I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

"Let me ask you this: hasn't Tesla's stock price gone up? Hasn't my Carsales' stock price gone up too? Hail Hop has even launched in the European and American markets, doesn't that give your so-called perfect closed loop a bit more credibility?" Chen Xi asked with a grin, completely ignoring the other person's expression.

“You’re putting the cart before the horse, sacrificing the big picture for a little bit of stock price…” Jia Riting was clearly unconvinced and continued rambling on.

In fact, both Chen Xi and Musk knew that the reason this guy was so angry was because he hadn't gotten any benefits at all.

“Aren’t you worried that the news will leak out and that fat guy will sabotage things prematurely? But think about it another way. Even if we get the license and then release the news, with his status and methods, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to find an excuse to remove a small license. So, why not just catch him off guard?” Chen Xi lit a cigarette.

“I think Xi is right. The only way for us now is to expand our scale and let the conglomerates see our value so that they will support us.” Musk expressed his opinion as soon as Chen Xi finished speaking.

Tesla's stock price is currently soaring, and the arrow has already been released; there's no turning back. It's better to press on while the momentum is there.

"There's nothing we can do about it then. We can only activate the backup plan and exaggerate the scale!" Seeing the two men's resolute attitude, Jia Riting could only nod.

"Exaggerating?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled.

"Just you wait and see," Jia Riting chuckled, regaining his usual confident demeanor.

Chen Xi turned off the video, closed his laptop, and glanced at the time; it was past seven in the evening.

He picked up his phone to put it in his pocket, but then he caught a glimpse of a text message that made him frown slightly.

An hour later, at a small restaurant.

Looking at their table, the only one in the restaurant, Chen Xi couldn't help but ask the man opposite her, "Why did you choose such a place? If you want to discuss important matters, you should find a restaurant with private rooms."

“These days, we’re taught not to overspend, so the kind of place you’re talking about isn’t suitable,” Zheng Wei shook his head.

Chen Xi thought for a moment, but didn't say anything more.

Since the new regulations were introduced, it's true that you can no longer see leaders in larger restaurants. Zheng Wei, although a public servant, doesn't hold a high position. Even he's being so cautious now, so it seems the regulations are being strictly enforced.

"You didn't specifically invite me out, and you haven't eaten yet, have you?" Chen Xi smiled.

"That's right, I need to have a good talk with you about the current situation of the association."

"I don't have the energy to deal with association matters. You should talk to the other two."

"Don't say things like that. I know you and Linxi are deliberately avoiding me and pushing Xu Yun in front of me. Xu Yun is really..."

"Can't handle it, huh? Haha, I can't handle her either." The other person stopped halfway through their sentence, and Chen Xi smiled knowingly.

"I asked you out today to have a serious talk about the association's future development and current management issues."

"for example?"

"For example, will the Overseas Returnees Association uphold its original aspirations and become a powerful tool to help the country's development? Or will it become a money-making tool like a multinational corporation for its own selfish interests? Or will it become a special organization that swings back and forth across multiple countries, profiting from it, and even betraying our country's interests when necessary..." There were only the two of them in the small restaurant, with two bowls of noodles on the table. Even the owner was nowhere to be seen, which was obviously arranged by Zheng Wei.

"Then what kind of association do you think the current associations are like?" Chen Xi asked in return after listening.

"I think the association is already heading towards becoming a multinational corporation. This expansion speed is too fast; few organizations in history have developed so rapidly. You initially said you would only recruit returnees, but later you even started managing international students from various countries. Think about how many international students there are in the world? How many of them will serve other countries in the future?"

“Hmm, that makes sense. But I don’t know the specifics of the association’s current situation. You know, I have a bunch of companies under my control, and I was questioned by the relevant departments before. I don’t have the energy to deal with anything else…” Chen Xi slurped a mouthful of noodles.

"Don't give me that. The Youth Returnees Association must be reformed. If you don't care, Linxi doesn't care, and Xu Yun doesn't follow orders, there will only be one result: the association will be forcibly disbanded!" Zheng Wei's tone was firm, and it was clear that he had been quite tormented by Xu Yun recently.

"You told Linxi this? What did he say?"

“If I tell him, he’ll know and he’ll definitely change. But I know he’s just playing games.”

"Oh, I see."

"...Can't you say something more?"

"This noodle shop isn't good. I'll try another one next time."

"..."

Hours earlier, on the other side of the ocean, in the early morning.

King Ranch on Lake Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Four Black Hawk helicopters sped close to the outline of Longshelantian, their rotors slicing through the damp night fog.

