Subsequently, the auction house presented a certificate from an authoritative organization confirming the vitality of the mutated Minghuang Jiao Zeng egg. This certificate guaranteed the egg would hatch into a giant beast, further fueling the clubs' feverish excitement.

The subsequent auction bidding was extremely fierce. In the end, Chen's Biotech acquired it for a staggering price of one billion Starshields!

This news created a massive wave of excitement among league fans. Many believed that the clubs sponsored by Chen's Biotech would start competing to incorporate this giant beast into their rosters.

Chen Gu felt extremely pleased with himself; eighty percent, meaning eight hundred million, was his.

This Chen's Biotech sure is wealthy, and they've got an eye for investments! One couldn't help but like them.

But why does this name sound so familiar?

On the interstellar network, quite a few commentators criticized Chen's Biotech, believing that one billion was too much and that they had made an unprofitable deal.

Chen Gu ruthlessly used his hacking skills to don an alias and fiercely attacked these commentators!

The next day, when Chen Gu returned home, he saw a group of people waiting at his doorstep, their vehicles bearing the "Chen's Biotech" logo.

Ouyang Guanghai took the lead, enthusiastically shaking Chen Gu's hand. "Hello, I am Ouyang Guanghai, CEO of Chen's Biotech. You must be Chen Gu; truly an impressive young man!"

"Please come in." Chen Gu was just as warm to his benefactors.

"Here's the thing, we've come mainly to express our gratitude to you. Your Minghuang Jiao Zeng has indeed done a huge favor for Chen's Biotech."

He briefly explained the difficulties faced by Chen's Biotech, and Chen Gu repeatedly said, "It's mutually beneficial."

"This time, we've also come to discuss something with you. If you happen to find any similar giant beasts in the future, could you please inform Chen's Biotech first? We will definitely offer you a satisfactory price."

"No problem," Chen Gu readily agreed.

"Wonderful!" Ouyang Guanghai was overjoyed. "These gifts are just a small token, a symbol of our budding friendship. Please, you must accept them."

The secretary delivered valuable gifts, which Chen Gu accepted and set aside. After they chatted for a while longer, Ouyang Guanghai stood up to take his leave. "Well then, I won't impose any further. Let's keep in touch!"

That's it?

Chen Gu was startled. After all those pleasantries, why hadn't they mentioned the main point? What about my money, my eight hundred million? When will you transfer it? Even installment payments would suffice, but you need to give a clear answer, right?

"Erm..." Chen Gu wrung his hands awkwardly. "About that one billion, heh heh..."

Ouyang Guanghai laughed heartily. "You've received it already, haven't you? Our boss said he gave it to you long ago."

Chen Gu was taken aback, feeling that something was not quite right. "Given it to me already? Who's your boss?"

"Chen Jixian. You should know him; he's currently the top figure in the city's police system."

Chen Gu was dumbstruck. No wonder the name "Chen's Biotech" sounded familiar; it was his own family's business! I got so excited over eight hundred million that I didn't think it through—"Chen" Biotech, wasn't that obvious enough?

So, it had come full circle, back into his own family's hands—not an unacceptable outcome. But Chen Jixian, that unfilial son... what did he mean by saying he'd 'given it to me long ago'?

'Given it to me long ago'... So, when I first came out, that one billion was already accounted for as mine!

What a rip-off!

Ouyang Guanghai then said, "This time, that one billion came directly out of our boss's own pocket. To be honest, we've been struggling to come up with such a substantial amount of liquid funds recently."

So that was it, Chen Gu thought. Oh well, it went to family anyway. Besides, when they offered one billion initially, I shamelessly took it without a word; it would be a bit much to complain now.

Might as well consider it returned to him.

Chen Gu felt weary and waved his hand. "That's right, I have received it. Let's leave it at that."

As Ouyang Guanghai was leaving, he reached the doorway and suddenly turned around. "Oh, my terrible memory! The boss asked me to pass on another gift to you; I almost forgot."

He took a box from inside his jacket and handed it to Chen Gu.

After seeing Ouyang Guanghai off, Chen Gu returned with the box, his mood souring. His adult son sent the 'super-material' last time through Chen Qingyu, and now another indirect delivery?

Can't you just stand before me respectfully, hold it with both hands, and say, 'Dad, this is for you, to show my filial respect'?

Chen Gu "fantasized" for a moment before dismissing the thought, knowing it was impossible.

What is it this time... He opened the box. Inside was a crystal electronic certificate, about the size of a fingertip.

Hm? Chen Gu opened it, took one look, and froze.

It was a share ownership certificate of Chen's Biotech.

Chen's Biotech was founded by Chen Beiliu, who, before his death, had entrusted all his shares to Chen Jixian.

The portion now in Chen Gu's hands was a 2.5% share ownership certificate of Chen's Biotech.

Chen Gu immediately looked it up. Chen's Biotech's market value had peaked at a staggering one hundred eighty billion Starshields when Chen Beiliu was alive.

Due to poor performance in recent years, its valuation had continuously decreased, but it was still above fifty billion Starshields. And now, with the Minghuang Jiao Zeng, they were being looked upon favorably again, and the valuation was rising.

This portion of shares was already worth well over one billion Starshields.

Chen Gu furrowed his brows. Such a large enterprise, and they can't even scrape together one billion in liquid funds?

He searched online again to understand the situation.

They've been really unlucky—seven capture operations, all failed. Tens of millions spent on intel for giant beasts, hundreds of millions on hiring capture teams, and then tens of millions more in compensation for failures and casualties.

All in all, those seven attempts must have cost over five billion in total!

Chen's Biotech is a massive enterprise; most of its assets are fixed and intangible, like research institutions. Maintaining such a large company involves huge daily expenses. Coupled with poor sales performance in recent years, their cash flow has become problematic.

They surely still have sufficient cash reserves, but taking out another one billion would likely leave them stretched very thin.

Chen Gu gave a wry smile. That guy... he really is stubborn.

Looking at the shares in his hand, Chen Gu thought for a moment and then tucked them into an inner pocket. Return them to Chen Jixian? I'd definitely be rebuffed.

My adult son was probably too proud to deliver this himself. He's out of cash, so he's giving me shares to cover the 'debt.' There's a hint of this being a 'forced settlement,' which is why he intentionally gave a bit extra.

If I were to return them, he'd lose even more face.

Anyway, we're all Chens. I'll hold onto it for now and figure out a way to give it back to him later.

Thinking about it this way, although the trip to the Yingudusi Devil's Pit came at a huge cost, the rewards were also substantial. Plus, I've inadvertently helped Chen's Biotech weather a crisis. It's my father's life's work, after all; I can't just watch it go bankrupt.

Besides, my status as a 'young master of a wealthy family' needs Chen's Biotech to maintain it, doesn't it?

Huh? Wait, that's not right. It should be 'wealthy father of a powerful family'—though that somehow sounds less glamorous than 'young master of a wealthy family'...