Ch: 23-31
Chapter 23: The "Internet Celebrity" Troubles of the "Salted Fish God"
Xiang Tianming thought that after a successful "project" delivery and a hefty "bonus," he would be able to return to his peaceful and luxurious "retirement" life.
However, he underestimated the immense impact his casual finger movements during "remote work" had brought to this World...
Three days later, major news outlets worldwide were caught in an unprecedented frenzy.
The cover of "Time Magazine" did not feature any head of state, but a blurry, high-altitude satellite photo.
The photo showed the new riverbed, forcefully "created" in the Andes Mountains.
The title had only two words, full of shock and question: [Miracle?]
In CNN's flagship program, the World's top geologists, physicists, and military experts were invited to conduct a three-hour-long, heated debate filled with "I don't know," "this is not scientific," and "this is impossible," while watching the surveillance footage of the "entire mountain range shifting."
And in the online World, this storm evolved into a nationwide "god-making movement."
Because the U.S. Government, at the first instance, used its highest authority to block all information related to "Mutants" and "X-Men," and released a smokescreen, claiming it was "an undisclosed experiment of a directional geological weapon."
These transparent attempts to cover up the truth only further stimulated the imagination of netizens.
An online mystical organization named "The Adventists" rapidly rose.
They proclaimed that this was not a geological weapon, but the result of a "higher-dimensional being" residing on Earth, who, unable to bear human suffering, casually intervened.
They respectfully referred to this unknown being as—the "Sofa God."
Because some busybodies, using technical means, analyzed that the source of power for all miracles pointed to the same coordinates—Xavier's Mansion in Westchester County, New York State.
And according to fragments leaked by an "insider" who wished to remain anonymous (FBI agent Duncan's drunken ramblings to a psychologist), that being, while saving the World, was comfortably... lying on something resembling a sofa.
Thus, the honorific "Sofa God," full of postmodern absurdism, spread like wildfire, becoming famous worldwide...
Inside Xavier's Mansion.
The X-Men teenagers were each holding a tablet, enthusiastically browsing various posts about the "Sofa God," their faces beaming with a sense of proud belonging.
"Look! This post's analysis makes so much sense! He said the Consultant chose 'remote work' to show the World a new 'form of power'—the pure power of will, transcending physical distance!"
"And this one! This blogger said the Consultant asked for 'compensation' afterwards to test humanity's 'sincerity'! It's a 'Divine Trial'!"
"Wow! This video's views have surpassed 100 million! It's the Consultant's few minutes of 'miracles' set to epic BGM, it makes my blood boil!"
Professor Charles silently listened to his students' discussions, feeling his quick-acting heart medicine was about to run out again.
His biggest headache every day now was dealing with the avalanche of secret communications from countries all over the World.
"Professor, does your school's 'Sofa God' provide international security services? The price is negotiable!"—From a prince of a wealthy Middle Eastern oil nation.
"Mr. Xavier, we hope to establish a regular, peaceful exchange mechanism with your 'strategic deterrent weapon.'"—From an encrypted telegram from the Kremlin.
"We do not recognize any unilateral control over 'reality-altering' level weapons! We demand immediate... uh, friendly, internationally cooperative supervision!"—From a solemn protest (and an equally generous cooperation agreement) from a major Eastern power.
Charles felt he was no longer a principal.
He was like a... property manager living next to a nuclear missile silo, responsible for answering sales calls every day.
And the instigator of all this, Xiang Tianming, was oblivious and uninterested in the turbulent events outside.
Until his "lazy" life was completely shattered.
That day, as he floated on his "throne" to the mansion gate, preparing to enjoy the afternoon sun, he was so shocked by the sight before him that he almost fell off his chair.
Outside the mansion's massive iron gate, a dense crowd had gathered at some point.
These people came from all over the World, with various skin colors.
There were disabled people in wheelchairs hoping to be healed by "Divine Power"; "scientists" holding all sorts of strange instruments, hoping to capture a trace of "Divine Power" energy fluctuations; "Adventist" believers in uniform, kneeling on the ground, chanting and performing the kowtow ritual; and even more, media reporters from all over the World, setting up their cameras like a pack of sharks smelling blood.
The entire mansion was completely surrounded.
"What... what's going on?" Xiang Tianming looked utterly bewildered.
"What else could it be?" Professor Charles's voice echoed faintly behind him, "Your 'fans' have come knocking."
"Fans?" Xiang Tianming's mouth twitched, "I don't want fans! Fans are the most troublesome! They're noisy and unreasonable!"
He felt his private territory had been invaded by a swarm of fanatical ants.
This was more unbearable than fighting Magneto!
Just then, someone in the crowd with sharp eyes spotted him.
"Look! It's the 'Sofa God'!"
"Oh God! Please save my child who has a terminal illness!"
"Great Master! Please accept me as your disciple! I want to learn how to work remotely!"
The crowd instantly erupted!
Countless people began frantically trying to climb over the iron gate, rushing towards Xiang Tianming.
The scene instantly spiraled out of control.
Xiang Tianming looked at those fanatical, distorted faces, feeling a tingling sensation on his scalp.
His invincible power, capable of changing Heaven and Earth, seemed so powerless at this moment.
He couldn't possibly compress all these unarmed, fanatical fans into a ball, could he?
"So annoying!!!"
He let out the most heartfelt roar since his Transmigration.
The next second, he did something that surprised everyone.
He used telekinesis to lift an enormous piece of turf, like a city wall, rising from the ground, firmly blocking himself from the frenzied fans!
Then, he retrieved a large wooden board from the warehouse and quickly carved a line of crooked, "lazy"-style "Divine Edict" onto it using telekinesis.
The wooden board was hung high, and it read:
[I have retired. Do not disturb! If you make noise again, the Earth will explode!]
Chapter 24: God's Morning Grumpy State and the World's Shock Therapy
Xiang Tianming's handwritten "Divine Edict" wooden board, filled with a "salty fish" aura, was broadcast through countless telephoto lenses, spreading to every corner of the Earth within a mere three minutes.
At first, people were dumbfounded.
"Retirement? What the hell? Gods retire too?"
"If you keep making noise, the Earth will explode?! What kind of chuunibyou statement is this?"
"Hahahaha, this 'Sofa God' is way too down-to-Earth, isn't he?"
However, when the image of the hundred-meter-tall "Wall of Sighs," made of turf, rose from the ground like a miracle and was broadcast live, no one could laugh anymore.
Instead, there was a bone-chilling... coldness and fear.
That wasn't a threat.
That was... a notification... Five minutes later, Washington, White House, Situation Room.
The atmosphere was so heavy it felt like Water would drip.
President looked at the sentence on the screen, translated into English, full of violent aesthetics ("BE QUIET OR I BLOW UP THE PLANET!"), and felt his heart being squeezed by an invisible hand.
"We... cannot determine the authenticity of this statement," a four-star general said with difficulty, "But we absolutely dare not gamble that this statement... is false."
"Agreed," the CIA Director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Given Consultant's previous 'record' of being able to crumple an army of robots into an iron ball, and... remotely controlling the Andes Mountains. We have reason to believe that he... might truly possess this ability."
