Yes, Sun Zhiru had already realized that things were quite bad, and also quite troublesome.
Because he had discovered that Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo, having lost the middle-level managers team, were basically sidelined among the senior managers. After all, those senior managers, though once intimate comrades-in-arms with Zhang Caidong, having experienced the Blood Tax together and resolved the Diesel Company issue as companions,
Now that power had come before them, their past friendship and glory had shattered with the independence of the regime.
Moreover, with over 30 years of experience managing listed companies, Sun Zhiru had realized that the sidelined Zhang Bo and Zhang Caidong now wanted to win him over.
No, it was no longer just wanting to win him over; they genuinely needed to win him over.
“Become a new force to contend with those senior managers?”
Sun Zhiru showed a bitter smile at this moment.
However, with his head bowed, no one could see the expression on his face.
“Mr. Sun Zhiru, your age makes you an elder whom we should respect, but given the current special circumstances, we also have our positions. However, if you can use the knowledge and experience gained from your age to help us, we will not treat you unfairly.” At this moment, Director Zhang Caidong also sincerely spoke, “I am the General Manager, and you are the Deputy General Manager. As long as we two can firmly join hands and successfully complete this negotiation mission with Green Leaf Group, we will leave a better impression on Lord Shen Mu.”
“We all work for Lord Shen Mu. If we can make Deherim better, we must do our utmost, right, Mr. Sun Zhiru?” Zhang Bo also smiled and looked at Sun Zhiru from the side.
However, what they said to Sun Zhiru with smiles on their faces didn't sound like a discussion, but rather a form of coercion.
Cold sweat had already appeared on Sun Zhiru's forehead.
He wasn't foolish.
Of course, he could perceive the situation he was currently facing.
And he had always wanted to lie flat.
He didn't want to get involved in the disputes within Deherim.
He just wanted to be a mascot, a marginal figure who could live a peaceful, healthy, and ordinary life.
But now, the coercion from the two made Sun Zhiru's face grow increasingly grim.
Yet, he couldn't turn hostile.
Because he knew that if he did, he would face extremely cruel retaliation from Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo.
After all, everyone knew their relationship was very good, and now they had personally come to win him over. If he either politely declined or directly refused, it would be seen as ungrateful.
However, relying on his past experience as a General Manager of a listed company, he still showed a helpless expression on his face, nodded, and said, “Director Zhang Caidong and Mage Zhang Bo, I am certainly very happy with your recognition of me. But you also understand that if I were to join you, the situation would become a bit special, and others would look at me strangely. Because, as you know, I have never been keen on power and only wished for a peaceful life.”
“Of course, we understand,” Zhang Caidong nodded at this moment, and at the same time, turned his head to glance at Zhang Bo.
The two exchanged glances.
“Then let’s successfully complete this mission arranged by Lord Shen Mu,” Zhang Bo smiled, nodded to Zhang Caidong, and said nothing more. Instead, he turned his head to look at Sun Zhiru again, “This negotiation with Green Leaf Group will certainly require our full cooperation.”
“Of course, our cooperation is indispensable,” Sun Zhiru also nodded at this moment, “I am merely a few years older; I believe I am not as proficient in specific practical experience as Director Zhang Caidong and Mage Zhang Bo. I will follow your arrangements.”
“That’s good!” Both Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo nodded, saying nothing more.
Because Sun Zhiru had already expressed his attitude: in the upcoming negotiations, everything would be centered around them two, and in reality, primarily around Zhang Bo.
And the meaning of Zhang Bo and Zhang Caidong was also very clear: there was no need to rush to win Sun Zhiru over to their side immediately.
After all, with this cooperation, he would already be labeled as being close to them. Those senior managers would certainly believe that Sun Zhiru was with them; even if not a complete community of interest, he would be an ally.
Moreover, due to the presence of Lord Shen Mu, those senior managers could not be overly arrogant, and Sun Zhiru also had to understand that he was not one with those senior managers; he was a Deputy General Manager who possessed his own small interest group.
If conflicts arose with those senior managers in the future, or if those senior managers wanted to gain more power,
Then these senior managers would certainly target Sun Zhiru.
At that time, they would not let him off just because Sun Zhiru deliberately didn't contend for power and profit.
After all, power is right there, on Sun Zhiru. Just because Sun Zhiru doesn't contend for it, doesn't mean others won't.
The title of Deputy General Manager is quite prestigious.
Even if Sun Zhiru chose to lie flat now and concede all power to others, if he truly wanted to contend for power, the title of Deputy General Manager was still quite powerful.
Therefore, if the senior managers had already dealt with Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo, taking the greatest power into their own hands, they would not let him go either.
After all, when it came time to divide the spoils, why would a juicy piece of cake like the Deputy General Manager be given to Sun Zhiru?
After all, everyone could see now that Shen Mu simply didn't care who among these Blue Star Humans managed whom.
Because Shen Mu only cared about Deherim and the humans in the Spirit World; those were the trump cards of a Spirit World Lord like Shen Mu.
As for Blue Star Humans, they were merely for providing Faith Power.
As long as Faith Power could be continuously supplied, which for Shen Mu meant Faith Power, then Shen Mu wouldn't care about the management system of these Blue Star Humans. After all, if a battle truly occurred, how could these low-level Blue Star Humans possibly contend with those Mount & Blade Soldiers armed to the teeth?
This was also Shen Mu's confidence.
However, as these three left Shen Mu's noble residence and were conversing in Zhang Caidong's Town Area residence, the door was knocked upon at that moment.
‘Knock, knock, knock.’
At this moment, a playful smile suddenly appeared on Zhang Caidong's face, and he turned to look at Zhang Bo beside him: “If I'm not mistaken, it should be those guys from Zhou Mo.”
