10: Chapter 10 That night, all the thugs in the neighborhood wet themselves.

Carlos felt his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably.

Self-defense?

He glanced at Wild Dog, whose kneecaps had been shattered like golf balls, then at the jeep that looked as if Godzilla had stepped on it, and finally, his gaze fell upon the two Tyrants radiating an aura of deathly silence.

If this was called self-defense, then the Normandy landings could probably only be considered a mass brawl.

"Chen, you're really testing the limits of my heart's endurance."

Carlos took off his police cap and wiped the fine layer of greasy sweat from his forehead, his voice as dry as if he had been thirsty in a desert for three days. "There are over a dozen lives here, plus all these heavy weapons. If those damn reporters catch wind of this, I'll be guarding the morgue by tomorrow morning."

"Reporters won't see a thing."

Chen Yuan pulled a pre-prepared check from his coat and gently tucked it into Carlos's breast pocket, smoothly straightening the sheriff's slightly crooked tie.

It was a figure large enough to keep Carlos in his position for another ten years.

"There's only a group of thugs here who tried to rob a legitimate business, and a dutiful, heroic, and fearless sheriff."

Chen Yuan's voice was full of persuasion. "As for the cleanup... I believe your men are quite skilled at 'waste management,' right?"

Carlos touched the thin slip of paper against his chest, feeling the warmth of those trailing zeros. His Adam's apple bobbed, and the fear in his eyes was quickly replaced by greed and a certain unspoken understanding.

"Of course."

Carlos put his hat back on, his back straightening instantly. He turned and roared at the stunned officers:

"What are you all standing around for! Didn't you hear Mr. Chen? These thugs resisted arrest with weapons and have been subdued by us... and a few concerned citizens! Handcuff the living ones, bag the dead! Wash the ground thoroughly; don't let it affect their work tomorrow!"

That night, the San Verde Police Department's cleaning trucks were busy until dawn.

And even busier than the cleaning trucks was the city's underground intelligence network.

The news spread like a winged plague, reaching every dark corner within two hours. The scouts who had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for Chen Yuan and the Wild Wolf Gang to exhaust each other so they could scavenge the remains, were now all huddled in the shadows, not even daring to breathe loudly.

They had witnessed that massacre.

No, it wasn't a massacre; it was a dimensional strike.

In a dilapidated tavern two blocks from the Pharmaceutical Factory, several small gang leaders who had just received the news were gathered together, their faces looking worse than if their mothers had died.

"You're saying that kid is keeping two... monsters?"

A burly man with tattooed arms was shaking so much the drink in his hand spilled all over his crotch. "Even that lunatic Wild Dog was beaten into a dead dog?"

"They're more than just monsters!"

The lackey responsible for gathering intel swallowed hard, his eyes terrified as if he'd seen a ghost. "I saw that big guy in the suit rip a concrete pillar right out of the ground with one hand! A damn concrete pillar! Even the Hulk would have to catch his breath after that, right?"

Silence.

A deathly silence hung over the table.

They had originally been discussing how to extort Chen Yuan, since 'Vigor' was incredibly popular right now—it was a literal gold mine. But now it seemed that wasn't a gold mine at all, but a crematorium disguised as one.

"Let's go."

The tattooed man suddenly stood up and slammed his glass onto the table.

"Where to? Boss, what about our turf?"

"Turf my ass! Who cares about turf when our lives are on the line?" The man cursed as he walked out. "Tell the boys we're moving tonight! To the south! As far away from that psycho Chen as possible! I'd rather sell Tacos in Tijuana than have my head crushed by that thing!"

The same scene played out in every block surrounding the Pharmaceutical Factory.

That night, a spectacle occurred in San Verde.

The hoodlums who usually acted like tyrants fled the neighborhood overnight like startled cockroaches, carrying large bags and driving battered pickups. They didn't even dare to leave a single parting threat, fearing that terrifying Easterner would set those two vicious dogs on them.

And the architect of it all was currently standing in the core laboratory on the third basement level.

The air purification system was running at full power, sealing out the smell of blood from outside.

Chen Yuan held a freshly lit cigar, but he didn't puff on it, merely staring blankly at the curling blue smoke.

Before him were two mountain-like piles of US dollars.

On the left was the revenue from selling 'Vigor', and on the right was the black money scavenged from the Wild Wolf Gang's wrecked pickups. Combined, it totaled three million dollars.

Behind the mountain of money, Tyrant No. 1 and Tyrant No. 2 stood silently.

The wounds on their bodies were healing at a visible rate; beneath the skin shredded by bullets, new granulation tissue was growing frantically. That powerful self-healing ability caused even Chen Yuan, their creator, to feel a hint of trepidation.

"Boss, here is tonight's battle damage report."

Alice approached with a tablet, the light from the screen reflecting off her perfect face, making her look somewhat cold and elegant. "The energy levels of both Tyrants have dropped by 30% and require high-energy nutrient replenishment. Additionally, the Zombie Dogs may need deworming because they ate too many... unclean things."

"Deworming?"

Chen Yuan laughed involuntarily and flicked his cigar ash. "Give them the best medicine. They are our heroes, after all."

He walked to the pile of money, picked up a bundle of bills, and sniffed it.

It was an intoxicating scent.

In the past, he might have used this money to buy luxury cars, date starlets, and enjoy a life of decadence. But now, looking at the two silent war machines behind him, a greater ambition was growing wildly in the depths of his heart.

Before, he only wanted to be a wealthy man and trample those in the Chen family who looked down on him.

But now, he realized he could do much more.

In this chaotic, lawless land, the law was just toilet paper for the strong, and violence was the only valid passport.

As long as he held this biotechnology that transcended the era, he was the God here.

"Alice."

Chen Yuan turned around, his eyes burning. "How is the development of the 'Nano Medical Worm' coming along?"

"It requires more funding and computing power," Alice replied. "And we need test subjects with higher clearance."

"There will be funding, there will be computing power, and as for test subjects..."

Chen Yuan sneered. "There are plenty outside."

Just then, his private phone on the table began to vibrate.

Only a very few people knew this number.

Chen Yuan glanced at the caller ID, his eyebrows arching slightly.

Mary Anderson.

Sheriff Carlos's wife—a woman who still retained her charm and controlled San Verde's elite social circles.

Calling this late was clearly for more than just saying goodnight.

Chen Yuan stubbed out his cigar and answered the phone, his voice instantly switching to a refined, gentlemanly tone.

"Good evening, Mrs. Anderson. Calling so late... are you worried about your husband?"

A lazy, somewhat sultry voice came from the other end, with the faint sound of jazz music in the background.

"Oh, Chen. I wouldn't worry if that idiot Carlos died out there; it's you I'm worried about."

"I heard it was quite lively at your place tonight? I'm sure those crude fellows must have given you quite a scare."

"It was alright," Chen Yuan chuckled. "Just a bit of cleaning up."

"That's good then."

Mrs. Anderson's voice became suggestive. "To help you settle your nerves, I'm hosting a private dinner at my home tomorrow night. The guests are all respectable people in the city... and of course, a few sisters who are very interested in 'that medicine' of yours."

"Mr. Chen, I think it's necessary for us to find a quiet place to have a... deep conversation?"