Inside the cabin, red lights illuminated the Delta Force team members' faces, smeared with paint. No one spoke; only the roar of the engines and the soft tapping of equipment against the deck could be heard.

"One minute," the captain's voice came through the headset.

Their goal is a luxurious lakeside estate spanning dozens of hectares, complete with a private dock and runway.

Intelligence indicated that David, son of drug lord Jerry, was holding a private party there. The operation was based on a highly classified authorization, tacitly approving this cross-border surgical strike.

04:21, precise breakthrough.

Two Black Hawk helicopters suddenly rose and hovered above the main building of the manor. Ropes were thrown down, and the team members slid down like black rain, landing on the red-tiled roof. At the same time, two other helicopters flew in tactical formation straight towards the main gate and front courtyard of the manor.

"Execute, execute, execute."

There were no warnings, no announcements.

A dull thud echoed from the roof as the special composite material door frame crumbled inwards. The team members filed in, their night-vision goggles illuminating the interior in a ghostly green hue.

On the second-floor corridor, two bodyguards who had just woken up and were carrying AKs were shot down by two bursts of HK416 guns equipped with silencers before they could even raise their guns.

A fierce firefight erupted in the forecourt.

Gunmen burst from the flank and opened fire on the helicopter, but the mini-cannons at the Black Hawk's hatch began to spin, emitting a chainsaw-like hiss. Fiery bullets swept across the lawn, fountains, and vehicles, tearing apart the bunker and the gunmen behind it.

The master bedroom door was blown open.

The target had just rolled off the bed and onto the floor, gripping his gold-plated pistol, when three red laser dots were aimed at his chest and forehead. His obese body froze, his fingers loosened, and the pistol fell onto the carpet.

"David, you've been arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice!" The captain's voice was calm and even.

04:29, Control and Evacuation.

The armed resistance within the manor collapsed in three minutes and twelve seconds.

The team put a black hood over David's head, tied his hands behind his back, and quickly moved him to the roof. David was only wearing pants.

"Package received. All personnel evacuate."

The helicopters took off again, ignoring the still-burning flames and sporadic gunfire throughout the estate. They climbed into the morning mist and low clouds, turned off their navigation lights, and sped toward the border along their predetermined routes.

04:55, outside Mexico's airspace.

As dawn breaks, the light pierces through the eastern sea of ​​clouds.

The team members removed their night vision goggles, and the cabin lighting was restored to normal. David, strapped to his seat, trembled uncontrollably.

The captain pressed the encrypted communication button.

"Command post, this is the anvil. Package delivered safely. Zero casualties on our side. Repeat, zero casualties."

"Roger that!"

A brief confirmation came through the earpiece.

While Chen Xi slept soundly, the trending topics on the other side of the ocean were refreshed once again. The name Jerry might be unfamiliar to most people in Asia, but he was a frequently mentioned and influential figure in the West. Many gangsters and thugs in the United States and Mexico idolized him.

People like them who do illegal business are most afraid of the military.

But Jerry didn't care at all.

The Mexican government had previously launched a large-scale crackdown on drug lords, but was subsequently met with fierce retaliation from this major drug kingpin. High-level corruption and the bribery and infiltration of local officials and councilors by drug cartels are extremely serious problems.

This year has been the bloodiest in Mexico's recorded history, with over 30,000 murders, most of which are related to drug gang warfare. The surge in assassinations targeting officials, journalists, and candidates demonstrates Jerry's formidable capacity for revenge.

This year, Jerry, whose business in the United States suffered setbacks, called out to the Black House online: "Come and get me, you bunch of bastards!"

After the call was made, the US government did not respond, which drew ridicule from the public. As the days passed and the year drew to a close, Jerry himself almost forgot about it.

Unexpectedly, retaliation still came.

Tonight, his son was kidnapped by the other party.

"Listen, the whole world should know what a great thing we just did! Our heroes, the world's best agents and soldiers, caught Mexican drug lord Jerry's wicked son, the third-in-command, like lightning. They boasted about how great they were? They didn't even have time to raise a gun! Zero casualties on our side, not a single one! And them? They completely collapsed, utterly vulnerable. Next, we're going to put this guy on public trial and let everyone see the true colors of these criminals. This is just the beginning. We will wipe drugs and all illegal businesses off the face of the earth. Remember my words! Because we never stop winning, we are always the strongest!" Black Palace's latest post was short, but the fat man's smugness was palpable in every word.

The next day.

Chen Xi had just gotten up and turned on his computer when he saw Dark's message.

