Chapter 47: Trouble at the Company

But on this matter, Rin Ogiwara did not know much. The Ogiwara family's foundation in martial arts was not particularly deep, and she had never been exposed to the core aspects of the discipline.

"What I do know is that it's some kind of crystal," Rin said with a trace of self-mockery in her smile. "I've never seen one myself. It's said to be extremely rare. The last time such a crystal appeared in our country was after a massive volcanic eruption on Kyushu. Nearly every martial arts faction in Kansai fought over it, but what happened in the end, no one really knows."

"Perhaps several factions divided it amongst themselves," she added, glancing at Xiao Kaitian.

Xiao Kaitian frowned slightly. The so-called crystal could very well be something that had "fallen" from a higher dimension. If that were true, it meant that someone had tried to open a passage between two dimensions—or perhaps such a passage already existed, but was too unstable to be used regularly, hence its unpredictable, random appearances.

"Is there any official explanation in your country?" he asked.

Rin shook her head. "It's top-secret. Every nation in the world remains silent on the subject. When I was young, I was fortunate to meet someone at a very high level. According to him, the crystal's power can't be directly absorbed, and it's extremely unstable. That's why it's transferred into medicinal herbs first, and only afterward taken into the body, becoming the source for martial artists to increase their strength."

Xiao Kaitian understood now. In other words, these crystals were likely the key to stepping into another dimension.

But Rin's knowledge was limited. She couldn't provide anything deeper, though Xiao Kaitian was satisfied—he now had a general grasp of the world’s martial arts system and how it operated.

"Perhaps someday, I’ll mass-produce the elixir myself. That sounds rather appealing," Xiao Kaitian mused, stroking his chin, weighing the feasibility of the idea.

Rin was startled. Was he mad? If he really did that, he would be standing in opposition to every martial arts faction in the world. The entire, carefully balanced system might collapse.

"Of course, I'm just joking. There may be other ways. Martial cultivation, after all..." Xiao Kaitian’s words sounded casual, but his expression betrayed not a hint of humor. A chill ran down Rin's spine. She quickly changed the subject. "I think you should concern yourself first with the matter of the protective gloves."

"Someone’s got their eyes on them," Xiao Kaitian said, unsurprised. He was no stranger to trouble.

"More than just someone. Many people are interested. Quite a few have approached the Ogiwara family, seeking distribution rights and cooperation," Rin said, folding her hands on the table and turning her head to look at him. "For now, I've suppressed them all. After all, it's your product. I want to respect your decision."

"The bigger the pie, the more people want a piece," Xiao Kaitian mused. The upper echelons of society's enthusiasm for this product far exceeded his expectations. It also made it clear that personal safety was still everyone's top priority. "Let’s not open up the distribution channels for now. It's best if you continue to manage things. What’s wrong? Is your family struggling to keep up?"

"It's just a bit troublesome," Rin replied, shaking her head. "I’m not worried about the old prestigious families—they still need to save face. But the Bounty Hunter Guild is another matter. Your conflict with them runs deep."

"Your bounty has risen to one billion yen now, a C-rank mission. For an 'ordinary person,' that's truly unprecedented."

"Moreover, there are police officers targeting you. This is from internal sources—some believe the protective gloves are offensive weapons, skirting the edge of the law. Apparently, they’re preparing complaints and legal documents as we speak."

Now Xiao Kaitian finally felt the pressure. It was not the time to make enemies of too many factions, especially state authorities. With this thought, he immediately stood up: "I need to get to the company."

He had a bad feeling, as if something was about to happen.

Rin stood as well. "There shouldn’t be any major problems at the company. I’ve arranged for some family martial artists to reinforce security. For routine defense, that's enough. If things escalate and the police get involved, it won’t end well for anyone."

Xiao Kaitian shook his head, his perspective more penetrating. "What I’m worried about is exactly the police involvement."

After leaving the shop, he quickly started his car and sped toward the company. Halfway there, Hongli called.

A jolt of anxiety shot through Xiao Kaitian; he swiped the screen to answer.

"Young Master Xiao, we’re under attack. Something’s happened at the company," Hongli’s voice was urgent. "It’s near the company—someone’s trying to hijack the alloy skeletal frames I was transporting. Others are breaking into the company itself."

"Some of the neighbors seem to have called the police."

"Dammit!" Xiao Kaitian hung up and floored the accelerator. He had definitely underestimated the situation this time.

Half an hour later, Xiao Kaitian finally arrived at the scene. Chaos greeted his eyes—people lay sprawled everywhere, some were Ogiwara family martial artists, and others, dressed in various clothing, were clearly the intruders.

The police had already taken over the scene and brought things under control. Xiao Kaitian could only stand outside the barricade and watch. A man with a black mole on the left side of his nose—clearly the team leader—was barking orders.

In front of the company, three pale blue mechas over three meters tall paced back and forth. These were the national mobile units used to suppress martial artists. Xiao Kaitian couldn’t judge their combat strength, but he doubted they were weak.

Nearby, special forces armed with rifles had surrounded a group of people kneeling on the ground, hands on their heads—Ogiwara family martial artists and company employees, including Hongli, who was visibly injured.

"Take everyone away. Seal the building. Lock down everything inside for investigation," the commander shouted. "Wounded or dead, inform the hospital for immediate care." As he spoke, his gaze drifted, seemingly unintentionally, toward where Xiao Kaitian stood.

"They came prepared," Xiao Kaitian thought, catching the thin smile on the officer’s lips. Using police power to take control of the company and force his hand—the enemy’s tactics had escalated.

Before long, Sakura Harui also arrived. She glanced over the scene, then immediately walked toward the commander, bowing respectfully. "Inspector Hattori!"

"Harui, you're a bit late, hah," Hideo Hattori was in a very good mood. Even seeing Sakura’s ‘incompetence’ didn’t anger him. "We have everyone secured," he lowered his voice, "Is Xiao Kaitian the man behind this company?"

Sakura, suspecting nothing, nodded. Hattori’s smile grew even broader.

A car screeched to a halt. The door slammed open, revealing a pair of long, slender legs. Rin Ogiwara stepped out, crisp and efficient, and strode straight toward Hattori without so much as a glance behind her.

"I’m the person in charge here—Rin Ogiwara. What on earth is going on?"