President remained silent for a long time, and finally, issued an order that was arguably the most absurd and helpless in human history.
"Pass on my command."
"First, immediately designate a hundred-kilometer radius around Xavier's Mansion as a top-level 'Absolute Silence Zone'! Jointly managed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force! Not to mention a person, not even a bird, is allowed to make a sound!"
"Second, immediately issue a 'Silence Initiative' to the entire World through all official and unofficial channels! Demand that all countries immediately cease any... actions that might disturb 'that one'!"
"Third," President glanced at Agent Duncan next to him, "tell Charles Xavier to... appease 'that one' at all costs! Give him whatever he wants! Even if he wants the Moon from the sky, find a way to get it for him!"
...Thus, the World fell into an unprecedented, eerie "silence."
The airspace over New York State was designated a permanent "no-fly zone." Thousands of flights were emergency-landed or rerouted.
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting overnight, finally passing Resolution 2888—the "Joint Statement on Maintaining World Peace and the Importance of Requesting the Sofa God to Remain in a Pleasant Mood."
The media of various countries around the World were like chickens with their necks squeezed, instantly falling silent. All reports about the Sofa God were taken down. In their place were various scenic documentaries and classical music appreciation.
Outside Xavier's Mansion, the area that was once packed with people was now empty. Instead, there were U.S. soldiers with loaded weapons, standing guard every three steps, a sentry every five steps. Their mission was not to fight, but to... "dissuade" and "silence."
If a squirrel tried to jump from a tree, two soldiers would immediately spread a huge buffer net to ensure it wouldn't make a "thud" sound when it landed.
If a gust of wind blew and the leaves rustled, a specialist would immediately use sound-dampening spray to "noise-reduce" that patch of woods.
The World, in order not to disturb a "Great God" sleeping in, made unprecedented efforts... Inside the Mansion, Xiang Tianming clung to his "Wall of Sighs," cautiously poking his head out.
He looked at the scene outside, which was comparable to a military restricted area, watching the U.S. soldiers who even walked on tiptoes.
He nodded with satisfaction.
"See, Charles," he said to Professor behind him, "You can't spoil a naughty child. You beat him once, and he'll behave."
Charles: "..."
He felt that the entire Earth had now become the "naughty child" in Xiang Tianming's hand.
"Alright, problem solved."
Xiang Tianming snapped his fingers, and the turf wall slowly descended back to the ground, as if it had never appeared.
He floated back to his "throne," lay down, and enjoyed this hard-won... absolute tranquility.
The sun was just right, the breeze was gentle. No screaming fans, no pestering reporters.
This is how a "God" should live!
The X-Men youths, watching from a distance this man who silenced the entire World with just one sentence, their adoration had broken through the sky.
"Do you... understand?" Scott whispered in an almost reverent tone.
"What?" Jamie was still a bit confused.
"This is Consultant's ultimate philosophy!" Scott's eyes sparkled with the light of "wisdom," "He didn't solve the 'fans,' he solved the 'environment that produces fans'! He didn't confront the 'World,' he made the 'World' actively adapt to him! This is a 'rule-making' level, a supreme Realm!"
The others all showed expressions of "I get it."
However, just as Xiang Tianming was about to enjoy a beautiful afternoon nap in this tranquility.
Professor Charles floated over again.
This time, his face was even uglier than when Agent Duncan questioned him last time.
"Xiang..." His voice trembled slightly.
"What now?" Xiang Tianming impatiently opened his eyes, "Isn't everything settled?"
"It... it is settled," Charles held up a tablet and handed it to him, "Your 'Silent Therapy,' the effect... is too good."
Xiang Tianming took the tablet.
On the screen was Bloomberg's real-time news headline.
The title, in bold, capitalized, was filled with a doomsday aura.
"'God's Silence' Triggers Global Panic, Dow Jones Index Halts Within Three Hours! World Economy May Face a 'Shock-Style' Recession!"
The news content was simple: because of the "Earth explosion" threat, global economic activity had fallen into immense uncertainty and panic. The aviation industry was halted, the shipping industry rerouted, and Wall Street traders dared not engage in any large-scale transactions, fearing that any slight disturbance would displease the "Great God," and then everyone would be finished.
The World, fearing a "physical" explosion, experienced an "economic" explosion ahead of time.
Xiang Tianming, looking at the stock market K-line chart that plummeted three thousand feet, was completely dumbfounded.
He just... wanted to quietly take an afternoon nap!
How... how did he crash the global economy?!
He felt the veins on his forehead beginning to twitch uncontrollably again.
"Are these Mortals sick?! With such poor psychological resilience, why are they even playing finance?!"
He let out a roar from his Soul.
"Fine! Fine! Fine! I'm scared of you all!"
"Isn't it just that I don't speak, and the market lacks confidence?!"
"I'll give them something now! Let them know what a 'God's' promise is!"
Chapter 25: "God's" bull market, will you follow it?
The World was awaiting the Sofa God's second oracle.
Wall Street, trading floor.
The once boisterous air, filled with the scent of money and desire, was now replaced by dead silence and panic. On the giant electronic screens, the K-line charts of global stock markets plunged into the abyss like a diving competition.
Countless traders sat at their workstations, distraught, holding their heads, awaiting the end of the World.
They weren't afraid of losing money.
What they feared was that the 'God' who could bring the World to a halt with a single word, would follow it up with 'delete and restart'... Xavier's Mansion, game room.
Xiang Tianming looked at the alarming green stock market on his tablet, feeling his 'slacker' life was being challenged like never before.
"This generation of Mortals is truly the worst I've ever led," he said, heartbroken. "With such poor psychological resilience, why do they even bother playing with financial leverage? It was just a joke; was it really necessary to lose all their family fortune?"
"Xiang," Professor Charles's voice was already tinged with a plea, "now is not the time for sarcasm. The entire World is waiting for your... stance."
"Stance? Fine." Xiang Tianming propped his leg on the table. "I didn't want to be so high-profile, but they forced my hand."
He closed his eyes... The next second, New York, Times Square.
At this place, known as the 'Crossroads of the World,' all the giant electronic billboards simultaneously went black.
Countless tourists, who were sightseeing, gasped in surprise.
The Police responsible for the square's security, thinking it was a terrorist attack, were so startled they almost drew their guns on the spot.
Meanwhile, in the U.S. military's strategic command center, where countless cameras were fixed on the location, a general, with a trembling voice, roared into the communicator: "What is he going to do?! Quick! Analyze his intentions!"
On the black screens, a line of large, White... simplified Chinese characters slowly appeared.
Below, a small English translation was thoughtfully provided.
[I (a God) think Stark Industries stock is not bad.]
[You guys figure it out.]
The entire Times Square fell into an eerie silence.
All the politicians, strategists, and financiers worldwide who were paying attention to this place also fell into the same silence.
God... spoke?
He didn't unleash Divine Power, nor did he deliver a lengthy speech.
He... gave a... 'penny stock'?!
Wall Street, trading floor.
All the traders, as if under a paralysis spell, stared blankly at the screen at the 'oracle' full of mysterious Eastern aura.
