Chapter 148: Buyer

Chen Chuan went to the table and picked up the booklet while Hu Xian took out a cigarette and showed it to him. “You mind?”

Chen Chuan shook his head.

With a click of her lighter, Hu Xian lit the cigarette and took a contented puff. “This is a group of wanted criminals who fled here from Central City. Don’t ask about their background or how much injustice they faced. They’re now just criminals who rob, kill, and do every possible evil deed under the sun. They won’t even spare children. They’re fucking scumbags.”

Chen Chuan opened the booklet and saw a man with multiple small braids in his beard. He had a rough-looking face, thick lips, a well-built body, and tanned skin.

“That’s Lionfist. Nickname, of course. No one remembers what his real name is. He’s a Tayana and Great Shun Republic mixed blood and is the leader of the group. He was once an underground fighting ring fighter, a mercenary, and someone who did illegal stuff for the powerful. In other words, he loves preying on other criminals and spits on rules and laws. Why else would no one step forward to help him settle things after he screwed up?”

Chen Chuan checked the man’s bulky body and noticed some abnormal lumps. “Does he have implants?”

“Novel, isn’t it? He’s from Central City, so it’d be surprising if he didn’t have any implants. I know what you want to ask, though. How is he keeping his implants from mutating without medicine?”

With her cigarette between her fingers, she pointed at the window. “Take twenty paces from here, and you’ll find a shop selling forbidden medicine. I did tell you that you could buy whatever you want here.”

“Got it.” Chen Chuan nodded.

“Not bad. I thought you’d ask me why no one is enforcing the law here, like the other examinees. They’d even give me a whole ass spiel about it.” Hu Xian raised an eyebrow at him.

“Both evil and good have their reasons for existing,” Chen Chuan said with a smile.

Surprised, Hu Xian sized him up. “Doesn’t sound like something someone your age would say.”

“What are his implants?” Chen Chuan asked.

“Bio-shell, bone enhancer, cardiovascular modifier. Same old three. They’re all outdated military-grade implants, but he has a full corrosive gland transplant and can secrete highly corrosive fluids, so pay attention to that. If he spits on you while you’re fighting him, your face will melt to the point that not even plastic surgery can save you, unless you switch out your head, of course.”

Chen Chuan nodded and turned another page. The second page had a thin man with the moniker of Artist.

“That guy is Song Zhi, Great Shun Republic citizen. He has modified his skin, which allows him to change its color to a limited degree. He can also put body paint on to help himself blend into his surroundings, which makes him a great assassin,” Hu Xian introduced him.

Chen Chuan read through his information a little more before turning to the third page. It had a young woman with a great figure, but he could tell at a glance that she was the unruly type. The look in her eyes spoke of danger.

“That’s Ran Xiaoli, nicknamed Hornet Lady. She went through sensory modification at Bolun Corporation. Her sense of smell, vision, hearing, and taste have all been amplified, and she’s going to be your toughest target. She can smell people two hundred meters away. If she’s on guard, she can detect you from even further away. With that sort of person around, you can forget about trying to assassinate them.”

Chen Chuan turned to the fourth page, and Hu Xian said, “That’s Tuo Qi.”

Chen Chuan looked at his photo. It was a foreigner with a tall nose, deep-set eyes, and a lean body. He had pale skin, and he seemed to have shaved off all his body hair. Strange tattoos covered his arms, chest, and legs. There were two photos for Tuo Qi, and Chen Chuan could tell that there were slight differences between the two.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He looked up and asked, “They’re two people?”

Surprise flickered on Hu Xian’s face, and she said, “Very observant, kid. They’re indeed two people, and they did a conjoined-twin surgery. One of them is in the front, while the other is at the back. Their minds are connected, and they share the same thoughts. That’s why their teamwork is impeccable. They’re skilled at using long spears and swords.

“Aside from these four main members, others have joined their group, but I have no information on them yet. But if they could survive in the Chaotic Land, they’re bound to have some skills. Even if they’re not good martial artists, they can use guns.”

After reading through all the information, Chen Chuan remarked, “They’re not easy to deal with.”

Hu Xian flicked some ash into the ashtray and said, “I know. They’re all difficult opponents. I think the examination committee is crossing the line by asking you to take them down. You’re also way too young. What are you? Seventeen? Eighteen? If you’re not confident, it’s best to give up. At the very least, it’s better than losing your life fighting against them.”

“Thank you, Ms. Hu, but I don’t intend to give up just yet,” Chen Chuan said.

“Bold, aren’t you? Pretend I never said that, then.”

Hu Xian took another drag of her cigarette and crossed her legs as she observed him. “Chen Chuan, I quite like you, so I’ll give you a piece of information for free. Your toughest opponent won’t be these four people. I heard that they got a Tayana Combat Spider. It’s a modified bio-weapon that can kill a squad within a minute in a cramped space.

“Lionfist hasn’t ventured into the Chaotic Land to find a buyer for this guy since he’s worried about being double-crossed, so he has been contacting other Tayanians instead.

“This group has been at the borders of the wilderness for more than a month. I don’t know whether you’re lucky or unlucky, but if you had come a bit later, they might have sold that thing, and you wouldn’t have to worry about facing it.

