Chapter 116: Boundless Arrogance

The aftershocks of the financial crisis were still rippling through the United States; one could almost smell the stench of depression and desolation in the air. The city’s ambient noise had dimmed significantly, as if the populace had simply run out of energy—perhaps, he mused, this could be promoted as a viable method for noise reduction.

Though the U.S. government had managed to defuse the financial storm with reasonable speed, the entire nation was left with a lingering sense of exhaustion, as if all its strength had been spent. This national malaise was reflected in every individual.

Xiao Tianci had informed no one of his arrival, but having made no effort to conceal his itinerary, he was effectively exposed to countless eyes. No sooner had he stepped off the plane and taken a second breath of that bleak, stagnant air than someone approached him.

"Mr. Xiao, greetings. The President has requested your presence..." The man, about forty years old and significantly more robust than Jingang, was dressed in a suit and tie. He had intercepted them the moment they descended the stairs.

Xiao Tianci raised a hand, and Grand Steward Lin Jian placed a cigar between his boss’s fingers. After some specialized medical treatment, Lin Jian’s eyes showed only faint traces of a procedure, appearing as if he were merely sleep-deprived. It was, however, quite strange to see someone sleep-deprived in only one eye—as if he were keeping one open and one shut.

When Huofeng saw this group of men, she gripped little Gege’s hand tighter. The six men in the line were clearly no ordinary individuals; they were all masters of physical combat.

Xiao Tianci did not even spare them a glance. Once his cigar was lit, he blew a plume of smoke toward the sky. "The President? Which president? There are so many presidents who want to have dinner with me daily that I can’t keep track of them. Which one are you talking about?"

The large man clearly hadn’t expected such arrogance. He snorted coldly, "You are in the United States now. What do you think?"

Xiao Tianci gestured toward his own entourage. "Him, him, and him—they are all brothers of presidents now. Presidents aren't worth much these days. If a brick falls from a building, it’s bound to hit eight people: six presidents and two vice presidents."

At these words, the man and his subordinates flared with rage. Their eyes were filled with a murderous intent characteristic of men who had walked off the battlefield; their mere presence created a suffocating pressure.

Xiao Tianci had Jingang by his side, so he couldn't care less. Taking a deep drag from his cigar, he blew the smoke directly into the large man’s face. "Well, you all look quite sturdy. My house is currently short-staffed for moving money. It’s hard work, but the pay is good. If anyone is interested, come find me. Hmph... as for the President, tell him to come find me, and I’ll decide if I’m in the mood to see him. Ha... ha... ha..."

The man’s chest heaved as he watched Xiao Tianci stroll past him, his fists clenching until his knuckles cracked. His subordinates moved to intervene, but he lacked the authority to act. He immediately pulled out his phone to contact his director and report the situation.

Xiao Tianci was quite satisfied with himself. Not bad, he thought; he still had his touch. That cocky feeling was truly excellent, especially when dealing with these types. "President? What do I care about a president? If he wants to see me, he can come himself."

Grand Steward Lin Jian noticed Huofeng looking at him and his boss with a strange expression. *Oh! Has she realized? That would be great.* However, after a moment of observation, he discarded that thought; she hadn't detected the boss’s plan to push the two of them together.

Otherwise, given her personality, she would have undoubtedly picked a fight with the boss. Yesterday, she had been apologetic toward him, but today, her gaze suggested *schadenfreude*—a look that said, "You deserve it." *So that’s it,* he realized. *She thinks the boss ordered me to embrace her. Ha... boss, I didn't say that; she came to that conclusion herself. It seems you’ll have to carry the blame for this one.*

U.S. President Leges held the phone, his face calm. He nodded twice and said, "Very well. Keep a close watch on them. You have my strict orders: do not, under any circumstances, provoke a conflict."

Leges hung up. His assistant stepped forward. "Mr. President, Xiao Tianci is extremely arrogant and behaves in a bizarre manner." The assistant carefully gauged Leges’s reaction, and seeing no change, continued, "Since he is this type of person, normal communication will likely prove difficult. Perhaps we should use more forceful measures to compel his compliance."

Leges had experienced Xiao Tianci’s arrogance firsthand; how could he forget the previous incident? But given his position and status, the considerations were far more complex.

Leges spoke with a solemn expression, "One Xiao Tianci is not worth worrying about, but consider how many people in the world are currently eyeing him. If we move against him, what kind of trouble would that incite?"

Rising from his chair, Leges paced twice and stood by the window, watching the national flag fluttering outside. He commanded, "Ready the car."

"Mr. President, you..."

"I am going to see this Xiao Tianci."

Less than an hour and a half after Xiao Tianci and his group arrived in the U.S., President Leges arrived at the most luxurious hotel owned by the Xiao family in the city center.

Xiao Tianci gave Leges a modicum of respect, rising to greet him at the door—not the hotel entrance, but the door to the living room.

"Ha... ha... Mr. President, your presence truly brings light to my humble abode."

After a brief handshake, Leges said steadily, "Mr. Xiao, it is truly not easy to get an audience with you."

Xiao Tianci acted as if nothing were amiss, looking genuinely puzzled. "Mr. President, you are a busy man. For an ordinary citizen like me to see you, I would have to wait in line for three, five, or even eight months."

Without further pleasantries, they sat down. Leges glanced at the Grand Steward Lin Jian, Jingang, and Fang Meng behind Xiao Tianci, then looked back at Xiao.

