the group had already arrived at the restaurant, selected their seats, and were waiting for dinner to be served.
Before this, they continued the conversation they had left off.
"Maids? Does the boss think these maids are not charming enough and want to replace them?"
"Looks like the boss really has grown up, his hormones are at play, and now, facing physiological challenges, he needs beautiful and captivating maids?"
Monica sneered at Zhao Lun.
Angela, Nicole, Penelope, and Maria also looked at Zhao Lun with suspicion.
"Put away your filthy thoughts, slandering your boss will be punished. I don't mind playing the villain and engaging in bondage art for someone who is expecting it. If anyone wants to try, they can come to me privately."
"Cough, back to the topic, how much do you know about the maids in the manor?"
They lived in the manor, and the selection of maids had to be strict. Not only did they need to have the skills of a maid, but their backgrounds also had to be clean, loyal to the manor, and serve it well.
Nicole and the others, who lived in the manor, had to gather information on these maids to ensure they didn't pose any danger to the manor. They also had to manage them well, rewarding and punishing them fairly to maintain loyalty to the manor, ensuring the servants would continue to serve it.
Up until now, they had done well, and the servants in the manor had been conscientious. However, as the tree grows tall, it attracts the wind. Now, some problems had started to emerge.
For some time, they had been in charge of managing the manor, and they might continue to do so in the future. For safety's sake, Zhao Lun had to re-assess their management capabilities.
"Are you talking about Emily?"
Nicole and the others, as expected, did not disappoint Zhao Lun. After a brief thought, they immediately understood his intent. With a flick of the hand, a holographic projection appeared before them. A folder opened, revealing a video file. The file was marked with a cautionary symbol, and the person in question was Emily, whom they had encountered before.
The photo looked different from the person they had seen at the manor. The previous Emily seemed harmless, with a rigid yet sensual beauty that matched her maid role.
The photo showed a woman in simple, active attire, wearing leather boots with a row of small components on her legs. She held two modified black Berettas, exuding a confident and bold demeanor. The contrast between this image and the one they had seen earlier was striking.
Two different auras—one was rigid, tinged with serious, contradictory sensuality, and the other was bold, cool, and fierce, no less wild than a man.
"Yes, how well do you know her and the other maids?"
"Boss, there are thirty maids in the manor. The longest-serving ones have been here for twenty-one years, while the nine newcomers arrived more recently."
They opened the folder, and holographic images of the maids appeared, all dressed in the manor's maid uniform. The fashionably designed attire enhanced their beauty, making them even more enchanting.
Alongside these images were some text descriptions, indicating their age, background, and work history.
This wasn't what pleased him most; what did, was the fact that in front of him appeared thirty beautiful maids, a sight that sometimes made him feel proud and deeply satisfied.
Zhao Lun casually clicked on one of the profiles and watched. After a brief moment, he looked up and praised, "Hmm, nice, the information is detailed, and there are no issues with these individuals."
He then clicked on the projection marked with the cautionary symbol, which quickly sharpened into focus. The image before him was of the maid Emily he had seen outside. Unlike the others, whose profiles were safe, hers was full of warning signs, indicating a need for caution.
Zhao Lun reviewed the information: Emily Julie, Swarovski was indeed a "real" yet false name.
The real part was that this identity was legitimate in official records, and she had some "real" history proving she had a clean background and was absolutely trustworthy.
The false part was that, although the records looked legitimate, they were fabricated—an identity so carefully constructed that even when real, it wouldn't stand up to deep scrutiny.
However, ordinary people couldn't uncover her true identity. Nicole and the others had used the smart butler, Athena, to infiltrate and gather relevant information.
"This is her true identity: Jane Julie."
"She has multiple identities, including being an agent, a killer, and occasionally working in more normal roles... It took a lot of effort to uncover this information. It wasn't easy."
The hidden details of Jane's background were indeed complicated, making her hard to track. The fact they had uncovered so much showed just how dedicated they were.
"Is that so? Then are you sure about her purpose here?"
"This could be interesting."
"What do you mean?"
"She's on the run! Escaping from revenge."
"Doesn't she have anyone, any organization?"
"She only works for money, helping whoever pays her. In other words, she works solo... Now, she's facing a problem and had to hide here temporarily."
"So, she's using our help to escape danger?"
"Yes."
"That's not good; it's too easy for her. Hmm, she'll have to pay for it."
Having confirmed their management skills, Zhao Lun felt reassured. He tapped the projection, and it quickly shrank before disappearing. With the light fading, the room returned to normal. The food was served, and its aroma filled the air. This time, everyone ate quietly, unlike the boisterous lunch.
Soon, Zhao Lun felt the atmosphere had become overly quiet. The women, who were usually more lively, were now deeply focused on their food.
"What's going on? You're not usually like this."
"It's nothing. We were just thinking about the life of the poor in Nikola City. It made us realize how we should truly cherish the food we have."
"Uh, feel free."
The poverty of Nikola City had left the deepest impact on Zhao Lun and the others. The people there lived in a world of garbage, surrounded by the stench of decaying waste. The residents had become numb to it, struggling daily for a few coins to buy two black loaves of bread.
Zhao Lun had tasted the black bread and, after one daring try, dared not attempt it again, fearing it might ruin his appetite.
The disparity between the rich and poor in Nikola City was stark. The nobility lived like royalty, while the poor toiled like dogs, unable to even earn enough for a decent meal. For Zhao Lun, the simple black bread they ate daily was a luxury for these poor people.
This was nothing like Anna's home. The people in her small town, though once trapped and facing death at any moment, had a good life. Food was never in shortage, and although the daily milk was excessive, it was a rare treat. The livestock were well-fed, ensuring that they could have meat from time to time, improving their diet.
Zhao Lun reflected that perhaps this was the reason the townspeople were willing to face death rather than escape.
Pushing aside the chaotic thoughts, he focused on savoring the meal.
The next day, he dealt with the tasks he had neglected over the past few days.
In the office, Monica entered with a pile of invitations.
"Boss, there are some invitations. Do you want to attend?"
"These many? Let me take a look."
Zhao Lun was surprised by the pile of invitations. After a brief pause, he took them and began to sift through them.
"Just these two."
After a while, Zhao Lun selected two invitations, dismissing the rest and handing them back to Monica, asking her to arrange for someone from the company to respond. (To be continued...)