Uchiha Hikaru smiled faintly and flicked his finger. A delicate Soul Mansion Model flew steadily toward Feng Zhenghao.
Feng Zhenghao instinctively reached out to catch it, only to be caught off guard by the model's surprising weight—he nearly dropped it.
He quickly adjusted his posture and gripped it firmly in his palm, a flicker of subtle surprise flashing across his eyes.
Hikaru observed Feng Zhenghao's reaction, the smile at the corner of his lips deepening.
"Chairman Feng, I trust you'll make a wise decision."
His tone was calm, yet carried an unmistakable air of confidence and dominance.
He'd already extended goodwill; if that wasn't enough to be understood, then so be it.
After all, in his eyes, no matter how many hidden secrets this world held, Feng Zhenghao was still nothing more than an ant to be crushed at will.
Feng Zhenghao was no ordinary man—he easily read the deeper meaning in Hikaru's gaze and words.
His heart surged with turmoil, but none of it showed on his face. Only his tightly clenched fist betrayed the unrest within.
In the end, he chose to retreat to advance. Letting out a hearty laugh, he tried to ease the tension:
"You're quite generous, young friend. Aren't you worried I might just keep this treasure for myself?"
Hikaru gave him a long, meaningful look, his voice calm yet laced with unfathomable depth:
"Chairman Feng jests. Though I crafted that Soul Mansion Model myself, it was merely practice."
"Besides, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you take my things, you'll naturally have to pay a price."
Feng Zhenghao seemed not to notice the warning hidden in those words and cleverly changed the subject:
"We've spoken so long, and I still haven't asked your name."
"Hikaru," he answered simply.
Feng Zhenghao paused slightly upon hearing the name, then smiled and said:
"So, you're from Sakura Country. No wonder your clothing differs from ours."
Now it was Hikaru's turn to be surprised.
Did he just say… Sakura Country?
Even though the name startled him, he kept his expression neutral and calmly refuted, "I'm not from there."
Feng Zhenghao waved apologetically, "Ah, I see. I spoke too hastily."
He paused briefly, then extended a warm invitation:
"Since you've come such a long way, why not allow me, as the host, to show you around and introduce the customs of our land?"
Hikaru looked at the middle-aged man before him and slowly shook his head.
'Yeah, no thanks. Not interested in sightseeing with a man.'
Seeing Hikaru decline, Feng Zhenghao didn't press.
"In that case, how about my daughter shows you around the company instead?"
Hikaru considered it for a moment and found the suggestion agreeable.
After all, he had just arrived and urgently needed to uncover what was wrong with this world.
He nodded and accepted, "Then I'll be in your care, Chairman Feng."
Seeing Hikaru agree, Feng Zhenghao beamed with satisfaction.
He pressed a button on the communicator and spoke into it:
"Shayen, come to my office. Show Uchiha Hikaru around the company."
On the other end, Feng Shayen sounded slightly surprised but quickly accepted the request.
Not long after, the office door was knocked on, and Feng Shayen appeared at the entrance.
She was dressed in a sharp business outfit, confident and composed.
"Father, you called for me?"
As she stepped into the room, her gaze casually swept over Hikaru, a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.
Feng Zhenghao gestured toward Hikaru and introduced:
"This is Uchiha Hikaru. Show him around our group's facilities."
Feng Shayen nodded to show understanding.
She approached Hikaru and extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Feng Shayen. I'll be your guide for today."
Hikaru didn't say much. He simply nodded and followed her out of the office.
The two stepped into the Feng Group building together.
As the elevator slowly ascended, Feng Shayen began enthusiastically introducing each department within the group.
She spoke with familiarity and pride, her tone full of love for the family business.
Yet Hikaru didn't seem interested. A trace of boredom flashed in his eyes.
Feng Shayen noticed his attitude and felt a bit disappointed, though she did her best to remain enthusiastic.
She took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Hikaru, are you perhaps not very interested in these departments? If there's something else you'd like to know, I'd be happy to explain in detail."
Hikaru came back to himself and glanced at her.
"I'd rather understand the state of this world," he replied coolly.
Feng Shayen blinked, puzzled by his response.
She didn't quite grasp what he meant.
Hikaru sighed and clarified, "I mean, why did this world end up like this?"
A look of confusion crossed Feng Shayen's face.
She shook her head. "I don't really know either."
That left Hikaru a bit frustrated.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Do you have a phone? Let me borrow it."
Without thinking, Feng Shayen instinctively pulled out her phone and handed it to him.
Only after the fact did she realize this might have been a bit improper.
Her ears reddened slightly, but it was too late for regrets.
Hikaru didn't notice her awkwardness. He took the phone and began checking it carefully.
His eyes scanned the screen quickly, as if searching for something critical.
Soon, his expression sharpened—he had found something worth noting.
Back in the chaotic era of the previous century, the world underwent a drastic transformation.
The Gifted were the first to sense something was off. Their techniques began progressing rapidly in both speed and power.
Techniques that once barely blocked bullets now revealed unfathomable depth, as if a new world had been unlocked.
Somehow, the techniques even started evolving on their own—extending themselves, growing stronger.
Those born with innate awakenings became immensely powerful.
Abilities that once only lit cigarettes could now burn rivers and boil oceans.
More and more newborns were awakening powers, and with minimal effort, they could become Gifted.
Back then, population limits were never even discussed.
Researchers later speculated that this phenomenon was due to a spiritual energy revival.
But even they were baffled by how the techniques evolved on their own.
Of course, these changes weren't purely beneficial. The world nearly collapsed into chaos.
Fortunately, elders from sacred sects like Dragon Tiger Mountain and Wudang joined forces to contain the crisis.
They punished the troublemakers and drove out the invaders.
It was during that time that Sakura Country was annexed into Xia Country.
After all, Sakura Country had always been an inseparable part of Xia since ancient times.
For those martial arts titans, cultivation clearly took precedence over governance.
So power returned to ordinary people, and the world gradually stabilized.
What unsettled Hikaru, though, was that despite such drastic changes, the incident involving the 36 Bandits still happened.
The phone records only briefly skimmed over the details.
But judging by Feng Zhenghao's situation now, the plot didn't seem to have diverged much at all.
Lowering the phone, Hikaru couldn't help but frown in puzzlement.