Celestial Human Diagram

Some of the Secret Snake Sect’s high-end services required a referrer, who needed to have a certain social standing. Furthermore, they never made house calls, so the average person truly had no way to access them.

Chen Chuan had previously been introduced by Senior Brother Cao, but now, his own status was sufficient to act as a referrer. He immediately contacted Zou Handan and mentioned that a fellow student wished to purchase the Secret Snake Sect’s services.

Zou Handan replied, "A recommendation from Mr. Chen, and a student from Wuyi Academy no less? We would be delighted to have them. If necessary, I can meet with them in person."

Chen Chuan then said to Tan Zhi, "I’ve made contact. When are you free? I’ll schedule a time with them."

Tan Zhi said quickly, "That’s fantastic! How about right now?"

Chen Chuan gave Zou Handan the address, then said, "They’ll be here soon."

Tan Zhi thanked him profusely, then sighed. "The new semester means reassessments again. I’m just afraid I’ll be thrown into the arena tournaments. I’ll have to work twice as hard."

Chen Chuan smiled to himself. ’If you put the same effort you put into dancing toward fighting, you wouldn’t have to be so worried.’

"Oh, right. I’ve settled Chaoming in the courtyard. Come with me."

Tan Zhi led Chen Chuan out of the training room and into the back courtyard. There, built in a large tree, was what looked like an exceptionally exquisite nest.

As Chen Chuan approached, he heard a crisp CHIRP, followed by the sound of flapping wings. A shadow swooped down, landed in front of him, and cheerfully hopped closer.

He took one look and saw that Chaoming had grown a full size larger in his absence. The feathers on its wings were much more vibrant. It was clear Tan Zhi had taken very good care of it.

He reached out and stroked Chaoming’s head. "Tan, thank you. Having Chaoming here must have caused you a lot of trouble."

Tan Zhi waved his hand. "No trouble at all. Chaoming is very smart and likes to keep clean, so I never had to worry. And this nest? Chaoming built it all by itself with twigs. It’s so exquisite and sturdy, I was amazed just watching."

He added, "I’ve grown quite fond of Chaoming. In the future, Chen, if you ever have to go away and can’t take Chaoming, feel free to leave it with me. I’ll keep the nest for it."

Chen Chuan said, "Then thank you, Tan."

"Heh, it’s nothing."

Meanwhile, after Teacher Wei left and got into her car, her tense nerves finally began to relax. She cast a complicated glance back at the house.

The momentary panic she felt upon seeing Chen Chuan had been an instinctive reaction. Not only did she know him, but strictly speaking, she had also been indirectly involved in an operation targeting him.

Someone had previously asked for her help in obtaining some government files related to Chen Chuan. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, so she had asked a councilman she knew to help and had passed some information along.

But then the Celestial Bridge attack occurred. She realized the gravity of the situation, and the councilman sternly warned her to stay out of it.

To be honest, she had been shocked when she later learned that Chen Chuan had annihilated Sister Huan’s entire team in such a short period. She knew who Sister Huan was and was well aware of her team’s capabilities.

Dueling with Wei Wusheng alone was one thing; facing an entire team was something else entirely. She dug a little deeper and was even more astonished to discover that the Viper Corps had also been defeated at his hands.

This made her anxious. She knew she had inadvertently been drawn into a whirlpool. For one, she was terrified the Processing Bureau’s investigation would implicate her. For another, she knew all too well the consequences of offending a powerful Fighter.

And just a moment ago, when she saw Chen Chuan, she had almost thought he’d come to confront her.

In truth, she had mentally rehearsed this very scenario and had expected to be much calmer. But when she actually came face-to-face with Chen Chuan, especially with the sheer presence he radiated upon entering, she felt completely overwhelmed in an instant.

It was a sensation on a mental level. Although the two of them hadn’t actually fought, she knew that if a fight were to break out, she would likely be defeated in a matter of moments.

’Fortunately, he seems to have a good relationship with Tan Zhi,’ she thought. ’Perhaps I can use that connection to get closer to him and find an opportunity to clear the air.’

Her agreement to tutor Tan Zhi had been partly motivated by this. She retracted her gaze, took a deep breath, started the car, and quickly drove away.

In a bar somewhere in the Merging Land, a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight was having a drink. He was strikingly handsome, with bright black eyes, thick eyebrows, and short, choppy hair, and he possessed a unique charisma.

But he was different from the other mercenaries in the bar.

While he was drinking, he was very restrained, not chugging or bingeing but taking small, measured sips.

Just then, a hand clapped down on his shoulder. A burly man, one half of his face replaced with an Implant, sat down heavily beside him and gave him a shake. "Brother Su, why sit here drinking by your lonesome? Come on, let’s go have some fun with the guys!"

He said, "I’m not going."

