Kate glanced at the old wolf, her expression shifting to a smile as she said, "My apologies, Zhang. I didn't mean to make a spectacle of you."
"No worries," Zhang Dahai quickly replied, standing up. "I'll consider the matter with the headquarters. I'll be on my way now."
Zhang Dahai wasn't a fool. Though he didn't fully grasp the meaning behind the Centipede's earlier words, he could tell that the branch office in Xiangcheng was clearly under official scrutiny. If he didn't want to meet an untimely end, it was best to keep his distance from Kate. As for any talk of reinforcements or internal support, it would be wiser to wait for the storm to pass.
Watching the old wolf leave, Kate quickly grabbed a satellite phone and dialed out.
As the young man left the Legendary Branch, his face remained calm, but his senses were continuously scanning the surrounding area.
"Forty-three people. Looks like those above have already noticed," he muttered.
Just as he was about to retract his senses and leave this cursed place, Zhang Dahai hurriedly caught up to him.
Before Zhang could say a word, the young man spoke indifferently, "This isn't a safe place to talk. Let's return to Yanzhou and wait for a call."
Zhang Dahai blinked, watching the young man soar into the air, only just realizing what had happened after a moment.
...
As time passed, Xu Que finally grasped the basics of shaping and forging. He glanced at the numerous failed pieces before him, scratching his head awkwardly. Just as he was about to melt these failures down into iron once more, Shen Mengchu appeared, holding a tray of food as she descended to the third basement level.
"Eat something first," she said, placing the tray down. "You've been busy all day. How's the progress?"
Xu Que pointed to the various works scattered on the table. "It's harder than I thought. More difficult than I imagined."
Seeing the mismatched shapes of the pieces, Shen Mengchu asked curiously, "Did you not use a mold?"
"No blueprint, so I just hammered away, hoping to make something," Xu Que admitted sheepishly.
Shen Mengchu placed a hand to her forehead. She realized that Xu Que had a very rudimentary understanding of how to use the skills, or rather, he knew their importance but not the theory or practical application behind them.
Noticing her exasperated expression, Xu Que awkwardly asked, "Did I do it wrong?"
"Mm..." Shen Mengchu sighed. "While your approach of trial and error is admirable, I've learned that at the beginning, you really need blueprints and formulas. Like the potion I'm holding."
Xu Que stared in shock at the potion in her hand. He hadn't expected that Shen Mengchu had already succeeded in making one.
Seeing that Xu Que finally understood, Shen Mengchu began explaining her insights and discoveries about skills.
As she spoke, Xu Que realized how much time he had wasted in the past afternoon.
Alright, he admitted, his ten years in his previous life hadn't really taught him much about alchemy or forging.
"There are two D-grade armor blueprints in the warehouse. You can take them and try," Shen Mengchu said.
"Alright, I'll give it a go now," Xu Que replied with a smile.
"No rush, eat first, then study," Shen Mengchu said, picking up the tray.
As Xu Que took the tray, Shen Mengchu began discussing the situation of the other two companies.
Although Xu Que had expected this conversation, he was still surprised to find that the development of Shen Yin was much slower than in his past life. Strangely, despite occupying so many dimensional rifts, they had reaped so little. This made him suspicious.
But then again, it seemed quite reasonable—after all, he had sealed off several of Shen Yin's routes and even snatched some of their opportunities...
But what did that have to do with attacking the otherworld or controlling territories?
Xu Que felt a bit confused by this and decided to put it aside for now.
When he heard about the Morning Light family, his face first registered shock, then understanding.
Although the Morning Light hadn't developed well in Beijing in his past life, their foundation was undeniably strong. The fact that they could cultivate two strong individuals even in the fifth year of Tianyuan proved the power behind them.
As Shen Mengchu spoke about the two companies' current situations, she suddenly asked, "What do you think?"
"Hm? What do I think?" Xu Que paused for a moment, then answered, "Though Shen Yin's philosophy is different from ours, it's undeniable that they have their own unique methods. As for the Morning Light... I can't fully grasp them yet. I'll need to learn more."
Xu Que spoke honestly. While he couldn't agree with Shen Yin's methods, he couldn't erase their significance in Z-country from his past life.
As for the dirty deeds done behind the scenes by Shen Yin, Xu Que didn't really mind. After all, he and Duan Jiude had also committed their fair share of immoral acts.
Most importantly, in his past life, Shen Yin had been one of the major contributors in resisting the second-year Tianyuan outbreak. Though the battle had been brutal and many human experts had died, Shen Yin had fought to the very end. From that moment on, Modu became their domain.
As for the Morning Light, Xu Que only had some limited knowledge, and he didn't know much about their activities in the south. After all, the Morning Light had always focused on the northern regions, while the south had been controlled by Shen Yin and some foreign powers.
As Xu Que was lost in thought, he suddenly felt as though he'd noticed something, but dismissed it as improbable. After all, his past life had been far too chaotic, and there was so much information locked away by the higher-ups that he had no access to.
"Alright, in that case, I'll notify the military," Shen Mengchu said.
"Mm," Xu Que nodded. "We should give them a helping hand. After all, humanity's survival is a common cause."
Shen Mengchu widened her eyes in disbelief. "Wow, when did you become so enlightened?"
"Uh..." Xu Que chuckled awkwardly. "That's actually something Elder Ye said. I just borrowed it."
Shen Mengchu laughed as she wiped his mouth. "Look at you now, you must feel like you've ascended, huh?"
Xu Que nodded, admitting, "I really have learned a lot from Elder Ye. It's made me see things in a new light."
Hearing this, Shen Mengchu nodded approvingly. "You're an important figure now. Though our foundation is still weak, I believe you'll succeed."
"Mm," Xu Que replied with a firm nod, then seemed to remember something. "By the way, have you made any progress on the exchange data I asked for?"
"We're almost done. We're still negotiating, but the people in Lubei still trust Shen Yin more, so I gave up on Lubei and shifted to Lijiang."
When Xu Que heard Lubei, he immediately thought of that fat man's terrible conduct. However, since that fat man trusted Shen Yin, it was a good thing. At least Shen Yin seemed reliable.
"Alright, take care of it. Once the exchange deal is set up, we'll talk to the people in Beijing," Xu Que said seriously.
"Are you really planning to set up in Beijing?" Shen Mengchu asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Xu Que raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong with that?"
After thinking for a moment, Shen Mengchu replied, "It's not that it's impossible, but I feel like something's off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it feels strange."
Xu Que frowned and asked, "What's your take on it?"
Shen Mengchu nodded, speaking earnestly, "Although Beijing is full of intrigue, if we scatter our people there, I fear they'll demand too much. And have you considered this: if we're putting so much into the exchange just for one place in Beijing, could it be that someone's setting us up?"
Hearing Shen Mengchu's concerns, Xu Que replied, "Elder Ye did mention this, but when weighing the safety concerns, I think we should prioritize Beijing. Even if someone's setting us up, it's a trap we're willing to walk into. After all, Beijing and Modu are crucial. If we secure Beijing, we'll have control over both the north and the south."