Chapter 274: Success

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The trump card that the US was forced to display in desperation by using the sky fortress and steel warriors to defeat the sudden attack of the Karlado people caused the entire world to be baffled and burst into a commotion.

Although its moral credibility had even been questioned by the international community, the status of the world’s strongest country, that had originally been widely questioned, had now become stabilized.

Not only that, after Zhang Lisheng had witnessed the powerful offensive and defensive capabilities of the ‘Transformers’, he, who returned to New York, could not help but change his long-awaited plan and decided to temporarily lay low and quietly watch the changes of the situation.

In a morning three days later, on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, the Board of Directors’ chairman of the LS Group that had a thriving business wore a black sweatshirt as he jogged while telling his professional manager who took care of the whole company on behalf of himself, “Charlie, I’ve thought about it. Now is not the best time to rush to sell the company’s stock ownership. I think it’s better to do it step by step and let’s sell the share after we’ve found the right price and the right buyer. Let’s not be hasty first.”

“Understood, boss!” On the other side of the phone, Charlie tactfully voiced out his opinions, “In fact, since we have no plans to continue any plans of expansion for the time being, according to the current development momentum of the group, I feel that as long as we have enough reserve funds, we’ll soon have the strength to buy the shares of other companies in one fell swoop. In that way, it’ll also allow your influence to penetrate into all aspects of the country and the right of authority will fall into our hands.

“Alright, you have more experience in this area so let’s do what you said.” Zhang Lisheng pondered over it and followed the good advice readily. “Also, Edward told me yesterday that Mayor Wellington Houg whom we support has successfully campaigned for New York State senator and he has even invited me to his estate to attend the celebration next Saturday. I’ve accepted his kindness and even plan to support him with a huge amount of political contributions every year in accordance with the maximum amount prescribed by law. This matter has greatly encouraged me! You and Edward will continue to look around for more politicians who are still in their primes and have great potentials and see whether they need any funding to run their campaign. Don’t be stingy.”

“Yes, boss!” Charlie nodded. “I’ll make a public relations department in the company and take charge of this matter.”

“Very good…” After the matter was over, Zhang Lisheng and Charlie chatted a few more words before hanging up the phone. “Bye, Charlie.”

During May and June, the weather in New York was already hot. After running around the community for one round, the young man’s sweatshirt was entirely drenched in sweat.

Such an effect was of course the result of the relaxation of his physique. When Zhang Lisheng felt that it was about time for him to meet up with George, he put the phone into his pocket and took a few long deep breaths as he gradually slowed down his footsteps.

At this time, an old-looking jeep with paint that no longer had any luster turned on its signal and drove close to the walkway as it drove slowly beside Zhang Lisheng. The car honked twice and the car window gradually rolled down with a weird clattering sound. George’s face that he had not seen for a long time appeared in the window right away. “Hey, buddy! We really haven’t seen each other for a long time now! What do you think of my new car?”

“My comment? What a bunch of scrap!” Zhang Lisheng bypassed the jeep and went around to the co-driver’s door to get in the car. “George, don’t tell me that your baby doesn’t even have air-conditioning!”

“Of course, this is impossible! It’s already the era that Transformers appear so how is it possible for a car to not have air-conditioning?”

The young black man, who had grown more than 20 centimeters taller and much more sturdy in the past one year or so, put on a humiliated expression. Then, he turned on the noisy air-conditioner in his car, that was even noisier than a cheap lawn mower, that had a cooling effect like the exhaling of a tuberculosis patient.

“However, my car can’t climb a slope of more than 30 degrees if the air-conditioner is turned on. Where do you want to treat me today? Decide for yourself!”

Zhang Lisheng was stunned before saying with a grin, “Buddy, looks like your sense of humor has grown to become as big as your muscles recently. Do you plan to study at the Department of Comedy in Clown University after you graduate from high school?”

“Oh no! I don’t have my eyes on Clown University, it’s not part of the Ivy League anyway. I plan to repeat a few years in high school and become your graduate student right away after you’ve taken up a teaching position at Stanford University!” George joked with a chuckle.

“Then I suppose the highest academic qualifications in your life will be fixed at high school only! I won’t teach! Anyways, let’s drop the joke, dude. Which university do you plan to go? Do you need me to get you a few recommendation letters from socialites?”

Socialites referred to those famous people who had great influence and appeal to social public opinion and life. These figures were limited in number, but they were extremely influential. Most of them were outstanding people with outstanding achievements in politics, business, science, culture and art.

In the US, recommendation letters from socialites were very useful things. At the critical moments in job citizenship reviews, prestigious school admissions, and employment recommendations, the recommendation letters from several successful people could often become a decisive boost.

However, due to the reason that the tradition of endorsing for others was also equivalent to a guarantee, if the person being endorsed was not capable enough, it might damage the reputation of the referee so for this reason, unless the socialites had great understanding or friendship with the person, very few of them would be willing to write a recommendation letter for the other party.

