Free Web NovelChapter 415: Chapter 145: Analysis
In the parking lot of Wansheng Finance, Chen Chuan’s gaze was serene. He clenched his fist, and the white vapor between his fingers instantly dissipated. Then, he slowly straightened his body.
Everyone present who witnessed this scene found their breath quickening and their hearts pounding wildly.
Meanwhile, inside the Processing Bureau, many who were monitoring the situation through a Domain couldn’t help but swallow hard. The scene was simply that shocking.
His assistant, Yan Yi, had just pulled up some records on Feng Yaren using her Realm Token. Before she even had a chance to read them, she watched in stunned disbelief as the body—its head blown apart—collapsed to the ground.
This time, Chen Chuan hadn’t relied on absolute speed and strength. Instead, he first used his own Domain to influence his opponent. In that single instant, he had both stunned his foe and perceived certain aspects of his condition, allowing him to execute a logical counter.
He had seen it clearly: his opponent’s power was concentrated into a single point. Paired with a fine Weapon, it could deliver a nearly unblockable strike.
But this allocation of power was extreme, only suitable for relentless offense. If someone bypassed that single strong point, his defenses would be completely vulnerable, leaving him at his enemy’s mercy. ’If his Saber Technique is limited to just this, there’s no way he could have made it this far,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’He must have a way to redirect his Power.’
His own strategy was simple in turn: use a clash of Biological Domains to shatter his opponent’s momentum, intercept his strongest point head-on, and then use speed to disrupt any subsequent adjustments.
Although he had used his Furnace Breathing technique, he had applied it with precise control, unleashing it in a single burst rather than maintaining it continuously as he had in the past. It was merely a tool to seize the initiative.
And in a duel between masters, a single instant is all it takes.
In reality, once he clearly perceived the information revealed by his opponent’s Biological Domain, all that remained was to formulate the correct response.
This was the true power of a Domain. Feng Yaren had likely never received systematic training in its use, putting him at a disadvantage from the very beginning. Had he been able to conceal his state even slightly, he wouldn’t have been killed so easily.
’So, Teacher Jiang was right,’ he mused. ’The truly powerful at the Third Limit have no exploitable weaknesses. That means this Feng Yaren just wasn’t strong enough.’
He glanced back at the people behind him and gestured forward. "Let’s go."
The security team behind him had remained frozen in place. When his gaze fell upon them, they all involuntarily tensed. It was only after they registered his command that they quickly moved to escort Meng Shu forward. As they passed Feng Yaren’s corpse, none of them could resist stealing a few glances.
The group quickly reached Meng Shu’s armored limousine. Someone inside was already prepared and immediately opened the door. Several tall female bodyguards formed a human wall around her, shielding her as she entered the vehicle.
Chen Chuan scanned his surroundings, his eyes finally landing on the Liu Blade lying on the ground. He walked over, hooked it deftly with the top of his foot, and flicked it up into his hand.
The moment he grasped it, he could tell the blade was both incredibly fragile and exceptionally sharp. When channeled with a unique form of Power, it could become nigh unstoppable, capable of cutting through anything.
’A fine collector’s item,’ he thought. He picked up the blade’s Sword Scabbard, secured them both, and walked to the armored vehicle, getting inside.
Once the door was closed, he looked away from the window and saw Meng Shu watching him. Her expression showed no major emotional turmoil.
He said, "You seem to be holding up well."
Meng Shu replied softly, "I saw many scenes like this when I was a child. Some I stumbled upon by accident, and some I was intentionally shown. I’m used to it."
Chen Chuan grunted in acknowledgment.
’It made sense,’ he thought. ’Given Meng Shu’s background, enjoying its privileges naturally meant enduring things an ordinary person never could.’
Yan Yi then spoke up, asking, "Mr. Chen, are we clear to depart?"
Chen Chuan replied, "There are no more problems. Let’s go."
Yan Yi relayed the order to the driver. The car started moving slowly, waiting for the lead vehicle to proceed before pulling out onto the main road. The rest of the security convoy followed, one vehicle after another.
Not long after they left, Captain Guan arrived at the parking lot with his team. He stared at the headless corpse on the ground and the pulped mess of blood and flesh sprayed behind it. He let out a breath, a mix of shock and relief, and couldn’t help but wonder, ’Is this really the Feng Yaren I’ve read about?’
He had just reviewed the man’s previous combat record. He wasn’t supposed to go down this easily.
But the facts were undeniable.
’Then it must be that Mr. Chen has gotten even stronger.’
He remembered the rumors circulating in the Bureau: that Chen Chuan had only achieved the Third Limit a few days before killing Wei Wusheng bare-handed. With even more time having passed since then, how much more formidable must he be now?
