Bai Chen didn't comment on Long Yuehong's little obsession. She found a bench on the edge of the square and quietly watched the entire training session.
After returning to "Old Fu's Gun Shop" and meeting with Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao, she didn't wait until night to go to the "Today" nightclub to see if the underground trading market was open. Instead, she took advantage of the fact that it wasn't dark yet and took Long Yuehong directly to pay a visit.
"Uncle Sun," Sun Fei's home wasn't in the "Today" nightclub building, but on North Street. However, at this time of day, he was already in Wolf Alley, in his office.
Because of the Eugene incident, Sun Fei had a relatively deep impression of Bai Chen. After being notified, he had his bodyguards lead the two of them up to the top floor in a specially installed elevator.
"Boss, they've arrived." After opening the office door, the bodyguard said respectfully.
Sun Fei's office was completely different from what Long Yuehong had imagined. There was no desk, no bookshelf, no chairs. Instead, there was a pile of seemingly useless black screens and an equally colored, elegant shrine.
Relying on the large layout formed by connecting several rooms, and after clever arrangement, the place seemed spacious and serene.
Sun Fei, with slightly white temples and a refined face, was sitting cross-legged on a soft cushion. Behind him was a tall shrine, and in front of him was a set of ebony tea utensils.
He held a string of lustrous bodhi beads in one hand and picked up a small pot with the other, pouring amber-colored tea into a cup.
Wisps of fragrance filled the air, making one feel calm.
"Uncle Sun," Bai Chen called out.
"Sit," Sun Fei said with a smile, putting down the teapot.
He was wearing a black suit with a very old-world classical style, and around him were several pots of burning red charcoal that emitted little odor.
This made the entire office quite warm.
Bai Chen didn't stand on ceremony. She pulled Long Yuehong and knelt on the soft cushion opposite Sun Fei.
She didn't use a cross-legged posture because it would be inconvenient to get up in case of an accident.
Sun Fei turned the string of bodhi beads with his fingers while looking at them with a smile:
"I didn't expect that day to be the last day of Eugene's life."
What does that mean… Long Yuehong's mind suddenly tensed up a little, but he tried not to show it.
He felt that Uncle Sun's words were implying that they were the masterminds behind the attack on Eugene.
"It was a bit of a bargain for him," Bai Chen replied calmly.
As she said this, she deliberately pulled down her gray scarf at her neck.
"In any case, it's a good thing. My brother and I are very grateful to the person who did it." Sun Fei said in a casual tone, "If we weren't all making a living in the 'First City' sphere of influence, with families and careers, no longer free, Eugene definitely wouldn't have lived to this year. Hehe, besides, my Buddha Bodhi is compassionate and always wants to give him a chance to awaken and repent. Unfortunately, he didn't grasp it."
The way he says it, does that mean that even if Eugene hadn't died this time, he wouldn't have been able to leave Weed City alive? Wait, I can't think about this. He has a close relationship with the "Crystal Consciousness Church," and he might be an Awakened, with "Mind Reading"… Long Yuehong quickly shifted the focus of his thoughts elsewhere.
In a hurry, all sorts of things that impressed him flashed through his mind:
Someone said with an ugly face:
"Hey, only one meter seventy-five after genetic modification..."
Huff… Long Yuehong exhaled and began to recall what he had eaten in the past few days.
At this time, he saw Uncle Sun looking over and smiling slightly after their eyes met.
"Do you believe in the Epoch Guardian Bodhi?" Bai Chen seized the key word in Sun Fei's words and asked.
Sun Fei replied in a soothing tone:
"The longer you live, the more you see, the more you believe in the existence of the Epoch Guardians.
"And at my age, my physical body has begun to decline. I definitely place more emphasis on the cultivation of consciousness and the tempering of the spirit."
If Shang Jianyao were here, he would definitely say that you can find a monastic order, upload your consciousness, and get a sturdier body… Long Yuehong muttered in his heart.
Sun Fei's gaze swept across Long Yuehong's and Bai Chen's faces, and his expression became a little serious:
"The path of the monastic orders is wrong.
"The physical body is ephemeral, but consciousness is eternal. It's not about replacing the perishable physical body with something else, but about tempering consciousness so that even when it is separated from the body, it can exist eternally, immortal and indestructible. This is the true path of Buddhism. I see consciousness as crystal, thus I see the Tathagata.
"This is also the form in which the Epoch Guardians exist."
Maybe it's just the way your order believes the Epoch Guardians exist… Frankly speaking, compared to Sun Fei's beliefs, Long Yuehong was more in agreement with "Technology Proves the Dao," and felt that the Venerable Jingfa was more reasonable, with a clear path to realization.
If it weren't for the fact that these mechanical monks went crazy at the slightest thing, and the expressions on their faces were also laughable, Long Yuehong would have really believed it.
Of course, he wasn't Shang Jianyao, and he wouldn't really retort Sun Fei, still maintaining politeness and listening quietly.
"I see…" Bai Chen remained noncommittal about Sun Fei's ideas.