"This loss is devastating... The underground world, or rather, one of the platform's biggest clients, is now a wanted criminal on the run..."

He glanced at the news and replied, "Then why aren't you fighting back? You still have time to come here and complain?"

The message had barely been sent when a reply came in: "Black Palace's words were just an attempt to mock us. I can't think of a way to respond in writing. Since you're usually so sharp-tongued, I'm asking for your advice."

"Wow, you didn't sleep all night? Just to wait for me?" Chen Xi became interested.

“I’m in Asia, and my time here isn’t much different from yours…” Dark replied cautiously.

It seems this guy is scared and has already fled to Asia.

"Sharp-tongued? Are you praising me or insulting me?"

"No... I mean, people here are very good at playing word games, so I wanted to come and learn from them."

“Simple. You want to fight back against him online, right? Just modify Black Palace’s post.”

"for example?"

"For example, change it to: The Jalisco Group defeated America's strongest special forces unit within an hour, with only one person captured!"

"You really do have a way with things. But... David got arrested, that's a fact, isn't that embarrassing?"

"Then let's add another part: the one who got caught was a stunt double, and some people were actually smug about it, how ridiculous!"

“But that really is David. Jerry was planning to bring him back.”

"How could we possibly get him back? He's barely able to save himself. Since we're not getting him back anyway, we might as well save face for now." Chen Xi smiled and typed out a message.

Black Palace.

“Leader, regarding your previous statement about Hail Hop using cryptocurrency wallets for settlement, I think your idea is inappropriate. It contradicts your previous statements. You said you would crack down on cryptocurrencies, but this time your attitude is ambiguous, and you even seem to be praising Hail Hop and Tesla. I've thought about it carefully, and I wonder if your busy schedule led to some inaccurate wording…” A female official, who had initially been resolute, changed her tone halfway through her sentence when she saw the fat man's unfriendly gaze.

"What am I paying you all to do here?" After a long silence, the fat man finally uttered a question.

"Of course, it's to share the burden for you and the country," the woman said without hesitation.

"I am very dissatisfied with this answer!"

"Ok?"

"Watch closely." The fat man glared at her and pressed the button on the table.

The next second, a soldier walked in carrying a tray.

"Leader!" The soldier saluted and placed the cola on the table.

"Gan! Tell me, what is your sole purpose in coming to the Black Palace?"

"Reporting to the leader, our purpose is to obey your orders!"

"Tell me, why are you always so fast when you deliver Coke?"

"Because you said to be quick!" the soldier said, straightening his chest.

"See? This is professionalism, this is what you need to learn." The fat man smiled at the soldier first, then looked at the woman.

“But…the leader…he is a…” The woman was somewhat indignant and quietly pointed to her head.

Everyone understood what this implied.

"I don't care what you think, I care what I think. You just need to do what I arrange. If you were really that smart, you would have been in my position long ago." The fat man stood up and pointed to the chair he was sitting in.

Half an hour later, the woman walked out of the office with a grim expression.

She glanced at the soldier guarding the small refrigerator filled with Coke by the door.

His eyes were a little vacant, but he remained seated without moving.

The woman pursed her lips and muttered under her breath, "Even an idiot can get a position in the Black Palace, and I'm not even as well-liked by the leader as an idiot... God, what's wrong with this world?"

"Hey, don't underestimate him. This guy's got tons of money, drives luxury cars and lives in a mansion. If you can win him over, you won't have to put up with this anymore," a colleague grinned.

"Rich? Him? I don't believe it." The woman shook her head.

"Go ask them yourself if you don't believe me," my colleague winked.

"Fine, I'll ask then." The woman, unconvinced, walked up to the soldier, put on a smiling face, and asked, "Gan, I heard you're quite wealthy?"

Upon hearing this, the soldier did not answer immediately, but looked at her and then nodded blankly.

"So where do you earn your money? As far as I know, with your military rank and benefits, you can't afford luxury cars and mansions, can you?" the woman pressed.

"I've invested in two factories," the soldier answered honestly.

"What factory?"

"A fireworks manufacturing plant and a factory that makes smart small parts."

"Oh? What's the company's name? Tell me about it." The woman became interested.

"SpaceX, and Great Britain."

"My God, you actually have a business mind. Tell me, what were you thinking back then?" The woman looked incredulous.

"The lieutenant said that fireworks exported from Asia to America were very expensive, so I invested in a company that made fireworks. My friend said he needed better graphics cards for playing games, so I invested in a company that made game cards..."

"..." (End of this chapter)