Luo Xiaowei was just chatting and laughing with Zhao Qiang, but now her brows furrowed again: "Lei Xiaohai, you have to give me a reason for what you're going to do with the money."
Lei Xiaohai said, "If you want to lend me the money, then give me the money. If you don't, I'll leave right away and not waste any more time."
Luo Xiaowei compromised: "I'll go upstairs and get it for you. Zhao Qiang, I'm sorry, I'll just leave it here."
Zhao Qiang waved his hand: "Go on with your work, I'm going back."
Lei Xiaohai then noticed Zhao Qiang on the sidewalk. He had previously thought he was just a random passerby, but with money on his mind, Lei Xiaohai glanced at Zhao Qiang without saying anything and followed Luo Xiaowei upstairs.
Volume 1 [067] The Screwdriver Broken
Zhao Qiang left the residential area to wait for the bus. It was a little after 1 p.m., but the bus seemed to be running particularly slowly. He waited for five minutes but didn't see it. Instead, the Audi A6 came out and drove up to Zhao Qiang as wildly as ever, then braked suddenly. However, this time, it wasn't just Lei Xiaohai who got off the bus, but four young men of similar age. Judging from their appearance, they were basically no different from the tattooed dragon.
How could Luo Xiaowei associate with such a person and even lend him money? Zhao Qiang felt deeply sorry for her!
With a snap, Lei Xiaohai lit a cigarette with his Zippo lighter, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke toward Zhao Qiang—a gesture of contempt.
"You," Lei Xiaohai said, pointing a cigarette lighter between his index and middle fingers at Zhao Qiang, "what's your relationship with Luo Xiaowei?"
Zhao Qiang was extremely annoyed. After all, he was now a half-superman with all sorts of magical weapons for self-defense, practically wearing his underwear inside out. This Lei Xiaohai dared to act like a big shot in front of him, so Zhao Qiang simply ignored him.
Lei Xiaohai's accomplice A said to Lei Xiaohai, "Xiaohai, I think he's just asking for trouble. He dares to touch your woman, what are you talking about? Before we came, he was doing something at Luo Xiaowei's house."
Lei Xiaohai's facial muscles twitched, and he threw the cigarette to the ground angrily. "Let's fight first and talk about it later!"
*Snap*, accomplice B opened the trunk of the A6. Inside were the weapons of the "artsy youths": iron rods, baseball bats, and machetes. Zhao Qiang immediately realized something was wrong. These four were nothing like the group from this morning. They were ruddy-faced and looked like they had grown up eating sea cucumbers and abalone. Without marathon training, Zhao Qiang couldn't beat them. Although he was wearing a three-proof shirt, if these guys kept hitting his head and thighs, Zhao Qiang would be dead for sure.
A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, so Zhao Qiang took off running! Who told Xiao Wei to prepare such a convenient escape tool for him? If these four dared to chase Zhao Qiang, he would give them a marathon run, and once they were completely relaxed, that would be the time for Zhao Qiang to deal with them.
"Chase!" Lei Xiaohai took the lead, his steps steady, the wind rushing past his ears as he ran, probably because he usually takes a lot of calcium supplements.
Zhao Qiang has mastered all the functions of the running shoes. They activate when the foot strikes hard and the frequency of both shoes leaving the ground is high. The running shoe system increases jumping power while using the battery in the sole to assist the swing of the thigh. With its help, Zhao Qiang's legs seem to have divine assistance, allowing him to sprint with long strides. His speed is much stronger than that of calcium supplements, and he has the potential to catch up with Liu Xiang.
Lei Xiaohai and his three companions were initially full of energy. One of them, C, was a former sports school student who had run the 100-meter sprint. He thought he could beat Zhao Qiang within 500 meters. However, even as he sprinted with his neck craned back and yelled, he still couldn't catch up with Zhao Qiang, always trailing by about five or six meters. He was so angry that he yelled and screamed like a monkey in heat.
As Zhao Qiang ran, he would occasionally turn back and smile. When the distance between them widened, he would slow down and wait for them. This was practically a contemptuous act towards Lei Xiaohai, which infuriated Lei Xiaohai. He was so angry that he threw the iron rod in his hand with a whoosh, intending to sweep it across Zhao Qiang's leg, trip him up, and then catch Zhao Qiang and beat him severely.
