Celestial Human Diagram

Chapter 304 - 36: Handling

As Chen Chuan drew closer to the incident, he could hear sporadic, intense gunfire in the distance. The streets were filled with panicking crowds trying to evacuate, and car crashes had occurred in several places.

Just then, the ornamental trees on both sides of the street suddenly trembled, and fist-sized insects flew out. Each possessed powerful mandibles and blade-like legs. They began circling the storefronts, menacing anyone who passed and preventing pedestrians from getting any closer.

These were "Harvesters," manufactured by the Compound Eye Company.

These combat drones served as supplemental city guards, but they were only stationed in a few locations. This was because only shops and residences with security insurance policies received their immediate protection. The combat drones ignored everyone else; in fact, they would attack anyone who approached them now.

Chen Chuan looked away and checked his Realm Token. The incident was at the Tao Wo Market, a second-hand supermarket. The reason the attackers had chosen that location was unclear; the people who shopped there weren’t wealthy, and the merchandise consisted mostly of cheap, used goods. Not far away, however, was an Exchange Shop that contained a large quantity of valuable items.

After rounding another corner, he saw it: a five-story building. The security patrol had already surrounded the place, but they were all hiding behind vehicles and other structures. The attackers inside the building seemed to be crack shots, pinning the patrolmen down so they couldn’t even raise their heads.

The patrolmen were numerous enough to have one group draw fire while another breached from a different direction. However, the information platform showed that two of the attackers were Second-Limit Fighters, so no one was willing to make a move.

Trying to capture fully-armed Fighters in close quarters was a risk even for someone of the same rank; there was no guarantee of safety. They decided it was better to wait for someone who could handle the situation. In any case, the patrol’s communication platform had already sent a notification that backup was arriving soon.

When Chen Chuan arrived, his identity appeared on the security patrol’s Realm Tokens, and they all involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief.

He walked over, carrying his Snow Monarch Blade, and came to a stop alone before the building. Looking up, he saw several holes in a second-floor window, with a figure moving faintly inside.

The explosion must have happened on the third floor, which was still billowing thick, black smoke. A holographic light show was still active nearby: a figure-eight-shaped disc spun in the air, rainbow-colored light flowing within it as it blared a cacophony of advertisements.

But the surrounding crowds had long since fled or been evacuated, leaving only the ads to echo repeatedly down the empty street.

According to the information on his Realm Token, all four individuals were holed up on the second floor, positioned at different points. He could, however, hear the faint sound of an argument. It seemed they were fighting, with one side blaming the other.

Just then, he sensed something. He raised his hand, and a slight vibration pulsed through his palm as a ROAR echoed in his ears. The entire street seemed to ring with the sound.

A bullet fell from his palm and landed at his feet, clattering sharply on the pavement. Urgent, furious shouts erupted from inside the building.

Chen Chuan lowered his hand and looked up. He dropped his center of gravity slightly, and in the next instant, his figure vanished. The security patrolmen’s vision blurred, and then a window on the second floor suddenly shattered.

This time, Chen Chuan chose a direct frontal assault. He leaped from a standstill, reaching the second floor in an instant and crashing through the window. Countless shards of glass flew into the room along with him.

Two men, who had been aiming their guns outside, didn’t even blink as the glass fragments shot past them. They swiveled their muzzles toward Chen Chuan and started pulling their triggers.

Chen Chuan didn’t bother to dodge, letting the bullets strike him. The projectiles simply glanced off and fell away. The instant his feet touched down, the floor tiles beneath them cracked as he charged toward one of the men.

The gunman was merely clipped by the pommel of Chen Chuan’s blade as he passed. The man’s body bent at an impossible angle as he was sent flying through the air.

Behind that man stood another, an athletic-looking man who was one of the Fighters. He was Chen Chuan’s primary target.

Seeing Chen Chuan charge him, the man made no move to evade. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared fixedly, clearly under the influence of combat stimulants.

The moment Chen Chuan was within striking distance, the man let out a furious roar and lunged with a dagger.

To Chen Chuan, the man was far too slow, even on drugs. He casually raised a hand, caught the man’s arm, and with a simple lift, hoisted his entire body into the air before slamming him violently into the ground!

BANG! The floor where the man landed fractured in a spiderweb pattern. A mixture of tissue fluid and blood erupted from his nose and mouth. The Implants and armor plating on his body shattered from the combination of the impact and Chen Chuan’s Power.

As he moved, the remaining two men turned their guns and opened fire on him frantically.

Chen Chuan didn’t stop, instead charging toward the other Fighter. This one seemed completely unfazed by his comrade’s fate. Seeing Chen Chuan approach, he tossed aside his pistol, drew a collapsible baton from his waist, and charged to meet him.

