(AN: Rottenpotato, don't you read your notifications, anyways I have seen all your comments, yes I used ai to edit some chapters when I was really busy with school and my other novels.)
Wang Hai, White Pearl, Black Hawk, and Anan entered the office to find Chen Mo seated behind his desk.
The four of them were now general managers of the Marching Ant Company's security department. They took turns overseeing the company's internal security system and also served as Chen Mo's personal bodyguards. At times, they were assigned to protect Zhao Min or Xiao Yu as well.
It was rare for all four of them to be summoned together like this, and they couldn't help but feel surprised at Chen Mo's sudden call.
"Boss, you called for us?" Wang Hai asked.
"Come in and have a seat," Chen Mo replied, stopping what he was doing to look up at them.
Once the four sat down, Chen Mo continued, "You've all been with the company for a while now, haven't you?"
They exchanged glances, puzzled by the question, but nodded.
"I know you all came here hoping to do something meaningful," Chen Mo said, deliberately leaving them hanging.
The four looked at each other again, then shook their heads silently.
Chen Mo smiled. "Well, today, I'm going to give you an opportunity."
"Opportunity?" They leaned forward slightly, curiosity piqued.
"What I'm about to share is highly confidential. If you want to hear it, you'll need to sign these non-disclosure agreements." He placed four folders on the desk and pushed them toward Wang Hai. "If you'd rather not know, feel free to get up and leave now. No hard feelings."
Confidential?
The four of them were even more confused now.
Having all come from military or special service backgrounds, they were no strangers to NDAs. Wang Hai didn't even read the contents—he picked up a pen and signed without hesitation. He was the first to follow Chen Mo and trusted him completely.
The others followed suit. Compared to other security staff, they were the ones closest to Chen Mo. They knew the man's character and trusted that he wouldn't betray them. Besides, what could Chen Mo possibly need to deceive them for? He had everything.
And above all—they were curious.
Once all the agreements were signed, Chen Mo opened a drawer and took out a small vial no larger than a finger.
"This is the opportunity I'm offering you," he said, placing the vial on the table.
The four leaned in to get a better look, eyes filled with confusion.
"This is my latest research product: the potential-enhancing drug. It acts on human cells to strengthen them and unlock latent potential. Ever seen Captain America? It's kind of like that—though not quite as dramatic. This won't turn you into superheroes, but it will increase your speed and reaction time significantly."
They collectively drew a sharp breath.
The effect sounded straight out of a sci-fi film. If it was real, it would be nothing short of revolutionary.
But… Chen Mo didn't seem like the kind of person who would lie about something like this. Lying served him no purpose.
"The drug's authenticity is beyond doubt," Chen Mo added. "I've already collaborated with the government on it. The last time I went to the capital was for clinical testing."
Wang Hai nodded. He had accompanied Chen Mo to the capital, though he hadn't been involved in whatever meetings had taken place.
Now that Chen Mo was talking about it openly, it all started to make sense.
"The trials are complete," Chen Mo continued. "Results confirm that the drug is safe and effective. No side effects, and it does exactly what it's designed to do—develop human potential."
Hearing that, all four sat up straighter.
Chen Mo wouldn't bring this up for no reason. They could tell this was leading somewhere important—this must be the "opportunity" he mentioned.
"Wang Hai has been with me the longest," Chen Mo said, glancing at him. "The rest of you were all brought in through him. As my bodyguards, you're the people I trust the most. So, I want to enhance your capabilities."
He tapped the vial gently, letting it roll slightly on the table.
"Just now, Instructor Li gave me official approval to administer the drug. So I'm asking—would you like to take it and develop your potential?"
The room fell completely silent.
Wang Hai, White Pearl, Black Hawk, and Anan looked at each other, hesitant.
This was no trivial decision. It involved testing something on their own bodies. If it failed, there could be consequences. Who would casually risk that?
"This isn't a genetic drug," Chen Mo said gently, noting their hesitation. "There's no gene editing involved. If you want to think about it and give me your answer later, that's fine."
"I'm in," Wang Hai said firmly.
"Count me in too," Black Hawk added right after.
"I'll do it," White Pearl and Anan said together.
They all understood what this meant.
They'd seen Li Chengzhi visit the company just moments ago, and as top-tier security personnel, they were informed of the arrival of any important guest.
If the government had approved Chen Mo's use of the drug, then it had to be safe. After all, they'd all served in the military—they knew that no tech would be greenlit unless it was close to mature.
And the fact that Chen Mo had personally chosen them meant he trusted them.
Sure, there was some risk—but risk and opportunity always went hand in hand. Miss it now, and they might never get another chance.
Deep down, they were still soldiers—and a soldier's blood always had a bit of risk-taking in it.
Chen Mo had expected them to accept.
A robot came over and handed each of them a printed form.
"This is a voluntary consent agreement. If you sign it, you're officially in. If you change your mind before signing, that's fine. But once signed, there's no backing out."
None of them hesitated. They picked up the forms, signed their names, and handed them back.
"Good. Go back and wait," Chen Mo said, collecting the documents. "I'll let you know when we're ready. I won't be the one administering the injection—you'll likely be doing it through official channels."
"Understood."
The four saluted slightly, turned, and left the office.
Outside, White Pearl looked at Wang Hai. "You really trust the boss, don't you?"
"Damn right. Don't you?" Wang Hai replied with a raised eyebrow.
"I do," Anan said, "but... that medicine still feels like something out of a movie."
"It's not," Wang Hai said, shaking his head.
He suddenly recalled the time Chen Mo had fought off the mercenaries during an attempted ambush.
Even back then, Chen Mo's reaction time, speed, and strength were impressive—comparable to his own. The only thing Chen Mo lacked was combat experience. But despite that, he'd held his own against a seasoned mercenary.
At the time, Wang Hai had wondered how a researcher—essentially a recent university graduate—could possibly fight like that. Even if he was a fitness buff, it didn't add up.
Now, with the potential drug explained, all of those questions clicked into place.
So the moment Chen Mo explained the drug's effects, Wang Hai believed him without hesitation.
"Wait, what do you mean 'it's not'? You know something?" Anan asked, curious.
"I'll explain later," Wang Hai replied. This was Chen Mo's secret. Without his permission, it wasn't something Wang Hai could share.
The others didn't press. They understood that there were things one simply didn't talk about. As former special forces, discretion was second nature.
As the four of them left, Chen Mo picked up his phone and called Li Chengzhi.
"Start preparing the transfer," he said.