Chapter 42: Logan and Zhang Fan's Wager Contract—Fifty Billion!

The information in the document was completely identical to the results of the previous investigation.

Even Zhu Changshan was still unable to trace the source of Zhang Fan's funds.

The money he used to purchase his luxury villa and supercars, and even the identity of the person who wired the funds into his account, could not be tracked down!

With his heart pounding wildly, Zhu Changshan handed the document over to Zhu Qing'an to read, a look of utter disbelief plastered across his face.

"Logically speaking, this should be impossible! Under the intelligence networks of our Zhu family and the highest echelons of China, there is no one on this earth whose information can remain hidden!"

"Yet, take a look at this—just look! Zhang Fan has actually pulled it off!"

"What does this imply? Could it be that behind him stands a superpower? A nonexistent superpower?"

Zhu Qing'an was equally shocked.

The last time they investigated Zhang Fan, the timeframe was too short, but this time, they had spent a full hour looking into him.

Even the fact that one of Zhang Fan's great-great-great-grandfathers had served as a high-ranking official during a feudal dynasty had been uncovered.

The only thing they could not find out was who had been wiring money to Zhang Fan!

Suddenly, inspiration struck Zhu Changshan, and he slapped his own forehead.

"I know!"

Concerned about Zhang Fan, Zhu Qing'an eagerly looked toward her father.

"What do you know, Dad?"

This man, who had weathered countless storms, paced back and forth across the room, his tone grave and serious.

"From any perspective whatsoever, it is impossible for Zhang Fan to have independently developed a picometer-level lithography machine."

"Judging by the current technological standards of the entire world, it will take at least another decade just to design the blueprints for a picometer-level lithography machine."

"That leaves only two possibilities. First, Zhang Fan comes from a background even more terrifying than ours."

"Second, Zhang Fan truly is a genius among geniuses."

Zhu Qing'an let out a dry laugh and immediately dismissed the first point.

"The Zhu family, the Rothschilds, the other three major families, and the highest leadership of China control the entire planet."

"There cannot possibly be any family more deeply hidden than that."

At this, Zhu Qing'an's heart skipped a beat, and her gaze met her father's.

"In other words, discarding every impossible scenario, what remains—however impossible it seems—must be the truth?"

Zhu Changshan slammed his fist heavily into his palm, bit his lip, and nodded.

"Exactly!"

"Otherwise, there is simply no explanation! It’s not as if some supernatural system dropped out of the sky, granting whatever is requested just like in the web novels you youngsters read, right?"

"That leaves only one logical conclusion: the terror of Zhang Fan's intelligence has reached a level unprecedented in history and unsurpassed by anyone to come, far surpassing prodigies like Newton and Einstein."

Zhu Qing'an was so blissfully happy she felt faint, stars swirling in her eyes and her cheeks flushed pink.

"To be able to stay with Brother Zhang Fan is truly my greatest fortune."

"Dad, you don't oppose my marriage to him anymore, do you?"

Zhu Changshan was momentarily stunned by the question.

Oppose?

How could he possibly oppose it!

If the Zhu family could secure Zhang Fan's assistance, who knows how many more generations of glory they would enjoy!

With such an extraordinary talent, a once-in-a-generation prodigy, did they need to worry about the Zhu family failing to flourish?

Did they need to worry about China failing to rise to greatness?

Zhu Changshan burst into hearty laughter and clapped his hands hard.

"Tomorrow! We'll hold the wedding tomorrow!"

"I will spend one billion to throw you the most luxurious wedding imaginable!"

...

In the blink of an eye, twenty days passed.

Throughout these twenty days, Liu Yan had remained constantly by Logan's side.

Aside from taking care of Logan, whenever Zhang Fan was mentioned, she naturally never missed a chance to speak ill of him.

Liu Yan smiled and hugged Logan's arm.

"Darling, lately the Chinese internet has been completely flooded with news about Zhang Fan developing a picometer-level lithography machine."

"There are only ten days left until the wager you made."

"Tell me, what if he actually pulls it off? Are you really going to swallow a bullet and end your life?"

Following treatments at her family's private hospital, Logan's injuries had mostly healed.

However, since fractures take a hundred days to heal, he was still unable to engage in strenuous exercise.

