"You all stay where you are, and no one is allowed to approach the door. I'll go in by myself." Yang Shiqi made his decision after a moment's thought. This night was the most difficult time of his life. To be honest, he was extremely regretful. He shouldn't have been so reckless as to bring the radioactive material to Donghai City, and he shouldn't have let Zhao Qiang stay inside alone and mess around with it.
Today's monthly pass count reached [number], continuing tonight! Strongly guaranteed to be awesome!
Volume 2 [173] Repair and Upgrade
Pinfaqi gently pushed open the door. In the dim light, Zhao Qiang sat facing a pile of messy wrapping paper; dozens of boxes of chocolates were gone.
"Zhao Qiang?" Yang Shiqi called softly. He was relieved when he saw that the tanker truck was safe and sound. Otherwise, he really wouldn't have paid any attention to Zhao Qiang.
Zhao Qiang slowly turned around. Yang Shiqi was startled by his turn and almost ran away. "Who...who are you?" Zhao Qiang smiled bitterly: "Don't joke around. I'm exhausted. Have your kitchen start cooking for me in a big pot. I need to replenish my energy. The more the better, any ingredients are fine."
Yang Shiqi could hardly believe that the emaciated man, as thin as tree bark, was Zhao Qiang. He was completely different from the obese guy she had seen in the prefab house earlier. "You... how did you get so thin? Did you eat all that chocolate?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Do you know how much effort I put into refining these materials? Aren't you going to get them ready?"
"It worked?" Yang Shiqi's voice trembled.
Zhao Qiang pushed aside the pile of wrapping paper in front of him. Only then did Yang Shiqi see a black object about a foot square, with only two output terminals at the top. Apart from that, there wasn't a single gap to be found.
Zhao Qiang said, "It's a success. Let's get someone to cook first. Also, you must keep what happened here a secret, otherwise our cooperation will be terminated. You should understand."
Yang Shiqi nodded: "Don't worry, I'm even more careful about keeping secrets than you are. I'll be thankful as long as you don't leak it to that vixen surnamed Hu."
After saying that, Yang Shiqi turned and left the prefab house. He instructed Major Wang, "Have the cooks prepare food immediately. Focus on quantity, not quality. Once it's ready, send it over. There don't need to be too many vegetables, focus on meat. Don't ask about rice yet. Do your best to prepare it, right away!"
Major Wang saluted and said, "Yes, sir." He then turned and ran to the mess hall. Since Yang Shiqi didn't mention anything else, it must have been a success!
Turning around, Yang Shiqi went back into the prefab house. This time, he casually locked the door from the inside, then squatted down next to Zhao Qiang, pointed at the dark object, and asked, "Is that it? Are you sure it's not emitting radiation anymore?"
Zhao Qiang said wearily, "No, that's not it. This is a finished battery. Didn't you ask me to make a sample for you? Now I've fulfilled my initial promise. The rest of the cooperation depends on your sincerity." The raw materials for making the battery were sourced locally, and Zhao Qiang disassembled many of the useless protective measures on the tanker truck.
Yang Shiqi was shocked: "How did you build it? There weren't any tools here!"
Zhao Qiang smiled mysteriously: "If I didn't even have this much ability, I wouldn't be worth Young Master Yang's efforts to help me get off the hook."
Yang Shiqi's expression softened: "That's true. Okay. I won't ask anymore. You naturally have your own mysteries, which is why I have high hopes for you. If I insist on digging deeper, I think our cooperation may have to come to an end."
"
Major Wang was efficient; in less than fifteen minutes, the mess hall arrived with microwaved meat and canned food. There would be stir-fried dishes and rice later, but the immediate priority was to find some food for those in need.
Yang Shiqi didn't let anyone into the prefab house. He personally brought in all the food and placed it in front of Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang started eating without saying a word. Before he finished the food, freshly made stir-fried dishes and rice were served. It was like an assembly line production. This "feast" lasted until after eight o'clock in the morning. During this time, Xu Xiaoya and Luo Wei came to inquire several times, but were turned away by the guards. Zhao Qiang couldn't be seen by others at this time.
