124 Ten Billion

"Swindled out of 10 billion?" Tianhai exclaimed.

Zhong Yun’s expression shifted instantly, his voice deepening. "What exactly happened?"

Seeing that Zhong Yun had not lost his composure despite the news, a glimmer of interest flashed in Chen Wen’s eyes. "We don't know the specific details, but we can be certain that this was a premeditated scam. Furthermore, there is a mole within Zhong’s Machinery."

Zhong Yun’s eyes narrowed. "How much of an impact does this have on the company?"

"Actually, given the current strength of the Zhong family, losing 10 billion is a heavy blow, but it isn't fatal. As long as we can find a way to manage our capital turnover, we can recover quickly."

At this, Chen Wen’s eyes sharpened. "However, I have discovered that an unknown force is targeting the Zhong family, blocking all channels for us to secure funding. That is the real reason the company has fallen into such a predicament."

"An unknown force?" Zhong Yun frowned. "Is this group very powerful?"

"Their influence is immense," Chen Wen said, his brow furrowing at the mention of them. "Every venture capital firm and bank in Mingzhou City is too afraid to lend money to the Zhong family. You can see how extensive their reach is."

"What is their goal?" Zhong Yun still couldn't fathom it. "To take down my father’s company? What could they possibly gain? Or did we offend them somehow?"

Chen Wen smiled. "The Zhong family’s stabilizers and Cloud Alloys—I doubt there is a single company that isn't green with envy over those."

"So, that trap that cost us 10 billion was set by these people as well?" A trace of killing intent began to leak from Zhong Yun’s eyes.

"Logically, that is highly likely," Chen Wen nodded.

"Is there any doubt? It must be them. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?" Tianhai added indignantly from the side.

"Regardless of who these people are, they dare to plot against me," Zhong Yun’s voice was filled with infinite coldness. "Whatever they stole from me, I will make them spit it back out, every last cent."

Chen Wen’s lips moved, but he didn't speak. In truth, the Chen family would be more than happy to do a major favor for Zhong’s Machinery. Producing 10 billion was no problem for the Star-Chen Group.

Of course, to say the Chen family wasn't tempted by Zhong’s Machinery would be a lie. However, they were deeply wary of the Yang family. If they made a move against the Zhong family, heaven only knew how the Yangs would react.

The benefits ceded in the cooperation between the Great Machinery Group and the Zhong family were so vast it defied common sense, as if the Great Machinery Group were deliberately propping them up. To say there was no special relationship between the two would be impossible to believe.

To risk offending the Yang family for the sake of the Zhong family—the leaders of the Chen family were not stupid; they naturally wouldn't do something where the risks outweighed the rewards. However, domestically, not everyone was afraid of the Yang family...

Just then, the shuttle came to a stop; they had arrived at the cinema. Zhong Yun returned to his usual demeanor, as if the murderous figure from moments ago hadn't been him at all.

After the movie, it was quite late, and Tianhai and Chen Wen ended up staying the night at Zhong Yun’s house.

Back in his room, Zhong Yun checked his private account. It held several tens of millions—proceeds from licensing his songs.

Only a few tens of millions; that was far from enough. Zhong Yun sighed.

Revenge would have to wait. The most important thing now was to weather the current crisis. He had no idea how deep the company’s financial hole was, but it was certainly in the billions.

***

Zhong Yun knew quite a few big shots, and there were indeed a few who could scrape together 10 billion.

The Chen family, as a giant in the metals industry, would have no issue with 10 billion. However, Zhong Yun cherished his friendship with Chen Wen and didn't want to get tangled in deep financial ties with the Chen family. What Chen Wen represented was ultimately his family's will—unless, one day, Chen Wen gained the power to speak for himself within the clan.

The Yang family, needless to say, was an option, but thinking of Yang Yunrong, who had always looked down on him, if he really reached out to the Yangs for money, he would likely be looked down upon for the rest of his life. He would never escape the label of a "kept man."

Then there was the Dao Group, but although he had repaired a Kalan zither for them, that wasn't enough to make them lend him 10 billion.

Thinking it over, Zhong Yun realized he could only rely on himself.

"Xiao Ling," Zhong Yun called out.

Immediately, Xiao Ling’s image, dressed in black from head to toe, appeared in the room. He looked at Zhong Yun silently.

"How much money do we have in total? In Omi coins, I mean," Zhong Yun asked.

"There is currently a total of 115,034,000,000 Omi coins in the account. Aside from the 100 billion to be repaid to the Omi National Management Company and the 15 billion for the Mars’ annual energy costs, you only have 34 million available for use," Xiao Ling provided the data instantly.

"That much?" This exceeded Zhong Yun’s expectations. He hadn't expected those "Suxuan Pearls" to be so valuable. When he stopped at the Free Star, besides retrieving the "World Tree" seed, he had placed the "Suxuan Pearls" up for auction.

Thirty-four million Omi coins—that was less than 900 million Davo coins. It was too little. Zhong Yun thought for a moment and asked, "Can we pull out 4 billion to use for turnover?"