Zhao Qiang ripped the monstrous screwdriver off his keychain. With a thought, he commanded the screwdriver to transform into a thin little shield. He used it to block the iron rod Lei Xiaohai threw at him. The iron rod struck the shield with a crisp thud and fell to the ground, leaving Zhao Qiang unharmed. However, to everyone's surprise, a small piece of Zhao Qiang's little shield shattered upon impact. This startled Zhao Qiang, and he no longer cared about teasing Lei Xiaohai. He accelerated forward at full speed, managing to catch up with the bus that had already passed. The men and women on the bus stared in disbelief at Zhao Qiang charging like a cheetah outside. After a long while, someone gave him a thumbs up and said, "Wow, that's amazing! He even saved on his bus fare!"
Led by Zhao Qiang, Lei Xiaohai and his three companions chased him for nearly a kilometer before losing sight of him. Their explosive power was exhausted, forcing them to slow down and stop. A middle-aged man, panting heavily, caught up from behind, calling out, "Classmates, wait a minute, wait for me!"
The worst off was accomplice A, who was bent over with his hands on his thighs, saying, "I'm so tired, so tired. That kid is a donkey, he jumped around too fast. I've never seen a guy who can keep going for so long."
Lei Xiaohai was parched from running, and only after spitting out a mouthful of saliva did he realize he had no saliva left: "Damn, he actually blocked my sweeping leg kick. Where does this kid come from? He's pretty good at fighting."
Gangmate C is only good at short-distance sprints, but when it comes to longer distances, he is not as good as Lei Xiaohai and the other two. So he was the last to catch up: "Xiaohai, I think he might be from a sports school. Let's search every sports academy and find him."
Lei Xiaohai was still annoyed that Zhao Qiang had gotten away when the middle-aged man caught up with him. He put one hand on Lei Xiaohai's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I'm so tired, classmate. Which school are you from? Join the city sports school, and I'll guarantee you'll get into the national track and field team..."
Lei Xiaohai shoved the middle-aged man away, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Lei Xiaohai cursed, "Fuck you, get out of here!"
Sensing Lei Xiaohai's anger, the middle-aged man got up from the ground and moved aside, saying, "How can you be so rude, classmate? Have all your years of learning gone to waste?" The middle-aged man spoke the word "donkey" very softly, otherwise Lei Xiaohai would have beaten him to a pulp if he had heard it.
Accomplice A approached, carrying an iron rod: "Politeness my ass! Tell me, isn't that kid running ahead your student?"
The middle-aged man, terrified at having encountered such a formidable opponent, turned pale. "I...I don't know him. I thought you were all practicing running together. If you can find him and get him into the city sports school, I'll guarantee him a spot on the national track and field team..."
Lei Xiaohai kicked the middle-aged man to the ground, then left with his three accomplices. The middle-aged man got up and shouted at their retreating backs, "If you're interested, come find me at the city sports school. I'll guarantee you a spot on the national track and field team..."
The reason Zhao Qiang gave up on teasing Lei Xiaohai, and didn't wait to exhaust them before giving them a beating under the protection of his rugged shirt, was because his monstrous screwdriver had broken. This result shocked and distressed Zhao Qiang, and he was no longer in the mood to run with Lei Xiaohai and the others. The pride and smugness he had felt earlier because of his running shoes and rugged shirt vanished instantly, and his mood plummeted to rock bottom.
Zhao Qiang, like a tireless engine, ran for over three thousand meters and made several turns before finally making sure he had shaken off Lei Xiaohai. He then stopped by the roadside, went into a supermarket and wandered around for a while. After observing that Lei Xiaohai was not following him, he secretly returned to the road he had come from. Luckily, he found the piece of the freakish screwdriver that had been smashed by the iron rod. No one would treat it like a treasure, leaving it lying quietly by the roadside. A girl even stepped on it.
Xiao Wei once said that this screwdriver, when stretched into a wire, could bear a weight of one ton. Zhao Qiang had just transformed it into a small shield, extremely thin. It's possible that the flying iron rod, due to its inertial impact, exceeded the screwdriver's bearing capacity, causing it to shatter from its main body. Zhao Qiang held the fragment in one hand and the screwdriver in the other. When the two touched, he tried to give the screwdriver a mental command to merge. Sure enough, the fragment slowly disappeared and eventually merged with the screwdriver. It's truly amazing technology. How did they do that? I hope one day we can unveil the full mystery of these repair tools, and ideally, we can mass-produce them.
Lei Xiaohai's matter is over. If they don't meet again, they will naturally live in peace. Although Zhao Qiang can run and jump, his actual combat ability is far inferior. He can't always exhaust people by running before fighting them. So it's best not to run into Lei Xiaohai. If he does run into Zhao Qiang, he will avoid him. He is not arrogant enough to be presumptuous.
Back at Shunfeng Technology Company, after plugging Xiaowei into an external power source to charge her, Zhao Qiang took out the abnormal screwdriver and asked, "Xiaowei, is there any way to make this screwdriver several levels harder?"
