After boarding his Flying Vehicle, Lin Qi watched Liu Xuan's Flying Vehicle rise into the air and depart, while also spreading out his Psychic Vision.
"Liu Xuan changed Flying Vehicles. Four bodyguards? All of them have S-Minus Rank Cybernetic Prosthesis implants?"
It seemed the security around Liu Xuan had been upgraded as well.
He closed his eyes and sensed his surroundings.
The gaze he had felt yesterday was gone. Those mercenaries had most likely already been dealt with by the company.
Lin Qi started the Flying Vehicle and did not linger at the company, avoiding another abnormality being detected by the intelligent system.
He returned smoothly to the Cybernetic Research Institute.
As soon as he parked the Flying Vehicle, a communication request from the company suddenly came through.
Lin Qi quickly accepted it. On the other end was Wei Wei, his supervisor.
Wei Wei's expression was somewhat complicated, as if he were still mulling over what had happened earlier.
After two seconds of silence, Wei Wei finally spoke. "Lin Qi, starting tomorrow, your position will be temporarily transferred. You'll serve as an A-level researcher at the Greenland City Branch and participate in A-level project research."
"Be at the company before seven tomorrow morning. You'll take the Red-Green Train with company personnel to the Greenland City Branch."
Lin Qi was somewhat baffled. A promotion? To A-level?
But it did not seem like a good thing.
With his own abilities, Lin Qi would sooner or later become an A-level, S-Minus Rank, or even X-level researcher. Getting promoted ahead of time meant there would definitely be a price to pay.
More importantly, Lin Qi knew that Greenland City had fallen into chaos before Red Fruit City.
Lin Qi frowned slightly. Seeing his expression through the communication, Wei Wei considered things for a moment before adding another sentence.
"This time, only the company's upper management will be going to Greenland City. Even accompanying personnel must be at least A-level."
Wei Wei had subtly revealed some information, though he had clearly thought it over and did not explain it in much detail.
Wei Wei believed that if Lin Qi really had something going on with a member of the Liu Family, the information he had revealed was already enough for Lin Qi to learn the truth.
Lin Qi's frown gradually eased.
Upper management?
Besides senior executives and S-Minus Rank or above researchers, the only people in the company who could be called upper management were members of the Liu Family.
The only Liu Family member Lin Qi could possibly have ties to was Liu Xuan.
Liu Xuan was going to Greenland City? So she had brought him along too?
The Liu Family of Hongguo City and the Si Clan of Greenland City—had they made some unknown deal?
With chaos breaking out, a Liu Family member was heading to Greenland City. The two sides were surely cooperating.
"Thank you," Lin Qi replied to Wei Wei.
Seeing Lin Qi's expression, Wei Wei knew that he had already figured out most of the cause and effect.
He had guessed right. Lin Qi really did have deep ties with a member of the Liu Family. Perhaps Lin Qi would become one of the company's "own people" in the future.
Wei Wei manually ended the communication. His goal had already been achieved.
It had only been a notification. Wei Wei did not need to personally make a video call; he could have simply sent a message according to company procedure.
The reason he had chosen a video call was entirely Wei Wei's own initiative.
If he wanted to climb higher in the company, he had to gain the direct attention of its upper management.
Lin Qi was merely a medium.
Lin Qi did not rush into the Cybernetic Clinic. Instead, he sat in the Flying Vehicle and pondered.
Recalling the intelligence provided by Capitalist and Arthur, the two cities were on the verge of turmoil. A clash between S-Minus Rank combatants and Fourth Rank Extraordinary beings was highly likely.
Now that the two major corporations were showing signs of cooperation, it meant the conflict was not between them.
There was still a third party hiding in the shadows.
The Assassin's League?
Or the third party that had hired the Assassin's League to carry out assassinations?
Could the mercenaries targeting the Weapon Research Institute in Hongguo City also have been sent by another force?
Lin Qi did not have sufficient authority to see the full picture.