“But if they had sold it, they would have gone off to the stronghold in the Chaotic Land instead of staying here. Anyone who ventures in there dies, so you’d be lucky if you died with all your limbs intact after tracking them.

“There was a time I went out to retrieve an examinee’s corpse, but was too late and only managed to bring back his body. His head was taken by a pervert who liked using young people’s skulls as wine goblets.”

Chen Chuan had mentally prepared himself for the chaos in the wilderness. This was a gathering place for all the brutality and evil of humanity, so he wasn’t surprised by the depravity he heard about. “Thank you for the reminder. Where are they now?”

Hu Xian gave him a look before she stood up and went to a cabinet to retrieve a map. She spread it on the table and circled a spot with a red pen. “They’re here.” Then, she pointed at another spot. “We’re here.”

Chen Chuan took a look and checked the scale—the group was really close to the hostel. The straight-line distance was less than four hundred meters.

“Quite close to us, aren’t they? But don’t even think about checking them out. Ran Xiaoli will remember your scent once she’s smelled you. If she smells you again within a short period of time, she’ll immediately find you. Don’t bother using any medicine to cover your scent either. She’s not a dog and is smart. The strange scent will just tell her that something’s wrong about you.”

Chen Chuan fell into contemplative silence before asking, “Then, if I want more intel, I’ll have to go through you.”

Hu Xian lived in the area and even had a business. No matter where she went, she wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

“Smart. But why should I help you? I’ve already given you all the information I should give. Everything else is not within my jurisdiction.” Hu Xian shrugged.

“What would you like in exchange?” Chen Chuan asked sincerely.

Hu Xian jumped down from the table and said, “I haven’t thought about it, but I’ll tell you once I’ve come up with something. By the way, tell me if you need weapons. I can’t get you the high-end ones or protective gear, but I procure some guns and bullets. Just remember to pay up.”

With that said, she left.

She went downstairs and opened a door to enter a small hut. A middle-aged man in a trenchcoat and a top hat sat inside it. He was the examiner in charge of giving marks to Chen Chuan, and Hu Xian called him Lao Feng. When he saw her, he said, “You told him too many things. He’s still a university student and might be unable to handle all that information and the reality of the situation.”

Hu Xian didn’t agree with him. “Did you see him run away in terror? Besides, I told him the truth. Letting him know everything beforehand is better than him learning only when he meets them.”

“You should have taken your time with it,” Lao Feng said gravely.

Hu Xian scoffed. “The Chaotic Land is right outside. It’s not your office, where you can light up a furnace, read newspapers during your free time, and drink tea while chatting! This is a place where you have to stay alert even when you’re sleeping, where you might end up getting your kidneys harvested when you go to the toilet, and where you might get skinned alive if you’re careless!”

Lao Feng was silent for a while before he asked, “What do you think he’ll do?”

“How should I know? The higher-ups always toss these youngsters with bright futures over and tell me to take care of them! I’m not a frigging nanny!” Hu Xian pulled her own hair in irritation.

Then, she sighed in resignation. “He looks quite reliable. I don’t think he’s going to do anything over the next few days. I’m going to give him some tips after a while. Whether or not he can make use of them depends entirely on him.”

***

Chen Chuan washed up before he returned to the table and fell into contemplation while staring at the map.

He did not think that he could drag this out. If the group found a buyer, they might leave the place.

There was also Ran Xiaoli. He could not sneak in to observe them with her around. The moment he got into her range, she was bound to discover him, since he was a stranger.

It was no wonder why recommended students refused to take the Class B permit. It was indeed hard.

However, Lionfist seemed to be the only one who had reached the Second Limit, though it was hard to tell how much of his original strength he retained after getting the implants. The others were at most decent fighters. Their implants were not combat-based, so their potential was capped.

Chen Chuan also knew that the more complicated his plan was, the more difficult it would be to carry it out. The best and simplest plan was to not think too much and just go straight to their door and kill them quickly.

If he wanted to do that, the first thing he needed to do was to make sure that they were still at the place where Hu Xian said they were. If one of them ran away, it would affect his score. That was why he needed Hu Xian’s help. He also needed some extra weapons. If there was a way to make things easier, he was going to take it.

In the afternoon, Hu Xian returned and said, “While restocking, I checked them for you. The group is eating the same things they did a few days ago, which means that the main members are all still there. But some of their lackeys are missing. They might have sent them out to liaise with someone to find a buyer. What do you want to do?”

Chen Chuan turned to her and said, “Since they’re looking for a buyer, how about I become one?”

Hu Xian raised an eyebrow at that. “You want to approach them? Not a bad idea. But do you have the money for that?”

Chen Chuan reached into his pocket and brought out one of the gold certificates he had yet to cash in. He placed it on the table. “This should be enough as a deposit to show my sincerity.”

“Oho... Grand Prosperity Finance’s gold certificate? You’re quite rich, aren’t you, kid?” Hu Xian grabbed it and flicked the gold certificate twice. “But aren’t you worried about throwing your money away? Lionfist does not care about the rules.”

“Then, tell them that I have another gold certificate. It all depends on whether they want it or not,” Chen Chuan said calmly.