The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 190 Willing to Try
She waved her hand, signaling Lei Qingya, "Don't hesitate, contact her first. No need to explain too much, just ask her if she's interested. Hint at one key point: we can help her with government connections, and we guarantee no one will deliberately make things difficult or create obstacles."

Lian Xinyi, who was standing to the side, listened with her eyes shining and couldn't help but interject curiously, "Quan Wang? Who exactly is this Miss Quan?"

Thinking of Quan Wang's style, Su Ninglong couldn't help but chuckle, saying with a hint of mischief, "A sister who can make a young man like you instantly look 'awkward'."

When Lian Xinyi heard the title "sister," she subconsciously conjured up an image of a powerful, decisive, and sassy woman in her mind.

His heart skipped a beat for no reason, and he unconsciously sat up straighter. This "sister" he had never met before was probably as scary as the two women in front of him!
Lei Qingya could only sigh helplessly and resignedly dial Quan Wang's number.

Quan Wang, far away at a mining base in an alien star system, walked out of the steaming bathroom wrapped in a bath towel. He irritably dried his wet short hair with one hand, while tightly clutching a top-secret document that he had just painstakingly obtained in the other.

The cold words on the document stung her eyes; the person who wanted to harm her came from the bustling commercial district.

This conclusion fueled her anger.

However, what frustrated her even more was that the clues ended there. The person committed suicide, and his residence was burned down, leaving nothing behind.

Who is the mastermind behind this? Which specific force is it? Like ore sinking into a bottomless mine, there is no trace of them.

"Damn it." Quan Wang cursed under his breath, slamming the wet towel against the back of the chair with a sharp "smack." "A person really can't be content with just being in one place. When did I offend anyone?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a burly henchman with a scar on his face bluntly asked, "Boss, is it possible... that you didn't offend anyone at all?"

He scratched his buzz cut. "Our mining planet is in the middle of nowhere, far from the central government's reach. We can decide everything ourselves, from blasting mountains to mining and modifying the underground working environment. How could those bastards not be envious?"

Another henchman immediately chimed in, adding with a vicious expression, "I think so too. Don't forget that boss's ex-boyfriend, he's a complete scoundrel! He's a spy planted by someone else, secretly plotting a rebellion."

"Shh, why are you bringing up that unlucky stuff?" The older miner quickly interrupted, glancing cautiously at Quan Wang before correcting him, "Our Boss Quan doesn't have any ex-boyfriends. That kind of guy is just a punching bag. In places like the Commercial Star Sector, there are tons of treacherous gigolos out there. It's only rare in our mining area that he managed to take advantage of us!"

“In my opinion,” the scarred henchman waved his fist, which was as big as a casserole dish, “we should buy a few more rich mines, recruit more brothers, and expand our territory several times over! Anyone who dares to make any more mistakes, no matter if they’re from the commercial district or anywhere else, we’ll beat them up one by one until they can’t take care of themselves, and then we’ll see who dares to reach out again.”

Listening to his subordinates' chatter, Quanwang's eyes grew increasingly gloomy and cold.

Her hand, which was irritably drying her hair, stopped. The thought that the man who had once slept beside her, speaking softly and gently, was a pawn carefully placed by the enemy sent a chill down her spine, spreading instantly to every part of her body, more piercing than the cold wind deep in the mine.

She investigated her encounter with that pretty boy countless times, and all the signs pointed to it being a pure accident, without any deliberate arrangement.

But the more this happened, the colder it felt to her heart.

This only shows that the other party's scheme was so profound and their methods so sophisticated that it was beyond her ability to easily perceive. Behind every seemingly coincidental step, there may have been a meticulously planned scheme.

Quan Wang clenched her fists in frustration, her knuckles turning white. She just wanted to kick out the group of subordinates around her who were still chattering and arguing. Whether they were men or women, they all seemed particularly brainless in her eyes at this moment!
There are actually people telling her to expand the mining area? That's wishful thinking, utterly reckless.

Why are the mining areas of those major powers scattered across the vast star field like stars, far apart from each other? They can't possess mining areas that are too large.

Ultimately, what does a mining planet mean? It means massive amounts of heavy machinery, huge quantities of explosives, and countless armed miners!

