Break out of the courtyard

Experts inquired whether Zhang Long and Zhang Hu could stay and continue processing the regenerated frog, rabbit, and monkey brains whose brainwaves could not be recorded, but Zhang Heping did not agree.

Because he had previously stated that brain-computer interface research would be conducted in Hong Kong.
If Zhang Heping had been granted access to the Sanxingdui underground base before he made that statement, he might have considered placing his brain-computer interface research in Shenzhen or at the Sanxingdui underground base.

However, the authority over there was only granted to him after Zhang Heping made corresponding threats and resistance. Therefore, in order to prove that his previous actions were not intended to threaten anyone, he had to stick to his previous statement and keep the brain-computer interface research in Hong Kong.

Moreover, if he wants to promote virtual reality games globally, he cannot develop them behind closed doors in mainland China.

Of course, the main reason Zhang Heping placed brain-computer interface research in Hong Kong was to clarify ownership and avoid future disputes over technology patents.

There's a lot more to this than meets the eye. If Zhang Heping is leading a team to research brain-computer interfaces in the underground base in Shenzhen, even if all the technology was provided by Zhang Heping, it would still be a team research project.

Regardless of how much of a stake Zhang Heping can acquire, in terms of commercial applications alone, military use must come first, and there's no room for negotiation on that.

Whether Zhang Heping conducts research alone in Hong Kong or leads a team, it is all his own research, and the other participants are at most his paid assistants.

If anyone in China wants his brain-computer interface technology, they'll have to negotiate with him politely and respectfully.

On the ship back to Hong Kong Island, Hua Lao tried to persuade Zhang Heping to move the brain-computer interface laboratory to Shenzhen, but Zhang Heping refused without any expression.

How could Elder Hua not understand the stakes involved!

It was precisely because he knew that Zhang Heping was conducting brain-computer interface research in Hong Kong, where it was not under the control of the mainland, that Hua Lao advised him to return to the previous mutually beneficial cooperation model.

Unfortunately, Zhang Heping's resistance had not subsided, and Hua Lao could not force him on this matter.

Even if you brought back Zhang Heping's entire family, it would be impossible to get him to willingly share his technology if he refused.

Therefore, Mr. Hua did not dwell on this matter, but instead steered the conversation toward the meeting venue.

……

In an office building opposite the Media Building in Central, Hong Kong Island, several foreigners are gathered together, looking at nine monitors on the wall in front of them.

If the bodyguards from Umbrella Security were here, they would immediately recognize that the images on those nine monitors were surveillance footage from the media building and surrounding intersections.

"When Zhang Bei went to the media building this afternoon, he was in this car with license plate number 003," a short, thin, middle-aged Japanese man said to the foreigners present, pointing to the surveillance footage on the monitor.

"Based on our previous tracking, investigation and analysis, the probability that Zhang Bei is in this car at this time is less than 30%."

"What about those gaming helmets and the frog brain device?" A burly, brown-haired white man next to him asked, frowning. "Are they in this vehicle?"

The short, thin, middle-aged Japanese man said in a deep voice, "We don't have enough information to determine whether he's in that car."

The brown-haired white man frowned even more deeply. "With just this much information, our Sand Fox Mercenary Group dares not accept your interception request!"

"Mr. Edward, rest assured, even if you fail to stop the vehicle carrying the helmet and frog-headed creature, we will not take back the deposit we previously paid you; consider it as your travel expenses." The short, thin, middle-aged man from Japan said, stepping back to the door with a forced smile.
"You can discuss this first. If you can't cooperate, we can abandon tomorrow's operation."

As soon as the Japanese man left, the five foreigners who had been silent immediately sprang into action.

They dispersed to check the tables, cabinets, sofas, chandeliers, and other places for hidden listening devices.

A moment later, a young man with an earring and nose piercing approached Edward, the brown-haired giant, and whispered, "Commander, that surveillance equipment has a built-in microphone. Should we turn it off?"

