The favor Lin Qi asked of Guang Ling wasn’t difficult—at least, not for Guang Ling.

Evidence. Lin Qi wanted Guang Ling to help him gather evidence of the Si Clan’s contact with the Round Table Conference.

After seeing the two massive bounties, Lin Qi understood why the Si Clan was unwilling to deal with Liu’s Heavy Industries directly, which in turn helped him understand Liu Xuan’s plan.

With the exception of the Intercontinental Enterprises, all other corporations operated under the Big Business Alliance of their respective administrative regions.

Each administrative region’s Big Business Alliance was a single entity, and its member corporations carved up the profits within their own region.

With the breakdown in relations between the Si Clan and the Liu Clan, the Si Clan would lose the support of the Asian Administrative Region’s largest supplier of Extraordinary Materials. Their Potion industry was bound to suffer.

To protect their core business, their only option was to find a replacement corporation.

Within the Asian Administrative Region, it was impossible for the Si Clan to find a new partner other than the Liu Clan.

The other corporations whose main business was Prosthetic Bodies could certainly provide Extraordinary Materials, but they already had established partners.

The profits were already allocated.

The Si Clan had only one way out: other administrative regions.

The Asian Political Zone Big Business Alliance permitted internal struggles and shake-ups, but it would never allow the region’s profits to flow to outsiders.

If they could just get evidence, they might be able to break the deadlock.

Guang Ling’s reply proved Lin Qi’s theory correct.

"Evidence is indeed the key to breaking this stalemate. According to the second clause of the Big Business Alliance’s charter, if evidence is found, the Alliance must intervene. But so far, the Si Clan has been extremely cautious. Even I haven’t been able to obtain any critical proof."

Guang Ling’s reply was simple and to the point.

Judging by the reply, Guang Ling was willing to help Lin Qi, but only within the cyber network.

The Si Clan had never left any evidence on the cyber network.

’How do I break this stalemate?’

Lin Qi already had an idea. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The reason the Si Clan was now acting so desperately was because the Round Table Conference’s Tier Three Knights had been completely wiped out.

With no other forces in Greenfield City capable of targeting the Liu Clan, they had resorted to posting an exorbitant bounty.

’But... what if all the Mercenary Corps in Greenfield City are wiped out?’

Although many Mercenaries were currently trapped in Greenfield City, the caliber of the Mercenary Corps varied wildly.

They ranged from the T0-tier Holy Relic Legion all the way down to unranked Mercenary Corps like the Highest Level, which didn’t even register on the Black Market.

’Based on the battle when Twin Towers B Tower collapsed, the Mercenaries from the Holy Relic Legion who came to Greenfield City are suspected to be two S-Class Prosthetic Implanters. It’s unclear what happened to them, but they’re most likely unable to operate within Greenfield City.’

’As for the other top faction, the Round Table Conference, their Tier Three Extraordinaries have all been killed.’

’In other words, the strongest people taking part in the operation tonight will be A-Class Prosthetic Implanters.’

’The biggest threat is just their numbers. But am I afraid of numbers?’

Of all his abilities, only Spiritual Power Materialization consumed a large amount of energy.

Spiritual Vision’s consumption was almost negligible.

As for Blood Manipulation, Lin Qi didn’t need to form the blood into any extravagant shapes. Just creating a few blood clots had a similarly negligible cost.

Then there was Momentum Manipulation, an ability Lin Qi rarely used. Its Spiritual Power consumption depended on the mass of the object being controlled.

Finally, there was his Tier Two Wizard Ability, Rapid Growth. Its cost wasn’t insignificant, but Lin Qi rarely needed to use it unless he was up against an Extraordinary with a Prosthetic Implantation.

All things considered, Lin Qi believed the risks of the operation were manageable.

Once the Mercenary Corps in the city were wiped out, the Si Clan would be left with only two choices.

Either act themselves.

Or give up.

Furthermore, the Iron Curtain lockdown of Greenfield City wouldn’t last much longer.

Continuing the lockdown would ultimately be detrimental to the Si Clan’s own interests.

Just as he had for his previous operations, Lin Qi donned an Exoskeleton for a disguise. With Guang Ling providing a network cloak, he left the Liu’s Heavy Industries high-level employee apartments.

...

「Greenfield City. Liu’s Heavy Industries Headquarters.」

Liu Xuan and Liu Heng were both inside the building.

Liu Xuan looked up, her left prosthetic eye glowing with a purple light. It seemed to pierce through the walls, gazing in a specific direction as the purple light subtly intensified.

Beside her, Liu Heng fidgeted nervously. "Sister Xuan, do you think we’ll make it out of Greenfield City alive...?"

Liu Xuan frowned. "Is that important?"

Liu Heng instantly deflated.

’Right, it isn’t important...’

To Liu’s Heavy Industries, to the Liu Clan, the only thing that mattered was the safety of the true heir.

Under the rules of the Big Business Alliance Successor Bill and the principles governing the succession of special Extraordinary Professions, the Liu Clan would pay any price to protect their heir.

He raised his head, glancing at Liu Xuan from the corner of his eye.

Liu Heng sighed.

He’d originally thought that the Liu Clan’s sacrificial pawns were just Liu Yue and himself.

’I never thought Liu Xuan would be one too...’

Liu Xuan paid no mind to Liu Heng’s fidgeting, her gaze fixed on the spot beyond the wall.

’So he went out after all...’

An unusual glint appeared in Liu Xuan’s right eye.

...

In the underground tunnel system, King Arthur was in contact with Lin Qi.

"You’re getting involved with the Liu Clan’s affairs? Guang Ling didn’t accept this mission."

King Arthur sent the message to Lin Qi.

Just a moment ago, she had struck a deal with Lin Qi: ten million Credit Points to come to the area near Liu’s Heavy Industries.

Lin Qi’s request to King Arthur was simple: he might need her to kill some Tier Three Extraordinaries.

If she was needed to make a move, it would be ten million per kill.

"This is a personal commission from me, unrelated to any Mercenary Corps."

This move risked exposing Lin Qi’s identity, but King Arthur was the only backup he could call on.

As for Master Ma, Lin Qi couldn’t afford him in the first place. Even if he could, Master Ma, being a Tier Four Extraordinary, wouldn’t be able to intervene.

King Arthur replied with a hint of resignation, "Fine, I won’t ask any more questions. But as we agreed, even if you don’t need me tonight, the ten million is non-refundable. Also, this clears the debt I owe you."

Lin Qi’s response was simple: "Deal."

King Arthur didn’t know that Lin Qi was not far from her current position.

Just two tunnels away.

That’s right, Lin Qi was also in the underground tunnels.

Relying on his Spiritual Vision, Lin Qi’s current operational radius was over four hundred meters.

Even from within the underground tunnels, he could encompass the vast majority of the Liu’s Heavy Industries building.

Only the top three or so floors were outside the range of his Spiritual Vision.

Fortunately, Liu Xuan wasn’t on the top floor.

The top floor was still under repair from the last attack.

Keeping his Spiritual Vision active, Lin Qi observed everything around him.

The movements of every Mercenary arriving near Liu’s Heavy Industries to prepare for the assault fell within Lin Qi’s field of view.

The Mercenaries’ plan of attack was almost identical to the one used on Twin Towers B Tower.

Dozens of Mercenary Corps were in position, but none of them made the first move.

They were all watching and waiting.

The only difference was that last time, two powerhouses from the Holy Relic Legion had spearheaded the assault.

Among the forces gathered tonight, there were almost no noteworthy names.