Chaos Reborn

The air in China was getting worse day by day. Standing at the airport entrance, Tom took a deep breath of the city’s air. Despite his complaints, a smile spread across his face, full of happiness. It had been ages since he last returned to his homeland. Now that he was finally back, even the faint smog in the air felt oddly comforting. For a moment, he had the urge to shout, “I’m back!” But considering the crowd around him, Tom held back. He didn’t want to come off as a lunatic, though he still couldn’t shake the need to vent his emotions. "Let's take it slow this time," he murmured to himself, "I’ll be here for at least a couple of months." No one was around to answer him. It was only mid-May, but the weather was already heating up. Women were eagerly switching to their summer clothes. Especially at the bustling capital airport, where beautiful girls had started to dazzle the eye. Tom, dressed in a red plaid shirt and casual pants, showed off his toned physique. A silver briefcase hung from his right hand—a classic businessman look. However, in contrast to his appearance, he was now sitting right on the steps outside the airport, sipping a can of Coke, grinning at the passing beauties. He hadn't stopped smiling since he got there. After spending so long in Europe, he felt utterly exhausted. Now that he was back, he intended to relax and adjust his mood. Tom pulled out his phone and dialed a strange-looking number—a 20-digit one. "Hello? I’ve arrived in the capital. Are you finally going to tell me the details of this mission? You know, with my current status, there aren't many people who can summon me anymore. If it wasn’t for the promise I made to you long ago, I wouldn’t have come all the way from Europe for a free job," he grumbled, clearly annoyed. "I knew I could count on you. You’re still the same old Tom," the voice on the other end sounded genuinely moved. "Cut the crap. I promised you, and yes, it’s free, but it’s the first and last time. Now, spill it. What’s the deal?" Tom snapped, tossing the empty Coke can into a trash bin across the street, a good 10 meters away. Bystanders stared in shock at his casual display of strength. "I just need you to help me with a problem." "Whose problem?" Tom asked. "The chairman of Sanxing Pharmaceuticals, Edu. No, to be precise, it's his daughter, Emma." "And why should I help her? Give me one good reason. I don’t even know who she is or what she looks like," Tom replied, unimpressed. "Emma holds dual master's degrees in Polymer Science and Management from the Capital University. She’s now the CEO and Director of R&D at Sanxing. Two months ago, she published a paper in Nature that caused quite a stir both domestically and internationally," the voice explained. "Whoa, a genius, huh? What was her paper about?" Tom asked, his interest slightly piqued. "She discovered a method to synthesize Alprazolam on a microscopic level using polymer techniques." "Alprazolam? Yeah, I know it. It’s a psychiatric medication and pretty expensive," Tom mused. The voice on the other end deepened, "Yes, but what Emma doesn’t know is that Alprazolam can be processed into the main ingredient for P-Happy with just one step." "P-Happy?" Tom frowned. "You mean that new d**g that's sweeping the globe?" "Exactly. Emma's synthesis method is not only faster but also cuts production costs by more than tenfold. That’s why both international pharmaceutical companies and d**g lords have set their sights on her." "Edu realized the danger after her paper was published, so he reached out to me for help. We have a life-long bond, so I agreed. But now, I’m asking you to help me," the voice continued. "So, the underworld has its eyes on this, huh?" Tom asked, his tone hardening. After all, he had just come back from that very world. "Yes, they are," the voice on the phone replied calmly. "That’s why I called you. You know that world better than anyone." "Alright, enough chit-chat. How long is this mission supposed to last? A month? Two?" Tom asked impatiently. "You know I’m swamped overseas." The man on the other end hesitated, then chuckled awkwardly. "Well... we don't exactly know how long it will take." "What?! And you’re only telling me this now?" Tom's frustration grew. "I swear, if you’d told me earlier, I wouldn’t have come!" "Yeah, that's precisely why I didn't," came the sheepish response. "Damn it! You’ve totally set me up here," Tom cursed, hanging up in anger. "I've got so much to deal with abroad, and now I’m stuck with a job that doesn’t even have a timeframe!" The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. "What was Emma thinking, publishing that paper? She's caused such a huge mess and doesn't even know it. The underworld isn't something you mess around with!" Lost in his thoughts, he kicked an empty water bottle toward the trash can across the street. However, instead of landing in the can, the bottle arched gracefully through the air and struck a young woman’s leg. The woman looked to be in her early twenties. Tall, fair-skinned, and dressed in a flowing Bohemian dress, her striking figure drew every eye as she walked. She had the poise of a queen, and her flawless beauty made heads turn from all directions. She let out a sharp cry, clutching her leg where the bottle had hit, then turned and shot a cold glare at Tom. His kick had