"Ghosts lined up in suits and ties!"
"I almost thought something had happened!"
The little fox cursed and flipped off the wall, bypassed the crowd at the front of the villa, and quietly sneaked in through the kitchen entrance at the back.
Lin Ying sat in front of the TV in the sunroom on the second floor. Ansheng spat towards the door, shook his fluffy big tail, and headed upstairs, preparing to greet Lin Ying.
As soon as Ansheng got close, even the sunroom’s triple-layered glazing couldn’t mask Lin Ying’s angry shout from inside:
"......Grandmaster! Do you think I’m mad too?"
Ansheng was stunned by the words, stealthily creeping to the front of the sunroom, ears perked up.
The earlier conversation was unheard by Ansheng, but Lin Ying’s angry shout made it clear it wasn’t just TV she was watching but a call.
.....A remote video call.
"Why do you say that?"
The person on the video call with Lin Ying was a robust old man with silver hair. He looked surprised, watching the angry Lin Ying and spoke calmly:
"Calm your emotions. I’m in America right now, so no matter how angry you get, your fist can’t reach my old face the next moment."
"I’ve made it very clear that I’ve genuinely seen strange creatures. They’re absolutely not fake, and certainly not my hallucination!" Lin Ying took a deep breath to calm her anger and spoke solemnly.
After previously talking with Ansheng and expressing the concerns she discovered while lying in bed.
Lin Ying had already started planning. She was in charge of labor-intensive industries within Lin Group Holding Company, with a workforce of 150,000 employees. The lives of countless families genuinely depended on these 150,000 people.
Myself, fox, the world.
I’m not crazy, the fox isn’t crazy, so why can a creature like the little fox exist?
Despite lacking a human form, every other behavior was no different from humans’, capable of online bargaining, and even respectfully turning away while she changed clothes!
Lin Ying felt something was wrong with the world to allow such extraordinary creatures to exist.
Lin Ying used her power to form a new department in the group, specifically to pursue these findings.
However, just as this was finalized, the owner behind Lin Group Holding Company called her via video call.
"I know you’re not crazy, and I’ve never thought you were." Grandmaster Lin slowly spoke:
"I only said I disagree with you setting up some investigation department."
Lin Ying’s face fell, but she didn’t speak up and just listened quietly to Grandmaster Lin’s words.
Grandmaster Lin is not a generational title, but a respectful term for the head of Lin Group Holding Company.
The elderly man on the other side held a high status, one that Lin Ying should call ’Uncle-grandfather’ based on the family hierarchy.
Grandmaster Lin chuckled and continued: "The reason I stopped you from investigating extraordinary creatures is certainly not that I think you’re crazy. I’m aware of everything concerning you."
"But I don’t think you’re crazy. I stopped you because I believe both you and the Lin family in the Xia Country will fall into danger; it would also send a wrong signal above."
"There are some things... we shouldn’t touch."
Lin Ying furrowed her brows, as if she understood something between Grandmaster Lin’s lines, and said: "Grandmaster, you...."
"Do you know about the Ice Age?"
Grandmaster Lin didn’t respond to Lin Ying directly but posed a new question, continuing without waiting for her response:
"The Ice Age was a result of Blue Star’s rotational orbit deviation, leading to reduced sunlight, a cyclical cold winter, which covered the Blue Star’s surface with a layer of ice during it."
The old man on the other side tapped his finger on the wooden tea table and said:
"The period we’re in now is actually a different kind of Ice Age."
"If put figuratively, you could say Blue Star is actually a living entity that breathes. But for us humans, the cycle between breaths is extremely long."
"When Blue Star inhales, it absorbs things currently unexplained into itself, and when it exhales, it expels those unexplained things onto its surface."
Grandmaster Lin looked at Lin Ying, saying lightly:
"Even something that your grandmaster knows, do you think those at the pinnacle of Blue Star’s power aren’t aware? They knew this much earlier than us and have silently studied the cycle."
"This is a big pit, niece, you need to understand one thing."
"Our Lin family’s five branches invest massively, crazily sending money into the country... why?"
"Though your father controls the Lin family in the Xia Country, the weakest among our five branches, the other four branches overseas can perish, but your branch must never fall!"
"You are our fallback!"
"Your responsibility is to continue the family lineage, already in a precarious situation, you cannot emit any wrong signals, or the Lin family will have no place safe!"
Grandmaster Lin’s words carried heavy weight, revealing unknown matters to Lin Ying, clarifying the significance of the Xia Country’s Lin family.
Despite the overseas Lin family’s grandeur, forming cliques is commonplace in doing business abroad.
No matter how glorious the overseas Lin family is, they cannot withstand the sudden policy reversals of massive lobbying groups.
The Lin family at home, where Lin Ying is, is both a fallback and the family’s home.
Lin Ying’s branch doesn’t need any achievements nor actions, just silently doing good deeds, contributing quietly.
No matter the cost, the overseas Lin family will always have their back.
Pursuing the ’Spirit Beast’ for Lin Ying was, essentially, not a major issue.
But the Lin family’s standing is very precarious.
They stand abroad, while bridging local ties, and even if the higher-ups know their intentions and won’t conduct outrageous actions, discretion must be observed.
Lin Ying remained silent for a while, releasing a deep sigh, then slouched on the sofa:
"I... didn’t mean to cross any lines, I just felt like being in a new world."
"Maybe something new could be found, and my parents might even return...."
"Grandmaster.... I’m really tired! Ever since my parents left, all the burdens have been on my shoulders. Even my daughter left... I know the Xia Country Lin family’s responsibility, so I dared not hand work to a professional manager."
Facing her family, Lin Ying spoke her sorrowful heart out:
Work matters couldn’t be entrusted to any incompetent professional managers; the Xia Country Lin family’s sole task is good deeds and building good relations, while upholding the status quo, handling unsolvable issues, like employment for the disabled.
Yet even when professional managers follow orders, they inherently think of profit, but the Lin family doesn’t need that; avoiding losses is their goal.
Otherwise, Lin Group Holding Company could just transfer overseas pharmaceutical companies, livelihoods, and maritime businesses domestically for more profits.
However, such actions are forbidden as the trades are laden with indelible darkness and blood.
The Lin family Lin Ying belongs to cannot touch these, and apart from the Xia Country Lin family head, even questioning them is strictly prohibited for family members.
Grandmaster Lin sighed. After numerous investigations into Lin Ying’s ordeal, he dearly wished the car accident was a deliberate act by rivals, but it was merely a genuine accident.
They couldn’t find a target for retribution, moving aimlessly against shadows.
"You must also understand, your grandfather only considers our safety and yours, those matters aren’t fit for us business people to engage with....."
"That thing is considered a strategic resource; those capable of researching are already doing so, and those incapable are investing to obtain results."
"It’s beyond money now."
"If you truly wish to get involved, you must seize the right opportunity. They don’t lack money, what they lack are creatures like the code-named ’Spirit Beast.’"
Grandmaster Lin evidently had some understanding of these matters, even clearly mentioning the code-name domestic research institutions use for these extraordinary creatures.
Lin Ying was suddenly stunned, looking at Grandmaster Lin, then instinctively glanced toward the master bedroom door.
But just as she turned, she saw the little white, fluffy ear perking up at the door.
It’s not the right time for me to be here, right? Ansheng locked eyes with Lin Ying, both silently looking at each other.