This pair of headphones was Zhao Lun's immature creation, the first of its kind. It contained many features that, due to limitations in technology and materials, could not yet be realized, leaving only this basic version as a tool.
Today, he had brought them out to let Hodar and the others test them first, to gather feedback for future revisions.
He believed that in a few months, once he had gathered enough data, these devices would undergo rapid upgrades and transformations.
Furthermore, the satellites he desired might also become a reality soon. His own satellite, his own global communication station—everything would be within reach. If all went according to plan, after this year, before the fall of the Su Empire, his investments would return multiplied—several, even tenfold. Resources would flow in abundantly.
When the Empire fell, the eyes of the world would turn to him. By then, launching a satellite would go unnoticed. He could finally unleash his full potential and take action without restraint.
The box contained ten prototypes, each for testing by ten individuals.
"Oh, by the way, the micro-batteries inside the compartment can last for three days; after that, they will need to be replaced."
"Understood, boss." Hodar eagerly put away the new gear and immediately left to discuss with his assistant.
"Ada, this one's for you." Zhao Lun did not forget Ada, preparing a set for her as well.
Ada, too, was excited, fiddling with the equipment, making the others envious. Sensing this, she quickly tucked the new gear away and retreated to her room.
To her, as a bodyguard, advanced tools were like a legendary sword in the hands of a swordsman. Upon acquiring such a treasure, one must familiarize oneself with it and protect it, ensuring no one else coveted it. Meanwhile, Maria, the most troublesome of the bunch, had not left. Had she stayed any longer, she would have likely resorted to her usual stubborn tactics.
With Ada and Hodar gone, Maria, who was about to speak, immediately turned toward Zhao Lun.
"Here!" Zhao Lun handed her another sleek, compact box.
Maria, the young girl, was quite attached to her older brother and was sensitive. Though he had already given equipment to Ada and Hodar, Zhao Lun hadn't forgotten her. Her ears were small, and since she wasn't a bodyguard, he had prepared something tailored just for her. It looked cool, which pleased Maria immensely.
"Brother!"
Maria hugged Zhao Lun and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Heh, if you have any questions, just ask Athena. She'll show you how to use it."
"Mm."
Time flew by, and a week passed.
The film was a massive hit, surpassing all expectations. Its box office shattered historical records, and entertainment news was flooded with reports about it.
The film was so successful that it crushed its competition, turning the other films into mere supporting acts, and eventually, they ended up losing money.
The reports varied, with plenty of negativity. Some critics voiced their opinions:
"This film, aside from its special effects, has no substance, it's utterly worthless."
"The story is clichéd, the acting stiff. The lead actors must have paid a great price to secure their roles. It's reported that the main actors had a shady past; they were poor..." Some even fabricated lies to smear Monica and the others, aiming to hurt the film's box office performance. The situation was vicious, and Maria was furious on their behalf.
Surprisingly, Monica and the others, upon hearing such reports, treated it as though it was none of their business and instead tried to calm Maria, telling her not to be angry.
Maria, feeling helpless, decided to seek out her brother. She trusted that he would have a way to resolve these issues.
There were also some positive reviews, mostly from regular viewers.
"This movie is amazing, I can't wait for the sequel!" a young man said.
"Hey, everyone! The main characters in this film are fantastic! They are heroes! Such an inspiring influence! They're my idols!" a chubby, blonde girl said, speaking into the camera.
"This is the best movie of the year!"
"What?! Can we still trust those critics? They've totally lost touch with us!"
"I've already watched this movie three times, and I'm going to watch it again!"
Almost everyone who had seen the movie praised it during interviews.
In comparison to the negative reports, the positive coverage was plentiful. This wasn't because the critics were kind-hearted but rather due to the PR efforts. Zhao Lun had used his wealth to ensure the media spoke favorably.
Since the information age hadn't fully arrived, traditional print media still held dominance, occupying a significant portion of television media.
Zhao Lun had little effective recourse against those who smeared them. His only solution was to use his money to acquire these newspapers, solving the problem at the root. If acquisition wasn't possible, he had people gather negative material and take legal action when feasible, or engage in mutual smearing.
He took this approach, but for those newspapers unwilling to sell, he would gather evidence and sue them. However, the results were minimal. These people were too crafty, leaving few incriminating traces. The lawsuits had little effect. Acquiring smaller newspapers, however, yielded better results, though large ones were beyond his reach.
