Dual Worlds: I Have a Doomsday World

After all, the dividends from United Pharmaceutical were still a long way off, and Lin Qi’s current salary was relatively limited.

He had to find a way to earn some Credit Points first. The debts to Guang Ling and King Arthur needed to be paid soon.

He could put off paying Guang Ling, but King Arthur had to be paid as soon as possible. After all, Lin Qi still needed to order another batch of spacecraft from him.

As light flickered in Lin Qi’s eyes, Liu Xinglu, who was sitting opposite him, suddenly spoke. "This mission is arduous, and danger can strike at any moment. Don’t use the network to send messages casually."

"If something goes wrong and you’re mistaken for a mole, I won’t protect you."

Although Liu Xinglu wasn’t capable of cracking the "email" system, he could detect the signal fluctuations in the area.

The source was, unmistakably, Lin Qi.

Before Lin Qi could say anything, Liu Xuan spoke up from the side, "Fourth Uncle, Lin Qi can be trusted."

Liu Xuan’s reasoning was simple. Without Lin Qi, the Liu Clan would have no hope of a comeback.

Although she couldn’t tell her father and fourth uncle certain things for protective reasons, Liu Xuan hoped they would give Lin Qi the respect he deserved.

This was a purely rational judgment. Even if they were only considering their own interests, they shouldn’t be treating Lin Qi with such an attitude.

Hearing this, Liu Xinglu immediately fell silent again.

He closed his eyes, diving into the cyber network to continue his protection duties.

Lin Qi tilted his head and looked at Liu Xuan.

Noticing the faint light flickering in Liu Xuan’s left prosthetic eye, Lin Qi felt that her demeanor had changed quite a bit.

It seemed...

’She’s a bit more open now? Not deliberately avoiding certain things anymore.’

Liu Xuan boldly met his gaze, looking directly at Lin Qi, though her face, as always, showed no change in expression.

...

The silhouette of Red Fruit City was now in sight, and there were no further incidents on the road.

It seemed no Mercenary Corps was willing to take on the thorny job of dealing with Liu’s Heavy Industries.

This was partly due to the will of the Asian Political Zone Big Business Alliance, and partly due to Liu’s Heavy Industries’ recent battle record.

In the eyes of many Mercenary Corps, the recent experiences of Liu’s Heavy Industries were just plain weird.

Just a short while ago, they looked like they were on the verge of collapse.

Yet they managed a reversal and crippled the Si Clan.

Then the Si Clan stirred again, and once more, the Liu Clan looked like it was finished.

But in the end, things took another turn in Alliance City.

The Liu Clan survived and was doing just fine. They even launched United Pharmaceutical, looking like they were aiming to become a major player in two different sectors.

The Si Clan, in contrast, was completely finished.

Its leaders and heirs were all in custody, awaiting their judgment and fate.

As for the Si Clan’s original stronghold, Greenfield City, it had now become a new "free" metropolis. It was even more chaotic than Alliance City, currently in a state of anarchy where powerful corporations within the city counterbalanced each other to maintain a fragile stability.

Through one event after another, the Liu Clan had remained standing.

It was as if a giant, unseen hand was propping them up, helping them achieve their reversals.

The Floating Vehicle stopped at the H4 Skyscraper, the headquarters of United Pharmaceutical.

Liu Xinglu led his team inside United Pharmaceutical to deploy the Level 10 network security device.

"Remember to be at the company on time tomorrow. The device deployment will be finished today. We need to get the development of the S-Class Potion on the agenda as soon as possible. Right now, United Pharmaceutical needs a flagship product for the Potion market."

Liu Xuan made a point to remind him before he left the Floating Vehicle.

Then, Liu Xuan continued on in the Floating Vehicle, heading for Liu’s Heavy Industries.

She was not only the chairman of United Pharmaceutical but also a director at Liu’s Heavy Industries, and she needed to attend a board meeting there.

One could imagine that Liu’s Heavy Industries Headquarters would most likely erupt in arguments tonight.

Lin Qi felt a little helpless.

’I just got back from a business trip, and I don’t even get a day off tomorrow. I have to go to work like normal!’

’Ah, Capitalism!’

’It’s just...’

However, Lin Qi himself owned shares in United Pharmaceutical. Now, he was working for himself.

This act of hyper-capitalist exploitation had to continue. Otherwise, if United Pharmaceutical’s profits suffered, Lin Qi would have to bear part of the loss.

Standing on the top floor of the H4 Skyscraper, Lin Qi thought for a moment.