Xiao Tianci understood the implication—it was time for a private talk. *Another negotiation, it seems. I really have been running around like a circus act lately.* He waved his hand behind him. The Grand Steward and Jingang exited, and Leges’s men followed suit. The door closed, leaving the two men alone in the hundred-square-meter luxury suite.

"Mr. President, it seems you have something to say to me." Xiao Tianci looked at the President with the same relaxed, indifferent attitude. Leges’s status seemed to have no effect on him.

Such an attitude would naturally infuriate many powerful and high-status individuals. After all, people like them occupied the very pinnacle of the social pyramid—the elite of the elite, the masters of men.

Yet, even among masters, there were levels. Leges was the elite of the elite—the supreme leader of the world’s most powerful nation, standing at the very top.

During the last gathering, as Elder Zhao had once noted, these people were all legacies left behind by Xiao Lin. Leges had been there too, but there were so many guests that he and Xiao Tianci had only exchanged a few words.

After everything that had happened, facing Xiao Tianci again, Leges had a more accurate assessment. Everything Xiao Tianci did seemed to have a purpose. Sometimes he acted like an heir who had lost his mind after inheriting a fortune; other times, like a master of power struggles; and at other times, he was unthinkably arrogant. It was all calculated. This young man was not someone easily manipulated.

"Meihua was the lifeblood of Elder Xiao’s work and a pillar of the world economy. Can you really just let it go, Mr. Xiao?"

Xiao Tianci sighed helplessly. "What else can I do? You see, it’s already been acquired. As we say in China, it’s not that our troops are incompetent, but that the enemy is too cunning."

Leges, knowing full well he was being dodged, smiled faintly and nodded. "Mr. Xiao, you should be well aware of who you are talking to. Meihua has immense influence in the U.S. and, indeed, the world. The damage caused by this financial crisis is not trivial. While the U.S. government cannot interfere with the management of Meihua, you should understand the gravity of the situation if national interests are harmed."

Xiao Tianci leaned back, looking down his nose at Leges, silently gauging him. After all, this was the President of the United States, a man of global stature; he could not afford to show weakness. *The president of the world's strongest power is indeed different. Although the impression he gives is the opposite of Elder Zhao’s, they share one similarity: a calm authority that commands respect.*

His purpose in coming here had to be the "shield." It seemed these people had two theories. One was that they realized it was a scam—that there was no shield, and that anyone building a villa in the desert to house a "shield" was either insane or a fool. Given Xiao Tianci's status, those who reached this conclusion were clever and analytical. Yet, because they were too smart, they couldn't be 100% sure, simply because of the mysterious technology the Xiao family possessed.

Xiao Tianci himself couldn't figure it out. The Grand Steward knew everything else, and his father had told him much, but even he was in the dark about this.

Fortunately, he could maintain his act, especially since he had found some actual treasures during his trip to the Xiao estate.

He looked Leges up and down, then chuckled. "Mr. President, Mr. Leges... are you threatening me? I could sue you for intimidation! In China, no matter how high an official's rank, they must call themselves a 'servant of the people.' In the U.S., aren't we all citizens with human rights? Does that make our conversation any different?"

Leges nodded. "What you say is very reasonable, Mr. Xiao, but what I just said is merely your personal interpretation. It does not constitute intimidation under the law."

"Oh..." Xiao Tianci tapped his head, acting enlightened. "I forgot, Mr. President, you studied law."

Leges ignored his antics and continued, "Now that威尔 (Will) has been defeated by you—and to do so in such a short time, you truly are a worthy descendant of the Xiao family—the enemy is gone, but business must go on. What do you think, Mr. Xiao?"

Leges remained calm, while Xiao Tianci remained arrogant. "Business? What business? Ha... ha... Others do business to make money. I have more money than I could ever spend. Why would I need to do business?"

Leges spoke with gravity, "I think you know better than anyone, Mr. Xiao, that opportunities do not present themselves at all times."

"I have never coveted opportunities given by others."

Though Leges knew this was an act, there was a limit to everything. Xiao Tianci was clearly refusing to cooperate. Leges knew that at least half of those currently itching to move against the Xiao family were holding back because of the U.S.—they weren't sure what, if anything, existed between the U.S. and Xiao Tianci.

There was also the lingering fear of the Xiao family's power and international repercussions. Not many nations dared to strike hard.

Though they hadn't explicitly discussed the shield, both men knew exactly what was at stake. Seeing Xiao Tianci’s attitude, Leges knew further negotiation would be fruitless. He had already made a cold decision: regardless of whether it was real or fake, it had reached this point...

Leges stood up, shaking his head in disbelief. "Mr. Xiao, I find it truly difficult to understand what you are thinking. Since your stance is so firm, I suppose there is nothing left to discuss."

He began to walk toward the door. Xiao Tianci waited leisurely. Just as Leges’s hand touched the handle, he spoke: "I have one condition."

Leges stopped, a glimmer of joy in his heart. *Hmph, I knew it. You wouldn't dare become a true enemy of the U.S. You think that by claiming the shield was stolen, people would be suspicious of each other? Nobody really believes that. Either you have no shield at all, or you still have it in your hands. In either case, you need a powerful backer right now.*

Leges was clever; he kept his hand on the door and didn't turn around. Xiao Tianci had been arrogant for long enough; he wanted to see what he would say. In the end, he would have to compromise.

Xiao Tianci looked longingly at the crystal chandelier above. "Heh... heh... Mr. President, I want to buy an aircraft carrier to play with."