If Liu Weicai had previously guaranteed Dong Wenlong that his annual leave would transfer, Dong Wenlong would have only thought it was to be expected.

But by changing his words and the timing...

After such a long emotional rollercoaster—from shock to anger, then to dejection, and finally to the current feeling of recovering what was lost...

Elder Dong would likely become the most loyal researcher under Liu Weicai.

Lin Qi used the electrodes behind his ear to control the Intelligent Brain, replying to the company’s email to accept the transfer.

Liu Weicai received the feedback from the company system instantly, and his expression brightened considerably.

"Get some rest this afternoon. I’ll see you at the company tomorrow."

Liu Weicai’s entire presence was starkly different from his time in Greenfield City.

In the early years, the company hadn’t prioritized Potion R&D, and Liu Weicai was just an overlooked member of the Liu Clan.

But now, upon his return from Greenfield City, the Pharmaceutical Department was set to become a key investment area, and he, Liu Weicai, was its head.

With this leap in status, Liu Weicai planned to have a good meeting with the cousins he hadn’t seen in years and recount the bitter struggles he’d faced.

Lin Qi stepped off the train and breathed in the Red Fruit City air.

Breathe in, breathe out...

’What a familiar feeling.’

Even the air carried the taint of being monitored by the Liu Clan’s intelligent systems.

’Now that I’m back in Red Fruit City, I have to keep a lower profile. I need to be more careful about everything I do.’

’The surveillance in this city is insane.’

Lin Qi glanced back toward car number one.

The door to car number one hadn’t opened.

Lin Qi didn’t give it much thought and headed straight for the Weapon Research Institute.

Lin Qi hadn’t forgotten that his aerial vehicle was still on the roof of the Weapon Research Institute. He still had to go get it.

Lin Qi followed a familiar path into the Weapon Research Institute.

As soon as he stepped into the elevator, a warning suddenly popped up from the company’s security system.

[VERIFYING IDENTITY]

[VERIFICATION COMPLETE]

[A-LEVEL RESEARCHER LIN QI]

[WARNING: YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS PRIVILEGES FOR THE WEAPON RESEARCH INSTITUTE ELEVATOR]

[ELEVATOR DOORS SEALED. PLEASE STATE YOUR PURPOSE.]

’My clearance for the Weapon Research Institute’s elevator was revoked the moment my transfer went through.’

Left with no other choice, Lin Qi could only explain the situation to the system.

"My aerial vehicle is still at the Weapon Research Institute. I need to retrieve it."

It was a perfectly reasonable request, but the company’s security system denied it.

[REQUEST DENIED. ELEVATOR SEAL WILL BE DISENGAGED. PLEASE EXIT THE WEAPON RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMMEDIATELY.]

The Weapon Research Institute’s security level was still set to high; entry without authorization was strictly forbidden.

’What should I do?’

’Just abandon it?’

’No way. My aerial vehicle might not be high-end, but it’s worth almost twenty thousand Credit Points!’

’Besides, I still owe Dad work worth a hundred thousand Credit Points.’

’I can’t afford a second one right now.’

As for the ten million-plus Credit Points sitting in the Mercenary Corps’ account...

Lin Qi wouldn’t dare spend that money recklessly in Red Fruit City.

Lin Qi was certain that even the public restrooms in Red Fruit City had hidden surveillance systems. It was far more insane than Greenfield City.

With a sense of resignation, Lin Qi opened his comms.

’Who should I call?’

’Liu Xuan?’

’It’s really not worth contacting Liu Xuan over something so trivial.’

’Liu Weicai?’

’He just got back to Red Fruit City, too. He’s probably already at the corporate headquarters.’

After racking his brain for a moment, Lin Qi thought of someone.

His supervisor—no, his former supervisor: Wei Wei, the supervising L-level Researcher in the Prosthetic Engineering Department at the Weapon Research Institute.

Lin Qi stepped out of the elevator and went outside the Red Fruit Weapon Research Institute.

The call connected.

Even though it was during work hours, Wei Wei answered Lin Qi’s call immediately.

When Lin Qi had left Red Fruit City, Wei Wei had already figured out he had a powerful background.

"Lin Qi? Heard the company’s Greenfield City branch was shut down. Are you back at the Weapon Research Institute?"

Wei Wei had not received the notice of Lin Qi’s transfer.

The notice only required the approval of the head of the Prosthetic Engineering Department.

"I’m outside the Weapon Research Institute, ran into a bit of trouble..."

Lin Qi briefly explained his situation to Wei Wei.