If even a layer as thin as a cicada's wing can withstand a heavy blow from an iron rod, then Zhao Qiang could sweep through the underworld with his deformable screwdriver and three-proof shirt, regardless of whether someone has a dragon tattoo, a tiger tattoo, or Lei Xiaohai; whoever provokes him will be beaten.
(It's a new week, and there are only four days left before the rankings drop. I hope everyone can continue to support Xiaoqiang. Thank you so much!)
Volume 1 [068] Substance 'A'
Xiao Wei actually wore a coat this time! Zhao Qiang was surprised and didn't bother to ask about the screwdriver anymore. "You, you have a cold? Why are you wearing clothes?"
Xiao Wei's cat outfit is a pretty little floral dress. Since she has been walking upright lately, wearing a floral dress doesn't bother her. She said, "Everyone else is wearing clothes, it would be awkward if I didn't."
Zhao Qiang didn't say anything more; he couldn't very well leave a female cat naked. Xiao Wei briefly showed off her pretty dress before getting to the point, "Brother, as I mentioned before, these repair tools have only undergone preliminary modifications. My chip needs repair now, so I can't continue upgrading them. Moreover, each upgrade consumes a lot of electricity, and the more functions I add to the repair tools, the more difficult the upgrades become. The more critical problem is that my original storage box is exhausted; the remaining materials aren't even enough for half an upgrade. For ordinary modifications, ordinary materials from discarded appliances can be used, but for upgrades, high-purity refined materials are required. Otherwise, my chip's excessive energy output due to the purification of the materials will further widen the cracks..."
Zhao Qiang immediately shouted, "No! You absolutely cannot do anything that could harm you in the future!"
"Thank you for your concern, brother," Xiaowei said, making a cute bow to Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang replied, "Our fates are intertwined. If anything happens to you, everything I have will be gone. We must live well and make something of ourselves. By the way, Xiaowei, where can we buy the raw materials for the black box?"
Xiao Wei said, "I can't buy it. I've been searching for relevant information online for the past few days. This kind of material doesn't exist on Earth yet. The original black box was made by me gathering several materials over a long period of time to synthesize that little bit."
Zhao Qiang was getting anxious: "What can we do? We can't upgrade the repair tools anymore?"
Xiao Wei smiled and said, "Brother, you can use Earth's technology to manufacture this material, and then I can use it to upgrade and modify repair tools."
Zhao Qiang was somewhat skeptical: "You can create it? I thought you conjured it up with magic."
Xiao Wei said, "How could that be, brother? The things I do seem mysterious and inexplicable to you, but they are actually based on theories. It's just that you don't know enough right now, so I can't explain them to you clearly. For example, slimming tea is actually caused by the force field formed by energy affecting its cell arrangement. It's like a normally dividing cell suddenly becoming cancerous, and its ability to reproduce and destroy is amplified many times over."
Zhao Qiang interjected, "You could say that the C we commonly see, which has little value, can become a precious diamond under certain conditions?"
Xiao Wei said, "Brother is right, that's exactly the point. Because of the huge change force formed by the force field, the effects of ordinary slimming tea are amplified infinitely, which is why it has such a magical effect. But the process is more complicated than studying nuclear fusion, and it can't be explained in a few words. However, brother is already studying harder, and I think one day you will understand it yourself. At that time, brother will definitely be the greatest scientist on earth!"
Zhao Qiang clenched his fist: "So it's true that I was right to make the most of my time to study."
Xiao Wei said, "But you can't just study your textbooks. I'll recommend some books for you to read. Whether you can understand them or not, memorize them first. When you encounter relevant examples, you'll be able to apply them. Hmm, actually, I'm also considering whether it's possible to implant biochips into the human brain to assist in learning and memory. Hehe, right now I'm just making assumptions based on the remaining data. In reality, there's still a long way to go before it's realized. Also, I'm afraid that implanting brain chips might cause some damage to the human brain, so for now, brother, don't think about this too much."
Implanting an assistive chip into the human brain! This is what it means to create a superhuman! Zhao Qiang was incredibly excited. Even though Xiao Wei said this was just a hypothetical scenario, there was still hope! Zhao Qiang calmed himself down and said, "Okay, I promise I will make the most of every spare moment to study and will never let you down."
Xiao Wei said, "I believe my brother can do it. Let's continue talking about the production of the materials used for the modification. Large-scale mass production is definitely difficult to achieve, but I don't need too much. Because my chip is damaged, even if it is repaired and modified, it will be limited, otherwise it will be damaged again. So as long as there is a modern laboratory, the production capacity can be maintained by artificial manufacturing alone."
