The Unified Earth Federation Military. That is, the highest command center of the Earth Federation Military, situated in Qingyu City, at the northern foot of the Lesser Himalayas.

The peaks, soaring thousands of meters high, had a hundred-mile radius plain carved out from their midsection. Nearly a thousand warships, large and small, constantly took off and landed. On hundreds of nearby peaks, artillery emplacements were densely scattered, holding threats over the ground spanning thousands of kilometers and space targets extending for hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Dozens of giant radar bases stood erect on the vast plateau, monitoring every subtle movement around the Solar System via the numerous satellites dotted throughout, paying particular attention to the vicinity of Mars and Pluto.

Gu Xichen's flagship descended, flanked by two smaller patrol vessels. A sharp, competent Colonel piloted a transport vehicle over, inviting Gu Xichen and the Bearded Commander aboard.

The Bearded Commander’s face was drawn out, long enough to shame a horse’s muzzle. A seemingly sure-fire lucrative deal had suddenly hit a snag, leaving him deeply disgruntled. Information trickling back from his old acquaintances within the military headquarters only compounded his unease. Why must the maneuvering between Poison Wolf and Hercomes involve dragging him into the fray?

The transport vehicle hadn't even started moving before two warships, flying wingtip to wingtip, broke through the clouds, whistling down from the high altitude.

The ground control center on the landing field transmitted signals to the warships, and indicator lights illuminated the designated landing zones on the field, marking out one slot for each vessel. Yet, the two warships deliberately touched down on either side of Gu Xichen’s flagship. Gu Juechen, impeccably dressed, and Jinkeli, the CEO of the conglomerate, strode down the boarding ramp, their faces wreathed in smiles as they advanced toward the transport.

“Mr. Gu, thank you for gracing us with a scrap of your bounty!”

Even from a distance, Jinkeli’s words were barbed, clearly alluding to the market share competition that Hadwa Defense Corporation was facing on Easter Island.

Gu Juechen simply chuckled, laughing loudly as he addressed Jinkeli, “More than you, sir? In a few more years, we’ll all be depending on Mr. Gu Xichen to put food on the table! Our Gu Group is currently in dire need of psionic bodyguards—” % Corp. Crying North

“Psionics.” The moment those three words left his mouth, Jinkeli’s expression became a complex tapestry of emotions—a mix of envy and regret as he looked at Gu Xichen. After a long moment, he let out a hearty laugh toward the sky, “Yes, yes, what a brilliant move! It’s a strategy that neutralizes the opposition while ultimately securing all the advantages for oneself! Tsk, tsk, millions of psionics? Our corporation seems to only have a paltry few hundred psionic guards. That’s the gap, the chasm between us! In the future, we’ll have to rely on Mr. Gu to sprinkle a little more flour down from his fingertips so we can bake bread!”

Gu Xichen remained silent. He took out a cigar, lit it, and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke.

The Bearded Commander, known for his blunt temper, couldn't stand this kind of passive-aggressive jab. His eyes widened, and he was about to lash out when Gu Juechen swiftly grabbed his arm, giving it a sharp squeeze. The Bearded Commander’s beard twitched violently, emitting a dense, buzzing sound like a swarm of bees. He glared at Gu Juechen and Jinkeli, tilted his head up, and let out a cold sneer.

Gu Juechen and Jinkeli then boarded the transport vehicle, returning the cold sneer with one of their own.

The Bearded Commander’s temper finally got the better of him. He roared in fury, “What are you smiling at?!” My Beloved Literature Net Crying Heart

The two exchanged glances. Gu Juechen stated haughtily, “We are smiling at those who are boastful without possessing any real strength.”

“No strength?” The Bearded Commander slammed a heavy fist onto the seat cushion of the transport vehicle, roaring, “Who lacks strength? Are you talking about me?”

Gu Juechen watched the deliberately provocative pair, Gu Juechen and Jinkeli, with cold eyes, maintaining his silence.

Jinkeli scoffed, “Strength isn’t proven by words! Brother Juechen, what do you think?”

Gu Juechen let out a long, drawn-out chuckle. “Exactly. Whether one has strength or not, as we say in the Great Feng Kingdom, we let the horse run to see if it’s a stallion or a mule. Roaring here just because you’re big and loud accomplishes nothing.” He glanced at the Bearded Uncle with disdain and added coldly, “A mere former Special Forces Captain, stripped of his military commission for a transgression—do you really think you can handle high technology?”

The Bearded Commander clenched his fists, his once ruddy face turning ashen. He abruptly straightened his body, his large, shiny bald head slamming hard against the transport's ceiling, punching a basin-sized hole through the metal. The Colonel driving glanced back in surprise, then silently returned his gaze to the road as the vehicle proceeded into the massive cavern carved into the cliff face by the Federation Military.

Gu Juechen stroked his beard, smiling dismissively at the Bearded Commander. He said calmly, “With strength that doesn't even reach the Jupiter-level, don’t try to show off in front of me! Kid, you’re miles away from that!”

