Whether Tony could be taken advantage of wasn't Hong Fei's concern. With the brand-new, flawless, and even more advanced reactor now in his possession, Hong Fei felt no rush to return. He sent Ivan ahead while he headed southeast. As he neared his destination, he dialed an old friend. The moment the call connected, a hearty laugh bridged the distance between them.
"Little White Rabbit! Long time no see. How've you been?" "Thanks to you, I'm doing great. Where are you? Sounds like there's an echo." "Oh, I'm in a warehouse. Should I step outside?" "No need. I just wanted to ask—is that thing working well?"
A pause followed, then a long sigh. "Little White Rabbit, you have no idea. When you said there was a problem with it, I thought it couldn't be anything serious. Only now do I realize it wasn't some minor issue. It's had me so worried, my hair's turning white!"
Hong Fei chuckled. "Haha, my apologies. You know how it ended up in my hands. I knew it had issues back then, which is why I didn't dare name a price. You were the straightforward one, offering me a big number."
"Don't say that. Sure, we're doing business, but we're also making friends. Could I let a friend lose out? Absolutely not! At that price, I even felt you lost out. Next time, if you've got more good stuff, I'll definitely give you a high price upfront." "Really?" "For sure!" "Then I actually do have something new."
The boisterous laughter on the other end abruptly stopped. Hong Fei said "hello" twice, but there was no response. He slammed on the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road. He grabbed his phone, removed his Bluetooth earpiece, and continued calling while searching for a signal.
What Hong Fei couldn't imagine was the scene unfolding on the other end of the line. Chen Qi, a friend Hong Fei had made in Sokovia, had been drinking with colleagues in a hall decked out in festive red. A red banner hung above a bright stage, proclaiming: "Warmly Celebrate the Complete Success of the 396 Project's Difficult Research Breakthrough!"
As the primary contact, Chen Qi's contributions had been indispensable, making him the event's focal hero. The leadership had pushed him to take the stage and speak. As he stood before the microphone, the hall fell silent—you could hear a pin drop.
But just as he was about to speak, his phone rang out first.
"Little White Rabbit, white and white, two ears standing up..."
The audience erupted in laughter. Even the leaders seated in the front couldn't help but smile knowingly. Comrade Chen was usually so steady and measured at work—who would've guessed he was so lively in private?
Chen Qi, initially embarrassed, quickly checked his phone. When he saw the caller ID, his eyes widened. He leaned into the microphone and announced, "It's Little White Rabbit!"
The crowd laughed again. Chen Qi held up his phone and shouted to his leader, "Director Zheng, it's that Little White Rabbit!"
Zheng Xian immediately stood up, strode to the stage, and commanded into the microphone, "Quiet!"
The hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Zheng Xian did most of the talking, with Chen Qi relaying the conversation. As the exchange unfolded, the gathered crowd gradually realized this "Little White Rabbit" held the key to their project's breakthrough. Faces grew serious. When Hong Fei mentioned having something new, even Zheng Xian nearly exclaimed aloud. The others weren't far behind.
"Hello? Old Chen? My signal's full bars here. Is your signal bad? Are you hiding somewhere doing something shady?"
Hong Fei pressed impatiently. Zheng Xian leaned in to whisper in Chen Qi's ear.
"Little White Rabbit, I can hear you now. There was a signal issue earlier. You said you have something new?"
"Finally! That's right, I've got something new. It's an upgraded version. Aren't you worried about it? Take it back and use it right away. No problems whatsoever."
After a long pause, Chen Qi asked, "How much of an upgrade?"
"Hard to say exactly, but I'd call it version 2.5 at least."
"I want it."
"Done. When are you coming to get it?"
"Where are you?"
"Almost in the Northeast. It's freezing."
Zheng Xian raised an eyebrow. Chen Qi sounded surprised. "I didn't think you'd come back."
"You said it yourself—'coming back.' What's wrong with me returning home?"
"Let's talk when we meet."
"Sure."
Hong Fei hung up, gathered his documents, and drove to the border inspection station. Once cleared, he waited in Manzhouli for their arrival.
Stepping onto this land felt different from anywhere else. Hong Fei didn't hole up in his hotel. Instead, he wandered the streets, savoring the warm familiarity of the Northeast Mandarin spoken around him.
More than two hours later, Chen Qi arrived. They met at the hotel.
"Little White Rabbit, next time you come back, give me a heads-up. I'll bring people to pick you up."
"So formal?"
Chen Qi laughed openly. "I'm afraid you'll set off fireworks when you return."
Hong Fei shot him a glare. "You can't just say things like that!"
"Just a joke. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come alone."
Chen Qi's smile faded. "Let's talk business. If this thing checks out, we'll give you this much." He held up one finger.
Before Hong Fei could respond, the one finger became two. "And we'll give you this amount every year for ten years. But there are two conditions: For at least a decade, you can't resell it to others. And in the future, if you develop anything new, you must prioritize selling it to us at the same price."
Hong Fei blinked, unsure of Chen Qi's reasoning. The conditions didn't bother him, but he didn't understand the gesture. He stayed silent, leaving Chen Qi in the dark. The room grew unbearably quiet.
Hong Fei had patience. Chen Qi wasn't impulsive.
However, Chen Qi's need was greater than Hong Fei's at this moment. After waiting over a minute, he broke the silence.
"One hundred and twenty this year, and twenty-five every year after that, for ten years. Deal?"
"Deal!"
Hong Fei handed over the materials without hesitation. Even without using Psychic Power, Chen Qi's excitement was palpable. Hong Fei felt it too—maybe even more so.
Before parting, Chen Qi grasped Hong Fei's hand earnestly. "Last time, you really lost out."
"This will help make up for part of it," he said. "But you should know—the item's value goes far beyond what we paid. Time, creativity, knowledge—those things are priceless. Rest assured, everyone involved in this matter will remember it. If you ever need anything in the future, just ask. We'll do our best to accommodate you, if we can."
The road widened. Hong Fei rolled his eyes, then leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Speaking of favors... Could you get me a little mushroom?" The moment the words left his mouth, he felt Chen Qi's grip tighten around his hand.
Chen Qi's face was immediately filled with a bitter smile. "No."
Hong Fei patted the back of Chen Qi's hand, undeterred. "I don't need a big one, just a small one. I'm not asking for credit or anything."
"It's not that we don't have one," Chen Qi replied carefully. "It's just... it can't be sold."
"Really? Not at all?"
"Really."
Hong Fei bit his lower lip, his voice dropping even lower. "Then... can I go pick one up in the desert?"