Chapter 18: Jerry's Panick

Booth No. 012

Ciguli Biotech, a promising new company, had managed to secure its own booth, an achievement they owed to a mix of grit and good fortune.

On stage, a striking young woman demonstrated the abilities of the spirit dog. One of the spirit dogs leaped gracefully through the air, capturing the admiration of the crowd gathered below. Occasionally, she invited spectators onto the stage to interact, showcasing the creature's charm and unique talents with each demonstration.

In the audience, Jerry and Lina observed the crowd's enthusiasm, pleased by the murmurs of excitement around them.

"It's definitely worth buying one," someone nearby remarked. "I heard it's only around $20,000 to $30,000 dollars, not too expensive. Imagine how fluffy it must feel!"

Another voice chimed in, "Did you hear? There was some excitement over at Pokémon Biotech Company's booth!"

"What happened? Did someone start a fight or something?"

"Not quite. Look it up! The Pichu in that recent video, it's identical to the one they have on display. It's real!"

"You mean it can actually discharge electricity?"

"Yeah! For a small company to pull this off, that's incredible. Should we check it out?"

A few people peeled away from the crowd, their curiosity piqued.

Jerry and Lina exchanged uneasy glances.

"That's impossible," Jerry scoffed.

"It has to be a gimmick, a setup perhaps," Lina replied, her expression hardening.

With grim determination, they pushed through the crowd.

"Let's go see for ourselves. I refuse to believe Ethan's team could pull this off."

Together, they made their way to Booth No. 068.

When they arrived, they found the booth swarmed with people, three circles deep, all captivated by the spectacle unfolding inside.

Jerry narrowed his eyes, uneasy. From the scene alone, he sensed that the rumors might not be baseless.

"No way…" he muttered.

Forcing their way to the front, they arrived just in time to see a Pichu on stage releasing a Thunder Shock. The tiny creature basked in the applause, rolling over playfully as a reward from the employees of Pokémon Biotechnology.

The crowd burst into laughter, charmed by the little Pokémon's antics.

"How… is this even possible?" Jerry murmured, dumbfounded.

Beside him, Miao Lina's expression twisted with frustration. She'd struggled for months to develop a creature with unique powers. Experimenting with electric eel genes had only taken her so far; her designs had yet to produce any reliable discharge ability.

She thought she was close, just another year or so, and she might make a breakthrough. Now, watching her former company flaunt a creature with this very ability, she seethed with envy.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Fowler from Ciguli Biotech. What brings you to our humble booth?" Ethan called out, spotting them in the crowd.

The bystanders perked up, recognizing the tension. Everyone knew about the rivalry between Ethan and Jerry, especially after Jerry's taunts on Weibo. Now, with the two face-to-face, sparks were bound to fly.

Many in the crowd subtly lifted their phones, ready to capture the moment.

"Just passing through," Jerry replied coolly, his expression tight as he turned to leave.

Ethan's smirk grew sharper. "Oh? Didn't Mr. Fowler claim I was bluffing? Got anything else to say?"

"Don't get cocky, Ethan," Jerry shot back. "You got lucky this time, but it won't last. Sooner or later, my company will surpass yours."

Ethan's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Stealing my spirit dog technology doesn't count as success, Jerry. You only got your hands on it because of my own oversight. Don't expect that to happen again."

Jerry's face darkened. "Ethan, stop spreading lies! The spirit dog was created by Lina, our company's lead designer. You had nothing to do with it!"

With so many eyes on him, Jerry couldn't admit to anything else.

Ethan shrugged. "If it helps you sleep at night, keep telling yourself that. Think of the hundred million I invested as my donation to your little project. Isn't that right, Miss Lina?"

Under the weight of the crowd's gaze, Lina flushed, snapping back, "Enough with the lies, Ethan! The spirit dog's design has nothing to do with you. I never accepted any form of support from you!"

"Ungrateful, the both of you," a voice interjected coldly. James, who had been standing quietly beside Ethan, stepped forward. "Everyone in the lab knows your reputation. Pichu was designed by Mr. Grave himself, while you two were busy stealing credit."

The crowd's interest intensified. Was there more to this story than they'd realized?

"And I suppose you're the genius?" Jerry sneered, gesturing at Ethan. "Last I checked, Ethan barely made it through college, skipping classes and slacking off. Biodesign is an advanced field. There's no way he's capable of this. He probably bought the technology."

Ethan's brow rose as he chuckled. "It's nice to know I made such an impression on you, Mr. Fowler. But weren't you the one who denied knowing me at all?"

Jerry's expression faltered, muttering, "People say all kinds of things online."

"And I've learned plenty from people's online remarks," Ethan replied smoothly. "Deny it all you want. Sooner or later, the truth will surface."

As their confrontation wrapped up, Jerry noticed something different about Ethan. His former rival seemed sharper, more confident, almost like a different person entirely.

Bystanders had captured the entire scene, and soon, footage spread across social media.

The public debate reignited, with Ethan gaining newfound support and Jerry losing his previously unshakable standing.

Online, people began to piece together clues from their conversation. Contrary to Jerry's earlier claims, it now seemed he and Ethan were far more than just casual acquaintances.

If Jerry had lied about that, maybe there was more truth to Ethan's story than anyone had realized.

Speculation ran wild across the internet.

...

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