Chapter 253: Chapter 253: The Heart of a Child, Clearly Visible (4th Update)
As people dispersed, the night had deepened.
A waning moon hung on the treetops, casting an eerie, hazy glow.
Chen Xiuhe stepped out of the An Family’s residence, looking back at the banquet hall still lit with lanterns.
He knew the military personnel were inside discussing matters with Xue An.
As for those domineering noble families that came with the intention to strip the An Family bare, they had already slinked away in defeat.
Moreover, Chen Xiuhe knew that tonight in Zhongdu, many would be sleepless.
“Grandfather, what’s wrong?” Chen Rushi asked when she saw her grandfather standing still.
Chen Xiuhe cracked a faint smile, “Nothing, I was just suddenly struck by some thoughts! Let’s go!”
As the Chen Family departed.
Xue An was seated on a sofa in the banquet hall, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, watching the group opposite him with an amused gaze.
“Mr. Xue, the item you acquired from Country E, could you hand it over to us?” General Wang said.
“Why should I give it to you?” Xue An replied indifferently.
“Mr. Xue, I know you are still a bit upset, but this matter is very important, after all, it concerns the welfare of our Huaxia nation,” General Wang said gravely.
“Of course, I will hand it over, but not to you!”
As he spoke, Xue An glanced at An Qing and tossed her a USB drive.
“All the information is in here, deal with it as you see fit!”
An Qing caught the USB drive, slightly dumbfounded.
The other generals also froze in shock.
“Mr. Xue, this…”
“What? Do I need your approval to decide whom I give my findings to? And isn’t An Qing one of the military as well? Does it have to be handed over to you all to count?” Xue An stated flatly.
The crowd fell silent.
Many bowed their heads in disappointment.
They had hurried here so eagerly to obtain the documents Xue An had brought back from Country E.
After all, Country E was once a world superpower, making this weapon information extremely valuable.
But they hadn’t expected Xue An to give the data to An Qing.
His actions were, of course, unimpeachable.
An Qing had a military background and was also his younger maternal aunt.
It was reasonable both emotionally and logically.
But after all their hustle, they had ended up with nothing!
As they were feeling awkward,
Xue An said indifferently, “However, An Qing is currently alone and unsupported in the military; she will definitely need a partner to cooperate with!”
No sooner had Xue An finished speaking than General Wang was the first to leap up, thumping his chest resoundingly.
“Mr. Xue, rest assured, I, Wang Tao, am a man of my word. If An Qing agrees to cooperate with me, she can name any terms!”
With Wang Tao taking the lead, the other generals were not to be outdone.
“Mr. Xue, I feel the same. And no matter what Wang Tao is willing to offer, I am ready to add an additional ten percent!”
“I’ll add twenty percent!”
“Hey, are you all deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?” Wang Tao said, getting anxious.
“What, you’re allowed to fight for it, but we’re not allowed to speak?”
“In terms of seniority or rank, who among you can compare to me?” Wang Tao said coldly.
“This isn’t about military rank; your words are useless! Miss An, the scenery where I am is beautiful, and there are lots of fun things to do. You will definitely like it once you’re there!”
“Get lost! Your place is damp and sweltering; what’s good about that!”
In front of Xue An, these influential powerbrokers started airing each other’s dirty laundry.
They even spilled embarrassing tales from when they had first enlisted.
An Qing watched this scene in shock, suddenly realizing that these once lofty figures were actually flesh-and-blood people in private!
As they argued incessantly.
Xue An waved his hands. “Alright, stop arguing!”
Everyone halted and then turned their attention to Xue An in unison.
Xue An spoke calmly. “After all, we’re all from Huaxia, and I don’t wish to favor one over another. How about this: you can all cooperate with An Qing, but the precondition is, whoever offers the most generous terms gets more information. What do you think of that?”
These seasoned big shots were of course aware that Xue An had just set a big trap for them.
But they were in no position to complain; they needed help and would have to jump into the pit, even if it meant gritting their teeth!
“Good! Let’s do as Mr. Xue says!”
Xue An nodded, then turned to An Qing, who was still bewildered, “An Qing, you’ll be cooperating with these big shots from now on. If anything comes up, you can ask me! But I believe these distinguished gentlemen will be eager to help you out!”
“Yes, yes, yes, leave it to us, we’ve got An Qing’s back!”
Xue An looked at these soldiers whose eyes were ablaze with fervor and felt a sudden surge of emotion.
No matter the competition, the loyal heart of these soldiers was clear and unmistakable.
He had pushed An Qing to the front this time, also considering the An Family to have a reliable support in the future.
It was foreseeable that before long, An Qing would become a rising power in the military.
For this reason, Xue An decided to add a bit more weight to the scales.
“Also, do any of you wish to know how Fire Phoenix grew so quickly?”
Xue An’s casual words struck these generals’ ears like a thunderous bell.
“Of course we want to know!” Wang Tao said impatiently.
By now, Fire Phoenix had become a legend, both domestically and worldwide.
In just over a month, they had transformed from a newly formed unit into an elite force, capturing first place in the domestic special forces competition.
Then they charged through the ranks and made it into the international special forces competition.
Despite a few minor setbacks, their whole team’s return still testified to their formidable strength!
Such a force had long been coveted by Wang Tao and others.
And how to train such a powerful unit in such a short time was a question that only Xue An, the Fire Phoenix’s instructor, could answer.
“They are all elites I have meticulously trained. I customized a Cultivation Method for each of them based on their individual conditions and qualities!”
His words caused the usually composed generals to turn pale.
A Cultivation Technique was an incredibly valuable thing!
And Xue An was using it to train soldiers?
As these people were left distraught, Xue An coolly stated, “I can provide each of you with a simplified version of the Cultivation Method. Although it can’t compare to a tailored one, it can still greatly enhance your troops’ strength!”
All eyes lit up.
Especially Wang Tao’s, which almost seemed as if he wanted to gulp down Xue An whole.
“But the preconditions still depend on An Qing!”
The generals looked at each other and saw an unprecedented fighting spirit in each other’s eyes.
Only Yang Chong hung back, filled with regret.
Because he knew that, with the Liu Family’s actions and the words he had said before,
Xue An would certainly not share any Cultivation Techniques with him.
This meant that his subordinates would be far behind the likes of Wang Tao in the future!
If there were such a thing as a regret medicine, he would want ten pounds of it now!