Even with the statistical bureau's elite rushing over at top speed, what they faced was a complete mess... a headache-inducing mess.

All three rigorously trained veterans were injured; one had a fractured lower leg, and the other two had sustained bites, their hand and foot joints bleeding profusely—for some unknown reason, several pets in the mall had suddenly gone berserk and attacked them.

That much could be overlooked; injuries or deaths in the line of duty were not major issues. However, the target had vanished into the vast ocean of people. More critically, the human sea in America was at most two to three hundred million, while China’s was five to six times larger...

"Sigh..." With a long sigh from the head of the relevant department, since they couldn't catch the thief who had attempted the theft, there was only one way to prevent the worst possible outcome:

That, of course, was to secure what the other party desired. Fang Senyan and San Zai were naturally oblivious to the chain reactions triggered during this process, nor did they wish to know.

Sensing they had shed the statistical bureau's tracking, which flowed like mercury, Fang Senyan let out a breath:

"This is troublesome. After alerting them, obtaining the SARS virus will be much harder."

But San Zai just laughed easily:

"Perhaps that's true for mainland China, but Brother Yan, you seem to have overlooked one thing: SARS wasn't only prevalent in China at that time, was it? China was merely the place of origin (Shunde, Guangdong) and a severely affected zone. Yet, it eventually spread to twenty-nine countries in total."

Hearing San Zai say this, a light instantly dawned in Fang Senyan's eyes:

"You mean?"

San Zai replied forthrightly:

"We can try other countries to find a solution. The countries confirmed to possess SARS strains were the US, Russia, and China, but among the epidemic areas at the time, Canada, Vietnam, and Singapore were also listed. Therefore, the pathology labs in developed nations like Canada and Singapore should also hold what we need... This piece of intelligence is worth 130,000 RMB plus a pack of Yunyan cigarettes."

Fang Senyan rolled his eyes:

"I'll remember to submit the expense report for you. Let's head to Singapore first; I recall we still have contacts there. However, since we're abroad, if we can seize it, we should avoid buying it if possible. We don't have much money left."

San Zai stated seriously:

"Brother Yan, but I don't think we'll ever lack money again."

Fang Senyan looked stunned:

"Why do you say that? Is it since you discovered you won the grand prize in the lottery?"

San Zai suddenly displayed a sly and roguish grin:

"No, it's since Miss Zi shouted so loudly in your storage room..."

"You..." Fang Senyan was momentarily speechless and immediately adopted the stern elder brother's posture, raising his hand to strike. San Zai immediately darted away like a mischievous child. To this youth, he only revealed his childish side in front of Fang Senyan, even though their topics were decidedly adult in nature.

As for the experiences of Fang Senyan and San Zai in Singapore, there is no need to elaborate further. Although San Zai believed that he and his brother wouldn't need to worry about money anymore, Fang Senyan opted for the simplest, most brutal, and cost-free method: directly and forcefully appropriating what belonged to others—specifically, the property of the sovereign Republic of Singapore—and knocking out any relevant parties who expressed dissenting opinions.

Then, Fang Senyan, carrying the cold storage box containing the SARS virus, reluctantly called Zi.

"Hello, I'd like to speak with Miss Su Linzi. What? She's sleeping? Then wake her up! Fine, I know you wouldn't dare, but could you put the phone next to her ear?"

Three minutes later, Fang Senyan heard Zi’s languid voice. One could imagine her drowsy, hazy appearance just from hearing her tone:

"Hello, who is calling me so late?"

At this moment, Fang Senyan felt a touch of awkwardness. Since they had been intimate, they hadn't actually spoken much since. So, Fang Senyan couldn't help but fall silent for a moment, composing himself, and said with slight embarrassment:

"Zi, it's me. I'm truly sorry, but I have an urgent matter that needs your help."

Hearing Fang Senyan's familiar voice, Zi inexplicably began to straighten her smooth but slightly disheveled long hair, even though they were thousands of miles apart and Fang Senyan absolutely couldn't see her current state.

"Hmm???"

Zi's "hmm" was drawn out, very melodious, almost coquettish like a Persian cat.

"You need the Gulfstream? Oh, carrying the SARS virus. You've decided? Alright, I understand. Is that all? Is there nothing else you want to tell me?"

