to do it!”
Wei Changan shook his head as the situation became clear. Tong Qianjiang had been worried and sent a scout first. He should have been hiding nearby, but would be long gone at this point.
Honestly, Tong Qianjiang’s plan was not a smart one. No other agent from the company would have fallen for it, and yet, the operation ended in a failure.
Wei Changan cast a glance at Hu Shiguang, who had grabbed his assistant’s collar and was screaming in his face, and turned away. “Come on, Chen Chuan. This operation is a failure.”
Chen Chuan cast a glance at Hu Shiguang as well before he nodded. They left together.
***
Despite the operation ending in a failure, Hu Shiguang refused to give up. He sent out numerous agents to search the area in hopes that he could find Tong Qianjiang, but naturally, this led to nowhere.
They kept looking until midnight, so everyone was exhausted by the time Hu Shiguang finally gave up. After they returned from the latest search and found him having already left on his own, they were speechless and cursed Hu Shiguang behind his back.
Hu Shiguang raced back to the affluent residential area in the southern part of the city. The moment he stepped into the living room of his house, all his dejection and agitation disappeared without a trace. He dismissed the maid who came over to help him change out of his shoes and went to the phone. “I did as you asked me to, Dad.”
His father’s voice came through the phone. “I’m sorry you had to go through such a humiliating thing, Shiguang. I know that you’re actually capable.”
“What’s the point of being capable? With my brother around, I’ll never be able to inherit the company. It would be better if I weren’t capable at all. Then, he wouldn’t treat me like an enemy. But why did you ask me to do this?”
“This case is far more complicated than it seems. It’s better to put an end to it right here. Don’t get involved any further.”
“Can’t you tell me? I worked hard and even ruined my reputation as an agent for this.”
“You’re not your brother. You don’t need to know certain things. This is for your own good.”
Hu Shiguang snorted. “For my own good? I’m just hoping that this won’t drag me down. I don’t want to go down together with all of you if things go bad before we even get to enjoy the perks.”
“I know what I’m doing. Remember your place, and your brother won’t make your life hell for you.” His father then hung up.
Hu Shiguang tugged at his tie in frustration and mumbled, “I hope you really know what you’re doing, old man...”