A Warm New Year's Eve!

 Lynx almost choked!

"What? Where do you want to go? The main city in the United States? Are you crazy?"

"Right now, because of the Boson Particle issue, that place is in complete chaos! Every notable international organization is there trying to decipher the spell patterns!"

"Just in the space system alone, there are three powerful groups, not to mention others. As the second space system user in China, no one wants to see you rise; they'd love to kill you!"

"You're safe while you're in the country, but once you go abroad, you'll be like a sheep in a wolf's den. You'll die!"

Jiang Nan chuckled, "But I'm not a sheep!"

He then told Lynx about Katrina. Lynx fell silent...

Jiang Nan continued, "I know it's dangerous there!"

"But do you remember the Sukar Town incident? Back then, there was a nuclear crisis, and the town could have been blown away at any moment!"

"One call, and Katrina still came to help me. Was she not afraid of death? No!"

"The same applies this time. I'm not trying to be a hero, but she trusts me, and I, Jiang Nan, must live up to her trust!"

"Besides, I have the key, and getting the spell pattern analysis data isn't impossible!"

Lynx's eyes softened as he listened on the phone, "I'll talk to the higher-ups and see if they can allocate some resources for you. Wait for my news!"

Half an hour later, Lynx called back.

"The higher-ups have approved the operation, but the Secretary-General wants to see you before you leave to discuss some matters. When do you plan to depart?"

Jiang Nan grinned, "Well, after...

Before he could finish, he paused and then laughed, "Let's finish celebrating the New Year at home first!"

Lynx: "Alright! I'll pick you up from the academy at one in the morning. Wait for me!"

Jiang Nan hung up the phone and walked out of his room. Xia Yao was in the kitchen, humming a little tune while frantically chopping dumpling fillings!

She had been in an excited state since morning!

Zhong Yingxue was kneading the dough!

Xia Yao: "Ew~ Smelly! Go take a shower and then help wrap the dumplings. We need to send some to the elderly at the nursing home! There's a lot of work to do!"

Zhong Yingxue laughed, "I also prepared coins to put in the dumplings. Whoever gets them will have good luck!"

Jiang Nan watched the scene with soft eyes.

"Wrap more! Put coins in all of them!"

Zhong Yingxue's face darkened. Was he suggesting dumplings with coin fillings?

"I'll go buy some stuff. I'll start wrapping when I'm back!"

He disappeared instantly and bought 50 identical metal USB drives, modeled after his key.

With a mischievous grin, he said, "50 should be enough, right?"

Sitting in front of his computer, Jiang Nan opened the key, using his skills to break the key's program and modify a line of code!

Just one character changed!

This one change rendered the entire key unable to unlock!

Perhaps Jiang Nan couldn't break a secure program without the key, but modifying the key's code was within his ability!

"Genius~ I'm a little genius!"

He then copied the key program 50 times and loaded them onto the 50 metal USB drives!

Clapping his hands with satisfaction, he joined Zhong Yingxue and the others in wrapping dumplings!

Xia Yao seriously wrapped the dumplings in her hands.

Jiang Nan: "G? Wolfie? Are we having buns for New Year?"

Xia Yao:

She looked at the bun-like dumplings in her hands and blushed!

"As long as they don't spill the filling!"

Zhong Yingxue: "Pfft~ Mmph!!!"

Jiang Nan: "Snow, no laughing! Your dumplings look like tangyuan! How did you make them into balls?"

Surprisingly, Wu Liang's dumplings were the best-looking, small and delicate!

A tough guy with a gentle touch?

"Bear Two! Are you sneaking dumpling filling again? It's raw!"

"I didn't!"

"Next time, clean the filling off your paws before peeling shrimp!"

The atmosphere was joyous, as they watched Zhong Yingxue wrap coins in the dumplings!

Jiang Nan sneakily marked all the dumplings with coins using a space wormhole!

When it came time for the New Year feast, he planned to eat all the dumplings with money himself!

Get rich next year!

Suddenly, Jiang Nan's eyes lit up!

Wait! Coins are outdated! I have diamonds! Lots of them!

