Miss Tianyu's lack of response indicated that the torment had essentially achieved its purpose thus far.
Oppression often begets resistance; Jonas's actions served to awaken the dormant seeds of revenge within Miss Tianyu's heart, prompting them to sprout prematurely.
Without today's events, Miss Tianyu might have taken a long time to recover from her desolate state, let alone regroup... the timing of which remains uncertain.
Jonas's appropriately applied pressure will also serve as motivation for Miss Tianyu, compelling her to swiftly emerge from the shadow of failure.
While there is a possibility of Miss Tianyu's mental breakdown due to excessive pressure, it seems highly unlikely at present.
Miss Tianyu is not as fragile as others might imagine, and this resilience is precisely why she is an indispensable part of the original protagonist group.
With a reason for revenge and the impetus to act, it only takes a catalyst for Miss Tianyu to find a way to escape.
At that moment, the wheels of fate would turn anew, and the people and events that had been missed would be reignited.
Since it is unclear whether there is a way to prevent the original plot from unfolding, it's better to go with the flow and make some adjustments within the realm of possibility.
Take Miss Tianyu, for example; on the surface, it appears that she has been implanted with a sexual companion chip, but in reality... who knows what it's really meant to conceal?
Watching Miss Tianyu, limp and unconscious on the bed, Jonas shook his head gently before rising and walking towards the door.
With the objective achieved, there was no need to linger any longer.
Just minutes after Jonas left, strange phenomena occurred in the ward, despite Miss Tianyu still being unconscious.
The water glass on the table began to tremble, creating ripples on the surface, and even the vase shook along with it.
Yet, the instigator of all this remained oblivious, still in a state of unconsciousness.
As for whether Jonas was in control of all that happened in the ward...
Who knows?
................
In a sense, with Miss Tianyu resolved, the cruise ship incident could be considered concluded.
Everything was gradually returning to normal, such as Jonas's initial plan to recruit new employees.
Due to the lack of independent development capabilities under Jonas's name, and even fewer independently developed projects, most money-making ventures depended on others' approval. Thus, Jonas had long entertained the idea of recruiting a few individuals from the original protagonist's team in advance.
Unlike before, where only combat-capable characters were sought, this time, those with research and development skills were truly valuable.
The projects these individuals initially developed might not necessarily be profitable, but overall, Jonas would definitely not lose out.
Moreover, industrial transformation was a lengthy process. By the time these people he recruited completed their projects, it would be time to turn losses into gains.
Just like the Miss Yudora Ray whom Jonas had entrusted Eiffel to find, she had exceptional talent in bioengineering. She was one of the key individuals Jonas needed to find in the short term.
In the original timeline, she developed a bioactive agent that temporarily increased brain activity... This agent not only relieved fatigue and enhanced memory and mental abilities but also stimulated psychic energy within the body.
The earlier ones might not have had much impact, considering there were many alternatives on the market. However, the last one... being able to stimulate psychic energy alone was enough to sweep through the entire District 25 and become a new trend.
In the original plot, Miss Yudora Ray made a splendid comeback with that bioactive agent and, with the funds, subsequently developed many products capable of changing the ecology of District 25.
So, why could the original protagonist topple so many conglomerates with just a private organization with nothing much? Largely because the people around the protagonist were so extraordinary.
In the mid-game, in order to ensure the smooth development of the plot, the planners not only arranged many extraordinary characters as new targets but also greatly weakened the role the original antagonists could play.
The conglomerates that used to pounce on talent like starving wolves now seemed to have gone on a hunger strike, turning a blind eye to all the up-and-coming talents.
This was evident from the recent recruitment drive by the Alt Corp. Despite the attractive conditions Jonas offered, which even met the standards of some top conglomerates, he failed to attract any real talent.
The conglomerates, seeking a foothold in the transformation, should have extended an olive branch to these talents at the first opportunity, but in reality, they intermittently turned a deaf ear, allowing the original protagonist to take the lead.
This also led to the tragic dissolution of District 25 later in the plot.
"Although my suggestion is to directly extend an invitation to Miss Yudora Ray, if you wish to play a bit more, I have no reason to stop you," Eiffel's voice was cold yet calm, as if stating the obvious.
Although it was unclear why Jonas was going the extra mile, in terms of selecting employees and cultivating loyalty, the other party's level was indeed far above hers.
"Loyalty obtained through credit points will never last long, especially since we are not exactly providing charity at the moment," Jonas chuckled, then continued, "So, what do you plan to do?"
It was now time for Miss Eiffel to humbly seek advice again.
"Since Miss Yudora Ray's situation has not yet reached the point where she needs charity, why not extend a helping hand...?"
"Isn't it often the case that a helping hand extended in adversity is the one that people remember?" Jonas's words were casual, but Eiffel understood the meaning behind them.
Even though they hadn't met, the young lady still began to mourn for Miss Yudora Ray.