“Of course. I was wondering how to hand out my cards. Mr. Zhao’s contacts probably aren’t short on cash.”
Not short on cash meant a steady income stream.
“By the way, I need to head to the Research Institute. Got time? Coming with or staying home?”
“I’ll come.” Lu Yanzhou had a plan in mind.
Lin Juan was a massive treasure. Weird phenomena were only in their early stage now; the world would change dramatically. He could seize the chance to create more security for Lin Juan.
A new partnership was reached, and the company enjoyed a brief holiday. After the holiday, they threw themselves back into their busy work.
Word of the meeting room incident spread.
Lu Yanzhou had no intention of silencing anyone. At first, people only dared to gossip in private. Later, when they realized no one from above cared, they grew bolder.
“Did you hear about what happened that day?”
“My supervisor was in the meeting room. He said the first half of the negotiations didn’t go smoothly. The other side seemed reluctant to cooperate. Then, in the second half, no one knew what happened, but the negotiations rocketed ahead. Their attitude did a complete one-eighty, and they quickly sealed the deal.”
“I heard about it too. That halftime break was a dramatic turnaround.”
“Wasn’t it just? But do you know the reason for the turnaround?”
“No clue.”
“It had to be because of President Lu. When President Lu steps in, no deal falls through.”
“No, no, not this time. It was because of Assistant Lin.”
“Assistant Lin?”
“Assistant Lin, whom President Lu personally brought?”
“Yeah, you should’ve seen Mr. Zhao’s attitude toward Assistant Lin. After the second half of the negotiations, Mr. Zhao personally invited Assistant Lin to dinner, treating him with great respect and calling him ‘Mr. Lin’ at every turn.”
“No way? What’s Assistant Lin’s real background?”
“He definitely isn’t just anyone. He must be some big shot in the industry. Otherwise, why would Mr. Zhao respect him so much? Mr. Zhao is known for looking down on any kind of shady connections.”
“No wonder President Lu, who’s always so strict about separating work and personal life, parachuted an assistant into our company. Turns out he was bringing someone along for an incognito inspection.”
“Alright, alright, enough. Everyone, get back to work.”
In the blink of an eye, the day to head to the Research Institute arrived.
Zhuang Yufeng drove to pick them up. He didn’t ask anything about Lu Yanzhou coming along. He only mentioned on the drive that several professors from the institute would be there to observe.
“I’ve already warned them. They won’t bother you.” Zhuang Yufeng was determined not to let those people have any alone time with Lin Juan.
Having come several times before, Lin Juan was already familiar with the process. Lu Yanzhou was visiting for the first time and needed a temporary ID badge.
As usual, Lin Juan first went to the dedicated swimming pool to retrieve the 【Water Tower】.
It wasn’t that Zhuang Yufeng insisted on troubling him—the 【Water Tower】 only behaved itself in his presence. If another Ability User came, the weird phenomena, which had recovered much of its strength, would go berserk, and it wouldn’t be easy to handle.
Previously, when they sent an Ability User over, the 【Water Tower】 had poked several holes in the one who got close. Lin Juan had to step in to save the day.
Only when he was around did the 【Water Tower】 stay perfectly still, retracting its coarse spines and looking like a harmless giant Water Baby.
Utterly innocent.
It made the clueless onlookers think they were the ones abusing it.
“Some people just don’t get it. They insist the 【Water Tower】 is so innocent and pitiful, that we’re mistreating it and want to set it free. If Director Liu hadn’t stationed someone to guard it in secret, that person might have actually succeeded.” Whenever Zhuang Yufeng brought up the incident, he had endless complaints.
It had happened a little over half a month ago.
In the middle of the night, the alarm suddenly blared. Zhuang Yufeng was woken by his phone. When he heard that someone was trying to steal the 【Water Tower】, he nearly laughed in anger.
On the way there, he suspected institute researchers, outside forces, all sorts of things—except that someone might genuinely believe the weird phenomena was pitiful and in need of help.
When he heard the interrogation results, Zhuang Yufeng couldn’t hold back and laughed in anger. He stormed into the interrogation room and grabbed the culprit by the throat. “You pity the weird phenomena? Then who pities the people killed by it?”
“The weird phenomena is innocent? What about the victims—aren’t they innocent?”
No one had expected Zhuang Yufeng to lose his temper so badly. His supernatural ability went out of control, but fortunately, only for an instant.
He quickly reined himself in.
He admitted he was extreme when it came to dealing with weird phenomena. Anyone who watched their loved ones die one after another at the hands of weird phenomena would turn extreme.
After that, Zhuang Yufeng guarded the place like a fortress. No one dared approach the swimming pool where the 【Water Tower】 was held again.
The holding area for the 【Water Tower】 was lined with Pollution Shielding Devices. Above the swimming pool hung a massive iron cage, with electric currents crackling across its bars.
This was the 【Secret Casket】, specially designed to restrict weird phenomena. It had been modified from the “shell” of the Impermanent Snail.
Zhuang Yufeng pressed the switch, and the cage opened. The 【Water Tower】, submerged at the bottom of the pool, slowly floated to the surface.
Its size was controlled to about one and a half meters in diameter—enough to attract the “Seeds” without being too hard to manage.
The iron plate at the bottom of the pool rose, carrying the 【Water Tower】 to the shore.
Lin Juan, with practiced ease, loaded the 【Water Tower】 into a large Containment Box and headed to the treatment room.
Sure enough, there were a few new faces outside the treatment room.
When they saw Lin Juan, Professor Lu and the others smiled kindly and moved to greet him, only to be blocked by the Ability User who had been wary of them all along.