"Stark Industries? Tony Stark, that playboy's company?"
"What does this mean? Is it a code? Does 'Stark' represent some kind of metal? Does 'Industries' represent war?"
"Or... does God also play the stock market?"
After a brief dead silence, the entire trading floor erupted instantly!
"Buy!!!"
A red-eyed hedge fund manager was the first to react, roaring as he went all-in on Stark Industrieswith all his capital!
His logic was simple:
What's the consequence of opposing a being who can create a Planet with his bare hands? — Death.
What's the consequence of listening to him? — Unknown.
So why even hesitate?!
With one person leading, countless others followed!
Panic selling instantly turned into... panic buying!
Countless buy orders, like a tide, surged towards Stark Industries stock!
However, the true 'miracle' had only just begun at this moment.
The moment the first 'believer's' buy order was executed,
Stark Industries suddenly held an emergency press conference! Tony Stark, the playboy, with a serious expression, unveiled a groundbreaking technology to the World that could change the global energy landscape — the 'Arc Reactor'!
[Clean! Efficient! Infinite energy! Stark Industries will lead humanity into a new era!]
As soon as the news broke, the global stock market instantly exploded!
But that wasn't all!
A mysterious, enormous sum of money from Switzerland (Xiang Tianming's private stash), large enough to buy a small country, entered the market at the same time, frantically buying up shares without regard for cost!
Stark Industries' stock price soared like a Rocket, no, like a warp-drive spaceship, Ascending at a ninety-degree vertical angle, completely defying economic common sense!
Everyone holding this stock saw their net worth skyrocket by the second!
The entire Wall Street went mad!
Countless traders knelt on the ground, prostrating themselves before the words on the screen, shouting "God's Bull Market"!
What they didn't know was that...
In the game room of Xavier's Mansion,
Xiang Tianming was sitting with his legs crossed, sipping a cola, and watching the equally vertically Ascending K-line chart representing his assets on his computer.
His fingers lightly tapped on the keyboard.
Each tap sent a subtle, yet absolutely precise Telekinesis, through the dedicated submarine fiber optic cable, into the global financial data network.
He was using Divine Power to perform the most precise... 'network optimization.'
He made sure all 'buy orders' for Stark Industries were executed at speeds exceeding the speed of light, with zero delay.
And all orders attempting to 'sell' would 'unfortunately' encounter a zero-point-zero-zero-one second of 'network fluctuation.'
He was, by modifying physical rules, orchestrating the most shameless and undetectable... market manipulation and trading in history!
...Evening, as the sun set.
Global stock markets were all in the green. An economic crisis triggered by the 'God's Silence' was forcibly reversed by an even more outrageous 'God's Bull Market.'
After a day of extreme highs and lows, the Wall Street traders spontaneously gathered in Times Square to offer 'gratitude prayers' to the screen, which had already returned to displaying advertisements.
They had all now become the most loyal... believers of the Sofa God.
Xavier's Mansion, game room.
Professor Charles looked at the 'culprit' who was humming a tune and counting how much money he had earned today, feeling his Soul had gone numb.
Today, once again, he had updated his understanding of 'power.'
He had thought that Xiang Tianming's power was for fighting, for changing the physical World.
He never expected that this power would also be so effective for... stock trading.
"Done." Xiang Tianming stretched, then handed a freshly printed 'bill' to Professor Charles.
"Project Name: 'Global Financial Market Confidence Rebuilding Plan.'"
"Project Duration: 6 hours."
"Project Quote: ..."
Charles looked at the 'consulting fee' figure on the bill, which was even more exaggerated than the money evaporated during this financial crisis, and felt his heart start to ache again.
"Professor," Xiang Tianming patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Tell your FBI friends that money is just a string of numbers. But confidence is priceless."
"Oh, and," he pointed to his 'throne,' "next time there's a job like this, remember to give me advance notice. This 'remote work' today was a bit mentally taxing."
"I need to... get some good sleep to recover."
Chapter 26: The Inflation of "Salted Fish" and the Ambition of "Prisoners"
Xiang Tianming's "miracle" of saving (manipulating) the World economy had far more severe after-effects than anyone could have imagined.
The World economy was indeed saved.
But from then on, it also contracted a "disease."
A disease named "Xiang Tianming Dependence Syndrome."
The first thing global financial elites do every day now is not analyze K-line charts, nor study Buffett's lunch, but... study Xiang Tianming.
They established countless "Sofa God" research societies, hiring the World's top psychologists, behavioral analysts, and even I Ching and Eight Trigrams Great Masters, attempting to decipher the next "wealth code" from every subtle move of Advisor Xiang.
[Today's Observation Report: The target drank a Coca-Cola, not a Pepsi, at 10:17 AM today. Major signal! What does this mean? Does 'Coke' represent the strong resurgence of traditional energy? Or does it mean 'Pepsi' is failing? Immediately short PepsiCo!]
[Urgent Intelligence: The target just cursed in his game room, 'Japanese games are all about grinding.' What is this hinting at? Is the Nikkei index about to crash? Immediately sell all Japanese yen assets!]
[Top Secret Analysis: The target just hired the World's top Michelin three-star chef, just to make him a... fried rice with egg. This indicates that 'eggs' and 'rice,' these two most basic livelihood commodities, are about to experience an epic surge! All in agricultural futures!]
The entire Wall Street transformed from a rational financial market into a "theological" market filled with metaphysics and fervent interpretations.
Xiang Tianming himself was oblivious to all of this.
He only knew that his recent "slacker" life had reached a new level of quality.
He used the money he earned from "stock trading" to invest in (acquire) over a dozen top-tier game studios. The only condition was that all games they developed must include a "Director Xiang One-Click Victory" mode.
He even, crazily, had Hank and Jean collaborate, utilizing Hank's super brain and Jean's telepathy, to create a "Brainwave Control Game System."
From then on, he didn't even need to move a controller.
Every day, he would just lie on his "throne" and, by merely "thinking," he could dominate the virtual World.
Laziness had ascended to a brand new, cyberpunk-infused philosophical height... And the other "core figure" of this school, Professor Charles, completely transformed from an "educator" into a... "God's Spokesperson" and "Global Central Bank Governor."
He spent sixteen hours a day meeting with dignitaries and magnates from countries around the World.
"Professor, may I ask what 'God's' recent views are on the European refugee crisis?"
"Mr. Xavier, please convey to 'that one' on my behalf that our country has discovered a massive new lithium mine, and we hope to engage in deep cooperation with 'God'..."
"Charles! My best friend! Please ask your Great Master what the next fairy stock is?! I'll even marry my daughter to you!"
Charles felt that one day, due to excessive mental stress, he would awaken a second, dark personality specifically responsible for cursing... In the underground confinement room.
In this global frenzy, the only person maintaining absolute composure, Erik Lehnsherr, was delivering his "report."
Of course, it was via video.
"Chairman." Erik's address had become very standard. Behind him was no longer a cold wall, but a huge electronic screen made of non-metallic Materials, displaying real-time global financial data.
He no longer looked like a prisoner.
He looked like a... King of Wall Street.
