Half a month later.

A military procurement meeting was to be held in Jingdu. Xia Lei was the only one invited to the event as a representative of the private military sector.

At the entrance to the venue, Qing Caiyue and Xia Lei were halted by two security guards.

“Mister Xia, you may go in but your secretary has to remain outside.” One of the security guards courteously offered, “Miss, please follow me to the refreshment room. You may wait there.”

Xia Lei nodded and said, “Follow him, wait for me there.”

“Alright.” Qing Caiyue trailed behind the security guard. Though her entry was declined, she wasn’t too bothered about it. Qing Caiyue was fully aware that it was not her place to attend a meeting of that calibre. They consisted of some of the most powerful people in the military sector.

Not long after Xia Lei made his entry, he found Ye Kun. Everyone else was scattered around the place in groups of their own but Ye Kun was standing there alone. The man stuck out like a sore thumb.

Truthfully, such a situation was not surprising. Ye Kun may be the director of Hanwu Weapons but his company stood against the others. There was no way that the others would acknowledge Ye Kun’s presence now.

“Director Xia.” Ye Kun approached him with a smile.

Xia Lei returned the gesture and greeted him kindly. “Old Ye, have you been here for long?”

“No, I just arrived too. Here, take a seat.” Ye Kun pulled out a chair for Xia Lei.

Xia Lei wasn’t accustomed to his approach but sat on it anyway.

Suddenly, all eyes were on them. Chatter soon ensued.

“Look at that, Mister Ye is such a slave. Oh no, the better word for it is a eunuch.”

“Yeah, I’m certain that if Xia Lei’s shoes were soiled, he’d be willing to get down to the floor to lick it clean.”

“Fucking hell, I despise traitors. If it wasn’t for him, Old Mu wouldn't have to suffer his fate”

“Damn, thinking of Old Mu makes me furious. Old Mu is still in there serving time and this motherfucker is out here having the time of his life.”

“It’s just unbelievable. Old Mu had cared for him back then yet he had the heart to expose Old Mu. What an ungrateful fuck.”

“Ye Kun is despicable, but the real abomination is that Mister Xia. Look at this fella, he was merely a construction worker in Haizhu a few years ago. Now his pretentious ass is here to attend such an important national defence construction meeting. This is just ridiculous!”

“Hmph! I’d like to see how long he could last. I don’t think Xia Lei could take us all, his stomach would probably burst open!”

They were being subtle with their words. Their unfiltered volume felt as if they had intended those remarks to be heard by both Xia Lei and Ye Kun. Xia Lei seemed unfazed but as Ye Kun continued to take it in, his face started to turn green then red. He was angry, but there was nothing he could do about it.

A barking dog never bites. Ye Kun's personality was the total opposite of that. He’d let them have their way, continue to mock and humiliate him. But as soon as he got the chance, Ye Kun would make sure to return the favour tenfold. He’d make sure to throw them into the gutters!

On the other hand, Xia Lei was pleased that they were trampling Ye Kun. This would fuel Ye Kun’s hatred. But still, Xia Lei put on a courteous face and comforted him. “Old Ye, they’re just a bunch of mad dogs. No need to take their words to heart.”

Ye Kun returned a cold smirk. “Yeah, you’re right. There is no need to worry. I’m a very tolerant person. If they really had any form of decency, they wouldn’t be yapping here like a bunch of gossiping wives.”

Those words were clearly to retaliate against them.

Hearing that, they frowned. However, everyone remained cautious due to the nature of the setting. If this had taken place somewhere else, Ye Kun would’ve already confronted those insults.

At this moment, Yu Shanhe and Ling Han made their appearance. The two paused briefly to gaze at both Ye Kun and Xia Lei. Following that, they went elsewhere without a single greeting.

Ye Kun lowered his voice to a whisper. “Director Xia, I got some information.”

In a heartbeat, Xia Lei pressed on. “What did you hear?”

“I heard that Yu Shanhe intends to have Ling Han replace Mu Jianfeng. The whole thing is still in process but there’s no telling how true it is,” said Ye Kun.

Xia Lei frowned slightly. It was a true or false situation, it was a matter of time. To switch Ling Han over to replace Mu Jianfeng’s current spot was no big deal with Yu Shanhe’s status. Not to mention, Ling Han was already recognized. If Ling Han had successfully become the director of China Industrial Group, Ling Han’s tricks along with the group’s strength would certainly bring Xia Lei immense troubles.

“I also heard that the overall balance of the current situation is off. As you know, America’s Return to Asia-Pacific Policy is clearly against us. The American ships were a clear provocation and there has been continuous reported activity from the Japanese. Not to mention, the Sade Anti-Missile System in the Korean military is also a threat to our country. Hence, this meeting was to devise a strategy to stimulate China’s military sector and fortify our country’s defence capabilities. I think Yu Shanhe would utilize this event to express his intentions of having Ling Han replace Mu Jianfeng.” Ye Kun scoffed for a brief second and continued. “I’m pretty sure that there’ll be an election. If there are a hundred attendees, ninety-eight of them would be in favour of the replacement.”

One hundred votes with only two opposing votes from Xia Lei and Ye Kun. But Xia Lei was fully aware that even if there was a voting session, he definitely had no right to cast a ballot. It was clear that as long as Yu Shanhe had a say, the majority of the people would support him.

