It was that familiar procedure—a leader giving the opening address: be down-to-earth and look ahead to the future; work together in a win-win situation. Bai Sheng was standing on the stage, his white Chinese Tang costume so tidy that there was not a crease or wrinkle to it. His excessively pretty face made him look like a popular star, not any leader of a technological enterprise.

There was a combination lock box in Bai Sheng's hand. One end of its chain was fastened to his wrist.

The Divine Microchip was in that box.

Ning Tao's eyes landed on that combination lock box. He summoned the states of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose. Unfortunately, he could see nothing but the box. He could detect no other odor except that of the box itself.

Bai Sheng's gaze s.h.i.+fted over and fixed on Ning Tao.

Ning Tao was also staring at Bai Sheng. The expression in his eyes was calm. His face was expressionless.

Their eyes met each other's. There was no sound. But like iron and stone clas.h.i.+ng, it gave off sparks.

The corners of Bai Sheng's lips slowly curled up. He gave Ning Tao a smile.

Ning Tao s.h.i.+fted away his gaze. After locating Bai Jing, he walked towards her. Joanna was also there. In her hand was a tube of delicate perfumed cream. She was affectionately inquiring about something. Even without hearing her voice, Ning Tao could guess she must be asking the way to apply the cream.

“What are you two chatting about?” Ning Tao asked casually, coming up to Bai Jing and Joanna's side.

Only now did Joanna discover Ning Tao standing by her side. Her face instantly showed an agitated smile. “Tao, I was just looking for you to chat. After you left, I sent my photo to my social media platform. Many of my friends noticed the difference. They asked me if I had gone to South Korea for a b.o.o.b job. I told them that a miracle doctor from Hua Country had magically transferred the fats from my b.u.t.t to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. They were flabbergasted. They all indicated that they would like to know you. But I told them I must seek your approval first.”

Ning Tao said with a smile, “Of course they may. Your friends are my friends too.”

His breast augmentation business would extend overseas now.

Joanna brought her head close to Ning Tao's ear and said, “Let me tell you a secret. A princess wants to know you.”

Ning Tao asked in surprise, “A princess? What princess?”

Joanna pretended to be mysterious. “She won't let me explain. She told me she would chat with me when I go back and see for herself the effects. Then she will make up her mind.”

Bai Jing at one side was busy fluttering her eyelids at Ning Tao. She seemed to be signaling something.

Ning Tao could understand what Madame White Snake was trying to tell him. He gave a wry smile and said, “No problem. If she wants my medical help, she is welcomed to visit me.”

Joanna said with a smile, “I dare say she will surely contact you after we meet. Right now, she still doesn't know how miraculous your medical skills are in this world. After she see this miracle on my body, she will not have the least bit of doubt.”

Bai Jing shaped her lips to Ning Tao: “Ask her who she is.”

Ning Tao pretended not to have seen. Since Joanne said she would keep her ident.i.ty a secret, why go on asking? He would only be putting her in a dilemma.

After chatting a bit more, Joanna took out her cell phone again to answer her messages. She took a photo of the delicate perfumed cream and sent it to her social media account.

Bai Jing drew closer to Ning Tao's side and whispered, “Bai Sheng has already discovered me. He had been watching me for a full three minutes before you came. Have you discovered what he is up to?”

Ning Tao answered, “Not yet. But I'm sure it won't be anything good. Be careful and act as the situation dictates.”

Bai Jing nodded and they ceased their discussion.

At this moment, the longwinded leader finally ended his speech. After an enthusiastic round of applause, Bai Sheng went up the podium. As he walked there, a ma.s.sive projected screen slowly unfurled from the top. The curtains of the windows in the exhibition hall were all pulled down. The brightest lights were dimmed, leaving only a few ambient lights.

A beam of light shone on Bai Sheng's body. Standing on the podium, he emanated a strange aura. Br.i.m.m.i.n.g with confidence, he was so perfect that no one could find any fault with him.

If Ning Tao had dashed up the stage and told everyone Bai Sheng was a snake demon—cruel, malignant and a ma.s.s murderer—would anyone believe him?

Probably no one would.

In this world, so many lies were presented in a meretricious package. They seemed more like truth than truth itself. Those liars gave highfalutin, specious excuses for their misdeeds, while those who told the truth trembled and were spat upon.

Bai Sheng opened the combination lock box and gingerly took out an exquisite crystal case from within.

Another beam of light shone on Bai Sheng's crystal case, raised high up in the air. Under the bright illumination, the crystal case was glittering. The microchip contained in it was lain out open to the gazes of all spectators.

It was a green microchip, very similar to an ordinary cell phone microchip—only that it was emerald in color. It gave one the visual impression of a work of art, sculpted out of emerald.

On the projected screen came the projected contents. A handsome youth was walking on an ancient pathway, strewn with golden maple leaves. He was clad in white with black shoes, and was exceedingly handsome.

Ning Tao's eyes s.h.i.+fted to the projected screen. He could tell in one glance who that youth was—Wu Xiaolin.

