The innate adaptability of humanity proved remarkably strong; as months passed, the shadow cast by the disaster gradually receded, and people returned to their normal routines of work and life.

The students among them, like Zhong Yun, who held the title of Assistant Engineer, began to seem rather unique at this juncture. Even during such extraordinary times, the fact that they had been promoted to Assistant Engineer spoke volumes about their foundational capabilities and inherent strength, which could not be doubted.

Among the eleven students promoted to Assistant Engineer status, Zhong Yun stood out starkly as the sole first-year student amidst a cohort composed entirely of final-year students.

To the supervising mentors, Zhong Yun’s very presence was nothing short of a miracle. The other ten fifth-year students were already the crème de la crème of their classes, and during the break, they had undertaken internships at various corporations—their demonstrated competence was hardly surprising under the circumstances.

Yet, Zhong Yun, a student specializing in Archaeology, had virtually no prior exposure to engineering construction, let alone the direction or command required in such fields. However, the sheer capability he displayed in engineering matters left everyone utterly dumbfounded; this was simply not achievable for someone newly acquainted with the industry.

In domains such as mechanical or civil engineering, mere knowledge is not the standard by which one's ability is truly measured; possessing specialized knowledge is merely the baseline requirement. To be precise, these fields demand ability built up through years of accumulated experience.

Without three to five years of practical work history, even holding a Level Two professional certification was insufficient to qualify as a competent Assistant Engineer.

The requirements for a full Engineer were even more stringent: a decade of work experience, participation in the construction of at least three C-level projects, and the acquisition of a Level Two professional certificate were mandatory just to be eligible to apply for the formal title.

Once eligibility was met, the candidate still had to pass a series of rigorous assessments, followed by a three-year probationary period. Only upon successfully navigating this entire gauntlet could one truly become a certified Engineer.

These were hard, unyielding facts, allowing no pretense or falsehood.

Zhong Yun, however, was an anomaly—every Engineer at Ketong Academy referred to him as a genuine wonder. He had not majored in any engineering discipline, nor had he participated in any large or small-scale construction projects, yet he possessed the capacity of an Engineer. Aside from calling it a miracle, no one could rationalize this unprecedented marvel.

Of course, the miracle wasn't Zhong Yun himself. No matter how sharp his intellect, acquiring the proficiency equivalent to a Level Two specialist in a specific engineering field in such a short span was sheer fantasy. He was human, not divine.

What he did possess was Xiao Ling. At Xiao Ling's operational level, managing the engineering works of a mid-level civilization was hardly a challenge. Zhong Yun wasn't acting out of a desire for acclaim; he harbored ulterior motives.

Having achieved the title of Assistant Engineer, they were exempt from attending further classes and were free to seek outside employment. With this title, the graduation certificate from Ketong Academy suddenly held significantly less importance.

Naturally, according to regulations, the Engineering Association would administer a make-up examination for the eleven of them, followed by a two-year observation period. Should any fail, their professional titles would be revoked.

Due to manpower constraints, the make-up exam was scheduled six months hence. Zhong Yun paid the matter little mind; in six months, he anticipated being back on Qiyun Star, rendering any re-examination irrelevant to him.

Upon the recommendation of Wen Zhu, Zhong Yun secured an internship at the Veyron Group. In reality, Veyron Group was a subsidiary of the Ketong family—a massive, multi-planetary corporation with its headquarters situated on Ketong Star, not far from Ketong Academy.

Infiltrating Veyron Group, he managed to glean no useful intelligence regarding the Ketong family; perhaps the levels he was accessing were too low.

He certainly wasn't leaving empty-handed, however. One does not enter a treasure trove and leave with nothing. Furthermore, since the Ketong family had emptied two warehouses aboard the Mercury, he felt entitled to reclaim at least some interest.

Armed with his decoder, obtaining administrative access to the company's main brain was trivially easy for Zhong Yun. He then leveraged this super-privilege to manipulate Veyron Group’s funds, employing clandestine methods to seamlessly transfer a portion of capital into an offshore account.

To prevent the finance department from detecting his maneuvers, Zhong Yun limited the amount withdrawn each time, but the cumulative effect of time proved potent. He had been at Veyron Group for two months, and the total funds siphoned off now exceeded one hundred billion Omi-coins.

The capital Zhong Yun utilized was entirely composed of Veyron Group's future earnings; he touched none of the current operational cash flow. Veyron Group maintained long-term collaborations with numerous major corporations, secured by extensive contracts. Zhong Yun simply manipulated certain systems to accelerate the transfer of these future payments.

By the time Veyron Group realized funds had been misappropriated, he suspected he would already be back on Qiyun Star.

Therefore, Zhong Yun stole with bold confidence, taking more and more.

Zhong Yun’s other intelligence source was the "Insect Bee No. 1," but given the high technological level of the Mings Kingdom, he dared not deploy it carelessly to monitor Changben Ketong. Who knew if the Ketong family possessed some kind of epoch-defining detection array capable of spotting the Insect Bee No. 1?