"The destructive power of S-Minus Rank combatants and Fourth Rank Extraordinary beings is too high. If I get dragged into a battle at close range, my L-level body and First Rank power won't be enough."
"Psychic Vision alone isn't enough to avoid the risks."
"Perhaps I need to contact Arthur. But Arthur seems to be restrained by something as well. Unless necessary, I can't rely on his power."
According to Lin Qi's judgment, among the two members of the Highest-Rank Mercenary Group who were constantly out on missions, the strongest was probably Master Ma. He was most likely a full-body A-level Cybernetic Body implant user and a Fourth Rank Extraordinary being.
Extraordinary-side combat power surpassed cybernetic combat power.
Lin Qi's basis for that judgment came from the environment at the mission site afterward.
As for Arthur, he was probably an incomplete S-Minus Rank Cybernetic Prosthesis implant user with a certain degree of Extraordinary-side combat ability. His exact rank was unknown.
His overall combat strength should have been below that of an S-Minus Rank combatant or a Fourth Rank Extraordinary being.
Even Arthur, with that level of combat power, was trapped in Greenland City. That showed he had encountered considerable trouble.
"At a critical moment, I can ask Guangleng for help. The network's influence on cyber cities is too immense. As long as Guangleng is willing to act, even an S-Minus Rank combatant or Fourth Rank Extraordinary being can be held back for a short time."
That was Guangleng's own promise. If a Mercenary Group member encountered a major crisis, he would save them with all his strength without conditions, though each person could only use it once.
That was the fundamental reason the four members were willing to join the organization known as the "Highest-Rank Mercenary Group."
The network's ability to exert influence in the Cyber World was terrifyingly powerful.
"I have two life-saving trump cards in Greenland City, but I'm still too weak."
"My Cybernetic Body—or rather, my Exoskeleton—can't be upgraded for now, but I can try to improve on the Extraordinary side as quickly as possible."
"A Wizard's abilities are more unpredictable than those of other Extraordinary Professions. I need to become a Second Rank Wizard as soon as possible."
Lin Qi was still two Extraordinary Items away from becoming a Second Rank Wizard.
He thought of the First Rank Extraordinary Short Blade Lin Xin carried close to her body.
He shook his head. There were countless Extraordinary Items in the Doomsday World. It was not as though he needed to set his sights on Lin Xin.
That Extraordinary Short Blade came from the Assassin's League. Who knew what kind of monsters it might lead to?
He stepped out of the Flying Vehicle and entered the Cybernetic Clinic.
"Dad still hasn't finished?" Lin Qi asked Lin Xin.
He had waited all day without receiving any news from his father.
Lin Xin shook her head. "This client is pretty difficult."
How difficult?
Lin Qi spread out his Psychic Vision and directly "looked" into his father's workshop.
Doctor Lin wore an almost crazed smile as he continuously picked up tools, sending sparks flying from the customer's body.
Then Lin Qi looked at the customer.
Good lord, a full-body L-level Cybernetic Body implant user. Under his father's operation, the customer's arm was being upgraded with A-level components.
A genuinely full-body conversion.
More than ninety percent of his body had been modified. The flesh left on him probably would not even be enough to wrap half a plate of dumplings.
"I feel like my nerves are going numb," the customer said.
"Numb, my ass. If you want to make a name for yourself in Hongguo City, this is the price you have to pay. Or do you just want to remain a nobody in the gangs? Wait until you're eighty, with a catheter shoved in you, lying in a hospital bed waiting to die?"
"Maybe your remaining head and junk will be wrapped into dumplings and fed to dogs."
The customer fell silent for a few seconds. "I trust your skills, Old Lin."
"I don't trust your wallet. You still owe me fifty thousand Credit Points for this A-level Cybernetic Body. Once it's done, kid, you can leave."
Watching all this, Lin Qi understood that his father was once again using his own lines to fool street punks into getting Cybernetic Body implants.
He had even arranged installment payments for the punk.
A nobody? Making a name for himself?
That temptation was simply too great for gang punks.
Before you continue