Developing Superpowers in Another World

Chapter 209 – The Truth About the Arsenal

 

Tu Ran looked at his sycophantic manner and felt an urge to shoot him on the spot.

She was determined to shoot him sooner or later, Tu Ran had made up her mind.

The people in the meeting room all came out, and everyone who passed by Diao Hongzhi gave him a fierce glare before leaving with Tu Ran.

Diao Hongzhi was left at the end, his teeth clenched in anger.

…

The group drove a patrol car to the Songwu Research Base, waiting outside for the students to arrive.

After a few minutes, luxury cars began to descend from the sky, each one different in style but all the latest models, levels that ordinary people couldn’t afford.

Students dressed in school uniforms emerged from the luxury cars: boys in suits and ties, girls in skirt suits. Their uniforms were uniform and clean, each face showing curiosity about the Songwu Research Base.

A school teacher organized them into lines, and once everyone had arrived, they all entered the Songwu Research Base together.

The exterior of the Songwu Research Base was not particularly impressive—a semi-circular building made of steel and iron. From above, it looked like a beetle lying on the ground, and up close, this beetle was over thirty meters high.

The building was entirely black, covered with many circular glass windows less than two meters in diameter, arranged evenly and irregularly, giving it a natural beauty.

After just a few minutes, the students lost interest in the unattractive building and began to examine the fully armed team standing in front of them.

“These are the pioneers; they are here to protect us.”

Tu Ran heard a girl say softly.

She looked at the girl, who had her hair in pigtails and carried a small leather bag, her big eyes blinking with no sign of fear as she made eye contact with her.

“How do you know?” the boy next to her asked, tilting his head.

“Because my dad sent them. He thought the security team wasn’t strong enough to protect us, so he sent the pioneers to keep us safe.”

“Your dad is so impressive. Is he the leader who manages the pioneers?” the boy asked curiously.

The girl smiled with pride, “The leader of the pioneers is my older brother. He manages the pioneers.”

“Wow, then your brother is really amazing.”

Her words elicited admiration from the surrounding students.

It also caught Tu Ran’s attention. The leader of the pioneers was Xie Zhao. If she claimed her brother was the leader of the pioneers, then her brother must be Xie Zhao.

It was also possible she was just a collateral member of the Xie family, of the same generation as Xie Zhao. After all, the Xie family had many branches, and cousins, whether close or distant, could still refer to each other as siblings.

While some were envious, others were jealous, especially middle school kids who hadn’t learned to hide their emotions.

“Being the commander of a pioneer team isn’t such a big deal. My brother is the Deputy Minister of the Executive Department, managing the affairs of the forty-two states in the Federation. Without him, the entire Federation would be paralyzed. That’s far more important than some mere commander.”

The speaker was another girl, tall and thin, with her chin held high and a haughty demeanor.

Indeed, her brother was impressive too.

As a Deputy Minister, and with the Minister now dead, the Deputy Minister’s power had increased significantly and he might even be promoted to Minister.

Tu Ran had seen the Deputy Minister of the Executive Department in an interview on the Federation’s largest news media—Louis News—regarding their stance on extreme resistance organizations.

His last name was Pang, named Pang Xinting.

So this girl was from the Pang family.

The first girl argued back with irritation, “If your brother is so great, why doesn’t he send the pioneers to protect us? Isn’t it still relying on my brother?”

“Xie Wenjun! When my brother becomes the Minister, the first thing he’ll do is fire your brother!”

“Pang Xi! The pioneers aren’t managed by your brother’s Executive Department, so dream on about firing my brother! Besides, whether your brother can even become the Minister of the Executive Department is still uncertain, so stop bragging!”

Tu Ran, who was observing from the sidelines, noticed that they were calling each other by name.

Xie Wenjun, a young lady from the Xie family.

Pang Xi, a young lady from the Pang family.

Pang Xi placed her hands on her hips and said, “Apart from my brother, does your Xie family have anyone suitable? Don’t think we don’t know. The deaths of so many pioneers this time were all because of those useless people from your Xie family dragging the pioneers down. It’s your Xie family who caused Xiao Min’s brother’s death!”

Saying this, she dragged over a girl who had been standing in a corner. The girl’s eyes were vacant, staring at the ground, lifeless.

“Xiao Min, it was their Xie family who caused your brother’s death!” she pointed at Xie Wenjun.

Xie Wenjun’s face turned pale with anger, but she had no way to refute it and stamped her feet in frustration.

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

A chubby boy stepped forward, taking Xie Wenjun’s place, and pointed at Pang Xi, cursing, “Do you dare to say that the explosion at the Sankar Arsenal had nothing to do with your Pang family? How could Xie Wei make such a basic mistake? It was clearly your doing. Once we find out the truth, your entire Pang family won’t be able to escape responsibility!”

Tu Ran automatically categorized this chubby boy as part of the Xie family’s group.

Tu Ran had initially thought this argument was just a typical middle school spat, but now she realized that these seemingly young kids were very knowledgeable.

After all, they were children of major conglomerate families, steeped in such an environment from a young age, and they absorbed a lot of information.

They just hadn’t learned to hide their emotions yet, exploding like firecrackers and revealing everything.

“And you Wells family,” the chubby boy continued, now pointing at another person with a high-pitched voice, spitting with anger, “Acting all innocent and virtuous here, but didn’t your family secretly bring in those genetic monsters to the Sankar Arsenal? Once we find the evidence, don’t think you’ll get away unscathed!”

“We’re waiting for that,” a boy from the Wells family, who looked incredibly innocent and almost like a little bunny, spoke up. “I hope you find evidence soon. In a few days, the position of Minister of the Executive Department will belong to Pang Xi’s brother.”

Tu Ran looked at the boy in disbelief. He appeared so pure and harmless, with a soft, sweet voice, like a plump, undeveloped little ball of fluff, yet his words were so mature and calculating.

From their conversation, Tu Ran pieced together the reason behind the events at the Sankar Arsenal.

The Pang family wanted the position of Minister of the Executive Department, but since the position was held by someone from the Xie family, the Pang family targeted the Sankar Arsenal.

It was likely that the Pang and Wells families had formed an alliance. The Wells family was responsible for bringing the genetic monsters to the Sankar Arsenal, while the Pang family’s people were responsible for taking advantage of the chaos to kill Xie Hong once he entered the arsenal.

With Xie Hong dead, the position of Minister of the Executive Department would be left vacant, making it a natural progression for the Deputy Minister to take over.

The Sankar Arsenal was a battleground for the three major conglomerates, and everything happening today was just a normal part of their struggle for power.

With the Wells and Pang families victorious, they were gleefully sharing their spoils.

 

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