41: Chapter 41 Xia Kingdom Exploded

It came again.

And this time the scale was even larger.

A special forces unit of fifty people, a dream team of fifty lawyers.

President Chen Ran felt a sense of great relief.

This was exactly the hard power and soft shield he needed most right now.

He barely hesitated, immediately confirming in his mind: "Accept. Set the nationality of all members to the United States. Authorize Heavy Hammer and the head of the legal team to proactively contact Victor Sterling and Samuel Colt to coordinate and integrate into the existing system. The legal team is to be under Colt's unified deployment, and the tactical squad under Victor's command."

[Instruction confirmed. Team integration in progress...]

Almost simultaneously, the encrypted satellite phone placed beside President Chen Ran vibrated slightly.

It was a short message from Victor: "Heavy Hammer squad contacted, preliminary briefing received, strength is considerable, currently integrating. Sterling."

A few seconds later, Colt's message also arrived: "Mr. Chen, the new legal team head, Lawyer Elliot Dunne, has already spoken with me. His background is impressive, and the professional configuration is impeccable.

We are currently sorting out the subsequent legal matters, especially tax declarations and compliance plans for cross-border capital flows.

With them here, we can make things even more thorough."

Efficiency.

President Chen Ran put down the phone, feeling even more relaxed.

Money, professional armed forces, and a top-tier legal shield—he had them all.

Although it was still far from being comparable to a real state apparatus, as the starting point for a private force, this configuration was absurdly luxurious.

Just then, the phone Chen Yan had placed on the table began ringing frantically. It wasn't a call, but the notification sounds from various news apps, chiming incessantly.

She picked it up and looked, her eyes immediately widening. She stuttered as she read the headlines: "Deep-sea treasure auction concludes, mysterious buyer spends 350 million, Xia Country youth President Chen Ran may have netted over 200 million USD! ... Christies hammer falls at sky-high price, 370 million USD sets a record! ... From programmer to billionaire: President Chen Ran's fantasy journey!"

Wang Xiaopang and Xiao Lin also quickly took out their phones, unlocked them, and were instantly flooded with screenfuls of notifications.

Almost every news client, whether domestic or foreign, from the finance and society sections to even the entertainment headlines, was dominated by keywords like "san antonio auction," "370 million USD," and "President Chen Ran."

The angles of the reports were diverse.

Some provided detailed recaps of the auction process, focusing on the competition sparked by the pair of blue-and-white porcelain jars and the six bronze cannons, as well as the sky-high transaction price of the overall rights package;

Others provided in-depth analyses of the wealth's value, comparing it to the Forbes list and calculating President Chen Ran's sudden leap in wealth ranking;

Some began digging into President Chen Ran's background, rehashing his life experiences from childhood to the present, this time adding the focus: "Clever tax planning, potentially legally avoiding tens of millions of USD in taxes";

Of course, there was no shortage of experts and commentators coming out to share their opinions—some praised it as "a victory of individual adventurous spirit" and "a milestone in ocean exploration," some discussed "wealth distribution" and "contingency versus necessity" with sour grapes, and others began to worry about "the possible impact of such a huge influx of cash into the market."

The internet within Xia Country was completely blown up.

Among the top ten hot searches on Weibo, six were related to President Chen Ran.

"#President Chen Ran auctions for 370 million USD#," "#Still over 200 million after taxes#," "#Someone else's 24-year-old#," "#Status of former company supervisor#," "#Deep-sea gold fishing technique#," "#President Chen Ran's nationality#."

Under every topic, there was a massive amount of discussion, envy, jealousy, analysis, and meme-making.

President Chen Ran's social media accounts from years ago, class photos, and even videos of him playing basketball were dug up and spread repeatedly.

The residential complex where he once rented and the school he attended welcomed another wave of media "visits."

Local television stations and newspapers in Hangzhou even launched continuous special reports, feeling honored by association.

At President Chen Ran's home, Qian Shuqing's phone hadn't stopped since morning.

At first, it was relatives and friends, but later it was distant relatives she hadn't spoken to in ages, old neighbors, and even Chen Jianwei's former colleagues from years ago, all calling to congratulate, inquire, or simply to speak to the "mother of a billionaire."

Qian Shuqing answered at first, patiently responding with "It's all because the child is capable," "We don't understand any of this," and "Nothing has changed." Later, she got truly annoyed, so she simply unplugged the landline and set her phone to silent.

But there were always those she couldn't avoid.

For example, the neighbor next door, Auntie Wang, Wang Qingli.

