Chapter 195: The Meeting
Chapter 195: The Meeting
In the heart of Yangzhi City, the Mo Lan Gaoling Corporation's headquarters towered over the bustling metropolis.
Upon entering the building, Supervisor Luo swiftly stepped into an elevator and punched in a series of numbers on the control panel. Moments later, the elevator descended, the lights flickering softly as the floor display changed to negative numbers.
After about a minute, the elevator gently vibrated and came to a stop at the basement level, indicated by the number -29. At this depth, they had reached the main hall, located a hundred meters beneath the company's skyscraper.
As the elevator doors parted, Supervisor Luo stepped out into a corridor illuminated by overhead lights and a row of glowing strips on the floor. On either side were glass partitions, revealing a closed-off aquatic area teeming with peculiar creatures swimming about.
Supervisor Luo paid no heed to the spectacle and proceeded down the corridor. Ahead, an airlock door opened, revealing two slender women standing side by side. Their heads were shaved, and their bodies were adorned with intricate, smooth white scales—a form of delicate, glowing implant that accentuated their curves, creating an eerie yet captivating sight.
The women, like dancers, gracefully spread their arms and bent their knees in a bow, then straightened up and spoke in harmonious voices: "Supervisor, please follow us. The directors are gathered in Conference Room Number Three today. Allow us to lead the way." Their voices echoed with a subtle reverberation.
Supervisor Luo, expressionless, followed them down the corridor for about twenty meters until they reached a metallic platform. It was shaped like a blooming Mo Lan flower.
After a brief wait, the platform beneath their feet began to creak and rotate, eventually aligning with a door marked with the number '3'. The numeral lit up, and the door slid upwards.
The two female attendants gestured for him to enter. He stepped onto a solid metal walkway and made his way forward. Before he could fully enter, voices from within the room reached his ears.
"The research has reached a critical juncture. If we take this step, we'll have mature implants ready for the market, changing the perception of our company, Mo Lan Corporation."
"How much time do we have, Mr. Mo?"
"Just three months, no, two months, and I assure you, I will deliver results that will satisfy all of you directors."
Supervisor Luo entered the room, revealing a conference hall with a semi-circular wooden table adorned with crystal light strips. Seated around it were five individuals—all executive directors of Mo Lan Corporation in Yangzhi City. Each of them had intricate and elegant decorative implants on their cheeks and necks.
Standing before the directors was an elderly man with dyed green hair, who was trying to persuade the board. He spoke up, "We're running out of time!"
The room fell silent.
Supervisor Luo glanced at the table and addressed the directors, "Supervisor Luo, how did such an issue arise? Our company's strategies have been successful, and the assessment reports from various sources indicated that we could buy at least half a year more."
Supervisor Luo's voice deepened, "This time, Zhan Yi acted on his own, revealing the company's secrets in the Judgment Hall. I also bear responsibility for this."
He couldn't admit that it was his negligence that led to this misstep, but someone had to take the blame. So, on Zhan Yi's return journey, he had him disappear.
The directors stared at him for a moment.
After a while, one of them spoke, "Supervisor Luo, you should have controlled the situation. You are responsible."
Supervisor Luo remained silent.
Another director interjected, "At this point, it's pointless to assign blame. We need to focus on solving the problem. He turned to Supervisor Luo, "If the company were to face a foreseeable armed siege, how long could the External Action Division hold out?"
Supervisor Luo, having anticipated this question, replied, "The original forces in Yangzhi City cannot compare to the company's might.
However, upon my return, I received news that not a single member of the Wu Yi Institute's School Council has returned. It's likely that personnel from the Central City Processing Bureau have already arrived. The current number of personnel and resources are unclear, making an accurate assessment difficult.
But as long as there's no military mobilization, and we focus on defending the company, we should be able to hold out for at least a month."
Another executive director spoke up, "Is this a conservative or optimistic estimate? We need precise answers, detailed data, and reports."
Supervisor Luo could only respond truthfully, "This is my personal optimistic estimate. I will actively investigate and submit a report, but..." He looked up, "As long as the railway construction isn't complete, it will be challenging to mobilize the military forces outside Yangzhi City within a short period. We still have time to make adjustments."
"What about the Processing Bureau's forces? If we include the combat weapons we recently acquired, will they be sufficient? Can we launch an attack now and destroy Yangzhi City's existing military might?"
Supervisor Luo weighed his words, "Perhaps, but I don't recommend using our combat weapons. We have the Cang Hong Sky Canal, Yuan An Corporation, and others watching us. If we expose our capabilities first, they'll learn our secrets, and we'll become a targeted victim. It's not a wise choice."
"What about the previous arrangements in Yangzhi City?"
Supervisor Luo shook his head, "The Secret Sect Bureau is closely monitoring us. Lei Guangcheng is an experienced expert in secret sect rituals and a formidable opponent. Over the past few years, he has discovered and removed many of our secret sect installations and captured numerous sect members. There's no time to make amends now."