“Oh, you’re so nice, buddy!” Upon hearing Zhang Lisheng’s words, George became moved. “However, there’s no need for that. I plan to enlist in the army and work for the country after I graduate from high school.”

“Are you crazy, George? Enlist? Don’t you know what is the situation right now? Only idiots will…”

“Oh buddy! No matter what the situation is right now, this is my life.”

Zhang Lisheng sighed and became silent for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry, George. Of course it’s up to you to choose your path…”

“There’s no need to be sorry, buddy! You’re much more compassionate than last time, so this is a good thing!” George pointed at the giant advertisement on the apartment building outside the window and said, “In fact, enlisting to become a soldier is not as bad as you think. Maybe one day I’ll really be a hero who’ll save the world.”

Zhang Lisheng looked at the direction of George’s fingers and saw a billboard of various huge steel warriors hovering on the high ground as the background. There were seven to eight young and strong handsome men and beautiful women of different skin colors wearing sea and air force uniforms while standing on a glowing silver dome. They were posing in cool postures while pointing their fingers to the front.

Smooth words in a fancy and striking font was written under the advertisement, “We’re calling for you! The next ‘superhero’!”

In front of the apartment building was an ‘army recruitment point’ that was surrounded and densely packed with hundreds of young US people, which was quite different from the bad response of the previous years.

“It seems that the emergence of the ‘Transformers’ has attracted many young people to be interested in becoming soldiers,” the young man said with surprise.

“Of course, buddy! Driving a Mechwarrior while fighting against alien invaders to protect the Earth is the childhood dream of all boys in the country!” George gripped the steering wheel tightly and could not stop his excitement. “Now that all of the conditions are in place, many people who always had this dream in their heart would of course want to try to realize it.”

Looking at his friend’s beaming face from the side, Zhang Lisheng nodded and said solemnly, “I wish you success, George.”

“Thank you, Lisheng! I have a premonition that I’ll succeed,” George laughed and said as he patted his chest.

Zhang Lisheng, who was sitting on the co-driver seat, smiled silently. As he was about to agree, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

He took out his phone and took a look and realized that it was an anonymous email. He opened it but was shocked to see that there was no single casual talk in the entire mail at all. From the beginning till the end, it was entirely a derivation of equations.

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Lisheng was suddenly hit by a pang of realization and his eyes widened right away as he exclaimed in surprise, “F*ck! P-Professor has really succeeded! This is incredible…”

“What’s the matter, buddy? Anything?”

“It’s nothing important, George. But I’m afraid I can’t have my lunch with you anymore.”

“Do you need any help?” The young black man quickly stopped at the side of the road and asked. Actually, he also knew that his sentence did not make any sense at all. After all, a matter that could change his billionaire friend’s expression suddenly was definitely not something that he could help to solve.

Zhang Lisheng waved his hand and said, “It’s alright, George! I’ll see you again when we have the chance to! See you!”

Then, he hastily got out of the car and ran through an alley that was about 200 to 300 meters long. Taking the shortcut, he passed through the block and immediately flagged down a taxi to rush to the ‘New York Medical Research Association Affiliated Hospital’.

It was almost noon now so the number of vehicles on the street was increasing. The taxi kept stopping and when it came close to the ‘New York Medical Research Association Affiliated Hospital’, a loud rumble suddenly resonated from the side, shattering the front and rear glass of the car.

The speeding cars on the streets were shocked and some lost their control. Some hit the roadside trees, while some even crashed into the display windows of the shops on both sides of the street.

All of a sudden, the entire block turned into a messy scene in the midst of ringing car alarms.

“W-What the f*ck? What’s going on? Have Karlado people attacked New York? Has the foreign world’s people attacked New York?” Even though the black driver in the taxi managed to brake in time and did not have many injuries, he muttered continuously with a terrified expression on his face that looked as though he was going to faint.

“The commotion wasn’t so huge when the bomb of the steam civilization exploded.” Upon seeing the driver like this, Zhang Lisheng threw a 50-dollar bill in the back seat of the car and opened the door to walk out of the taxi. Looking at the black smoke gradually rolling in the distance, he strode towards it expressionlessly.

After walking through two streets, he could see from the distance that the block where the ‘New York Medical Research Association Affiliated Hospital’ lied was blocked off by the police.

Ambulance sirens kept going on as the patients, doctors or the patients’ relatives whose entire bodies were covered with black ashes were rescued from the sea of ​​fire and were rushed into the ambulances to be transferred to the other hospitals.

Several fire engines were working hard to put off the raging fire licking the hospital.

Unfortunately, the oxygen valve that had completely leaked was causing great difficulty for the rescue work. In the oxygen-rich environment, the fire could not be extinguished for a long time and in the end, everything was turned into ruins.