Zhao Qiang nodded: "Yes, we're not looking for speed now, we're looking for stability. We must ensure you don't encounter any danger before we proceed with the upgrade and modification. What do you need me to do?"
Xiao Wei said, "First, you need to find an advanced physics laboratory with a particle accelerator and a group of experienced physics PhD students. It would be even better if you could find an experienced professor. I'm afraid that ordinary researchers wouldn't be able to handle the synthesis process. In addition, you need to prepare diamond, which is quite expensive. Actually, if you don't mind the trouble, you can prepare pure carbon, but you will have to add a high temperature and high pressure forming process. You also need pure silicon with 12 nines, the softest metal sodium, the best conductor of electricity silver, the best malleable gold, and the rest are common substances that are definitely available in the laboratory. I won't go into details, or I'm afraid that if I say too much, my brother won't remember them."
Zhao Qiang rested his head on his hand: "Even if I memorize it, it's useless. These things aren't easy to get, and physics labs are hard to find. I need time. Maybe these problems will be solved once I make some money."
Xiao Wei said, "Brother, you're so stupid. You can work with Hu Qian to operate and optimize the software, so why can't you also find someone to work with on the manufacturing of this material? That way, you won't need a laboratory or have to spend money to prepare those raw materials yourself. You just need to provide them with the technology."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "That is indeed a solution, but won't teaming up with outsiders expose our secrets?"
Xiao Wei explained, “In my plan, this substance is named ‘A’ according to its sequence. To others, it’s just incredibly hard and almost unaffected by temperature, so no one will know that I use it as a catalyst and fusion agent. When I use energy to change its molecular arrangement, it can exhibit multiple properties: when I fuse it with metal, its ductility is maximized, allowing the screwdriver to extend like a thread being pulled, and due to the inherent molecular hardness of ‘A’, it can withstand a ton of tension without breaking; if I fuse it with steel, it is shaped into various sturdy screwdrivers. The neuronal biosensor chip I have embedded in the screwdriver handle controls the energy storage device within the handle. When you send a command, the chip receives the neuronal signal, analyzes it, makes the correct judgment, and then triggers the energy storage device to stimulate the ‘A’ substance to quickly fuse with the elements within the screwdriver to meet your command requirements.”
Zhao Qiang wasn't a researcher, so he didn't quite understand what Xiao Wei was saying, but he grasped the underlying principles. In short, this material, which ranked first in Xiao Wei's material sequence, was like a weather vane, able to sway whichever way it was told. With it, Xiao Wei could easily modify and repair tools, and further upgrade the modified tools without worrying about causing any damage to herself.
"Brother must be confused. Don't worry, I'll print out the relevant information, and you can find someone to produce it. Right now, your foundation is weak, so I don't expect you to do in-depth research on this subject."
Zhao Qiang nodded: "That would be best. Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't understand and will go in the wrong direction. You can explain it to me in detail when I learn about this in the future. But we must find a reliable person, preferably someone who can guide him to 'research' it himself. That way, we can stay out of it. Anyway, I don't want fame."
Xiao Wei said admiringly, "When the time comes, we'll sit in the shadows and reap the benefits. You're really good at these kinds of schemes and tricks, brother."
Zhao Qiang was sweating profusely. Was this really the image Xiao Wei harbored in his heart? The human mind could indeed be quite treacherous; Xiao Wei's assessment wasn't an exaggeration. But precisely because of the wickedness of human nature, this choice needed to be even more cautious. Zhao Qiang began to have a headache.
Xiao Wei said, "Brother, I have an excellent candidate to recommend to you."
Zhao Qiang asked anxiously, "Who?"
Xiao Wei said, "Professor Gu."
Zhao Qiang's vision went black: "Him?"
Xiao Wei said, "That's right. Based on the reports about him online, I think he's a good mentor. He certainly wouldn't covet our research or steal our products. He's an honest and kind elder who has always been respected by everyone. He wouldn't be easily tempted by profit, so he probably wouldn't have any intention of harming us."
Zhao Qiang said, "You mean you want me to inspire and teach Professor Gu about the relevant knowledge, so that he can gradually learn how to produce 'A' substance?"
Xiao Wei said, "Yes, Professor Gu has been doing research on new materials. I think he would definitely not let this topic go if he knew about it. Moreover, I know that his laboratory is also very suitable. It just so happens that he intends for you to pursue a master's degree. This is a golden opportunity."
Zhao Qiang fainted: "Old Gu intends to take me as his student and teach me knowledge. I haven't even officially become his student yet, and he's already planning to teach him knowledge instead. Isn't that a great act of treason?"