"What about the resistance organizations we fund? Where are they now, and can we utilize them?"
One of the directors dismissed the idea, "Those people can only cause minor disruptions at best.
"No, they're still useful. In the past, they helped us eliminate quite a few obstacles. Now, even if they can only slightly restrain the Patrol Bureau, it's better than nothing."
The director who spoke looked at Supervisor Luo and said, "Supervisor Luo, you can't leave the company during this time. You are in charge of the company's external defense affairs. You may go."
Supervisor Luo nodded at the directors seated and then turned to leave.
After he left, the directors continued their discussion.
"We can try negotiating with the Cang Hong Sky Canal to have them withdraw. We can exchange the experimental data from the past decade, which should interest them."
"It's unlikely. You all know what they want."
"We already have control over several key water sections. If..."
"It's useless. After the headquarters' data leak, I suspect they might have already developed an effective drug. Even if they haven't, at most, they can only delay a few hundred thousand people with the theoretical deployment effect. The scale is too small, and it's basically meaningless. They can afford the loss."
The directors discussed further and confirmed that with various forces surrounding them, the situation was already beyond salvaging. One of them proposed, "Since the Yangzhi City branch might not be salvageable, to protect the company's achievements, I suggest initiating Emergency Case Number Three."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
At the Patrol Bureau Residential Area, in the residence of the Nian family.
After Chen Chuan returned, he began reviewing the documents given to him by Commissioner Cao.
The documents contained some introductory information about Mo Lan Corporation, which was publicly available in Central City but required connections through professionals to access from the outside.
Mo Lan Corporation's founding ancestor, Sun Shang, due to lifespan issues, had entered a sleep chamber and was infused with medication, now in extreme deep sleep.
Currently managing the overall affairs of Mo Lan Corporation was his grandson, Sun Shu, who, at the age of 88, appeared in the photos to be a man in his thirties or forties.
After a few glances, Chen Chuan continued flipping through the documents.
In the past fifty years, Mo Lan Corporation's headquarters had suffered three attacks. The earliest was forty-three years ago, and due to the early timing, many of the involved parties were no longer around, resulting in missing information and unclear details. The second attack occurred fourteen years ago and was a small-scale explosion, not worth mentioning.
The most recent attack was four years ago when an unknown armed force invaded the headquarters and allegedly lost many confidential research materials still in development.
This incident seemed to have led to Mo Lan Corporation's subsequent strategic shift, with a focus on its various branches, especially the Yangzhi branch, which was treated as a secondary headquarters.
Nowadays, various companies and mega-corporations were intensifying their development of combat-oriented implants, each with their own strengths in different areas. However, Mo Lan Corporation had always lagged in this aspect, yielding meager results despite significant investments.
They did have their strengths; their beauty and skin implants were unparalleled, leading the industry with no competitors in sight.
But in this era, every company and mega-corporation had their own armed forces. Only by mastering combat-oriented implants could they secure their lifeline and not be at the mercy of others.
To maintain its military might, Mo Lan Corporation had to purchase large quantities of armed implants and bio-combat weapons from other enterprises annually.
They even commissioned research teams from various companies to custom-create an armed force named the "Blood Mo Guard Squad" for themselves. The squad members were strictly selected fighters, all equipped with top-tier armed implants, protective armor, and custom weapons available on the market.
According to the documents, there might be three small squads, totaling ninety people, in the Yangzhi City branch. The indicated combat strength was sufficient to massacre an old-style army of one to two thousand people within half an hour, making them extremely formidable.
Chen Chuan's expression turned serious as he read this. He had witnessed the power of the combat mantises; they were incredibly formidable as a biological weapon capable of high speed, flight, and self-coordination. Five hundred of them, if gathered together, would be a formidable force.
However, since it was marked in the documents, he believed the company had already made preparations.
The latter part of the documents introduced some of Mo Lan Corporation's key figures.
For instance, Luo Qi, the director of the Special External Operations Department, was a fighter with at least third-limit strength. However, he didn't seem to have many implants, making him even more challenging to deal with, as it indicated a strong will and absolute confidence in his fighting abilities.
At the same time, attention should be paid to Han Jian, the head of the Security Department, and his deputy, Cui Hong. The two were responsible for the internal security of Mo Lan in Yangzhi.
Han Jian's specific information was unclear, and he was suspected of using an alias. This person had never appeared in public.
As for Cui Hong, he was a graduate of Wu Yi Academy in Yangzhi. Chen Chuan recalled the Mutual Aid Society's recommendation, but there was likely exaggeration; at most, they could only recommend him for a minor position. Cui Hong must have genuine abilities to hold such a position.
As for the other executives and directors, most had combat implants, but their fighting capabilities were questionable since they weren't fighters by origin.
Chen Chuan pondered. Commissioner Cao was awaiting his instructions, but he didn't know what target he was dealing with this time. However, this mission was likely a group effort rather than a solo operation. Only the elite fighters would require special attention, so it was best to memorize all the names in the documents and prepare thoroughly.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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