"Hah, you and your ways," the burly man said, exasperated. "Always like this. Fine, fine, I’ll go have fun on my own then." As he stood up, he offered one more piece of advice. "I’m telling you, Brother Su, with your skills, what couldn’t you do to make big money? Why bother carrying those burdens of yours around?"

Su Wei ignored him. The burly man shrugged, high-fived a few others, and disappeared into the dance floor ahead.

Just then, he noticed a communication alert pop up on his Realm Token. He glanced down. Someone was contacting him on the mercenary platform. He checked the source and was surprised to see it appeared to be from the Merging Land’s command center.

He was a cautious man and didn’t discuss business in public. He stood up, left through the bar’s back door, and stepped into a secluded alley outside. Just as he was about to respond...

...he suddenly sensed something and spun around. Two throwing knives whipped past his face and embedded themselves deep into the wall with a THUNK.

His eyes narrowed as he looked back. A bald man stood there, a scorpion tattooed on his head. The tail of the tattoo extended to the back of his skull, where a small, braided lock of hair stuck out like a raised stinger.

"Su Wei. I just got back, so I thought I’d come say hello. How’s that for polite?"

The bald man grinned, his eyes filled with malice. "I told you before. We’ll take our time with this. I’ve got all the time in the world to play with you. Just try not to die on me too soon." After speaking, apparently unafraid of a counterattack, he turned and sauntered away.

Su Wei watched the bald man leave, remaining silent for a moment before looking back at his Realm Token. But thanks to the interruption, he hadn’t managed to reply in time, and the contact seemed to be gone.

The platform didn’t allow him to initiate contact, so he could only wait for them to reach out again. After a moment’s thought, he left a message in response.

While Chen Chuan was waiting for Zou Handan at Tan Zhi’s house, he heard a notification ping. He checked it and saw a reply from the mercenary platform. The other party had left him a message.

He had chosen this man because, according to his service record, he had undertaken numerous difficult missions with a success rate of over ninety percent.

The few he hadn’t completed were often due to factors beyond his control, such as team issues or external influences.

When recruiting, he focused on three main things: character, ability, and experience.

Character was self-evident. A person with poor moral fiber could drag down an entire squad; they weren’t an asset, but a liability.

This man’s skill was rated as ’Excellent.’ A person like that should have already made it big, yet he hadn’t. He had passed up many opportunities because it seemed he was constantly looking after the families of his fallen comrades, which was why he was still struggling at the lower levels.

A man who valued loyalty and honor like that, at the very least, had a decent character.

Moreover, the man frequently operated in the most dangerous zones of the Merging Land and always made it out in one piece, which proved his experience and ability were more than sufficient.

He was new to the Merging Land, and both he and his future team members would be lacking in experience. Adding a capable, principled teammate with long-term experience in the Merging Land would be an enormous help to the squad.

The only drawback was that the man seemed to be deliberately targeted by several people. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too. If it weren’t for this issue, he likely wouldn’t have had the chance to recruit him in the first place.

Looked at another way, the fact that he hadn’t been crushed despite these circumstances spoke to his incredible resilience. That was actually a strength.

He said a quick word to Tan Zhi, stepped to the side, and immediately placed the call. When it connected, he said, "Mr. Su? Yes, I’m planning to hire you."

A relatively young voice, tinged with caution, came from the other end. "I don’t have a patron. Why are you seeking me out?"

A patron’s main function was to provide credibility and a guarantee. If a problem arose with someone hired through a patron, the employer could hold the patron directly accountable. This system ensured that hires met a minimum standard, making it the easiest way to find talent.

Not having a patron, or not being accepted by one, could indicate that the individual themselves was problematic.

Chen Chuan said, "Because that’s not my only criterion for judgment. Besides, I’m aware that your lack of a patron, Mr. Su, isn’t because patrons are unwilling to represent you, but because you were once burned by one and have since lost your trust in them. That’s a reason I can accept."

The line went silent for a moment before the voice returned. "I’ve taken contracts for the garrisoned army, so I know the rules. But I have to be upfront: I come with trouble."

Chen Chuan nodded. ’This man’s character is truly trustworthy,’ he thought. He was willing to lay out his problems beforehand, refusing to burden his employer, even when his own situation was so difficult.

A typical mercenary wouldn’t care if they brought trouble to an employer. They’d do their best to hide it and brag about their own abilities.

This was clearly a man of principle and integrity.

He said, "Mr. Su, I’m already aware of all that. But you should know, what you consider trouble isn’t trouble for me. Furthermore, while on the mission, you won’t have the opportunity to encounter those who have it out for you. I think we should find a time to meet and talk. What do you say?"

Just as Su Wei was about to answer, he glanced up and saw the burly man who had greeted him earlier in a confrontation with another group at the mouth of the alley. Both sides had drawn weapons and guns. He said quickly, "I have something to deal with here. Please wait a moment."

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