Wei Wei was simultaneously surprised by Lin Qi’s official transfer to the Pharmaceutical Department and shocked that he had become an A-level Researcher. He pounded his chest with a THUMP and said, "Leave it to me. Just grant me piloting access remotely, and I’ll bring the aerial vehicle down for you."

Wei Wei was well aware of Lin Qi’s connections within the company.

Now it seemed Lin Qi’s connections had grown even deeper.

Even the head of the Pharmaceutical Department, another member of the Liu Clan, was on good terms with Lin Qi.

This meant Lin Qi’s future career path at the company would be completely unobstructed.

’A nineteen-year-old A-level Researcher!’

’An absolutely unprecedented achievement.’

Wei Wei didn’t make Lin Qi wait too long. Just a few minutes later, Lin Qi’s aerial vehicle descended from the sky.

"Long time no see! I’m still on the clock and can’t be away from the company for more than five minutes. We should keep in touch. Don’t you forget about your old bro!"

Wei Wei moved quickly.

At his level, he couldn’t just do whatever he wanted at the company.

Leaving his post for more than five minutes without authorization would earn him a severe warning from the company.

Lin Qi nodded. "Don’t worry, Brother Wei. I came from the Prosthetic Engineering Department, after all. Besides, I plan to continue specializing in the field of Prosthetic Engineering, so I’m sure I’ll still need your guidance in the future."

Lin Qi wasn’t just saying that to be polite.

He was currently focusing his energy on Pharmacy only because Potions played a much larger role in the Doomsday World than he had ever imagined.

Prosthetic Engineering, however, was a field Lin Qi would never abandon.

The potential of Prosthetic Bodies was immense.

Lin Qi had already gotten a taste of the power of an S-Class Prosthetic Body, to say nothing of the X-Class that existed above it.

’Just what is an X-Class Prosthetic Body?’

Sooner or later, Lin Qi would find the answer to his question.

Smiling, Wei Wei jogged all the way back into the company building.

’This connection to Lin Qi might just be the most valuable one I have in Red Fruit City.’

After watching Wei Wei leave, Lin Qi got into his vehicle and headed toward the No. 1 Prosthetic Clinic.

Doctor Lin owned no other property in Red Fruit City, so Lin Qi had grown up in the Prosthetic Clinic.

The third floor of the clinic had a modest living area.

...

Lin Qi’s aerial vehicle slowly descended on the outskirts of Red Fruit City.

The gang members gathered by the roadside immediately fixed their gazes on it.

"Don’t stare. Don’t get any ideas. That’s Elder Lin’s son."

"What’s this corp dog doing back today? Doesn’t he only return to the Prosthetic Clinic at the end of the month?"

Gang members generally didn’t think too highly of corporate employees.

This was especially true for the gangs in Red Fruit City. Every single one of them had suffered under the Liu Clan’s strict crime-monitoring system.

Most of their assets went toward paying fines.

Worse still, some had already served many years of labor in Red Fruit Prison.

Lin Qi paid the gang members no mind.

Compared to the gangs in Greenfield City, these guys in Red Fruit City were little more than street thugs.

This Cyber City left no room for crime.

Entering the Prosthetic Clinic, Lin Qi opened his Spiritual Vision and found Doctor Lin’s location. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

He was in the underground workshop, busy harvesting living organs from a gang member and replacing them with second-hand Prosthetic Bodies.

’And Lin Xin?’

’She should be at school at this time.’

Residents with Red Fruit City citizenship could pay to attend schools run by Liu’s Heavy Industries before turning eighteen, learning the basics of Prosthetic Engineering.

It was one of the Liu Clan’s initiatives for cultivating talent for the company.

It would still be a few hours before Lin Xin returned to the clinic.

His dad’s Prosthetic Body surgery would also take several hours.

Lin Qi didn’t stay idle during this time.

He went straight to Doctor Lin’s warehouse of second-hand Prosthetic Bodies.

He picked out a few Prosthetic Bodies and took them to his own personal workshop in the basement.

Repair, upgrade, pay off the debt!

Lin Qi needed to do a hundred thousand Credit Points’ worth of work.

With the skills of an L-level Researcher, the work wasn’t difficult.

The only problem was that the company forbade employees from taking on side jobs.

Every bit of value an employee created was supposed to belong to the company.

Lin Qi only dared to do things that violated regulations inside his own workshop. Otherwise, the company fines alone would be enough to put him in a world of hurt.

Lin Qi didn’t emerge from his workshop until evening.

When he came down to the first floor, Lin Qi saw Lin Xin.

But next to Lin Xin, Lin Qi also saw an unfamiliar woman.

An inexplicable sense of pressure washed over him.

This was an Extraordinary Professional.

’Someone from the Assassin Alliance?’

Alarm bells went off in Lin Qi’s mind.