Celestial Human Diagram

The Gard Car drove further into the market. This was just the outermost area, still a ways from the Elephant Gang’s actual territory, so the gang members on guard only gave it a few cursory glances and didn’t approach to ask questions.

However, after they drove for a while along the main road, security gradually tightened. Up ahead, one rampart after another came into view, and even further in the distance, small, fortress-like buildings could be faintly seen.

Pitfalls and trenches had also been dug along the main thoroughfares. Drawbridges and removable planks spanned the gaps, with roadblocks moved to the side.

This was likely to prevent armed vehicles from charging straight in. Chen Chuan noticed electrified netting had also been installed above the ramparts, probably as a defense against biological weapons.

’Never mind Wing Blade Company’s combat organisms; even against mass-produced bioweapons, netting like this could only hold off two or three at most. If dozens or hundreds were to charge in at once, they would tear through it in an instant. Then, the only option would be to fall back to the sturdy buildings within.’

Guard towers were scattered across the high ground on both sides of the road. Gang members stood guard on them, holding crossbows, with pistols tucked into their belts.

He had excellent eyesight and could tell their weapons were at least ninety percent new, looking as if they’d hardly been used.

’This means someone has been supplying them with weapons recently. Based on the recent situation, their backer must be Lianwei Zhongyu.’

Under intense government pressure, Lianwei Zhongyu and Ferris Wheel were no longer in open conflict. However, Lianwei Zhongyu apparently hadn’t abandoned its support for the Elephant Gang, maintaining a foothold here in Yinglu District that could threaten the Ferris Wheel Company.

However, the Swordfish Gang was made up of Foreigners and had close ties to the Ferris Wheel Company. In contrast, the Elephant Gang—composed mainly of Shen People laborers and their descendants—likely had a purely relationship of mutual convenience with Lianwei Zhongyu.

Ah Le then placed a hand on the back of his neck and said something. The men ahead who had been about to approach and question them turned back, and the car drove onward without any trouble.

’When he first got in the car, Chen Chuan had noticed some bulges in the braids at the back of Ah Le’s head—the telltale signs of an implant. Judging from its location, the young man was surprisingly a Resonator.’

He asked, "Ah Le, you call Miss Deng ’big sister.’ Are you two related?"

Ah Le said, "No, but we’re closer than family. Even though I’m a Shen Person, I’ve always followed her. She taught me how to be a Resonator and brought me into the gang. Now, I’m responsible for looking after her and helping her out."

Chen Chuan nodded. ’Looks like this Miss Deng is a Resonator, too.’

After the car crossed the bridge planks safely, it entered a fairly busy internal commercial street lined with bars, teahouses, and dance halls. In the distance stood a pagoda with distinct Shen architectural features.

Most of the people on the street had Elephant Gang tattoos. Many were fitted with cheap implants; they were likely all low-ranking gang members.

"Stop here," Ah Le said as they pulled up to a teahouse. "And don’t worry, Mr. Chen. No one dares to steal cars here."

Chen Chuan brought the car to a slow stop and followed Ah Le into the teahouse. They went to a private room that had already been reserved.

Ah Le sent a notification with his Realm Token. "Mr. Chen, please wait a moment. She’ll be coming out from the back right away."

After about ten minutes, he heard quiet voices outside. A moment later, a red-haired woman in her early twenties walked into the room.

She had fair skin and exquisite makeup. She wore large earrings and a sleeveless top that revealed healthy, pale shoulders and toned arms, paired with a long, white gauze skirt.

She seemed to relax a little upon seeing Chen Chuan. After sitting down with a graceful posture, she said apologetically, "Mr. Chen, I’m sorry, but this was the only place I could meet you."

"I understand," Chen Chuan said.

’There were probably spies from the Swordfish Gang and Ferris Wheel in the outer market. If what Deng Xin said was true, she was indeed in grave danger.’

Just then, a large, gray-and-white cat padded in from outside and ran to Deng Xin’s side. She immediately leaned down to hug it, cooing softly before setting it aside.

Chen Chuan glanced at the cat. He could tell it was no ordinary animal; there was a peculiar power in the rhythm of its movements.

Just then, a server brought in sweet tea, a favorite among the Shen People, made with brown sugar, milk, and a special preparation. Deng Xin accepted the cup, held it with both hands, and offered it to Chen Chuan.

"Please, Mr. Chen. Have some tea."

Chen Chuan thanked her and took the cup.

He studied Deng Xin’s features. "Miss Deng, are you a Foreigner?"

Deng Xin brushed a hand through the ends of her hair. "My father is from Dashun, and my mother is from Huihe Island in the Outer Ocean. My sister and I grew up there, so I suppose you could say that’s where we’re from."

Chen Chuan said, "Miss Deng, you mentioned you worked in the Ferris Wheel Company’s intelligence department?"