Finally, Zhao Qiang let out a burp and put down his chopsticks. His mouth was almost numb from chewing for so long, and even Yang Shiqi, who had been watching the whole time, was exhausted. "I say, Zhao Qiang, are you a bottomless pit? Your digestion is too fast! You've absorbed all the nutrients you ate in such a short time?"
Although Zhao Qiang isn't as fat as when he came in, he's no longer the skinny, terrifying figure he once was. However, it will still take time for him to regain his former fuller physique.
Zhao Qiang stood up and kicked the battery on the ground. "Take it away, go back and prepare a high-power fast charger to charge it, then find a tank to modify and try it out, or find a heavy transport vehicle. I think you'll be satisfied with the result. As for whether we can make a battery with comparable power in the future, that depends on how advanced your production line is."
Yang Shiqi stepped forward and tried to move the battery, but it wouldn't budge, indicating its weight and size were far beyond that of ordinary products. "This is the finished product? It contains... substances and a release mechanism?"
Zhao Qiang didn't bother to beat around the bush with Yang Shiqi. "Yes. I'm leaving now. We'll discuss the rest after the Spring Festival." With that, Zhao Qiang opened the door of the prefab house and walked out. The soldiers outside stood guard without paying any attention to Zhao Qiang. Only Major Wang glanced at Zhao Qiang a few more times. Although he clearly noticed the change in Zhao Qiang's physique, he wisely didn't ask anything.
Back at Shunfeng Technology, Luo Wei had already gone to the Qimingdeng Electronics production workshop for inspection. Xu Xiaoya appeared anxious and uneasy in the office, only breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Zhao Qiang return safely. "What happened? He didn't come back all night."
Zhao Qiang said, "We discussed some rather confidential matters. It's the 20th of the twelfth lunar month now, so let's do this: we'll start the holiday tomorrow, and Shunfeng Technology will cease all operations. We'll leave staff on duty at Qimingdeng. Let's all..."
Xu Xiaoya didn't object. "Okay, Wei and I will make arrangements this afternoon. Why did you lose weight after just one night out?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It's tiring, isn't it? I told you I don't need to lose weight. I just lose weight naturally from worrying. By the way, do you have any snacks? Send them to my room, the more the better."
"
Xu Xiaoya put on her trench coat and said, "I'll go out and buy it for you." Xu Xiaoya's concern for Zhao Qiang was unwavering, especially since she had just received a two million yuan bonus last night, which was practically given to her for free by Zhao Qiang. She wouldn't care about spending the money.
Zhao Qiang returned to the repair room, took out his notebook, and placed it on the table. Then he placed a black object, about the size of an egg, from his palm on the table as well. This was something he had secretly earned. Yang Shiqi was too busy being happy and amazed by Zhao Qiang's health to notice or ask if there was any material left. With these highly pure universal enhancers, Zhao Qiang had hope of repairing Wei, and even the existing repair equipment could be upgraded! However, his energy was currently insufficient, so Zhao Qiang's first priority was to continue replenishing his energy.
That evening, after a day of binge eating and drinking, Zhao Qiang had recovered more than two-thirds of the energy he had purified the previous night. He was the only one left in the company, and Luo Wei didn't live there anyway. She only occasionally slept in the office bedroom with Xu Xiaoya when they worked overtime. Tonight, Xu Xiaoya had been called home by her parents for dinner, so it was even less likely that Luo Wei would stay.
"Wei, you've suffered too many injuries. So today I can only repair a portion. I have enough pure enhancer, don't worry, I will definitely fix you!" Zhao Qiang muttered to himself before starting the repair program.
Having undergone the massive purification process last night, Zhao Qiang's control over energy has deepened further, and the program on the biochip is now more accurate. The released energy penetrates deep into the golden chip, beginning to repair it molecule by molecule. Zhao Qiang silently ate the snacks Xu Xiaoya had bought for him, and time slipped away little by little.
Zhao Qiang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He checked the time; more than two hours had passed. Most of the energy had been used up, and the chip in Wei Cun's body was less than 10% repaired. But Zhao Qiang was already very happy, because this was a good start after all.