"According to your instructions, last quarter, our 'virtual economy' completed the controlling stake acquisition of three high-tech companies and two mining groups in the real World." Erik's tone was as calm as a supercomputer.
"Currently, the liquid capital directly or indirectly controlled by us has exceeded five percent of the global GDP."
"I suggest that next, we can begin to lay out the space industry. I have already drafted a proposal for the acquisition of Hammer Industries' space technology department..."
Xiang Tianming, lying on a chair and enjoying the pleasure of brainwave-controlled gaming, interrupted him impatiently upon hearing this.
"Alright, alright, Xiao Ai, these minor matters, you can handle them yourself. Don't bother me with these hundreds of billions of trivial projects; I'm trying to bond with the final BOSS."
Hundreds of billions... trivial... Erik's hand, holding the mouse, tightened.
"Oh, right," Xiang Tianming suddenly remembered something, "There's a new outfit in the game recently, it's quite nice. Help me buy it, and by the way, poach the designer who created this outfit for me. I want him to exclusively design clothes for my character from now on."
Erik: "..."
He looked at the man on the screen, who held the power and wealth capable of overturning the World, yet was solely focused on game outfits.
A never-before-seen, cold ambition slowly rose within his heart.
He once tried to conquer the World with magnetism. He failed. Because he faced the resistance of all humanity.
But now... he, Erik Lehnsherr, controlled the most massive wealth in this World.
And the "Master" of this wealth was a... "slacker" completely uninterested in wealth and power.
He could use this money to do anything he wanted.
He could fund desperate Mutants, building shelters for them.
He could acquire the top-tier technology companies to build him an... Iron Legion that belonged only to him.
He could cultivate proxies, manipulate public opinion, and even... overthrow regimes.
And all of this, in the eyes of his "Chairman," was merely... "trivial projects."
He would become a true... King of the World, hidden in the Shadow of the "Slacker God"!
Erik slowly suppressed the surging waves in his heart.
On his face, for the first time, he displayed a perfectly respectful and humble smile for a subordinate.
"Understood, Chairman."
"Your outfit and your designer will be delivered to your... wardrobe before sunset tomorrow."
Hanging up the communication.
Erik turned around and looked at the huge data screen behind him.
His gaze was no longer the resentment of a prisoner, nor the forbearance of an employee.
It was the cold and fervent gaze of a chess player looking at his chessboard, full of control and creative desire.
"You continue to be your God, Xiang Tianming."
He whispered, like a devil, muttering to himself.
"This World, which you've grown tired of playing with... I'll take over and 'manage' it for you."
Chapter 27: When a "Salted Fish" is Backstabbed by His Own "Empire"
Xiang Tianming had been living a very comfortable life recently.
So comfortable... it was a bit boring.
Ever since he used the "Oracle" to forcibly establish the global prime directive of "non-essential, do not disturb," his ears had finally found peace.
There were no more fanatical followers, no more secret communications from national leaders, and even Professor Charles was sensible enough not to bother him with trivial "small matters" (such as another civil war breaking out in a certain country).
His life consisted of eating, sleeping, and... in the virtual World, being a God who could control everything with brainwaves.
And Comrade Eric, his hand-picked COO, was indeed outstanding in his work capacity. Not only did he manage his virtual Empire and real-World financial group in an orderly fashion, allowing him to earn money that ordinary people couldn't make in several lifetimes just by lying down every day, but he also always came up with new ideas to enhance his "user experience."
For example, Eric recently led the "company" to acquire a top Swiss chocolate factory and a private Hawaiian island.
In his words: "This is to allow the Chairman to enjoy the top-tier 'offline service' while experiencing the virtual World. It's part of the 'employee benefits.'"
Xiang Tianming was very satisfied with this.
He felt that his decision to promote Eric, this "problem employee," was simply brilliant. He could finally rest easy as a "hands-off boss" with nothing to worry about.
However, he did not know.
In the unseen Shadow, a vast net woven from money and power was silently spreading across the entire World, under the control of Erik Lehnsherr.
A biotechnology company named "Ascension Gene" rapidly rose after receiving a mysterious, massive investment, recruiting all scientists worldwide who researched Mutant genes.
The leaders and financiers of "Humanity First," an extreme anti-Mutant organization, were disgraced within a week due to "bizarre" financial crimes and sex scandals.
A mobile, offshore Base in the South Pacific, constructed from an unknown alloy, was secretly being built... All of this, in Eric's "quarterly financial report" submitted to Xiang Tianming, turned into a few lines of cold, emotionless text:
[Biotechnology sector, venture capital, Series C.]
[Financial derivatives market, regular hedging operations.]
[Fixed asset investment, project code 'Ark.']
Xiang Tianming couldn't even be bothered to look, always replying with two words: "Well done."
Until his "slacker" life was disrupted by a precise backstab from his own "Empire"...
That day, Xiang Tianming entered Age of Gods and Demons as usual, ready to begin his tedious yet luxurious "mind-controlled" gaming life.
But he discovered that the game... had updated.
After the update, the game's login interface became extremely hardcore and dark, and the background music changed from epic symphony to oppressive industrial noise.
"What the heck is going on?"
He paid no attention and logged in directly.
Then, he was dumbfounded.
His favorite "Director One-Click Victory" mode... was gone!
The golden, flashy, and ostentatious "God Descends" costume he had paid a hefty price for, custom-made by the designers... was gone!
Even the Divine Rank equipment in his character's backpack, painstakingly acquired by Eric for him, enough to make any player drool with envy... had all their attributes weakened by 90%!
In its place was a brand-new game mode — "Real Purgatory."
In this mode, there was no equipment crushing, no Rank suppression. There was only the most hardcore operation, the most complex BOSS mechanics, and... the cruel penalty of losing all equipment upon death.
The game's developer even released an announcement, declaring to all players in an extremely "chuunibyou" tone:
"The God is long dead. Now is the era of heroes, belonging to Mortals!"
"We are committed to creating the most realistic challenges for the most hardcore players! Cowards and slackers will find it impossible to advance here!"
Xiang Tianming stared blankly at this announcement.
Especially the words "cowards and slackers," he felt like it was practically pointing at his nose and scolding him!
"Rebellious! Rebellious!"
Xiang Tianming exploded on the spot! He acquired this company with his money just so he could have fun playing! Now, this company dared to "educate" its own boss?!
He immediately called the new CEO of that game company.
On the other end of the phone, there was a cold, elite-sounding voice: "Oh, it's Chairman Xiang. Regarding this game update, it was a unanimous decision by the board of directors of our parent company, 'Iron Throne Ventures.' Our goal is to discard those 'junk users' who lack payment ability and transform Age of Gods and Demons into a high-end competitive game serving the core players at the top of the pyramid."
"I don't care about high-end or low-end! I order you, immediately, right now, change the game back!" Xiang Tianming roared.
"I apologize, Chairman," the CEO's tone was unwavering, "According to the 'Full Power of Attorney Agreement' you signed, you only possess the company's 'ownership' and 'dividend rights,' while the specific 'management rights' have been fully entrusted to our COO, Mr. Erik Lehnsherr. I will convey your 'suggestion' to the board of directors. However, until the board issues new instructions, we will continue to implement... the existing strategy."