On Wu Xiaolin's left wrist was a watch. The video cut to the watch and zoomed in on it.

The dim exhibition hall suddenly resounded with a rather immature, girlish voice. “Senior Brother Wu, where are you?”

Wu Xiaolin gave the watch face a slight press. The figure of a girl instantly projected out from the watch face. It was Bai Jing's other disciple, Liu Xian'er. Her figure had been shrunk to about 10% of its actual size, and yet it still seemed so clear and lifelike.

Wu Xiaolin's face was wearing a smile. His voice was crisp and clear. “Xian'er, I am on the road to my dreams. The world is huge and my dreams are in the distant horizon.”

The scene changed.

Before an ancient building, Liu Xian'er was dressed in an elegant period Chinese robe. Her robe was flowing and her belt fluttered in the air. From top to toe, she was emanating the aura of a fairy. There was a similar watch on her left wrist. As she watched the projected image of Wu Xiaolin on her watch face, a look of tenderness and wistful reluctance to part appeared in her eyes. She said with great devotion, “Senior Brother, no matter where you are, I will be waiting for you here.”

The video froze at this point.

Ning Tao was also familiar with the ancient building behind Liu Xian'er. It was the First Building.

At this point, Bai Sheng spoke. “This video was shot by my two kids. Since we were in a rush for time and poorly prepared, we did not hire a professional video crew, nor did we have any stars to endorse the product. But I think it doesn't change at all the miraculous capabilities of our Divine Microchip. I believe everyone can see the epoch-making significance of this watch we have created with this microchip. It will start a new epoch in future telecommunications!”

There was an enthusiastic burst of applause from below the stage.

The media reporters with their cameras all started to take frantic pictures of Bai Sheng on the stage, who was holding up the Divine Microchip. They also took photos of that frozen frame of Liu Xian'er.

Bai Sheng continued, “Perhaps you may not believe in the reality of this product. After all, the holographic technology is not mature yet. Even developed countries like Europe or the U.S.A. have not developed this technology. So how can a new and small company like us develop it? I can understand your suspicions, but I will not explain. I am willing to give everyone a demonstration. I want you all to witness this miracle yourself.”

A volunteer was asked up the stage.

Bai Sheng took out a watch from his combination lock box and put it on the volunteer's wrist. Then he took out another watch from the same box and wore it on his own wrist.

Ning Tao's sight landed on the combination lock box beside the podium. He could just about make out that it was cast out of alloy. Hanks said in his letter that this box might contain something, but he had no authority to open it, so he did not know what was inside. The answer was disclosed now—it was full of such watches.

Ning Tao felt quite baffled. He said to himself, “From Hanks's description, the relations.h.i.+p of Bai Sheng and Nicholas Conway does not seem to be that of a superior with his subordinate. They appear to be cooperating. But these two villains aren't planning to sell watches, are they?”

On the stage, Bai Sheng said to the watch on his left wrist, “Calling Contact No. 3. Save the audio file. My friend, do you wish to chat?”

The moment his voice faded, the watch on the volunteer's wrist immediately resounded with Bai Sheng's voice: “My friend, do you wish to chat?”

Prompted by the crew around him, the volunteer pressed the watch face. The holographic projection of Bai Sheng immediately appeared above the watch face. Bai Sheng turned a circle on the stage, and the holographic projection did the same. Then Bai Sheng bowed as a gesture of grat.i.tude, and the holographic projection bowed too.

Another enthusiastic round of applause from under the stage. There were also muttered discussions.

“It is indeed incredible. How can such a small technological company develop this product?”

“Gerton Company must be crying now. If this product is ma.s.s produced, who will buy a cell phone?”

“The U.S. has been brandis.h.i.+ng her “trade stick” and banning the sale of microchips and software to Hua Country, as a coercive measure. How can the U.S. do that now?”

“I am positive that this young man on the stage will be Hua Country's richest man in two years. He will be the world's richest person in five!”

“I don't think it will take that long. The launch of this high-tech product will inaugurate a new era in telecommunications and will surely be supported by their government. They are launching in a sensitive time. The process will be smooth and they won't run into any problem. Mr. Bai will soon reach the zenith of his life!”

All the discussions had been overheard by Ning Tao. He wanted to laugh and even growl loudly to release his pent-up frustration. He knew full well that Bai Sheng was a swindler, yet he did not know what was wrong with these watches. But he was certain something was wrong with them. He also knew that Bai Sheng was a villain in this region. He had a divine calling to eliminate Bai Sheng. Yet he could only stand under the stage right now and watch Bai Sheng's performance with open eyes.

A reporter squeezed to Ning Tao's side and started taking pictures of Bai Sheng interacting with the volunteer with her camera.

Ning Tao did not mind, until a familiar odor crept into his nostrils. He suddenly s.h.i.+fted his eyes to gaze at the reporter beside him.

Quite coincidentally, that reporter was looking at him too.