"Next time, try to be quieter," Fang Senyan said seriously over the phone, suddenly interjecting this line.

Zi’s eyes instantly widened, a mix of shyness and anger:

"You bastard! You... you..."

Fang Senyan laughed heartily and hung up, leaving Zi with a flushed face. But she twirled a strand of her long hair around her finger, a faint smile gradually spreading across her lips. Then, she gave a languid yawn and gracefully swept her long, snow-white fingers through her waterfall-like hair, pressing the service bell beside her:

"Hello, dispatch Gulfstream One immediately to Singapore's Zhangyi Airport to pick someone up. Ah, pick up that VIP Guest Number Twelve. Also, call our subordinate drug laboratory and have them prepare a sterile, high-specification lab setup as quickly as possible."

An astonished voice quickly replied from the other end:

"But Chairman Su, Gulfstream One is about to depart to pick up Prince Olich of the UAE. Besides that, all other arrangements have been made."

Zi frowned:

"Why didn't I know about Prince Olich of the UAE?"

Her secretary immediately replied:

"That was arranged by Director Stephen..."

Zi immediately replied with impatient authority:

"Then when he asks you, you can give him the exact same reason."

The secretary perceived the hidden anger in Zi's words and stopped questioning, silently going to execute the order. Although it’s often the common folk who suffer when gods fight, this is the harsh reality of the workplace; choosing a side early is always better than fruitlessly trying to play both ends.

Disturbed by Fang Senyan, Zi lost her sleepiness and sat up to comb her hair in front of the mirror. Zi was wearing the finest silk pajamas, which flowed like moving water with her movements, occasionally revealing the infinite beauty of her full figure. The subtly visible slender waist, long legs, and full hips made her perfect figure unmistakably clear. Yet, for some reason—perhaps because Zi thought of something—her face couldn't help but flush, and she muttered a few curses while biting her lower lip, which only made her seem more womanly.

At this moment, Zi’s face also carried a faint, hazy sheen. Though not obvious, upon looking closely, one could effortlessly recognize it, as if cool, clear rainwater had washed away the surface dust, revealing a unique freshness of life that made her even more alluring.

Four hours later, in the pouring rain of a London suburb, a Mercedes S600 delivered a group of uninvited guests into a manor.

The manor's lawn had been meticulously maintained, and the building was of an antiquated style at least three centuries old, seemingly soaked through by the rain. Inside, an antique phonograph, a European fireplace, a bar made of ancient solid wood, a wine table, and a wheeled chair were all present.

Just as Fang Senyan began to suspect that Zi was taking them on a European castle day trip, they entered a bedroom. Its layout was sparse and clean, suggesting a deliberate effort to maintain its appearance. Only the thick Scottish wool carpet deserved praise.

But at that moment, Fang Senyan felt a slight tremor throughout his body, as if the entire room was beginning to sink. He immediately understood: this room was no mere room, but a carefully concealed elevator shaft.

After descending, they were met by neat desks, bustling personnel, and an array of microscopes, test tubes, and petri dishes—a scene of intense, busy activity.

"The Consortium always has some ethically gray business, so for safety, laboratories that might cause legal disputes are set up discreetly," Zi explained, leading the way.

Immediately, a middle-aged blond man in a white lab coat stepped forward to greet them:

"I am the person in charge of this project. Can Chairman Su now reveal the detailed content of this mission? It would help me make the necessary preparations."

It was clear that the scientist harbored a subtle resentment. Zi smiled:

"We have found a volunteer willing to test this new strain of SARS virus. Your task is to record a series of data points. More importantly, however, is ensuring the volunteer's safety. We are not executioners."

While human experimentation is explicitly forbidden by government decree, sometimes government prohibitions act as catalysts—for instance, banning prostitution leads only to the rampant growth of foot massage parlors like wild autumn weeds.

Especially in Britain and France, in the race to develop genetic "atomic bombs" first, human trials were almost semi-public. Compared to other institutions, the E.S. Consortium was relatively cautious.

Thus, the professor had no suspicion upon hearing Zi's words. He wouldn't be foolish enough to ask the company for the data on the new SARS strain's purpose. Consequently, Fang Senyan was soon scrubbed clean and pushed onto the testing table like a white mouse.