After its establishment, Expedition Technology vanished from public view like a giant whale diving into the depths of the ocean.
No press releases.
No product launches.
Not even recruitment ads—only quietly posted through a few highly specialized internal channels.
Yet, in that unassuming tech park on the outskirts of Jingzhou, a silent transformation was underway.
Just months ago, it had been nothing more than a dusty, empty construction site.
Now, sleek silver-white modern factories rose from the ground.
When night fell, the place didn’t quiet down—instead, it blazed with lights as bright as day.
Expedition Technology, Assembly Workshop No. 1.
The atmosphere today was unusually tense.
At the center of the workshop, a massive holographic projection displayed an incredibly complex mechanical schematic.
A heated dispute had erupted over the technical approach for the core component—the "Shadow-Bearing" main valve.
The team led by Professor Zhou Mingyuan, representing traditional craftsmanship and experience, clashed fiercely with Dr. Li Mo’s team, which championed cutting-edge algorithms and new materials. Neither side would yield, and the project had reached a standstill.
Lin Yuan, the CEO, was at his wit’s end.
He could handle administration. He could approve budgets. But he couldn’t dictate the thoughts of these top-tier experts.
In the end, the meeting concluded without resolution, leaving everyone frustrated.
Late at night, in the CEO’s office.
The light was still on.
Lin Yuan stared at the massive project timeline on the wall, his brow furrowed at the red warning markers.
Without a finalized valve design, the entire engine production plan would grind to a halt.
Every day wasted meant millions in losses.
Even worse was the toll on the team’s morale.
Just as Lin Yuan was drowning in frustration, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?" he snapped impatiently.
The door opened, revealing Lu Chenyuan.
Dressed in casual clothes, he carried a few insulated food containers.
"Old Lu?"
Lin Yuan shot up from his chair, surprised and relieved.
"Just passing by," Lu Chenyuan said, placing the containers on the desk and opening them.
The rich aroma instantly cut through the office’s stifling air.
A steaming box of stir-fried rice noodles, a refreshing side of cold vegetables, and a warm bowl of pork stomach and chicken soup.
"Eat first," Lu Chenyuan said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
A wave of warmth washed over Lin Yuan. All his anxiety and frustration suddenly found an outlet.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the chopsticks and dug in ravenously.
Lu Chenyuan didn’t bring up work. He simply sat across from him in silence, pouring a cup of soup.
"Slow down. Don’t choke."
Only after Lin Yuan had devoured everything and let out a satisfied sigh did Lu Chenyuan speak again.
"Feeling better?"
"Alive again," Lin Yuan admitted sheepishly.
"Good." Lu Chenyuan nodded.
"Now, take me to meet the two stars of this drama."
Lin Yuan blinked. "Now?"
"Yes. Now."
...
Lu Chenyuan didn’t go to the conference room or an office.
Instead, he had Lin Yuan summon Professor Zhou Mingyuan and Dr. Li Mo to a 24-hour lounge in the tech park.
The space was quiet, save for the occasional hum of vending machines.
When Zhou and Li arrived, traces of their earlier tension still lingered.
Rather than diving into the dispute, Lu Chenyuan prepared their preferred drinks and casually steered the conversation toward their proudest technical achievements.
He didn’t judge. He listened, asked thoughtful questions, and within minutes, the hostility in the room dissipated.
Seizing the moment, Lu Chenyuan finally addressed the issue.
"Professor Zhou, Dr. Li," he said earnestly, "I didn’t ask you here to declare a winner or loser."
"There’s just one thing I want to say."
He picked up a paper cup from the table and spoke calmly.
"In Expedition’s dictionary, there’s no such word as ‘failure.’ Only ‘data.’"
"Professor Zhou’s approach is built on decades of experimental data—proven, reliable, and stable."
He lifted another cup.
"Dr. Li’s approach is driven by cutting-edge algorithms and simulations—forward-thinking, efficient, and revolutionary."
His gaze was steady, unwavering.
"Both are data. Both are Expedition’s most valuable assets."
"So here’s my proposal." Lu Chenyuan smiled.
"We pursue both paths."
"Form two separate task forces, each with equal resources, personnel, and equipment."
