Chapter 100 The power clash

The Power Clash

Bang, bang, bang—

Charlie Lee's punches grew sharper, his movements increasingly precise, and his power less restrained. The contest grew more intense until his fists collided with those of Wang Dagou, causing both men to stagger back. Wang Dagou, shaking his hand vigorously, finally shouted, "No more fighting!"

"No way! I'm just getting started," Charlie Lee protested, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"You've had your fun. If we keep this up, my hand's going to break!" Wang Dagou retorted, cradling his aching hand as he ran off toward Mike's clinic. "Mike, come and take a look! I think my hand's broken!" he wailed.

Charlie, watching him dash off while still wiggling his fingers dramatically, chuckled under his breath.

While the fight hadn't completely satisfied Charlie, it marked the first time he'd unleashed 80% of his strength. The sensation of his fists landing solidly was exhilarating. With a newfound spring in his step, he headed toward home, thoroughly pleased.

Meanwhile, Hans coughed loudly to regain the attention of the crowd of students who had witnessed the brawl. Standing tall and firm, he addressed them: "See that? That's your goal. You're all here to reach that level!"

The students, however, wore expressions of despair. The demonstration of raw power by Charlie and Wang Dagou had left them questioning their very existence.

The training ground bore evidence of their clash—5 cm deep holes created where they had stepped, shattered boulders once used for endurance drills, and iron stakes left bent or completely broken. One student muttered, "Is that even humanly possible?"

Their doubts deepened. Setting such an impossible benchmark felt cruel. Another whispered, "I must've woken up on the wrong side of the bed today. Someone pinch me; this can't be real."

Andrea, noticing the students' morale plummeting, suggested softly, "Hans, maybe we should cancel tonight's training session. Let them process what they've seen."

"Fine. We'll take the evening off. Dismissed!" Hans agreed reluctantly. Even the instructors, seasoned fighters themselves, were rattled by the sheer magnitude of the contest.

"This isn't normal," one of them muttered. "They're not humans; they're monsters. Were they evolved from dinosaurs instead of apes?"

Later that evening, Charlie was informed by Elk that Lawrence had arrived at the barracks. "Boss, Lawrence is waiting for you."

"Alright." After finishing dinner, Charlie hurried over. To his surprise, there wasn't the violent confrontation he had expected. Instead, Laura, an opium addict, lay sprawled on the ground, wailing, "Opium! Just give me a little, please…"

Lawrence sat nearby on a small chair, watching her with cold detachment. Charlie sighed in relief, grateful that Lawrence hadn't resorted to violence.

Charlie knew Lawrence's connections to the Rockefeller name were too sensitive. Any misstep could bring serious consequences. If things got out of hand, even Elan's influence might not save them.

"Teaching him to kill? Is that your idea of education?" Elan had once scolded, her tone icy.

Lawrence, hearing Charlie's approach, broke his silence. "Why are hospitals still prescribing opium? It's absurd."

"It's complicated," Charlie replied, patting Lawrence's shoulder. He explained the history of opium's role in global trade and medicine. From the Qing court's trade surplus to Britain's use of opium to balance the trade deficit, the narcotic had a long and controversial history. It fueled wars, colonial exploitation, and devastation in China, all for economic gain.

"Even your hospitals can't function without opium-based prescriptions," Charlie added pointedly.

Lawrence's face hardened. "Charlie, I want to open a hospital."

"Of course. Medicine and food are intertwined," Charlie said, quickly formulating a plan. "Golden Arch has already set up a lab. We'll create a branch for medical research and drug development. Together, they'll revolutionize healthcare!"

Lawrence's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Absolutely. But don't get bogged down with details. You're the boss now. Delegate. Focus on the big picture. Leave the technical work to professionals." Charlie grinned.

Finally, Lawrence nodded, abandoning his initial plan of hands-on involvement. Instead, he resolved to oversee the initiative from a leadership role.

Later, Charlie introduced Lawrence to Mike, the barracks doctor.

"Mike, this is Lawrence. He wants to set up a medical research laboratory."

"Lawrence, good to see you again!" Mike greeted warmly. "A medical lab? What kind of research are we talking about?"

"Pain relief," Lawrence explained. "I want to develop a drug to replace opium and morphine."

Mike's expression turned skeptical. "Replacing morphine is no small feat. Most studies indicate addiction is an unavoidable issue with painkillers."

But when Charlie instructed Mike to establish the lab and report directly to him, Mike nodded without hesitation. "Consider it done. Leave the details to me."

"Great. Jesse will handle the funding. The lab's name will be Osborne Advanced Medical Laboratory," Charlie added with a smirk, enjoying the irony of the name choice.

Mike, unbothered by the name's origin, was more excited by the opportunity to lead cutting-edge research. "Osborne Advanced Medical Laboratory—it sounds promising! I'll get started right away!"

Back outside, Lawrence turned the conversation to a lighter note. "The subway's opening ceremony is the day after tomorrow. Everything's arranged."

"And the reporters?" Charlie asked.

"Of course. Do you think I'd forget something so basic? I'm Lawrence Rockefeller, after all."

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."

"Fine," Lawrence admitted with a wry smile. "Rockefeller, Jr. Satisfied?"

"Much better." Charlie laughed. "By the way, I'm inviting a Hollywood star to the ceremony."

"Who? Your latest scandal? Ingrid Bergman? Greta Garbo? Or maybe Jean Harlow?" Lawrence teased.

Charlie blinked, confused. "What on earth are you talking about?"

As they strolled, their conversation drifted back to Laura. Lawrence decided against punishing her further. "She's ruined. Let her be."

Charlie agreed. "Drop her in the ghetto. She won't last long there."

The matter resolved, they moved on, each focused on their next ambitious plan. Charlie, ever the visionary, was already contemplating the future of his empire, where even science and medicine would play pivotal roles.