Xiong Da

"Why don't you just fly to the heavens, then...?"

The young boss stared at Bai Yang with a blank expression, the same look you'd give an idiot.

Bai Yang was silent for a moment, then took another drag of his cigarette, putting on a face like he was about to reveal the truth. "Alright, I'll be straight with you. I'm actually planning to raise an army to conquer another world, ascend the nine heavens, and trample the gods underfoot..."

"Should I call the psych ward for you?"

Why does no one ever believe the truth? What's wrong with this world? Where's the trust between people?

"Cut the crap, buddy. Just tell me if you've got a connection or not," Bai Yang said, giving him a look that said, You figure it out.

It wasn't like Bai Yang had nothing better to do than come here and shoot the breeze with this guy. Forging metal armor didn't exactly require top-tier craftsmanship; he could probably find some random metal processing plant and hammer out some crude stuff. The real reason he wanted the guy to introduce him was to put his face out there.

First time's awkward, second time's familiar. If he ever needed something truly good later, he'd probably have to rely on this guy to get it.

The two stared at each other for a full minute before the young boss finally confirmed Bai Yang wasn't joking—he really did want some so-called metal armor.

Wordlessly, he rummaged through some drawers, eventually pulling a business card from a corner and handing it to Bai Yang. "Call this number. Say Old Wolf sent you. Sort out the rest yourselves."

Bai Yang took the card with a grin, not bothering to look at it right away. Instead, he gave the young boss a teasing look. "Tsk tsk, Old Wolf, huh? Not bad, buddy. Sounds all mafia-like."

"If you've got nothing else, feel free to leave," the young boss, calling himself Old Wolf, said, pointing at the door.

Bai Yang didn't take offense. The guy had a face like a zombie and had never given him a friendly look. As he headed for the door, he turned back and said, "Don't forget to ask them for a commission later."

Old Wolf didn't even look up. Commission? For that so-called metal armor of yours? At most, it'd be a few dozen pounds of iron sheets plus some processing fees—how much could that cost?

"You'll be the one crying," Bai Yang tossed out before stepping outside.

Leaning against his motorcycle, he finally took a good look at the card in his hand.

At the top of the card was written: Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant. In the middle was a name: Xiong Da. Below that was a phone number, and under that, a business description: Accepts custom metal parts processing.

"Xiong Da? What kind of name is that? Am I supposed to expect a Boonie Bears crossover or something?"

Grumbling to himself, Bai Yang pulled out his phone and dialed the number. To his surprise, it was picked up after just two rings.

"Hello, this is Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant," came a deep, rumbling voice from the other end.

A burly man trying to keep his voice down, with a hint of hopeful anticipation—am I imagining that?

"I'm looking to get something made..."

"No problem at all! Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant is fully equipped and can meet all your needs. Just come visit our factory, and you'll feel confident entrusting us with your business!"

Bai Yang held the phone, glancing over at the military supply store next to him. He seriously wondered if that Old Wolf guy had set him up. The guy on the phone sounded way too eager, like he was trying to pull a fast one...

"I've got your address. We'll talk when I get there," Bai Yang said, hanging up. He swung onto his motorcycle, pulled up the route on his phone, and revved the engine as he roared off into the distance.

The Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant was in the suburbs, but the closer Bai Yang got, the more he felt like turning around. The area grew increasingly desolate, and the road turned potholed, like it had been through a war zone. Just as his patience was about to snap, he finally reached his destination.

"Well, well. Don't judge a book by its cover, huh? Looks pretty big from here," Bai Yang said, raising an eyebrow at the so-called Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant.

The factory grounds, enclosed by walls, covered at least ten acres. The buildings looked relatively new, but it was dead silent—not a soul in sight. What was up with that? Had the roar of machinery been swallowed by something?

From a distance, Bai Yang spotted a bear-like man pacing back and forth at the factory gate, occasionally looking up toward the horizon. When the man spotted him, he came charging over in a whirlwind.