been forceful, and the impact had surely left a bruise. Tom hadn’t expected things to turn out this way. He froze for a moment, mostly because of how stunning she looked. Her aloof demeanor only added to her appeal, making it hard to look away even when she was glaring. Snapped back to reality by her icy stare, Tom grinned and waved, momentarily forgetting to apologize. "Hey there, beautiful! Our meeting must be fate. I dabble in fortune-telling, and I see dark clouds over you. If you have some time, I can explain it in detail." The woman released her leg and asked coldly, "Who are you calling unlucky?" Anyone else would think he was cursing her, which would have made even the calmest person upset—especially after being hit. What the frosty beauty didn't know was that Tom’s words carried a deeper meaning. Tom's eyes swept over her face, and he continued, "Of course, I'm talking about you. Our encounter is destined, this water bottle, it’s the red string of fate between us. How about we grab a coffee, and I’ll tell you how to avoid trouble?" Her eyes grew colder, if that were even possible. Tom chuckled, "Alright, no coffee? Then how about we just exchange numbers?" She stared at him, incredulous. She had been kicked, and now this guy was hitting on her? Unbelievable. "If you say one more word, I’ll have you thrown in the river to feed the fish," she warned icily. Despite her harsh words, her expressionless face only added to her allure in Tom’s eyes. "Oh, I do love a fiery woman," he muttered with a smirk. Not at all fazed by her threat, he continued, "Come on, who doesn't appreciate beauty?" Just as he finished speaking, he felt a splash of cold water on his face. The woman had unscrewed the cap of the water bottle and dumped the remaining contents over his head. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away. Tom wiped his face and pushed back his damp hair. "Seriously? You think just 'cause you're a little taller, have a good figure, and a pretty face, you can just splash water on people? If you’re so tough, do it again! I dare you!" he called after her. "I might just pull off your skirt next time..." She paused briefly, clearly having heard his last comment, but then continued walking. At the airport exit, a white Rolls-Royce was waiting for her. As soon as she approached, two men in black suits and sunglasses—clearly bodyguards—rushed to open the door for her. "Ah, looks like she’s some rich family's princess," Tom mused, standing up. "A Rolls-Royce Phantom, huh? That’s gotta be worth at least seven million." Feeling a bit more amused than annoyed, he flagged down a taxi. "Take me to Sanxing Pharmaceuticals," he said as he got in. The driver, an amiable middle-aged man, glanced at him. "You look like a student who’s just come back from abroad. Going to work at Sanxing, are you? That’s a big company, very prestigious here in the capital. I heard even the security guards make over eight thousand a month!" "That much?" Tom was a bit taken aback. "Of course! They only hire the best, people with martial arts skills or some other special ability. You think just anyone can get into Sanxing?" The driver spoke proudly, obviously admiring the local pharmaceutical giant. "Well, I guess I'm... going for an interview," Tom replied, somewhat uncertainly. "An interview’s an interview! You gotta be more confident, young man, if you wanna make it at Sanxing!" The driver laughed, while Tom just smiled and looked out the window, lost in thought. When the taxi pulled up in front of Sanxing's headquarters, Tom got out and gazed up at the grand building. "A true corporate giant," he muttered before striding inside. "Excuse me, sir. Do you have an appointment?" A receptionist stopped him at the entrance. Tom's expression darkened. "I'm here to see Edu." "Edu?" One receptionist looked puzzled, but the other quickly caught on. "Edu? He’s our chairman," she said, surprised. "Exactly. I’m here to see your chairman," Tom said flatly. "May I have your name, please?" she asked politely. "Tom," he replied, flashing a charming smile at the two pretty receptionists, trying to hide his irritation. The receptionist quickly scanned the schedule, but found no appointment under that name. "I'm sorry, sir, but the chairman’s schedule is full, and you don’t have an appointment. You can’t go in," she said firmly, though slightly apprehensive. "Oh, isn't that just great? You called me here to help with his problems, and now I can't even get through the front door?" Tom chuckled coldly. "You'd better call Edu and tell him to come down and get me personally. Otherwise, I won't bother with that whole Alprazolam issue." "Alprazolam?" The two receptionists exchanged confused glances, not understanding what Tom was talking about. "Sorry, but we don’t have the authority to contact the chairman directly. You’ll have to leave." Tom sighed. "Fine, don’t make the call then. But just so you know, I’m the chairman’s future son-in-law. You really want to turn me away and risk the consequences?" He didn't know whether Emma was beautiful or not, but he was ready to bluff for the job. The receptionists looked at each other in shock. The chairman’s son-in-law? The CEO’s boyfriend? Impossible! Emma was known as the top beauty in the capital’s business world. Countless eligible bachelors had tried to win her heart, only to be