But halfway through his charge, he froze. The Snow Monarch Blade, still in its scabbard, had pierced straight through his abdomen. Aided by drugs and his Implants, he remained combat-capable despite the wound. He grabbed the Sword Scabbard tightly with one hand while using the other to unsling the rifle from his back and raise the muzzle.

At that moment, however, Chen Chuan sidestepped and pulled back, drawing the Snow Monarch Blade from its scabbard. In one fluid motion, he spun around and slashed. A flash of light from the blade, and the man’s head flew from his shoulders.

Simultaneously, he flicked his wrist, sending a small stone flying in another direction. The final attacker, who was hiding behind a shelf, had his head snap back. The flesh on his forehead burst open, revealing a reinforced skull underneath. His body swayed for a few steps like a drunkard before he collapsed to the ground.

Chen Chuan then thrust the Snow Monarch Blade back into the scabbard behind him. SHING! The blade slid home. He grasped the sheathed sword and pulled it free, and the headless corpse behind him swayed once before toppling to the floor.

He glanced around. Seven or eight bodies lay on the floor, likely customers who had been here originally. Not far away was a second-hand Implant stall; the owner’s head had been blown open, the bullet likely fired through the narrow transaction slot. However, the merchandise on the shelves was untouched, showing no signs of looting.

Confirming there were no more attackers, he connected to the platform via his Realm Token and reported, "All attackers neutralized. Requesting handover."

The stiff, robotic voice of a non-active Consciousness Body immediately responded from the Realm Token: "Acknowledged. Confirming situation... Submitting request to the Processing Bureau... Please wait patiently..."

A moment later, Ni Qianqian’s voice came through. "Nice work, Chen. You dealt with that fast. You’re much more proactive than the other two trainees. I’ve got my eye on you."

Chen Chuan walked to the window and looked out into the distance. "I have a feeling there were more than four of them."

’Judging by their weapons and equipment, this was no spur-of-the-moment attack,’ he thought. ’But it makes no sense for them to go to all this trouble just to hit a second-hand market.’

"You’re sharp, Chen," Ni Qianqian said. "We tracked down their other accomplices. They were planning a big score today, and some of our colleagues from the Bureau have already gone to deal with it. You can just confirm the job on your Realm Token and leave. Let the city patrol take over from here."

"Alright," Chen Chuan said. He sent the confirmation on his Realm Token and walked out of the building.

Ni Qianqian continued, "Oh, by the way, Brother Chen, the Bureau set up an account for you on the exchange platform and wired some money to it. We also have some things for you, but I figured you wouldn’t have time to come pick them up, so I had them mailed to your school. Remember to sign for the delivery when you get back."

"Money?"

Chen Chuan was surprised. "For what?" ’The Processing Bureau’s investment is supposed to be academic support,’ he thought. ’They provide resources for my combat training, but they’d never just give me cash directly.’

Ni Qianqian said, full of righteous indignation, "Didn’t Gong Zhanyi’s security force open fire on you? He dared to shoot at someone from the Processing Bureau? Of course he had to answer for it. He paid an apology fee to the Bureau, and this portion is your personal compensation. Don’t worry, it’s all by the book."

The Gongshi claimed they didn’t know Chen Chuan was with the Processing Bureau and were only trying to kill Xiong Jianyi. The problem was, they had used Domain interference, and the wanted man was, in fact, part of their convoy. That was highly suspicious, so they weren’t getting off without paying a price.

Once Chen Chuan understood the situation, he thanked her and ended the call. He found a nearby station and took a tram back to the Profound Palace Building.

It was after eight in the evening when he got back to his dorm. The package had already arrived. He signed for it on his Realm Token and opened it to find a custom-tailored Processing Bureau uniform.

This wasn’t just ordinary clothing; it was protective gear. The design was somewhat similar to a military uniform—sharp and form-fitting. It also came with a cloak that could cover most of his body, a wide-brimmed cap, and a full-face mask.

Included with the uniform was a non-implanted Realm Token, a model a full tier above his current Yuxiang-style one. It would have cost at least five figures to purchase.

This Realm Token included a neck guard with a thin film over the front that could integrate with the mask. It had more functions, too: it could help him identify specific scents, work with the platform’s Domain to display holographic figures, and even allow him to hear distant sounds if he concentrated.

For instance, if he’d had it when he was downstairs earlier today, he could have clearly overheard the attackers’ conversation. These tools were highly practical and designed specifically for law enforcement operations.

He checked his account and saw a new deposit of exactly ten thousand yuan. That wasn’t a small sum, especially since it was essentially free money. ’In that case...’ he wondered, ’could I use this to apply for a session of Radiant Light irradiation from the academy?’

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