Deng Xin spoke softly. "Yes. In its early days, the Ferris Wheel Company provided a great deal of dedicated funding to schools in the Outer Ocean. My sister and I both excelled academically and received this scholarship money, and we were later recruited by the Ferris Wheel Company.

"My sister and I were both assigned to the intelligence department, though we were on different teams. I worked as an assistant to an intelligence secretary for four years."

’Given how young she was,’ Chen Chuan realized, ’she must have joined the company in her late teens at the latest. That meant the sisters’ academic records must have been truly excellent.’

Deng Xin said, "My sister was more talented than I am and studied harder. She came into contact with classified information, but she was also fitted with implants that were used to control her.

The large cat meowed from the floor and leaped into her lap. She held it again, stroking it slowly as she continued, "I thought I would work in the intelligence department indefinitely, that maybe one day I could even become a director. But..."

As she said this, a flicker of panic and fear subconsciously entered her eyes. "I remember it was a rainy day. There was a storm over the ocean, and my sister ran to me, soaking wet. She told me she had seen my name on a list... a plan... and that I had to leave, quickly..."

"A plan?" Chen Chuan asked.

Deng Xin nodded. "I only found out after my sister explained it to me. There’s a ’Clearance Plan’ within the Ferris Wheel Company, one that’s almost the stuff of legend.

"It’s a list provided by ’Wu Qi,’ an active Consciousness Body cultivated by the company. It’s supposed to identify and eliminate targets who could be harmful to the Ferris Wheel Company in advance.

"Every so often, it generates a new list, and the company proceeds to eliminate the people whose names are on it."

After hearing her explanation, it all clicked for Chen Chuan. The questions that had been nagging him were suddenly answered. He couldn’t help but nod. ’No wonder,’ he thought. ’If the list comes from an active Consciousness Body, then it all makes sense.’

He thought for a moment before asking, "Is it just a list of names?" ’There are plenty of people with the same name. A name by itself wouldn’t be very useful.’

"I’m not sure..." Deng Xin said, thinking it over. "I only heard my sister mention the list. But I suppose an active Consciousness Body would have other ways to identify people."

Chen Chuan considered this for a moment, then met her gaze. "I have a question. Miss Deng, if your name was on the list, your sister couldn’t have been the only one who saw it. How was she able to get the message to you so easily? Wouldn’t they have detained your sister or captured you immediately?"

Deng Xin hesitated for a moment before answering. "It’s because my sister and I have had a very special ability since we were children. My sister can see fragments of events directly concerning her about half a day to a full day in advance. As for me, I’ve always had a premonition for danger.

"This ability is how we’ve been able to avoid danger time and again and do what we need to do. On the day my sister ran to me, I felt a bone-deep chill..."

Chen Chuan said nothing.

Seeming to fear he didn’t believe her, Deng Xin’s tone became earnest. "Mr. Chen, I’m not lying. Please, you have to believe me."

Chen Chuan nodded. "I believe you."

’Just as some people are born with talent, some in this world simply possess unique perceptive abilities. He suspected it might be a phenomenon triggered by the approaching Great Collision, by the two worlds drawing ever closer. Perhaps more people like them would begin to appear in the future.’

He then asked, "How did you two ultimately escape?"

Deng Xin explained, "My sister always plans far ahead. She had an exit strategy figured out before she even joined the Ferris Wheel Company. She spent years preparing for it. Plus, on that day, no one else knew about the list yet, so getting away wasn’t that hard.

"But the two of us leaving together would have been too conspicuous. My sister told me to go first, and that she would follow and contact me once she was somewhere safe. But... I never heard from her again..." Her expression clouded over with sorrow.

’Chen Chuan considered this. Miss Deng’s sister held a higher rank than her; it would have been incredibly difficult for her to escape on her own. She probably said that just to ensure her little sister could get away.’

He looked at Deng Xin. "Miss Deng, that ability is obviously very important to you. Are you sure you should be telling me about it so easily?"

"I did hesitate," Deng Xin admitted. "But I knew I couldn’t earn your trust without telling you this, Mr. Chen. Besides, after I asked Ah Le to find you, I didn’t get that overwhelming sense of danger. So I decided to take the risk."

Chen Chuan nodded slightly. ’There was a reason she’d managed to stay hidden this long.’ He then asked, "Did you come straight to the Elephant Gang after you left the company, Miss Deng?"

"I hid on the outside for a while first. Then, by chance, I met Tu Nai. I told him about my situation. He didn’t see me as a burden and brought me to live here with the Elephant Gang. I haven’t left since."

Chen Chuan looked at her. "The Elephant Gang should be a relatively safe place. So, Miss Deng, for you to suddenly contact me now... have you sensed something? Do you feel the Elephant Gang isn’t safe anymore?"

"Yes. I have a very bad feeling," Deng Xin said, her expression filled with fear. "Just today... I felt it again..."

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