Liu Yan's words instantly lifted his spirits, a cynical smile curving at the corners of his eyes.

"An absolute impossibility."

"The technology required for a picometer-level lithography machine is not something a single person can accomplish."

"Even the United States cannot pull it off—how could China possibly manage it?"

Liu Yan looked at Logan with a cheeky smile.

"Since that's the case, why not sign a formal high-stakes bet contract with Zhang Fan right now? What do you think?"

"If he really manages to pull it off, you pay him fifty billion!"

"If he fails, make him pay you fifty billion!"

At these words, a glimmer of light appeared in Logan's eyes.

That's right!

A high-stakes wager contract—why hadn't he thought of that?

Once such a contract was signed, whether in China, the United States, or any other country, its legality would be universally recognized.

After all, it was entered into voluntarily by both parties!

Once Zhang Fan failed to produce the picometer-level lithography machine, his entire life would be ruined.

Forget fifty billion; just a few billion would be enough to ensure this fellow could never make a comeback for the rest of his life!

Excited and harboring a deep-seated hatred for Zhang Fan, Logan patted Liu Yan on the head.

"Contact Zhang Fan immediately!"

"Tell him exactly what you just proposed."

"He definitely won't dare to sign it, so find a way to provoke him and trick him into signing!"

Thinking of the prospect of watching Zhang Fan plunge into hell and having all the money he ever earned forcibly transferred into Logan's account, Liu Yan was brimming with motivation.

She immediately opened her chat window with Zhang Fan and sent a string of messages.

However, after sending them, she shrugged.

"Darling, I was just throwing the idea out there."

"Although Zhang Fan is an extremely arrogant fellow, he isn't stupid."

"He's using rumors of a picometer-level lithography machine to generate clout for himself, but there's no way he'd actually sign a wager like this."

Who would have thought?

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Zhang Fan replied with a heavily sarcastic voice message.

"I thought you had died in the US, but it turns out you're still breathing?"

"Sign it then. Do you think I'm afraid of you and that bastard Logan?"

Liu Yan frowned.

Had this guy lost his mind?

That was fifty billion!

Moreover, over the past half-month, Liu Yan had brushed up on her knowledge of the lithography machine industry.

Let alone relying on Zhang Fan alone, even the entire nation of China—nay, the entire world—could not manufacture one.

Had fame gone to his head and made him delusional?

How else could he possibly sign such a retarded contract?

Before Liu Yan could ponder further, Zhang Fan sent over an electronic contract.

It was indeed the wager contract, clearly stating the sum of fifty billion!

Liu Yan fell into a state of utter shock, staring blankly with her jaw dropped.

"Darling, look!"

"He—he actually sent the contract over!"

Logan was equally dumbfounded. He picked up Liu Yan's phone and stared at the screen, tongue-tied.

"Could this brat have actually built a picometer-level lithography machine?"

"No! Even the US can't make one, so China has even less of a chance!"

"How many years have they been developing compared to us? Hmph! Sign it! This time I'm going to make sure he never recovers!"

Within seconds, both parties completed the electronic signing of the contract.

Right after the signing, Zhang Fan sent a voice message filled with mocking laughter.

"You absolute fool, I never thought you'd actually sign it?"

"You're going to split my sides laughing!"

"Calling you an idiot is giving you too much credit, hahahahaha..."

Clutching the phone, Logan flew into a rage and cursed aloud.

"You've just taken on a debt of a full fifty billion!"

"You'd better start thinking about holding a global livestream and begging me in front of everyone."

"Do you really think you can invent something like this? Do you think you're God? Fuck off!"

Liu Yan's expression, however, shifted slightly. Upon seeing a pop-up notification, her pupils constricted.

"No, something's wrong!"

"Darling, look at what this pop-up says!"

"Th-this is a domestic app of ours, and it's actually reporting that Zhang Fan's picometer-level lithography machine is being unveiled at a press conference held by the Zhang Group right now! It's inviting all media to report on it!"

Logan's brows furrowed deeply.

"What did you say?!"

Immediately following that came a dense flurry of pop-up notifications!

Almost every domestic app was pushing this exact piece of news!

Logan found it utterly incomprehensible, yet still refusing to believe that Zhang Fan could help China accomplish such a monumental feat, he said in a deep voice.

"Open the livestream! Let me see it!"