Happy New Year!

New Delhi Base City.

After Lei Meng sent the latest news about Chu He to the Thunder Dojo headquarters, Sago Nehru received it immediately.

He'd been having a rough time lately!

Shortly after Chu He logged into the War God Palace and received an Advanced War God rating, a rumor seemingly out of nowhere spread across the globe almost instantly.

It claimed that Sago Nehru had grown jealous because Chu He had become an Advanced War God-level Spirit Reader at eighteen, not even nineteen.

So he'd personally moved to suppress Chu He, leaving him unable even to apply for the position of Inspector.

With all the ingredients for a conspiracy theory in place, the rumor spread around the globe at an incredible speed.

The people at the Extreme Martial Arts Gym, in particular, seemed eager to shout the news from the rooftops.

Even some members of the Thunder Dojo believed it.

That was why, when Lei Meng saw Chu He engrossed in the family business yesterday, he'd agreed without hesitation to help look after Jiuzhou Group.

They were both Chinese. Even if Chu He was inexperienced, that didn't mean he should let an Indian bully him, did it?

As for what Sago Nehru himself actually thought, hardly anyone cared.

Heavens knew!

Chu He had clearly used the resources he'd distributed to reach the War God level!

If you really wanted to get technical, Chu He was one of his own men!

What kind of boss would suppress his own people?

Besides, the matter of becoming an Inspector wasn't something Sago Nehru could decide!

There were several Planetary Level councilors in the enormous Thunder Dojo. Since when had Sago Nehru been given that much power?

So Sago Nehru had no choice but to explain to everyone he met that it had been Chu He's own decision, that it was a scheme by the Extreme Martial Arts Gym, and so on.

If Zhou Haichao hadn't kept speaking up for him, his standing in the Thunder Dojo would probably have plummeted to nothing.

Even so, Sago Nehru's explanations only worked within the Thunder Dojo, among his trusted followers.

Now, with Lei Meng's news that Chu He was devoted to business, Sago Nehru felt so overwhelmed by the truth finally coming to light that his eyes nearly welled up.

He immediately spread the news.

From now on, stop calling me petty!

Look! This is the truth!

Without even realizing it, Sago Nehru's opinion of Chu He had fallen a little.

He was just a mediocrity with talent but no long-term vision. He was no longer worth the effort of recruiting.

Jiangnan Base City.

Over the past two days, Chu He had made quite a stir in Jiangnan Base City by visiting an Inspector and opening a Toy Factory.

Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan might not have paid attention to any of it, but Luo Hua was different. He was very interested in the news.

An eighteen-year-old Advanced War God might not have started from nothing like his brother, and might have had the support of a family behind him, but he was still undeniably a genius!

If he hadn't been suppressed by Sago Nehru, the Thunder Dojo's own Advanced War God-level Spirit Reader, he should at least have been an Inspector by now.

Now this genius War God was coming to visit his family. Naturally, Luo Hua had begun preparing well in advance.

Luo Hua understood that President Chu had learned that his brother Luo Feng was presumed dead, yet still insisted on visiting his family. He certainly wasn't doing it to curry favor.

With the strongest person in the family, Luo Feng, all but confirmed dead, who would come to bet on a lost cause?

"Could he be planning to switch to the Extreme Martial Arts Gym? But why would he come to my family about that?"

"Whatever. We'll deal with whatever comes. Let's hear what President Chu has to say first!"

That morning, Chu He arrived at Mingyue Residential Quarter as promised. Luo Hua had been waiting at the entrance for quite some time.

"Mr. Chu, welcome!" Luo Hua stepped forward and greeted him with a smile.

"Mr. Luo, I'll skip the formalities. I've come to invite you to join Jiuzhou Group, so you can just call me President Chu."

Huh?

Chu He's words nearly fried Luo Hua's brain.

Wait!

Who opened a conversation that bluntly?

Luo Hua blinked. Under Chu He's rather expectant gaze, he was at a loss for what to do.

What Chu He said wasn't just different from what he'd imagined. It had nothing to do with it at all.

Could this Mr. Chu... no, President Chu, really be devoted to business?

That would be a real shame... no, that would be great!

As long as it had nothing to do with the Two Great Martial Arts Halls.

But Luo Hua had never considered joining Jiuzhou Group. He might as well just turn the offer down.

As he led Chu He toward the villa, Luo Hua thought it over for a moment before saying, "Well, President Chu, you know my brother is presumed dead, right? The Extreme Martial Arts Gym can't offer you any help if you invite me to join Jiuzhou Group."

"No, no. I'm not here for support from the Extreme Martial Arts Gym. I'm here for you, Mr. Luo."

Chu He's words were completely sincere.

Luo Hua stared into Chu He's eyes for a long while. Even after they entered the living room and sat down, he couldn't detect the slightest hint of insincerity.

In an instant, a warm feeling of being recognized rose in Luo Hua's heart.

His legs had healed, so others no longer treated him like a cripple. Yet whenever he saw their envious looks, Luo Hua could always tell what they envied.

They envied him for having a good brother.

So sometimes Luo Hua thought that he had to make something of himself, to show everyone that he was more than just Luo Feng's younger brother.

Then he could help his brother out, too, right?

Now, it seemed that opportunity was right in front of him.

I should make sure first, Luo Hua considered.

After entering the living room, Chu He looked around. The furnishings were much like those in most villas, except that there were fewer people in the household.

"Mr. Luo, may I ask where your uncle and aunt are?"

"Ah." Luo Hua sighed. "They're probably upstairs, in my brother's room."

"Mm... the good are blessed by heaven. I believe Inspector Luo will surely return safe and sound."

On that subject, Chu He offered only a few words of comfort before discussing the details of joining Jiuzhou Group with Luo Hua again.

No amount of reassurance could compare to Luo Feng's return five months later.

Besides, only if Luo Hua joined Jiuzhou Group would Chu He have an excuse to get involved when Li Yao later tried to harm Luo Feng's family.

Chu He's Planetary Level strength hadn't been revealed yet. By taking them by surprise, he could kill the Vulture and Scorpion couple before they had a chance to take hostages.

With Chu He's sincere invitation, Luo Hua soon put all his doubts aside and finally decided to join Jiuzhou Group.

It was a shame Xu Xin hadn't dropped out yet. Otherwise, Chu He could have brought her along on this trip, too.

On July 20, 2058, Jiuzhou Group established a new Financial Investment Department in Jiangnan Base City, with Luo Hua as its general manager.

As for the Toy Factory, Ye Likang would be in charge of everything for the time being.