64: The World Shall Know His Name!
The floor cleared out. The executives from each side scampered away, taking shelter near the edges of the room as Jiang Jinlong and Zeng Xiaojing sent their respective aura creatures out. Jiang Jinlong clenched his fist. Punching outward, he guided his golden dragon to slam Zeng Xiaojing’s phoenix into the wall. The wall cratered as he shouted his first offer. “I would like to buy out the entire company. We’ll create a dedicated lab and provide all the necessary funding to bring this project to market.”
Everyone else though, didn’t seem to care.
“Oh my god! He’s gone up a tier in ability!”
“His spirit has physical power now!”
“I’m going weak in the legs! Too majestic!”
Zeng Xiaojing, biting back the backlash from her phoenix being slammed into the wall, narrowed her eyes. She ran forward. Wind buffeted her. Her blazer fluttered in the wind as her hair began to float.
It glowed, like embers bursting into flame.
Then, she swept her own arm sideways in a cutting motion. The phoenix, revitalized, followed her action and chopped the golden dragon’s neck. “I will do the same! But I only want fifty percent equity!”
“ARGH-” Jiang Jinlong staggered, and a bruise appeared on the side of his neck. As he staggered for balance and as Zeng Xiaojing caught her breath, the room exploded into shouts once more.
“‘Mind and Soul Unity’! Where the soul form not only manifests but also influences the host! I never thought I’d see someone reach this realm in my lifetime!” An old man off to the side shouted, falling against two nearby assistants for support. “She’s so dedicated to her business plan, so sincere, that she’s managed to reach this level of power! Unprecedented! How can Jiang Jinlong resist?!”
“Old man, you underestimate me!” Jiang Jinlong roared. He clenched both fists and his eyes glowed golden. He began floating in the air as the dragon returned to his side, coiling in the air behind him. “I have personally invested in several academic labs! My side has the expertise to bring this technology to life. Our connections in the automotive industry make us the best choice for VR pods. Manufacturing lines are interconnected, and we have both the power and the supply chain!”
The dragon, with Jiang Jinlong’s final shout, shot a bright golden laser out of its mouth. The laser punched into Zeng Xiaojing’s phoenix, forcing out a shrill cry as Zeng Xiaojing fell to the ground.
“Even more,” Jiang Jinlong growled. He descended to the ground and stomped towards Zeng Xiaojing. He towered over her and planted a foot against her stomach. “We recently invested into the largest international hotel chain. My company has completely outclassed this chicken’s meager value.”
The dragon, at this point, had coiled around the phoenix. Trapped in its embrace, the phoenix struggled yet could only squawk as they both came crashing to the ground.
“It’s over…”
“No way…”
“Jiang Jinlong has also achieved Mind and Soul Unity… Two peerless experts in one era! Capitalism smiles upon us!”
“To have witnessed this with my own eyes! Heavenly Capitalism has blessed me!”
Yet, before the people representing the technology patent could make the final decision, Zeng Xiaojing’s eyes snapped open. Blood trickled from her lips, and her red blazer now sat in tatters.
But she wasn’t done!
Her hands sharpened into claws, and she clenched onto Jiang Jinlong’s ankle. Tearing through his suit pants, she twisted her body, yanking Jiang Jinlong to the ground. Straddling him, her eyes danced with crazed light as she stabbed her now sharpened claws into Jiang Jinlong’s stomach. “You underestimate me, worm boy!”
As she yanked her hand out, the phoenix did the same, yanking its claw out of Jiang Jinglong’s golden dragon. Red blood trickled out of Jiang Jinlong’s body while golden ichor trickled out of the dragon’s. Zeng Xiaojing flicked her hand aside, scattering red droplets against the pristine tiled floor. “My company is a much better choice than Jiang Jinlong’s for one simple reason. Home appliances. We lead the industry in fridges, microwaves, home consoles, home computers. We have an established consumer base.”
She raised her gaze and swept it across the room. “Think back to when we were selling personal pleasure devices! Everyone thought we’d fail, but by bundling them with our microwaves, everyone has them now!”
“That’s true…”
“I was just using one yesterday…”
“Really?! I was using mine in the bathroom before this!”
Ignoring the murmurs, Zeng Xiaojing pressed a knee into Jiang Jinlong’s body. “Even more! I have a report here that states he plans to sell his stake in the automotive industry entirely! That’s how dire his company’s cash flow is!”
Jiang Jinlong spat out another mouthful of blood. He lay prone on the ground, even his dragon had dimmed in brightness. Those who had praised him, now turned their eyes to Zeng Xiaojing.
“The ultimate reversal!”
“How did she turn it around?!”
“She sharpened her hands! That’s not just Mind and Soul Unity! She’s reached the integration stage! She’s truly the most peerless practitioner of capitalism…”
“This is a once in a lifetime… no! One in one-hundred-year genius of capitalism that we’re seeing here!”