"Beep... beep... beep..."
The call was disconnected.
Xiang Tianming, holding his phone, stood frozen.
He... a God who could destroy the World.
Was actually... taken down by his own company's "corporate structure" and "legal procedures"?!
Of course, he could use his power to erase that game company, along with that annoying CEO, from the Earth.
But... that felt like launching an intercontinental missile to swat a mosquito.
Not only was it making a mountain out of a molehill, but it was also... exhausting.
This was no longer a question of power.
This was... a question of rules.
That damned Eric actually used the Mortals' "rules" he hated the most to set a trap for him!
"Er-ic!"
Xiang Tianming dialed his "good employee's" video call.
In the video, Eric was sitting in a... truly luxurious office (a converted confinement room). He was wearing a well-tailored custom suit, and in the background was a huge floor-to-ceiling window, outside of which was a raging sea (holographic projection).
He didn't look like a prisoner; he looked like... Bruce Wayne from Batman.
"Good afternoon, Chairman," Eric smiled, adjusting the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, "Are you satisfied with the strategic transformation of Age of Gods and Demons? Personally, I believe this was a very successful 'brand image' rejuvenation and upgrade."
"Satisfied my foot!" Xiang Tianming pointed at his own nose, "Have you forgotten who the boss is?! You used my money to acquire my company, and then you disgust me?!"
"Chairman, you misunderstand," Eric's smile was impeccable, "Everything I do is for the long-term interests of the 'company.' Data shows that after this update, although 90% of the 'slacker' players were lost, the remaining 10% are high-net-worth 'whale' players, and our total revenue has increased by 30% instead."
"From a business perspective, this is an... absolutely correct decision."
Xiang Tianming was choked speechless by this watertight "business logic."
He felt like a "tyrannical ruler" who only knew how to eat, drink, and be merry, while Eric was the "treacherous minister" who had usurped his power and controlled the court!
For the first time, he realized that in this World, there were things more troublesome than "destroying the World."
That was... reasoning with a "subordinate" who understood "rules" better than he did.
"Good... you're very good, Eric."
Xiang Tianming stared intently at the composed face on the screen. He knew that the "honeymoon period" between him and this man was over.
A bloodless war for control of the "company" had officially begun.
And the focus of the war was, surprisingly... the difficulty of a game.
Chapter 28: The Counterattack of "Salted Fish": Defeat "Magic" with "Magic"
For the first time in his life, Xiang Tianming felt 'aggrieved'.
He, the dignified Sofa God, the behind-the-scenes 'Earth Manager' of the Earth.
Was actually outmaneuvered by his 'employee' in his most beloved entertainment activity, which he used to pass the time!
He tried playing 'True Purgatory' mode in Age of Gods and Demons for ten minutes.
As a result, he was gored to death three times by a wild boar at the entrance of the Novice Village(Newbie Village).
Each death, the slogan on the screen, "Cowards and sluggards will find it impossible to move an inch here!", felt like a resounding slap across his face.
"This is outrageous!"
He was so angry he almost jumped off his 'throne'.
He could, of course, use Divine Power to directly modify the game server data and give himself a 'True Invincible' mode.
But then, he had a thought. No, that's not right.
This was precisely Eric's conspiracy!
That thick-browed, big-eyed fellow just wanted to use this method to force him to 'act', to force him to 'expend effort', to force him from a 'hands-off boss' into a 'front-line programmer'!
He wanted to drag himself down to the same 'grinder' level as him, and then defeat him with his rich 'internal competition' experience!
"I, Xiang Tianming, will never fall for it!"
He immediately saw through Eric's 'open conspiracy'.
You want to play 'rules' with me? You want to fight a 'proxy war' with me in my game?
Too naive!
What is the ultimate Profound Truth of a 'slacker'?
It's that when a path becomes too tiring, the correct approach isn't to grit your teeth and continue.
Instead, it's to find a more comfortable path!
...An hour later.
Mr. Ryan Harrison, CEO of 'Dynamic Blizzard', the World's second-largest game developer, was leisurely enjoying his afternoon tea in his office.
He had been in a good mood recently.
Because his arch-rival, 'Infinite Games' (the company acquired by Eric), for some unknown reason, had recently pulled a 'suicidal' update, making their most popular game, Age of Gods and Demons, so grindy and difficult that it lost ninety percent of its users.
This was like a pie falling from the sky! He was preparing to seize the opportunity to launch his new game and capture the market.
Just then, his office phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar, encrypted line.
"Hello, is this Mr. Harrison?" On the other end of the line was a lazy-sounding, young Eastern man's voice.
"It's me, may I ask who this is?"
"Oh, I'm your new boss."
Mr. Harrison almost spat out his black tea: "...What?"
"In the thirty seconds since you answered the phone," the voice on the other end remained calm, "I have already acquired 51% of your company's circulating shares through the secondary market. Congratulations, Mr. Harrison, your company is now surnamed 'Xiang'."
Mr. Harrison felt his heart skip a beat. He immediately asked his secretary to check, and a few seconds later, the secretary, with a ghost-seeing expression, confirmed the matter to him!
Wall Street's transaction records showed that just now, an untraceable, mysterious fund, in a completely market-rule-disregarding, aggressive manner, completed the absolute control of their hundred-billion-market-cap company in a matter of seconds.
"You...who exactly are you?!" Harrison's voice was trembling.
"Who I am isn't important," Xiang Tianming said. "What's important is that I now have a new project for you. I call it... 'one-click godhood'."
"One...one-click godhood?"
"Yes," Xiang Tianming said in an unquestionable tone, "I want your company to focus all its resources and develop this game for me within a week. The core gameplay is just one word — 'satisfaction'."
"No monster grinding, no quests, no leveling up. After players log in, there's only one button. All they have to do is keep pressing this button. Each press makes the character a little stronger, the equipment a little better, and various praise effects like 'You're too awesome' and 'You are the King of the World' will pop up on the screen."
Harrison listened, dumbfounded.
This...this is called a game?! This is simply an insult to the word 'game'!
"A week?! That's impossible!" He subconsciously retorted, "Even the simplest game takes over a year to develop! We..."
"Nothing is impossible," Xiang Tianming interrupted him. "I will provide you with the most top-tier... 'technical support'."
...That night, all the World's top game programmers, art designers, and music producers had the same dream.
In the dream, it was as if a 'God' directly 'poured' perfect code segments, stunning original artworks, and beautiful melodies into their brains in a 'divine enlightenment' manner.
When they woke up the next day, they all rushed back to their studios like madmen, turning everything from their dreams into reality!
In the server room of 'Dynamic Blizzard', several maintenance engineers witnessed a 'miracle'. They personally saw countless invisible golden streams of light flickering on the server chips, and the entire server room's computing efficiency increased a hundredfold overnight!
The X-Men trainees were fortunate enough to 'observe' this 'miracle' up close.
They saw Advisor Xiang lying on his 'throne', eating potato chips with his eyes closed, muttering to himself.