Zhao Qiang got up and went to the kitchen. Snacks alone weren't enough to replenish his energy, so he planned to cook a pot of rice and open a few cans of food for a meal. After closing the door, his laptop screen suddenly flashed. A seven or eight-year-old girl appeared on the screen. At first, she was naked, shyly covering herself with her hands. Soon, she put on a layer of clothing, her whole image incredibly cute. Then, the girl sat silently in the corner of the screen for a long time. "Give me life, but I think it's better not to disturb your life; it's more suitable for your growth." "Brother, I miss you so much. I'll secretly follow you and always watch over you. Work hard, okay? Let's continue to grow together."
The door to the repair room creaked open, and Zhao Qiang came in carrying a pot of rice and several cans of food. Everything on the table was as usual. He sat down and started eating and rambling, "Wei, when are you coming back? I feel so lonely and helpless without you by my side. There's no one to talk to when something happens. According to your plan, I've decided to upgrade the X-ray glasses first, then the insane screwdriver. In the days leading up to the Chinese New Year when I go back to my hometown, I'll just be a glutton and accumulate energy for upgrades. I won't care about anything else."
Based on the information left by Wei, the next functional upgrade of the X-ray glasses should focus on two main points: First, enhancing the glasses' X-ray vision capabilities. This involves adding materials such as cement, stone, synthetic fibers, and cotton textiles to the existing metal and plastic materials, primarily to achieve the ability to see through walls and clothing. The second upgrade would be to replace the manual opening and adjustment of the glasses with a system similar to a screwdriver, where neurons directly send commands to the control chip, saving operation time and allowing for more precise material penetration.
After some consideration, Zhao Qiang concluded that adding X-ray vision technology was the most pressing matter. It wasn't just for looking at women's bodies on the street; seeing through walls would be invaluable in the face of potential future dangers. He could no longer categorize himself as an ordinary person. With the emergence of various companies' technological products, the number of those eyeing him would only increase. Lacking self-defense capabilities would be tantamount to suicide.
The upgrade to the modified screwdriver has only one aspect: increasing the content of "material" inside the screwdriver to make it longer, wider, and stronger, so that it won't be like the last time when a thug's iron bar could chip off a piece of it. The screwdriver that Wei modified before had a plastic handle, so Zhao Qiang decided to replace the entire handle with a material containing "material," thus upgrading it without increasing its size.
As for the running shoes and the three-proof shirt, they were essentially upgrades to the original functionality. Zhao Qiang decided to upgrade these two items after he had accumulated enough power during the Chinese New Year holiday. With the enhanced X-ray glasses and the super-powerful screwdriver, his sense of security had increased considerably. One can't try to do everything at once. (Fatty)
Four monthly tickets so far today, I can't wait any longer. One extra chapter! Thank you to everyone who voted with monthly tickets! Thank you to everyone who gave a reward!
Volume 2 [174] The Su Family's Difficulties
Erqing Pharmacy was already open. Su Heqian was hunched over cleaning, while Guiyu sighed as he counted the sales proceeds on the counter. "Old Su, we only have a few hundred yuan left. There's no money to buy medicine for the Lunar New Year. If we don't stock up before the New Year, the suppliers will be closed for the holidays in a few days, and we'll be left with nothing during the Spring Festival."
Su Heqian straightened up and pounded his aching back with his fist, saying, "What other options do we have? We've borrowed from all the relatives and friends we could. Are we really going to sell the house? Where will we live then?"
Su Su came out of the bedroom. "Dad, I won't allow you to sell the house!"
Wang Yuru sighed and said, "Su, your sister still needs money. You and your sister are both my flesh and blood. I can't just ignore either of you if something happens to you."
Su Su said angrily, "Mom, is my sister possessed? What's so great about Liu Wei? Why does she have to go through all the trouble to help him, even dragging the whole family down with her?"
Wang Yuru said, "Child, what do you know? This is because your sister and brother-in-law have feelings for each other. Do you want your sister to be a treacherous woman? What will others think of her if she leaves Liu Wei now? Our Su family has never had anyone who kicks someone when they're down."
