Storms Over Xia City

"Boss, it seems this new boss isn't bad to us at all. Not only are we fed well, but there are even employee benefits. Look at this silver necklace, how exquisite!" The third one touched the necklace around his neck with a look of satisfaction.

Beside him lay a pile of fish bones, clearly indicating he had just finished a hearty meal.

The silver necklace hung with a small Xiaolang Robot pendant, crafted with great detail. Nie Yun had generously given one to each of them, calling it: employee benefits.

The boss looked around cautiously, and only after confirming no one was nearby did he whisper, "Are you stupid? This new boss is an alien. The better he treats us, the more it means he has ulterior motives. We need to keep our guard up; don't be so foolish as to help someone count the money after they've sold you out!"

"Oh, I see, Boss. Then what kind of motives do you think he has for us?"

"If I knew what an alien was thinking, would I still be human?" The boss rolled his eyes.

"Oh, that's true!" The third one gave a silly laugh.

"Ahem!" A cough from behind them made them jump.

The two turned around in a panic to see their new boss watching them with a smile.

"Boss!" "Boss!" The two quickly stood up and said respectfully.

"Hmm, are you both full?" Nie Yun asked with a smile.

"Full... we're full!" The boss always felt that Nie Yun's smile was somewhat ill-intentioned.

"Good, then. Since you're full, I have a job that needs to be completed. Do you have the confidence to do it?"

You haven't even said what the job is, what kind of confidence could we have!

"Yes!" The two stood straight and spoke in unison, their tone incredibly firm!

"Excellent. I've prepared the communication tools and the boat for you. You can set off once you've picked up the gear! As for the job details, I will tell you step by step."

"Yes! Boss!"

Nie Yun nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.

"Uh, Boss?" The boss asked hesitantly.

"Hmm? What is it?" Nie Yun turned back to look at the boss.

"Well... are you really that confident in us? Aren't you afraid we'll run away?" The boss gathered his courage to ask.

"Of course I'm confident. If you use a person, don't doubt them; if you doubt them, don't use them. I have absolute trust in you!" Nie Yun waved his hand, acting very magnanimous.

Hearing this, the boss was truly moved, and for a moment, he felt a sense of loyalty, willing to die for someone who truly understood him.

"Oh, right, there's one thing I forgot to tell you." Nie Yun's mouth curled into an arc, and then he snapped his fingers with a "click."

In the distance, four Xiaolang Robots carried a bust sculpture over and placed it in front of them.

This type of sculpture is usually used as a model for drawing practice and is very common in the outside world. Then, a necklace identical to the ones around their necks appeared in Nie Yun's hand, and he placed it on the sculpture's neck.

The two looked at Nie Yun, confused.

"As you can see, this is the necklace, and this is a model!" Nie Yun pulled out a silver pointer and pointed at the sculpture to explain to them.

"Mm-hmm!" The two nodded like chicks pecking at rice.

"There are the following conditions:

Condition 1: Removing the necklace without permission!

Condition 2: Revealing any information regarding this place!

Condition 3: Doing anything that makes me unhappy!

If any of these three conditions are triggered..."

As soon as Nie Yun finished speaking, the eyes of the Xiaolang on the necklace suddenly flashed red. Then, with a series of mechanical clicks, it tightened rapidly, and with a "snap," the sculpture's neck was crushed to pieces.

The two stared with wide eyes at the sculpture's head rolling on the ground.

"Gulp!" Two distinct swallowing sounds.

This damn thing is actually a high-tech blood-dripping blade!

Have you ever experienced the feeling of a blade held against your throat? Well, perhaps you have.

But have you ever experienced the feeling of a blade being held against your throat every single second? These two unfortunate brothers were experiencing it right now!

Is this how you trust us?!

Give me back the emotion I just felt, you jerk!

While Nie Yun was training his newly recruited underlings, the yacht kidnapping case continued to ferment, and Chengxia City had been in turmoil over the past two days, with several major events occurring.

The first was that the news of Chu Xiaoxiao being kidnapped again was exposed, and the kidnappers were revealed to be foreign mercenary forces.

Even more shocking was that among the deceased, they found Feng Ge, who had intricate ties to the young master of the Riyao Group, Han Yi.