He crouched down and carefully examined the corpse, cross-referencing it with the available information. Finally, he stood up and contacted the Bureau with his Realm Token. "Director Wu, identity confirmed. It’s Feng Yaren, no doubt. Yes... correct... Their vehicles have left... All right, I understand."
He turned to his team members. "Have the city patrol come and retrieve the body."
He glanced toward Wansheng Finance. Despite the chaos that had unfolded at its doorstep, the building remained silent, its guards standing perfectly still. Wansheng Finance never involved itself in external affairs. No matter the status of the client, once they stepped outside the main doors, they were on their own.
Meng Shu’s convoy did not return to the Fusion Boundary Company headquarters. That was Meng Huang’s stronghold, and since he had already made his move, they had to avoid it. Instead, they headed directly for the estate on Motie Mountain.
While avoiding the company at a time like this seemed to be surrendering the initiative, Meng Shu had little direct involvement in the company’s business to begin with, aside from managing the assets and income her grandfather had entrusted to her.
Chen Chuan spoke up. "This may be none of my business, but if you never return to the company, you’ll never have a say in its affairs. How do you plan on turning the tables?"
Yan Yi explained, "Meng Huang may be handling many of the company’s affairs, but he is merely acting as a proxy. Meng Lai Duke is the true head of the company. Even though he’s retired, the most important financial authority and the most critical R&D departments are still in his hands."
"Furthermore, over sixty percent of the company’s employees and management have been fitted with the company’s Implants. They rely on company benefits and use company-issued medication. Meng Huang has yet to gain control of the biometric keys for these Implants or the supply channels for the specialized drugs."
"Meng Huang has his own faction, but aside from superficial operational authority, he effectively only controls the R&D and expansion rights for new markets. Even then, he has yet to fully establish himself. While he holds some sway over sales, the company’s long-standing partnerships with government and military-industrial enterprises leave him with little room to expand."
She said with conviction, "Until Meng Lai Duke officially decides on a successor, nothing is set in stone."
"Right now, Miss Meng is the main obstacle for Meng Huang. The simplest thing for him to do is eliminate her. That would give him ample room to maneuver."
"Therefore, keeping her alive is more important than anything else right now."
She looked at Chen Chuan and said with the utmost gravity, "Mr. Chen, Meng Huang will undoubtedly continue to send people after her. We are entrusting you with her safety."
Chen Chuan said, "I made a promise, and I will keep it."
Meng Shu then added earnestly, "And I will honor my promise as well."
Meanwhile, inside a conference room at the Fusion Boundary Company, a massive screen was replaying the moment of Feng Yaren’s death over and over.
A man sat on a long, luxurious sofa, watching the scene unfold.
Standing before him was a tall, refined-looking man with glasses named Gao Changge. He had the appearance of an elite scholar fresh from a prestigious university and was currently providing an analysis for the man on the sofa.
"This Fighter, Chen Chuan, is very strong. I previously reviewed his fight with the wanted fugitive Wei Wusheng. His speed was clearly superior to Wei Wusheng’s, his strength was not significantly weaker, and there was no fundamental difference in their techniques."
"Therefore, Wei Wusheng had little chance of winning from the start. If the fight had dragged on without any outside interference, he wouldn’t have even been able to escape in the end."
"And judging from this footage..."
He gestured toward the screen. "This Fighter’s physical attributes haven’t improved significantly. That’s to be expected; it’s only been about a month since his last fight. He couldn’t have improved by much."
"However, his control over the pacing of the fight is excellent. He seemed to anticipate Feng Yaren’s every move."
As he spoke, he stepped back and swiped his finger across the screen, rewinding the footage to a specific moment and slowing it down.
"Look here. There’s an infinitesimal pause as Feng Yaren begins his strike. But Feng Yaren is not one to hesitate; he wouldn’t make such a basic error."
"Therefore, we believe his opponent must have used some kind of Biological Domain technique. Feng Yaren was momentarily affected, but in a duel between Fighters, such a lapse is fatal. It put Feng Yaren on the defensive from the start, and he was systematically dismantled from there. In the end, he was killed by a concussive, bare-handed blow before he could even properly draw his blade."
The man on the sofa asked, "Can you handle him?"
Gao Changge replied, "This Fighter is strong, but not invincible. There’s still a considerable gap between him and the top-tier experts. And since he’s only one man, yes, we can handle him."
"Then I’ll leave it to you."
The man said, "I just want results."
With that, he rose from the sofa. His size hadn’t been obvious while seated, but standing, he was revealed to be over two meters tall, nearly as tall as Gao Changge. Moreover, Gao Changge felt a faintly disquieting aura emanating from him.
After the man departed under the escort of several goggle-wearing guards, Gao Changge tapped his Realm Token. "Boss, Feng Yaren failed, as expected. It was a quick defeat. I have the footage and I’ve reviewed it. The opponent is formidable. The client requires us to solve this problem. I’m on my way now."
...
...
