"I... I..." Mike stared, speechless. "Alright! Stop! I'd still be as carefree and relaxed as ever without a husband like this!" Daina said with a composed air of ease. Of course, she really wanted Huaoting to accompany her, but in front of Julie and Mike, she had to act as if nothing were amiss. She thought: "This time I go, I'll still make you write out the same ten pages of difficult English exercises—there are plenty of ways to do it. When you want to touch me, even on the bed, I'll simply refuse. You'll end up kneeling and begging, just as before." With a firm bite of her teeth, she declared, "Let's go!" "YES!" Julie and Mike enthusiastically echoed, and the three of them headed off toward the Powell-Heath line. After they had left, Huaoting tried to restore his own strength and abilities. Indeed, just moments before, the rigid, rote memorization method that Daina had insisted on had left him feeling overwhelmed. If he could regain his own spirit and approach learning with a more dynamic, personal style, his efficiency would surely improve by a factor of 100. Yet, Gao Liang quietly cultivated his inner energy and discovered that his three Dragon Spheres—the Water Dragon Sphere, the Fire Dragon Sphere, and the Energy Dragon Sphere—were dormant within him and could not be activated. He tried various postures—jumping, standing on his hands, swaying—hoping to awaken them, but none of these efforts proved effective. Just when he was at a loss, his phone at his waist rang. He answered it—it was a call from the Gold and Silver Armor guards. "Boss! Where are you?" Gao Liang immediately asked, "How has your investigation into Qiao's case progressed?" "Boss! The 3K Party is a very powerful underworld organization in the U.S.! Qiao has been kidnapped by them! This is our preliminary finding. However, the organization is extremely well-organized. Although we captured a junior member and tried to extract information from him, he refused to speak. We had to severely punish him before releasing him." It was Li Xiang, the Gold Armor guard, speaking. "Where are you two now?" "Back to the boss, we're on the No. 18 cable car along the Powell-Hyde line!" Chen Zixue, in his silver armor, replied. "Great! I'll be right there!" After hanging up, Gao Liang hurried off to the Powell-Hyde line. The scene shifts to a cable car in San Francisco. San Francisco's cable cars are historically significant and one of the city's defining features. Not having taken a cable car visit to San Francisco is as regrettable as never having seen the Golden Gate Bridge or Fisherman's Wharf. As the times have changed, cable cars have gradually evolved into tourist attractions, with only three lines remaining—yet they have gained worldwide acclaim. Today, cable cars are an absolute hallmark of San Francisco and frequently appear on the city's souvenirs. Their rich history has deepened their appeal, drawing people from all walks of life. The most popular lines are the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines. Why does San Francisco have cable cars? People who have visited San Francisco know that the city is built against the hills and by the sea. The Nob Hill and Russian Hill areas within the city, as well as the roads leading up to them, are straight and direct, with no curves or detours. Before the introduction of cable cars, frequent accidents involving people and horses—often resulting in serious injuries or fatalities—occurred on these steep roads. Inventor Andrew Hallidie witnessed these incidents and determined to solve the problem. He developed the cable car system using a continuously looping cable, which significantly reduced traffic accidents at the time. At its peak in the 1890s, San Francisco operated 21 lines with more than 600 cable cars. However, the system faced several setbacks. A major one occurred in 1906, when a powerful earthquake severely damaged the tracks and car depots, nearly ending cable car service. Nevertheless, the system was eventually rebuilt—despite the growing availability of affordable electric streetcars, the cable cars remained popular due to their unique ability to climb steep hills. San Francisco's cable cars faced a second near-disaster in 1947, when Mayor Roger Lapham argued that the cable cars should yield to the more popular buses. Fortunately, a grassroots campaign led by San Francisco's community elites saved the cable cars from extinction. After the 1906 earthquake and the passage of time, San Francisco now retains only three cable car lines, with the most popular being the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines, both of which operate with single-direction vehicles. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency offers daily and weekly passes. Cable cars rely on mechanical power, making them more physically demanding to operate than automobiles, and they cannot reverse direction—drivers must manually push the cars around using the turntable at the terminal station, which requires considerable strength. As a result, cable car drivers are typically tall and robust. Because the cable cars lack an automatic system to change direction at the terminal station, the driver must get off and manually reverse the car's direction upon arrival—a unique scene that contributes significantly to the appeal of San Francisco cable cars for tourists. Of course, it's also a delight to sit in the front row and watch the driver operate the car. A particularly memorable sight is that many visitors, even when seated, prefer to stand along one side of the car, gripping the handrails and laughing and shouting excitedly as the car plunges down Nob Hill and Russian Hill, exhilarated by the sea breeze. Sitting aboard the cable car, enjoying the city streets of San Francisco, with lazy sunlight, gentle sea breezes, and drifting clouds in the blue sky, the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, and the Coit Tower nearby, the vast expanse of the blue sea unfolding before you—what a serene and enchanting experience! Just don't let go and fall off! Actually, when the gondola plunges from the mountain peak, you can truly taste the essence of San Francisco in that fresh, moist sea breeze—stimulating yet balanced, relaxed yet orderly, everything just right, lazy and deeply endearing. On car number 18 of the Powell-Hyde line, Mike, Julie, and Daina are all enthusiastically gripping the handrails on the steps along one side of the gondola, enjoying the crisp sea breeze as it rushes down from the mountain peak! "Wow! It's so beautiful! I can smell the salt of the sea!" Daina is delighted, her golden hair flowing freely in the wind, her dress swaying with the breeze. Today she's wearing a hat with a flower pinned to it, and her delicate charm captures the attention of several of the larger men on board. "Man! This girl is absolutely stunning! So incredibly attractive!" one of the men says to a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses. The middle-aged man had scars all over his face, severe and striking, and with a seductive smile, he clapped his hands and said, "Look! That one's excellent!" Several big men followed the elder's finger, and wow—there stood an Eastern beauty in a white dress, elegant in demeanor. Though her bust, though not as full as Madona's, still exuded irresistible allure. Beside her was a well-groomed young man, neat and polished. They were Zhang Yuping and Yang Chao. The Shendragon Company had been thriving recently, and Zhang Yuping was in high spirits. For the past six months, she hadn't personally taken the cable car to San Francisco—she'd been too busy with company matters. Of course, the company's development had also been unpredictable, so there simply hadn't been time or mood for leisure activities. This time, the company's situation is thriving, so she came personally. Recently, Yang Chao has been particularly attentive and proactive in front of her superior, Zhang Yупing, and their relationship has grown closer. Thus, the two of them took the gondola ride together. Zhang Yупing was very excited—she noticed many people on the steps along the gondola's side were gripping the handrails to get a better view of the scenic natural landscape. She felt particularly pleased, as the company had just secured a substantial vehicle purchase payment of 3 million US dollars, which brought her great joy—she simply wanted to enjoy some fresh air. Accompanying her was Yang Chao, the Vice General Manager of Shentong Company. On the railing ahead was Daidemona, wearing a hat and slightly lowering her head, so that Zhang Yупing didn't immediately recognize her. At that moment, the gondola was plunging downward from the mountain, and both women were thrilled. The salty sea breeze and fresh air inspired them to exclaim spontaneously toward the clear blue sky, "What a beauty! San Francisco! I love you!" Daina said it in English, while Zhang Yurong spoke in Mandarin.