Behind the Scenes

The other end of the line was silent for a long time. Just as Nie Yun thought Chu Xiaoxiao was about to blow up, she finally spoke.

"Is this another one of your friends who builds aircraft carriers and can call in warships?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked tentatively.

"Uh, ahem! Well, he originally told me not to tell anyone, but since you've already guessed, I won't hide it from you. Yeah! It's that bastard! He just had to go and make something so dangerous. Look at the mess he's caused!" Nie Yun seized the opportunity to shift the blame and clear himself completely.

Chu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. He could build aircraft carriers, call in warships, and now even get his hands on nuclear fuel. What, was his friend planning to fly to the moon next?

"Ahem! If it won't work, forget it. I was just asking offhand," Nie Yun said cautiously.

"It's not that it definitely won't work. It's just that this is so bizarre that I need some time to digest all the information..."

Chu Xiaoxiao's head was starting to ache. This was practically pushing the limits of what she could believe.

"All right! Take your time. But my friend said he doesn't want money for his goods. He wants to trade for them!"

"Oh? What does he want in exchange?"

"High-tech products, especially military goods and weapons. Even secondhand stuff is fine, as long as it's cutting-edge technology. He wants it all!"

Nie Yun was shrewd. The internet had opened his eyes, and he immediately decided to collect the world's top technology. Maybe he could figure out how to build a nuclear-powered generator by applying what he learned in one field to another.

Even if he couldn't, upgrading the Sea Wolf would still be a great idea!

As the greatest fisherman, he needed the greatest ride!

He'd just learned that over 90 percent of the world's most advanced technology was used in the military industry. Civilian technology, by comparison, lagged five to ten years behind, or even more.

The Sea Wolf deserved the best, so military products were Nie Yun's first choice!

As for money? Nie Yun could now say with complete confidence, "It's just a number to me!"

"What? Military goods? Weapons? Is your friend in the arms trade?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked suspiciously.

It was true that aircraft carriers, warships, and nuclear fuel were all closely connected to the military industry. No wonder Chu Xiaoxiao had made that connection.

"Uh, ahem! More or less," Nie Yun said vaguely.

"About how much can he supply?"

"As much as you need! Uh, no, I mean, as much as you want!"

"Wow..." Chu Xiaoxiao drew in a sharp breath. He must have an incredible amount of confidence to say something like that.

If he'd known what she was thinking, Nie Yun probably would've chuckled and replied, "I'm a man who commands the four seas!"

The uranium humanity needed was a drop in the ocean compared to the entire sea, let alone the needs of a single country like Rabbit Country. How much could it possibly need, at most? Nie Yun had every reason to be confident.

"Hmm... This is a huge matter. I'll need to assign people to investigate before I can give you an answer. After all, our group has never handled such... such an unusual line of business before." Even Chu Xiaoxiao sounded unsure.

Of course it was unusual to get into the nuclear fuel business. What normal company would dare touch that stuff?

Actually, that wasn't quite right. The question was, what normal company could even get its hands on it? Trading in nuclear fuel was a matter for negotiations between nations. What company would be qualified to get involved?

"Okay, I'll wait to hear from you. Oh, right. There's one more small favor I need to ask."

"Hmm? Go ahead."

"Do you remember the three people who kidnapped you the first time?"

"Of course I do." A distant look appeared in Chu Xiaoxiao's eyes. How could she ever forget that experience?

"Ahem! Well, the two who were left behind..."

Chu Xiaoxiao put down the phone, still feeling a little dazed.

I only wanted to call and thank him, then give Nie Yun a little pep talk to encourage him to get somewhere in life instead of thinking about being a fisherman all day. How did things suddenly turn out like this?

A nuclear fuel deal? Chu Xiaoxiao's heart began pounding.

Her keen business instincts let her spot the enormous opportunity at once. By comparison, the matter of Desperate Erlang was completely insignificant.

Chu Xiaoxiao immediately told the group's head of intelligence to come see her, then gave the secretary outside several orders on the spot.

Once she'd more or less arranged everything, Chu Xiaoxiao remembered that she'd just tried to use the prospect of a partnership as an excuse to help Nie Yun in a roundabout way. She couldn't help feeling a little dejected.

That young man seemed not to need her help at all. Every time, she was the one being helped instead.

While Chu Xiaoxiao was thinking about Nie Yun and heading to discuss the major deal with Chu Feng, she hadn't even reached Chu Feng's office when she heard her mother's angry interrogation from inside.

"What is going on with you? We're about to sign a long-term supply agreement, and you're only telling us now that you're canceling the partnership. How am I supposed to explain this to our customers?"

"Chairwoman Chu, there's nothing we can do. Our company has had a few accidents, and that's why..."

"I don't care what the reason is! If your company insists on going through with this, we'll put you on the Chu Group's blacklist, and there will never be another chance to work with us!"

"Ah, since you've put it that way, Chairwoman Chu, I can only say I'm sorry. Goodbye!"

The office door opened, and a portly, middle-aged man in a suit walked out, a smug smile on his face.

After the man had gone, Chu Xiaoxiao entered the office and saw Chu Feng breathing angrily.

"Mom, what happened?"

"Xiaoxiao, you're here!" When Chu Feng saw her beloved daughter, she calmed herself and forced a smile.

"Mm, I heard everything. What happened?"

"Several domestic suppliers we work with have suddenly terminated their contracts for some reason. We'd already negotiated sales agreements for several orders, but now we're stuck on the supply side! If we can't resolve this quickly, our reputation will suffer, and it'll make expanding into overseas markets much harder."

Chu Xiaoxiao furrowed her brows and was about to speak when a secretary rushed in. Looking flustered, she said, "Chairwoman Chu, several import-export companies we acquired have received customs investigation notices at almost the same time. They say the companies' import-export qualifications need to be reexamined because their legal representatives have changed. Until the investigation is over, these companies won't be able to conduct import-export trade!"

"What?!" Chu Xiaoxiao and Chu Feng exclaimed.

All the paperwork had been in order when the legal representatives were changed. How could a problem have appeared only now? And with such crucial import-export qualifications, no less?!

"Mom, someone's sabotaging us behind the scenes!" Chu Xiaoxiao quickly realized.

"The Riyao Group!" Chu Feng said, her eyes cold with anger. She enunciated each word.