The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 396 - 367: Two-pronged Approach_1

Chapter 396: Chapter 367: Two-pronged Approach_1

The Snake King continued his cultivation, and He Tiantian, temporarily free of worries, also fell asleep in peace.

Such complex matters were best left to the adults like Qi Shuliang and Anna to handle. They weren’t lacking in methods or manpower to respond, they were just short of accurate clues.

Sure enough, after Qi Shuliang awoke from his dream in shock, sweat dripping from his forehead, he couldn’t stop thinking about the dreamscape he had just experienced.

Since childhood, he had often heard that dreams were the opposite of reality, and not to be taken seriously!

But why did he feel just now that his dream was as real as life itself?

Qi Shuliang attributed it to the saying, "What one thinks during the day, one dreams of at night," and didn’t take it to heart. Persuaded by Anna, he went back to sleep.

However, it was the same dream again.

This time Qi Shuliang wasn’t frightened, for several dreams in a row had been exactly like this.

Qi Shuliang felt that this dreamscape was quite complete, full of information; maybe it was Heaven’s way of helping him?

Why not give it a try?

He decided to send someone to investigate during the daylight. If it turned out to be true, this time he could annihilate those people in one sweep and eliminate future troubles.

As long as those people realized that Qi Shuliang wasn’t to be trifled with, they wouldn’t dare act so recklessly anymore.

The individuals Qi Shuliang dispatched came back after two days with useful information.

Since Huo Yingjun appeared in the dream, Qi Shuliang discussed the investigative findings with Huo Yingjun over the past two days, preparing to devise a lasting solution.

"Mr. Qi, we need to apply pressure on two fronts, first quelling their arrogance, then negotiating face to face," Huo Yingjun proposed, "Relying solely on violence puts you at a disadvantage, you in the light and they in the shadows."

"Indeed, as the old saying goes, ’It’s not the theft but the thief’s persistence that’s to be feared,’ If we can’t suppress them head-on, our days will indeed be restless," said Qi Shuliang, "However, the foundation for face-to-face negotiation depends on whether our strikes in the shadows are effective!"

Huo Yingjun chuckled and said, "Mr. Qi, if you can think this thoroughly, I’m sure we will resolve this issue soon enough."

"Let’s hope so," Qi Shuliang nodded in agreement.

Following that was a coordinated operation between Huo Yingjun and Qi Shuliang’s people. They raided two separate strongholds and a headquarters, injuring many people, but not killing any, and obtained a great deal of secret information. Then, the police cars of Country M wailed as they arrived, arresting more than eighty individuals.

Though a few were out scouting and not caught, a city-wide manhunt was underway for them.

This could be considered a total victory!

Thanks to the official interrogation, Country M acquired numerous leads and evidence, recognizing that someone was attempting to sabotage the fragile diplomatic relations between Country H and M which had been hard to achieve.

Just last month, their president had visited Country H and made significant diplomatic progress.

Anna’s father had many close business and high-ranking government contacts in Country M.

Qi Shuliang was a representative figure of the Chinese community in Country M, an embodiment of the American dream for Chinese people.

Moreover, from the fundamental interests of Country M, their aim was not the closed-off and backward H country that was adept at warfare, but the superpower Country S, as gigantic as they were.

By taking advantage of the discord between Country H and S, if they could bring H country to their side, they would then have the resources to fully commit to the struggle for dominance between M and S country.

Considering politics, finance, connections, and other factors, high-ranking officials of Country M’s government privately warned leaders of a country and a region not to engage in activities that went against the will of Country M!

Even if resentful, without domestic support, the two factions simply had no possibility of carrying out assassination or sabotage operations.

Also, under the intervention of Country M, such actions were prohibited; they dared not continue and gradually left this place of trouble.

Because if they did not leave, they would eventually be abandoned by their superiors and cleansed by Qi Shuliang and Huo Yingjun’s people.

A month passed since these events transpired.

Qi Zhenghan had missed the exams and could only continue to work hard for next year. He planned to use this year for more social practice, which wasn’t a waste of time. However, thanks to Anna and Qi Shuliang’s funding, and since Qi Zhenghan himself excelled academically, he took an extra examination and thus achieved his wish to receive a university acceptance letter.

He Tiantian truly spent the month as she said she would before, eating well and sleeping soundly, putting on quite a few pounds compared to the last month.

Every time Qi Zhengmin saw He Tiantian, she noticed that Tiantian was always eating something.

At meal times, she ate meals; and at non-meal times, she snacked.

No, Qi Zhengmin, the little one, couldn’t stand it anymore. Pinching He Tiantian’s increasingly plump cheeks, she said, "Sister Tiantian, as a lady, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to eat non-stop all day?"

He Tiantian blinked, wanting to say that although the food was tasty, she didn’t want to eat so much, but if she didn’t eat, where would she get so much Sacred Blood to supply to the Snake King?

"Not at all, I’m just a bit hungry," He Tiantian made an excuse, "I’m growing, I was too thin before."

Qi Zhengmin looked at He Tiantian and nodded, "You are indeed growing, Sister Tiantian, I’ve noticed that you’ve gotten taller."

He Tiantian was startled and asked, "Really?"

In her past life, He Tiantian recalled not eating well and working hard, resulting in not growing taller; she remained around one meter and fifty-eight or fifty-nine, though she claimed to be one meter sixty to the outside world.

"If you believe it, you can go measure yourself at the gym downstairs," Qi Zhengmin suggested, forgetting her earlier advice about Tiantian eating too much.

He Tiantian followed Qi Zhengmin to the gym.

Qi Zhenghan was doing strength exercises and, seeing He Tiantian come in, trained even harder, showing off the solid muscles under his tank top.

He Tiantian stepped onto the weight and height management device after taking off her shoes, and a pleasant female voice came from inside.

Weight: 49 kilograms, height: 164 centimeters, grown by 5 centimeters.

That was without shoes; with shoes on, even just flats, she would be another centimeter taller, making her 165 centimeters.

"Sister Tiantian, your weight is okay, not fat, but your face is at a disadvantage," Qi Zhengmin commented like an adult, appraising He Tiantian, "Logically, your baby fat should have disappeared by now, but..."

"Alright, don’t sweat the small stuff!" He Tiantian said nonchalantly, "As long as the weight is within a normal range, there’s no need to count grains of rice when eating."

Qi Zhengmin shook her head, "Mom says girls shouldn’t be like that. I definitely don’t want to end up like Aunt Alice before I’m thirty, with such a big bottom and wide waist!"

As she spoke, Qi Zhengmin gestured the size of an exaggeratedly large rear end.

Qi Zhenghan, who was nearby, shook his head and said, "Is this how mom taught you? Where are your ladylike manners?"

Qi Zhengmin stuck out her tongue, she had always been casual when talking to He Tiantian, forgetting about her brother.

"Sorry, brother, I know I was wrong," Qi Zhengmin apologized, then ran off, pulling He Tiantian with her.

Leaving behind a Qi Zhenghan secretly regretting scaring his sister away and taking He Tiantian with her.