eurekapd Chapter 443 - 436: One Is Enough
Chapter 443 - 436: One Is Enough
It was Wang Heng Mountain, however, who narrowed his eyes as he observed Zhou Yuanjue.
Mortals see with their physical eyes, but how can mortal flesh perceive the true nature of all things?
But at his level of cultivation, he could peer past the surface and glimpse a person’s true nature. He could size up an ordinary man in a single glance.
Yet, no matter how he tried to perceive the man before him, he seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary person.
Such an anomaly could only mean something was amiss.
In that instant, he began to regard the visitor with a new sense of gravity.
’It seems the person Donghua sent this time is no ordinary man.’
"You must be the special envoy from Donghua. May I ask your name?"
Wang Heng Mountain asked.
"For now, you may call me Zhou Hong."
Zhou Yuanjue replied, clearly having no intention of revealing his true identity.
’Zhou Hong?’
’I’ve never heard of anyone named Zhou Hong in Donghua. A hidden asset, perhaps?’
Wang Heng Mountain mused with a frown.
"Please, have a seat. We can speak at leisure. Tea and refreshments have been prepared."
Wang Heng Mountain gestured for Zhou Yuanjue to sit.
"That won’t be necessary. I appreciate the sentiment."
To his surprise, Zhou Yuanjue refused the invitation. "I’m not one for pleasantries, nor for the veiled deceptions that occur over tea. I think it’s best we get straight to the point."
"Very well! You’re a straightforward man. Direct and to the point. I like that."
"In that case, let’s cut to the chase. Elder Tang mentioned that you are here on behalf of Donghua to discuss further cooperation. What sort of cooperation did you have in mind?"
Wang Heng Mountain said.
"The cooperation is, in fact, very simple. You will coordinate with me and provide me with sufficient support."
Zhou Yuanjue stated bluntly.
"With *you*?"
Li Haibo and Zheng Hang asked, confused.
"What do you mean by that? What is the true purpose of your visit?"
Wang Heng Mountain asked, his brow furrowed.
"You should have already received intelligence about the major upheavals among the three great organizations of the Black Continent. This shift and the resulting conflicts are not baseless rumors. Our intelligence confirms that the Starry Sky Country and the Celestial Organization are orchestrating this chaos from behind the scenes. Their goal is to instigate large-scale turmoil on the Black Continent in order to break the Seal on certain powerful entities."
"In the coming chaos, you will bear the brunt of the assault and become their direct targets. It is even possible that the entire Beihai Chinese Merchants Association will be annihilated as a result. One of my missions here is to prevent that from happening and to deal a crippling blow to the forces of those two organizations."
Zhou Yuanjue said, his expression placid.
"You? All by yourself?"
Disbelief was written all over the faces of Li Haibo and Zheng Hang. They stared at Zhou Yuanjue as if he were some kind of clueless megalomaniac.
Only they knew the true power of those three organizations. Were it not for their lack of international recognition, their strength would be enough to crown them Kings of the Black Continent and establish their own nations.
And this one man wanted to deal a heavy blow to organizations like that?
"Not just me. There are about a dozen of us. Of course, my primary responsibility is the Beihai region."
Zhou Yuanjue said, shaking his head.
"Even if what you’re saying is true, why should we help you? With Uncle Wang’s Power, we can guarantee a place for our Beihai Chinese Merchants Association in the coming chaos."
Li Haibo said with a sneer.
"No, he cannot. In fact, the entire Beihai Chinese Merchants Association is beneath the notice of the enemies we are about to face."
Zhou Yuanjue said, shaking his head.
"How arrogant!"
Hearing this, Zheng Hang could no longer contain himself. He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "You say we’re beneath the notice of this enemy, yet you alone can deal them a heavy blow? So, what you’re saying is that you, by yourself, could annihilate our entire Beihai Chinese Merchants Association? If that’s the case, what’s the point in even asking for our cooperation?"
"In truth, what I require are your intelligence network and your influence. I do not need you to participate in the actual operations."
"And to answer your previous question... yes. To destroy the Beihai Chinese Merchants Association, I alone am more than enough."
Zhou Yuanjue said, his expression serene.
At this moment, his attitude seemed almost haughty, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
In reality, this attitude was a deliberate choice.
This was because something Huang Bin had said on the way here had reminded him.
This wasn’t home; the way things were done here was completely different.
The men before him, though they were Donghua Descendants and had been steeped in Donghua Culture, had spent so long in this environment that they had inevitably adopted its customs and mindset.
Back home, being understated was a virtue. Here, it was a sign of weakness, an invitation to be bullied. Sometimes, a high-profile approach was the key to getting things done with half the effort.
He didn’t have time to waste negotiating with these "businessmen." Besides, as he’d said, negotiation was not his area of expertise. Therefore, he would have to use a simpler method.
Merchants prioritize profit. When they realize they cannot protect their own interests, they will make concessions.
"Sir, isn’t that a rather arrogant way to speak? Do you have no regard for me? Even your Chief Commissioner wouldn’t speak to me in such a manner. Or do you take me for a weakling, someone to be pushed around?"
Wang Heng Mountain’s eyes narrowed, his voice sinking low. His entire presence began to shift dramatically. An oppressive weight, as hard and heavy as steel, radiated from his body, so immense that the entire pavilion seemed to groan under the strain.
Yet, at the very center of this immense pressure, Zhou Yuanjue’s seemingly frail form remained completely unaffected. The force, strong enough to crush a normal person to the ground and make them lose control of their bodily functions, was as light as a feather to him.
A tremor shot through Wang Heng Mountain’s eyes. In that moment, he suddenly felt that he was not the one made of steel; the man before him was the true, immovable pillar of heaven.
"To save time, I can give you a demonstration. It will give you a much deeper understanding of the kind of Power you are about to face. Perhaps then, you will be able to make your choice."
Zhou Yuanjue said coolly.
CRACK!! CRACK!!
A series of explosive cracks echoed from his bones. While his facial features remained unchanged, his physique began to undergo a dramatic transformation.
He swelled, growing immense, as if a primeval beast were Awakening within him.
VMMMM!!
A silver and red magnetic field expanded around him, effortlessly repelling the pressure from Wang Heng Mountain’s own. At the same time, the Southern Dipper Immortal Seat on his chest flashed, and his heart—already fully magnetized—began to pound violently.
Star Cells, infect!
Before their very eyes, his body turned translucent inch by inch, shining with the brilliance of a star, so bright that Li Haibo and Zheng Hang could not even keep their eyes open.