turned down. She was focused entirely on her career, cold and unapproachable, with no interest in romance at all. "Impossible? I’ve been secretly involved with Emma for years," Tom said casually, grinning. If his old friends saw him now, they’d be shocked at his playful antics. Just then, a cold voice rang out from the hallway. "Who did you say you've been involved with for years?" Hearing that voice, the receptionists immediately fell silent. Tom turned to find the source of the voice. It was the very woman who had poured water on him earlier. She stood there, her beauty illuminating the lobby. "Well, isn’t this just too much of a coincidence?" Tom thought. But recalling the water incident, he wasn’t in the mood to admire her looks. He stormed over and glared at the icy beauty. "Who I’m involved with is none of your business. But with that grim look on your face, no man would want you anyway!" The woman raised an eyebrow, her eyes growing even colder. “You’re quite bold for someone with such a loose tongue. Who exactly are you?” Tom crossed his arms, a sly smile on his face. “Bold? Sweetheart, if I wasn’t bold, do you think I’d be here? I’m Tom, and I’ve got a meeting with Edu. Now, if you’d kindly step aside…” The woman didn’t move. She sized him up, her expression icy as ever. “I don’t care who you think you are. If you want to meet with our chairman, you’ll need an appointment.” "An appointment?" Tom chuckled, shaking his head. “Listen, you might not know it yet, but I’m here to help your boss with a major problem. So, unless you want to be responsible for the mess that follows, I suggest you let me through.” The receptionists glanced nervously at the woman, clearly not knowing what to do. After a moment, she turned to them. “Call up to the chairman’s office. Let him know that a… Mr. Tom is here and insists on seeing him.” One of the receptionists nodded quickly and picked up the phone. Moments later, she turned back to the woman, her eyes wide with surprise. “Chairman Edu says… to send him up right away.” Tom flashed a triumphant grin and swaggered toward the elevator. “Thanks, sweetheart. I knew you'd see reason,” he said over his shoulder. The woman watched him go, her expression unreadable. As the elevator doors closed, Tom let out a deep breath. "That was easier than I expected," he muttered. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, as the elevator ascended to the executive floor. When the doors opened, he stepped into a spacious, well-decorated hallway. At the far end was a large wooden door with a brass nameplate: "Edu Zhang, Chairman." Tom strode forward and pushed open the door without knocking. Edu looked up from behind his desk, his face lighting up with a mixture of relief and amusement. "Tom! I see you haven't changed at all," he said, standing up to greet him. "Edu," Tom replied curtly, not bothering to return the pleasantries. “You better have a damn good reason for dragging me all the way back here." Edu sighed, motioning for Tom to sit. “I do, trust me. It’s about my daughter, Emma. Her recent research has put her in danger. There are some… unsavory people who want to get their hands on her work.” Tom sank into the chair opposite Edu, his eyes narrowing. “I know the basics. But tell me why I should care. This isn't exactly my kind of job.” Edu leaned forward, his gaze steady. “Because you owe me, Tom. And because if anything happens to my daughter, a lot more than just my family will be at risk. Her research has the potential to change the pharmaceutical world. It could save millions of lives—or destroy them, in the wrong hands.” Tom ran a hand through his hair, thinking. "Alright," he said finally. “I’ll do it. But remember, this is the first and last time I’ll come running for you." Edu nodded, a look of gratitude washing over his face. “Thank you, Tom. I knew I could count on you.” Tom stood up, brushing off his pants. "Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you keep her out of my way," he said, already heading for the door. Just as he reached for the doorknob, it swung open, and in walked the woman from earlier. She froze when she saw Tom standing there. "You?" she asked, clearly shocked. "Ah, I see you two have already met," Edu said with a small smile. "Tom, this is my daughter, Emma." Tom blinked, his eyes darting from Edu to the woman and back again. "Wait, she is Emma?" He couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. Emma crossed her arms, her eyes boring into Tom. "This is the so-called expert you brought in to help?" she asked her father, disbelief evident in her tone. Tom raised his hands defensively. “Hey, I’m not exactly thrilled about this either. But your dad asked for my help, so here I am.” Edu cleared his throat. “That’s enough, both of you. Tom, Emma, you’ll need to work together if we’re going to handle this situation. Now, let’s get down to business.” Tom sighed, turning to face Edu. “Fine, but let’s get one thing straight. I don’t play nice, and I don’t do babysitting.” Emma glared at him. “Good, because I don’t need a babysitter. I need someone competent enough to keep up.” Tom smirked. "Guess we're off to a good start then." The tension in the room was thick as Tom and Emma continued to glare at each other. Edu, sensing that things could quickly spiral out of control, stepped in. “Alright, enough. Let’s