Lele hit someone

No matter how furious Will Alex was, he could not change the outcome.

It had never happened in the first place. No amount of investigation could conjure something out of nothing, unless things had reached the point where they had to resort to trumped-up charges.

For now, Will Alex still considered such tactics beneath him.

Or rather, Americans still considered such tactics beneath them, especially in cutting-edge technology, where they still believed they stood head and shoulders above everyone else.

"Mr. President, unfortunately, our Aegis Research Center has lost track of that aircraft."

"Oh, that is truly terrible news."

"Yes, it is indeed terrible news, but it is a fact. The Xia Kingdom's technological capabilities are catching up with ours. If we don't act now, I believe it won't be long before they surpass us across the board."

"Has the situation really become that serious?"

"Yes. Perhaps it is even more serious than either of us imagined."

"All right, I know what to do. However, that old fellow Baldur has been making rather a lot of noise lately. I'm afraid he might hold us back."

"Mr. President, no one in this world can stand in the way of your decisions."

"Hahaha... Will, I like the sound of that."

On the very evening Zhang Hongxing returned home, America unilaterally issued a notice.

It announced investigations into numerous technology companies in the Xia Kingdom. In short, whichever way you put it, they intended to suppress the Xia Kingdom's technology sector as a whole.

As soon as America issued the notice, Malaysia, Kangaroo Country, Cherry Blossom Country, Goddess Country, and Artisan Country all followed its lead.

At that moment, America's status as the supreme global power was plain to see.

The Xia Kingdom responded directly, expressing strong opposition while also launching investigations into several American companies.

One good turn deserved another. The Xia Kingdom was no pushover these days, either.

As international tensions continued to intensify, the site for the maglev base in Shimen County was finally selected, and construction officially began.

At the pace workers in the Xia Kingdom built things, the Research Base would be ready for use in less than six months.

When news broke that Shimen County would be building a maglev research base, objections sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

"Another maglev research base? Does the Xinzhou government have so much money it doesn't know what to do with it?"

"Exactly. Instead of wasting all that money, they should hand it out to ordinary people. I really don't know what they're thinking."

"I reckon it's just a scheme some officials cooked up to line their own pockets."

"That's right. Xinzhou already has a maglev Research Center, and now they're building another one in Shimen County. Isn't it obvious?"

"Anyone in Xinzhou, hurry up and report them."

"I'm here. I'll be the first to file a report under my real name."

The uproar spread across the internet, and reports filed under real names poured in from Shimen County and Xinzhou City, one after another. Huang Sheng received no fewer than ten calls from Capital City that day alone.

Seeing the situation threatening to spiral further out of control, Huang Sheng immediately hurried to the Maglev Research Center.

With the mayor visiting, Pan Qiwu, who was temporarily managing the Research Center, naturally dared not neglect him.

"Pan, have you been following the news online lately?"

"Mayor, do you mean America joining forces with its lackeys to suppress us, or the maglev research base in Shimen County?"

Pan Qiwu looked at Huang Sheng in confusion. At his age and with his limited experience, he had not guessed why Huang Sheng had come.

"Good, so you have been following it. I'm here today about the maglev base in Shimen County. You've seen what people are saying online. The current situation is extremely unfavorable for both me and the government as a whole, so I want to close the research base here and relocate the entire operation to Shimen County. At present, this is also..."

"I disagree. This Maglev Research Center is the fruit of Professor Yang's life's work. I will never agree to this decision."

Before Huang Sheng could finish, Pan Qiwu firmly stated his position.

"Pan, I didn't come here to discuss this with you. I came to inform you. This is an order from the administration. Besides, it's merely a routine relocation. Once the Research Base moves to Shimen County, you can continue your research just as before."

"Mayor Huang, don't think I don't know. The place in Shimen County is headed by an ordinary man without the slightest experience in scientific research. If we really go there, our Maglev Train research will probably be ruined for good."

"Pan Xiaowu, are you questioning me?"

"Yes, I am."

"Fine. Very good. The relocation notice will reach you soon. Anyone who refuses to go will never receive another penny of research funding."

Huang Sheng stormed off. As mayor, he actually had no authority over an institution like the Research Center. Aside from his impatience, he had come ahead of time to give them advance notice, hoping to retain more talent for Zhang Hongxing.

As for the relocation notice, he had certainly not made that up.

Zhang Hongxing's Research Base had received formal approval from the National Academy of Sciences and attracted special attention from the heads of numerous departments.

Never mind a mere acting director like Pan Qiwu—even if Professor Yang had been there instead.

The outcome would have been no different.

Just as Huang Sheng hurried away from the Maglev Research Center.

Lele and Wenwen, who were at school, became involved in their first violent incident since starting their education.

The incident began with those two paintings of the moon.

Especially Lele's.

Wenwen's painting was clearly academic in style. Everything was neat and orderly. Apart from the astonishing fact that someone her age had painted it, there was little else that stood out.

Lele's painting was the exact opposite. Every stroke was unmistakably a child's work, and he had made the craters on the moon look delightfully interesting. The three little figures he had added afterward, each beneath a transparent protective dome, were particularly eye-catching.

The teacher immediately asked what had inspired his painting and who the three little figures represented.

Without the slightest suspicion, Lele opened his mouth and told her everything.

"This is my grandpa, this is me, and this is Wenwen. The three of us went to the moon, and we brought back a big bag of moon sand."

"Hahaha..."

A burst of mocking laughter filled the classroom.

"Zhang Le, you're lying!"

"Yeah, you're a shameless liar."

"I'm not lying. Everything I said is true."

"That's right. My little brother isn't lying."

"You are lying! Your grandpa isn't an immortal. How could he possibly take you to the moon?"

"My grandpa is an immortal!"

"Hahaha..."

"Stop laughing! What's so funny?"

"Don't laugh! If you keep laughing, I... I'll hit you!"

The more Lele shouted, the louder the laughter in the classroom grew. Even though they were only first graders, none of them believed that the siblings' grandfather was an immortal who could take them to the moon.

Realizing he could not win the argument, Lele finally charged forward and swung at one of the children laughing the hardest.

His punch was far from gentle, and it struck the child right in the nose.

Blood spilled immediately.

The teacher who had asked the question had never imagined things would turn out this way.

The expressions on Lele's and Wenwen's faces, along with Zhang Hongxing's earlier display at Big Kid Amusement Park, had all indirectly suggested that this might actually be true.

The thought that it might be true had left her momentarily stunned.

In that moment of distraction, she had failed to stop the fight in time.

Now, all she could do was call Zhang Hongxing.

"What? Lele hit someone!"