I accidentally joined a group of charlatans, so I immediately called the police and handed it over t

The air in the laboratory still carried the burnt smell of Zhao Tiezhu's bones during reconstruction—the scent of rebirth.

Li Guobang stood in front of the bulletproof glass, his gaze fixed on Chen Xi, not on the super soldier who was adapting to his new body.

That look was no longer that of someone looking at a lucky young man.

Instead, we are looking at a living, breathing strategic treasure trove.

"Chen Xi".

Li Guobang's voice was deep, with a hoarse quality born from extreme suppression.

"From this moment on, if you say the sun is square, the country will prove its edges for you."

trust.

Absolute, unreserved, and even blind trust.

Chen Xi nodded slightly. He could feel the weight of this trust, heavy and pressing on his shoulders, yet it also gave him the confidence to stand up straight.

He lowered his head and gently stroked the cold screen of his phone with his fingertips.

On the screen, the interface called "Heavenly Court Communication Group" was still frozen at the moment when Sun Wukong spammed the chat.

Lively, bustling, and filled with a yearning for the unknown.

"Minister Li, since everyone trusts me, I'm about to make my second move."

A faint smile curved Chen Xi's lips, the composure of a hunter watching his prey walk into a trap.

"What kind of chess?"

Su Qingge leaned closer, her eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses sparkling with a thirst for knowledge.

"Building momentum."

Chen Xi uttered two words.

"Things that are too easy to obtain become worthless. Even gods have their flaws. What they can't have always stirs their desires."

He turned on the screen.

The messages in the group were still scrolling wildly, at a speed that was dazzling.

【Nezha】: @Newcomer reporting in, please protect me, brother! Good brother! Let me have a taste too! I'll use my Universe Ribbon to wipe your sweat!

[Giant Spirit]: @Newcomer reporting in, please protect me and don't listen to the kids! Give it to me! I have a Xuanhua axe here, it's a bit dull, but it can still split a mountain!

[Venus]: Fellow immortals, restrain yourselves! Restrain yourselves! However… young friend, if there are any left over from this item, this old man is willing to exchange it for elixirs.

Chen Xi looked at these usually aloof and superior people, who were now as humble as haggling in a vegetable market over a few dollars' worth of spicy strips.

Absurd yet true.

He didn't rush to reply.

He picked up the teacup on the table and took a slow, deliberate sip.

Time passed by, second by second.

Everyone in the command room held their breath, watching Chen Xi display a sky full of gods and Buddhas.

This is a psychological game.

He was waiting, waiting for the anxiety in the group to reach its peak, waiting for that longing to turn into an obsession.

A full ten minutes passed.

Chen Xi finally moved.

His fingers danced lightly across the screen, typing out a line of text.

Every word is a carefully considered lure.

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking protection]: Please forgive me, fellow deities.

First came a polite remark, showing humility and giving face.

Then, the tone shifted abruptly, revealing the true intentions behind the words.

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking protection]: It's not that I'm stingy, but this item is not easy to make.

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking protection]: This item is called "Nine Heavens Firework Arhat Tendon".

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking protection]: This is a product of a little fairy who gathered the essence of the Nine Heavens' Fire and combined it with the essence of the five grains in the mortal world. It was refined through forty-nine processes, day and night.

send.

Chen Xi looked at the screen, her smile deepening.

Spicy strips are indeed made from flour (the essence of five grains), and they are fried at high temperatures (away from the heat), so there's nothing wrong with the assembly line process.

He didn't lie.

He simply redefined industrial junk food in a language that even gods could understand and that they found "high-class."

The group chat went silent instantly.

The news that had been trending online came to an abrupt halt.

This deathly silence signifies shock.

Nine Heavens Departing Fire?

The essence of the five grains?

Forty-nine processes?

This is practically the formula for a top-tier elixir for immortals!

No wonder the monkey reacted so strongly after eating it! No wonder the taste was so overpowering!

So this is a divine object that defies the very creation of heaven and earth!

Chen Xi gave them no chance to catch their breath and delivered another blow.

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking guidance]: Refining this item is extremely mentally taxing; the slightest mistake can cause the furnace to explode. Even after a year or two, it's difficult to produce more than a few finished products.

[Newcomer reporting in, seeking protection]: The one I gave to the Great Sage before was the result of half a year of hard work, and now my pockets are... truly empty.

That stab was perfectly aimed.

"Scarcity".

This is the core of all luxury brand premiums.

In the command room, Li Guobang and Su Qingge exchanged a glance, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.

This is hardly a transaction.

This is clearly brainwashing the gods!

They've turned a cheap industrial product into a rare, priceless gem.

Moreover, the gods believed it.

Not only did they believe it, they also felt a deep respect for it.

[Venus]: I see! Young friend, you are truly talented! To be able to refine such mortal objects with divine essence, I am filled with admiration!

[Erlang Shen]: No wonder even that mischievous monkey praised it so highly. Since it's a masterpiece, it can't be taken for nothing.

Just then, Chen Xi's private chat interface vibrated.

A golden avatar popped up.

[God of Wealth].

Chen Xi raised an eyebrow; the big fish had taken the bait.

[God of Wealth]: Little brother, don't listen to those poor bastards in the group talking nonsense.

[God of Wealth]: I'm a businessman, I know the rules. Good things naturally come with good prices.

[God of Wealth]: Don't worry about all the effort or hard work involved. As long as you produce this "Arhat Tendon" next time, no matter how many there are, I'll buy them all!

[God of Wealth]: I just refined a batch of "Wealth Pills." Although they're not top-grade, they should guarantee you a lifetime of wealth in the mortal realm. How about we trade one for one?

Chen Xi's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the words.

Fortune-enhancing pill.

The God of Wealth's elixir.

If this were to fall into the mortal world, how big of a financial tsunami would it cause?

But he held back.

Don't rush, and don't show weakness.

He is the one who controls the "Nine Heavens Fire Arhat Tendon," and he is the one who sets the rules.

At the same time, the private chat window started flashing wildly.

[Nezha]: Brother, can I give you my Wind Fire Wheels... as a spare tire?

[Giant Spirit]: I'm strong! I can help you move mountains!

[Barefoot Immortal]: I have a pair of old shoes here... cough cough, they are Cloud-Walking Shoes.

Looking at the screen full of purchase requests, Chen Xi felt like a king standing on a high platform, looking down at the starving people scrambling for a loaf of bread.

Was it good?

Cool.

But this is not enough.

His gaze swept quickly across the private chat lists, filtering and evaluating them.

He doesn't need junk.

What he needs is something that can be immediately transformed into a national strategic resource.

Suddenly, his finger stopped on a name.

That name carried an air of carefree indulgence and decadence.

【The Wine Immortal】.

Chen Xi turned his head to look at Li Guobang behind him, his voice frighteningly calm.

"Minister Li, please have the food expert team prepare."

"Our big client has arrived."