Around 9 PM, Zhou Junguo stepped out of the government hall.
Returning home without even washing up, he immediately contacted Siegel using his private line.
"Hello, this is Zhou Junguo."
There was a brief pause on the other end before a voice responded, "Hello. I didn't expect we'd be connecting under these circumstances."
"This is my private number, so what follows will be a personal conversation."
"I understand. How is Tian Ming's mother doing?"
"Thanks to you, the data arrived just in time. As a father, I want to express my gratitude."
"Whew—" Siegel exhaled in relief. "That's good to hear."
Hearing the concern for his daughter, Zhou Junguo's expression softened, and his opinion of Siegel improved significantly. "We've nearly completed the vaccine here. I'll send you the data shortly. We won't announce it publicly—only administer it discreetly to severe cases."
"PLANT should be the first to announce it. After that, we'll begin distribution."
"Ah..."
A sigh came through the line, devoid of any joy. Zhou Junguo frowned. "What's wrong?"
Siegel's voice was weary. "Just let your side announce the vaccine."
"But..." Zhou Junguo hesitated. "If we do, your plans to ease tensions between both sides..."
"Ah..." Another sigh. "There's been a major complication with this matter."
"Can you elaborate?"
After a brief silence, Siegel spoke cautiously. "What I say next must remain strictly between us. I don't want to jeopardize the hard-won connection we've established with East Asia."
"Of course. As I said, this call is purely personal."
"The vaccine has a critical flaw. The Holy Order tampered with the formula to eliminate Naturals."
"What?!" Zhou Junguo was stunned.
Siegel proceeded to explain in detail, his tone exhausted. "If not for Alia-Sisley uncovering the truth by following the clues, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
Zhou Junguo couldn't help but marvel at the coincidence—had Zhou Tianming not requested the data to analyze independently, disaster would have struck.
"You really need to rein in your Holy Order. Don't let them become like Blue Cosmos—utterly unrestrained."
Siegel chuckled bitterly. "I will. I truly don't understand what goes through these people's minds. No matter our differences, we're still human."
The two chatted like old friends, with Zhou Junguo gaining a more comprehensive understanding of Siegel as a leader, while Siegel's stance toward East Asia became clearer. Both sides benefited from the exchange.
By the time the clock struck past 11 p.m., the conversation had lasted deep into the night.
"I hope you can become the PLANT chairman soon. Finding a leader who aligns with one's preferences isn't easy."
"Appreciate the kind words, but PLANT has its own share of problems—it won't be that straightforward."
After hanging up, neither rested. Instead, they immediately reached out to others.
"This Siegel guy..."
"East Asia's stance..."
...
A few days later, in the hospital ward.
Zhou Hanxiang sat propped against her pillow, her pale complexion now tinged with a healthy flush. The oxygen mask had been removed, though a thin IV needle remained in the back of her hand, steadily dripping medication.
"Aren't you going out for a walk? I'm fine now, Tianming. You don't have to stay with me all the time."
Zhou Tianming sat in a nearby chair, scrolling through his phone for research materials without looking up. "It's fine. I can't think of anywhere to go anyway."
Hanxiang thought for a moment before saying, "Well, if you don't leave, Grandma will be here soon."
Tianming shuddered and finally lifted his head. "No way—"
With a smile, Hanxiang nodded.
The thought of his grandmother's overwhelming doting sent another shiver down Tianming's spine. He stood up abruptly.
"I'll go out for a stroll. I'll grab lunch outside."
With that, he dashed off in a flash.
About ten minutes after he left, Gao Jing walked in, arms laden with bags. "Tianming! Look what Grandma brought you—new toys and some snacks!"
Her eyes swept the room, but when she didn't see Tianming, her face fell. She shot Hanxiang a glare.
"Mom, Tianming might be young, but he's very mature. He doesn't like these kinds of things."
Gao Jing set the bags down and took a seat. "Mature or not, he's only five. I made sure to ask around for the most popular kids' stuff."
Hanxiang covered her mouth with a light laugh as the two began chatting.
Meanwhile, Tianming, having left the hospital, stood by the bustling street, unsure of what to do next.
Pulling up a map of the capital on his phone, he located the nearest library.
He wanted to find books on mechanics, software, and modifications to brush up on his knowledge. The battle with the Junk Guild had given him invaluable hands-on experience, but it also exposed the gaps in his foundational understanding.
Now that he had time, he figured he might as well visit the library to research—and maybe browse other books while he was at it.
Using a computer for research was too precise. Right now, he wanted to broaden his horizons but wasn't sure where to start. A casual stroll through the library seemed like the perfect solution.
Arriving at the bus stop, Tianming hesitated when he saw the overcrowded bus pull up.
Glancing at his own height, he gave up. Squeezing in there would probably suffocate him.
He turned toward the subway instead, but less than two minutes after entering the station, an employee stopped him to ask if he had gotten separated from an adult.
In the end, he set his sights on an Unmanned Car.
But the stingy company running the service, which usually prioritized profit, suddenly refused to take him—no matter how much he offered to pay.
[We apologize. Due to your age, you must be accompanied by an adult to ride.]
"1,000!"
[We apologize—]
"5,000!"
The car sped off without another word!
Snatching up his phone, Tianming dialed the hotline. "I want to file a complaint!"
[Hello! This is the Fully Automatic Unmanned Car customer service system. How may we assist you?]
"Transfer me to a human."
["We're sorry, but our company does not have human customer service."]
Zhou Tianming glared menacingly at the unmanned cars.
After a moment, he shoved his hands into his pockets and leisurely began walking toward the library five kilometers away.
He wasn't stupid—he wouldn't cause trouble in East Asia. But once he reached other regions...
As he walked, Zhou Tianming glanced around at the bustling streets where everyone wore smiles. It seemed the turmoil abroad hadn't affected the homeland at all.
A familiar warmth welled up inside him—this was the feeling of home.
After covering about two kilometers, he passed by an old-fashioned teahouse. The news playing on the TV inside caught his attention.
Since he was thirsty anyway, he went in, found a seat, ordered some tea and snacks, and watched the news.
The report covered Japan and South Korea within East Asia, explaining how they were still causing trouble even now.
"Honestly, it's always these people. I really don't get why we let them merge with East Asia back then."
"Yeah, feels like they're nothing but dead weight."
The complaints came from two young men in the teahouse.
But as soon as they finished speaking, a scoff rang out. An elderly voice chimed in, "Kids these days don't know anything. You're spouting nonsense without seeing the bigger picture."
The young men weren't offended. Instead, they asked curiously, "What bigger picture? They really have been holding us back."
The old man, in his seventies, was thin but full of vigor. He crossed his legs and took a sip from his purple clay teapot before saying, "Don't just look at the surface. There was more to it back then."
The other patrons in the teahouse turned their attention to him.
Zhou Tianming's curiosity was piqued, and he pricked up his ears to listen.
Seeing he had everyone's attention, the old man slowly began, "Back when we were still called Hua Xia, we were indeed planning to go it alone. But then the Atlantic Federation sent people to persuade us to form the East Asian Republic together with Japan, South Korea, and others."
"That's obviously suspicious."
"Right, why would we agree?"
The crowd looked puzzled but eager as they waited for the old man's explanation.
With a smile, the old man said, "Of course there were benefits. The Atlantic Federation sold those Japanese and Koreans for a pretty penny."
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