Book 4, Chapter 47: Conversation

Chen Chuan stared at Ling Jianxing’s smile and waited for him to continue.

Ling Jianxing pointed to his right.

When Chen Chuan looked over, he saw a glass wall. Behind it was half of Central City. Due to the lighting, he could see a faint reflection of their bodies on the wall.

“Look outside. I really love admiring the view of the city from here. It makes me feel like I can control it. I’m sure that plenty of people are like me, but I know that this is just a false sense of satisfaction.

“I’m only allowed to have that feeling because the building under my feet lets me stand at this height and look down on everything, but once I leave this place and stand on the ground, I need to look up at these buildings. I can only see a part of the city, and the shadows they cast can easily bury me.”

With a slightly mocking tone, Ling Jianxing said, “Strength that doesn’t belong to you can’t be considered strength at all.”

He then turned to Chen Chuan and said, “I remember that you came from Yangzhi City. You’re not a Central City local, but you managed to become a lead investigator at the Resolution Department within just a few years. Most people are jealous of your achievements, but this is what you deserve.

“Your achievements and strength put you in this position.”

He then drew a circle in the direction of the city behind the glass wall. “But this world is restricted by countless laws, you know? Whatever you do, it has to be permitted by the law.

“You need to be given permission before you can get something you want.”

Chen Chuan listened quietly. It sounded like something he’d heard from the Mutual Aid Group. He had also heard similar stuff from Chen Bitong. Ling Jianxing was the latest to mention it to him.

In a regrettable tone, Ling Jianxing said, “It’s truly a pity. I wanted to talk to you about these things after you discovered those obstacles. It would have been more suitable back then.

“But I should have thought about the possibility that other people would value you highly too, since you’re so outstanding. Even if you don’t try to overcome the law yourself, someone would be willing to open a crack for you.

“You should have been able to see the hidden ladder behind the crack and the price to climb it.

“The companies, government, and factions all need you to work for them.

“What will you choose? I don’t think you’re going to pick a company. Would you pick the government? Perhaps a faction? Would it be the fusion faction or the refined training faction? No matter which side you join, it won’t make too much of a difference.

“The resources are in their hands, and they’re in control because of it. They’re the ones who form the laws. Even though you’ve managed to open a crack, let me say something that might make you uncomfortable: How far you go will depend on how far they’ll let you go.

“You need to obey their rules and do whatever they tell you to do.

“You’re just a tool they use to maintain their authority and interests. They use you to enforce their laws, while they sit at the top. If you join them, you can’t avoid this as long as you’re part of them. I believe you’ve already thought about this. Can you really accept it?”

He snapped his fingers, and the garden turned into a golden desert. They were the only two people sitting under the blue sky.

“They tried to recruit me in the past, but I said no. I knew that once I joined them, I would not only become one of them, but also no longer be the true master of my own body. I would be pushed about by the forces around me and dragged forward by the shackles they put on me.

“That’s not what I want. My ideals would be lost if I joined them.

“I want to find a ladder I can climb on which I could call my own shots and be my own master. I want to be the one creating the laws.”

“The one creating the laws? That sounds hard,” Chen Chuan pointed out.

“It is, but it’s not impossible,” Ling Jianxing countered with a smile.

“Have you found it, then?”

Ling Jianxing picked up the cereal drink he was supposed to have finished, but it was full again. He twirled it a bit and said, “I’ve found it.

“It might be a difficult path, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’m already standing on it. I’m just searching for kindred spirits.

“I’m willing to share it, because it shouldn’t belong to me alone. It’s only when many people walk together with me that I’ll be able to reach its end faster.

“But there are too few people who want to join. Most people from powerful families have a clear sense of who they are and won’t give up on everything to stand with me. Meanwhile, only a handful of those who climbed up from the bottom can stand before the threshold, because it’s just so hard for them to get enough resources.”

He shook his head at the lamentable situation. Then, he faced Chen Chuan and said, “Mr. Chen, over the past decade or so, you’re the second person I’ve seen with such qualifications from a peripheral city.”

