183: Chapter 183 Domestic Special Envoy Zhao Gang has arrived, an old acquaintance!

The elevator rose rapidly from deep underground.

The feeling of weightlessness failed to cause any ripple in Chen Yuan's expression.

He straightened his collar, took off the deep black tactical trench coat stained with mecha oil and the scent of gunpowder, and casually changed into a slightly more relaxed dark shirt.

Since he was meeting an old acquaintance from back home,

he had to show a bit of social etiquette; he couldn't make it look like he was going to crash a party.

In the luxurious reception room on the first floor of Elysium Manor,

Victor stood at the door, an impeccable professional fake smile plastered on his chubby face.

He looked at the man with the buzz cut sitting on the sofa, feeling that there was an indelible scent of iron and blood about him.

The man was around fifty years old, wearing a black jacket that couldn't be more ordinary.

He hadn't brought any bodyguards.

But as he sat there, his back was ramrod straight, and his whole being was like a javelin thrust into the heart of an enemy camp.

Hearing the sound of the door opening,

the buzz-cut man slowly turned his head, his gaze burning like a torch.

Chen Yuan stepped inside.

A gentle yet somewhat roguish smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

He waved a hand to dismiss Victor, then walked straight to the main sofa opposite and sat down.

“Director Zhao.”

Chen Yuan casually picked up the cigar box on the table and tossed one over.

“Haven't seen you in five years, and you've certainly grown a lot more white hair. What, has the food at the Security Bureau gotten worse?”

Director Zhao steadily caught the cigar mid-air.

He glanced down at the expensive handmade Cuban tobacco, but instead of lighting it, he placed it gently on the coffee table.

He lifted his eyelids, staring at the excessively young man before him with a complex gaze.

Five years.

On that rainy night five years ago, Chen Yuan had been kicked out of the Chen family like a stray dog, possessing nothing.

Back then, Director Zhao was only a section chief.

Because he had received the kindness of a meal from Chen Yuan's mother in his early years, he had risked violating regulations to secretly slip Chen Yuan a passport and ten thousand US dollars.

It was that ten thousand dollars

that became Chen Yuan's first bit of capital to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

“No matter how bad the food is, it can't compare to the wastefulness of a capitalist like you.”

Director Zhao's voice was steady and powerful, carrying the majesty of someone long in a high position and a hint of irrepressible emotion.

“Before I came, the higher-ups had me look at all your detailed files.”

“To be honest, even after reading that two-hundred-page top-secret report,”

Director Zhao stared intently into Chen Yuan's eyes, “I still feel like I'm reading a low-quality science fiction novel.”

“Life is often more absurd than science fiction.”

Chen Yuan leaned lazily against the back of his chair and snapped his fingers sharply.

“A guest from afar is a guest. Try the tea here.”

“Authentic Mother Tree Da Hong Pao. I spent a fortune to win it at a black market auction, specifically to entertain honored guests.”

As the sound of the finger snap faded,

the heavy mahogany door on the side of the reception room was pushed open.

A giant over 2.2 meters tall, wearing an oversized black suit, walked in carrying a tea tray.

Tyrant No. 1.

Its massive frame almost filled the entire doorway. With every step, the high-strength solid wood floor let out a dull groan.

Sunglasses hid its pale, dead-fish eyes.

But that terrifying sense of pressure, built purely from biological violence, instantly filled every corner of the room.

Director Zhao's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needle points.

As a top Special Envoy of the Huaxia Security Bureau, he had seen countless vicious criminals and top-tier assassins in his life.

But when facing this 'waiter' serving tea,

the muscles all over his body actually tensed up uncontrollably.

This was a primitive physiological reaction etched deep in the genes when a human faces a top-tier apex predator.

The Tyrant walked to the coffee table.

The massive shadow directly and completely enveloped Director Zhao.

It leaned down, its movements stiff yet extremely precise, and placed a cup of steaming black tea in front of Director Zhao.

It stepped back half a pace and stood to the side like a soulless iron tower.

