Chapter 7: We just agreed on a partnership, and you’re already defecting abroad?

Seeing Liu Mu looking at Chen Feng’s file, Dean Hu in the car couldn't help but ask out of curiosity

"To have such ability at such a young age, which school did he graduate from?"

Liu Mu looked at Chen Feng’s file and said with surprise

"He graduated from an ordinary university. He has been an orphan since childhood, with only an aunt. After graduating from university, he started his own business, and in less than two years, he founded Xingfeng Mining."

Hearing this, both Dean Hu and Li Busheng showed expressions of surprise.

"No wonder his personality is so steady; it seems to be a result of his family environment," Li Busheng sighed.

Liu Mu continued: "His character is actually quite good. A few months ago, he donated to disaster-stricken areas, and he did it anonymously. He’s a young man with a kind heart."

Hearing this, both Dean Hu and Li Busheng nodded.

Liu Mu put the file away and said: "My people checked inside the factory area and didn't find anything. Old Hu, your previous judgment must have been wrong."

Dean Hu nodded: "Perhaps my judgment was wrong."

Dean Hu is the dean of the Basic Materials Research Institute. Through his research, he discovered that Yanyang Iron might not be a synthetic substance at all, but a brand-new, unknown metal.

This is because seventy percent of the internal composition of Yanyang Iron was something they had never seen before.

Since Liu Mu’s people had checked the factory area, it meant his judgment had been wrong.

If Xingfeng Mining had really discovered a new metal, there would definitely be mining and transportation records; it would be impossible to process it quietly.

Since nothing was found, it only proved that Chen Feng’s words were true.

Li Busheng, who was on the side, glared at Dean Hu

"You wanted to force Chen Feng to talk about this just now, didn't you? I’m warning you, don't do that kind of thing."

"The country needs talent. No matter how he came up with it, we shouldn't interfere. If we get caught, people will point fingers at us and say we stole someone else's achievements."

Dean Hu gave a wry smile and said

"Old Li, how could I possibly steal someone else's research results? I was just curious."

Li Busheng snorted coldly

"In any case, we cannot interfere with Chen Feng. I have already submitted a report to the higher-ups to cultivate him as a key talent. Later, we’ll have him register his name at our institute; from then on, he will be one of our people."

As soon as this was said, Dean Hu was immediately displeased.

"No way! How can he be registered at your institute? He must be with our Materials Research Institute!"

The two began to argue in the car.

Liu Mu sat to the side, watching quietly without speaking. He knew what they were arguing about.

As long as the tanks made from Yanyang Iron were popularized in the military, Chen Feng’s name would become famous. If Chen Feng belonged to a certain institute or academy, that place would also gain a boost in reputation.

Current scientific researchers care very much about their reputation.

Just then, Liu Mu’s phone rang. He answered it and listened for a while, his expression turning very ugly.

Li Busheng and Dean Hu stopped arguing and looked at Liu Mu.

Liu Mu said in a deep voice

"I just received news that Chen Feng has booked a flight to Eagle Nation for tonight."

"What? We absolutely cannot let him go!" Dean Hu blurted out almost subconsciously.

They had just finished discussing cooperation with Chen Feng, and now he was going abroad; it was hard not to let one's imagination run wild.

After all, brain drain was the most serious issue in the Dragon Kingdom.

Eagle Nation often offered high salaries to poach technical personnel from the country.

He had seen this situation too many times.

"Nothing is set in stone yet. I’ll call and ask first." Liu Mu began to dial Chen Feng’s number.

The call was connected quickly.

"Little Chen, why are you in such a hurry to go abroad? And leaving overnight, too."

Liu Mu had to ask, because Chen Feng’s behavior was truly abnormal.

On the other end of the line, Chen Feng realized immediately that Liu Mu and the others must have misunderstood.

"I’m going abroad to see some friends who have achieved a certain level of success in the metal field. I’m going to discuss some things with them."

Chen Feng made up an excuse; he couldn't exactly say he was going abroad to buy guns.

"I see. It’s not very peaceful abroad, especially in Eagle Nation. You need to be careful. If you run into trouble, call me anytime."

Liu Mu didn't ask any further.

"Understood, please rest assured, Leader."

The call was then hung up.

Dean Hu immediately questioned

"Old Liu, why didn't you stop him!"

Liu Mu smiled and said

"Going abroad is his freedom. Should I stop him just because he’s going to participate in academic discussions? Old Hu, you’re just worrying about this and that because of your age. Young people should be allowed to do what they want."

"I’m a soldier; I don't think as much as you do. If I thought about the worst-case scenario for everything, how would anything ever get done?"

"If I forcibly stopped him from going abroad now, wouldn't everything we did before be in vain? Would Little Chen still trust us?"

Liu Mu’s words left Dean Hu speechless.

Across the ocean, in Eagle Nation.

After getting off the plane, Chen Feng headed straight for a black market in Eagle Nation.

Black markets exist in many cities in Eagle Nation, selling all kinds of firearms and some contraband.

It was impossible for Chen Feng to buy guns through regular channels; he had no way to obtain a gun license.

He got into a taxi, and after a bumpy ride, he arrived at the black market an hour and a half later.

The black market was located in the suburbs of the city, a place Chen Feng had visited several times before.

Each time, he came to buy handguns and ammunition.

The black market was run by gangs, and one had to pay a fee to enter—a one-hundred-dollar entrance fee.

Arriving at the entrance of a small alley, several tattooed Black men were smoking and guarding the entrance.

Seeing Chen Feng approach, the leader of the men smiled.

"Chen, welcome, my friend!"

The leader shook hands with Chen Feng.

Chen Feng responded in fluent English

"Jack, long time no see."

Jack was a low-level gang leader Chen Feng knew, and he considered Chen Feng a regular customer.

Jack led Chen Feng into the alley, saying as they walked

"Chen, do you need bullets again this time? We have plenty of stock this time."

Regular customers like Chen Feng basically didn't need to pay the entrance fee upfront; they could just pay it all once the transaction was complete.

Chen Feng smiled slightly: "Besides buying bullets this time, I also need some more powerful weapons."

Hearing this, Jack laughed immediately

"No problem, whatever you want, we can get it here."

Jack was very polite to Chen Feng because he was one of his few stable customers.

The reason he was stable was that Chen Feng had bought guns and ammunition from him many times without any trouble.

His other customers were either killed or arrested.

He liked stable customers like this the most.

Jack then led Chen Feng through the alley to a bar.

Entering a compartment inside the bar, Chen Feng saw seven or eight people, all foreigners.

These people just glanced at Chen Feng and didn't speak.

Jack poured Chen Feng a drink and pulled him to sit down.

These were all prospective buyers; they had to wait until there were about ten people before being taken to select weapons.

This had always been the rule here.