Chapter 252: Merger of the Liang Family

While the New Era was urgently planning how to "digest" its massive points to satisfy members with an even grander blueprint, a covert operation targeting external resources had quietly entered its critical phase under Su Wenqian's personal command.

The New Era's resource pressure, especially for several rare metals essential for quantum computing arrays and deep space mothership propulsion systems, had not eased due to internal economic adjustments. Su Wenqian's long-planned Special Acquisition target was none other than the Liang Group—the vast family controlling nearly thirty percent of the world's rare metal mining channels.

The Liang Family, a centuries-old Chinese business empire rooted in Southeast Asia, operated across mining, shipping, and finance, with tangled networks linked to countless factions. Moving against them was no simple matter.

Inside a highly classified intelligence analysis room at the New Era Command Center.

Su Wenqian stood before a massive holographic projection, clearly displaying the Liang Family's equity structure, core asset distribution, key member relationships, and recent financial flows. Several top-tier intelligence analysts and financial operators stood behind her, awaiting orders.

"How's the situation?" Su Wenqian's voice was calm and clear.

"Assistant Su, the Liang Family is not united," one intelligence analyst stepped forward to report. "Family Head Liang Hongyi is elderly. His eldest son, Liang Wenhan, is mediocre and power-hungry. His second son, Liang Wenbo, though capable, is sidelined and excluded from core decision-making. Several uncles from collateral branches are also eyeing the family head position. Due to global mining market fluctuations and internal strife, Liang Group's stock price is now at its lowest point in three years."

Another financial operator added: "Through twelve anonymous accounts distributed across the Cayman Islands, Switzerland, and elsewhere, we've already acquired 5.7 percent of Liang Group's circulating shares without drawing much attention. But to achieve controlling interest, we need at least thirty percent of shares—or… directly seize the thirty-five percent non-transferable dry shares held by Liang Hongyi."

Su Wenqian's gaze sharpened as she scanned the hologram: "Directly acquiring shares would be too noisy, risk alerting them, and might not secure control of the core mine veins. Our goal is to make the Liang Family 'voluntarily' cooperate with us and hand over the mining channels we need."

"You mean…?"

"Break through from within." Su Wenqian tapped her fingertip, enlarging Liang Wenbo's dossier. "According to our assessment, Liang Wenbo is the only one who can see the situation clearly and might be willing to cooperate with us for the family's survival. Find him. Offer him an offer he cannot refuse."

"Understood!"

The operation launched swiftly.

Several days later, in a coastal city in Southeast Asia, inside a top-tier private club.

Liang Wenbo, the forty-year-old second son of the Liang Family, his brow heavy with gloom, sat alone on the terrace, drinking alone while gazing at the distant sea. He had just been jointly suppressed by his elder brother and several uncles at a family meeting; his reform proposal had been entirely rejected.

At that moment, a waiter quietly approached and handed him an unmarked encrypted communicator.

Liang Wenbo frowned, taking it warily. The communicator activated, and a processed, calm female voice spoke:

"Mr. Liang Wenbo, hello. We can give you everything you deserve—the control of the Liang Family—and the chance to see it survive the coming storm."

Liang Wenbo's heart lurched, but he forced calm: "Who are you?"

"A friend who can give you power," the voice replied, emotionless. "Your elder brother, Liang Wenhan, is secretly contacting Pandora, planning to sell the family's long-term mining rights in exchange for Pandora's support to seize the family head position. You know better than anyone: allying with Pandora is like bargaining with a tiger."

Liang Wenbo's face turned instantly pale. He had suspected this, but lacked proof.

"We can provide you with irrefutable evidence of your brother's collusion with Pandora," the voice continued, "and, when needed, offer the necessary… funding and technical support. In return, the Liang Family must sign an exclusive mineral supply agreement with us and pledge partial mine vein equity as collateral."

Liang Wenbo's heartbeat quickened. He understood what this meant. It was inviting wolves into the house—but it might also be the Liang Family's only path to survival. If his brother truly succeeded in allying with Pandora, the Liang Family would be devoured down to the bones. This mysterious force, though equally self-serving, at least offered a chance for cooperation and survival.

"I… I need time to consider." Liang Wenbo's voice was dry.

"You don't have much time," the voice replied, flat yet unyielding. "The evidence and preliminary cooperation draft have been sent to your secure mailbox. Give me your answer within twenty-four hours."

The communication ended.

Liang Wenbo gripped the cold communicator, sweat soaking his back. He immediately returned home, opened his encrypted mailbox, and found there—clear video footage of his brother meeting Pandora's representatives, detailed financial records, and a cooperation draft with clear terms, even somewhat favorable to the Liang Family in certain aspects.

He stared at the signature at the bottom of the draft—a simple emblem composed of stars and an anchor.

"N… New Era?!" he gasped, pupils contracting sharply.

It was them! That mysterious force that had recently shaken the world, even forcing Pandora into repeated defeats!

Fear and opportunity surged through him simultaneously.

He knew—he had no choice.

Twenty-four hours later, Liang Wenbo gave his affirmative reply.

A "merger" storm targeting the Liang Family's internal structure had begun.

With precise intelligence and covert support from the New Era, Liang Wenbo struck swiftly, exposing his brother Liang Wenhan's collusion with Pandora to the public, and allied with discontented clan members and elders to pressure the aging Family Head, Liang Hongyi.

The Liang Family plunged into chaos.

Meanwhile, the New Era mobilized massive capital to launch a precise financial assault on Liang Group's stocks and related bonds, further intensifying the family's crisis.

Under internal turmoil and external pressure, the once-mighty Liang Empire teetered on collapse within just one week.

Ultimately, Liang Hongyi, on his sickbed, was forced to decide: depose his eldest son, Liang Wenhan, and appoint his second son, Liang Wenbo, as the new Family Head. Liang Wenbo's first act upon assuming power was to sign a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the New Era on behalf of the Liang Family—opening all core mineral channels and exchanging partial equity for the New Era's financial support and… protection.

A war without smoke quietly ended.

The New Era, without a single drop of blood spilled, "acquired" a commercial empire controlling nearly thirty percent of the world's rare metal lifelines into its own strategic system.

Inside the Command Center, Su Wenqian watched the final signing footage on screen and slowly exhaled.

With the Liang Family's channels, the New Era's rare metal needs for a long time ahead would be stably secured.

She picked up the internal communicator and reported to Qin Feng:

"Sir, the 'Merger of the Liang Family' operation has been successfully completed."