Over the past decade or so? A peripheral city?

A few possibilities instantly came to Chen Chuan.

“I’ve said all of this to tell you that the path you’re taking isn’t suited for you. No matter how talented you are, you need approval to take another step forward. Do you really want them to be in control of your future and plan your path for you?” He motioned to his surroundings. “Why not consider the beauty of breaking free from the shackles and going forward however you want? You’d get to control everything, and no one could control you.”

Chen Chuan turned to the cup in his hands. He, too, had finished his cereal drink sometime ago, but it had been refilled. The refreshing aroma was no different from before, which made him unable to tell whether it was real or fake.

“That sounds great. You said that you’ve found the path, and that makes me curious. You can’t just say that you’ve found it. You need something to support your claim. It might be power that you can control, resources you can distribute, or money, which I’d say is the most understandable and accepted thing. What exactly do you have?” He stared at Ling Jianxing.

The man smiled. “I can tell you that I can support my claim, but I wasn’t the first to find it. More accurately speaking, I took part in it and inherited that path. Still, I can promise you that I can do what I promised.

“What I said doesn’t just sound great. It can truly be done. If you want, I can show you. I’m sure that you’ll understand after seeing it.”

Chen Chuan continued watching him. “Is that so? I’d like to see it.”

Ling Jianxing met his gaze and smiled. “Today’s not a good day to show you. Let me get ready. Once I have a chance, I’ll show it to you.”

“Sure. I’ll wait for it,” Chen Chuan said and set the cup by the side before standing up. “I believe it’s time for me to leave.”

Ling Jianxing stood up as well. At the same time, the desert became a botanical garden again.

After giving Ling Jianxing a nod, Chen Chuan headed to the door. When he was about to leave, he thought of something and asked, “Did Mr. Wu join you, Mr. Ling?”

“He did. Unfortunately, he disappeared. I think he regarded you quite favorably, didn’t he?” Ling Jianxing said while smiling.

“Mr. Wu did help me a lot,” Chen Chuan answered sincerely before giving Ling Jianxing a nod and walking out of the hanging garden.

Once Chen Chuan left, Ling Jianxing put a hand on his Realm Pass. It connected after a while, and he said, “I spoke to him.”

“How was it?”

“Unfortunately, he didn’t seem interested. I don’t think he’ll join us.”

“I told you. Besides, he’s a lead investigator at the Resolution Department. How could he possibly leave? I think we should give up and stop pestering him,” the person said.

“But he’s the most suitable person there is,” Ling Jianxing argued.

“Is he?”

“Yes. You know what I’m talking about.”

Shocked, the person whispered, “You... need to consider this carefully.”

Ling Jianxing walked to the window and looked outside. “Our plans have been put on hold for far too long. Back then, that person helped us get it from Black Orchid. Now, I think this one can help us solve the rest of the puzzle. If we let him slip from our grasp, who knows how much longer we’ll have to wait?”

“Are you confident?”

“I am, right now. But I can’t be sure in the future,” Ling Jianxing stated.

The person seemed to be convinced, but still asked, “When are you going to do it? I need some time to get ready.”

“Start now. I’ll tell you when it’s time,” Ling Jianxing said. He then ended the call, lifted the cup, and finished the cereal drink.

***

After leaving the hanging garden, Chen Chuan took the elevator back to the apartment. The conversation gave him a lot of food for thought.

He remembered Wu Ruo’s final words of caution, which was why he was on guard against Ling Jianxing.

He never forgot the records in Wu Ruo’s notebooks, and the memories of Wu Ruo losing his mind at the end still remained fresh.

No matter how beautifully Ling Jianxing made his ideals sound, he couldn’t cover the brutal truth.

To get something, one had to pay the price for it. If they didn’t, someone or something else would have to pay it for them.

And Ling Jianxing was indeed a little too late by approaching him only now. Chen Chuan had already found his own path.

With a chime, the elevator doors opened slowly, and he walked out.

No matter what Ling Jianxing was planning and what his goals were, Chen Chuan would learn everything the moment he witnessed it with his own eyes.

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