"In the end, we won’t listen to opinions, experience, or theories."
"We’ll listen only to the final test results."
"Whichever performs better, we adopt. The other becomes archived technical reserves."
The lounge fell silent.
Both Zhou and Li were stunned.
They had anticipated several outcomes—but not this. Lu Chenyuan had given them both the ultimate respect and stage.
...
Weekend. The rooftop terrace of Penthouse One at Cloud Peak Residences.
Charcoal burned steadily, emitting faint crackles.
Another family barbecue.
Mo Qingli sat nearby, patiently feeding her son homemade fruit puree with a small spoon.
Across from her, Lin Yuan and Ren Qian picked at freshly grilled chicken wings, their minds clearly elsewhere.
Lin Yuan, in particular, still hadn’t fully shaken off his worries.
"Still hung up on the valve issue?" Lu Chenyuan asked casually, without turning around.
Lin Yuan paused, then sighed.
"Old Lu, nothing gets past you. The problem’s resolved, but this solution feels... extravagant."
Running parallel R&D lines meant burning through cash.
As CEO, the thought pained him.
Ren Qian shot her husband a concerned glance before looking to Lu Chenyuan.
Lu Chenyuan handed Lin Yuan a skewer of golden grilled squid, then reached for the spice jar.
"Cooking and engineering aren’t so different," he remarked, sprinkling cumin.
"Take this barbecue. Old-school grill masters never use thermometers. They judge by the meat’s color, the sizzle of fat, the scent of char. That’s experience. Instinct. Craftsmanship."
He gestured to a sleek oven nearby.
"But modern kitchens have precision ovens. Set the temperature, time, humidity—pop in the steak, and it’s perfect every time. That’s data. Standardization. Efficiency."
Lin Yuan listened intently, forgetting the squid in his hand.
"Which method is better?" Lu Chenyuan asked.
Lin Yuan opened his mouth to answer, then hesitated.
Lu Chenyuan smiled and answered for him.
"Neither is better. When I’m alone, I enjoy grilling—the process matters. But if I’m hosting a hundred guests? I’d use the oven. It’s consistent, replicable, efficient."
He distributed the freshly grilled skewers of meat onto each person's plate, then wiped his hands with a napkin.
"Yuan, what we're about to undertake is something unprecedented. It requires both Professor Zhou's hands, capable of sensing the finest details, and Li Mo's data system that ensures scalable production."
His gaze settled on Lin Yuan, calm yet profound.
"So, your task isn't to judge who's right or wrong. It's to create an environment where they can see each other, understand each other, and ultimately, merge together."
After speaking, Lu Chenyuan picked up a bottle of soda and poured a glass for Lin Yuan.
"Don't treat them as contradictions. Think of them as Expedition's two hands—left and right, both indispensable."
Lin Yuan lifted the glass, staring blankly at the bubbles rising in the drink.
After a long pause, he finally exhaled deeply, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.
He downed the drink in one gulp.
"Old Lu, I get it now."
Just then, Mo Qingli's phone vibrated softly.
She glanced at it before looking up at Lu Chenyuan.
"Stellar just announced their next-generation 'Smaug' engine has completed a 300-second long-duration ignition test."
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
A flicker of gravity crossed Ren Qian and Lin Yuan's faces.
Three hundred seconds.
It was the critical threshold determining whether an engine could be used in an actual launch.
This meant that in the most pivotal field—engine technology—their biggest competitor had already made the leap from theory to practice.
Meanwhile, they were still arguing over a tiny valve.
A crushing sense of pressure descended instantly.
Yet Lu Chenyuan acted as if he hadn't heard, simply picking up a slice of watermelon and holding it to Mo Qingli's lips.
"Try this. It's really sweet today."
Mo Qingli met his eyes, then took a bite.
The crisp, cool juice washed over her, refreshing and soothing.
Only then did Lu Chenyuan turn back to Lin Yuan.
"Did you hear that?"
"Our rivals won't stop and wait for us."
"So, no more infighting."
His voice was quiet, yet carried more weight than any grand declaration.
"Our journey is toward the stars and the sea."
"Not a tiny valve."
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