"This code is too redundant, change it... This art style is too realistic, not satisfying enough, I want it to be glittering gold... The BGM isn't exciting enough, it needs to be replaced with the most 'cheesy' kind..."
He was conducting the most efficient and unreasonable 'project management' in history using 'remote mind control'...A week later.
A 'game' called 'one-click godhood' was launched globally simultaneously.
It had no promotion, yet it exploded across the entire internet on its first day of launch.
Countless players, who had been tormented by the new version of Age of Gods and Demons, clicked on this game with a try-it-and-see attitude.
And then, they couldn't get out.
It was...too satisfying!
Here, you don't need to grind, you don't need to spend money, you don't even need to think!
All you have to do is press that button!
"Ding! Congratulations, you breathed once, Rank +1!"
"Ding! Congratulations, you blinked, you obtained the Divine Artifact 'Sword of Creation'!"
"Ding! Congratulations, you spaced out for three seconds, your pet 'Chaos Devouring Beast' has reached max Rank!"
This game was simply 'spiritual opium'!
The online numbers for Age of Gods and Demons instantly plummeted. Countless players, while cursing it as 'trash', were...happily clicking away in 'one-click godhood'...
In the underground office.
Erik Lehnsherr watched the screen in front of him expressionlessly.
On the screen was the unbearable, cliff-like drop in user data for Age of Gods and Demons.
His carefully planned business strategy of 'kidnapping' core players with 'hardcore' gameplay was completely shattered within a week by a 'trash' game with no gameplay whatsoever.
He lost.
He lost, inexplicably.
Just then, his video call rang.
It was Xiang Tianming.
The man was lying in a chair, leisurely playing his own 'one-click godhood'.
"Hey, Xiao Ai," Xiang Tianming greeted lazily, "How's 'company' business lately? I heard your user loss is a bit serious."
Erik stared at him intently.
"The market is sluggish, it's normal," Xiang Tianming pouted. "This is the result of you forgetting our 'company's' core corporate culture."
"What...culture?" Erik asked through gritted teeth.
Xiang Tianming showed a victorious, mischievous smile.
"Never try to 'educate' your users (bosses)."
"Learn to 'cater' to him."
"This is the professional quality a qualified 'worker' should have."
Chapter 29: The "Excellent Employee"'s "Sleeping on Straw and Tasting Gall"
Inside the isolation room, Erik Lehnsherr watched Xiang Tianming's smug, 'capitalist' face on the screen and slowly closed the video call.
He lost.
He lost even more thoroughly than he did at the military Base last time.
Last time, he lost to an incomprehensible 'power'.
This time, he lost to an incomprehensible 'laziness'.
His meticulously planned open scheme, designed to counter with 'rules', was utterly shattered by the opponent's even more unreasonable, dimension-reducing business war, a mix of 'cash power' and 'Divine Power'.
He tried to make Xiang Tianming 'compete intensely', but Xiang Tianming simply overturned the table, telling him through his actions: internal competition has no future.
True awesomeness is setting the rules and making others 'lie flat' with you.
Eric sat on the cold plastic chair, silent for a long time.
There was no anger in his eyes, no unwillingness.
Only an absolute calm, like before a storm.
He knew he had made a mistake.
He shouldn't have tried to challenge Xiang Tianming's 'core interests' (referring to slacking off and entertainment).
He should 'maintain' it, 'consolidate' it, and even... 'optimize' it.
He wanted Xiang Tianming to sink deeper and deeper into this 'lazy fish' Dao, becoming lazier and happier, until he could no longer do without this 'good employee' who managed everything for him... The next day.
Xiang Tianming received his first report since taking office, personally signed by 'COO' Erik Lehnsherr...
"Report on the Failure of the Age of Gods and Demons Project and Subsequent Handling Plan."
The report was thirty pages long, professionally worded, and meticulously logical.
The core idea was simple: I was wrong, Boss is awesome.
To better serve the Boss, I have decided to disband the failed Age of Gods and Demons project team and merge all resources into the one-click godhood project team.
We will strive to make one-click godhood a groundbreaking product that allows you, Chairman, to reach new heights of laziness and a new Realm of idleness!
Xiang Tianming was greatly pleased.
"This child is teachable," he nodded contentedly.
"Xiao Ai, he really has a good ideological awareness."
From then on, Erik Lehnsherr seemed to have completely changed.
He no longer made any small moves, but diligently began to play his role as 'Chief Operating Officer'.
Under his operation, one-click godhood, this 'spiritual opium', was played to its fullest potential.
He introduced a 'fully automatic AFK' mode, where players didn't even need to press buttons; as long as the game was on, their characters would automatically grow stronger.
He launched a 'VIP exclusive skin customization' service, where for a fee, game designers invested in by Xiang Tianming would tailor skins for you.
This service was highly popular among global billionaires.
He even went so far as to launch a 'cross-game asset transfer' function.
Players could use top-tier equipment from other games, obtained through grueling effort, to exchange for a rather useless but extremely prestigious 'title' in one-click godhood.
Under Eric's management, one-click godhood transformed into a terrifying money-making machine, raking in vast sums daily.
Xiang Tianming's personal wealth once again experienced explosive growth.
His life, too, became increasingly... decadent and depraved.
He was now too lazy to even use brainwaves.
Eric specifically developed a 'heartbeat sensor' operating System for him.
As long as Xiang Tianming was alive and had a heartbeat, his character in the game would automatically find paths, fight monsters, and win.
He truly achieved the ultimate dream of 'ruling the World while lying down'... However, Professor Charles keenly sensed a hint of danger beneath this facade of 'peace and prosperity'.
He discovered that although Eric outwardly dedicated all his energy to the 'entertainment industry'.
The enormous, untraceable 'dark money' flowing out of the 'Xiang Tianming Consortium' was steadily increasing.
Huge sums of money flowed through countless shell companies to various parts of the World.
Some laboratories that should have gone bankrupt, conducting cutting-edge 'bioengineering' research, miraculously came back to life.
Some unaligned, politically radical 'pro-Mutant' politicians suddenly received massive campaign funds.
Some abandoned military Bases located in the most remote corners of the World were quietly bought by mysterious buyers.
Charles felt a deep unease.
Eric was like a spider lurking in the darkness.
He was using the vast Shadow of Xiang Tianming, the 'God of Laziness', as cover, quietly weaving a grand net capable of overthrowing the entire World!
He had to warn that 'lazy ruler' who was still immersed in the joy of 'lying flat'...
Zero gravity, sensory deprivation, immersion in a nutrient fluid capsule.
This was Xiang Tianming's newest 'throne'.
Here, he could enjoy the most perfect, undisturbed... deep sleep.
"Xiang! You must wake up!"
Professor Charles's anxious mental signal directly penetrated layers of obstruction and echoed in the depths of Xiang Tianming's consciousness.
"Hmm..."
A few bubbles emerged from the nutrient fluid.
Xiang Tianming's lazy consciousness slowly awakened.
"Professor, what's wrong again? Is the Earth out of money?"
