Luminous Dew District, Ferris Wheel Corporation Headquarters.

Under the light screen of the conference room, a huge landscape of the Outer Ocean is displayed on the table. Beneath the rolling white clouds and azure waves, densely packed islands are distributed, each with its name marked above, representing various oceanic island nations. The number of islands in the ocean is hard to count precisely, exceeding thirty thousand in total.

In today's world, to cope with the upcoming Great Boom, besides the major powers like the Da Shun Republic, Linax Federation, and the Noros Theocracy, which occupy a pole of the world, the remaining countries and regions have strengthened their connections and cooperation under this pressure, gradually forming regional alliances.

For example, the Norland Northern Alliance in the remote west, the Paragnio Faith Region at the junction of the eastern and western continental plates, and the Samavoga Continental Council across the sea from the western continent.

In the eastern ocean, there is also an Oceanic Council composed of numerous oceanic island nations. However, compared to other regional alliances, this is a very loose union.

When the Da Shun Republic overthrew the Old Imperial Family, most of the Outer Ocean island nations sided with the Old Imperial Family. Therefore, after the Imperial Family was overthrown, the hostile relations remained unresolved. The Da Shun Republic has been continuously suppressing and dividing them for decades, leading to numerous internal conflicts.

To break free from this situation, twenty-eight island nations formed a high-level council and, with the help and support of some external forces, established the Ferris Wheel Corporation. On the huge, continuously rotating Ferris Wheel at the company headquarters, each of the twenty-eight cabins represents one of these nations.

Although the prototype of the Ferris Wheel Corporation existed before the old times, it was only announced and established less than ten years ago.

Over the past decade, the company has developed rapidly under a parallel strategy of self-research and purchasing technology from around the world, especially in island agriculture, marine husbandry, artificial landscape spaces, regional transportation, and waste processing and recycling technologies.

In today's conference room, all twenty-eight main directors are present, standing in front of the landscape table. The person presiding over the meeting says:

"The Union's representatives are currently observing and evaluating our Ferris Wheel Corporation for a period of three months to a year. This concerns whether we can join the Company Union, and as such, we will face severe challenges."

All the company directors look serious, as they have reached a crossroads. This step relates to whether the company can continue, whether the capital and technology they have gathered can find a way out, and even the fate and future of the island nations they represent.

Before the Great Boom truly arrives, they must prepare for all eventualities.

"All directors should be aware that once the application process starts, we will inevitably incur the hostility of the Great Shun Government and local companies. The previously harmonious and warm facade will be torn away, and they will spare no effort to suppress and exclude us..."

The meeting leader says with a high-pitched tone: "They will try every means to knock us down, kill us, feast on our flesh, and extract nutrients from our corpses. Therefore, we cannot fail, we must ensure success!

After the end of the imperial war and the overthrow of the Old Imperial Family, the Great Shun Government has been continuously infiltrating and suppressing us over the past decades with the help of the Sea Dragon Company and the Oceanic Development Group.

Our lifeblood, including bio-ecology, algae cultivation and refining, ore exploration and mining, ocean transportation, military weapons, and implant technology, has been controlled by the state-owned enterprises and capital groups of Da Shun.

Now, as long as we join the Company Union, we can break through the technological blockade and also gain military support from the Union. If we retreat at this step, the oceanic islands will forever be harvested by the Great Shun Government and the companies of various countries in the world."

The meeting leader says to the many directors: "The Union also has its own demands. Our advantage is that they need us; they need a stable foothold here in Da Shun, but the premise is... we can maintain our existence."

He then reaches out and touches the Boundary Token, then taps a few times on the light screen, which immediately displays densely packed figures, about a hundred, with brief data notes beside them.

These people include company executives, government officials, military personnel, clients, gang members, and even some seemingly ordinary drivers, warehouse managers, and even the unemployed.

"According to Wu Qi's analysis, these are the people who have posed a threat to the company in recent years, and recently, the most critical among them are these few..."

The scene changes again, with many figures fading away, leaving only seven, among which are the three people known to Sister Huan, including Chen Chuan.

The meeting leader says: "To prevent our plan to join the Union from being disrupted, we must eliminate these seven threats as much as possible."

One director glances and says: "I remember we sent a team to eliminate a target last time, but the result was a failure. Since the target was a member of the Processing Bureau, the Processing Bureau has increased its monitoring and surveillance of us. Our legal team is still dealing with this matter."