When these things are highly concentrated in the hands of a single power, they are no longer simply mining companies, but a potential military threat that would alarm interstellar governments.

“Use your lousy brains,” Quan Wang interrupted their discussion. “Would the interstellar government allow me to buy another large mine in this star sector? Dream on! Even if they could, I’d have to go to other distant star systems. I’d have to rebuild a mining empire in a completely unfamiliar star system, where various forces are deeply entrenched…”

She sneered, "That difficulty is ten times greater than the open and covert attacks we are facing now!"

Just then, her personal terminal on her wrist suddenly emitted a sharp notification sound, and the screen lit up.

Quan Wang's eyes narrowed, and he temporarily suppressed his anger. He opened the communication and listened to Lei Qingya's purpose.

Her furrowed brows relaxed.

"That's not a bad idea," she muttered to herself.

After ending the call, Scarface's henchman noticed the change in her expression and couldn't help but ask, "Boss, what's wrong? Something good happened?"

Quanwang raised his head, his eyes flashing with a long-lost light, tinged with ambition.

Instead of answering directly, she threw out a bombshell question: "Are you interested in following me to explore a new battlefield?"

She tapped the terminal screen on her wrist with her fingertip, projecting a star map. "This mine, after another twenty or thirty years of mining, will be almost depleted. We were able to buy it because of favorable timing and location, but want to acquire other 'Starry Sky Eye' level rich mines? Don't dream about it. The interstellar government will not give us this opportunity again."

She glanced around at her old comrades who had followed her for many years. "But if you were to go back to being high-risk, high-reward interstellar mercenaries? Don't even mention me, ask yourselves, who would want to live that kind of life where their heads are always on the line?"

Her gaze deepened. "Now, a path is laid out before us, paved by someone. How about we try out some legitimate business projects?"

These rough men, who are usually incredibly gossipy and brainless, instantly start working like gears with lubrication when their leader talks about serious matters and the future, and their eyes become focused.

"Boss, what project?" the older miner asked on behalf of everyone. Quanwang didn't keep them in suspense. He quickly tapped a few times on the terminal, projecting a detailed tender notice for the Kaibi Star light sign project onto the screen in front of everyone.

“Just this kind of thing.” She spoke casually, as if discussing a trivial business deal. “For us, this investment is nothing, just a drop in the ocean. But it’s a good opportunity to see if this bunch of roughnecks who only know how to mine and fight actually have the ‘brains’ to develop into a proper business.”

"Kabi Star?" The older miner looked troubled. "That's Gemini's territory. We're unfamiliar with the area. If we want to establish ourselves there, just getting the connections will be incredibly difficult. Those government officials don't like the smell of mercenaries like us."

“The project looks good, but the money comes in too slowly. We have to send people to maintain it every day. A steady stream of income is good, but I’m afraid it will dry up before it reaches our pot.”

Quan Wang listened to their concerns without getting impatient. Instead, she gave a confident smile: "Don't just focus on the small gains from these light-up signs." She tapped the projection screen with her knuckles. "Securing a project with official backing like this is like getting a ticket to legally do business in Gemini. Think about our old brothers in the mining area who risked their lives with us, but now they're injured and sick. Can you really bear to send them back down into the mines? Let them go out and fend for themselves? Can they adapt?"

She emphasized, "What's so bad about maintaining the light boards? It's just a matter of running around to a couple more locations every day. Assigning them to supervise is better than being in the mines, as they're protected from the wind and rain."

"The boss is right, this is a stepping stone! As long as we take this step steadily, we can develop some decent industries in the future, so that those brothers who can't do heavy work can have a stable job."

“But places like Gemini have plenty of small vendors and businesses that can survive. But when it comes to bidding, franchising, chain stores, or going public... it’s hard for outside businesses to survive.”

“I’ve made contact with someone who has connections and can help us overcome the biggest initial obstacles: bidding and initial implementation. But there are conditions. They can only help us behind the scenes, such as ensuring that no one deliberately obstructs the process. As for whether we can establish a foothold after winning the bid and whether we can protect the business, that depends on our own efforts and intelligence.”

Quanwang knew the temperament of his subordinates well and knew that he could not hesitate to make decisions.