The Bearded Commander, almost spitting blood at being called a 'kid,' pointed at Gu Juechen, ready to launch a verbal assault, when Jinkeli suddenly pointed with exaggerated alarm, laughing, “Oh my, I remember now! This gentleman, the former commander of the Hell’s Angels Mercenary Group, he was apparently discharged from the military due to a rape charge! Heavens, someone like that is now considered a notable figure in the Federation!”

Hadwa Defense Corporation currently held a significant share of the Federation’s defense market, possessing an astonishing number of production lines, factories, and research personnel, employing hundreds of thousands. As the company’s overall director, the Bearded Commander was indeed quite well-known in the Federation, making Jinkeli’s description accurate. However, Jinkeli’s tone was saturated with disdainful mockery that no one could mistake. The Bearded Commander’s face twitched with rage, and he lunged with a punch aimed squarely at Jinkeli’s large, hooked nose.

A hand shot out from the side, smoothly intercepting the Bearded Commander’s fist. Gu Xichen said coldly to Jinkeli, “It wasn’t your mother he assaulted, so why are you rushing to file a complaint? Uncle Beard, ignore them. It seems they are very confident in their ‘Thunder God One’!”

The Bearded Commander struggled violently, then, frustrated and furious, slowly settled back into his seat, glaring at Jinkeli.

Gu Juechen nodded repeatedly with a chuckle, “It’s not Thunder God One, but the improved version of Thunder God Three. This is the result of the diligent efforts of all our Gu Group’s researchers over the past month. I am confident its capability far surpasses that so-called ‘Hercules One’ by more than ten times.”

The Bearded Commander burst into laughter, mocking him sarcastically, “More than ten times? You must be dreaming! Hahaha! Everyone knows that broken junk from your Gu Group was built using stolen design schematics from Bill Roxx! How dare a thief brag in front of the rightful owner?”

Gu Juechen’s face darkened. Letting Bill Roxx and the others be poached by Gu Xichen was undoubtedly one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He stated coldly, “Thunder God Three has absolutely no connection to Bill Roxx! Gu Xichen, you are destined to lose this time!”

Jinkeli puffed on his pipe, nodding continuously with a relaxed and carefree smile, clearly enjoying Gu Juechen’s visible distress.

Gu Xichen merely smiled without responding, turning his gaze toward the window. Gu Juechen’s intense confidence struck him as odd. The development basis for Hercules One was the data left by Bill Roxx, but that data was incomplete; it would be a miracle if Hercules One reached twenty percent of the performance of Hercules One. Why was Gu Juechen so confident?

Moreover, the designation ‘Thunder God Three Improved Version’ also seemed suspicious.

Could Jinkeli’s corporation have become involved? Gu Xichen looked thoughtfully at Jinkeli, who gracefully raised his pipe and smiled back. The transport vehicle sped into the main gate of the Federation Military Headquarters. After passing dozens of stringent checkpoints, the vehicle entered a colossal lift, descending rapidly toward the ground. The lift dropped for over five thousand meters until a tunnel entrance cast in alloy appeared ahead, and the vehicle continued forward.

It traveled several hundred meters further, passing through three sets of alloy portals, each over ten meters thick. After several turns, the transport finally halted before a large door bearing the plaque: “Meeting Hall 1-A.”

The Colonel driving pushed the door open. The low murmur within the hall instantly quieted, and the hundreds of Federation generals seated around the oval, tiered venue all turned to look. The lowest-ranking officer present held the rank of Lieutenant General; excluding Poison Wolf, there were over forty generals present. Nearly all the high-ranking officers remaining on Earth were gathered here.

Every general in that room was a veteran who had clawed their way out of countless heaps of corpses, none having fought fewer than twenty engagements against the Romans. The pressure emanating from so many battle-hardened commanders fixing their gaze on one person was immense. The Bearded Commander nearly collapsed onto the floor. Even Gu Juechen and Jinkeli slightly lowered their heads. Only Gu Xichen strode into the hall under the pressure, head held high.

Having experienced the devastating auras projected by absolute masters like the Corpse Emperor and the Withered Bone Divine Lord, the combined presence of hundreds of Federation generals was hardly enough to intimidate Gu Xichen.

Poison Wolf, seated on the main dais of the hall, smiled and took a long, deep pull from the oversized mug of strong tea before him. My Beloved Literature Net Crying Heart

Setting the mug down, Poison Wolf spoke gently, “I have gathered you all here today because of a small, small dispute. I’ll skip the pleasantries. Currently, only the Gu Group and Hadwa Defense Corporation have finalized single-soldier combat armor suits available to the Federation. Let’s discuss this matter.”

Hercomes, seated next to Poison Wolf, let out a soft snort. He tapped the conference table before him and stated blandly, “One issue: what does the military procurement matter have to do with the Special Operations Bureau?”

