After Beating the Game, I Became the Villain BOSS

Zhou Hanyan asked in confusion, "I don’t understand what you mean, what do you mean if she has no ghosts? She’s directly sent by the Upper Court, representing your headquarters’ will. What ghosts could she have in her heart?"

Zhao Yiming didn’t answer directly. He simply said expressionlessly, "Do you know what is most taboo when playing chess? The biggest taboo is getting caught up by the opponent, completely losing the initiative, and only following the opponent’s line of thought."

"If you let yourself be led by the nose, you’re like fish on a chopping board, never knowing the opponent’s next move, not even knowing whether you’ll live or die in the end."

"Luo is sent by the Upper Court and represents the headquarters’ will. OK, there’s nothing to say about that. Whatever she orders, I will do. As a subordinate, I will do my best to cooperate."

"But one thing, I will never give up my initiative. I can serve someone, but I won’t accept being manipulated, and I certainly won’t put my fate entirely in someone else’s hands."

"So, I must know what Luo has been doing lately. Only then can I hold my fate in my own hands."

Looking into Zhao Yiming’s eyes, fraught with a paranoia bordering on neuroticism, Zhou Hanyan felt an overwhelming weight in his heart. He frowned and said, "You’re playing with fire... No matter what your reasons, if Luo finds out, you’re really done for. Stop now."

A cold smile appeared on Zhao Yiming’s face. He tapped a few keys on the keyboard, his tone turning sinister, "Is that so? Maybe she’ll be done before I am."

Zhou Hanyan didn’t understand what he meant. He looked more closely and noticed one of the numerous tracks on the computer navigation map had been singled out and marked prominently.

He asked in confusion, "What is this?"

Zhao Yiming squinted and said, "I’ve been observing the flight vehicle movements over New Moon City using Apocalypse Star, because given the current situation, if anyone wanted to move Fenrir, they’d definitely choose air transport."

"All the flight vehicles that have received take-off permissions during this period shuttle between various districts and airports, nothing unusual, but this one is different."

"This floating airship which departed from Edge Mansion didn’t head to the airport, but instead followed another flight path to leave the city."

Zhou Hanyan retorted, "So what? It could be going to pick someone up or have some other task. If it’s allowed to fly safely over New Moon City, there must have been strict inspections and it would’ve received clearance."

Zhao Yiming shrugged, "I don’t deny it received clearance, but there’s something off—vehicles that receive clearance don’t necessarily undergo strict inspections."

"There’s someone who doesn’t need to undergo any inspections and doesn’t have to follow any rules. Right now, she’s the unquestionable deity of New Moon City."

Zhou Hanyan was stunned for a while, his expression turning peculiar, "Are you implying that the special envoy unanimously dispatched by the headquarters of the three major enterprises is betraying the Upper Court to secretly transfer Fenrir?"

Zhao Yiming: "Who knows?"

Zhou Hanyan was at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing, wondering if Zhao Yiming had lost his mind. In the most gentle tone he could muster, he said, "President Zhao, listen to me, you’re getting paranoid, please go and rest for a while, will you? If you keep doing reckless things like this, you’ll end up getting yourself killed."

Zhao Yiming said nothing, just took out a cigar from his pocket, lighting it. Those eyes, harboring a tint of madness, flickered faintly behind the swirling smoke.

Zhou Hanyan frowned and said, "I didn’t know you smoked."

Zhao Yiming choked on the smoke, coughing several times, but he continued to puff on because his body and mind both needed something to maintain a semblance of calm during this period.

His expression was filled with malevolence as he coldly commanded, "Here’s a task for you, go and covertly track that floating airship."

"If, like you said, it’s just some special task, OK, then treat me as paranoid, and we’ll pretend nothing happened."

"But if, I say if, there’s even the slightest chance Fenrir is on that floating airship."

Zhao Yiming’s eyes seemed to catch fire, filled with a fervent blaze. He raised his hand forcefully upward, as if trying to pierce through the ceiling and this very sky.

"Then I will be reborn in the flames! I will be able to head to headquarters, and there will be a seat for me on the highest board of directors!"

Looking at Zhao Yiming, who seemed to speak almost in delirium, Zhou Hanyan even started to question whether this guy’s mind was still sound.

He grimly said, "If anything goes wrong with this, you and I will be dead and buried. Sorry, President Zhao, I can’t do this, and I advise you not to have this thought either. You want to play with fire, find someone else."

After saying that, he was about to leave, but behind him came Zhao Yiming’s cold voice, "You seem to have misunderstood something; this isn’t a request, it’s an order."

"After Alexander died, the control of the backdoor program in your set of prosthetics has been transferred to me. Whenever I want, I can activate the ultimate safeguard and turn you into a pile of irreparable parts."

Zhou Hanyan abruptly stopped in his tracks, frozen like a statue.

Zhao Yiming was very pleased with Zhou Hanyan’s reaction, continuously inhaling the cigar deeply before exhaling, he said lightly, "That floating airship has been airborne for a while, I don’t have time to waste with you here."

"Follow it and keep in touch with me throughout the trip."

"If there’s nothing unusual, come back. If there is, I will give further instructions."

"Don’t try anything funny, or you know the consequences."

Zhou Hanyan stood motionless, his fists tightening with constant cracking sounds.

Although Zhao Yiming is currently paranoid, he still knows how to handle subordinates. He understands that enforcing can’t entirely rely on pressure.

He stood up from his seat, walked over to Zhou Hanyan, firmly gripping that solid arm, speaking earnestly, "This isn’t just about me, if we really stumble upon an earth-shattering secret and perform great deeds, I promise you will be duly rewarded."

"How about a complete set of Level 6 ’High Risk’ prosthetics? If your body can handle it, we can even discuss Apocalypse Level prosthetics, and you will become one of the most powerful Prosthetic Implanters in this world."

It’s unclear how much time passed, but Zhou Hanyan finally reacted. He silently closed his eyes, and after a long silence, upon reopening them, a certain vitality seemed to have vanished, and his demeanor had noticeably turned dark and oppressive.

He said in a low voice, "Even if I do this, how can I hide it from Luo? The city defenses have now all been taken over by the Upper Court Guard, they’re everywhere, I can’t even get out of the city."

Zhao Yiming sneered, saying, "I’m simply suppressed for now, not dead."

"Do you really think the Upper Court is a monolithic entity? There are many factions within it, and many are not on good terms with Luo."

"The Upper Court Guard that Luo brought to New Moon City this time comprises tens of thousands of people. While I can’t shake their entirety, with my network, it’s achievable to bribe a small portion."

He took out a prepared map from a drawer under the table, as well as a badge with a distinct double-helix emblem, and handed them to Zhou Hanyan.

"Follow the route on the map. If you encounter a patrol checkpoint in the middle, comply with the inspection, and then show them this badge. They will turn a blind eye."

"After leaving the city, head straight to the location marked with a red circle on the map. I’ve hidden a single-person aircraft there for you. Use it to find that floating airship, follow it discreetly, and don’t reveal yourself."

Seeing that Zhao Yiming had prepared everything, Zhou Hanyan knew there was no room for negotiation in this matter, so he could only grit his teeth and accept the items.

After setting things in motion, Zhao Yiming finally opened the small fridge in the office, retrieved a previously stored bottle of red wine, and filled two glasses.

He handed one to Zhou Hanyan, then lightly clinked their glasses together, revealing that usual profound and unfathomable smile, "The game is set, let’s play against the big shots."