Chapter 183 - 171: Overly Sensitive, Loan Sharks at the Door (2)

Chapter 183: Chapter 171: Overly Sensitive, Loan Sharks at the Door (2)

Ever since taking the Blood Spirit Gu, he had felt some of the tension inside him ease. He knew that from that moment on, he was truly a part of this team.

He no longer had to worry about being excluded, and had inevitably grown a bit complacent.

’The only thing you can truly rely on is your own strength!’

’Besides, on top of working for the team, I also have to protect my mother. I need to be even stronger.’

Hong She silently reminded himself.

...

...

Just as Xia Yu and Hong She were on their way to the adjacent province.

Trouble was also brewing on Zhao Guohui’s end.

To be precise, it was Little Song who was in trouble!

He had been responsible for caring for and documenting the sunflower seed obtained from the picking garden. After days of cultivation, the once-feeble sunflower seed had long since grown into a full sunflower.

It had even produced new sunflower seeds.

Just a moment ago, when he had tried to pry off a sunflower seed for specialists to study, the sunflower had "bitten" him. The sharp, hard sunflower seeds had carved countless bloody gashes into his palm!

Luckily, the sunflower’s attack wasn’t very strong, otherwise...

"This hand of mine would’ve been crippled."

Little Song explained, his voice laced with lingering fear.

He did ’clerical’ work; if his hand were crippled, he’d most likely lose his job.

Hearing this, Zhao Guohui eyed the sunflower with great interest. "This is probably why she wanted to get the sunflower seeds from the Picking Garden incident."

He grew even more impressed with Xia Yu’s foresight.

’But I wonder...’

’What other uses does this sunflower have?’

’And, if the sunflower here changed like this, have the sunflower seeds that Xia Yu obtained undergone a similar transformation?’

’Or maybe an even greater one?’

"Keep taking good care of it!"

"And don’t touch it recklessly again."

Zhao Guohui instructed. "You should take a few days off, too."

"Zhao Group, I’m fine."

"It’s just a minor injury."

Little Song said, still shaken.

"There haven’t been any Mist Event outbreaks recently, so things aren’t that busy."

Zhao Guohui’s tone was firm. "Take two days off. Then you can come back."

Hearing this, Little Song could only agree.

"By the way."

Zhao Guohui asked, "What’s the current situation with Ai Cao? What arrangements have the higher-ups made for her?"

For the past few days.

He had been trying to pull Ai Cao over to his side.

Naturally, Gao Zhengting wouldn’t stand for it, and had mobilized his network of connections to compete with him.

Little Song shook his head.

"I see."

"Go get some rest."

Zhao Guohui didn’t press the matter. Instead, he called over Qian Yihao, who had more access to timely "inside information," and asked him.

"I just got the news myself."

"I was just about to tell you, Zhao Group."

Qian Yihao began, "Ai Cao is now the acting deputy leader of our Group Two. She’s half a rank lower than you, Zhao Group, but higher than me and Chen Xiao. Gao Zhengting is working under her now."

At this, Zhao Guohui’s brow furrowed.

Chen Xiao, standing to the side, was completely bewildered. He couldn’t help but ask, "For real?"

"But she hasn’t done anything to earn it, has she?"

Qian Yihao shot back, "What about eliminating the Red-eyed Lizard in time and preventing major casualties? You don’t think that counts as a merit?"

???

Chen Xiao’s eyes widened. "That counts? As far as I know, the Red-eyed Lizard was already dead when it was found. Even the Crystal Core in its head had been taken."

"It was most likely the work of that mysterious person backing Xie Shaokun."

"Do you have proof?"

Qian Yihao countered again.

"Er..."

Chen Xiao was at a loss for words.

"The Gao Family gave the credit to Ai Cao."

"Besides, Ai Cao was in charge of this operation, so it’s not unreasonable for her to get the credit."

Qian Yihao, however, saw the situation clearly. "The merit was just one push, and the Gao Family’s covert support was another. But the real key factor that put her in this position was most likely..."

"Her superpower!"

"Exactly."

Zhao Guohui nodded. "Her superpower is by no means simple. It might even be... extremely strong!"

Qian Yihao said, "I guess this means she’s tied herself to the Gao Family’s war chariot now. A shame."

"Hmph."

Chen Xiao was still unconvinced. "It’s only an *acting* deputy group leader. She might not be able to hold onto the position."

At his words, Qian Yihao just smiled. He might have a hot temper, but he knew the ins and outs of the system all too well. He said with certainty, "Unless she makes a major blunder, her position is absolutely secure."

Zhao Guohui remarked with a sigh, "The country is in dire need of talent right now."

That, too, was a rather important factor.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

...

...

「A Certain Western Restaurant.」

"Shaokun, will my asking you out affect your work?"

Chen Ziqi’s voice rang out.