This immediately put the Riyao Group in the spotlight, and even the police visited multiple times to collect evidence and investigate.

With the two heavyweight groups of Chengxia City tearing each other apart and a major case involving dozens of casualties, news media outlets were like sharks smelling blood, competing to conduct in-depth investigations and reports.

However, all the waves gradually subsided as the Riyao Group frequently engaged in political and business activities. Even the media began to keep their mouths shut about it, and the police announced that they were stopping the investigation into the Riyao Group due to insufficient evidence, leaving the matter to fizzle out.

Clearly, the Riyao Group had utilized public relations measures, revealing the depth of their long-standing influence. Although it is unknown what price the Riyao Group paid, it is certain that the young Chu Group is still far from being able to compete with the Riyao Group in this regard.

The second matter was the Chu Group's high-profile announcement of its entry into the ocean trade industry, creating competition with the core business of the Riyao Group and causing the tension between the two conglomerates to grow increasingly volatile.

The third matter was the appearance of several 17th-century gold coins on the market, which sent many collectors into a frenzy. Even enthusiasts from Europe and America were stirred into action, with the average auction price reaching three million RMB, causing the antique trading market in Xia City to bustle for a time.

Although the buzz didn't quite match the first two matters, it still received a fair amount of niche attention.

There were also rumors suggesting that the Chu Group had discovered a massive treasure at sea, and that these gold coins were merely a portion of the findings, which was why the eldest daughter of the Chu Family had been repeatedly kidnapped for harboring such a prize.

Of course, there were many such gossips, and no one took them seriously.

Dihao Building, headquarters of the Riyao Group.

"Yi, you were far too careless with this matter!" A middle-aged man with slightly graying hair but sharp eyes looked at Han Yi, who was standing respectfully opposite him, and spoke in a stern tone.

This man was none other than the chairman of the Riyao Group, Han Xiangshang!

"Dad! This was my oversight. I didn't expect that idiot Afeng to be so useless. Not only did he fail to capture the target, but he also got himself caught and implicated our Riyao Group! I really want to kill him all over again!" Han Yi gritted his teeth.

"Forget it. This matter is suspicious, so I can't blame you entirely. The information I gathered from the police... is quite strange. We shouldn't make any major moves for now; let's wait and see!" Han Xiangshang rubbed his temples, looking somewhat exhausted.

To suppress the fallout from this incident, their Han Family had not only utilized extensive connections but also paid a significant price.

"Dad! What exactly is going on? That guy Afeng isn't someone who doesn't know the gravity of a situation. He would never have surfaced without ensuring success. Besides, even those mercenaries were wiped out in one fell swoop. Why did the plan fail?" Han Yi asked, feeling somewhat unwilling to let it go.

"The police don't have a clue either. Although Chu Xiaoxia and that surviving bodyguard claimed that pirates intervened in a firefight, which allowed them to survive, there are too many suspicious points.

Pirates? Hmph! Where are there any major pirate forces left in the vicinity of the Rabbit Country?

What's even stranger is that, judging by the combat traces on that yacht, it seems a powerful unit utilized a significant amount of artillery, wiping out those mercenaries with overwhelming superiority. The only ones in this area capable of such firepower are, I fear... the military."

"What!?" Han Yi gasped.

"Dad, are you saying the military is involved in this? That's impossible. I've never heard of the Chu Group having any connections to the military."

"That is why I said this matter is strange. Until we figure out whether the Chu Group has a backer, the Riyao Group should not make another move!"

"But the Chu Group is now openly competing with us for the ocean trade market. We've seen the methods those two women use. In terms of competitiveness, we are going to lose a significant portion of our market share!" Han Yi urged anxiously.

"Hmph! Rest assured, I have already been thinking of ways to deal with this. Their Chu Group is merely an emerging company; how could they possibly understand the foundation of our Riyao Group?

I have already contacted several major suppliers to choke their supply channels. Additionally, I have asked customs to tamper with their import and export qualifications, which should be enough to delay their growth!"

"I see. As expected of you, Dad, truly brilliant!"

"Mm. The situation is tense right now, so you should keep a low profile! There are already voices within the family expressing dissatisfaction with you!"

"Yes, I understand!" Han Yi lowered his head submissively, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Chu Group! This isn't over!