In Shrek City, on the top floor of the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce station, sits the President's Office. The room was quiet and elegant, filled with the faint scent of old books and an expensive spice that hung heavy in the air.
Suddenly, the space in the center of the room rippled like water on a lake. A gray door, radiating a sense of sanctity and stillness, appeared out of thin air. It pushed open silently, revealing a swirling mist within.
Kong Mingan stepped out of the door, his expression as calm as if he had just walked through a normal hallway. Following closely behind him, Xu Tianzhen cautiously poked her head out. Her eyes were full of curiosity and a hint of fear.
She looked around the office, which was built in a style very different from the metallic and modern look of the Sun Moon Empire. She turned her head back to look at the gray door as it slowly faded away into nothingness. Her shock was undeniable.
We were just in the Capital City a moment ago, she whispered, her voice sounding dazed. Is this really Shrek City?
The idea of traveling thousands of miles in a single second was completely beyond her comprehension. She had never heard of such a thing in all her life.
See for yourself, Kong Mingan said casually. He pointed toward the large floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the city.
Xu Tianzhen walked forward, looking down at the street below with wide eyes. Unlike the bright lights and Soul Engineer brilliance of the Sun Moon Capital, the streets below looked ancient and sturdy. The buildings were made of stone and wood, giving the city a sense of deep history. The streets were bustling with people.
Occasionally, she could see students wearing the famous Shrek Academy uniforms entering and exiting the buildings. Each of them had different expressions, some laughing and others looking serious.
Once again, Xu Tianzhen felt a sense of disbelief. She really had arrived in Shrek City in the blink of an eye. In her understanding of the world, even a powerful Titled Douluo could not transport a person across such a vast distance so easily. This was a journey that should have taken weeks of travel.
If a person can be moved this way, what about a Level 9 Soul Engineer fixed-point bomb? she thought to herself. Her expression became very serious as she realized the danger. If someone could open a door like this into the Sun Moon Imperial Palace, no one would ever be safe. Her mind raced with the possibilities, and her face changed as she looked at Kong Mingan with new eyes.
How did you do this? she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
It is just a simple use of space, Kong Mingan replied calmly.
In truth, the principle was quite simple for him. He used the Undead Demigod plane as a transit station between two points. After entering the plane from the Capital City, a pre-set device would trigger the door to open in Shrek City.
This allowed them to step out directly at their destination. This method did not use much energy and had almost no limit on how far they could go. It was also very stable.
The only downside was that it took a little time to set up and close, making it difficult to use during a fast-paced battle. This was a method developed by the great Electrolux after Kong Mingan had provided the original idea. It had proven to be very useful for his business and travel.
Xu Tianzhen looked at him, complaining endlessly in her heart. She thought that if this was a "simple use" of space, then he could probably unify the entire Douluo Continent whenever he wanted to. She pursed her lips and decided not to ask any more questions.
She knew that knowing too many secrets could lead to a lot of trouble. Since she and her fiancé did not have much trust between them yet, she decided to treat this as a simple sightseeing trip. She stood by the window and watched the city in silence.
Kong Mingan did not disturb her. He walked over to his desk and pressed an inconspicuous button on the smooth surface. A moment later, there was a gentle knock at the door. It pushed open, and a woman walked into the room.
She was dressed in a well-tailored black work uniform that showed off her graceful figure. At first glance, she seemed a bit cold and professional. Her chestnut hair was tied back neatly, and she wore a pair of delicate glasses on her nose. Her eyes looked intelligent and serene.
However, when she saw Kong Mingan sitting at the desk, her coldness vanished. It was replaced by a warmth that made her look like a kind elder sister.
President, you have arrived, she said softly. Her voice was pleasant and filled with natural respect.
Sister Ju Zi, Kong Mingan nodded to her.
Xu Tianzhen was immediately drawn to the woman. She turned around, her eyes narrowing as if she sensed a rival. She instinctively straightened her back and began to scan the two of them, looking for any sign of a secret relationship between Ju Zi and Kong Mingan.
Kong Mingan noticed her look and decided to introduce them. This is Ju Zi. She is the Vice President of the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce. She is responsible for all our business within the Douluo Three Kingdoms.
He then turned to Ju Zi. Sister Ju Zi, this is Tianzhen. She is accompanying me on this visit to Shrek City.
Kong Mingan's tone remained very professional. A long time ago, he had started a plan to recruit talented people. He looked for individuals who had unique skills or great potential. He had found Ju Zi while he was looking for executives to run his company.
Compared to others, gaining her loyalty had been very easy. He had promised to help her get revenge against the White Tiger Duke of the Star Luo Empire. Since he had the power to make that happen, she had become loyal to him for life. To him, this deal was a great profit.
Ju Zi noticed the way Xu Tianzhen was looking at her. She simply pushed up her glasses and gave the princess a polite smile and a nod. She did not ask any personal questions and turned back to Kong Mingan with a serious face.
President, what are your orders for today? she asked.
Let us proceed with business as usual, Kong Mingan said as he sat down.
Ju Zi nodded and began to give her report without needing any notes. President, our operations have been excellent lately. Our net profit last month increased by thirty-five percent compared to last year. This is mostly because of the rare Soul Engineer materials and high-precision parts we move through our transit station. These items are in very short supply in the Three Kingdoms market.
She continued, We are also continuing to mine rare minerals in the other kingdoms. Because we use the transit station to move the ore, the Douluo Three Kingdoms have no idea that we are taking their resources.
Also, our Enlightenment Project has funded seventeen new students this quarter. These are talented commoners who want to be Spirit Masters or Soul Engineers. They have all signed agreements to work for us later.
Ju Zi spoke with great confidence. Our plan to infiltrate Shrek Academy is also moving forward. We already have three insiders who have become Core Disciples. We are also having success recruiting Shrek graduates. Recently, we persuaded a Level 5 Soul Engineer and two Spirit Emperors to join our company. More graduates are showing interest in us every day.
She paused for a moment before moving to the next topic. In the Shrek Outer Court, five teachers from the Spirit Department have started working with us. They are secretly selling us admission quotas so we can get our people into the school. We have all the evidence of this sealed away if you ever need it.
Finally, the headquarters for the Mingmeng Daily newspaper is ready. We have also taken control of three smaller news agencies. We are using them to report regular news, but we are also spreading negative stories about Shrek Academy.
We are telling the public about how the teachers have monopolies and how the students are bullies. We are also reporting on unfair tasks and fighting within the school. Because of this, many people in the lower ranks are starting to speak out against Shrek.