One could say that in just a few short months, the Yunxiao Group had made a formidable name for itself on the world stage.
The Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team, in particular, had achieved legendary status in a single battle.
However, this act also successfully made the Yunxiao Group a common enemy of the worldâs capitalists and conglomerates, and its stock plummeted.
While everyone was amazed at the Yunxiao Groupâs audacity, they were also speculating about when it would face retaliation.
After all, major corporations have reputations to uphold.
Members of the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team had snatched their people away in broad daylight. Who was taken became a minor issue; the loss of face was the real, unforgivable offense.
If they couldnât teach the Yunxiao Group the lesson it deserved...
Then the worldâs top ten corporations might as well stop calling themselves that. "Two Dads and Eight Sons" would be a more fitting name.
The Yunxiao Group would completely break away from the pack, standing alongside the Advanced Technology Group as one of the two dominant powers.
...
ăNight City, Yunxiao Technology Building.ă
Looking at the list in his hand, which contained nearly a thousand top talents from various industries around the world, Li Changâan finally nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad," he said. "After getting these people settled, divide them into three groups based on their areas of expertise. One group will research Genetic Potions, another will work on military weapons, and the last will focus on Extraordinary Potions. I will personally lead all three teams!"
Li Changâan wanted all kinds of technological breakthroughs, but his own energy was ultimately limited.
Therefore, to increase efficiency, he needed more researchers to handle the trivial details, while he only needed to grasp the general direction using his Heaven-defying Comprehension.
This way, he could conduct research in several areas simultaneously.
Previously, because the number of researchers within the Yunxiao Group was quite small and their individual abilities were average, he had no choice but to handle everything himself.
Now, after paying a hefty price,
He had finally found enough people, freeing him up to handle other matters.
Regina nodded.
After a momentâs hesitation, she continued, "Weâve really pissed off the other corporations this time. It seems theyâre preparing sanctions against us, and there are even signs theyâre mobilizing their militaries!"
Li Changâan was completely unconcerned. "Ignore them," he said dismissively. "Just keep an eye on the Advanced Technology Companyâs movements."
Since he dared to offend the other corporations, Li Changâan was naturally not afraid. The only one he was concerned about now was the Advanced Technology Group.
Regina nodded again, her expression turning somewhat grave. "With everything thatâs happened recently, the fact that the Advanced Technology Company hasnât made a single move... that in itself is highly abnormal!"
For years, Regina had been trying to infiltrate the Advanced Technology Group.
But over all that time, she had never achieved any significant success.
It couldnât be helped. The internal power structure of the Advanced Technology Group Corporation was different from other companies that operated with a board of directors.
The Advanced Technology Group was controlled solely by the Andre family. The companyâs core executives were all family members, each one incredibly mysterious and rarely seen in public.
This made gathering internal intelligence on Advanced Technology ten, even a hundred times more difficult than with other major corporations.
But just as Regina said, with the Yunxiao Technology Group causing such a huge stir worldwide, the fact that Advanced Technology had no reaction was, in itself, extremely unusual.
After all, this behemoth, which spanned several countries and whose power reached across the globe, was not known for its slow response time.
Of course, Li Changâan also knew it was strange.
But since the other side wasnât making any moves right now, there was no reason for the Yunxiao Group to provoke them.
It was good enough for both sides to maintain a superficial peace.
Besides, time was on the Yunxiao Groupâs side.
The two chatted for a few more moments before Regina stood up to leave.
However, as she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned around. "Oh, right. It seems Anna has been looking for you about something these past couple of days. If you have time, you should go see her."
As she spoke, she gave Li Changâan a suggestive smile.
But she didnât tease him further, simply turning and leaving.
Hearing this, Li Changâan pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache coming on. After a long moment, he shook his head with a wry smile.
Anna had taken over Melissaâs position as the new Captain of the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team two years ago. Her talent in the Extraordinary Realm was innate.
At just eight years old, she could control a Superpower Flame of nearly a thousand degrees.
Under Li Changâanâs personal training and careful guidance over the years, her development of her flame abilities had left everyone else in the dust. She had become a unique Seventh-rank Extraordinary, even within the entire Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team!
Keep in mind, the number one Transcendent in the world today was only at Tier Eight Peak.
And he was hailed as the strongest Transcendent, one that the Advanced Technology Company had poured immense effort and countless resources into creating to intimidate the world!
Yet Anna, who had just turned eighteen this year, was already at Tier Seven Peak, just one step away from Tier Eight. It was clear just how terrifying her talent was.
Of course, none of this was the root cause of Li Changâanâs headache.
The reason he deliberately avoided Anna when nothing was going on was because the girlâs feelings for him seemed to be... special.
With a sigh, Li Changâan finally left the lab and headed for the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Teamâs base.
Although Anna usually liked to stick close to him, like a little shadow you couldnât shake off,
she wouldnât make up excuses just to trick him into seeing her if it wasnât truly important.
The only uncertainty now was what had happened that was important enough for her to seek him out repeatedly.
...
After several rounds of expansion, the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team was now livelier than ever.
Even from a great distance, one could hear the sounds of various firearms training and the impact of fists against flesh on the sparring platforms.
This group of madmen and psychopaths was as unconventional as ever.
Within the entire Yunxiao Group, they answered to no one. Even an order from Regina had to be personally authorized by Li Changâan before they would carry it out.
Aside from Li Changâan,
perhaps only Anna could make them retract their claws a little nowadays.
When Li Changâan appeared,
the entire training ground fell silent. Every member of the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team glanced slyly toward a slender, graceful figure reading a book in a quiet corner.
Noticing the sudden silence around her,
the reading figure looked up and glanced around, puzzled.
When she spotted Li Changâan not far away, a visible look of delight burst across her face. She closed her book and trotted over, calling out, "Big Brother!"
Anna had a high-bridged nose, and her messy golden hair fell along the sides of her classic and delicate face. Her eyes were still as clear and blue as the water on that long-ago autumn day.
She was eighteen now, her figure having long since blossomed into that of a graceful young woman.
But her way of addressing Li Changâan had never changed.
Li Changâan instinctively raised his hand to pat her on the head, but halfway there, he felt it was no longer quite appropriate and froze in place.
Like a little kitten, Anna ducked her head and nuzzled his palm. After a moment, she looked up with her water-blue eyes and said, "Big Brother, I feel like someone is secretly spying on the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team!"
Hearing Annaâs words, Li Changâan froze for a second, his guard immediately going up. "Someone is spying on the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Team?" he asked.
This was no small matter.
Due to the Extraordinary Breathing Technique, the security level around the Anti-Terrorism Mobile Teamâs training ground was extremely highâperhaps even higher than at the Yunxiao Groupâs headquarters where Li Changâan himself was based.
Under such circumstances, how could someone possibly bypass security and spy on the teamâs inner workings?
...