Wrapping diamonds in the dumplings would bring even more fortune, right?

Without hesitation, Jiang Nan pulled out a handful of diamonds and started stuffing them into the dumplings, much to Zhong Yingxue and Xia Yao's horror!

"Hey, those diamonds stink! They'll ruin the dumplings!"

"I told you not to cook them with ours; they'll get contaminated!"

"Diamond-filled dumplings?"

Jiang Nan, proud, "Just a bit smelly, totally ignorable!"

"No choice! It's the condition of our home!"

They watched TV and wrapped dumplings until evening, cooking a large batch to send to the nursing home for the elderly celebrating there.

Uncle Wang took the dumplings with a happy smile, his white teeth particularly endearing!

Jiang Nan grinned, "Enjoy, Uncle! Eat slowly! You'll get rich after eating!"

Uncle Wang was moved, "Good lad! So thoughtful!"

Back in his room, Uncle Wang opened the box and took a bite of a dumpling!

The aroma was overwhelming, and the taste was amazing!

Full of emotion, he thought, young people are truly kind-hearted now!

Remembering to bring dumplings to us old folks on New Year's!

He took another bite!

"Crunch!"

A crisp sound, and a white tooth flew out!

"Wahhh~"

Uncle Wang's face contorted, spitting out the dumpling in shock!

What's this filling? It smells terrible!

Looking at the three large diamonds in his palm, Uncle Wang was stunned!

Diamonds? Are you kidding me?

People put coins in dumplings for New Year's, and you put diamonds?

Such extravagance! Are you trying to break our teeth?

This isn't a dumpling; it's a tooth killer!

Looking at his lost tooth, Uncle Wang was teary-eyed, "Ah~ missed another chance!"

Throughout the nursing home, similar sounds echoed!

"Crunch!"

"Wahhh!" 

Back at the villa, Jiang Nan sat on the sofa, baffled. Why were there so many resentment points?

Were the dumplings too salty? No!

They tasted great, so weird~

At eight in the evening, the table was filled with a sumptuous feast!

Jiang Nan chuckled, "Come over, everyone! I have gifts for you!"

Hearing "gifts," Xia Yao and Zhong Yingxue's eyes lit up, rushing over!

"Wow! Gifts? What is it?"

"Excited!"

Even Wu Liang and Bear Two looked expectant!

Jiang Nan placed the exquisitely wrapped boxes on the coffee table, each with a name on it.

"Here~ one for each of you!"

Xia Yao jumped up excitedly, "Thank you, Nan!"

She eagerly grabbed hers and opened it with anticipation!

Inside were four deep red, crystal-clear items!

Two arm guards and two leg guards, each with intricate patterns!

Xia Yao was stunned, "Wow! This is so beautiful!"

She immediately put them on, fitting perfectly, and incredibly comfortable. She was ecstatic!

Jiang Nan smiled, "Try moving your wrist down!"

Xia Yao gently moved her wrist!

"Clang!"

Three deep red claws shot out from the arm guards, razor-sharp!

Xia Yao: "Oh my gosh!"

"Wow! Wolf claws! So cool!"

She excitedly hugged Jiang Nan, showering his face with kisses! She really loved it!

Zhong Yingxue also opened her box!

Inside was a deep red, close-fitting chainmail shirt, protecting the torso and half an arm!

Made from tiny interlocking rings, the craftsmanship was exquisite!

Zhong Yingxue stared at the chainmail, her face flushed with excitement. It was so beautiful!

"Do you like it, Snow?"

"Like it! How could I not? I'll wear it every day! Hehe!"

Wu Liang and Bear Two had larger gifts!

Opening their boxes, Wu Liang's had a blood-red full-body shield. Pressing a mechanism on the handle, the shield extended broad axe blades on both ends!

Wu Liang kissed the shield, his face red with excitement!

"Nan, you're awesome! Haha!"

Bear Two's box contained a pair of double-edged axes, entirely blood-red, heavy and imposing, with broad blades!

Bear Two's eyes sparkled: "I love it! Nan is the best!"