Chapter 380 - 257: Return to Red Fruit City
Unbeknownst to Lin Qi, the third person to reject the Intercontinental Communication Network Company was also an acquaintance.
As Lin Qi gazed out the window, the security team completed the handover of the storage medium containing the S-Class Pharmacy Literature.
Liu Xinglu returned to the floating vehicle, carrying a briefcase.
Through his Spiritual Vision, Lin Qi saw that the briefcase contained a spherical device.
The base of the device bore the serial number "Cyber Network Company-Asia-10-091." If Lin Qi was correct, this serial number indicated it was device 091 of the Level 10 network security equipment sold by the Cyber Network Company to the Asian Administrative Region.
Level 10 network security—this was the highest tier of hardware protection.
Theoretically, no hacker in the Cyber World could breach a device of this level over a wireless network.
Furthermore, one could only connect to this device via a wired connection or by accessing its subnet at close range.
’Guang Ling is only rated for Level 7 network offense and defense, but is that really all there is to it?’
Whenever Lin Qi saw network equipment, he couldn’t help but wonder if Guang Ling could pull off an intrusion.
Before the operation in Alliance City, Lin Qi had always believed Guang Ling’s control over the cyber network was no different from that of a God.
Snapping out of his reverie, Lin Qi saw Liu Xinglu shoot him another hostile look.
He even seemed to clutch the briefcase a little tighter.
Lin Qi glanced at Liu Xinglu’s expression, then turned to Liu Xuan. "May I see this information now? I’m very interested in S-Class Pharmacy. I had some new insights into Pharmacy during the summit, and after reading the S-Class materials, I might be able to get promoted to S-Class Pharmaceutical Researcher very soon."
Lin Qi wasn’t lying. During the summit, while he was creating a Potion using over a hundred ingredients, he’d had a feeling that once the number surpassed a hundred, the materials might have the potential for further evolution.
However, as Lin Qi said this, he also glanced at Liu Xinglu.
In Liu Xinglu’s eyes, it was as if Lin Qi’s words carried a hidden meaning.
It was as if he were saying: ’Oi! Old man, why are you guarding it so jealously? It’s going to be mine sooner or later!’
Liu Xinglu’s annoyance instantly flared. He desperately wanted to tell Lin Qi, ’Dream on!’
’I won’t allow it!’
But Liu Xuan said to Lin Qi, "Let’s wait until we’re back in Red Fruit City. According to the activation key procedure the Big Business Alliance sent me, the device’s subnet needs to be deployed before we can connect to it. It’s part of the Level 10 security protocol."
To Liu Xinglu, however, Liu Xuan’s words sounded completely different.
It was as if she were saying: ’What’s the rush? Once we’re back, you can have your way with it!’
Although Liu Xinglu was fuming internally, he couldn’t vent his frustration in front of Liu Xuan.
But deep down, Liu Xinglu knew that Lin Qi was right.
Sooner or later, it would be his.
Whether it was the literature stored in the device, or...
In all of Red Fruit City, whether inside United Pharmaceutical or Liu’s Heavy Industries, Lin Qi was the only person capable of using the information on this device to spearhead the research and development of S-Class Potions.
Based on his Ability, Lin Qi deserved every privilege he received.
Perhaps this was also the reason why Liu Xingyuan chose to support Liu Xuan.
Liu Xinglu knew Liu Xuan’s father well enough.
He factored in sentiment, but not much.
All his decisions were made for the benefit of the Liu Clan.
But "Liu Clan" in this context didn’t necessarily mean Liu’s Heavy Industries, but rather the Liu Clan family.
For this very reason, Liu Xinglu fell silent, closed his eyes, and quietly connected to the cyber network.
As an S-Class Prosthetic Implanter and S-Class Cyber Hacker, he was at his most terrifying with his eyes closed.
The inside of the floating vehicle fell silent.
Lin Qi extended his Spiritual Vision outward and could see that the team from Red Fruit City was about to leave the confines of Alliance City.
Gazing down at the "free" city below, Lin Qi felt a wave of emotion. ’I probably won’t be back here for a very long time.’
According to Lin Qi’s current plans, Red Fruit City was the home base where he could grow his power in peace.
As long as the Liu Clan didn’t fall, Red Fruit City wouldn’t be in any great danger.
Lin Qi opened the message page on his Intelligent Brain. He had quite a few unread messages.
Most were from the Medical Small Business Alliance, and Lin Qi didn’t bother replying to them individually.
He only picked out a few to reply to, like Xiao Gu and Yuan Hong.
As for the other, less important messages that offered little benefit, Lin Qi simply used the one-click smart reply function—very convenient.
At the end of the day, Lin Qi was also a man who weighed his own interests carefully.
After surviving in the Cyber World for so long, one naturally developed a mental scale for weighing self-interest.
You couldn’t blame Lin Qi for that.
Fortunately, however, Lin Qi still had a good deal of "humanity" in him, as well as the bonds of family.
He sent an email to his dad: "I should be arriving in Red Fruit City tonight. I’ll probably stop by to see you later."
Then he sent an email to Lin Xin: "The company business in Alliance City is done. I’m on my way back to Red Fruit City."
There was no immediate reply from his dad, but Lin Xin’s came back instantly.
Lin Xin: "Good, you’re not dead. Keep in touch."
Lin Xin was as direct as ever. Her words really made you want to punch her.
A moment later, his dad’s message came through: "Coming home for a bit tonight? Great. The clinic’s a little busy, come back and lend a hand!"
’Lend a hand?’
’Dad couldn’t be busy installing Divine Iron Bulls for those fourth-rate gang members from Red Fruit City, could he?’
An image flashed through Lin Qi’s mind.
But this trip back was still necessary.