Seeing Xiao Ling remain silent, Zhong Yun promised, "Don't worry, in a few months, I'll be able to make up that 4 billion."

Xiao Ling spoke, "Taking out 4 billion is no problem. However, your capital chain is extremely precarious and can only sustain expenses for one year. I suggest you reserve more funds to prevent sudden incidents like today’s."

"I know." Zhong Yun couldn't help but sigh. With over 200 billion Davo coins in his hands, he was among the wealthy even in the entire Davo nation, so why did he still feel so short on cash?

The banks were closed at night; the transfer would have to wait until tomorrow.

Zhong Yun set the matter aside and went to the "Practical Combat Simulation" to train. The "Entanglement" technique was truly difficult to master. He practiced for another night, yet he still couldn't grasp the essence, unable to even release his energy uniformly outside his body.

The next morning, the three of them took Chen Wen’s shuttle to school.

Suddenly, Chen Wen looked at Zhong Yun with a complex gaze. He didn't know how many times he had looked at him this way; Zhong Yun had shocked him too many times, and this time was no exception.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhong Yun touched his face, asking in confusion.

Chen Wen sighed. "I’m just marveling at how you have such incredible influence."

"What happened now?" Tianhai perked up. Following these two always led to hearing something unbelievable, more magical than any movie, and yet happening in reality.

Chen Wen’s expression told him that something extraordinary had happened regarding Zhong Yun again.

"My old man heard from somewhere that you were back." Chen Wen shrugged at Zhong Yun, indicating it wasn't him who leaked it. In fact, his father had scolded him severely the night before for not reporting that Zhong Yun was alive.

Zhong Yun shook his head; it didn't matter. He never expected to hide from those who had been keeping an eye on him, like Yang Yunrong or the people of the Chen family.

"He found it very strange," Chen Wen continued. "My old man knew you were on the Tongguang Star. To be sure, he checked the passenger records of the Tongguang Star again. And guess what?"

***

"What happened?" Tianhai asked eagerly.

"The accident records for the Tongguang Star are usually available on the government's internal archive network. But when my old man tried to check the passenger list, it prompted an 'insufficient permissions' error." Chen Wen still found it inconceivable.

"So what?" Tianhai still didn't quite understand; it was his first time hearing about the government’s internal archive network.

"My old man at least has a B-grade contribution rating. The permissions he holds are second only to the President, cabinet ministers, and planetary governors—he’s on the same level as a mayor," Chen Wen explained.

"Meaning, this file was encrypted by someone," Tianhai understood.

"That's about the size of it," Chen Wen nodded. "And my old man said the information on the Tongguang Star accident victims was classified as a state secret. Only those at the presidential level have the authority to view it."

Chen Wen’s words left the other two stunned.

Zhong Yun stood frozen for a long time, unable to figure out who would help him like this. Yun Qi? Did she have that much power?

Tianhai swallowed hard. The President was the leader of the entire nation—to him, it was an unreachable existence. Even though they were on the same planet, he had never imagined he would have any intersection with the President.

But hearing Chen Wen’s implication, Zhong Yun actually knew someone of presidential stature. This was beyond his imagination.

"In all of Davo, only two people can set such permissions. One is the current President." Chen Wen paused, as if deliberately teasing them.

"Who is the other?" Tianhai couldn't help but ask.

"The one who successfully intercepted a large pirate fleet, saved the whole country from disaster, and was appointed as the Grand Marshal for life by Congress..."

"Marshal Yang Tianlie," Chen Wen and Zhong Yun said in unison. Both wore expressions of deep reverence.

"So it was the old man himself." Chen Wen looked amazed, then grabbed Zhong Yun by the collar. "Tell me, when did you meet him?"

"Where would I have such good fortune?" Zhong Yun laughed bitterly.

Yang Tianlie’s deeds were familiar to every citizen of Davo. It had happened fifty years ago, when Davo was still a fledgling civilization.

Yang Tianlie was the Minister of the Military when a large pirate fleet invaded. The pirates were numerous and equipped with advanced ships; the Davo military was being crushed, unable to mount any resistance.

Just as ninety percent of the space fleet had been annihilated and all the people of Davo were in despair, Yang Tianlie, acting as the wartime Marshal, stepped forward. He led the remaining troops, under the cover of a suicide mission by the mecha corps, and struck the pirate fleet from the rear, wiping them out in one fell swoop. He had saved Davo from the brink of extinction.

Yang Tianlie became the hero of all Davo.

What wasn't widely known was that the mecha suicide squad was composed of the elite from the great clans. At that moment of national survival, all the clans cast aside their prejudices and united, composing a tragic song of blood.

In that battle, not a single member of that mecha squad survived. All the clans suffered heavy losses. The Yang family was left with only Yang Tianlie. From that time on, Yang Tianlie became the Grand Marshal for life, and the Yang family truly secured their title as the "Marshal Clan."