Director Zhao took a deep breath.

He suppressed the instinctive urge to draw his gun and shoot, slowly reaching out to take the cup of tea.

On the back of his calloused hands, which had once steadily held sniper rifles, veins were faintly bulging.

The moment he picked up the teacup,

a tiny ripple appeared on the surface of the clear tea.

He was nervous after all.

Chen Yuan saw all of this but did not speak to point it out.

He simply picked up his own cup, blew on the tea leaves, his eyes showing a bit of nonchalance.

So what if it was an official power?

So what if it was a Special Envoy from a great nation?

In this Elysium Manor, even a tiger must crouch, and a Dragon must coil.

Only by demonstrating absolute strength could one earn the right to a truly equal dialogue.

“Good tea.”

Director Zhao took a sip and set the teacup down steadily.

He quickly adjusted his mindset, and the powerful aura belonging to a Special Envoy of a great nation returned to him.

“My coming here this time was originally against regulations.”

Director Zhao looked at Chen Yuan, his gaze becoming as sharp as a blade.

“But the current situation back home is very complex.”

“The video and data you released directly ignited public opinion. Now, the Chen Group is not only facing bankruptcy but also a joint investigation by multiple departments.”

“Jinghai is currently a mess.”

“They brought it on themselves.”

Chen Yuan sneered, toying with the blue and white porcelain tea lid in his hand.

“Uncle Zhao, you didn't fly halfway across the globe just to act as a lobbyist for that old beast Chen Tianba, did you?”

Chen Yuan's gaze instantly dropped to freezing point.

“If that's the case, you can leave after finishing this cup of tea.”

Addressing him as 'Uncle Zhao' acknowledged their past bond.

But this order to leave also clearly drew the line.

“Of course I didn't come for the Chen family.”

Director Zhao shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of ruthlessness.

“Uprooting such a tumor only benefits the country. The higher-ups have no intention of protecting them.”

He leaned forward slightly, hands crossed over his knees, his entire posture presenting an absolutely professional negotiating stance.

“Chen Yuan, what exactly are you trying to do now?”

Director Zhao's tone became incredibly serious.

“Tearing apart tanks with your bare hands in the Nevada Desert, creating a death livestream with tens of millions of viewers across the entire web.”

“You've ground the face of the US military into the floor.”

“Do you really think the politicians in the White House and The Pentagon will swallow this and let you live in peace?”

“They've already swallowed it.”

Chen Yuan shrugged, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing what to have for lunch.

“Just two hours ago, I was having afternoon tea with The First Lady.”

“By the way, I scraped a ten-billion-dollar deposit from The Pentagon's procurement list.”

Director Zhao suddenly sucked in a sharp breath.

Even though he was used to seeing great storms, he almost couldn't hold his expression at this moment.

Before coming, he only knew that Chen Yuan's martial prowess was astonishing.

He never dreamed that this kid's political maneuvering and commercial layout were also so terrifying.

To be able to turn around and do a ten-billion-dollar arms deal with the US military right after slapping their face.

This was simply playing with the entire capital and power structure of America as if they were monkeys.

“It seems I worried about you for nothing.”

Director Zhao gave a bitter laugh, a flash of extreme complexity in his eyes.

The destitute youth back then who needed his secret charity to flee the country.

Now, he had grown into an abyssal beast that even he couldn't see through.

And it was a beast that controlled destructive power.

“But that's for the best.”

Director Zhao put away his stray thoughts, his expression becoming solemn, like an indestructible rock.

“Since you have such strength now, then I'll speak plainly about what comes next.”

“I'm all ears.”

Chen Yuan put down his teacup and made a gesture of invitation.

“The commotion you've caused is too big, so big that it has already affected the global geostrategic balance.”

Director Zhao pointed to the Tyrant standing by outside, then pointed to the building Chen Yuan was in.

He uncrossed his hands, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp.

“Chen Yuan, the country watched your livestream.”

“The higher-ups are very interested in those 'big toys' of yours.”