The leader of the Sand Fox mercenary group glanced at the camera mounted on the window and said, "Ignore it, let's go downstairs for a walk."

"Have you guys noticed that there are fewer security personnel at the media building than at the hospital on the other side?"

As they spoke, the group had already left, giving the Japanese islanders, who might have been eavesdropping, no chance. Only after they left the office building and began circling the Peace Academy did someone continue speaking.

"Commander, I heard that Old Bush's death in the US might have been orchestrated by Umbrella Corporation. Are we really going to help the Japanese steal the goods that Umbrella Corporation is holding?!"

"It's interception, not robbery!"

"If we intercept them and the Japanese islanders try to rob them, then we're their accomplices. What's the difference between that and robbery? We'll probably have a hard time getting out of this!"

"Commander, it's not that I'm a coward, but look at those patrolling bodyguards. Each of them has a stun gun. And who knows what weapons the hidden bodyguards are carrying?"

"Captain, look at that person in the gray trench coat on the shore, doesn't he look like Raven from the Highland Mercenary Group!"

"Highland ravens are good at scouting; did he discover something on the shore?"

……

When Zhang Heping led Zhang Long, Zhang Hu, and Hua Lao back to the small dock behind the computer research center, his eldest son, Zhang Bei, had already been waiting there for a while.

After meeting up in the underground parking lot, they didn't go straight home. Instead, they took a car to the Heping Group building and waited for Chen Shuting to come downstairs.

Just as Zhang Long and Zhang Hu were standing by the car, telling their older brother Zhang Bei about their experiment in Shenzhen that day and their final results, the bodyguard captain, holding a walkie-talkie, quickly approached the vehicle Zhang Heping was in. He crouched down next to the rear left door and whispered to Zhang Heping inside the car:

"Boss, I just received a message from Manager Zhu. Five more mercenary groups have entered Hong Kong Island today. Adding to the eight mercenary groups that entered before, the total number of mercenaries entering the country has probably exceeded ten thousand!"

"Hmm!" Zhang Heping was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, using his mental energy to explore his surroundings, so his answer was very casual.

The bodyguard captain continued, "Boss, Manager Zhu wants to apply for a batch of new equipment for tomorrow's security work, but the application is stuck with General Manager Wei. He would like to ask you to help approve it."

Zhang Heping hummed in agreement again, then took out his phone and logged into the company's management system.

Instead of using Wei Chunqiao's account to directly approve Zhu Chengguang's equipment application, he diverted all the approval applications piling up in Wei Chunqiao's account to his concubine Chen Shuting's account.

Just then, Chen Shuting stepped out of the elevator and quickly approached the convoy.

The bodyguard next to him naturally knew who the boss was going to sit next to, so he took the initiative to open the right rear door of the vehicle Zhang Heping was in.

After getting into the car, Chen Shuting asked with concern, "Honey, did things go smoothly in Shenzhen today?"

"Not bad, we successfully created a mouse brain server." After replying, Zhang Heping changed the subject to the approval process.

When Chen Shuting was at the company, she often approved various matters reported by her subordinates at each level, so she didn't pay much attention to them.

However, Chen Shuting was taken aback when she saw Zhu Chengguang's application materials.

Seeing the bodyguard get into the passenger seat and the driver start the car, Chen Shuting showed her husband her phone screen and asked uncertainly, "Honey, did they apply for too much weaponry and equipment?"

Zhang Heping explained calmly, "Many people are eyeing this meeting, so it's fine to have Lao Zhu and the others prepare more. They can just take them back and maintain them afterwards."

Chen Shuting was surprised mainly because Zhu Chengguang had indeed applied for quite a lot of things; he had applied for 100 sets of the anti-gun "Eye of the Gods" defense system alone.

With those laser weapons and pulse bombs, they have enough to take over the Hong Kong government. I really don't know how he plans to hide so many weapons and equipment.

...(End of chapter)