“In that case, I won't have much to say, after all, Zhou Mo is quite influential now.” Zhang Bo also showed a helpless bitter smile, but as they conversed, one could also hear the confidence in their words.
Because they were still key figures who could personally meet Shen Mu.
Of course, even so, a hint of apprehension appeared in their eyes.
As a Swadian Militia servant walked over and opened the door, he then welcomed the outside guests into the living room.
It was indeed the senior managers, led by Zhou Mo, a total of three people.
“Director Zhang Caidong, Mage Zhang Bo is here too, oh, and Deputy General Manager Sun Zhiru.” Zhou Mo's face bore a faint smile. He entered the living room, bowed slightly, and placed his hand on his chest, expressing his respect: “I just happen to have some matters I need to report to the two General Managers. It’s truly excellent that Mage Zhang Bo is also here.”
Behind Zhou Mo, the other two senior managers who had come with him also gently bowed their heads to express their respect.
This was a salute to the General Manager, Deputy General Manager, and Zhang Bo.
“Please have a seat, we are all brothers.” At that moment, Cai Dong extended his hand, inviting them to sit at the table in the reception room.
Zhou Mo and the other two senior managers were not at all polite, and came to sit opposite Zhang Caidong, subtly creating some distance from Zhang Caidong, Zhang Bo, and Sun Zhiru.
It was as if two factions were sitting at one table.
Of course, this was indeed the case; Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo were already a faction of their own, while those senior managers had subtly put forward Zhou Mo as their spokesperson.
Even if Sun Zhiru had previously chosen to lie flat and seemed to be a small faction on his own, due to the mission arranged by Shen Mu, he had already taken his seat with Zhang Caidong and Zhang Bo, like a small faction huddling together for warmth.
“Since Brother Cai Dong has said so, I will speak frankly.” Zhou Mo, without further ado, immediately began his report: “As you all know, many things happened last night. Of course, the matters concerning Deherim need to be resolved, and we are not directly involved. But what concerns us are the remnants of the Diesel Company and the spies from Green Leaf Group.”
“The remnants of the Diesel Company and the spies from Green Leaf Group.” Zhang Bo gently tapped the table with his hand, frowning slightly: “Indeed, these two matters are troublesome issues that need to be resolved.”
Now, both Shen Mu and the senior managers had actually acknowledged the existence of the Diesel Company's remnants.
For Zhang Bo, the instigator, this was a relatively good definition.
After all, he had merely made up a lie casually before, intending that it wouldn't matter if it was exposed after the grand plan ended. The problem was that the grand plan had already ended, and it had failed, so he had to firmly control the narrative of the Diesel Company's remnants.
If the matter of no Diesel Company remnants were exposed, then Zhang Bo would be in danger.
If the matter of the Diesel Company's operations being exposed were to happen, then Zhang Bo's deception would be revealed, and his intention to stir up trouble in Deherim would be completely exposed.
Even the fact that he himself was a spy for Green Leaf Group might be exposed.
Therefore, Zhang Bo would absolutely not allow anyone to doubt this matter; he had to solidify it.
“And last night, Zhou Mo and our senior manager brothers seemed to have dealt with a group of Diesel Company remnants, right?” At this moment, Zhang Caidong seemed to recall something, and slowly turned to look at Zhang Bo.
As he spoke, his eyes also held a hint of anger.
“That’s right, Brother Zhou Mo was truly decisive. Upon discovering those Diesel Company remnants, he directly eliminated them.” Zhang Bo nodded to Zhang Caidong, while also trying to appease Zhang Caidong, telling him not to be angry.
Zhang Caidong couldn't help but be angry, because that group of middle-level managers could be directly said to have been fostered by him, Zhang Caidong, as his own force. Although they were fostered through Zhang Bo, Zhou Mo's decisive act of slaughtering all of those middle-level managers, leaving none for him,
Already represented the ruthless tactics of Zhou Mo and those senior managers.
This truly made Zhang Caidong angry just thinking about it now.
And it should be known that in the past, Zhang Caidong was known for his ruthless tactics. Now that he had become the Blue Star Human General Manager of Deherim, these senior managers seemed to have forgotten what kind of person Zhang Caidong used to be.
They actually dared to use such methods against him.
“You did very well, Zhou Mo.” Zhang Caidong slowly turned his head, staring intently at Zhou Mo sitting opposite him.
At this moment, Zhou Mo could clearly feel the anger on Zhang Caidong's face, but he still showed a smile and looked directly at Zhang Caidong: “This was a task carried out according to Mr. Zhang Bo’s words. After all, Brother Cai Dong, you wouldn't want us in Deherim to fail to capture those annoying Diesel Company remnants, would you?”
This sentence directly stifled the anger on Zhang Caidong's face.
Because investigating the Diesel Company remnants was originally their most important task. These Blue Star Humans, besides their usual prayers, now began self-inspection and investigation of the Diesel Company remnants, as well as Green Leaf Group spies.
During the attack by the Undead Legion, there were even Diesel Company remnants setting fires in Deherim.
Although they had already extinguished them.
But just thinking about it makes it clear that if they hadn't put out the fire, if it had escalated into a large blaze, a fire disaster,
Most of Deherim's buildings, being wooden, would truly have burned fiercely, turning into a large-scale fire capable of engulfing the entire Town Area.
Forming a disaster.
At that time, the Undead Legion would launch another fierce attack.
Then Deherim would truly enter a state of crisis.
And at that time, the raging fire would also ensure that these Blue Star Humans living in the Town Area would inevitably be unable to escape the fierce blaze, and countless would surely be burned and roasted to death. (End of chapter)
