The holographic image froze on the final frame.
Lights flickered on in the surrounding area, illuminating the darkened conference room.
Around the holographic image sat nearly a hundred people.
Xian Xia's chief, seated at the head of the conference table, surveyed the attendees and asked, "All of you here are renowned mecha masters of Xian Xia. What are your thoughts?"
Below, nearly a hundred people sat upright, their expressions solemn as they gazed forward. Not a single person spoke.
After a long pause, the chief slightly turned his head towards Ye Zhenjun on his right and softly inquired, "What are your thoughts?"
Ye Zhenjun cleared his throat and, in a voice audible only to the two of them, replied, "Chief, in my opinion, the situation is real."
The chief nodded in understanding and remained silent, raising his hand to signal the end of the meeting.
Nearly a hundred individuals rose almost simultaneously, saluted the chief, and then filed out of the conference room.
In the wide, silent corridor, Shu Feizhang strode quickly from behind and offered Ye Zhenjun a cigarette.
They stood before a floating ashtray, indulging in the smoke.
Once the area was clear of others,
Shu Feizhang stared at Ye Zhenjun and whispered, "Others might not see it, but you should be able to, right?"
"That was clearly Gu Ya playing a trick!"
"In the frames before the image froze, Gu Ya's mecha clearly became a phantom! That's Gu Ya's ultimate technique! You and I both know it."
Ye Zhenjun took a deep puff of his cigarette and said calmly, "I'm old, my eyesight isn't what it used to be. I can still fish, but as for other things, sigh... it's time to consider stepping back to the second line."
"You're just playing favorites!" Shu Feizhang grumbled in frustration.
"Playing favorites?" Ye Zhenjun looked up at Shu Feizhang and said softly, "Old Shu, aren't you playing favorites too? Since you saw through it, why didn't you say anything?"
"You!" Shu Feizhang clenched his fist in anger, wanting to punch Ye Zhenjun,
but he managed to suppress his temper.
After a long moment, Shu Feizhang scratched his neck with his index finger and whispered, "Sigh, I suppose I am playing favorites too."
A smile touched Ye Zhenjun's lips, and he patted Shu Feizhang's arm.
They extinguished their cigarettes and walked side-by-side towards the exit.
"Shen Jingming gave up his War God status for Gu Ya. Except for Lan Jing, all others in the Ao Ying Third Team have defected to Gu Ya. How do you plan to help him?" Shu Feizhang asked softly.
Ye Zhenjun replied indifferently, "Unless it's absolutely necessary, I won't make a move. So as not to arouse the Chief's suspicion."
"The Alien Mechanism Department has been very active lately. I suspect the Chief is secretly plotting something."
"As for the Black Star side, they've been relatively quiet recently."
"Alright, there's no need to fight in Shanhai City anymore. Wuhe City is also safe now."
"This Gu Ya kid is more shrewd and capable than I imagined."
Shu Feizhang's lips curved upward, and he whispered, "If I had a daughter, I'd marry her off to Gu Ya too, even as a concubine."
Ye Zhenjun nudged Shu Feizhang with his elbow and smirked, "At your age, why are you starting to be so shameless?"
The two suddenly fell silent, their gazes fixed straight ahead.
They saw several men in dark, brushed-velvet military uniforms walk past them with an air of indifference.
According to their military ranks, these men should have respectfully saluted them.
But they simply passed by, not even glancing at the two.
"Did you see that..." Ye Zhenjun said, watching the backs of the men, "Running into people from the Alien Mechanism Department in broad daylight."
Shu Feizhang retorted, "Who do you think their next target will be? That little girl who appeared out of nowhere, or Gu Ya?"
Ye Zhenjun did not answer. A trace of worry crossed his face, followed by a laugh, "Heroes are forged in troubled times. Old Shu, don't choose the wrong side at a critical moment."
"What do you mean?" Shu Feizhang was startled.
"You've been Xian Xia's number one War God longer than I have. If you still can't understand this, you truly are an old fossil," Ye Zhenjun joked, turning and walking towards the exit.
...
"Zeng Lang, what's the situation on your end?"
Gu Ya asked, addressing the holographic projection.
It was evident that Zeng Lang was extremely busy, communicating with Gu Ya while simultaneously holding a meeting with Sister Ling, Wu Xuan, and a group of the corporation's senior executives.
Zeng Lang spoke quickly, "With Special Section Nine's assistance, things are going relatively smoothly. However, the Xian Xia high command has intervened. Investigation teams have been frequently stationed at the group recently, probing into corporate corruption and personnel issues."
"Don't worry, I've been addressing the corruption issues all along, and everything else has been executed according to Xian Xia's regulations."
"Sister Ling's efficiency is astonishing. Currently, Hecheng She has been decoupled from the group, having raised fifty-one billion eight hundred million Bai Xing Coins."
"The person in charge of Lie Huang Company is negotiating merger agreements with other groups. One hundred and ninety billion Bai Xing Coins."
"Gu Lang Biomedical Company, except for the Anti-Body Drug Research Institute, is also proceeding with the process."
"Including over a dozen smaller subsidiaries, we should be able to gather around one hundred and ninety billion."
"Gu Lang Biomedical's market value is even higher than Hecheng She's. But that's our last foundation, and as you said, it cannot be touched."
Gu Ya nodded and asked, "How is the business with the various continents?"
"Negotiations for the military factories in the Gulf Continent are complete, and those in Tayou, Maru, and Dongsheng continents are also in progress."
"The military industries in the smaller countries of the Great Palm Continent are quite well-developed, so we directly sent them money."
"On the stock market, the Proletariat Alliance led by Wu Xuan has been shorting the group's stock. Although Xian Xia stepped in to provide a backstop, we released a large amount of information beforehand, attracting several major financial companies and numerous retail investors. We can still make money."
"By the time the value of Gu Lang Group is completely squeezed dry, we should have tens of billions more in income."
"Overall, Xian Xia can no longer stop us."
Gu Ya nodded upon hearing this and praised, "You've done very well. Zeng Lang, you've worked hard during this time."
Finally, Zeng Lang said, "One more thing. Before Brother Xian left, he made arrangements. Soon, people will be sent to secretly escort the families of you, me, and Liu Feng to Shanhai City."
"The rest of us, including myself, Sister Ling, and Wu Xuan, have chosen to stay and fight to the last moment."
Gu Ya said calmly, "Carry on, and take care of yourself."
After ending the communication,
Gu Ya slowly stood up.
As his field of vision was pulled higher, a magnificent mountain peak appeared in the far distance.
The setting sun cast a golden hue on the majestic mountain, with golden clouds floating halfway up the slope, obscuring the summit.
Black Star Mountain,
the highest peak within the Black Star Empire.
Legend has it that a grand underground city is built within the mountain, with abundant underground energy and technological facilities to sustain the lives of all Black Star people for a long time.
It is also rumored that the mountain actually houses the Black Star's top-secret military technology research station, its specifications and level even surpassing those of Huiye City.
This is also the location of "Haiyang" in the intelligence provided by Sa Kuan.
Gu Ya has now created a more powerful computer lifeform.
He must find and completely kill Haiyang before it is transferred and updated.
"Ying, let's go," Gu Ya said calmly,
and he and Ye Ying activated their leg flames simultaneously.
Bai Ying remained at the rear, turning to cast a calm glance behind her.
Towards the Black Star Metropolis, reduced to a small dot on the horizon,
She then activated her propulsion flames, flying forward to follow the two.