Chapter Ninety-Two: The World’s Public Enemy

"...Are you really this ignorant, or are you pretending to be? At this point, aside from ordinary virtual-network users, almost everyone on the planet is your enemy. There are already rumors that the International Court of the United Nations is preparing to launch legal proceedings, and that they intend to put Virtual Network Company on trial in the United States Capitol before the entire world."

Seeing Blue Sky's indifferent attitude, Chen Xiaoxuan immediately burned with frustration.

"Do you have any idea what that means? It means a warning from every country in the world to our nation. Whether our company attends the trial or not, the result will be the same: either Virtual Network Company is dissolved, or it faces compensation so astronomical it runs into hundreds of billions, even trillions, of dollars!"

"Oh. Then we'll go. I'll go myself," Blue Sky said lightly, a flash of brilliance passing through his eyes.

"Go where?!" Chen Xiaoxuan cried. "Do you believe me when I say that the moment you leave the country, every nation in the world will activate an assassination protocol? You've become a thorn in everyone's side!"

At the thought that Blue Sky actually wanted to go personally to the United States Capitol for the trial, she hurriedly tried to stop him.

"Uh... then what do you mean?" Blue Sky asked, looking at her anxious expression. He felt touched, but he could not help teasing her. With a laugh, he said, "A knife is coming whether I stretch out my neck or hide it. Maybe I should just dissolve Virtual Network Company and be done with it."

"How could you say that? Virtual Network Company is such a great company. How could it be dissolved?" Chen Xiaoxuan's reaction was intense; a faint sheen even glimmered in her eyes as she exclaimed, "Back when you said you wanted to put every real-world product into the virtual network, everyone objected, but you still insisted on going your own way. And now look where that got us! Over something this ridiculous, you've left the company trapped in a dead end!"

"Why couldn't you have been a little more discreet back then? Even if you'd just removed all the trademarks, that would have been enough. Then nobody would have had such a perfect excuse to come after us!" Chen Xiaoxuan was red-eyed with anger, tears streaming down her face in large drops. She was only one step away from pointing a finger at Blue Sky and scolding him to his face.

Blue Sky rubbed his nose, realizing he'd gone too far with the joke, and hurriedly comforted her. "Hey, Miss Chen, don't cry. It's fine. Really, don't worry. I'm not stupid. Why would I dig my own grave? Trust me, all right?"

"Then tell me what you're going to do. In this situation, even the official authorities in China are probably powerless. What can you possibly do?" Chen Xiaoxuan still did not believe him and kept pressing him.

"The authorities in China may be powerless, but that doesn't mean I am," Blue Sky said with a soft smile. "How about this: let me ask you a question."

"What question?" Chen Xiaoxuan asked, puzzled.

"Is Virtual Network Company important to China?" Blue Sky asked.

"Of course it's important. Just Virtual Network Company's monthly tax contribution alone is equal to the annual tax revenue of an ordinary mid-sized city. How could it not be important?" Saying this, Chen Xiaoxuan sounded rather proud.

"Good. Since it's important, why is it that not a single person or organization in the country dares to lay a hand on Virtual Network Company? Or do you think everyone is upright and honest, with no dark or selfish thoughts in mind?" Blue Sky asked.

"Hm? What are you trying to say?" Chen Xiaoxuan came back to herself and looked at him, startled and uncertain.

"Heh. Let me ask you another question. With Virtual Network Company's terrifying influence across the globe as it stands today, wouldn't it be fair to call it one of China's key symbols on the world stage?" Blue Sky said with a light chuckle.

"More than fair. Not only is it a key symbol, but now when anyone mentions China, I'm afraid the first thing the entire world thinks of is Virtual Network Company. Our company is practically already China's calling card to the world." Smart as she was, Chen Xiaoxuan had begun to understand, though she still dared not be certain, and answered honestly.

"Since it's China's calling card, then why... in the face of a global siege, has the Chinese government not made the slightest response?" Blue Sky continued to smile, his expression growing increasingly inscrutable.

"Uh... how would I know? You'd have to ask yourself that," Chen Xiaoxuan said. Looking at his smiling face, for some reason her cheeks suddenly flushed, and her heart began to pound.

"Since it was Miss Chen who asked, of course I should answer honestly," Blue Sky said playfully.

"You... cut the nonsense and hurry up and say it," Chen Xiaoxuan said, her face growing even redder, unable to endure his teasing gaze.

"Because the Chinese authorities don't need to respond at all. They know that I... fear no enemy," Blue Sky said in an even tone, though the words themselves were anything but ordinary.

Chen Xiaoxuan stared at the supremely confident Blue Sky and could not say a word. Her face was flushed, and within her bright, watery eyes there was a faint, dreamy haze.

To be honest, if she had not known that Blue Sky was already together with Wang Ling, then if it were any other woman, she would have rushed forward without the slightest hesitation and taken him for herself. She believed that, with her own charm, Blue Sky would never be able to resist her initiative.

But... that was Wang Ling. Wang Ling was her best friend, her dearest confidante of many years. She truly could not convince herself to do something like that.

Even so, she still could not control her feelings for Blue Sky. All she could do was do her best to hide that little secret crush of hers.

"This girl likes you," White's voice suddenly rang out beside Blue Sky's ear. "Judging from the way she looks at you, her heartbeat, and her breathing rate, I can confirm it: she's fallen in love with you."

"Uh... really?" Blue Sky froze when he heard that. He had not expected White to say something like that.

Wang Ling was his girlfriend, and Chen Xiaoxuan was Wang Ling's best friend. Although Chen Xiaoxuan was just as outstanding, just as beautiful, perhaps even more so than Wang Ling, he had never dared entertain the slightest improper thought toward her. He had always treated her as a very good friend. As for what she thought, he really was not sure.

But if White said so... did that mean Chen Xiaoxuan really did like him?

It had to be said that although Blue Sky was not an ordinary man, he was still a man. And as a man, knowing that such a breathtaking beauty had fallen for him naturally stirred a trace of vanity in his heart, along with a faint flicker of temptation.

Yet the moment he thought of Wang Ling, that silly girl who would throw herself in front of a bullet for him, he found himself utterly unable to accept Chen Xiaoxuan's feelings.

"Mm... well then, tell me the exact date of the trial at the International Court of the United Nations later. You don't need to worry about this anymore. Leave everything to me," Blue Sky said. After that, claiming that he still had matters to attend to, he made his escape in somewhat embarrassed fashion.

"Dummy! It's not like I'm going to eat you alive!" Seeing Blue Sky flee in defeat, Chen Xiaoxuan could not help but spit out a soft complaint. She then lightly touched her slightly warm cheeks, drew a deep breath, and, as though nothing had happened, walked out of Blue Sky's office.

She knew that Blue Sky must have seen through something. But... so what?

If I can't have you, am I not even allowed to like you quietly, all on my own?