"Boss, this new owner seems pretty good to us. Not only do we get to eat our fill, but there are also employee benefits. Look at this silver necklace—how exquisite!" The third brother contentedly touched the necklace around his neck.
A pile of fish bones lay beside him, evidence of a recent hearty meal. The silver necklace, adorned with a small wolf robot pendant, was intricately crafted. Nie Yun had generously given each of them one, calling it a "work benefit."
The leader cautiously glanced around to ensure no one was listening before whispering, "You fool! This new boss is an alien. The nicer he is to us, the more it shows he has ulterior motives. We need to stay alert and not be sold out while helping him count the money!"
"Oh, I see. But what do you think he's planning with us?" the third brother asked, scratching his head.
"If I knew what an alien was thinking, would I still be human?" the leader replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Good point!" The third brother chuckled naively.
"Ahem!" A cough from behind startled them.
They quickly turned around to see the new boss smiling warmly at them.
"Boss!" "Boss!" they both stood up hurriedly, respectfully addressing him.
"Good. Are you both full?" Nie Yun asked with a smile.
"Yes... we're full!" The leader couldn't shake the feeling that Nie Yun's smile had a hidden agenda.
"Good, then. Since you're full, I have a task for you. Do you have confidence that you can complete it?"
You haven't even told us what it is. How can we be confident?
"Yes!" The two of them straightened up and answered in unison with resolute voices.
"Excellent. I've prepared communication tools and a ship for you. You can set off as soon as you collect them. As for the task, I'll inform you step by step."
"Yes, boss!"
Nie Yun nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
"Uh, boss?" The leader hesitated before speaking.
"Yes? What is it?" Nie Yun turned back to look at him.
"Um... Aren't you worried about us? Aren't you afraid we might run off?" the leader asked boldly.
"Of course, I'm not worried. I believe in employing those I trust and not doubting those I employ. I have complete confidence in you!" Nie Yun waved his hand grandly.
The leader was deeply moved by these words, feeling a surge of loyalty towards this new boss.
"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention something." Nie Yun's lips curled into a smirk as he snapped his fingers.
Not far away, four small wolf robots carried a bust sculpture and placed it in front of them. This type of sculpture was commonly used as a model for drawing practice and was quite common in the outside world. Nie Yun then produced a necklace identical to the ones around their necks and placed it on the sculpture.
The two men looked at Nie Yun in confusion.
"You see this? This is the necklace, and this is a model!" Nie Yun explained, pointing at the sculpture with a silver pointer.
The two nodded like pecking chickens.
"There are three conditions:
Condition 1: Do not remove the necklace without permission.
Condition 2: Do not reveal any information about this place.
Condition 3: Do not do anything to displease me.
If any of these three conditions are violated..."
As soon as Nie Yun finished speaking, the eyes of the little wolf on the necklace suddenly glowed red. With a swift clattering sound, the necklace tightened rapidly, and with a "snap," the sculpture's neck was shattered into pieces.
The two men stared wide-eyed at the sculpture's head rolling on the ground.
"Gulp!" Two distinct swallowing sounds echoed.
This was some high-tech death trap!
Have you ever experienced the feeling of a knife being held against your neck? Well, perhaps you have. But have you ever experienced the feeling of a knife being held against your neck every second of the day? These two poor souls unfortunately did.
So this is how much you trust us?!
Give back the feelings of loyalty I just had, you scoundrel!
...
Meanwhile, as Nie Yun was training his new subordinates, Xia City was in turmoil, with several significant events unfolding as the yacht kidnapping case continued to ferment.
The first event was the exposure of Chu Xiaoxiao's second kidnapping, this time involving foreign mercenaries. Even more shocking was the discovery of a dead man connected to Han Yi, the young master of the Riyao Group, which put the group in the spotlight. The police visited repeatedly for investigation.
With the two heavyweight corporations in Xia City clashing, and the case involving dozens of casualties, the media swarmed like sharks smelling blood, each vying for an exclusive report.
Yet, all the uproar gradually subsided as the Riyao Group maneuvered within political and business circles, silencing even the media. The police announced they were halting the investigation due to insufficient evidence, and the matter was left unresolved.
It was clear that Riyao Group's deep-rooted influence was on full display, and although the price they paid was unknown, it was evident that the younger Chu Group was still no match for them in such matters.
The second event was the Chu Group's high-profile announcement of its entry into the ocean trade industry, directly competing with the core business of the Riyao Group, further escalating tensions between the two companies.
The third event was the appearance of several 17th-century gold coins on the market, exciting many collectors. Even enthusiasts from Europe and America were drawn in, with auction prices reaching up to three million yuan. This caused quite a stir in Xia City's antique market, though it didn't generate as much attention as the previous two events.
There were also rumors that the Chu Group had discovered a massive treasure trove at sea, and these coins were part of the loot. Some even speculated that Chu Xiaoxiao was targeted for kidnapping because of this treasure. However, such gossip was mostly dismissed.
...
In the Imperial Tower, the headquarters of Riyao Group.
"Yi'er, you handled this matter too carelessly!" A middle-aged man with graying hair but sharp eyes spoke sternly to Han Yi, who stood respectfully before him. This was Han Xiangsheng, the chairman of Riyao Group.
"Father! It was my oversight this time. I didn't expect that idiot, A-Feng, to be so incompetent. Not only did he fail to capture the target, but he also got himself killed, implicating our Riyao Group in the process! I'd kill him again if I could!" Han Yi gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Let it go. There's something strange about this case, so I can't blame you entirely. From what I've learned from the police, there are some peculiarities. We should refrain from making any big moves for now and watch how things unfold," Han Xiangsheng said, rubbing his temples in fatigue. They had mobilized considerable resources and paid a hefty price to suppress the incident.
"Father, what exactly happened? A-Feng wasn't the type to act rashly. He wouldn't have shown up unless he was confident of success, and yet the entire mercenary team was wiped out. What went wrong?" Han Yi asked, still unwilling to let it go.
"The police have no clues either. Although Chu Xiaoxiao and the surviving bodyguard claim that pirates intervened in a firefight, allowing them to escape, there are too many inconsistencies. Pirates? Hah! Where around Rabbit Nation would you find a significant pirate force?
Even stranger, the battle marks on that yacht suggest that a powerful unit used a substantial amount of artillery to annihilate those mercenaries with overwhelming force. The only entity around here capable of deploying such firepower is... the military."
"What?!" Han Yi gasped.
"Are you suggesting the military was involved in this? Impossible! I've never heard of the Chu Group having any ties with the military."
"That's why I said this matter is odd. Until we understand whether the Chu family has any backers, we shouldn't make any more moves against them."
"But the Chu Group is now openly competing with us for the ocean trade market. We've seen what those women are capable of, and if this competition continues, we'll lose a significant share of the market!" Han Yi protested.
"Humph! Don't worry. I've already been working on countermeasures. The Chu Group is just an upstart. How could they understand the depth of Riyao's influence? I've contacted several major suppliers to cut off their supply channels. Additionally, I've arranged for customs to delay their import-export certifications, which should slow their progress."
"As expected of you, Father! Brilliant!"
"Yes. Now, with all the attention outside, you need to keep a low profile. There are already voices of dissent within the family, expressing dissatisfaction with you."
"Understood. I'll be careful," Han Yi said submissively, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Chu Group! This isn't over!