Chapter 29: Torch Network

Why not pilot the warship there?

“Sorry, due to the previous attack by the First Rank White Winged Tribe, Song Chi’s Cangqiong was severely damaged and is currently undergoing slow self-repair in the Ancestral Torch. It’s not advisable to interrupt it.”

In fact, if it were sent to a specialized Torch Warship maintenance factory, it could basically be fixed in a few hours. However, Song Chi was unwilling to do so because the repair staff would need to board the ship, and everything about the Cangqiong would be exposed to outsiders, which is something every Torch Ship Captain with a secret vehemently resists.

Therefore, Cangqiong could only slowly self-recover within the Ancestral Torch.

Fortunately, half a month had already passed since then, and it was only a matter of a few days until the complete repair. If the process were interrupted at this point, it would take a significant amount of time to nurture it again, which was really unnecessary.

…

The Torch Bureau of Jiangyuan was located in the center of Jiangyuan City, not very far from Dongjiang Community. After about ten minutes of driving in a Torrent model III kinetic vehicle, they successfully arrived at the destination.

Seen from above, the Torch Bureau of Jiangyuan looked like a perfectly planned circular multi-functional base, with office buildings, warship docking areas, kinetic vehicle parking lots, physical training fields, and so forth; it was fully equipped.

After parking the vehicle as instructed by the staff, Song Chao led Song Chi straight to the Torch Bureau’s staff office building.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man wearing a Torch uniform smiled and came to greet them as they entered the office building.

“Uncle Shen!”

Upon seeing the man, Song Chi was the first to politely call out, “Uncle.”

Shen Wenjie, one of the Torch Bureau’s inspection team leaders and also a Second Rank Torch Ship Captain, commanded a Guardian Class Spectral Warship. He possessed considerable energy in the entire Jiangyuan City.

Of course, the most important point was that he had a great relationship with Song Chi’s dad, Song Chao, as they were long-time friends. The two families had frequent interactions since childhood, and Song Chi was very familiar with Shen Wenjie as well.

Shen Wenjie first exchanged pleasantries with Song Chao and then turned his attention to Song Chi.

“Good lad, it’s great that you’ve successfully awakened. Other matters aren’t important. Come by Uncle Shen’s house in a few days, and your aunt and I will properly celebrate for you.”

Song Chi smiled beamingly.

“Thanks, Uncle Shen… By the way, Yōran should be about to awaken soon too, right? It’s been almost two years since I last saw her, sigh.”

Hearing the almost inaudible sigh in Song Chi’s words, Shen Wenjie and Song Chao exchanged glances, then both laughed heartily.

“You lad, are you still angry with your aunt and me? If you miss Yōran, just go to Jiangyuan City yourself. You’re already thirty and still so shy and hesitant.”

Hearing this unmasked teasing, even Song Chi, who had a mental age approaching sixty, couldn’t help but blush slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.

Seeing this, the laughter in Shen Wenjie and Song Chao’s eyes flickered, and they did not continue to tease Song Chi. Instead, they engaged in some casual chit-chat.

Through their conversation, the three quickly arrived in front of a room on the left side of the third floor. Song Chi glanced at the door, which had a plaque with five characters on it.

“Torch Network Room!”

Shen Wenjie knocked on the door, and soon a man, also dressed in a Torch Bureau uniform, opened it. Upon seeing Shen Wenjie, the man’s eyes briefly widened in surprise before his smile grew even more brilliant.

“Team Leader Shen.”

Shen Wenjie nodded slightly, then beckoned to Song Chi.

Upon seeing this, Song Chi stepped through the door.

This special room was precisely in charge of activating the Torch network, and after Song Chi entered the room, the smile remained unchanged on the face of the man who had closed the door behind him.

Being personally brought over by Shen Wenjie meant he had some understanding: lacking even this discernment, he wouldn’t have been able to retain the highly competitive position of “Torch Network Assistant Activator” for several years.

As a position that was simple, safe, and offered an extremely high salary, the slots for “Torch Network Assistant Activators” at each city’s Torch branch were highly sought after, and the slightest carelessness could result in being ousted by someone else.

“Song Chi, sit here,” he said.

Following the man’s direction, Song Chi seated himself in a peculiar metallic chamber resembling a Spectral Energy transformation pod.

While Song Chi was curious, the man’s gentle voice sounded.

“This is the Torch network assistant activation chamber. Try to relax and do not resist.

Since Team Leader Shen has brought you here personally, the Torch network you’re about to activate will have a higher authority level than other ordinary Torch Ship Captains. You will have to experience the more specific functions after activation yourself. I’m telling you this now, and once you leave, you should not speak of it, and I will not acknowledge it.”

Song Chi nodded, feeling somewhat astonished inside. He had always thought that the Torch network permissions, after awakening the Seed of Torch, were the same for everyone. He hadn’t expected there to be such a practice.

Regardless, he belonged to that special category. Naturally, he wouldn’t assume, like the protagonists in past-life web novels such as Long Aotian, that he could casually change the rules or fight for justice for the people. That would entirely be the behavior of someone who had never experienced the harshness of society.

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes; where there is white, there will be black. This simple truth—if not understood—would surely lead to a tragic end. With this thought, he muttered softly,

“No wonder Dad insisted on bringing me here…”

He then silently expressed his gratitude to Shen Wenjie in his heart and closed his eyes.

Familiar Spectral Energy flowed within the activation pod, finally converging at the point between his eyebrows.

Song Chi only felt a stream of cool energy continuously entering his Ancestral Torch from his brow, then gradually gathering around the Seed of Torch within his Ancestral Aperture, as though attempting to construct a mysterious linkage.

He didn’t know how much time had passed until he came back to his senses and found himself lying on a single bed beside the activation room. The Torch network assistant activation pod was closed again, with others trying to activate it.

Clearly, he had successfully activated the Torch network on his part, although he would have to wait 24 hours—essentially, until tomorrow—to log in officially.

Once fully recovered, Song Chi softly thanked the assistant and then left the Torch activation room.

Outside the door, his father and Uncle Shen were no longer there. Relying on his memory, Song Chi headed to the fourth floor where Shen Wenjie’s office was located, and as expected, the two were casually chatting in the office. Sitting next to Shen Wenjie was a rather handsome young man.

Shen Qing, the son of Shen Wenjie’s elder brother and Song Chi’s cousin Shen Youran, had often hung out with Song Chi in their childhood. He had also awakened the Colorless Seed of Torch two years ago and was currently working at the Torch Bureau as an ordinary staff member. Of course, Song Chi reckoned it wouldn’t be long before he got promoted—with the backing he had, climbing the ranks was easy.

“Little Chi!”

“Big Qing!”

Upon hearing this long-lost nickname, both of them exchanged a knowing smile. As for the story behind this nickname, that traced back to their childhood.

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