focus on the problem at hand.” Tom finally broke eye contact with Emma and turned his attention back to Edu. “Okay, so what's the plan? I assume you have some kind of strategy.” Edu nodded. “I’ve already taken some precautions. Emma’s been staying in a secure location, and I’ve hired additional security. But that’s not enough. The threats we’re dealing with are... sophisticated. They won't just come at us head-on.” Tom leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “So you need me to handle the... unorthodox approaches?” “Exactly,” Edu replied. “I need you to identify any threats, neutralize them if necessary, and keep Emma safe until we can find a more permanent solution.” Emma huffed, crossing her arms. “I don’t need someone to ‘keep me safe,’” she muttered. “I just need to know who’s after my research and why.” Tom rolled his eyes. “Sweetheart, if you knew what kind of people we’re dealing with, you’d be a lot more worried about your safety.” Edu shot them both a look. “This isn’t up for debate. Tom, you’re on this job until I say otherwise. And Emma, you need to cooperate. This is for your own good.” Tom stood up, signaling that the discussion was over. “Fine. I’ll start by assessing the security at the location she’s staying. After that, I’ll want access to everything—her research, the paper, any correspondence that might give us a lead on who’s coming after her.” Emma nodded reluctantly. “I’ll get you what you need. But don’t think for a second that you’re in charge.” Tom smirked. “Whatever you say, princess. Just try to keep up.” With that, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving Emma fuming. Edu sighed and shook his head. “This is going to be interesting,” he muttered. In the following days, Tom began to immerse himself in Emma’s world. He meticulously went through her research, looking for anything that might explain why it had become such a high-value target. The more he delved into it, the more he realized how groundbreaking her work was. The synthesis method she had developed wasn’t just innovative; it was revolutionary. In the wrong hands, it could produce enough P-Happy to flood the global market. It wasn’t just a scientific discovery; it was a potential disaster. "She's brilliant," he admitted to himself as he flipped through pages of technical data. "Too bad brilliance tends to attract trouble." Meanwhile, Emma watched Tom work from a distance, her skepticism slowly giving way to a reluctant respect. Despite his cocky demeanor and flippant attitude, he clearly knew what he was doing. His questions were sharp, his analysis thorough, and his instincts unnervingly accurate. But that didn’t mean she had to like him. “Arrogant, overconfident... who does he think he is?” she muttered to herself as she paced the room. Tom, on the other hand, was beginning to see just how serious the situation was. He’d identified multiple potential threats, from international d**g cartels to rogue pharmaceutical companies willing to do anything to get their hands on Emma's research. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. One evening, as he was going through some documents, his phone rang. It was a number he didn’t recognize. He hesitated for a second before answering. "Yeah?" “Tom, it's me,” came a familiar voice. It was Edu. “We’ve got a problem.” Tom sat up straight. “What kind of problem?” “Emma's location has been compromised. I just received word that someone is making a move tonight.” Tom cursed under his breath. “Damn it, how did they find out?” “We don’t know,” Edu replied, his voice tense. “But you need to get her out of there, now.” “On it,” Tom said, already grabbing his jacket. “Keep me updated on any new intel.” Hanging up, he rushed to Emma's room. She was sitting at her desk, lost in her research. "Pack your stuff," he barked. She looked up, frowning. “What’s going on?” “No time to explain. Your location is compromised. We’re leaving, now,” he snapped, already scanning the room for potential threats. To her credit, Emma didn’t argue. She quickly gathered her things and followed Tom out of the room. As they made their way to the building's exit, Tom’s eyes were constantly on the move, scanning for any sign of danger. They reached the garage, and Tom led her to a nondescript black sedan. “Get in,” he ordered, sliding into the driver’s seat. As they pulled out of the garage, Emma glanced at him. “Do you always act like this in a crisis?” she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance. Tom gave her a quick glance, his expression serious. “Only when I have to babysit geniuses who think they’re invincible.” She huffed and looked out the window but didn’t say anything else. They drove in tense silence for a while before Tom spoke again. “We’ll go to a safe house I’ve prepared. It’s off the grid, so they won’t be able to track us there.” Emma nodded, still staring out the window. “Who are these people, Tom? Why are they willing to go to such lengths for my research?” “They’re the kind of people who don’t care about morals or laws,” he replied grimly. “To them, your research is worth billions. They’ll stop at nothing to get it.” She shuddered slightly, the reality of the situation sinking in. “So what do we do?” Tom tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “We make sure they regret ever coming after you.”