’That day I came to work, I took a Floating Vehicle... I think I came to the H4 Skyscraper in Liu Xuan’s flying vehicle. My own vehicle is still... over at 8 Fortress Road.’

Standing at the rooftop docking port, Lin Qi suddenly felt a headache coming on.

He checked the time. It was already nine in the evening.

Lin Qi had planned to head back to the Prosthetic Clinic.

How was he supposed to get back?

Suddenly, the sound of an elevator arriving made Lin Qi turn his head.

A familiar figure appeared.

"Old Dong? Getting off work on the dot again?"

...

Dong Wenlong had been in a great mood recently.

With Lin Qi away from the company, his life had returned to its usual tranquility.

He didn’t have to worry about someone appearing out of nowhere to debate with him.

Nor did he have to worry about seeing things he shouldn’t when coming to or leaving work.

By his estimation, Lin Qi should have stayed in Alliance City for a while longer, no matter what.

Even though the summit had ended.

But being with Chairman Liu...

Just as he was thinking about Lin Qi, the elevator doors opened, and Dong Wenlong heard Lin Qi’s voice.

’A beautiful day ends the moment I see Lin Qi.’

"How are you back so soon? Where’s Chairman Liu? Don’t tell me you..."

Dong Wenlong sized up Lin Qi suspiciously, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the space between Lin Qi’s legs.

’Don’t tell me it malfunctioned?’

Lin Qi completely ignored Dong Wenlong’s words and said matter-of-factly, "Old Dong, what a coincidence. Do me a favor and give me a ride. My flying vehicle isn’t at the company."

When Lin Qi said this, Dong Wenlong’s mood soured even further.

’Seriously?!’

’Are we that close?’

’We’re just regular colleagues, can’t you have some sense of boundaries?!’

’Don’t you know an old man doesn’t have much time left?!’

’How can you waste it on something like this?’

’Do you know that giving you a ride will waste at least several dozen minutes?’

’That’s several dozen minutes of my fucking life gone!’

’As for... refusing?’

Dong Wenlong really couldn’t refuse.

The relationship between Lin Qi and Liu Xuan had made the front page of the Cyber Media.

Was there anyone in the entire Asian Administrative Region who didn’t know of "Divine Power Lin Qi"?

He was practically the chief product spokesman for Liu’s Heavy Industries’ Divine Iron Bull!

Compared to Lin Qi’s accomplishments at the summit, the fame of the Divine Iron Bull was even more widespread.

Although he was thinking this, Dong Wenlong put on a smile. "Where to?"

’Beneath that smile was a silent curse against Capitalism.’

’This was a blatant abuse of company power, a naked exploitation of a diligent, A-Class senior employee!’

Lin Qi thought for a moment and said, "To the Edge Zone. My family’s Prosthetic Clinic."

"I just got back from Alliance City, so I need to go home and see my old man. He’s in his fifties now, so I should go check on him."

As soon as these words were spoken, the muscles of Dong Wenlong’s stiff smile couldn’t help but twitch.

’Old man? In his fifties?’

’Do you have any idea the old man in front of you is already sixty-one?’

’He’s already got one foot in the grave!’

’And now, late at night, I’m getting exploited by a damn Capitalist, forced to give him a ride that’s not even on my way!’

Dong Wenlong rubbed his face and said, "Alright!"

He agreed with surprising readiness.

Lin Qi looked at Dong Wenlong, puzzled.

’Wait a minute!’

’Is this still the Old Dong I know?’

’Since when did he have this kind of attitude?’

’Is this still the anti-rat-race warrior I know?’

Despite his thoughts, Lin Qi’s movements were not slow. He was already by Dong Wenlong’s flying vehicle in a flash.

"Old Dong, nice flying vehicle! Much better than that antique of mine. This must have set you back over four hundred thousand Credit Points, right?"

Dong Wenlong walked up to his flying vehicle.

He rarely spent money on weekdays, saving all his salary for retirement.

His total savings were enough to buy several S-Class Prosthetic Bodies.

But something like a flying vehicle had a long lifespan.

Buying a good one would be enough to last him through retirement.

He could even use it as a coffin when he was about to kick the bucket. How great was that!

Dong Wenlong said, "Let’s get going. I’m old, I need to get to bed early."

Lin Qi nodded and got into Dong Wenlong’s flying vehicle.

About five minutes after the flying vehicle took off, Lin Qi received an email from Liu Xuan.

"My flying vehicle is at the company. I’ve authorized your ID, so you can drive it back first. I’ll take a Liu Clan Floating Vehicle back after my meeting."

Lin Qi: "Old Dong, sorry to bother you, but turn around. Back to the company."

Dong Wenlong: "?"