In no time, Lin Juan had entered the treatment room.
Lin Juan was already proficient with the process, and each time it took less time. This round, he finished in just five minutes.
Professor Lu and the others watched with faces full of astonishment.
They had seen the surveillance footage before and witnessed Lin Juan’s prowess, but videos paled in comparison to seeing it live. They had wondered if the Anomalous Affairs Bureau was exaggerating Lin Juan’s abilities. After witnessing it firsthand, that doubt vanished.
Some things could be faked, heroes could be fabricated, but true power couldn’t be pretended.
Once you saw Lin Juan’s strength with your own eyes, you wouldn’t doubt it.
After the treatment, the 【Water Tower】 was only half the height of a person. As always, clear water gurgled from the holes poked in its body.
After flowing for a bit, the floor was soaked, and the 【Water Tower】 shrank to the size of half an arm.
Lin Juan scooped up the 【Water Tower】. “If you keep leaking like this, you’re going to flood me.”
Having worked together for a while, Lin Juan’s attitude toward the 【Water Tower】 wasn’t as harsh as at the beginning.
This had a lot to do with the 【Water Tower】’s perceptiveness.
It knew it couldn’t beat Lin Juan and obeyed him to a tee.
The 【Water Tower】 immediately stopped leaking.
Lin Juan gave the 【Water Tower】 a squeeze. It was soft but resilient—very stress-relieving to pinch.
He couldn’t help squeezing it a few more times.
The 【Water Tower】 stayed perfectly still, letting him do it.
This scene left Professor Lu even more amazed.
“A miracle, truly a miracle.” Professor Lu murmured to himself. He had studied weird phenomena for so long but had never seen one act so affectionately toward a human.
Even when weird phenomena were briefly controlled, they couldn’t manage this. Once free, they grew even more furious, crazily seeking revenge on whoever had tried to control them.
How did he do it?
Lin Juan couldn’t ignore the overly intense stares. He turned and saw, beyond the special transparent wall, a man in a white lab coat with burning eyes fixed on him.
One of the professors Zhuang Yufeng had mentioned?
Lin Juan thought for a moment, then lost interest and looked away.
He put the 【Water Tower】 back in the box, handed it to the assigned Ability User, wiped his hands, and walked out of the treatment room.
Lu Yanzhou wasn’t outside.
“Where’s Mr. Lu?” Lin Juan looked around but didn’t see him.
“Mr. Lu is with Director Liu in my office.”
In Zhuang Yufeng’s office.
“We’ll consider Mr. Lu’s proposal.” Director Liu spoke up.
Lu Yanzhou had suggested that a tech company under Lu Corporation partner with the Anomalous Affairs Bureau to develop instruments and weapons targeted at weird phenomena. Director Liu did intend to collaborate with a powerful enterprise.
Lu Corporation was a solid choice.
Both in terms of Lu Corporation’s financial resources and the Lu Family’s connection to Lin Juan.
Especially the latter.
It particularly tempted Director Liu.
“This company, I’ll transfer it to Xiao Juan’s name. It’s just temporarily under Lu Corporation for now. Later, if Xiao Juan wants, I can spin it off.” Lu Yanzhou spoke leisurely.
Director Liu sat up straight. “You mean, once the partnership is set, our actual partner will be Mr. Lin?”
“Whether the deal goes through or not, I’ll transfer that company to Xiao Juan’s name.”
Radiant Star Technology—the fastest-growing tech company under Lu Corporation—represented not just money, but cutting-edge tech and expertise.
Lu Yanzhou gave it away just like that, leaving Director Liu astonished.
“Have you thought this through? You know what this means—I don’t need to spell it out.”
Never mind Radiant Star Technology’s current value. If it truly partnered with the Anomalous Affairs Bureau, it was bound to become a major powerhouse in the future, possibly rivaling Lu Corporation in scale, not to mention the potential profits. Handing it over outright—Lu Yanzhou, a shrewd businessman, couldn’t possibly be unaware of how massive that gain was.
“I’ve thought it through completely, Director Liu. My personal matters with Xiao Juan are for us to handle. You just need to give me your answer.”
Even seated in a wheelchair, Lu Yanzhou’s presence was no less imposing than anyone else’s.
Director Liu pondered for a moment. “I think I’d be very willing to partner with Radiant Star.”
Radiant Star, not Lu Corporation, not Lu Yanzhou.
Hearing the implication, Lu Yanzhou smiled. “Then, happy cooperation.”
When Lin Juan arrived, the two were discussing partnership details and stopped when they saw him.
“What were you talking about? Why’d you stop when I got here?” Lin Juan asked curiously.
Lu Yanzhou changed the subject. “All done? Want to grab dinner outside before heading back?”
Lin Juan’s attention shifted right away. “Sure, we can eat before going back.”
Over the next few days, Lin Juan noticed that aside from staying at Lu Corporation Headquarters, Lu Yanzhou occasionally took him to another tech company.
Radiant Star Technology was the company Lu Yanzhou had founded on his own before joining Lu Corporation. Several senior executives were his old classmates, and he was more relaxed around them than at headquarters.
When Lu Yanzhou brought in a long-haired young man they’d never seen, the head of R&D, Cheng Xiaoyu, grew curious. “President Lu, who’s this?”
“Your new chairman from now on.”
“Chairman?” Cheng Xiaoyu was surprised.
“Hm?” Lin Juan caught on. “Wait, didn’t I just come with you? How’d I become chairman?”
He loved money, but only what he earned. He wouldn’t just take a whole company for free.
