Chapter 191
Chapter 191
The car had barely started moving when the driver slammed on the brakes.
Professor Li climbed into the front passenger seat, panting heavily, and plucked a tea leaf off his forehead.
He stared at the driver in utter disbelief.
Can you not see a whole living person standing here?
What, were you planning to make an old man with a full head of white hair chase after the car?
There was no time for Professor Li to argue about it now, so he silently filed the incident away for later. “Hurry! The helicopter is almost here!”
The driver nodded and floored the accelerator.
Professor Li, who was still wiping his face, was promptly thrown against the windshield.
Through the rearview mirror, Professor Li glanced at Zhang Bei, who was deep in thought, and felt his temper flare.
I knew this brat was bad luck for me. He is!
Nothing good ever happens whenever I see him!
The jeep never slowed down along the way. At last, they reached an open field in the suburbs within ten minutes.
Their timing was perfect. A helicopter touched down, and two people in white coats helped a white-haired old man out of the cabin.
Professor Li straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
“Don’t just stand there. Hurry up and come welcome him.”
Zhang Bei nodded. The man had come to see him, after all.
It was only proper for him to be part of the welcoming party.
“It’s windy. Find us somewhere I can sit down and chat with my young friend.”
The old man’s tone was mild, but it brooked no argument.
Professor Li hurried forward. “We’ve already prepared a place for you to rest!”
The old man merely nodded. “I’ll ride in the same car as my young friend.”
Zhang Bei stood to one side, gazing at this legendary figure straight out of the history books, before he was pulled into the back seat with him.
Even after thinking it over for a long while, Zhang Bei couldn’t figure out what possible connection he might have with the old man.
The ride was much smoother this time. After a long silence inside the car, the old man leaned back in his seat and turned his head.
“From the look on your face, young friend, I take it you recognize me.”
“Anyone who’s been to middle school would recognize you.”
The old man paused. How was he supposed to respond to that?
Silence descended over the car once more. In the front passenger seat, cold sweat kept beading on Professor Li’s forehead.
Good God, I’m begging you, man. Think before you speak!
You might have nothing to lose, but I have an entire family depending on me!
The old man’s voice finally broke the silence.
“Young friend, have you been working on any new research lately?”
Zhang Bei froze for a moment, then immediately understood why the old man had come to see him.
Partly, it was a gesture of goodwill. The other purpose was to discuss a potential collaboration.
Realizing this, Zhang Bei relaxed considerably. “I don’t have any ideas for the time being.”
“Scientific research can’t be rushed. There’s no hurry, no hurry at all!”
Professor Li swallowed hard, unable to hide the shock in his eyes.
Since when had this man become so easygoing?
He certainly hadn’t had this attitude when he’d pressed a gun to those researchers’ heads!
It hadn’t happened all that long ago-just last year.
Back then, the old gentleman had still been in fairly robust health. Among some “scrap metal” salvaged by fishermen, he had discovered an incredible treasure.
The old gentleman had dragged the “scrap metal” straight into the Laboratory.
He had made only one demand: no matter what it took, he wanted to see the thing at the military parade within one month!
That device incorporated some of the most advanced technology in the world. Forget one month-even a year might not have been enough to reverse-engineer it.
And yet, out of the more than one hundred people in that top-level Laboratory, not a single person had voiced an objection.
The reason was simple. The safety on the old man’s gun had already been switched off.
Touching, wasn’t it?
As if anyone would dare say no.
And Professor Li had been one of the people in that Laboratory.
It was also during that incident that he had learned the hard way that there was no reasoning with brute force.
Given this man’s temper, it was already a miracle that he hadn’t tied the kid up and dragged him away. Since when had he spoken so gently?
The car continued on and soon arrived at a secluded compound.
The old man was helped out of the car. He took a deep breath and sighed. “The air really is better here!”
“Even so, you still have to return to the Capital with me.”
The man in the white coat remained expressionless, his attention fixed on the old man’s condition at all times.
“All right. Let me have a chat with my young friend. We’ll head back tonight.”
The old man took Zhang Bei by the arm and pushed open the gate.
Two chairs had already been set out in the courtyard, and a pot of hot tea was waiting on the table.
“I’m sure you know why I came this time.”
The old man took a sip of tea, his expression turning solemn.
Some things could only be discussed in certain places.
This courtyard was clearly one of them.
Zhang Bei narrowed his eyes. “The Laboratory is almost finished. It’s not realistic to ask me to come back.”
“I understand why you won’t return. I only came to tell you a few things.”
“Hmm?”
“We got too late a start. Even after three generations of hard work, we’re still nearly twenty years behind the world’s most advanced technology.”
The old man couldn’t help sighing after he spoke.
Zhang Bei thought for a moment. “I’m only moving my research somewhere else. I’ll still share everything I can.”
A smile appeared on the old man’s face. “How much longer until the Island is ready?”
Zhang Bei made a quick estimate. “About half a month.”
The old man nodded. “There will be a fleet exercise in a month. I’ll arrange for it to take place near the Island.”
Zhang Bei’s pupils contracted at once.
This was support from his homeland. The deployment of an entire fleet would be more than enough to deter most interested parties from probing the Island.
Even though the Island’s defensive system had yet to be established, there would be no need to worry about security in the early stages.
Once the Laboratory rolled out some of its weapons, not even a fly would be able to enter the Island!
The old man regarded Zhang Bei with a grave expression. “Unless it’s absolutely necessary, try not to go out.”
“Why? What’s happened?”
“The Island is still a considerable distance away. If something goes wrong, our rescue forces won’t be able to reach you as quickly as we’d like.”
“Unless it’s necessary, I have no intention of wandering around anyway.”
Zhang Bei truly had no plans to visit the Island anytime soon.
At the very least, he definitely wouldn’t go before the construction was finished.
Everyone there was living in tents and eating fish from the sea. Forget internet access-even the construction crew’s machinery was running on generators!
According to current estimates, it would take at least another month before the Island could meet the most basic living requirements.
The old man refilled his teacup. “Now, let’s talk about that security company of yours.”
Zhang Bei raised an eyebrow. “It exists to protect the Island!”
“I know, but you can’t keep poaching my people. These men still have important roles to play even after retiring from service!”
“What do you mean, poaching people?”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t handle the business side of things. President Qiu takes care of all that.”
The old man rubbed his forehead, then pulled an envelope from the stack of documents beside him and placed it on the table.
“Take a look!”
Clinging to his last shred of faith in Heizi, Zhang Bei opened the envelope.
[Demon Court Security
Shareholders: Qiu Xingwen, Zhang Bei]
[One month ago, Waterbird Squad retired from service. It has since been renamed Taotie and joined Demon Court Security.]
[One month ago, Blade Squad retired from service. It has since been renamed Flying Dragon and joined Demon Court Security.]
…
By the time Zhang Bei finished reading the entire file, his scalp was tingling.
Without making a sound, Heizi had gone and done something enormous behind his back!