The Mysterious Father and Son of the Lu Family

Qin Ping is a top student majoring in mechanical and electronic engineering. She studied at a prestigious university abroad and also worked for one of the top companies in the industry.

I don't plan to go abroad again after this trip back; I intend to stay in China and look for related work.

Given her alma mater, her major, and her previous work experience at that company, she is quite sought after in the industry.

Ultimately, she wavered between Shenxing Technology and another company that makes rehabilitation exoskeletons. The former offered better compensation, but the latter did work that was more consistent with what she had done abroad, making it easier for her to adapt.

"Shenxing Technology said they also want to make powered exoskeletons, but not in the direction of rehabilitation exoskeletons. They didn't reveal any specific details, but from what they told me, it's probably for industrial applications. In this regard, before some technological breakthroughs, I feel the prospects are not very promising..." Qin Ping said.

"Powered exoskeletons, are they the kind you often see in science fiction movies? Is Shenxing Technology going to develop this kind of cutting-edge technology again?" Tang Baoting asked with some curiosity.

"It's not exactly cutting-edge technology. Powered exoskeletons were quite popular a few years ago, with domestic and foreign capital pouring in. But later, it was discovered that without solving several technical difficulties and reducing costs, large-scale application was difficult, so it cooled down. Now, those remaining are mainly in the field of rehabilitation exoskeletons. However, it's not surprising that Shenxing Technology has entered this field. They always like to work quietly in these areas. If they don't make some technological breakthrough and hold a press conference, the public probably wouldn't even know they're doing research in this area." Although Xie Peng is the art director of a game company, he has many friends in the venture capital field, so his sources of information are quite extensive.

"Shenxing Technology is good; they're a company that takes research and development seriously," even Gao Yao, who wasn't usually talkative, said at this moment.

"I guess you also want to take on a challenge and try to break through, right? Then choosing Shenxing Technology should be a good choice. This company is quite strong, and didn't you say that the compensation they offer is also higher?" Wang Han said.

Xiang Kun listened silently from the side without interrupting.

From their conversation, Xiang Kun easily drew a conclusion:

First, there's Qin Ping herself. She actually leans more towards Shenxing Technology, and clearly, not because of the salary, but because of the name "Shenxing Technology." However, rationally speaking, she knows her abilities and experience are better suited to a company focused on rehabilitation exoskeletons with mature products.

Then there were the others, and without exception, they all had a rather favorable impression of "Shenxing Technology". Moreover, although "Shenxing Technology" has always been low-key and doesn't have any blockbuster products, its actual brand awareness is actually quite high. At least, none of the ten people who came to Tang Baona's gathering today didn't know about it.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. If Xiang Kun hadn't speculated that the two people who got into the Prado outside the hotel in the small town were likely related to Shenxing Technology, and hadn't guessed based on other details that he had some doubts about the background and boss of Shenxing Technology, he would also have had a very good impression of Shenxing Technology —he thought it was a down-to-earth technology company that quietly did research and development and didn't hype itself up.

Of course, even now, we can't say that Shenxing Technology is a "bad" company. Maybe the boss behind them isn't some kind of vampire. He might have simply discovered some Mutated Creature and found that such creatures exist in the world that can continuously mutate and evolve by relying on the blood of other creatures. It's perfectly normal for him to want to study them.

However, Xiang Kun is now suffering from a bit of paranoia. On the one hand, he knows that once Mutated Creature reach a certain stage, they may have a strong need for the blood of other Mutated Creature, making peaceful coexistence difficult. On the other hand, he has not been able to find any news about real Mutated Creature or vampires online or in other media, which makes him very wary.

In this situation, he naturally paid close attention to "Shenxing Technology," which might be investigating vampires and Mutated Creature, while also remaining highly vigilant.

"Who is the boss of 'Shenxing Technology'? He seems very mysterious." After a break in the discussion about Qin Ping's job choice, Xiang Kun asked curiously.

Although Xiang Kun had already asked "Alice" to gather various information about "Shenxing Technology" online, he knew that the boss of Shenxing Technology was actually a local, and Wang Han, Tang Baona, Yang Zhen'er, Xie Peng, and Linlin were also locals, and their families had considerable connections and capital, so they were likely to know a lot of "insider information" that was not available online.

As expected, Yang Zhen'er immediately said, "Although the boss of 'Shenxing Technology' has a very successful career, his family life seems to be quite tragic. It is said that his wife died of illness a long time ago, and then his only son became paralyzed."

Linlin added, "Yes, I've also heard that Chairman Lu is very devoted to his wife, always missing her dearly. He hasn't remarried or found another girlfriend. And I've also heard that some of the high-tech fields 'Shenxing Technology' is involved in were personally instructed by Chairman Lu. Even though there's no hope of profitability in the short term, they continue to invest, seemingly because Chairman Lu wants to use certain technologies to revive his wife..."