Jiang Jinlong’s eyes emptied. He laid against the ground, hair messy as pain stabbed his abdomen. His eyes eased shut, as if his eyelids had become too heavy to keep open.
Is this the end?
He took a ragged breath.
No… this can’t be.
I can’t fall here! I’m the dragon! My mindset is unmatched! My preparation is faultless!
In front of the golden dragon, all are ants!
I must use my trump card. Now’s the time…
He clenched his fist. His eyes shot open. Golden! His pupils had turned to slits, and scales began covering his body. First, they stitched up his wound, then, they covered his arms.
The room fell silent.
He reached out and grabbed onto Zeng Xiaojing’s tie. Blood trickled down his chin and his eyes had lost their usual aloof composure; instead, the crazed glint of avarice filled his eyes. As he spoke, his voice dripped, as if lathered with liquid gold.
“I’m not done yet… Zeng. Xiao. Jing!”
With the last word, he tossed Zeng Xiaojing aside like a ragdoll. She went flying, falling and tumbling against the ground like a discarded consort who had fallen out of favor. Jiang Jinlong, meanwhile, staggered back to his feet.
“Zeng Xiaojing, my mortal enemy. When did you get the idea that you could ever match me? When did you think you were anything but cannon fodder? One in one-hundred-year genius? Well, I, Jiang Jinlong, am unmatched across all of history!”
He punched outward, and a shockwave burst forth. His dragon, matching him, slammed into the phoenix. “You think you’re the only one who knows how to use spies? You’re wrong!”
Jiang Jinlong snapped his fingers, and Zeng Xiaojing’s assistant stepped forward, report in hand. He cackled as he took the report. “And you know what I have here? Your internal financial documents.”
The room fell silent, waiting with bated breath.
“What I found is simple…” Jiang Jinlong spoke with a drawl. “Zeng Xiaojing, your entire company has only been paying 80% of the taxes you were supposed to! Instead of fighting me here, you should defend your nest from the government! I’ve already reported it!”
Maniacal laughs filled the room as Jiang Jinlong basked under the room’s cold lights. He threw the report against Zeng Xiaojing. Then, he strode forward and stomped on Zeng Xiaojing’s stomach. “To return the favor. This farce is over.”
Walking forward, Jiang Jinlong came to a stop in front of the patent holder’s party. “I’ll be taking that contract now, thank you.”
As the representative handed it over with shaking hands, the rest of the room had begun speaking up with hushed whispers.
“The strongest man of today, no… of history. His attainments in capitalism are unmatched.”
“The birth of a new era!”
“Total domination. I thought it was two peerless experts, but it was… just this man.”
“I’m going to go home and put a portrait of him above my bed!”
“I’m going to switch my pleasure device to his company’s right when I leave this room!”
“The world shall know his name! The golden dragon!”
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[My Typing Speed Is Over 9000: What a twist...]
[Maximal Damage: Ma Xiaotian’s character was a spy the whole time??]
[Sign Language Isn’t A Language: Li Chu Shippers are eating goooooooooooood! Did you see that straddle??? I’m drooling omg]
[To Fart Is To Create Art: Who would’ve thought i’d spend my friday night watching a cultivation slop drama, but instead of the dao, it’s capitalism]
[I’m Not Addicted, I’m Dedicated: On my life the logic in the show is such a mess but... I CAN’T STOP WATCHING]
[Xia Ruyun Please Sing Again: This show is literally just crack. Its eye candy with a cast full of 10/10 baddies and then there’s a bunch of face-slapping ‘im better than you’ nonsense]
[Wu Linjie Dye Your Hair Black!: stupid nonsense? Wait until i unleash my golden dragon on you!]
[Tomatoes or Potatoes? Netizen above me is unleashing his dragon! and by dragon, he means his golden aura!]
[I’m Richer Than You: How did everyone start making illicit jokes...]
[Sold My Kidney For Chu Changfeng: I can’t keep up with you all. This junior capitalist’s dirty joke making ability is only at the internship level!]
[Li Feiling’s Mailman: pfft, bow down juniors, your director of culture is here, ready to spank some sense into you middle managers!]
[I’m Literally The Poorest Person Alive: someone fire the netizen above me]
[Chu Changfeng’s Kidney: What would be a tribulation in the cultivation of capitalism?]
[I Drink Tea: IRS audit? Or maybe a performance review?]
[Do You Know Who My Mother Is?!: auditors! Get that director!]
[Random Kidney Sold By A Netizen To Chu Changfeng: this is the most braindead fandom i’ve ever been a part of]
[Lick Me Li Feiling: it’s either cringey dirty jokes or direct lusting over the actors and actresses. Someone needs to clean this fandom out of the gutter]
[Kitty Cloudmaster: acting as if you’re all high and mighty! You’re one of us! We can see that username!]
[Pants: One of us! One of us!]