A Lieutenant General immediately pointed at Gu Xichen and barked, “Guard, escort Colonel Gu out of the meeting hall.”

Two military police officers standing guard at the door stepped forward and grabbed Gu Xichen’s arms, preparing to drag him out.

Gu Xichen felt a surge of anger at Hercomes and his faction for showing him such blatant disrespect. He braced his toes, engaging every muscle in his body. How could two mere Uranus-level military police officers move him? The two officers struggled against him like ants trying to move a great tree, their faces turning crimson, yet not a single strand of Gu Xichen’s hair budged.

The face of that Lieutenant General flushed deep red, and he clenched his fists tightly.

Hercomes frowned unhappily, shaking his head and ordering, “What is the meaning of this? Step back!”

Poison Wolf glanced sideways at Hercomes, the corner of his mouth twitching into a faint, mocking smile. He had noticed something peculiar about Gu Xichen’s aura upon entering. Previously, he could clearly perceive Gu Xichen’s power level, sensing his strength as easily as reading the lines on his own palm. But today, Gu Xichen gave him an unfathomably strange sensation, as if enveloped in a dense fog. Few people could evoke such a feeling in Poison Wolf. Did these two military police really dare to lay hands on him?

Gu Xichen calmly pulled his arms free from the two red-faced military police. He stood with his hands behind his back and smiled calmly, “The Military Department’s ordnance procurement indeed has nothing to do with the Special Operations Bureau. It’s just unfortunate that I am the person responsible for the Hercules One project, so I naturally have the right and responsibility to intervene in this matter.”

Hercomes seemed to realize something, nodding with a smile, “I almost forgot. A little over a month ago, the Colonel was still the Operations Director for Hadwa Corporation. No wonder, please take a seat!”

An orderly escorted the four of them to their seats. Hercomes immediately launched his attack: “The Military has plans to procure Hercules One, but I believe the technical specifications of Hercules One cannot compare to the improved version of the Gu Group’s Thunder God Three. Furthermore, the cost estimate for Hercules One is not transparent. Therefore, I believe we should have an additional option.”

Gu Juechen immediately stood up, “Our Gu Group has been a partner to the Military Department for many years. What we sell to the Military absolutely represents the most advanced technology the Federation possesses.”

Gu Xichen slowly rose, his voice cold, “Oh? I don't see it that way. It’s hard to imagine a laboratory primarily focused on bio-chemical technology being able to fabricate the Federation’s most advanced single-soldier armor.”

As the two brothers began their conflict, the Federation generals in the hall immediately split into distinct factions, accusing and attacking each other.

Some generals present cited numerous cases where products sold to the military by the Gu Group had malfunctioned, resulting in unnecessary casualties for soldiers. These generals repeated specific instances, supported by detailed data that made Gu Juechen’s face turn grim.

The other generals criticized Hadwa Defense Corporation for its weak foundation and insufficient research and development capabilities, finding it hard to believe they could complete a complex project like single-soldier armor. Two Generals directly questioned whether bribes had been accepted, otherwise, why would a newly established defense company become the sole choice for ordnance procurement?

The argument lasted a full half hour. By the end, the generals on both sides, heatedly arguing, were practically squaring off, some starting to trade accusations about the extra losses and unexpected casualties they had caused each other in battle. Two of the most fiery generals even began insulting the entire lineage of each other’s female ancestors—mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and so on.

Finally, a hot-tempered Lieutenant General suddenly drew a pistol and waved it around: “Black curtain! There must be a cover-up in this military procurement that requires a thorough investigation! I absolutely do not believe Hadwa’s product is that superior!”

Poison Wolf hurled his teacup, batting the gesticulating Lieutenant General back nearly fifty meters. He slammed against the wall of the hall and slumped unconscious. Poison Wolf roared, “Silence! What kind of behavior is this? We have outsiders present! Do you think we can beat each other to death in the Military Department with the doors locked, and no one cares?”

Cold sweat trickled down Gu Xichen’s back. Was this the Military Department or a den of bandits? Beating people to death was fine?

Gu Juechen and Jinkeli exchanged glances, and Jinkeli nodded vigorously.

Gu Juechen suddenly laughed loudly, “Marshal, esteemed Generals, words alone prove nothing. Such arguments are meaningless. Let our two companies subject our products to a live combat test!”

Poison Wolf raised an eyebrow slightly. Hercomes immediately applauded with a laugh, “Excellent, that is the fairest method! Each side will contribute one thousand personnel for an all-terrain live combat test. Hmm, how about we schedule it for twenty-four hours from now?”

Gu Juechen smiled confidently, “No problem!”

Gu Xichen remained silent for a moment, then also nodded, “No problem!”

He glanced at Gu Juechen. Was he really that confident? What kind of support had Jinkeli given him to make him so utterly assured? %, Reminder: Intermission Hmm, where did Gu Juechen’s confidence come from? Monthly ticket perhaps? (To be continued)