Consortium B

"Junior Su Mo, why haven't you come to class these past few days... Were you sick?"

Mu Xi took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself. She lifted her head to look at Su Mo, her eyes filled with worry and tension.

"Nothing." Su Mo's tone was indifferent. "I simply didn't feel like going to class."

Mu Xi froze for a moment, then let out a heavy breath. Raising a hand, she gently patted her modestly developed chest. "Whew... That's good. I thought you really hadn't come to class because you were sick. You scared me!"

Su Mo pretended not to notice Mu Xi lowering her eyes and guiltily biting her lower lip.

Mu Xi, it's time to launch your offensive against Junior Su Mo.

Seeing that Su Mo had not noticed anything suspicious, Mu Xi could not help cheering herself on inwardly.

As Eastsea Academy's renowned big sister, how could Mu Xi not know that Su Mo spent most of his time away from the academy? But if she did not say that, how could she find an excuse to get close to him?

"Junior, have you eaten yet?"

The moment he heard that, Su Mo knew what Mu Xi was after without needing to think.

However, Su Mo did not intend to expose her. Instead, he planned to play along. "Not yet. I was just about to order takeout."

"Senior, is there anything you'd like to eat?"

As he spoke, Su Mo took out his Soul Guidance Communicator and opened an app, preparing to place an order. Before he could do so, though, Mu Xi reached out and stopped him.

"Junior, takeout is for ordinary people. It's not nutritious at all. Let your senior show off her skills."

Mu Xi lifted the bag in her hand and spoke with complete confidence.

In the days since Su Mo had saved her, Mu Xi had spent most of her time outside class learning to cook from her mother, Yuan Baoer. She had even been visiting the forging room far less often.

Now that she had finally achieved some results, she could not wait to seek Su Mo out.

Looking at Mu Xi's mysteriously excessive confidence, a trace of foreboding flashed through Su Mo's heart.

But seeing how full of enthusiasm Mu Xi was, Su Mo could not bring himself to discourage her. He could only nod and agree to her suggestion.

"Then I'll borrow your kitchen, Junior!"

Having received Su Mo's permission, Mu Xi was especially delighted. Carrying the large bag of ingredients she had brought, she rushed excitedly toward the kitchen.

Watching Mu Xi tie on an apron in the kitchen, Su Mo could not help asking anxiously, "Senior, are you sure you don't need me to help?"

"No need, Junior. Just wait obediently outside."

Mu Xi shoved Su Mo out of the kitchen.

With a loud bang, Mu Xi slammed the kitchen door shut.

Looking at the tightly closed kitchen door, Su Mo was somewhat speechless, but he gave up on the idea of helping.

As long as she did not blow up his house, he would let her do whatever she wanted.

Su Mo had just sat down on the sofa when the Soul Guidance Communicator on his wrist began beeping nonstop.

When he opened it, he found a message from Leng Yulai.

"Master, someone in the Federation has recently been investigating the source of your funds. Has something happened around you?"

"Ignore it. If he wants to investigate, let him."

Without even thinking, Su Mo knew that Mu Chen must have hired someone to investigate his background.

Having failed to uncover anything useful, Mu Chen had turned to investigating where Su Mo's money came from, hoping to find some clues there.

Unfortunately for him, Mu Chen would never imagine that the banking system of Douluo Continent's largest private bank, Consortium B, was under Su Mo's control.

Ever since he had awakened the memories of his previous two lives five hundred years ago, Su Mo had frequently used Shoten no Jutsu to project himself onto Douluo Continent.

At the time, however, Su Mo had been afraid that others would notice something strange. He had always tried to avoid dealing with soul masters, focusing all his attention on the ordinary people of Douluo Continent.

As a transmigrator, Su Mo understood very well how powerful ordinary people could become when united.

To obtain that power, Su Mo relied on his memories from Blue Star to accurately seize every opportunity, founding Consortium B, a super conglomerate centered on finance, entertainment, and communications.

The apps Su Mo used for online dating and ordering takeout had all been developed by Consortium B. Even cola, the drink that had swept across the entire continent, had been launched by Consortium B.

Other than certain sectors controlled by soul masters, which Consortium B had not entered, Consortium B had its hands in virtually everything else.

Thus, a saying circulated across Douluo Continent: "There are three things ordinary people on Douluo Continent cannot avoid in life: paying taxes, death, and Consortium B."

The saying was somewhat exaggerated, but it was enough to show just how important Consortium B was in the world of ordinary people.

So no matter how Mu Chen investigated, all he would find was what Su Mo wanted him to see.

Boom—!

Just as Su Mo finished editing and sending his message, a dull explosion suddenly rang out from the kitchen.

A cloud of white smoke and a strange burnt smell drifted out through the crack in the door along with the blast.

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Su Mo paused and rubbed his brow. His premonition had indeed come true.

"Ah..."

Su Mo let out a long sigh, rose to his feet, and headed toward the kitchen.

When he pushed open the kitchen door, the sight before him made Su Mo freeze. The once tidy kitchen now looked like a battlefield after an incomparably brutal fight, with wreckage scattered everywhere.

Thick black smoke filled the entire kitchen, making it impossible to keep one's eyes open.

The marble stove had been blackened by smoke, while uncut ingredients and a pot lid blown away by the explosion lay scattered across the floor.

As for Mu Xi, standing in the middle of the kitchen, there was no need to even mention her condition.

Several palm-sized blotchy oil stains marked her white floral dress. Strands of her high golden ponytail had fallen loose, stained gray-black with soot.

Her little face was smudged black, but her eyes were still bright and sparkling, flickering with grievance and guilt.

"Su... Junior Su Mo..."

The instant Mu Xi saw Su Mo enter, she lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong. Her hands nervously twisted the hem of her skirt as she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "I... I just wanted to show you what I could do, but then I accidentally... blew it up."

After speaking, Mu Xi secretly raised her eyes to look at Su Mo. Her gaze held both anticipation and fear of being scolded, and she looked as cautious as a kitten soaked by the rain.

Looking at her like this, Su Mo clearly ought to have said something, but when the words reached his lips, all that remained was a helpless chuckle. "Senior, were you cooking, or researching bombs?"

Mu Xi's face instantly turned crimson. She hurriedly waved her hands in protest. "Of course not! I've practiced so many times already. Today was just... just an accident! An accident!"

"All right, Senior. Go take a shower first. I'll clean this up later."

Su Mo's tone was firm, carrying a resolve that allowed no refusal.

Then, without hesitation, Su Mo reached out and gently pushed Mu Xi out while she was still trying to argue.

Bang—!

The kitchen door shut between them with a crisp sound.

Mu Xi stood blankly outside the door. It took her a long while to realize that she had been "kicked out."

Yet for some reason, a sweet warmth rose within her heart.

"Junior Su Mo... he's so gentle!"

Mu Xi murmured softly.

A blush spread across her fair cheeks as she pressed both hands to her chest, feeling her heart pound violently.

Thump, thump. Every beat seemed ready to burst through her chest.

Recalling Su Mo's decisive actions just now, along with that almost "matter-of-fact" concern, Mu Xi felt an indescribable numbness envelop her entire body.

Her golden ponytail swayed gently, and the corners of her lips rose despite herself.

Mu Xi, keep it up!

Mu Xi quietly encouraged herself in her heart, her eyes brimming with determination. The offensive has only just begun!