(XIII)

Translator: Eden (She did a bit before going rip), SnowTime | Updated 5/10

Shang Ke officially took over the Yue Family business. After repeatedly sustaining setbacks, no one dared to fight Shang Ke for the position.

Lu Xiufan was originally prepared to support him, sparing no effort to help him clean up and sort out the Yue Family business. However, Shang Ke's actions exceeded his expectations. For Yue Family to establish a presence, the first thing he did was to employ a large number of covenantors.

Before this, Shang Ke had been continuously gathering information, focusing especially on finding out more about covenantors. They lacked emotions but had strong principles, were steadfast in commitment to their work contract, were highly productive and weren't driven by self interests. Of course, their capabilities and expertise varied. The first batch of covenantors that Shang Ke employed were at least two stars. They possessed certain basic knowledge and were able accomplish tasks that didn't require specialized skills.

Currently, Yue Family's position was still unstable and not many people were willing to help Shang Ke. Since that was the case, Shang Ke employed only covenantors. He more or less sorted out the family business, then started to deal with matters according to priority.

He completely disregarded criticisms from other people and ignored their petty, hypocritical actions. To those who couldn't accept his way of doing things, he only had one thing to say, "F*** off." He abandoned some of the more unprofitable businesses without the slightest hesitation and changed the organizational structure of the business from top to bottom, concentrating his efforts on important matters.

The covenantors he'd employed became his most reliable and most advantageous executors, no on was more loyal then them to their duties, nor was anyone more clear on the line of reward and punishment. Although this kind of relentless way of doing things offended many people who wanted to take advantage of their situation, the truly talented people showed their support. Covenantors created a simple and free working evironment for them. As long as they completely their assignment on time, the covenantors would not care about other minor detais. Those who did exceptionally will even be awarded well.

This way of doing things turned the family property that had already shrunk, to shrink even more. In short term, it shrunk by another one-fifth and frightened the other members, but they did not dare to step out to critizize Shang Ke. Because he was a covenantor, he did not bother to take heed of their complaints in the first place.

The way he handled family affairs was like cutting out tumors, he cut them off without hesitation and efficiently without care about short term pains. In his opinion, even if Yue Family only has a single company remaining in the end, it would not affect his mission. So the things that other people would not dare to do, he dared to do them all, and even did it beautifully.

As the first to employ so many convenantors, and even to place them in important positions, his move gave rise to a sensation throughout the entire Empire. Even Lu Xiufan was a bit shocked.

Just while everyone was waiting for this convenantor to fully throw down Yue Family into destruction, he actually slowly recovered them from their decline. From chaos to steadiness, from deficit to profit. Step by step they went back onto the right track. Very soon, everyone noticed that covenantors' working ability were different from ordinary. They have a very strong sense of time, they will never be late or early. Even if their individual skills are a bit lacking, they will diligently learn and adjust their education to their employer's need. They did not embezzle, did not accept bribes, did not do things for private reasons nor did they complain or hold grudges. They strictly carried out the rules and were fair and just.

Everyone frequently likened them to robots but never truly realized the value of robots. In the past several hundred years, who knows just how many capable and outstanding covenantors were treated as servants, eliminating the flames of their short lives.

"Sir," the prison guard greeted Lu Xiufan as soon as he noticed him.

Lu Xiufan paid him no attention, his gaze piercing through the glass window, landing on Madam Chang and Yue Xuan within the detention room.

The two of them had already been locked up for more than half a month but hadn't been interrogated or punished. In the beginning, they would still cry and shout, but now, their expressions only held hopelessness and despair.

"Let's start." Lu Xiufan ordered the two doctors behind him.

Both doctors let out a sound of agreement and entered the detention room with a few assistants.

"What are you planning to do?" Seeing a bunch of people suddenly entering the room and dragging away her son, Madame Chang immediately rushed over and held onto Yue Xuan.

"We're merely performing a medical checkup for your son." One of the doctor answered her with a blank expression.

"My son is very healthy, there is no need for a medical checkup."

"Is that so?" The other doctor spoke up, "From our observations, we've discovered that your son seems to be infected with some sort of virus. He requires immediate treatment."

Madame Chang seemed to be aware of something. Her face turned pale as she cried out, "No! My son is fine, let go of him!"

"Save me, mother!" Any rational thought Yue Xuan had flew out the window in the face of fear. He struggled with all his might.

"Get out of the way. Stop obstructing our work." Ignoring their screams, several strong men pushed Madame Chang aside and hauled Yue Xuan outside.

"I am Yue Family's matron. Even if I'm guilty, I should be judged and punished according to the law. You don't have the right to carry out your own punishment." Madame Chang had completely lost the nobility she held in the past, slamming herself against the door that had already been closed.

"Mother, mother," Yue Xuan's screams gradually faded into the distance, eventually disappearing completely.

Madame Chang fell listlessly onto the floor, her body leaning onto the metal door. Her head hung low, hair a mess, eyes radiating a deep, bitter resentment.

In the operating room, Yue Xuan was shackled to the operating table. There was a glaring bright light above his head. As soon as he noticed a familiar device, his gaze filled with immense fear. This was the exact device that turned Yue Ze into a covenantor.

Yue Xuan seemed to finally grasp his impending predicament. Cries of despair fell from his lips….