Zhao Lun wasn't one to dwell on minor grievances. If revenge wasn't possible, he would wait for the right moment. He was confident that soon, print media would no longer reign.
The box office numbers were out: within a week, the movie had made 235 million dollars, breaking historical records.
Two weeks later, the movie's popularity showed no signs of waning, continuing its strong run. The negative reports became almost insignificant in the face of true success. Zhao Lun had also identified the masterminds behind the smear campaign: several movie companies that had not cooperated with them, as well as those whose films had been crushed by his movie or their investors.
These movie giants had banded together, using their power to suppress those who refused to bow to them, and they were highly adept at it.
Their power was still weak for now, and Zhao Lun had no way to deal with them, but he and his team had made a note of them.
Outside, things were lively. Nicole and the others were constantly on the phone, coordinating the actions of their employees according to plan. This continued for several days until Christmas Eve, when all activities calmed down. The small estate was redecorated, and everyone gathered to joyfully celebrate the holiday.
They ate, played, and some just lay quietly on the soft couches, listening to music, laughing and joking. The warmth of the moment made everyone feel particularly content and cozy.
Compared to last year, this holiday felt much simpler, yet it was even more satisfying.
What made them even more content was that during the New Year, some film company bosses, perhaps caught up in the holiday spirit, caused a fire during a party, and they were left in disarray.
"These bad people have finally been punished!" The ladies cheered upon hearing the news.
After Christmas came the New Year, and with it, the countdown to the fall of the Su Empire. Zhao Lun began to get busy.
He started collecting rare metals and non-metallic materials from around the world, purchasing machinery, and planning to forge and upgrade new tools according to his vision, crafting exactly what he needed.
Nicole and the others had completed the acquisition of a few media outlets. While the scale was not large, the biggest one was of medium size. Nicole was put in charge of future promotional activities, while the others oversaw other tasks.
On February 3rd:
"Brother! Happy Birthday!"
"Allen, happy birthday!"
"Boss, happy birthday!"
Zhao Lun was stunned as everyone wished him a happy birthday. He had just realized that today was Allen's birthday, but he was now Allen. The day was peaceful yet heartwarming. Everyone had prepared gifts for him, and Zhao Lun was deeply touched.
After the birthday, the Spring Festival soon arrived, followed by the Lantern Festival on March 1st. Zhao Lun went to Chinatown with Angela to watch the dragon and lion dances, celebrate the Lantern Festival, eat tangyuan, and guess lantern riddles. They also bought some books to add to their collection.
After returning from Chinatown, Zhao Lun didn't go out again, settling back into his routine.
Exercise, breakfast, reading and recording knowledge, lunch, laboratory work, music, play, dinner, exercise and rest, then weekends for rest.
His life had become very regular, almost to the point of predictability.
Hodar's mission was also nearing its critical point, and he had gone out to personally oversee things.
Angela returned to Hong Kong, partly to visit her family and smooth over relationships, and partly to purchase some fine villas and land for their future vacation home. She also took the opportunity to make a strong statement, showing her parents that Angela had changed and was no longer involved in matchmaking.
With Zhao Lun's powerful financial backing, Angela's actions sent shockwaves through Hong Kong. She quickly became a legendary figure and a topic of conversation.
During this time, things weren't calm in Hong Kong, with Ada returning with her team to protect Angela's safety and clear away any obstacles.
As for Monica, she continued to work closely with Zhao Lun as his assistant, also overseeing Maria's life and supervising the village's renovation project.
The old home could no longer meet their needs, so an expansion was necessary. The renovation was imminent. Zhao Lun was collecting vast amounts of architectural material, planning to use the super-intelligent brain to design the perfect project. This would become the blueprint for the village's transformation.
This time, the scope of the renovation was huge, covering their entire village and stretching all the way to the seaside, transforming it into their private domain.
Maria had gone to school, attending a newly established private school in the town. Zhao Lun had funded the construction of the school, with Elena serving as the principal. The school mainly accepted local children, orphans, and the children of company staff. Maria's attendance was to help her adapt to the surrounding environment.
One month, two months, three months, Zhao Lun spent a great deal of time daily recording various kinds of knowledge with the intelligent brain.
In June, Zhao Lun unexpectedly received a letter—the contents of which were an admission notice. This notice would change his plans entirely.
He had long discarded ordinary admission notices, but this one was different. It was perfectly in line with the standards he had set.