As Xu Que admired Murong Xuan'er's appearance, a message from her suddenly arrived.
"Hello, Xu Que. I am Murong Xuan'er, but you can call me Xuan'er. If you have time, perhaps we can talk in person?"
Seeing the invitation from the beautiful woman, Xu Que replied swiftly without hesitation.
"Apologies, but I have urgent matters to attend to at the moment. If you have something to discuss, feel free to leave me a message, and if I can assist, I will help when possible."
Although Xu Que appreciated beautiful women, he was not one to let lust cloud his judgment. Moreover, the Murong family's influence spanned both military and political circles—something Old Ye and Liang Jinyu had already cautioned him about. Thus, it was best to avoid this thorny rose for now.
Just as Xu Que finished replying, another message from Murong Xuan'er arrived.
"I know you're expecting guests from Xiangcheng today, and I am already in Shen Mengchu's office."
Xu Que's lips twitched. What did this mean? Was she making a direct approach? Or was he being baited into a trap, with someone else now trying to test his resolve after his previous confrontation?
Shaking his head, Xu Que pondered. Though he suspected the Murong family might indeed be testing him, Xuan'er herself might not be acting with such intentions.
As Xu Que took the elevator to the top-floor office, the elevator suddenly halted at the 52nd floor. The doors opened, revealing Liang Jinyu, dressed in a refined, understated outfit with soft flat shoes. She walked in with grace.
"Do you like it?" Liang Jinyu asked, playfully lifting Xu Que's chin.
Seeing her in this attire, Xu Que couldn't help but think of the term "uniform allure."
"Quite stunning," he replied with a smug grin.
"Would you like to try it later?" Liang Jinyu asked, her gaze full of meaning.
Though Xu Que was tempted to give in immediately, he recalled he still had pressing matters to attend to. He quickly shook his head.
"Perhaps another time. I'm a bit busy today. After all, I need some rest as well…"
Liang Jinyu, her smile now gone, turned and stood tall in the middle of the elevator, her demeanor suddenly serious. Xu Que, noticing this shift, could only marvel inwardly at her skill in switching between personas.
As the elevator doors opened, Liang Jinyu strode out with a cold, aloof expression, her elegance unmistakable.
"How captivating," Xu Que thought to himself.
Xu Que did not follow Liang Jinyu into the office. His current role, after all, was as a subordinate at the "Explosion Heaven Hunter" company, and he needed to maintain the proper demeanor of one.
When he entered the meeting room, his senses immediately expanded. Inside, four women were seated, two of whom Xu Que immediately recognized, while the others—he wasn't sure which was Tu Jiaojiao and which was Murong Xuan'er. The two Y-nation guests from Xiangcheng were assigned to a different room.
After the four women finalized the area allocations, Shen Mengchu stood and, with a polite apology, said a few words to Tu Jiaojiao and Murong Xuan'er before walking out with Liang Jinyu toward the reception room.
Inside the office, Tu Jiaojiao discreetly glanced at Murong Xuan'er, then toward the departing Shen Mengchu and Liang Jinyu. Something felt off, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was. She couldn't ask, either—after all, the "God Hidden" group wasn't yet close to the "Explosion Heaven" people, and probing too soon might raise suspicions.
"Are you not leaving?" Tu Jiaojiao asked.
"You go ahead. I still have some things to attend to," Murong Xuan'er gestured with a calm smile.
Tu Jiaojiao nodded, pushed open the office door, and headed toward the elevator.
Xu Que was somewhat surprised. He didn't understand why Murong Xuan'er stayed behind, but it felt as though she was intentionally waiting for him.
While Xu Que was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang.
Seeing it was a message from Shen Mengchu, Xu Que quickly threw on the dirty clothes he had worn while forging the previous day, then rubbed the dust on his face, neck, and hands. After checking for any issues, he pretended to be exhausted and left the office.
Meanwhile, in the reception room, Liang Jinyu was engaged in a discussion with representatives from the Legendary Company regarding the contract details. Although she knew it wouldn't amount to much, she still thoroughly went through the documents, even pointing out some inconsistencies for the sake of the act.
As the door to the reception room opened with a knock, Xu Que entered, feigning exhaustion.
"Good afternoon, General Shen, General Liang," he greeted with a strained posture.
The representatives from the Legendary Company immediately fixed their gaze on him.
"Xu Que, you've worked hard. These are the representatives from the Legendary Company, Lu Ang and Bell," Shen Mengchu introduced them before continuing. "We need you to create the equipment based on their blueprints, which will be a crucial step in 'Explosion Heaven's' international expansion."
Xu Que pretended to be surprised and quickly responded, "Rest assured, General Shen. I will complete the task."
Seeing Xu Que's humble attitude, Lu Ang and Bell were taken aback. They had never expected the notorious figure who had once caused chaos in the capital to act so subserviently.
From the moment Xu Que walked in, they had already devised a perfect plan in their minds.
"General Shen, should we begin now, or wait until tomorrow?" Xu Que asked, playing the submissive role with perfect sincerity.
The role of the devoted "licking dog" came naturally to Xu Que; after all, in his past life, he had been one for ten long years!
Shen Mengchu felt a touch of irony. She understood exactly how this "licking dog" persona had come to be.
Liang Jinyu, however, was shocked by Xu Que's performance. If she hadn't shared an intimate past with him, she would never have believed that the man before her could pull off such an expression. It was as if the very embodiment of a "licking dog" had arrived!
Shen Mengchu quickly regained her composure and, feigning irritation, looked toward Lu Ang and Bell.
"Well, what do you two think?"
Lu Ang and Bell exchanged glances, then nodded in unison.
"Miss Shen, as the old saying goes in Z Country, 'It's better to act today than wait for tomorrow.' Let's begin now, if possible," Bell said.
"Yes, we need to return quickly to report. This is crucial for our companies' cooperation," Lu Ang added.
"Very well, then, let's get started," Shen Mengchu said, standing and giving a nod to Liang Jinyu.
As the group made their way toward the elevator, the doors suddenly opened, and a voice called out from the hallway.
"Wait for me!"
Shen Mengchu and Liang Jinyu exchanged puzzled looks. They had already concluded their discussions about the mission areas, so why hadn't Murong Xuan'er left?
When Murong Xuan'er appeared, Shen Mengchu's heart sank. She feared that Xuan'er might disrupt their plans.
As Xu Que saw Murong Xuan'er in person, his eyes lit up. She was even more beautiful than in the photos—an absolute stunner. While her figure wasn't as voluptuous as Liang Jinyu's, her seductive aura and pure, enchanting smile set her apart from Shen Mengchu's more innocent charm.
She smiled apologetically as she stepped into the elevator, her waist swaying with every step, each movement oozing allure. Xu Que, still entranced by her figure, realized that there were indeed levels to "uniform allure"—Murong Xuan'er was undoubtedly in the top tier.
As he remained lost in admiration, Liang Jinyu pinched him hard, snapping him back to reality.
"Sorry, I was on the phone in your office and forgot to leave," Murong Xuan'er smiled, explaining with a casual grace.
"Oh, it's fine," Shen Mengchu smiled back, though her eyes sought help from Liang Jinyu.
Liang Jinyu, realizing this was her moment to step in, smiled and suggested, "Murong Xuan'er, why don't you join us for a tour of our forging techniques?"
The moment the words left her lips, not only was Shen Mengchu stunned, but so were Lu Ang and Bell, who exchanged confused glances. They had no idea what the Z Country people were thinking anymore.