Su Su lowered her voice, "Mom, even if my sister doesn't leave Liu Wei, there's no need to force Liu Wei to stay in the Finance Bureau. You can make a living anywhere. Now look what's happened, we've spent tens of thousands on gifts, but I haven't heard of anything that can keep Liu Wei from being fired. Isn't this just a waste of time?"
Su Heqian scolded his daughter, "Just focus on your studies and don't meddle in adult matters. If it weren't for your brother-in-law's help, would we have been able to open a pharmacy? Yes, your brother-in-law and sister care about their reputation, and that's true. Is there any better place in Hedian District than the Finance Bureau? They manage all the money in the district. I wouldn't want to leave either."
Su Su said, "That's precisely why it's not suitable for Liu Wei to stay and work there. He's vain. Facing so much money every day, he's bound to get into trouble sooner or later."
Su Heqian said angrily, "Go back to school now, or you'll be in trouble if you don't get into a good university!"
Su Su muttered, "I'm on vacation."
Wang Yuru looked up and saw several people coming in through the door. Her expression changed. "Old Su, they're here to collect payment for the goods. What should we do?"
Su Heqian's face was also flushed. He still owed several thousand yuan in payments, and with the end of the year approaching, the supplier was naturally coming to collect. However, the family only had a few hundred yuan. The thought of having to beg and plead with the supplier made Su's father feel uncomfortable.
Su Su ran back to her bedroom and angrily turned on her computer. Her sister had ruined their harmonious family life. She wanted to vent her frustrations to someone, but after logging in and sending several emails to someone, there was no response. Su Su became even angrier and lay down on the bed, sobbing softly.
Su Heqian bent down to offer cigarettes to the visitors. "Gentlemen, I know why you've come. We're really short on funds before the New Year. Could you please be lenient with us for a while? I, Su Heqian, always keep my word in business and guarantee that I will never default on my debts."
One of the suppliers said loudly, "Boss Su, I can't afford to tie up capital in this business. It would be fine on ordinary days, but it's almost Chinese New Year, and money is needed everywhere. It's only a little over two thousand. Just settle the bill for me."
Another supplier said, "Yes, I only have three thousand left over. Can I just forget about the change and settle the bill today? It will save me from having to make another trip."
The third supplier said, "Boss Su, you owe me the most money, so you should pay me back first. If you don't pay me today, I'm staying here. I also have a family to support. Who has an easy life?"
Heqing Pharmacy gets its medicine from four suppliers, and now three of them are demanding payment, which shows the extent of Heqing Pharmacy's financial situation.
Before the three debt collectors could finish dealing with the situation outside, Su Su rushed in, looking flustered. Without even looking inside, she said directly to her mother, "Mom, could you give me some more money? I contacted a former colleague today. He said he could help me plead with Secretary Zhang of the district committee, and maybe Yang Wei won't be fired."
Wang Yuru looked embarrassed. Su Heqian's lips twitched and he couldn't say anything. At this moment, Su Su realized that the atmosphere was wrong. The three people sitting in the pharmacy didn't seem to be customers who came to buy medicine. "Dad, Mom, is something wrong? I'll wait for you in the back room."
Hearing the door open, Su Su turned her head from the bed and saw it was her older sister. She snorted and ignored her. Su Su sat on the edge of the bed and patted her younger sister's back. "Su, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"
Su Su said angrily, "It's all your fault! You've made things so bad at home that we can't live like this anymore!"
Su Su gave a bitter smile: "Su, do you think I want this? I was forced into it. Don't worry, as long as your brother-in-law is safe and sound, we can start over. It's really bad luck this time. Who knew your brother-in-law's case would coincide with a crackdown in Hedian District? Luckily, he doesn't have deep connections with people in the underworld, otherwise it would have been even worse."
Su Su remained lying on the bed, not speaking to her sister. Su Su continued, "Su, I still don't understand, where did you borrow that 80,000 yuan from last time?"
Su Su said, "It's none of your business. If you don't want it, give it back to me. Mom and Dad are waiting for the money to buy goods, and there's a group of debt collectors outside. You're really driving Mom and Dad crazy."