Qian Shuqing had been avoiding her for days, but that afternoon, when she went downstairs to take out the trash, she was "coincidentally" blocked at the stairwell entrance by Auntie Wang.

Auntie Wang's face was plastered with an unprecedentedly enthusiastic smile, and she was carrying a box of fruit that didn't look cheap at all.

"Oh, Auntie Qian, taking out the trash? Let me handle such rough work, let me!" Auntie Wang said, reaching to grab the trash bag from Qian Shuqing's hand.

"No, no, I'll do it myself." Qian Shuqing sidestepped to avoid her.

"Oh, don't stand on ceremony with me!" Auntie Wang insisted on shoving the fruit into Qian Shuqing's free hand. "These are imported cherries given out by my Hao Hao's company; they're so sweet, you take them back and try them!

By the way, Xiao Ran has really brought glory to our country and our Hangzhou this time!

Over 300 million USD! My god, I get dizzy just hearing it!

This child, I've seen that he was extraordinary since he was little—smart, steady, and driven!

Unlike my Hao Hao, who just clings to that measly salary..."

Listening to these barely concealed flattering words that stood in such stark contrast to her previous attitude, the pride Qian Shuqing had been bottling up because of her son's success was finally released with satisfaction.

She smiled, but her tone was measured: "Oh, it's all luck; the child is just messing around.

Your Hao Hao is so steady—working at a big company, good benefits, and obedient. Your days of enjoying life are still ahead."

"How can he compare to Xiao Ran!" Auntie Wang waved her hands repeatedly, leaned in closer, and lowered her voice, "Auntie Qian, look, now that Xiao Ran's business is so big, he must need reliable people to help him, right?

Although my Hao Hao doesn't have any great skills, he's honest, hardworking, and learns things quickly... How about you talk to Xiao Ran and let Hao Hao go help him out?

Even being a driver or running errands would be fine! We're like family; you can trust us, right?"

Qian Shuqing knew exactly what was going on—she wanted to hitch a ride and secure a future for her son.

Her smile remained unchanged as she brushed it off: "I can't make decisions about the kids' affairs.

Xiao Ran is so busy he barely touches the ground; I heard he's starting some new project and running all over the world.

When he gets back, why don't you tell him yourself?

But I reckon his business is very complicated, and Hao Hao's specialty might not be a match..."

In a few sentences, she softly but firmly blocked Auntie Wang.

Auntie Wang looked a bit embarrassed, but she didn't dare to push any further. After flattering her a few more times, she sheepishly returned home.

Qian Shuqing carried the box of cherries and the trash bag, walking slowly downstairs, feeling refreshed and more satisfied than eating a cold watermelon in the dog days of summer.

In the villa, President Chen Ran naturally saw the overwhelming news.

He didn't have much of a reaction, only instructing Colt's legal team and public relations consultants to keep an eye on public opinion and guide it when necessary.

The focus was to emphasize legitimacy, the spirit of exploration, and potential contributions to ocean undertakings, avoiding being roasted on the fire as a "nouveau riche" or "wealth monster."

He focused more of his energy on communicating with Victor, Colt, and the newly joined "Heavy Hammer," Elliot Dunne, and others.

Over 200 million USD in funds were being transferred in batches into the offshore accounts of Deep Blue Explorer Company in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland, which required the most professional financial and legal teams to manage, plan, and execute legal transfers.

The new special tactical squad needed to familiarize themselves with the environment and formulate training and contingency plans.

The massive legal team had to immediately begin handling all the legal documents and tax filings following the auction, and start constructing complex, cross-border legal and commercial frameworks for President Chen Ran's future plans, deep-sea exploration, and island development.

President Chen Ran sat in the study, his gaze calm as he looked at the complex capital flow chart and the satellite map of the South Pacific islands on the computer screen.

The outside world was noisy and clamorous, but here, it was his quiet Fortress for planning the future.

Money was the bullet, law was the armor, and the armed force was the fist.

Now, the ammunition was sufficient, the armor was sturdy, and the fist was powerful.

It was time to take the first substantive step toward the deep blue.

His phone screen lit up; it was a new message from Shen Wanqing.

The content was simple: "Saw the video of the auction site, a staggering number. Congratulations. Also, stay safe and act within your means."

President Chen Ran looked at the message, smiled, and replied: "Thanks. Still in Rhode Island handling some things. Is everything well with your uncle?"

After a while, Shen Wanqing replied: "Hmm, all is well. He asked me to thank you again. Take care."

The conversation was short, but there was a faint, mutually understood concern flowing between them.