"It's much more serious than that!" Charles transformed everything he had detected into a data stream and transmitted it to Xiang Tianming, "Eric! He's using your money to build a secret Empire of his own! He's recruiting soldiers and horses, he's researching forbidden technology! He's preparing for a war... we cannot imagine!"
Xiang Tianming received the information.
Then... he fell silent.
Charles nervously awaited his reaction.
He imagined Xiang Tianming would be furious and then use swift action to clean house.
However, Xiang Tianming's consciousness merely let out a lazy yawn.
"Oh, that thing."
"Got it."
And then... there was nothing more.
"...That's it?" Charles felt his brain circuits were about to short-circuit from Xiang Tianming's reaction.
"What else?" Xiang Tianming's consciousness conveyed a matter-of-fact confusion, "He's my appointed COO, responsible for company operations and investments, aren't these all his duties?"
"But he's using your money to build his own power!" Charles was almost frantic.
"So what?" Xiang Tianming retorted, "Has the money he spent affected my 'quarterly dividend'?"
...Currently, no.
"Then isn't that settled?" Xiang Tianming's consciousness became drowsy again, "Where can I find such an 'excellent employee' who can help me make money, solve problems on his own, and never bother me with trivial matters?"
"As long as he pays me on time, it doesn't matter to me even if he uses my money to build a spaceship outside."
"This is 'authorized management', understand? Professor, your management knowledge needs an update."
After speaking, Xiang Tianming's consciousness completely fell silent, leaving only a string of uniform snores indicating 'do not disturb'.
Professor Charles stood rooted to the spot.
He felt like a loyal minister who had desperately exposed a powerful official's rebellion to the emperor.
However, after listening, the emperor not only wasn't angry but gave this loyal minister a long vacation, telling him not to worry unnecessarily.
For the first time, he felt... despair for this World.
Not because of Eric's ambition.
But because of the 'God' who sat high on the throne.
He... simply didn't care.
Chapter 30: The Independence of Subsidiaries and the KPI of the Chairman
While Xiang Tianming was completely immersed in "heartbeat-sensing" AFK, enjoying the supreme Realm of a "slacker" who "can rule the World without thinking or wanting."
His diligent "good employee," Erik Lehnsherr, finally bared his fangs.
On this day, all television channels, online live streams, and even the billboards in Times Square across the entire World were instantly hijacked by the same image.
The image showed a deep, star-studded Universe.
Then, a colossal, magnificent, ring-shaped space station, brimming with a sense of futuristic technological beauty, slowly emerged from the Shadow of the Earth.
It resembled a cold wreath of metal and light, suspended above the azure Planet.
Immediately after, a voice echoed throughout the globe.
It wasn't Eric's voice, but the charismatic and inflammatory voice of a young Mutant.
"...For too long, we, as the next stage of human evolution, have been treated as outcasts, feared, ostracized, and hunted."
"We sought coexistence, but what we received in return was suspicion and harm."
"Today, all of this will come to an end!"
The scene shifted to the interior of the space station. Countless Mutants of various forms, all with faces beaming with pride and hope, were gathered under the massive dome.
"Here, on behalf of Genosha, I declare to the entire World!"
"A new, sovereign nation belonging solely to Mutants has been officially established!"
"We are no longer a minority living under the fence! We will establish our own civilization among the stars! From today onwards, Genosha will open its arms to all oppressed brethren on Earth! This will be your eternal, free home!"
This declaration, like a spiritual nuclear bomb, detonated across the globe!
The human World was in an uproar and panic! An independent "Mutant nation" possessing advanced technology? And built right above their heads? This was simply the Sword of Damocles hanging over all of humanity!
And the Mutant community was completely ignited!
A nation of their own? A home where they no longer needed to curry favor with humans? This was something they dared not even dream of!
...Inside Xavier's Mansion, the young X-Men stared blankly at the "city in the sky" on the screen, all of them reeling from a massive ideological shock.
To go, or not to go?
Should they continue to follow Professor X's thorny path of "coexistence"?
Or should they embrace that seemingly infinitely bright and great future of "independence"?
A difficult choice lay before every Mutant.
Professor Charles watched the screen with a pale face.
He knew that Eric's move was a hundred times more vicious than all previous terrorist attacks.
He didn't declare war; he merely... pulled the rug out from under him.
He wanted to use a "peaceful," "beautiful" vision to completely dismantle Charles's lifelong dream of "coexistence."
"I must... I must stop him!"
Charles maneuvered his wheelchair, leading his equally distraught students, with an unprecedented and resolute stance, towards that place.
The place he least wanted to go right now, but had to.
Xiang Tianming's... "hibernation pod"... "Xiang! Wake up!"
Professor Charles exerted all his strength, transforming his mental signal into a sharp needle, and fiercely pierced it into Xiang Tianming's tranquil and peaceful sea of consciousness.
"Hmm... What is it...?"
Xiang Tianming's groggy consciousness, filled with morning grumpiness, slowly awoke.
"Is it the end of the World? If not, I'm going to complain about you disturbing the chairman's rest."
"It's more serious than the end of the World!" Charles crammed the "nation-building declaration" and the image of the massive space station all at once into Xiang Tianming's mind.
"Do you see?! Eric! He used your money to build a nation of his own in space! He wants to split the World! He wants to..."
Xiang Tianming's consciousness fell silent.
Charles waited nervously. He imagined that the "God" who had been "betrayed" by his most trusted subordinate would surely unleash a thunderous wrath!
However... Xiang Tianming's first complete thought after waking was:
"Oh... a space station. It's quite pretty. This thing... must cost a lot of money, right?"
Charles: "...Yes! He spent all your money!"
"Then..." Xiang Tianming's second thought followed closely, "This... thing called 'Genosha,' does it have its own business model? Can it be profitable? What's the expected return on investment in the future? How much quarterly dividend can it bring to the 'parent company' (me)?"
Professor Charles felt his CPU completely burn out.
"This isn't about money! This is about principle! It's about the future of humans and Mutants!"
"Tch." Xiang Tianming's consciousness conveyed an extreme disdain, "Professor, your perspective is still too small."
"In my opinion, there's nothing that can't be turned into a business model."
He seemed to be genuinely, seriously analyzing this "Genosha project" from the perspective of an "investor."
"Hmm... precise target users, clear market positioning. Focusing on 'safety' and 'sense of belonging,' it's an 'emotional value' investment. Although the initial investment is huge, once 'brand loyalty' is established, the subsequent monopolistic profits will be immeasurable."
"High risk, high reward... interesting."
Charles was completely unable to keep up with his thought process.
Finally, Xiang Tianming, this "chairman," issued his "highest directive" to his "self-established" "Chief Operating Officer."
"Alright." His consciousness became lazy again.
"Let's just say it's a 'subsidiary' that our company spun off. As the sole shareholder of the parent company, I approve this 'Genosha' project to go public independently."
"However," his tone suddenly took on a hint of "capitalist" coldness.
"You, go tell my 'good employee,' Mr. Erik Lehnsherr, a message for me."
"Tell him that Genosha's quarterly financial statements, and his own performance reports, must be sent to my email on time."
"If..."
"...If the 'subsidiary's' profit margin doesn't meet my expectations..."