Su Su said, "Do you think I want this? I know you're upset, but don't take it all out on me. I've had enough bad luck lately, and the people at the family planning commission are ostracizing me. It's all because your brother-in-law has lost power. Our family's current situation is all thanks to your brother-in-law's help. Now that he's in trouble, are you just going to ignore it?"
Su Su thought about it and realized that made sense. She wasn't so angry anymore. "Sister, can you and brother-in-law behave yourselves? Stop showing off like that, or something bad will happen again sooner or later."
Su Su said, "Okay, we won't dare to show off anymore, but we need to sort this out first, Su. Tell your sister if you have a boyfriend?"
Su Su shook her head: "No. Why would you say that?"
Su Su said, "If you don't have a boyfriend, where did the 80,000 yuan come from? Is your boyfriend's family very rich? Did you end up with a sugar daddy? Tell me, how old is he?"
Su Su said, "Sis, what nonsense are you talking about? First, I don't have a boyfriend, and second, I'm not dating a rich guy!"
Su Su asked, "Where did the money come from?" Su Su replied simply, "I won't tell you, he won't let me."
Su Su laughed and said, "You've even learned to keep secrets from your older sister, you little rascal. Have you forgotten who used to cling to me all the time, who always made me take the blame for their misdeeds, who cried in my arms for half the night when it was their first time, and who made me forge a parent's signature when they failed their exams?"
Su Su said, "Alright, sis, don't bring up the past. I know you're good to me, but you really shouldn't have dragged Mom and Dad into this. Look how worried they are about Liu Wei. You're not even married to Liu Wei yet, it's not worth it..."
Su Su said, "It's worth it, Su. You'll know this feeling when you have a man you love. It's nothing to live or die for him. I know you have the ability to help me, so please ask that person one more time, okay?"
Su Su thought to herself, "I've already eaten and slept with him, what more do you want from him?"
"Sister, let me tell you the truth. Actually, you know that person too, but you've been blinded by your own mind and haven't seen him clearly."
Su Su was surprised. "Oh, really? Who is he?"
Su Su chuckled: "Of course I won't tell you, but I can't get in touch with him right now. I think he'll be back soon, and I'll ask him for you then. If he's willing to help you, I'll transfer the money to you. If he's not willing to help you, there's nothing I can do. Some of the things you've done are just too much; I can't stand by and watch."
Su Su said, "How much longer will it take? It would be best if we could get the money tonight and I could deliver it to their house then."
Su Su said, "I can't help you with that. By the way, sister, how much more money do you need? I'd like to know the answer."
Su Su said, "Twenty thousand, I'm afraid I can't get things done if it's less."
Su Su stuck out her tongue. "You're really asking for too much. But it's a promise, don't put all your hopes on me."
Su Su said, "As long as you do your best to help my sister, I will be grateful to you whether it succeeds or not."
Su Su sighed: "You're my own sister, if I can help you, I definitely won't hold back."
Su Su pinched Su Su's cheek: "That's my good sister. I'm leaving now. Let me know as soon as you have any news."
Although Su Su sometimes disliked her older sister, she remembered how good her sister had been to her, and after all, they were sisters from the same mother. Su Su decided to beg Zhao Qiang one more time; after all, Zhao Qiang was her sister's classmate, so she figured she should at least give him some face. Actually, Su Su was completely wrong. Zhao Qiang was willing to lend Su Su money not because she was his classmate, but entirely out of respect for Su Su.
The phone rang for a long time but no one answered. Su Su angrily threw the phone into the corner of the bed, "You damn Zhao Qiang, why aren't you answering the phone! You can forget about ever hearing me sing again, and you even wanted to have a nude chat with me, you pervert!" The modern Su Su still has a temper, which is different from the Su Su of a few years ago.
No one knows how many kind words Su Heqian and Wang Yuru said. They finally chased away the three debt collectors, but they agreed to come back for the money tomorrow morning. Whether there would be any money by tomorrow morning was another matter, since there was still one debtor. They would use the daytime to borrow money from outside. Su Heqian and Wang Yuru gave Su Su a few instructions and hurriedly left the pharmacy, naturally planning to go through all their relatives and friends again, borrowing as much as they could.