Even though Bai Yang was used to seeing giants, the sight of this guy running toward him made him want to bolt. The man had to be at least two meters tall, wearing a black tank top and shorts that looked ready to burst at the seams from his muscles. More than that, there was something about him that sent a chill down Bai Yang's spine—like a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the verge of rage.

"This guy can't be Xiong Da, can he? Throw him over there, and you wouldn't be able to tell him apart from those savages. How does a species like this even exist on Earth?"

Bai Yang's mind raced. He kept the motorcycle idling, ready to make a run for it at any moment.

The burly man stopped about five meters away from Bai Yang, his fierce face twisting into an awkward attempt at a smile.

"Are you Boss Bai? I'm Xiong Da, the owner of Giant Bear Metal Processing Plant."

So it really is Xiong Da. Bai Yang muttered to himself. But having dealt with big guys before, he quickly calmed down and asked the question burning in his mind, or he'd drive himself crazy.

"So, uh, Boss Xiong, do you have a younger brother named Xiong Er?"

"I don't have a brother named Xiong Er. I'm an only child. Since I was big from a young age, everyone just called me Xiong Da."

Alright, so if he were small, would he be called Xiong Xiao?

"Boss Xiong, it's... pretty quiet around here," Bai Yang said, glancing around.

Xiong Da scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, we're not working right now. But don't doubt our processing capabilities, Boss Bai. Give us the raw materials, and I can make parts for airplanes or rockets!"

Talk about shooting your mouth off. Bai Yang pressed on. "Where's the rest of your staff?"

"Uh... right now, it's just me here. But Boss Bai, don't doubt our capabilities! We've got all the equipment—laser cutters, plate shears, bending machines, CNC lathes, waterjet cutters, stamping presses—you name it. I can make any part you want. As long as the funds are in place, I can call in workers anytime. How about a tour of the factory first..."

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Hold on a second," Bai Yang cut him off. "I just want to ask—can you make a full set of metal armor that fits a build like mine and doesn't hinder movement?" He had to interrupt the guy's endless spiel. Despite how unreliable Xiong Da seemed, Old Wolf had referred him, so Bai Yang clung to a sliver of hope.

"Boss Bai, are you joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Xiong Da fell silent, his face twisting in conflict. Finally, he gritted his teeth and stomped his foot. "Fine, I can do it. For a build like mine, right? Do you want chainmail or plate armor? Chainmail's more troublesome—making the links is easy, the cutter can stamp them out one by one, but connecting them is a pain. Plate armor's simpler—just make a mold and use the stamping press to form it in one go..."

Bai Yang had no doubt that a guy running a metal processing plant this big could forge cold weapon armor. But now, with a strange look on his face, he interrupted Xiong Da again. "Uh, Boss Xiong, can I ask you something? Is business slow around here?"

Xiong Da took a direct hit. Clearly, the guy wasn't good at lying—his dark face actually flushed as he nodded.

"Can I ask why? A big factory like this, with all that equipment—it doesn't make sense," Bai Yang pressed, twisting the knife.

"Because every customer who saw me like this got scared off. You're the only one who didn't run away. Uh, the factory's been open for eight months, not a single deal closed, all the equipment is brand new..." Xiong Da actually answered with startling honesty.

Bai Yang thought to himself, you dumbass, you might as well just give up. Someone like you is no good at business, alright? With a big processing factory like this set up, would it kill you to hire a few salespeople?

Squinting his eyes, Bai Yang rubbed his chin as his mind churned. Under Xiong Da's expectant gaze, he suddenly blurted out a question: "Do you know Old Wolf?"

The moment those words left his mouth, a dangerous aura emanated from Xiong Da. He said nothing, just stared at Bai Yang.

Got it. Those two had a special relationship, and neither of them was likely a saint or a goody-two-shoes.

No wonder—one ran a military supply store and couldn't care less about customers, the other ran a processing factory and couldn't land a single deal. Neither of them had what it took to be a boss. Birds of a feather flock together, that must be it.

"Boss Xiong, may I ask how much it cost you to set up this processing factory?"

"What are you getting at?"

Bai Yang's topic shift was too fast; Xiong Da didn't quite catch up...