Changfeng Pharmaceutical Group headquarters building, top floor office.
A female secretary hurried in, quickly tidying the desk and straightening the nameplate reading "Chairman and CEO Jin Changfeng," then respectfully welcomed a tall, handsome man in a suit.
His expression was grave, brows filled with anger, followed by bodyguards and a schoolgirl in uniform—more like an escort than protection.
Jin Ruochu looked around uneasily, and after her father dismissed everyone and sat in the main chair behind his desk, the atmosphere grew more tense.
"Look more at how your brother shares family responsibilities and saves me worry. And you? Always causing trouble. Clearly a troublemaker who still likes running around everywhere. Don't I keep you home for your own good? The estate is big enough—no problem staying in your whole life. I'll call the designers right now to have them expand further..."
"I don't want to!"
The girl's fierce shout made Jin Changfeng stop his actions.
"...If your mother hadn't died early, leaving you lacking discipline, I would never allow a child to be so insolent. It seems your appeal is for freedom, is that right?"
Jin Ruochu nodded.
"Your problems aren't just causing trouble—the most terrifying is here." The suited man pointed to his chest. "The incurable heart disease won't allow you to stay out too long. Plus your involvement in this Storm Gang incident isn't simple either... You saw it, didn't you?"
"Dad, the bodyguard you hired is really amazing."
Hearing this, Jin Changfeng raised an eyebrow, relieved inwardly—he'd thought the fusion warrior matter had been exposed.
"The black-masked customer has nothing to do with us. Everyone's curious about that person's identity, especially the special attack forces who are at their wit's end after being toyed with in broad daylight."
Worthy of being a hero. The girl praised her savior for the umpteenth time. She'd never imagined someone could charge in and out of fully armed gang members' hands seven times, utterly invincible, consecutively breaking two major terrorist groups, never missing a shot, winning every battle. That wasn't all—even the city's supposedly premier armed force ran into a wall. Though conflicting with officials wasn't great, the hero surely had his reasons.
Unfortunately, the other party never gave her a chance to repay the favor, refusing two million without hesitation—truly indifferent to fame and fortune.
Even so, Jin Ruochu hoped to obtain some intelligence. She felt unable to let go, heart fluttering restlessly, unable to help being curious about the true face.
"Hey, don't space out." Jin Changfeng tapped the desk.
"Sorry."
"Freedom is expensive, the price isn't small. Causing trouble is minor—there's no ominous situation I can't handle. But the heart disease must be resolved... using the most advanced medical treatment."
Any promise from the boss of a world-renowned top pharmaceutical company would be believed by anyone, except Jin Ruochu's expression darkened. In her father's mouth, "advanced" equated to technology that hadn't passed scientific ethics review, like using human bodies to contain Disaster Beast remains.
Currently in the verification period, side effects included bizarre skin mutations—Li Tian was an excellent example. She too would become a monster.
Both father and daughter knew the score. One wanted to solve physical ailments and gain freedom, the other eyed the "strange abilities," hoping for results combining Disaster Beasts with experimental subjects. Family affection? What was that? Too burdensome. They were currently conducting business mixed with special sentiment, needing to haggle.
A life-changing opportunity lay before them—perhaps past difficulties would be swept away completely.
Jin Ruochu stared into her father's eyes and said seriously, "I will accept the surgery."
"You've thought it through. Honestly, I don't want my daughter becoming a monster either—after all, even if useless, you still have marriage alliance value."
"It's fine. I'll definitely be safe." The girl raised her head and chest, declaring loudly: "I've been unlucky my whole life just for that moment to change my fate. Fortune's wheel turns—this year it comes to my house."
"The surgery's most difficult point is the test subject's firm will. Otherwise, stepping off the operating table means becoming something else entirely. I'll tearfully send you to the crematorium."
The only response to his mocking words was a resolute gaze.
Jin Changfeng was stunned. This moment of eye contact seemed to glimpse his former self—so similar, inexplicably groundless confidence, never turning back until hitting the south wall. He'd never viewed gambling spirit as any success philosophy. Those fawning media's flowery words were merely Monday morning quarterbacking. Simply put, the financial conglomerate had survived to today through gambling. Others died; the lucky lived. That's all. Perhaps the surgery really could work—who knew Disaster Beast-related technology was quite an idealistic field.
"Worthy of being my daughter. You conceding so easily must be seeking compensation to make me more receptive, right?"
"Correct."
"What is it?"
"Use some connections so the special attack forces stop pursuing the masked person. She made me understand I can continue on. I don't want anyone to get in trouble for saving innocent people..."
"You don't like that person, do you?"
The sudden unexpected question choked Jin Ruochu, making her quickly shake her head. How did it suddenly turn to romantic feelings? Completely unrelated—could her father's imagination be stuck on clichéd scenarios like pledging oneself to a savior? Old martial arts fan.
Seeing his daughter's teasing expression, Jin Changfeng immediately guessed her thoughts and sighed: "She's a woman."
"What?"
"I investigated a little. No matter how disguised the clothing, gait, shoulder-to-hip ratio, and unconscious behaviors can at least reveal gender. Plus the police confirmed it."
"Investigating with all resources just because she had slight contact with your daughter—how terrifying..."
"I'm investigating a superhuman, nothing to do with you. Don't be presumptuous."
Honestly, Jin Ruochu was even more curious. Learning it was the same gender made the distance feel smaller—no wonder the other party was thoughtful and gentle. Though the style of speaking harshly was quite like her father's, both were essentially not bad and trustworthy.
Reconsidering, the deal would probably fall through, because with her father's personality, he'd never let it go. Someone who'd spent his life pondering transcending humanity wouldn't let a living example slip away.
"Don't worry. Though I can't promise not to investigate, I can make the police stop. Keeping it to ourselves isn't bad either. Taking ten thousand steps back, if I find her true identity, it's much better than the special forces. Those guys' backing violent institutions love imposing authority according to their understanding—think they're better fathers than me. Quite annoying."
"Alright, alright. Anyway, please."
"Go back and pack, prepare for pre-surgery examination treatment. Total cost at least a month."
"Mm, continue your work."
Jin Ruochu waved goodbye and gently closed the office's heavy double doors. The simple action made the girl slightly stunned—previously she'd struggled mightily and this thing wouldn't budge, always awkwardly squeezing through or using the electric switch. Today she opened the door with one hand?
Somehow she felt heat rising within her body, scalding straight to the crown of her head, power surging, making conversations from several corridors away very clear.
Undoubtedly her body was experiencing some change, quite rapidly. Probably related to the female hero—truly a benefactor in her life.
How wonderful. As long as you live with hope, you'll always encounter miracles. The girl gazed at the morning sunlight outside the window with a faint smile, hands behind her back, humming a tune as she left the headquarters building, ready to welcome her new life.