Gao Yao asked curiously, "Resurrecting the dead? Is it cloning technology? But I don't recall 'Shenxing Technology' investing much in biotechnology?"

Tang Baona said, "When you mention this, it reminds me of the movie 'The Clones' starring Keanu Reeves, where the protagonist also wanted to use technology to revive his wife and children."

Gao Yao said earnestly, "I've seen that movie too. The technology mentioned in it is unreasonable and impossible to achieve now."

Xie Peng laughed at Gao Yao, "Don't listen to their nonsense. Women's ideas are always so romantic and naive. Reviving his wife? That's ridiculous. It's possible they could help his paralyzed son regain his mobility, like the powered exoskeleton technology Xiaoping mentioned. Combined with other technologies, it might indeed be possible to help his paralyzed son stand up again. But overall, 'Shenxing Technology's' layout in various fields definitely has its strategic intentions; it's just that outsiders aren't aware of them."

Wang Han said, "However, I heard that Lu Cheng'an's son was actually cured several years ago and can already walk on his own."

"You've already been cured? Did they use some kind of advanced technology?" Yang Zhen'er asked curiously.

"I don't know. Actually, it's all just rumors. Their family is very low-key. You can't even usually see their relatives. If there are any events, they just send a representative to attend. Neither Lu Cheng'an nor his son have ever shown up." Wang Han obviously had a lot of information channels.

"How did his son become paralyzed?" Xiang Kun asked, his expression once again filled with curiosity about the stories of the wealthy.

"It seems to be some kind of hereditary disease, and it gradually leads to paralysis," Yang Zhen'er said.

"It must have been a car accident," Wang Han said.

"I heard he fell down the stairs when he was a child?" Linlin heard a different story.

Xie Peng frowned and said, "The father and son of the Lu Family are indeed quite strange. They're too low-key and secretive."

"Could it be that Lu Cheng'an's wife died and his son became paralyzed because he was framed?" Tang Baoting couldn't help but speculate again.

Qin Ping laughed, "This sounds a bit like a CEO romance novel setting, doesn't it?"

"Hey? Xiaoping, you read online novels? Come on, come on, do you have any good recommendations?" Linlin said with a smile, leaning closer.

The topic began to shift, and Xiang Kun didn't deliberately steer it any further, because it was clear that everyone didn't actually know much about Lu Cheng'an, the big boss behind "Shenxing Technology," and his family. However, relatively speaking, it already exceeded what Xiang Kun had found through his simple online search—he hadn't even found information that Lu Cheng'an's wife was deceased and his son was paralyzed.

This is clearly not something that Lu Cheng'an could achieve simply by keeping a low profile; it must be the result of someone deliberately controlling and blocking this information online.

Based on all the previous speculations, Xiang Kun felt that the Lu Family father and son were even more suspicious. There was a good chance that one of them was a vampire, and it was even possible that both of them were.

After finishing our late-night snack, we sat and chatted for a while. When we saw that it was almost one o'clock and several people started to yawn, we said goodbye and left.

Based on their previous chat history and Qin Ping's cognitive model, Xiang Kun believes that she is still inclined to accept the offer from Shenxing Technology. However, Xiang Kun does not intend to influence this in any way. Even if Qin Ping joins Shenxing Technology, he will not try to obtain any information about the Shenxing Technology through her. Firstly, she certainly won't have access to any core secrets and won't be able to find the information he wants. Secondly, he won't do anything to put someone he knows in a dangerous situation.

On the way back, Xiang Kun followed Chang Bin's car.

After dropping Xiang Kun off at the entrance of his residential compound and watching him walk through the gate, Wang Han, sitting in the passenger seat, said with some surprise, "Your old classmate seems different today than when we first met."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Chang Bin replied casually as he turned the steering wheel to make a U-turn.

"Well, when I saw him at that restaurant last time, although he seemed quite talkative and humorous, it was still obvious, like you said, that he probably doesn't like participating in social activities much, so he's not good at finding topics to talk about. Tonight, he didn't say much, but he always managed to attract everyone's attention and naturally lead everyone to follow his topic. This feeling is a bit like my boss and my third uncle, but they are successful entrepreneurs in their fifties and sixties. In social activities, they mainly have the added advantage of their status, so people naturally pay more attention to what they say. But Xiang Kun is different. His posture is still relatively humble, but the effect is almost the same. What's that word again? Understanding?..." Wang Han tilted his head, rested his elbow on the car window, and propped his cheek up as he said thoughtfully.

Chang Bin laughed and said, "It's not as complicated as you're making it out to be. It's just that there were a lot of acquaintances around today, so he was more relaxed."

