310: Very good "volunteer"

Red Wine’s tone carried a hint of deeper meaning, “The company recently launched a special research project that requires a group of qualified volunteers.”

Wilson swallowed nervously: “Volunteers? What research project?”

Red Wine smiled slightly: “Specific details are company confidential. I can only tell you that participating in this project might give you a chance to atone for your sins.”

At this point, Red Wine’s thoughts drifted back a few days.

He was then handling the routine internal review of the Prison Planet Management Department and discovered that a certain supervisor’s secret account contained a sum far exceeding his legitimate income.

Following the clues, he found that this person was selling a large number of incarceration slots at prices far below market value.

“Supervisor Shi Pin,” Red Wine said, walking into the office with two security personnel, his voice cold, “You are suspected of illegally selling Prison Planet incarceration slots and are now suspended for investigation.”

Shi Pin’s face instantly turned pale, and he almost fell off his chair: “Mr. Red Wine, this, this must be some misunderstanding…”

Red Wine coldly threw a stack of data reports, hitting him in the face: “In the past six months, you illegally sold fifty-five Prison Planet incarceration slots at a price of twenty million credit points per slot. The company’s standard price is at least one hundred million credit points. What is your explanation for this?”

The supervisor trembled, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead: “I… I just wanted to help those plaintiffs who couldn’t afford it. You know, some families are really struggling. They just want to vent their anger, and they can’t go bankrupt because of this…”

“Help?” Red Wine sneered, full of disdain, “You personally profited five million credit points from each slot, and your accomplices shared the rest. You personally illegally profited nearly three hundred million credit points in total.”

“Is this what you call helping?”

“And that’s not all. According to our investigation, you are also suspected of delivering illicit items to prisoners’ families, passing unvetted information from prisoners to the outside world, and even providing special treatment to certain special prisoners.”

“You really have some nerve!”

Shi Pin’s face grew even paler: “Those… those were just small favors. Families wanted to send some daily necessities to their relatives, and prisoners wanted to send messages of safety to their families… Yes, that’s right.”

Red Wine’s eyes grew colder: “Small favors? The Prison Planet holds hardened criminals serving life sentences; they deserve to rot in this cage.”

“These scumbags aren’t thinking about repentance, but how to escape.”

“And you, taking advantage of your position, provided convenience to those attempting to challenge the company’s authority. How many dangerous items flowed into the Prison Planet through your channels? How much illicit information was transmitted through you?”

Shi Pin trembled in excuse: “But… but nothing ever went wrong. I was just being accommodating…”

“Nothing went wrong?” Red Wine’s voice began to carry a hint of murderous intent, “That’s because the company’s security system is strong enough! Not because you did it flawlessly!”

“That’s only because the environment outside is impossible to survive in, because they can’t get a spaceship that can enter and exit the Prison Planet!”

He approached Shi Pin, lowering his voice: “Do you know how many forces are eyeing the Prison Planet?”

Red Wine looked directly into Shi Pin’s eyes: “And you, relying on the fact that no prison breaks have ever occurred on the Prison Planet, brazenly accepted bribes and provided various ‘conveniences.’ Do you really think the company knows nothing?”

Shi Pin completely slumped in his chair, speechless.

“Take him to the interrogation room.” Red Wine gestured to the security personnel: “I want to know every single detail.”

Currently, the company has over 500,000 official employees and more than 200,000 contract workers. As the saying goes, a big forest has all kinds of birds. With so many people, even with AI conducting daily reviews and regulations, it’s hard to guarantee that some ‘anthropomorphic’ creatures won’t appear.

The Market Development Department, therefore, gained an additional task: catching rats.

Just as Red Wine was examining the criminal evidence in Shi Pin’s safe, his personal terminal suddenly received an encrypted communication request. The caller ID showed “Agent – Si She.” Seeing it was his superior’s call, Red Wine immediately connected.

“Boss Si She.”

“Red Wine,” Si She’s steady voice came from the other end of the communication, “There’s an urgent mission that requires your attention. The Technology Research and Development Department has launched a new research project, and we’ve received an assistance directive from the Strategic Investment Department, requiring help in finding a group of qualified volunteers.”

Red Wine immediately responded: “Understood. What are the specific requirements?”

Si She sent a document: “The basic requirements have been sent to you. Generally, we need volunteers who are healthy, mentally stable, and have a certain level of education, aged 10 and above, preferably covering all age groups.”

“Most importantly, we need a large number. Can the Prison Planet meet the criteria?”

Red Wine quickly scanned the document, his brow slightly furrowed: “If we follow these requirements, there might not be many qualified prisoners on the Prison Planet.”

“Although these guys aren’t unintelligent, most of them are vicious terrorists or hardened criminals, and their mental states are not very stable.”

“Hmm…” Si She had a headache: “That’s a bit troublesome. We can’t just go and catch them, can we?”

“How about we apply to the higher-ups to find a solution on Barnard I?”

Red Wine suddenly remembered something: “Wait, Boss, I was just handling a case and found that Skyreach City sent 359 prisoners at once; maybe they can solve the problem.”

He opened the list and files of prisoners sent by Skyreach City, his eyes gradually lighting up: “Excellent! These people happen to meet the requirements! Reasonable age distribution, most have higher education backgrounds, and good physical health…”

Si She asked with interest: “Skyreach City? Those turkey farmers the company keeps?”

“Precisely,” Red Wine said excitedly, “And I just investigated; most of these people’s charges are fabricated. Although there are indeed many crimes, it’s impossible for them to be severe enough to warrant a life sentence.”

“Strictly speaking, they are victims of political struggle, not some vicious criminals.”

“Of course, according to the preliminary investigation, except for a few, the rest aren’t good people either.”

“This is indeed good news.” Si She pondered for a moment: “But you must ensure they volunteer for the project; no coercion. The Technology Research and Development Department needs cooperative volunteers, not biting lab rats.”

“Understood, Boss.” Red Wine immediately had an idea: “I have a plan. Since they were wronged, we can give them a chance to make amends.”

“Participating in the research project, if they perform well, they can get a chance for a reduced sentence or even a retrial. As for whether they can survive until then, that’s not our concern.”

Si She approved: “That’s a good idea. It solves the Technology Research and Development Department’s volunteer needs and gives these people hope.”

“Maintain a good balance; make them willing and grateful to the company.”

“Understood,” Red Wine said confidently, “I will handle this matter.”

After ending the communication, Red Wine immediately began to formulate a detailed plan. He first retrieved the detailed files of everyone in the Wilson faction, carefully studying each person’s background and characteristics.

“Although Wilson himself embezzled public funds, he is indeed a highly educated talent, once a professor at a well-known university…”

“His younger brother, Robert, is an Engineer with rich experience in the construction field…”

“Several young subordinates are all professionals in the field of technology…”

“Perfect.” Red Wine became more and more satisfied as he looked: “These people are simply volunteers tailor-made for the Technology Research and Development Department’s project!”