Back at the antique shop, Old Man immediately began crafting a new magic core.
Although the vital ingredient, long-tailed broad-billed bird droppings, was missing, the shop did have other necessary materials.
Old Man’s task now was to perform the initial processing of these materials. Once S.H.I.E.L.D. delivered the bird droppings, he could then forge the new magic core with utmost speed.
Time flew by until evening. Old Man, working diligently, finally managed to create the new magic core, successfully repairing the demon tracker.
The scene shifted. Bai Qi sat in a stretched limousine, eyes closed, exuding the air of a charlatan.
Across from him, the bespectacled man dared not breathe. Though this man was the head of the New York branch and usually an imposing figure, that was only when dealing with his subordinates.
Now, it was different. Sitting before him was an investigator from Umbrella Corporation’s headquarters, wielding ultimate authority. One wrong move, and his promising career could be over in an instant.
Bai Qi made no move to reveal his identity as the Holy Lord.
If an investigator from headquarters had already terrified the bespectacled man so much, revealing his true identity would surely send the poor fellow to his demise.
As the bespectacled man’s mind raced, desperately replaying every action to find any oversight or mistake that might have alerted the higher-ups, Bai Qi slowly opened his eyes and looked at the man, saying, “What was your name again?”
The bespectacled man was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, “Yes, sir. My name is Billy Wolf. You can call me Billy.”
Bai Qi nodded and asked again, “Alright, Billy, can you tell me what exhibit your company plans to showcase at the Stark Enterprises exhibition?”
This question once again flummoxed Billy.
This exhibition was exceptionally significant, being organized by the prestigious Stark Enterprises in collaboration with several other major corporations.
Such a large-scale event was beyond the purview of minor figures like himself. Every exhibit featured was decided by the head office and flown in directly. Billy’s responsibility was to ensure these exhibits suffered no damage during transport and arrived safely on display.
Bai Qi, however, was unaware of this, or rather, he knew little about his own company. When he first established it, Bai Qi’s intention was to increase his influence on the international stage and launder illicit gains. Once Umbrella was running smoothly, Bai Qi had entrusted its management to a few trusted subordinates.
Thus, although Bai Qi was here in the capacity of a headquarters investigator, he was genuinely ignorant of the exhibition’s exhibits.
But it didn’t matter. The considerate Billy had already conjured a flawless explanation in his mind.
Bai Qi’s inquiry about the exhibits wasn’t due to ignorance, but rather a test of his own capabilities.
Having concocted this narrative, Billy dared not be negligent. He cautiously recounted the pre-prepared speech and handed Bai Qi a list of items to be exhibited that evening, complete with detailed descriptions of each product.
Bai Qi took the list and began to read it carefully.
Seeing Bai Qi engrossed in the list, Billy finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Billy was acutely aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He struggled to articulate his thoughts clearly when faced with situations, becoming nervous and often speaking erratically out of impulse. This was Billy’s greatest flaw.
Precisely because he knew this weakness, Billy’s favorite pastime was to prepare in advance, tackling tasks before they arose.
To this end, Billy spared no expense in assembling a team whose sole job was to craft his speeches. They determined what to say in various situations, how to appease a hot-tempered superior, and what words would inspire greater loyalty from capable subordinates. Every word, every sentence, was meticulously written and clarified.
Billy merely had to memorize these scripts and recite them when needed.
Bai Qi’s brow furrowed slightly as he scanned the list. It wasn't that the chosen exhibits were problematic; on the contrary, Umbrella Corporation’s professional team had done an excellent job selecting them, covering fields such as medicine, food, accommodation, and the latest in artificial intelligence.
What troubled Bai Qi was the complete absence of any weapon exhibits on the list.
Billy, adept at reading people, immediately sensed the issue from Bai Qi’s expression and quickly asked, “Is there something wrong with this list?”
Hearing Billy’s question, Bai Qi’s demeanor instantly shifted. He flashed a smile, like that of a friendly older brother, and said, “No, the list is excellent. The descriptions are very detailed. You’ve worked hard.”
He then handed the list back to Billy.
Billy was overwhelmed by Bai Qi’s words, even imagining his future rise to prominence based on this single remark.
After returning the list to Billy, Bai Qi turned to look out the window, a plan slowly forming in his mind.
Just as the vehicle approached Stark Tower, Bai Qi suddenly instructed the driver to stop.
“What is it?”
Billy was utterly bewildered by Bai Qi’s action.
Bai Qi didn’t explain directly but told the driver in front, “Turn right at the next intersection. I need to pick up a friend.”
Hearing that Bai Qi was meeting a friend, Billy didn’t pry further. Under Bai Qi’s guidance, the car drove to the entrance of a dimly lit alley.
“Excuse me, sir, I don’t mean to question you, but this place seems rather dangerous. We should leave as soon as possible.”
Billy’s reaction was understandable; this was hardly a fitting location for their luxury vehicle.
As if on cue, shortly after Billy spoke, several ruffians, clad in short sleeves and adorned with large gold chains around their necks and wrists, emerged from all directions, surrounding the limousine.
One burly black man with a full sleeve tattoo approached the car door and gently tapped on the window, saying, “Gentlemen, we have something to discuss with you. Could you open the door, please?”
The black man’s tone was polite, but his heavy gold necklace and extensive tattoos hardly suggested he was a well-meaning individual.
Bai Qi remained unconcerned. A formidable demon like himself wouldn't be intimidated by mere mortals.
Just as he was about to open the door at the black man’s request, Billy preemptively stopped him.
“Sir, I must say, opening the door now would not be a wise decision.”