“Director Xia, tell me. If Ling Han takes over the position, who would be the first he’d destroy?” probed Ye Kun as he stared at Xia Lei.

Without hesitation, Xia Lei answered him. “Definitely you.”

The answer garnered no response from Ye Kun. It was obvious that he already had an answer prior to bringing up the question. The only thing he was after was just Xia Lei’s reassurance.

And Xia Lei gave him just what he desired. “No need to worry too much, Old Ye. Everyone who has stood by me has prospered. I’m just trying to offer my best. The Thunder Horse Organization has worked itself to the bone all for the sake of strengthening our country’s defence. You could say that we act as positive energy. As long as you get that clear, your goals will be much more tangible. Plus, there’s no way Yu Shanhe would simply lay a finger on us.”

The corner of Ye Kun’s lips curled up. He knew who Xia Lei was referring to. Fan Fan. The woman was someone who even Yu Shanhe had avoided like a plague. Aside from that, Bureau 101 was clearly on Xia Lei’s side. He was not fighting this war alone. What was there left to fear about Ling Han?

As they continued to converse, a group of military representatives and relevant figures entered the venue.

There was a familiar face that Xia Lei had seen from the news. Inexplicably, he suddenly felt his nerves acting up but his heart was still filled with respect.

A military authority figure whispered something into that person’s ear, then held a hand up to point towards Xia Lei. The person soon turned to look at Xia Lei. As soon as the look of acknowledgement settled in, the man greeted him with a nod and a smile.

His smile was majestic yet gentle, giving off a friendly impression that urges one to not mess with him. Though this was just an insignificant gesture, Xia Lei had taken that as a sign of acknowledgement that his hard work had not gone in vain.

Frantically, Xia Lei stood up from his seat to return a nod.

There were no greetings as there was no need for it.

Behind the group of figures, Xia Lei spotted Fan Fan.

Fan Fan’s body had adorned a sleek black blazer. Her chest was pressing against the fabric proudly while the garment was synched tastefully to show off her slim waist. Her black slacks were filled out by her behind to form a beautiful curve with the length of her limbs. Although her outfit was a little old for her age, it didn’t hinder her sexiness from shining through. Trailing behind a group of stern soldiers. Fan Fan was a red rose placed against the mouth of a gun. The whole scene created a unique contrast.

Fan Fan directed a smile towards Xia Lei before approaching him.

“It’s nice to see you, Officer Fan,” greeted Ye Kun courteously. The kind smile on his face had made him seem harmless.

Fan Fan nodded at him. “Hello, Director Ye. I see you’ve decided to do the right thing.”

“Yeah, and I’ll continue to work hard.” Ye Kun had understood what she meant.

Fan Fan came to Xia Lei’s side. She whispered, “My relative is here again.”

Xia Lei was perplexed. “Who?”

Immediately, Fan Fan rolled her eyes at him. “Are you playing dumb? I’m talking about menses. Menses, capiche?”

Xia Lei finally registered it but the clarification rendered him speechless. He wasn’t expecting Fan Fan to discuss her menstruation with him in such a dignified setting.

“Care to explain yourself?” Fan Fan squinted at Xia Lei suspiciously.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Xia Lei laughed nervously. “I really don’t know. Aren’t these things up to fate? If not, why would there be a crowd rushing over to pray for fertility?”

“But I really want it.”

“There’s no need to rush.” Xia Lei comforted her.

But Fan Fan threw her eyes back again. “Of course you’re not in a rush. You’re just in for a quick fuck.”

“Alright, I need to discuss something serious.”

“Yeah? Go on.”

“When will the Thunder Horse Organization launch their new materials?”

Xia Lei answered, “It’s not so simple. The Western countries have spent years on it and failed to produce even a working concept. You can’t be serious about wanting me to produce something within less than three months?”

“Let me tell you something. Weren’t you able to get your hands on fighter jet technology from France and Germany? Now the higher-ups have decided to fund research on a new fighter jet type that is competent enough to be as good as Lockheed Martin’s F35 jets. If you could speed it up a little and produce new materials to be used on it, it’ll be a great contribution to the country and our people!” Fan Fan’s excitement was poorly concealed.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll try my best to accelerate progress.” Xia Lei answered.

Fan Fan continued, “But with your hands full on overseeing Thunder Horse Organization and the Alloy X Project, are you able to manage things? I’ve suggested to my bosses to have my grandfather join you in the new material project.”

Hearing that, Xia Lei smiled. “That’s great news. He’s the country’s best material scientist. He’s got a vast network all around China and there’s a lot of better scientific resources at the academy! With Mister Fan’s involvement, we could see significant jumps in progress. I’d welcome him with wide arms. He can join whenever he wants to.”

This was free assistance that could even be considered as a driving force. There was no way Xia Lei could decline this!

“Alright, that’s a deal then. We’ll keep in touch.” Just like that, Fan Fan left.

Xia Lei watched her retreating back, heart heaving a heavy sigh. The implementation of AI technology to the military industry and the breakthrough discovery of new material would surely drive China’s military standards to newer heights. Certainly, everyone would gasp at the marvellous improvement three years later, right?

Would Xia Lei be able to see it with his own eyes?

Three years. Those words were like thorns in his heart. Whenever he was reminded of it, a stifling discomfort grips him and washes a layer of fear over him.

On the other end of the venue, Ling Han held his gaze towards Xia Lei as he smirked maliciously.