If it drags on, who knows, maybe someone's wife will whisper sweet nothings in their ear, or some clueless relative will egg them on, and the whole thing will fall apart.

She slammed her hand on the table with a loud "bang," and asked decisively, "Did you all understand? Now, it's just one sentence: Do it or not? If you're going to do it, immediately find a small processing plant with all the necessary permits and licenses, and acquire it directly. We'll be the contractors ourselves, hire some professionals to produce and install it, and supervise the entire process ourselves. We can also put those old guys and sick people in suitable supervisory positions."

"Damn it!" Her men, infected by her momentum, roared in unison.

However, one of the more astute subordinates, amidst his excitement, cautiously pressed on with a question: "Boss, so... can they really deliver on their promise? What if things turn out badly..."

"Don't worry, the person who made the connection is a decent person." She quickly calculated in her mind that the mastermind behind this was from the business district, and at least for now, there was no sign of any involvement from the official forces of the Interstellar Alliance.

For now, the Suninglong line is still reliable.

Of course, there was no need to explain this to her subordinates in detail; she only needed to instill sufficient confidence in them.

The scene shifts back to the warm yet slightly boisterous atmosphere of Zou's Bar. Lei Qingya, having just finished a call with Quan Wang, walked quickly to Su Ninglong's side with an incredulous excitement on his face: "Su Su, you're amazing! Quan Wang is doing exactly what you predicted. She really does have a strong interest in penetrating the Twin Stars business district."

How did you predict that she would fall for you?

"The principle is actually very simple, like an invisible wall. People inside the wall always yearn for the vast world outside; while those outside crave the familiar sense of security inside. Quanwang's businesses are all tightly bound to the 'tree' of the mining area. Although she has managed it like an ironclad fortress, taking care of everything in every aspect, this structure itself is a wall." She gently swirled the tea in her cup. "With her ambition and skills, how could she possibly be content to be trapped inside this wall forever, just being a 'mine owner'?"

Then, Su Ninglong gestured for Lei Qingya to come closer and whispered a few words quickly in her ear.

Upon hearing this, Lei Qingya's eyes widened instantly. "This plan... doesn't it put us on the opposite side? Doesn't that make us enemies?"

Su Ninglong put down her cup, her expression still gentle. "Only by temporarily becoming our open enemy can she gain a foothold on Kabi Star more quickly and safely, and truly establish herself. This 'hostile' relationship is the best protection for her."

Seeing Lei Qingya's still tense expression, she added gently, "Don't be nervous, this is just the first step. I have more plans for later."

While trying to process the conversation, Lian Xinyi secretly glanced at Su Ninglong's seemingly harmless profile. Su Ninglong's aggression had intensified; offending her would likely have dire consequences…

"This matchmaking isn't on your behalf. But to avoid unnecessary trouble, you need to let your dad know." Su Ninglong suddenly raised her hand and patted his shoulder: "Don't let things fall apart on your end, understand?"

Lian Xinyi felt a jolt of surprise as she was patted on the shoulder, and nodded repeatedly, "Oh, oh, oh, I'll contact my dad right away."

……

The following evening, the warm sunset shone on the entrance of Zou's Bar.

Su Ninglong, pulling her suitcase, bid a reluctant farewell to Zou Shuyi, who had come to see her off.

Su Ninglong, linking her arm with Zou Shuyi's, said coquettishly, "I'm leaving! You have to promise me you won't be 'captured' by my charming dad so quickly. At least... you have to hold out until I graduate, okay?"

Zou Shuyi was amused and exasperated. "If you can't bear to part with Xingyuan, just say so. Don't use me as a shield."

"Hehe." Su Ninglong smiled slyly, let go of Zou Shuyi's hand, and gave her a big hug. "You two are the closest people to me in this world."

She loosened her embrace and continued, "I just can't stand seeing Yuan-ge get too cocky, so godmother, please, 'test' him a little longer!"

After saying that, she turned around nimbly, like a light deer, and in a few steps, she hopped onto Lei Qingya's old limited edition hovercar that was waiting nearby.

Zou Shuyi gazed in the direction the hovercar had gone, a knowing smile on her face, and waved gently.