"My second brother is a business prodigy," Liu Yunqi remarked with curiosity, "anything he values must be quite significant. Could you perhaps introduce me to it?"

"Certainly."

Zhong Yun was overjoyed, fighting the urge to embrace her and kiss her soundly. He had several inventions he’d long intended to monetize, but previously lacked the standing to introduce them, terrified of attracting the attention of larger corporations and suffering the fate of possessing something too valuable.

Now, feeling a surge of confidence, he was plotting how to turn these into substantial wealth. The Yang family was an excellent potential partner; at the very least, with Liu Yunqi present, they would tread cautiously, even if only out of respect for her.

Of course, he wasn't relying on her connections; this was strictly a mutually beneficial arrangement. Strictly speaking, it was he, Zhong Yun, who was offering the Yang family a lucrative opportunity. Cooperating with him would mean the Yangs faced a new competitor otherwise.

"This is a stabilizer," Zhong Yun said, pulling out his portable computer and opening a file. A panoramic image instantly projected onto the screen, detailing the stabilizer's function.

Zhong Yun's gaze swept across the room. Yang Yunrong glanced at the projection and immediately lost interest. However, Li Pingze, sitting beside him, reacted visibly; his expression shifted, showing intense interest as he stared intently at the screen.

Zhong Yun’s heart gave a jolt. It seemed Li Pingze was no mere attendant.

Liu Yunqi's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What exactly does this stabilizer do?"

Zhong Yun allowed a small smile to play on his lips. He finally understood: Liu Yunqi was smoothing the path for him. Suppressing his excitement, he began his explanation. "The primary function of this stabilizer is to enhance the stability of various mechanical components."

"Anyone who has studied mechanics knows there are several components absolutely forbidden from being connected, as doing so results in catastrophic consequences."

"And these restrictions severely constrain the advancement of machinery. Take the energy condenser and the oscillator, for instance. Both are energy processors. Theoretically, the energy output from the condenser is immense. If processed through an oscillator, that energy could be directly broken down into its particle state."

"If this concept could be realized, it would be the optimal method for manufacturing high-energy particles, reducing current production costs by more than tenfold."

At this point, Zhong Yun’s voice shifted, growing softer. "But we all know this is impossible. No company has managed to build an oscillator capable of enduring even 0.5 units of energy intensity."

"Are you saying that with this stabilizer installed, that theoretical design could actually be achieved?"

It was Li Pingze who spoke, asking Zhong Yun with a grave expression.

Yang Yunrong, who had been wearing a faint sneer—he simply couldn't believe that Zhong Yun, whose intelligence test scores barely registered above the national average, could invent anything remarkable—was taken aback when Li Pingze interjected. Li Pingze was a critical assistant assigned by the family, certainly no ordinary figure; he was himself an extraordinary genius and an expert in the field of mechanics.

As a leader, Yang Yunrong's own understanding of mechanics was not deep; nor did he need it to be. He had an abundance of specialists in the company for such technical matters. His role was purely decision-making.

Li Pingze's intervention signaled that this stabilizer held genuine value, and the business deal was worth pursuing.

Yang Yunrong’s demeanor grew serious. Every opportunity must be fought for with maximum effort—that was the family maxim.

"It absolutely can," Zhong Yun replied, a victorious smile spreading across his face. Once curiosity is sparked, it’s impossible not to take the bait. A revolutionary product like this would have countless corporations clamoring for it.

"What is the principle behind it?" Li Pingze asked again.

"I can show you a practical application," Zhong Yun evaded, as they hadn't reached the substantive negotiation phase and he wasn't ready to disclose everything.

Li Pingze fell silent; his immediate duty had been fulfilled.

Yang Yunrong glanced at his sister and said, "Very well. When?"

Normally, he would never grant a mere middle school student an audience based on such outlandish claims. This time, it was purely out of deference to his sister that he offered this chance.

Simultaneously, a sliver of curiosity surfaced. Did this young man, daring to challenge him so directly, possess an astonishing secret? Or was he merely an arrogant upstart? His sister's judgment was usually unerring.

After setting a time, Zhong Yun left first; Liu Yunqi stayed behind to accompany her brother.

Back in the classroom, Zhong Yun collapsed into his chair, letting out a long sigh of relief. If Liu Yunqi hadn't arrived when she did, he and Yang Yunrong might have come to blows, and dealing with the fallout of injuring her brother would have been truly difficult.

Yunqi’s timely intervention had not only defused the tension between the two men but had also secured a major partnership. He truly owed her a debt of gratitude.

That stabilizer had been designed by ZER during the construction of the machine needed to emit 'Qifa Waves' while treating Yang Siqing's 'Crystal Glaze Rose' condition (details in Chapters 056–058). Later, upon learning his parents had established the Zhong Shi Equipment Company, he had patented the stabilizer and registered it as corporate property. Bringing such a heavyweight partner to his parents' company now would undoubtedly benefit its development immensely.

Suddenly, Zhong Yun looked at Chen Wen. "You were the one who contacted Yunqi, weren't you?"

Chen Wen smiled meaningfully. "That madman coming after you couldn't have been good news."

The 'madman' Chen Wen referred to was naturally Yang Yunrong, whose reputation was well-known.

Zhong Yun clapped him on the shoulder, the word 'thanks' forming on his tongue but retracting into his gut. Given their relationship, saying thank you would feel performative.

The two shared a knowing smile; everything was understood without words.

"I'm taking you somewhere," Chen Wen said after school, pulling Zhong Yun and Tian Hai into his car. He had driven his personal vehicle today, parking the shuttle several blocks away to avoid drawing attention.

"Where are we going?" Zhong Yun asked, intrigued.

"You'll know when we get there," Chen Wen replied cryptically.

Mingzhou City was vast, covering nearly half the territory of Zhong Yun's previous world's province. The shuttle flew eastward for nearly half an hour before descending.

"The Martial Arts Association? What is this place?" Tian Hai asked, looking up at the towering structure. The area was quite remote, making the massive building an unexpected sight.

"You can think of it as the Metahuman Association," Chen Wen said, walking straight toward the entrance and pressing his hand against the door. The thick metal doors split apart from the center.

"Metahumans?" Tian Hai’s eyes widened. "Like in the movies?"

"Exactly." Chen Wen stepped inside first, and Zhong Yun and Tian Hai followed before the door slowly closed behind them.

The building was deserted. Standing in the automatic transport channel, Tian Hai eagerly pressed, "Are there really superpowers in this world?"

Chen Wen didn't answer. Suddenly, he extended one hand. A small, pale blue flame materialized out of thin air above his fair palm. Even from half a meter away, Zhong Yun and Tian Hai could feel the intense heat radiating from it.

"Damn!" Tian Hai gaped, utterly stunned.

(I asked for votes yesterday, and many people assumed I was going to abandon the story—it’s quite amusing. Next week there will be a strong recommendation, and next month the book goes on paid status. I guarantee here that I will absolutely not abandon it now; I plan to write at least a million words. Read on with confidence.)