Although Shang Ke was busy with Yue business matters during this time, he made sure to return to Lu Xiufan's residence every day.

Lu Xiufan was also very busy, but he would always return home on time to listen to Shang Ke's reports, and conveniently exercise the power of his three 'rights'.

The two held tacit understanding, in some areas, they have reached the realm of complete synchroization.

Life was too harmonious that Shang Ke almost forgot that his mission still needed to meet the requirement of "heroic death". Just as he was getting worked up about how he should elegantly court death, danger approached without warning.

Shang Ke walked out from the office building and led two covenantors to the parking lot.

These two covenantors were his most recent find of the rare technical talent. He planned to have them settled in with the Yue Family's technology development team.

Shang Ke drove them with the science and technology site in mind while two bodyguard cars followed behind. They were bodyguards arranged to him by Lu Xiufan; they would follow him everyday to protect him.

The car had only gone part way when Shang Ke suddenly heard an electronic beep. Automatic driving mode had turned into manual mode, and the speed swiftly rose.

Shang Ke's heart jumped, he immediately started to take control of the wheel to prevent them from deviating into another traffic line or hitting something. However, besides the wheel, the other controls were completely out of control and the speed was still increasing without stopping.

It was very clear that someone had done something to his car!

Looking at the scenery speeding by outside the car window, Shang Ke's pupils contracted. Using his excellent driving skills, he calmly sailed the car down at a rapid speed.

"Young Master Ze, what happened?" A bodyguard's voice came through his communication device. They had noticed Shang Ke's car suddenly speeding up and became keenly aware that something bad was going on.

"The car is out of control." Shang Ke gave back a simple answer.

Right after he replied, the communication device emitted a burst of static noise before completely losing any response.

The communication was cut short, the two bodyguard cars behind him were also left so far behind they could not be seen.

The speed of Shang Ke's car had already reached the maximum speed allowed by the car. The car was like a phantom as it drove through the building complexs at a deathly speed.

If it was just himself, then there was nothing to fear. But there were two convenators sitting in the backseats. They held their seat belts, their gazes steady without a hint of nervousnss on their faces as their bodies rocked with the car's movements. They were like two human dolls.

No matter what, he had to save them.

Shang Ke checked the energy source, only three percent had been used up. The car had just gone through maintanence today and filled with energy, it was probably at that time that the car had been messed with.

According to the speed in which the car's energy was being used, he had to keep up with this for thirty-six hours! Even if he doesn't make a mistake, it was impossible for him to complete it and stay alive!

Shang Ke controlled the direction and headed for an area where there were few people and had wide fields outside the city as his mind spun to find a solution.

At this kind of speeds, jumping out of the car was impossible.

Then, was there any way to increase the rate the energy was being used?

Shang Ke turned on everything in the car that used energy. Lights, music, air conditinoning… but the drainage from these things pretty much did nothing.

Shang Ke's concentrated everything onto the task and cold sweat sepped from his forehead without pause. His body was already starting to become unable to tolerate the situation after driving at this speed for forty minutes, his mind was also a bit dizzy. From the looks of things, forget thirty-six hours, even three hours would be unbearable.

The highest speed of hover cars could only go as high as specialiy made racing cars under situations where equipment was plentiful and it cannot go on for longer than five hours. Otherwise it would lead to injuries.

The hover car flew out of the city and entered a relatively spacious and empty outskirt.

Shang Ke's eyelash slightly trembled and sweat flowed down his forehead and soaked the corner of his eyes, but he did not dare to be distracted.

Silence filled the surroundings and only the hissing friction of the air could be heard from the car's speed. The two convenantors in the backseats were already turning pale in the lips. Cold sweat dripped as their facial muscles started to show unnatural twitching. One of them was even having a nose bleed.

Shang Ke's blood plreasure was also rising without pause, it felt as if his veins were going to rupture as pain erupted all over his body.

He looked at the energy bar, there was still ninety percent remaining. He cried in his heart, he never thought that he would one day face a situation where too much energy was such a bad thing!

The car flew quickly but time went by slowly.

He didn't know how long it had been, but blood started to seep out of Shang Ke's ears and nose and sweat mixed into his eyes. Tremors of pain went through him and his vision gradually became blurry.

No! He must find a way to save them!!

Right at this moment, his line of sight suddenly opened up. A large lake appeared in front of him.

A lake!

Shang Ke's eyes brightened and an idea formed in his mind.

He controlled the hover car and rounded the lake, calculating the height and position. After that, he spoke to the two in the back, "Jill, Yurian, wait for my order. When I tell you two to jump, jump."

While Shang Ke spoke, he unlocked the lock of the right door. He shifted the car into a tilt, and with his excellent skills, reduced the height while he made his rounds.

"This is the moment, Jill, jump out of the car!" Shang Ke shouted.

The covenantor named Jill pushed open the door and jumped out without hesitation. His body casted a shadow on the lake surface and then the sound of breaking water followed as he went underwater.

A moment later, Jil's head popped out of the water. Shang Ke released a sigh of relief and prepared to do the same thing to help Yurian escape.

But when Shang Ke looked at him through the rearview mirror, he discovered that Yurian was already in a half unconscious state. He did not react to his calls at all…