Chapter 466: Chapter 225: Future Blueprint, Law Enforcement Team

He had to come up with a foolproof plan to prove his weapons were sound without giving the Gu Family any leverage.

Li Chang’an was still racking his brains for a solution.

But Gu Yizhi clearly had no intention of giving him time to prepare. Just three days after the news broke, the inspection team from Kyoto had already arrived in Linjiang.

Leading the inspection team was a young man of about twenty-three or twenty-four.

The young man had unsettling, triangular eyes. The moment he stepped off the short-haul Flying Ship, he covered his nose with one hand, frowned, and said, "Why is the air quality in this dump so bad? This fucking sucks!"

Upon hearing the young man’s words, the Reincarnator Association officials accompanying him quickly offered placating smiles. They also feigned covering their noses and said, "Young Master Cao, please just bear with it. We can head back as soon as we complete the old master’s mission. For a remote backwater like this to host you is truly an honor!"

The group around them all chimed in with agreement.

They surrounded the young man like stars revolving around the moon.

Clearly, this young man’s status was exceptionally prominent.

The moment she saw the young man, Su Ruobing, who was there to receive the delegation, immediately frowned. She leaned over and whispered to Li Chang’an, "Be careful. That’s Cao Hui, a young master of the Cao Family from Kyoto. He’s a notoriously spoiled brat back in the capital. Gu Yizhi probably sent him over just to mess with us."

Li Chang’an was a little confused. "Why do I need to be careful? Is he very powerful?"

A smile touched the corners of Su Ruobing’s mouth. "I meant don’t go too hard on him later. He might be a good-for-nothing, but the Cao Family behind him is incredibly powerful. Whatever you do, don’t kill him!"

Li Chang’an’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing more.

Although Su Ruobing found him repulsive, her position as the president of the Linjiang Reincarnator Association meant she couldn’t avoid him. Steeling herself, she stepped forward and said, "Young Master Cao, it’s been a while. I never thought the higher-ups would send you to such a remote place for a simple inspection. It’s truly overkill!"

The moment he heard Su Ruobing’s voice, Cao Hui’s eyes, which had been full of disgust and annoyance, instantly lit up.

He shoved aside the Reincarnator Association members in his path, took a few quick strides through the crowd, and said with barely contained excitement, "Ruo Bing, long time no see! You have no idea how much I protested when my grandfather sent me here. I only reluctantly agreed because I knew this was your territory!"

Cao Hui walked up to Su Ruobing, extended his right hand, and continued earnestly, "Ruo Bing, why did you run away from home in a fit of pique? The air quality in this dump is awful! Rough places breed rough people. A beauty like you was meant to live in luxury!"

When she heard him call her ’Ruo Bing,’

Su Ruobing’s brow furrowed again.

Clearly, in her eyes, their relationship was not nearly close enough for him to be so familiar.

Ignoring his outstretched hand, she said coolly, "You’re joking, Young Master Cao. I have my reasons for not returning. This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go to the City Lord’s Mansion first. I’ve prepared a welcome banquet for you all."

Cao Hui was visibly disappointed when she didn’t take his hand, but he didn’t let his annoyance show.

After all, though he was indeed a cynical, playboy scion, that didn’t mean he was a brainless fool.

Su Ruobing—in her status, position, and personality—was a world apart from the women he had dallied with in the past.

The tactics that worked on other women—coercion or overwhelming them with money—would be useless against her.

’To win the favor of a supreme beauty of this "ice mountain, snow lotus" caliber, one needs more than the usual tricks. Sincerity is also required—or at least a convincing performance of it.’

’Women are generally emotional creatures.’

’As long as a man is good at hiding his true intentions, they rarely see through the act.’

However, just as he stepped forward, intending to follow Su Ruobing and continue cozying up to her, he saw her suddenly turn and whisper something to an unfamiliar young man nearby.

The young man whispered a reply, and then Su Ruobing—the woman who, in his mind, was as eternally frozen as a polar glacier—actually pursed her lips and smiled at the man...

’Su Ruobing... smiled... at that young man?’

At first, Cao Hui thought he was seeing things. But after rubbing his eyes, he saw that while the smile on her face had mostly faded, there was no doubt she had just been smiling.

The corner of his mouth twitched. Cao Hui took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fire of jealousy raging in his chest. He stepped forward with a strained smile and said, "Ruo Bing, who is this? You haven’t introduced us!"

Seeing Cao Hui’s unfriendly expression, Su Ruobing feigned forgetfulness and quickly said, "This is Li Chang’an. He was Linjiang’s top scholar, and now he is the City Lord of Cangxuan City and chairman of the Night City Military Technology Group."

The introduction only made things worse. Upon hearing it, the look on Cao Hui’s face became even stranger.

The reason was simple: Cao Hui suddenly realized that the very military tech group he had come to Linjiang to investigate was founded by this young man right in front of him.

’At this thought, Cao Hui finally understood why the Gu Family had insisted on sending him.’

’Everyone in Kyoto knew he was one of Su Ruobing’s most ardent admirers.’

’He had pursued her, both openly and covertly, for years, only to be met with her unwavering, cold indifference.’

’And now, that old fox Gu Yizhi had maneuvered to have him sent here. The old man’s intentions were painfully obvious.’

While he sized up Li Chang’an, Li Chang’an sized him up in return.

’Strictly speaking, this is my first time meeting a scion from one of Kyoto’s top Reincarnation Families,’ Li Chang’an thought. ’Although this Cao Hui has a cavalier air about him, he isn’t bad-looking at all.’

Neither of them spoke.

After a long silence, Cao Hui finally spoke, a humorless smile on his face. "Oh, so you’re Li Chang’an. Perfect. I’m here to investigate you. I’ll need you to present the blueprints and finished products for your military-grade weapons. I’m taking samples back for rigorous testing!"

It had to be said that the scions of the Direct Lineage of great families, born into wealth and privilege, possessed a naturally imperious air. They spoke condescendingly, haloed in an innate sense of superiority.

But Li Chang’an wasn’t playing along. He replied blandly, "There are no blueprints. The finished products have all been shipped. The warehouse is empty aside from some raw materials. As soon as the factory produces a new batch, I’ll be sure to send you a set for testing."

His words were noncommittal.

He claimed to have nothing they wanted, yet he didn’t completely shut the door. If they really had to wait until he had sold all his products, what good would the Gu Family’s restrictions be?

Cao Hui, of course, also heard the lack of cooperation in Li Chang’an’s words.

But since he had come today, he was naturally prepared. He sneered, "Are you saying you intend to defy a direct order? The higher-ups were very clear: if you refuse to cooperate with the inspection, I have the authority to declare your products substandard on the spot and revoke your license to produce and sell military-grade weapons!"

He paused, glancing over his shoulder. Several High-level Evolvers with powerful auras immediately puffed out their chests. An invisible pressure washed over the area, making it hard for the Low Realm Evolvers present to breathe.

After this show of force, Cao Hui’s confidence swelled. He spoke again, his tone menacing, "Or perhaps you’re not convinced? That’s fine. I brought members of the Law Enforcement Team with me. You can try taking it up with them!"

The Law Enforcement Team was the Reincarnator Association’s martial arm.

It was composed entirely of High Tier Reincarnators with immense destructive power.

If Li Chang’an actually dared to fight them, the situation would escalate dramatically, tantamount to opposing the entire Reincarnator Association.

Yet Li Chang’an’s expression remained completely unfazed. "Oh? Have you thought this through? Don’t say I didn’t warn you... I’m a Level 5 Citizen."

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