As a qualified teammate, she hesitated for a moment and took the initiative to ask:
"Does the sect you believe in have communion? What is it?"
Sun Fei was taken aback:
"Our communion is vegetarian food. It doesn't have to be rich. Even a simple boiled radish will do."
"You don't eat meat?" Long Yuehong asked in surprise.
Sun Fei shook his head:
"Only communion doesn't have meat. At other times, we can eat meat as long as it's not an animal we killed ourselves."
It seems you have no affinity with Shang Jianyao… Long Yuehong sighed and felt happy for them at the same time.
After chatting for a while, Bai Chen moved on to the main topic:
"Uncle Sun, do you have any controlled weapons here? Like military exoskeletons and bionic smart armor."
"How easy is that to get?" Sun Fei shook his head and smiled, "Even if I can occasionally get one or two, they're quickly sold off."
He considered it for a moment and added:
"If you really want them, you can go south and take a look at Redstone Collection."
Bai Chen was no stranger to Redstone Collection.
It was in the Angry Lake region and didn't belong to any major power.
Perhaps because of this, and because it was close to "United Industries" and on the transportation route to places like "Future Intelligence" and "Mechanical Paradise," it gradually developed into a smuggling commodity trading center.
It could be said that it was slightly equivalent to a more chaotic and disordered Weed City with a weaker Hunter's Guild presence.
Seeing that Long Yuehong seemed a little puzzled, Sun Fei added:
"It's closer to 'United Industries,' and it's a major node for the outflow of related smuggled goods.
"Many of the goods I have here are obtained from there."
Within the "United Industries" sphere of influence? No wonder… Long Yuehong suddenly understood.
"United Industries" was a major force in the Red River Basin, but it wasn't located near the main stem of the Red River, but rather in the Golden River Basin of its tributaries.
It was south of "First City." In the beginning, after the destruction of the Old World, humans relied on different factories and affiliated farms to establish a large number of small forces.
Under the oppression and invasion of "First City," they, which already had certain industrial chain relationships, underwent alliances and mergers, and evolved into a relatively loosely organized corporate consortium, with a structure quite different from that of "Pangu Biology."
Their highest decision-making structure was the "President's Office," and there were a large number of branch and subsidiary companies below, with dedicated security, arms production, light industry, and providing sufficient steel to sister companies. The categories were quite complete, and it could be called the number one industrial entity in the Ashlands.
Their heavy weapons were well-known throughout the Ashlands and were the main force in exporting military exoskeleton devices.
Seeing that Long Yuehong had understood, Sun Fei continued:
"If you want to get military exoskeleton devices from Redstone Collection, you'd better have some hard currency.
"As you know, what restricts the development and growth of 'United Industries' are things like oil, coal, salt, smart chips, and high-performance batteries. It's best to start with these.
"Hehe, don't always think about controlled weapons. Redstone Collection has many good things. Look, this tea is produced south of 'United Industries.' Forces like 'Future Intelligence' in Old Mountain have a considerable demand for it."
He seemed to be pointing out a clear path to making money for Bai Chen and the others.
"Thank you." Bai Chen didn't ask any more questions.
Long Yuehong calculated the team's existing assets and found that it was only enough to eat, unless they sold the bulletproof off-road vehicle that Xu Liyan had given them.
…………
The next day, Shang Jianyao, who routinely visited the City Lord's mansion to freeload, saw Xu Liyan again.
Xu Liyan dismissed everyone else, leaving only the Chan Master Jingnian.
He looked at Jiang Baimian next to Shang Jianyao and nodded slightly:
"I've considered it. For the long-term development of Weed City, it's imperative to establish a cooperative relationship with your side.
"However, let's not sign any contracts. Honesty is the best policy."
He didn't want the contract to be leaked out and attract interference from "First City."
To make matters worse, "Pangu Biology" might even use the contract to threaten him.
"No problem." Jiang Baimian, who had "full authority," agreed immediately.
"So, when should we start?" Xu Liyan asked with some impatience.
Jiang Baimian smiled:
"Even if I report to the company now and send someone over to give you a biological prosthetic limb transplant, City Lord, you shouldn't dare, right? Do you trust us that much?"
Xu Liyan was rendered silent.
He didn't really trust "Pangu Biology" that much yet.
"Let's start with the most basic cooperation and build trust little by little." Jiang Baimian recalled the content of the telegram, "Next, we will provide a batch of gene modification fluid. You prepare metal minerals of equal value in exchange. Any kind of mineral will do. Although you, City Lord, are past the best age for gene modification, it's better to have something than nothing. It will ultimately bring some improvements and is safe enough. Well, you can also prepare it for your family's descendants."
Xu Liyan thought for a moment:
"Okay."
…………
After reporting the matters of the Anti-Intellectualism Church and Xu Liyan through the newly purchased radio transceiver, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao didn't receive a reply until nearly evening the next day.
The main content of the reply was:
Acknowledged. Personnel will be arranged to take over subsequent matters. The next task for your team is:
Track the "Mechanical Paradise" lead and investigate the cause of the Old World's destruction.