Chapter 213: Have a Little Sense, Will You?

Lilith had repeatedly clashed with Su Wenqian, suffering repeated setbacks; though the news was strictly contained within a small circle, whispers eventually reached a few insiders in the New Era's inner circle.

Deep Space Mothership Construction Base, Core Dock Observation Platform.

Qin Feng was listening to the Project Chief Engineer's report on the latest batch of alloy strength tests for the ship hull. Beyond the massive observation window, the mother ship's keel stretched and took shape at a visible pace, like the spine of a prehistoric beast, under the coordinated efforts of countless engineering machines and workers.

During a pause in the report, Lei Dong—a lean, middle-aged man with sharp, eagle-like eyes and responsibility for internal security and intelligence—slipped silently to Qin Feng's side and gave a brief, low-voiced update on Lilith's recent maneuvers.

"... That's the general situation. Assistant Su handled it well—she gave the other side no advantage and upheld the reputation of the New Era." Lei Dong's voice was steady, devoid of personal emotion, merely stating facts.

Qin Feng's gaze remained fixed on the magnificent construction scene outside, his face expressionless, as if he had merely heard an insignificant daily update.

Only after Lei Dong finished did Qin Feng fall silent for a few seconds, then softly utter, "Hmm."

He offered no comment on Su Wenqian's actions, nor expressed anger toward Lilith's behavior; instead, he casually asked, his tone as indifferent as if inquiring about the weather:

"Where did Zhao Yuan go after leaving our waters?"

Lei Dong answered immediately: "According to the signals we tracked, his plane altered course mid-flight and ultimately landed on a private island in the South Pacific belonging to Pandora. That island is one of Pandora's known major biological research facilities."

Qin Feng nodded, asked no further questions, as if merely confirming a trivial detail.

He refocused on the construction report, pointing out several anomalies in the data and demanding a recheck.

Seeing this, Lei Dong knew the report was over and bowed slightly, preparing to withdraw.

Just as he turned, Qin Feng seemed to suddenly remember something; without looking back, he casually dropped a remark in a tone that was half-teasing, yet carried an unmistakable edge:

"Old Lei, give the team a heads-up."

"Our Wenqian has a good temper and follows the rules."

"But next time, if any riffraff comes buzzing around her…"

Qin Feng paused, turned his head slightly, and let his peripheral gaze sweep over Lei Dong—calm, yet sending an invisible chill crawling up Lei Dong's spine, a veteran hardened by countless battles.

"... Don't blame us if we swat flies a little too hard."

Lei Dong's heart tightened; he instantly straightened his posture and replied in a deep, firm voice: "Understood! Sir, rest assured—I know exactly what to do."

He fully understood Qin Feng's stance: Su Wenqian's response had pleased the sir, even been tacitly endorsed. The sir didn't care what tricks the other side played, but the bottom line was clear—no one could truly harass the people around him, especially someone as vital and capable as Su Wenqian.

"Swat flies a little too hard…"—this was nearly the clearest warning possible. Next time, if Pandora's people, especially Lilith, dared to approach or harass Su Wenqian again, the New Era's response would be far more than mere verbal retaliation.

Lei Dong swiftly departed to deploy and convey Qin Feng's intent.

Soon, an invisible, tighter, and more sharply edged protective net quietly formed around Su Wenqian and other core members of the New Era. All external contact procedures were further tightened; security levels rose imperceptibly.

And Qin Feng's remark—teasing yet laced with hidden lethal intent—spread discreetly within the core security and intelligence teams.

Several key security personnel responsible for Su Wenqian's daily protection couldn't help but remark in private:

"Boss, the sir's words… he's backing Assistant Su!"

The team leader, a cigarette unlit between his lips, squinted at Su Wenqian's busy, focused figure as she conferred with technicians, and snorted:

"Obviously! Who is Assistant Su? She's the sir's eyes and hands, the chief administrator of our New Era! Do those outside idiots really think handing out business cards or writing checks can pry her away?"

He spat out the cigarette, his tone hardening: "Keep your eyes wide open! From now on, anyone connected to Pandora—especially that woman, Lilith—within five hundred meters of Assistant Su, immediately raise alert levels! If she dares to come close and spout any filthy nonsense…"

He scanned his men, each word deliberate: "The sir said—swatting flies, you can hit harder. We can't betray the sir's trust by failing to even swat a single fly!"

"Understood!" the men chorused in low, sharp voices, eyes sharp.

A stronger sense of unified hostility, of protective loyalty, spread through the security team. They might not understand the high-stakes technological rivalry, but they knew one thing: protecting every member of the New Era, especially core figures like the sir and Assistant Su, was their most vital mission.

Su Wenqian herself sensed little unusual; she remained immersed in her busy work. Occasionally, she noticed her security personnel seemed more alert, and unnecessary external contacts were filtered more effectively. She assumed it was routine security upgrading and gave it no further thought.

Far away at Pandora's headquarters, Lilith, after repeated setbacks, though seething with rage, temporarily withdrew her direct actions against Su Wenqian. She was no fool; she sensed the increasingly cold warning emanating from the New Era side.

She knew that path was closed—for now.

But she would never give up.

Qin Feng, Su Wenqian… we'll see who wins.

Her gaze turned to another direction—the wager she had made with Qin Feng regarding crustal activity.

That was her true entry point.