"...I, as the chairman, reserve the right to... 'forcibly acquire' and 'liquidate management.'"
After saying that, his consciousness fell silent once more.
Leaving behind only a dream-like murmur filled with the aura of a "slacker."
"Sigh... young people nowadays are so energetic... it's great..."
"I also... need to go back to sleep..."
Charles and the X-Men stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by lightning.
An epic confrontation concerning the fate of two races.
A great declaration of independence, worthy of being recorded in history.
In the eyes of their "God."
It was merely... a "subsidiary's" "spin-off IPO"?
Chapter 31: Quarterly Financial Report and Dividend Plan of Subsidiaries
Three months after the "Declaration of Independence" was issued to the World from the Genoshaspace station.
The Earth entered a period of eerie "peace."
After the initial panic, the Human World discovered that this "Mutant nation" hanging over their heads not only showed no military threat, but instead… began doing business with Earth?
Under the iron-fisted rule of its "CEO," Erik Lehnsherr, Genosha transformed into a terrifyingly efficient "space technology trust."
Using the special abilities of Mutants, they produced perfect alloys and superconducting Materials that could not be manufactured on Earth in a zero-gravity environment.
They launched thousands of "Psionic Communication Satellites," three generations more advanced than Stark Industries' communication satellites, providing paid, never-delayed encrypted communication services globally.
They even secured exclusive operating rights for "space tourism" and "zero-gravity extreme sports."
Erik, with his Genius mind, single-handedly transformed a "political entity" into a… super multinational (inter-Planet?) conglomerate whose profitability rivaled that of the Sofa God himself.
And the various countries on Earth, facing this technologically far-superior "neighbor," after countless emergency consultations, ultimately had no choice but to grudgingly accept this reality and line up to conduct "commercial cooperation" with them.
A brand new, bizarre geostrategy (astropolitical?) pattern thus formed… Inside the game room of Xavier's Mansion.
Xiang Tianming was lying in his zero-gravity sleep pod, enjoying the fully automatic brainwave game, hailed as the "God of Sloth."
Professor Charles floated in.
His face bore an extremely complex expression, a mix of "relief," "worry," "absurdity," and "numbness."
He held a data tablet in his hand.
"Xiang."
"Hmm…" A dreamlike voice came from the sleep pod, "Has the dividend… arrived?"
Charles: "…"
He felt that he had now completely become the "Chief Financial Officer and Secretary" to this "Lazy Chairman."
"It has," Charles replied weakly. "Erik sent Genosha's first quarterly financial report. Would you like… to review it?"
"Read it."
Xiang Tianming was too lazy to even open his eyes, issuing only a single-syllable command.
Charles sighed and began reading from the tablet what might be the most outrageous "financial report" in Human history.
"…The report shows that Genosha's total revenue for the first quarter was… uh, 1.36 trillion U.S. dollars. The main sources of income were 'superconducting Materials export' and 'global communication services'…"
"…After deducting operating costs, research and development investments, and employee (national) welfare, the net profit for this quarter was… 980 billion U.S. dollars."
"…At the end of the report, COO Mr. Erik Lehnsherr proposed a motion. He suggested investing all profits from this quarter into the 'Genosha Phase II Expansion Project' and the 'Ark II Ship' research and development projects to solidify our… market-leading position in the space Domain."
Silence fell within the sleep pod.
After Charles finished reading, he nervously awaited Xiang Tianming's reaction.
After a long pause, Xiang Tianming's lazy consciousness spoke again.
"Tell Xiao Ai to get online. Let's have a video conference."
…Five minutes later, a "Divine Rank Board Meeting" concerning the future economic direction of the "Earth-Moon System" officially commenced.
On one end of the video was the "Chairman," Xiang Tianming, lying in nutrient fluid, too lazy to even show his face.
On the other end was the "Chief Operating Officer," Erik Lehnsherr, seated in Genosha's central command room, wearing a black handmade suit, with a backdrop of a brilliant starry sky.
Professor Charles attended the meeting as the "Board Secretary."
"Xiao Ai," Xiang Tianming spoke first, his tone flat, betraying no emotion.
"Chairman," Erik nodded slightly, his posture respectful, but his eyes were like an unfathomable abyss of ice.
"I've reviewed the financial report," Xiang Tianming said. "Well done, commendable. The revenue figures look good."
"However…"
He changed his tone.
"It seems I didn't see any plan for 'shareholder dividends' in your report?"
Erik's gaze narrowed slightly, but he was clearly prepared: "Chairman, Genosha is currently still in a high-speed development 'startup phase.' I believe that investing funds into reinvestment to gain greater future returns is a wiser approach, consistent with the company's long-term interests…"
"I disagree."
Xiang Tianming abruptly interrupted him.
"Xiao Ai, it seems you haven't quite grasped the core corporate culture of our 'company.'
"We are not here to change the World, nor for any damned future returns."
"The sole purpose of this company's existence is to allow its Chairman—that is, me—to comfortably lie down and make money."
"Subsidiaries are meant to provide blood to the parent company. If you don't even have this awareness, your thinking as COO is very problematic."
Erik clenched his fists tightly.
He suppressed the rage in his heart and said in an still steady tone: "Chairman, I understand. However, this quarter's profits have all been invested into various projects, and the company's cash flow…"
"Then halt the projects," Xiang Tianming said, uttering words that made even Charles gasp.
"Or, dismantle two sections of your space station and sell them to the U.S. Government. I recall they are very interested in your alloy Materials."
"I don't care what method you use. In short, I want my dividend. 90% of this quarter's net profit, transferred to my account within three days."
"Why?!" Erik finally could no longer maintain his perfect "professional manager" demeanor. He blurted out, "What use do you have for so much money?!"
"Oh, that."
Xiang Tianming's consciousness conveyed a matter-of-fact joy that almost gave Erik a cerebral hemorrhage on the spot.
"I've recently developed a tiny interest in 'astrophysics.'
"I plan to… buy a Moon."
"I'll buy the one next to the Moon; it looks quite round. I'll buy it and build a parking lot there for my… private space yacht in the future."
Erik Lehnsherr stared blankly at the "Chairman" in the video window, whose face he couldn't even see.
He had painstakingly, with all his heart and soul, turned an impossible dream into reality. He had established a nation, a home where all Mutants could stand tall.
Yet… the entire value of his nation, in the eyes of his "boss,"
was actually less than… a Moon parking lot?!
"Pfft—"
A mouthful of fresh blood spilled from Erik's lips.
He wasn't injured.
He was… literally so enraged that he suffered internal bleeding!
"As… you… wish."
He squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, then unilaterally cut off the communication… Inside Genosha's central command room.
Erik Lehnsherr looked out the viewport at the beautiful, azure Planet.
In his eyes, for the first time, appeared a madness colder than the vacuum of the Universe.
"Xiang… Tian… Ming…"
He murmured softly, as if making a vow.
"You will pay the price for your 'laziness' and 'arrogance'."
"Do you think you control 'wealth'?"
"No… you control 'power' itself."
"And I will use the 'wealth' you have bestowed upon me to forge… shackles strong enough to bind a God… for you, and for this World!"