The Regrets of a Beggar
If time could be reversed, Lingxu Zi would certainly never have gotten involved in this mess; he would have run far away from Linda Danvers the moment he saw her. The farther, the better.
This girl was terrifying. She wasn't human; she was an animal—and even an animal wouldn't be this scary.
He had initially thought she was a martial arts genius with innate divine strength, but that was completely wrong.
What martial arts genius can lift a train with one hand? What martial arts genius can fly around the Earth in a few minutes? What martial arts genius can punch with the force of a sonic boom?
Even the ancient great demons described in old texts weren't as monstrous as her.
Lingxu Zi deeply regretted why he was so pathetic as to take her as an apprentice. Does a monster like this even need to train? She could sit there doing nothing and still be invincible.
But the girl refused to give up; she insisted on learning the Palm of Emptiness, and he couldn't refuse.
Oh, my heavens! She's an alien whose body structure is light-years away from an Earthling's. How could he possibly teach her? He couldn't. But if he didn't teach her, given the girl's rebellious and willful nature, she might very well punch him into a meat paste.
That was the most terrifying thing.
If anyone was to blame, it was that brat, Luke Shaw. It was bad enough that he chased other women, but why did he have to bring a matriarch like her home? Wasn't he worried she might destroy the whole family in a fit of rage?
Lingxu Zi looked miserable. Seeing Linda's expression growing darker, he could only wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and flatter her.
"No rush, no rush. Impatience is the biggest taboo in martial arts. Trust me, Master will handle it. Absolutely, no problem."
The CEO and The Expert
It was 3:30 PM. Luke, who was touring Ferris Aircraft, received a text message from Grandpa Fu: The old master is angry; get home as soon as possible.
Luke thought it over and decided it was better to hide for a while. The old master, when angry, never reasoned; he only used the whip. Being strung up and beaten at almost eighteen was too embarrassing.
Ferris Aircraft truly deserved its place as a Global Top 100 enterprise. Their vast airfield, covering tens of thousands of acres, belonged entirely to them. And this was in Coast City, not some remote village.
The land alone was worth billions of dollars.
Sitting in the Humvee, they could see numerous workshops manufacturing aircraft components along the way. Some workshops even had dedicated research and development centers attached.
Past the manufacturing zone was the test flight area, where dozens of aircraft of different models were parked in open-air hangars. Besides commercial airliners, there were also fighter jets visible.
"Aren't you an airline company? Why do you have fighter jets?"
Carol, wearing a camouflage uniform, smiled. "Father believes that for the company to achieve long-term growth, we must participate in the research and development of top-tier fighter jets. The technology for civilian airliners is too basic."
"Any results yet?"
"The project has been approved, but there are still many problems we haven't solved, especially the engine. It's incredibly difficult."
"Luke, we're counting on you this time."
"Don't worry, it's fine."
Luke was full of confidence. For him, there was no such thing as "difficult" when it came to Earth technology.
The two chatted and laughed their way to the entrance of the R&D center. As soon as they walked in, they saw two familiar faces: the future Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, and his good friend, Tom Kalmaku.
The two unlucky guys were stripped naked and tied to a tree by Adam last night. Luke was surprised they were able to come to work today.
They say enemies have a psychological connection when they meet. Sure enough, before Luke could speak, Hal, who was fixing a machine, saw the "mortal enemy" who had subjected him to such humiliation.
Without a word, Hal grabbed a wrench and charged, but quick-witted Tom desperately held him back.
Carol covered her forehead, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, they are my friends. Please don't mind them."
Luke shrugged nonchalantly. The two guys tried to burn down his party. As the underworld boss of Coast City, Luke had to teach them a lesson; otherwise, he'd lose face.
Tying them to a tree to sunbathe was already lenient. If it weren't for Carol's sake, the two wouldn't be standing here completely unscathed.
Compared to the impulsive Hal Jordan, Tom was more mature. After calming his best friend, he walked up to Carol.
"Make introductions, will you? It's rare to see you personally bring someone here."
Carol pointed to Luke. "Luke Shaw, the engine expert I hired... and my boyfriend."
Hearing this, Hal Jordan's face darkened like a wok bottom from a distance.
"This is Tom Kalmaku, the company's ace pilot."
Luke extended his right hand. "Hello, Mr. Kalmaku. Carol often mentioned having two childhood friends she grew up with. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"I... I, too!"
Tom forced a smile, but his cheek involuntarily twitched a few times as he recalled the events of last night.
Carol, having just arrived at the company, wasn't aware of what happened the previous night. Seeing the two get along so well made her genuinely happy. One was her childhood friend, and the other was her beloved boyfriend; if they had any unpleasantness, she would be the one stuck in the middle.
After chatting for a while, Luke and Carol headed toward the R&D center.
Watching the two walk away as a pair, Hal Jordan was so angry he wanted to smash the engine into pieces.
"What is she thinking? Last night she had us go start a fire in the entertainment district, and today she's like this? Is she just messing with us?"
Tom sighed. "Can't you tell? They've made up."
"Made up?"
Hal was stunned. "How is that possible? That bastard, he..."
"Cut it out. Carol grew up with us. You know her personality; once she sets her mind on something, it's hard for her to let go."
"But..."
"Stop overthinking it. Things are the way they are; what can we do?" Tom seemed to have come to a realization. He lowered his voice. "Carol is our friend, and she's our boss. If she needs help, we help her. As for her private life, it's none of our business. And don't hold out too much hope. With that guy around, she'll never look at you."
Hal's secret feelings were exposed, and he looked a bit embarrassed. "What about you? Didn't you like her too?"
Tom shrugged.
"That's right, I used to like her. But after sunbathing for a few hours last night, I suddenly realized a lot of things. Why should I waste my prime youth on a girl who will never love me? With all that free time, why not go find some fun at a strip club? Want to come tonight?"
"I'm not going."
Hal stripped off his work uniform and turned to walk toward the R&D center.
"What are you doing!"
"That bastard stripped me naked and hung me on a tree to be humiliated. This is not over so easily."
Tom's face changed drastically, and he immediately chased after him. Hal was faster, though, and closed the elevator door before Tom could reach it.
The Price of Help
On the third floor of the R&D center, Carol, now in a lab coat, said sternly,
"The R&D center is the core department of Ferris Aircraft, and every piece of technology in here is crucial. Promise me, Luke, that you'll maintain absolute secrecy."
Luke looked resigned. "To be honest, I'm not impressed by any of the technology you have here."
"Fine, just hurry up and get to the engine lab. Once you solve the problem, come straight home. I'm already eager to try out tonight's new program."
Carol's face flushed. She quickly looked around, made sure no one was paying attention, then stomped hard on Luke's foot and quickly walked away.
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