Chapter Fifty-Four: The Recycling Plant

Although this little old man spoke in riddles, the green dot on the mini-map was enough to confirm that he was indeed the new team member. Previously, Qi Shan hadn't thought of this, only realizing it when he saw Old Zhou; he'd not encountered any newcomers before entering. In fact, he only remembered falling asleep—there was no vision before death. Had something gone wrong with the mysterious train? And why was it another elderly person? The team was beginning to resemble a family of four.

After successfully completing their mission, everyone returned to the resort. The mechanical police production line had vanished inexplicably, which would surely cause a sensation the next day. But for something so massive to be moved, a spaceship would be required. Once the investigation began, it would inevitably go in the wrong direction, so Gao Ning and his companions had little to worry about.

Elder Gao took Old Zhou with him; the two were birds of a feather and unlikely to mistreat each other. The recycling plant's grounds were surprisingly vast, requiring an area of forty by forty meters—sixteen hundred square meters. Given the plant's unique design, twenty meters of space was needed above the building itself for the robotic arms to move. Therefore, if Gao Ning wanted to conceal it, he would have to prepare a forty-meter-square warehouse. It seemed the next phase of the plan would have to wait another two days.

He slept through to the next morning; when he finally rose, everyone was already having breakfast in the dining room. They were living in a spacious suite—over two hundred square meters, exquisitely decorated, with brand-new furniture and a tasteful arrangement of ornaments and colors that made for a comfortable atmosphere.

Old Zhou had long since changed out of his baggy work clothes and into a fitted, proper suit. Unfortunately, his slick demeanor made even good clothes look ill-fitting, and he couldn't sit still, constantly fidgeting as though there were ants in his pants. Elder Gao looked no more dignified; he wore a tailcoat with a slouch, half-leaning against the back of his chair, eating noodles and puffing on a cigarette.

Lisa, on the other hand, was much improved. While Gao Ning was out on a mission, she had visited the beauty salon again, and with plenty of rest, she looked vibrant and refreshed. It was clear she had come out from the shadow of the Night of Slaughter.

After a quick wash, Gao Ning joined them at the table, and Lisa promptly brought over his breakfast. For the wealthy, pleasure is always something the poor cannot imagine.

In this era, to wake up and still have fresh milk for breakfast was already a luxury.

“Call the butler in,” Gao Ning instructed, taking a bite of the ribs on his plate. The taste was excellent—the cartilage was perfectly crisp.

Lisa pressed the bell, and within seconds there was a knock at the door; a professional butler entered. After the group had spent a million dollars together, the resort had assigned them a butler exclusively for their service. It was said these butlers were all graduates of British butler schools and had received the finest training. Whatever you desired, as long as you could pay, the butler would arrange it for you.

“Good morning, madam. Good morning, gentlemen. What can I do for you?” The butler bowed at a seventy-five-degree angle, his face respectful.

Gao Ning nodded. “I really like this place and would like to buy a plot nearby to build a small residence and stay long-term. Is there a real estate agent here?”

With a smile, the butler replied, “Sir, to be honest, you’re not the first guest to tell me you like it here and wish to purchase a vacation home nearby. Perhaps because so many have asked, the board took notice. Early last year, our group bought a large tract of land nearby and developed over thirty estates in various styles, ranging from one-acre cottages to grand estates spanning hundreds of acres. These are all close to the resort. With a certain fee, the estates are included in the resort’s security system, so if anything happens, the mechanical police will appear at once and ensure your interests are protected. Would you be interested?”

Gao Ning was surprised. “Already built? What’s the price range?”

“They range from a hundred thousand to several million dollars. If you’re interested, I can arrange a viewing now, and a professional agent will explain each estate’s advantages. We always put our clients first; if you decide to buy, you can even make reasonable requests—such as altering the garden or expanding the balcony. These can all be accommodated!”

Gao Ning scheduled a time with the butler and thanked him. The butler, sensing a sale, could hardly keep his formal smile from turning into genuine delight. He bowed again and hurried out to arrange the deal.

After the butler left, Lisa couldn’t help but ask, “We only have a little over a million left. Shouldn’t we save some for our future?”

Gao Ning chuckled. “Don’t worry—it won’t cost us a thing.”

“Not cost us anything?” Lisa was puzzled.

Old Zhou suddenly pointed at the television on the wall. “Look! We’ve been found out!”

On the screen was a middle-aged man, visibly agitated, pointing at the camera and shouting, “I don’t care who you are or how you did it—this is a provocation against the Mechanical Police Manufacturing Alliance. You have three days to return my production line and compensate me for all losses, or I’ll make your life a living hell!”

The scene cut to the host, who appeared relaxed. “It seems Mr. Herbert is truly angry. He’s known to be a gentleman. But really, how could someone move an entire mechanical police assembly line in one night? According to our information, the production line is enormous, with thirty thousand assembly kits weighing three hundred and fifty thousand tons. Even with current civilian transport ships, it would take three ships working together. Yet, in the police-released satellite footage, not a single ship or even a convoy of trucks is visible. What could they possibly be planning?”

Old Zhou grinned mischievously, his eyes squinting into slits. Gao Ning, however, noticed keenly that Zhou’s gaze kept sliding up and down over him.

Gao Ning smirked, lifting his coffee. The crafty fortune-telling old fox!

After breakfast, the four of them were picked up by car to begin an afternoon of estate tours. With the butler’s enthusiastic praise and the added curiosity of meeting a stunningly attractive real estate agent, no one could hide their interest.