Thus, Xu Que saw no need to mention this to Zhao Xian and the others, for it was, after all, his secret.
As Qi Shan was escorted away by the military vehicle, Chen Daguo finally approached Xu Que and the others, asking, "Has the dimensional rift disappeared?"
"Yes, the passage has been sealed," Xu Que nodded in response.
"Thank you so much. If you require anything, please do not hesitate to let me know. As long as it is within my means…"
Before Chen Daguo could finish, Xu Que interrupted, waving his hand. "Just take care of Qi Shan and arrange a vehicle for us."
Chen Daguo immediately understood and hurried towards the command post.
"This is for you," Qi Kai said, holding the dark energy sphere and handing it over to Xu Que.
No one asked about the use of this item, but seeing how highly Xu Que valued it, they could all guess its significance.
Originally, Xu Que and the others had simply requested a vehicle from Chen Daguo, but instead, he had arranged for a helicopter…
This left Xu Que and his group somewhat surprised, though upon reflection, it seemed reasonable.
Half an hour later, after exchanging contact information, Chen Daguo did not attempt to keep them any longer. Having promised to take good care of Qi Shan, he waved them goodbye.
Though everyone wore noise-canceling headphones on the helicopter, speaking over the noise was a challenge, so they soon fell into silence.
Two hours later, the helicopter landed smoothly at the Magic City Operations Command Center.
As soon as Xu Que and his companions disembarked, Zhao Lao and Shen Tianhe approached them.
Shen Tianhe ignored the rough-looking men and grabbed Shen Mengchu's hand, pulling her aside to ask her something privately.
"Thank you for your hard work, and welcome back!" Zhao Lao smiled, shaking hands with Xu Que and the others.
"Zhao Lao, you came in person. It must be for something important, right?" Xu Que asked directly.
Zhao Lao chuckled, "What, can't I come in person?"
Xu Que said nothing. Though he wasn't as wise as these older men, his past life had been fraught with enough trials to give him insight into their ways.
Seeing that Xu Que had seen through his intentions, Zhao Lao stopped with the pleasantries and said, "I do indeed have something to discuss with you, but this isn't the place. Let's talk in the conference room."
Xu Que nodded and followed Zhao Lao to the conference room.
After everyone took their seats, Zhao Lao handed six documents to Xu Que and the others.
Upon seeing the titles of the documents, Xu Que furrowed his brow, unsure of Zhao Lao's intent.
Noticing Xu Que's reaction, Zhao Lao skipped any formalities and said bluntly, "We wish to participate in the establishment of your company. But before we proceed, I'd like you to review the terms of the collaboration. If agreeable, the Magic City military will be your backer."
Xu Que opened the contract and, after seeing the resource distribution percentages, he nearly burst out laughing. Had this contract been offered to any company in his past life, they would have fought to sign it, as the terms were almost ridiculously generous.
However, Xu Que was not a man of greed, and though the contract appeared flawless, he knew the military would eventually discover its flaws, leading to resentment. Thus, he planned to adjust a few details.
As Xu Que continued to analyze the contract, Zhao Xian and the others quickly skimmed it. Although they didn't fully understand the intricacies of resource distribution, they had heard Xu Que speak about the benefits of territorial resources.
Cai Kun remained silent, pondering the possibility of starting his own company but unsure how to manage it, so he dismissed the thought. Nevertheless, when it came to resource allocation, he was on the same page as Xu Que. Though others might not yet grasp the importance of territorial resources, he did!
"Zhao Lao, I think the contract needs a few changes," Xu Que said, placing the document down.
Zhao Lao didn't reply but looked at Xu Que, awaiting further explanation.
"This contract is unreasonable in four areas. First, the resource distribution—you might not fully grasp the value of these resources, so let me explain."
As Xu Que began to elaborate on the resources, Zhao Lao's eyes widened in astonishment. He hadn't realized that these resources were not only vital for cultivating special abilities but could also be used to forge weapons and armor…
"Therefore, I propose that the resources be altered to include spirit crystals and ores. As for spirit stones, I will contribute ten per month as a form of indirect collaboration," Xu Que stated.
"Fine, we'll revise it according to your suggestion. I trust you!" Zhao Lao said, slamming his hand on the table in agreement.
Xu Que nodded, "The second change is the selection process for the company's staff. I trust you won't be involved in this, will you?"
Zhao Lao pondered for a moment and then reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Although he had hoped to place his grandson in the company, he realized that Xu Que would never accept that, so he agreed.
"Thirdly... I have a location for the company, but I need your help to secure it," Xu Que continued.
"Where?" Zhao Lao asked.
"Prospects International Building!"
"No way, that place isn't..."
Before Zhao Lao could object, Xu Que immediately countered, "Zhao Lao, you can approach Yue Xiaohu and tell him that from now on, his family will be under our protection! We could even assist in training the younger generation of his family!"
"You know Yue Xiaohu?" Zhao Lao asked, surprised.
"Not yet, but I'm sure we'll meet in the future," Xu Que replied with a smile.
"Alright, I'll inquire about it. Continue," Zhao Lao said.
"The fourth point: the dimensional rifts in Z Country cannot be handled by a single company. However, if another company chooses a dimensional rift with us, I hope you'll prioritize us," Xu Que added.
"What if another company wants to collaborate with you?" Zhao Lao inquired.
"That won't happen. In the dimensional space, everyone fights for themselves; there's no team-based resource-sharing. Moreover, if someone defeats the final boss, the territory belongs to everyone, and territory rights can be bought and sold. So, you needn't worry about that," Xu Que explained.
Hearing this, Zhao Lao finally understood that Xu Que's unfinished comment earlier had been about territorial matters.
"Alright, I'll agree to these four points. I'll have someone revise the contract right away," Zhao Lao said, rising from his seat.
Xu Que smiled, stepping forward quickly, extending his hand, and saying, "I look forward to a pleasant cooperation!"
Zhao Lao gave a wry smile, shaking Xu Que's hand. "A pleasant cooperation indeed."
The contract was soon revised, and after both Xu Que and Zhao Lao signed it, a soldier hurriedly rushed in.
"Report! There's been an incident at the East Suburb Security Bureau!"
"What?" Zhao Lao exclaimed, looking at the soldier in shock.
Xu Que and the others didn't understand what had happened at the bureau, but it was clear that the situation was serious.
"This afternoon was supposed to be the time for the bureau's shift change…"
As the soldier recounted the events and the items that had been stolen, a woman suddenly flashed in Xu Que's mind!
"Did the surveillance capture them?" Zhao Lao asked anxiously.
"They broke into the vault from the subway tunnel, and there were no cameras," the soldier replied.
"This is outrageous!" Zhao Lao slapped the table in fury. "Send the order to investigate. I want to know who dared to steal our country's secrets under the chaos!"
After the soldier left, Xu Que spoke up, "Zhao Lao, this might have been done by the group that infiltrated the special training camp."
"Huh? You mean Tang Xue?" Zhao Lao asked, confused. "Do you have evidence?"
"No need to be shocked. When we find that group, you'll understand," Xu Que said, rising to offer a reminder.
At that moment, Zhao Lao seemed to grasp the situation.
Indeed, a spy infiltrating Z Country, taking advantage of the chaos in Magic City, was the most likely suspect!