Mordan sat calmly in his office chair, expression composed and almost serene, replying in a measured tone that only seemed to infuriate Chao Shi more.
"You think I don't know how you tried to intercept our reinforcements when the Freedom Union and Great Dulu Federation were attacking us? You think I don't know about your long-standing ambition to annex India? If you've already done so much behind the scenes, why can't I do this little bit of poaching?"
Chao Shi was momentarily stunned, the truth hitting him like a slap, but he refused to admit it openly.
His voice dropped into a low, venomous growl.
"Mordan, if you hadn't threatened me with your so-called 'strongest weapon,' I wouldn't have even let you approach Xinxuan in private. But because you forced my hand, I had no real choice. This is tyranny. I will not forgive you."
He leaned closer to the camera, eyes burning.
"And you can't take Xinxuan from us. He is loyal to our country—he will never go to yours. Huh."
Mordan simply smiled—a small, knowing curve of the lips that carried no warmth.
He knew exactly who was the tyrant and who wasn't in this game.
As for whether Xinxuan would agree? He had done everything possible to give the young man the choice.
Before Chao Shi could continue, Mordan's gaze suddenly shifted to the side, as though listening to someone off-screen.
Whatever he heard made his smile widen into something almost mocking.
He looked back at the camera one last time, voice light and final.
"Bye."
The call cut abruptly.
Chao Shi stared at the blank screen in confusion, a cold, bad feeling rising in his chest.
He immediately contacted his subordinates who had been keeping watch on Xinxuan.
No response.
Alarm bells rang in his mind.
He summoned his personal bodyguards, barking orders as he rushed out of the residence and toward the hotel where the meeting had taken place.
When he arrived, his worst fears were confirmed.
All the subordinates responsible for surveillance lay unconscious on the floor, breathing steadily but unresponsive.
Xinxuan was gone.
Chao Shi stormed to Xinxuan's family home next.
The guards there were also unconscious.
The family had vanished without a trace.
Fury boiled inside him—how dare Mordan lay hands on his people in his own country?
He would not forgive this.
He immediately ordered the military to track Xinxuan and the Indian officers, hoping they hadn't gotten far and could still be intercepted.
He wasn't angry at Xinxuan—he believed the young man had been kidnapped, forced or tricked, and was waiting for rescue.
He ordered his subordinates to wake the sleeping guards, but nothing worked.
Top doctors were summoned urgently.
After quick examinations, one of the lead physicians reported gravely.
"Leader, this is a sleeping poison derived from a beast. It induces a deep, natural sleep lasting exactly two days. They will wake automatically after that—we cannot rouse them earlier, no matter what we try."
Chao Shi's rage flared hotter.
"Why? Why? Why? Mordan has now resorted to poisons—even if it's not lethal, it's still poison! I will take my revenge. And where did they even get such a thing?"
The doctor hesitated before answering carefully.
"Sir… we believe this is likely from a newly discovered species—something India has found and is now using. We have no record of it in our databases."
Chao Shi's jealousy surged alongside his anger.
Not only did India seem to possess endless treasures and mysterious places, but now they had discovered new species and were weaponizing them?
He turned back to his subordinates, demanding updates.
One reported grimly.
"Sir, we cannot track Xinxuan or the Indian officers. They have likely already left our country."
Chao Shi exploded.
"These wretches are sleeping while our gem is stolen! I don't know what to do with them. Just… just get them out of my sight!"
He huffed, chest heaving, blood pressure spiking dangerously.
His vision blurred for a moment, mind going momentarily blank.
He steadied himself with effort and snapped at his aides.
"Give me my BP medicine right now. And take me back."
His subordinates rushed forward, helping him sit and administering the medication.
Chao Shi leaned back, breathing hard, eyes burning with unquenched fury.
This was not over.
Not by a long shot.
****
At the same time, another Indian ambassador had just arrived in a remote city within the Eurasian Union—the quiet, snow-dusted hometown where the second purple-talent individual lived.
The ambassador moved quickly through the narrow streets, his formal suit standing out against the simple wooden houses and frozen sidewalks, until he reached the small, unassuming home matching the address on the letter.
He had already verified the residents through discreet channels, so he approached the front door with calm confidence.