Chapter 172 150,000, I'll take the person and the factory!

The conference room fell silent.

Director Li, who was just about to continue airing his grievances, froze.

The hand holding his teacup stopped in mid-air.

His eyes darted back and forth between Director Sun and Lin Xi, his brain momentarily buffering.

"Manager Lin? Not Secretary Lin?"

Why would a director from the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building Industry ask for the opinion of such a young man?

Director Li looked at Lin Xi with confusion.

Lin Xi closed his black notebook and placed it on the table.

He slowly screwed the cap onto his fountain pen, making a crisp "click" sound.

Then, he looked up.

His eyes, which had been as calm as still water, were now sharp and piercing.

His aura was fully unleashed.

That kind of calm, composed sense of oppression was something a mere secretary could never fake.

In the livestream chat, the background music seemed to change:

【It's here! The Dragon King's smirk moment!】

【High energy ahead! Non-combatants please evacuate!】

【CEO Lin: Next, I'm going to start acting... wait, no, I'm going to start showing off my real skills!】

"Director Li."

Lin Xi's voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly throughout the conference room,

"May I ask, is this what you call attracting foreign investment?"

Director Li instinctively straightened up and said with a hint of guilt:

"This... this can solve the debt problem..."

"This is not called attracting foreign investment; this is called selling off ancestral property."

Lin Xi stood up and walked over to the wall where the map of Haiwei City was hanging, pointing his finger at the location of the fishing gear factory,

"120,000 to buy out the livelihoods of several generations of workers."

"To buy out the future of the fishing gear industry in a coastal city."

"The Japanese have calculated this well."

Lin Xi turned to look at him,

"They don't just want the warehouse."

"They want to uproot our industry entirely."

"Leaving us only to serve as their dumping ground forever."

"Once the skilled workers are scattered, even if the city wants to revive the fishing gear industry in the future, there will be no one left."

"Director Li, have you calculated this cost?"

Beads of sweat seeped onto Director Li's forehead.

He felt pressured in front of this young man.

"Then... what should we do?"

Director Li said, sounding somewhat lacking in confidence,

"We can't just watch everyone starve, right?"

Lin Xi walked back to the table and held up one finger.

"We will contract it for ten years."

"I will pay 150,000 for the land rent."

"Paid in full at once, without needing any guarantees from the city."

The teacup in Director Li's hand wobbled.

150,000! That was 30,000 more than the Japanese!

This was a huge sum of money.

It crushed the Japanese's offer into dust purely on price!

Before Director Li could recover from his shock,

Lin Xi dropped a second bombshell.

He turned his head and looked at Chen Guangwei, who was huddled in the corner.

"Besides, I won't lay off a single one of those hundred-plus workers."

"Everyone will be retained, and their wages will be paid as usual."

Lin Xi's voice became a bit softer, but even more firm,

"And, as long as they pass the assessment,"

"Everyone will receive a one-grade wage increase according to our standards."

"What I value is the craftsmanship of these veteran masters."

"If machines are gone, we can buy new ones; if the factory building is old, we can repair it."

"But if the people's hearts are scattered and the team is gone, then truly, everything is lost."

"Thump!"

Chen Guangwei suddenly looked up, and tears could no longer be held back, streaming down his face.

This man, who had been struggling in a desperate situation for so long.

At this moment, looking at Lin Xi, he felt as if he saw hope.

Everyone retained! A one-grade raise for all!

This wasn't someone coming to do business; this was someone coming to save their lives!

Director Li sat in his chair, his mouth slightly open, his heart pounding violently.

The debt was cleared, the workers were saved, and there was even a surplus in the budget.

This was simply a windfall from heaven!

But... years of bureaucratic instinct left him with one last shred of concern.

"Manager... Manager Lin."

Director Li's form of address had changed, carrying a sense of awe,

"I have nothing to say about these conditions, but..."

"But the city has a quota task for attracting foreign investment this year."

"If I give this to you, then that Yamashita Trading Company..."

"Foreign investment quota?"

Director Sun, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly laughed.

He picked up his teacup and blew away the tea leaves.

"Director Li, why are you attracting foreign investment?"

"Isn't it just to earn foreign exchange?"

Director Sun pointed at Lin Xi, his tone carrying a hint of teasing,

"If you are worried about the foreign exchange quota, then you have truly found the right person."

"The person sitting in front of you, his export foreign exchange earnings last year..."

Director Sun paused and held up four fingers.

"Over 40 million... US dollars."

"Clatter."

The lid of the teacup in Director Li's hand fell onto the table.

Forty... over 40 million... US dollars?!

A buzzing sound filled Director Li's head.

How much was the entire Haiwei City's annual export foreign exchange earnings?

A few hundred thousand US dollars at most!

The young man in front of him had the combat power of an entire division all by himself!

"I don't need to attract foreign investment."

"Because I am here to earn US dollars myself."

At this moment, all doubts and all hesitation,

In the face of absolute strength, vanished into thin air.

The livestream chat was already flooded with exclamation marks:

【I knew this scene would happen! So satisfying!!】

【Director Li's CPU has burnt out, currently rebooting...】

【What Japanese trading company? They are all little brothers in front of CEO Lin!】

【Lin Xi: Let me ask you, is this foreign currency hard enough? Is it enough to back you up?!】

Director Li stood up abruptly, not even bothering to wipe the tea off his hands.

He grabbed Lin Xi's hand, so excited he was incoherent.

"Do it! Do it!"

"We'll do exactly as Manager Lin says!"

"To hell with that Yamashita Trading Company!"

"I'll have someone reject them right now!"

"As long as Red Star Technology is willing to come, never mind the fishing gear factory."

"I'll even clear out the Investment Promotion Bureau building for you!"

Lin Xi let Director Li hold his hand, a faint smile appearing on his face.

The situation was settled.

But he was not carried away by the enthusiastic atmosphere.

Just as Director Li was preparing to call his secretary to draft the contract,

Lin Xi added a sentence, seemingly casually.

"Director Li, there is one more small request."