Xiao Wei said, "Brother, you're wrong. Professor Gu once said in a speech, 'Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me.' I don't think he's the kind of person who's unwilling to accept new knowledge. Of course, brother, you should also pay attention to your methods and wording. You can use the opportunity of asking for advice to guide Professor Gu to learn about this kind of knowledge. Don't just go up and tell him everything."
Zhao Qiang said, "Alright, I'll give it a try. But I need to seize the opportunity. I've only met him once, so I can't just go to him for advice out of nowhere."
Volume 1 [069] Someone Brings a Pillow When You're Sleepy
Zhao Qiang discussed the broken screwdriver with Xiao Wei again. The problem was that the 'A' substance added to the screwdriver was too low in purity. Since that was the case, Zhao Qiang had no other choice but to wait until the 'A' substance was manufactured and Xiao Wei's chip was repaired before further upgrading it. At that time, with a super-powerful screwdriver, Zhao Qiang would be able to dominate the 'world'.
Zhao Qiang went to the manager's office and saw rows of sample machines neatly arranged on the counter, with a total value of tens of thousands. The other offices were filled with various consumables, with a total value of over two hundred thousand. The stock was very complete, much larger than Wang Yidong's Home Inn computer company, but it would be disastrous if they couldn't sell them.
As Zhao Qiang was complaining inwardly, the iron gate to the courtyard was pushed open with a clatter, and Xu Xiaoya's Passat drove in. She turned off the engine and entered the finance department, looking exhausted. "Zhao Qiang, you didn't go to Home Inn Computer Company?"
Zhao Qiang was considering how to dispose of these goods when he said in a curt tone, "It's none of your business."
Xu Xiaoya glared at her: "Are you out of your mind? Who upset you?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Look at all this inventory you've brought in. The company is short of working capital right now. What if we can't sell the goods? Wouldn't we suffer huge losses?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "I know exactly what I'm buying. We haven't opened yet, so I assure you that we'll sell out all of this within two days of opening. Zhao Qiang, I know you complain about not having money to buy old computers during the day, but do you know that if the company wants to expand and make progress, business channels are the most important thing, not doing small-scale business?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It's precisely because we lack a complete business channel that I didn't want to make the repair company too big at the beginning. We need to accumulate customers step by step, one step at a time. You've started with such a large operation right away. Do you even understand business?"
Xu Xiaoya got angry: "I don't understand business? I've begged and pleaded for your company, and used every connection my parents could. Don't you have any conscience? Who am I doing all this for? It's not even my company. Why am I worrying about it?"
Xu Xiaoya burst into tears, feeling wronged. She believed she had given so much but received no recognition. Zhao Qiang was also aggrieved. He thought Xu Xiaoya was making a mess of things, ruining the company, while Xu Xiaoya thought Zhao Qiang was conservative, lacked current business strategies, and couldn't handle interpersonal relationships, making it impossible for him to build a successful company. Because they were thinking from different perspectives, their business philosophies clashed, but neither could produce evidence to prove they were right.
As soon as Xu Xiaoya started crying, Zhao Qiang immediately gave in. He was the kind of old-fashioned man who wouldn't compromise if a woman confronted him directly, but if she attacked him with tears, Zhao Qiang had no choice but to surrender. He was just too chivalrous and couldn't bear to see girls suffer. Alas, that was his weakness.
"Alright, alright, class monitor, stop crying. It's my fault. I shouldn't have been so harsh with you just now."
Xu Xiaoya wiped away her tears: "It's good that you know you're wrong. You'll definitely receive a surprise on the opening day. Then you'll know how much I've done for the company these past few days."
Zhao Qiang was in a state of confusion. Xu Xiaoya didn't really need to work for him. If, as she said, they could sell out all the goods as soon as the store opened, then Xu Xiaoya's efforts for Shunfeng Technology Company far exceeded Zhao Qiang's. Why should she help him like this? He only got back the 400,000 yuan with Xu Xiaoya's help. If he sold those slimming teas on his own, he would only make a little over 10,000 yuan at most. The goods stored in the warehouse were practically free, and he even yelled at her.
"Squad leader, you look tired. Go and rest for a while," Zhao Qiang said with concern, feeling guilty.
Xu Xiaoya then wiped away her tears with satisfaction: "Hey, Zhao Qiang, I haven't had lunch yet."
Zhao Qiang felt even more sorry for Xu Xiaoya, who had given up her lunch break to run business. He quickly said, "I'll cook you some instant noodles."
Xu Xiaoya sat on the sofa in the department office, watching Zhao Qiang busily boiling water to cook instant noodles. She said with satisfaction, "Zhao Qiang, you will definitely be a good husband in the future."