Discovery would not only risk alerting his target but would also result in the loss of his only spy robot.

He directed it instead to monitor Wen Zhu, a far less dangerous task. Moreover, as Changben Ketong’s daughter, she was certain to be privy to the secrets of the Xu family. At the very least, she would be the first to know about the Ketong family’s next move.

The Ketong family would not leave the position of patriarch vacant for long; within the next month or two, a decision would be reached. And the leading candidate by far was the current supreme ruler of Ketong Star, the Acting Planetary Governor, Changben.

Ultimately, who became the Ketong family patriarch was of little consequence to Zhong Yun. As long as they weren't stronger than him, he didn't much care.

In the expansive office of Veyron Group's Design Department, Zhong Yun sat at a desk, reviewing the design drafts submitted to him. At Veyron Group, he held the very mundane post of a mere evaluator.

The Design Department occupied a vast space, resembling a great hall, crisscrossed by numerous desks where hundreds of employees worked side-by-side.

As Zhong Yun immersed himself in his work, his communicator suddenly chimed, "Zhong Yun from Design? Someone is requesting you. Please proceed to the reception area."

He paused slightly. Who could possibly be looking for him at this hour? Could it be Wen Zhu? Harboring his curiosity, he requested leave from his supervisor.

Upon reaching the entrance to the reception area, Zhong Yun was surprised to find a significant crowd gathered. Many higher-ranking employees milled about, and as they passed the doorway, they couldn't help but cast an inward glance.

Checking the time, Zhong Yun felt a flicker of oddity; this was not a scheduled break. He hadn't expected Veyron Group employees to be slacking off during working hours.

"Please make way," Zhong Yun almost had to squeeze through the entrance. The moment he stepped inside, he froze upon seeing the person standing there, unable to utter the prepared greeting.

A figure in pale green stood by the window, hands clasped behind their back, their long, wavy blonde hair shining with dazzling brilliance.

As if sensing his arrival, the pale green silhouette turned, and a mischievous smile curved across that exquisitely beautiful face. "Surprised?"

It was Vivi, who months ago had been escorted away by a powerful elder and a squadron of mechs. She hadn't changed in the slightest—still radiant and captivating. The crowd lingering outside the entrance was likely held there because of her presence.

"Very surprised," Zhong Yun managed a laugh after his initial shock. He wasn't sure why he laughed, perhaps recalling the circumstances of her departure. "What brings you here?"

The door to the reception area had closed. The soundproofing here was excellent, eliminating any fear of being overheard.

Vivi moved to the central sofa and sat down. "Little Zhu told me you were interning here, so I came to visit."

"Has your father allowed you out yet?" Zhong Yun settled across from her.

"Why wouldn't my dad let me go out?" Vivi countered, tilting her head.

Zhong Yun was momentarily silenced. He had intended to say, Wen Zhu told me you were under house arrest by your father, but upon seeing the look in her eyes, the words died in his throat.

In that instant, he perceived her thoughts: she didn't want him to know about her friction with her father.

So, he changed the subject. "How have you been? You look like you’ve gained a little weight."

"Really?" Vivi’s expression became slightly tense as she touched her own cheek. "I don't think so."

Zhong Yun had intended a lighthearted joke to ease the atmosphere, but she took it seriously. It seemed that regardless of the plane of existence, women were highly sensitive about their weight.

"A little plump is good. I prefer a woman with some curves."

"Pah, I don't need you to like me," Vivi spat out, her face flushing scarlet. She immediately realized the implication of her retort and her blush deepened.

"I don't like you either," seeing her shyness, Zhong Yun couldn't resist teasing. "Look at your hair, so bright and dazzling. Look at your skin, so fair and luminous. Look at your figure, perfectly curved and tall. I certainly don't like any of it."

Hearing the first sentence, Vivi was about to bristle, but as she heard the rest, her face warmed with unconcealed delight. When she reached his concluding sentence, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

Zhong Yun felt a prickle at the base of his neck, a tingling sensation as he was momentarily electrocuted by the discerning gaze she directed at him.

He checked the time and apologized. "My leave is up; I need to get back to work. You should head back first."

"So soon?" Vivi pouted, mid-conversation.

"Work is important. If I were a rich man, I'd quit just to spend time with you."

Vivi’s eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Just kidding," Zhong Yun laughed heartily, standing up to walk toward the door. "I truly have to go, or the Director will throw a fit…"

"I’m going shopping later. Find me at the downstairs beverage lounge after you finish work," Vivi called after him.

"Okay."

The moment he stepped out the door, Zhong Yun was intercepted by a middle-aged man with supervisory authority. "Hey, you. Come here for a moment."

"May I ask what this is regarding?" Zhong Yun stopped out of courtesy.

"Do you know the person inside?" The middle-aged man’s eyes held a distinct glint—the light that ignites in a man when he sees a woman who captures his heart.

P: One more chapter to go.