"No, not really. Apart from you, Nana, Zhen'er, and oh, Bao Ting and her husband have also eaten at Xiang Kun's house a few times before, so we're a little more familiar. As for the others, including me, it's either the second time we've met them or the first time. How can we all be acquaintances? Didn't you say before that when you and your classmates are together, he's just as reserved?" Wang Han continued.

"Yes, there has definitely been a change. He's changed a lot since he lost his job. He would never have volunteered to sing on stage in a bar before, but he also didn't have this kind of singing ability back then," Chang Bin nodded. "It might also be related to the fact that he's been spending a lot of time with Nana and the others these past few months."

Wang Han recalled, "I observed him carefully tonight. He and Nana do have a good relationship, but it's strange. They don't seem like a couple who are already in love. There's no 'spark' between them. It's more like the relationship between Zhen'er and her."

Chang Bin laughed and said, "More than friends but not quite lovers, this is a good sign. I'm thinking that if he comes to our wedding this year, we can have him come back next year."

"Don't be so optimistic. Friendships deepen over time, but love isn't always like that. Sometimes, it's just a matter of a moment. If you have feelings for someone at the beginning, you have feelings; if not, you won't have feelings even after a few years," Wang Han shook his head. "But that's not something we can worry about; it depends on them. As for your old friend, he hasn't found a job yet, has he? If he doesn't want to do his old job anymore, if he doesn't want to work in technology anymore, you could ask him if he's interested in doing other kinds of work?"

"Ha, he did tell me he was going back to his hometown to open a farm. But if he and Nana really get together, he probably won't leave. What, are you going to ask him to work in sales at your company?"

After entering the residential area, Xiang Kun slowed down. He had already heard the first part of the conversation between Chang Bin and Wang Han in the car not far away.

Xiang Kun wasn't surprised that Wang Han could sense the difference between him and when they first met. In his perception of Wang Han, she was also someone who was thoughtful and had strong observation and insight. However, Xiang Kun wasn't too concerned about this and could simply dismiss it with a "you've become more cheerful." Besides, neither Chang Bin nor Wang Han harbored any ill will towards him.

Xiang Kun could roughly guess that the other aspects of work Wang Han mentioned were related to sales and other work that directly involved dealing with customers. To be honest, with Xiang Kun's current abilities, he should be able to perform very well in this type of work even without "Emotional Assimilation."

Of course, this is just wishful thinking; he definitely can't go to work at the company right now.

As the car drove away, Chang Bin and Wang Han's conversation gradually faded and eventually disappeared, and Xiang Kun quickened his pace. But after returning to his floor, he did not go home; instead, he went up the stairs to the rooftop.

In the days since returning from the Qinling Uninhabited Zone, he has often gone up to the rooftop to spend some time, especially at night. Sometimes he only stays for ten or twenty minutes before going back, and sometimes he stays for several hours.

Xiang Kun stood on the railing again, gazing at the distant night sky, and then sensing his own body.

Yes, he's thinking about flying again.

But before, it was just wishful thinking, daydreaming, and all sorts of wild ideas.

Now things are different. He drank the blood of that mutated spider, which was clearly capable of flying—or at least had the ability to glide and control its flight.

Furthermore, from a physical structure perspective, it does not have wings or other limbs or organs that would help it utilize aerodynamics.

Xiang Kun initially thought that the mutated spider might have gained the ability to fly by devouring the blood of other Mutated Creature. However, after obtaining fragments of the mutated spider's memories and researching spider habits and characteristics online, he discovered that the ability to fly was likely an enhanced evolution of the spider itself, utilizing principles related to magnetic fields—a fact evident from the glowing body of the mutated spider when it flew into the air that night.

Since returning, Xiang Kun has been thinking about how to make that ability to fly his own.

Xiang Kun didn't care whether he could acquire the other abilities of the mutated spider, but he truly coveted the ability to fly.

The ability to fly freely without relying on external objects is a fantasy for many. Once one can fly, in a sense, it means that the scope of one's activities increases exponentially.

Furthermore, when encountering other Mutated Creature that can also fly, he will have stronger means of escape and attack, and will be able to handle more terrains.

Xiang Kun previously thought that after the mutated spider "devoured" two mutated plants, it gained some of the plant's abilities, such as "Conversion Branch" and "Reconstruction Branch." This mechanism of acquiring abilities through the blood of other Mutated Creature should be the same as his.

However, through further analysis of the mutated spider's memory fragments and his previous experiences of acquiring the Giant Owl and Guo Tianxiang's abilities, he discovered that the two were actually not quite the same.

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In "I Add Points to Everything," the protagonist acquires a point-adding system, and the points he adds are all quite strange and interesting. Adding points to a phone results in a little girl; adding points to a swimming pool results in a pool god who can randomly exchange items; adding points to a squid results in a squid that can't dive. The story is very interesting; those who are interested can check it out.