"This only shows the threat this person poses to us and that we haven't taken this matter seriously enough before."

The meeting leader says: "We should rearrange personnel and assassination teams, sparing no cost to eliminate these targets, hoping to see results in a short time."

Another director says: "The Martial Artists currently gathered by the company are all closely watched by the Processing Bureau, making it difficult for us to mobilize personnel. Given the target's extraordinary strength, I propose that perhaps we should request personnel from the Wave Pavilion, and here we need the Gong Family to step in."

The Wave Pavilion is the most famous martial combat hall on the ocean, from which many renowned Martial Artists have emerged.

Since the land was granted by the Gong Family royalty when it was first established, the true masters in the hall only move when invited by the direct descendants of the Gong Family.

The meeting leader says: "Then let Gong Zhan Xin go there."

He looks at all the directors on both sides of the table, "In the next three months to a year, for the benefit of the company and the future of the nations, we need to eliminate all the personnel listed by Wu Qi!"

In the Wuyi Academy dormitory, after Chen Chuan has packed all his things, it's already the 28th. He plans to set off back to Yang Zhi tonight.

However, he recalls the task previously assigned to him by Commissioner Liang, so he checks and finds some scattered discussions about Chen Bitong on the Baseplatform.

The main point is about Chen Bitong establishing a training and guidance class in Central City, and someone proudly showing off an invitation letter, which has sparked much envy.

He checks and finds that the person who posted the letter is likely the son of a Central City government official, and most of the comments below are from young people of similar status.

It's evident that Chen Bitong's influence extends beyond the Convergence Zone, not only due to his own reputation but also the power of the faction behind him.

He notes that the invitation is for February, which is around the time of the new semester at Wuyi, when he should be returning from Yang Zhi.

After some thought, he logs off the platform and heads to the training room to continue his cultivation for the day.

At 8 PM, he leaves the dormitory with his suitcase, drives out from the Mysterious Palace Tower in his Jiade car, and as usual, bids farewell to Hong Fu standing on the building's eaves, then gradually drives away under her veiled gaze.

Since he had agreed with Lu Fang to return to Yang Zhi together, he first heads to the Voidward District, and after more than an hour, arrives in front of the underground martial combat hall.

The night in Central City is filled with flashing lights of all colors, and even on this quiet street, one can see crisscrossing neon lights and beams.

Lu Fang is already waiting here with his luggage, waves at the approaching car, and walks up.

Chen Chuan unlocks the passenger side door, gets out of the car, walks to the back to open the trunk, lets Lu Fang put his luggage there, then returns to the car.

When Lu Fang gets in, he sees Zhao Ming squatting in the back seat and is surprised: "This is..."

Chen Chuan says: "His name is Zhao Ming."

Zhao Ming chirps and greets Lu Fang.

Lu Fang smiles and says: "Hello."

Chen Chuan says: "Have you sorted out all your matters, senior?"

Lu Fang turns back and says: "All sorted. There are two seniors at the martial combat hall who aren't going back for the New Year, and there aren't many people studying during the New Year. As for Number Thirteen, she won't be taking any commissions during the New Year."

Chen Chuan nods. He had heard from Lu Fang before that although Number Thirteen has Resonance technology, without an identity, she often encounters defaults on commissions. Sometimes, it's Lu Fang who steps in to help her resolve these issues, and she shares some of the rewards with Lu Fang, making it a mutually beneficial relationship.

He starts the car and drives onto the main road.

At this moment, he can't help but recall what Ni Qianxi told him a few days ago.

He doesn't know why the Ferris Wheel Corporation is targeting him, and perhaps it's not possible to judge the situation with conventional logic.

Attacking him in Central City is somewhat difficult, but it's relatively easier outside.

However, if he were with the Ferris Wheel Corporation and wanted to make a move on him, it's unlikely to be in Yang Zhi. Instead, they might place the ambush on the National Highway, as it's open, remote, with no support, and it's convenient to arrange personnel there.

But since he left until now, Wu Bei hasn't seen anyone following or monitoring him, and his itinerary has been shielded, so the journey back should be safe.

Instead, when he returns to Central City again, those with intentions might be able to infer his return time based on his Telegram and past situations.

So, if they are to make a move on him, it might be at that time.

But this is just his assumption, as he's not clear about the other party's purpose and determination. It might also be that he's overthinking it.

But whether there is or isn't, it's always right to prepare in advance.

...

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