161: Chapter 161 I only want money, but they want to risk their lives.
Special Envoy's expression stiffened. It was clear he hadn't expected the other party to be so well-informed, or perhaps, the other party simply didn't take that so-called "secret" seriously at all.
"Since Mr. Ye is a smart man, I'll get straight to the point." Special Envoy straightened his posture, regaining some of the professional competence befitting an envoy.
He pulled a document from his briefcase but didn't hand it to Ye Liangchen. Instead, he kept it under his hand, as if weighing a bargaining chip.
"Enforcement Elder Ling Xiaozi is not dead, nor has he fled the country." Special Envoy stared into Ye Liangchen's eyes, trying to catch even the slightest hint of panic. "He went to the capital. Right now, he is an honored guest of the Ji Family."
"The Ji Family?" Ye Liangchen raised an eyebrow, picked up the cigar cutter on the table, and with a click, clipped the end of his cigar. "Oh, the ancient martial arts family that claims a two-thousand-year heritage? I heard their ancestor is still alive?"
Special Envoy frowned, his tone sharpening. "Mr. Ye, do not underestimate the Ji Family. They hold three seats on the Supreme Council, and they have their people in the military as well."
"Enforcement Elder Ling Xiaozi has accused Ghost Group of using 'sorcery' to bewitch the Seven Great Sects, plundering resources, and even hoarding prohibited weapons of mass destruction."
"The Ji Family is currently uniting with the Long Family, preparing to submit a proposal at next week's council meeting to designate Ghost Group as a 'terrorist organization' and impose sanctions."
If it were an ordinary businessman, hearing those four words, "terrorist organization," would likely have scared them senseless. This was the sanction of the state machine, meaning frozen assets, wanted notices, and even military encirclement.
But Ye Liangchen simply lowered his head to light his cigar, took a deep drag, and exhaled a perfect smoke ring.
"A terrorist organization? That's a bit of an oversized hat to force onto me." Ye Liangchen laughed, a cold laugh. "I pay salaries to tens of thousands of people, pay hundreds of billions in taxes to Magic City, helped you quell beast tides, and incidentally turned those parasitic sect members who didn't engage in production into glorious taxpayers. And yet, you call this a terrorist organization?"
He leaned forward, radiating a sense of oppression. "Special Envoy, do you believe that if I just snap my fingers, Ghost Pay will stop its services, and the entire financial system of Jiangnan will collapse within ten minutes?"
"The entire supply chain for medicinal pills will be severed, and the warriors on the front lines will have no healing medicine to use? When that happens, who will be the real terrorist?"
The vein on Special Envoy's forehead throbbed. This was a threat! A naked, blatant threat! But he couldn't refute it. Because the current scale of Ghost Group was so massive that it had become "too big to fail."
"That is why I am here." Special Envoy took a deep breath and pushed the document he had been holding down toward him. "While there are diehards like the Ji Family at the top, there are also people who understand the situation. We do not want to see internal strife, especially now, when the global situation is so unstable."
Ye Liangchen didn't reach for the document, merely gesturing with his chin. "Get to the point. I don't like reading all that bureaucratic nonsense; it gives me a headache."
"National Scholar Program." Special Envoy uttered the four words, his expression becoming solemn. "The state is preparing to establish a special department, independent of the military and the council, reporting directly to the Supreme Leader. We need to assemble the nation's top forces to deal with the potential... Super S-class crises that may emerge in the future."
He paused, then cast out the final bait. "If you join, the state will award you the 'National Scholar' medal, with the privileges of a Lieutenant General. All of Ghost Group's industries will receive 'franchise rights,' and we will help you suppress the Ji Family's proposal. Furthermore, we can even help you capture Enforcement Elder Ling Xiaozi."
This was an offer of amnesty. It was also a transaction. Using a legitimate, supreme status in exchange for Ghost Group—this sharp blade—to be used by the state. Special Envoy felt that no one could refuse such a condition. For a businessman, this was the ultimate achievement of going legit and bringing honor to one's ancestors.
Ye Liangchen stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the masses below. "National Scholar? Lieutenant General?" There was a hint of amusement in Ye Liangchen's voice. "Special Envoy, do you think I lack such empty titles? What I want has never been power, let alone some medal."
"Then what do you want?" Special Envoy was getting anxious.
"What I want is..." Ye Liangchen extended his hand, making a gripping motion in the void, as if to hold the entire world in his palm. "Efficiency. Ultimate efficiency. The way this world runs is too inefficient, filled with meaningless internal strife and foolish struggles. I want to transform this world into a massive, precise, and efficient factory. And I am the only factory manager."
He turned around, his back to the light, his expression blurry, yet exuding a heart-stopping arrogance. "As for the Ji Family? If they want to play, I'll play along. Since they like engaging in political speculation, I will use the iron fist of capital to teach them what 'dimensional reduction strike' means."
Special Envoy was stunned by these words. This person was either a madman or a genius. Or perhaps, a combination of both. "Mr. Ye, are you rejecting the state's goodwill?" Special Envoy's face darkened. "No matter how strong you are, you cannot fight against the entire state machine."
"No, no, no, Special Envoy, you misunderstand." Ye Liangchen's expression changed instantly; that arrogance vanished, and he became the shrewd businessman again, smiling like a fox. "I am a law-abiding citizen; how could I reject the state's call? It's just that..." He pushed the document back.
"I can't sign this document." "Why?" Special Envoy was stunned.
Ye Liangchen shrugged, spreading his hands with an innocent face. "Because I'm just an employee. How would I have the authority to make decisions on such a big matter? I'm just a senior manager, earning a fixed salary every month, and I have to act according to my boss's mood. What if the boss gets unhappy and deducts my performance bonus?"
Special Envoy felt his brain wasn't working fast enough. The entire Magic City—no, the entire Dragon Kingdom knew that Ye Liangchen was the emperor of Ghost Group, an overlord whose word was law. Now you're telling me you're just an employee? Who the hell would believe that!
"Mr. Ye, this joke is not funny at all." Special Envoy said, gritting his teeth.
"I never joke." Ye Liangchen adjusted his tie, his face revealing a near-pious reverence. "My boss is the true helmsman of this giant ship. Everything I do is merely executing his will."
He checked his watch. "Calculating the time, the boss should be out of class by now. Oh right, he has an exam on 'Basic Principles of Marxism-Leninism' today; I wonder how he did."
Special Envoy: "???" Out of class? An exam?
Before Special Envoy could react, the heavy mahogany door of the office was pushed open. There was no imposing BGM, nor any earth-shattering aura.
A young man walked in, wearing a baggy tracksuit, carrying a backpack, and sucking on a lollipop. He looked exactly like a freshman who had just returned from fighting for food in the university canteen, with "I want to slack off" written all over his face.
As he walked, he was sending a voice message on his phone: "Oh, Old Wang, I told you not to send me that school beauty pageant stuff; if I had that free time, I'd rather go grind a few more monsters in the dungeon... Oh? Do we have a guest?"
Ye Liangchen—that business emperor who was just now arrogant enough to disregard even the Ji Family—now stood as straight as a primary school student meeting a dean, and quickly stepped forward to greet him.
He bent down, took the young man's backpack, and spoke in a tone so respectful that it made Special Envoy question reality: "Boss, you're here. You must be exhausted, right? Should I have Leng Yue massage your shoulders?"
Special Envoy watched this scene, dumbfounded. The teacup in his hand clattered onto the table, and he didn't even notice when the scalding hot coffee spilled all over his pants. This harmless-looking student... was the true mastermind behind Ghost Group?!