176: Tough Choices

"I'll go to his office right now to check," Zhao Zhide replied.

Xu Ning nodded, "If he is there, please be sure to bring him. Tell him I have something very important to discuss with him."

"Understood," Zhao Zhide responded and left.

Meanwhile, the Security Chief did not go home but stayed alone in his office, smoking cigarette after cigarette, seemingly trying to dispel the confusion in his heart with the smoke.

The cigarette in his hand was about to burn down to his fingertips, but he seemed oblivious, just sitting there blankly.

Malyshev's fate weighed heavily on him, but as the workshop director, he knew he had to tell every worker the truth.

According to the instructions from above, the place must be empty within two days, otherwise the consequences would be unthinkable.

The Security Chief's wrinkled face looked even more melancholy.

He felt that the situation was abnormal; they said it was to be converted into a pig farm, but why was there such an emphasis on the urgency of personnel evacuation, as if this pig farm didn't need any manpower at all.

Behind this vague command seemed to hide some unspeakable secret.

Moreover, two days is not even enough time to dismantle the equipment; what exactly is going on?

Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden sting came from his finger; it turned out the cigarette butt had burned his skin.

"I can't wait any longer, there are only two days left.

Since Mr. Xu hasn't made a decision yet, I'll make the call."

"Tomorrow morning, no matter what, I must tell the Gongda Family the truth."

"They absolutely cannot be taken away as rebels in two days."

Just at this moment, a "knock, knock, knock" on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by Zhao Zhide's voice: "Mr. Security Chief, are you in there?"

"Yes, it's so late, is there something urgent?" the Security Chief replied.

"Mr. Xu is looking for you, he said he has something very important to discuss," Zhao Zhide answered.

The Security Chief was stunned for a moment, then stood up, "Okay, I'll be right there."

He thought to himself, since he had already made up his mind, no matter what Mr. Xu wanted, this was a good time to have a deep conversation with him.

However, when he gently pushed open the door to Xu Ning's office, the words that greeted him left him speechless for a moment.

"Security Chief, I want to hold a meeting with the Gongda Family tomorrow."

Security Chief: "Uh... okay..."

Early the next morning, before the first ray of sunlight had fully illuminated the sky, Xu Ning was already standing on that podium, which was once simple but now appeared solemn.

Kadeyafu and Ivanyafu were no longer here, nor were those angry faces; now, every pair of eyes watching him shone with respect.

Because he kept his promise and brought change to the Gongda Family.

Not only did he issue the overdue wages, but he also generously increased the wage standard.

Now, a man can support his entire family's life solely on this job, something unimaginable before Xu Ning's arrival.

He gently blew into the microphone, confirming that his voice could be transmitted, then slowly scanned the crowd below the stage.

People in the crowd were speculating, discussing in low voices what was about to happen.

"Today, I have something important to announce," Xu Ning's voice was clear and strong, "All women, those under twenty years old, and those who are the sole laborers in their families, please take one step forward."

There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of light footsteps, as hundreds of workers moved according to the instructions, and the originally dense crowd instantly became sparse.

"Also, anyone who feels fear or believes their life still has more value, please also step forward."

As soon as these words were spoken, they caused another stir.

Tato hesitated repeatedly, but finally returned to his original position, because he noticed that Xiao Adam stood there firmly, without wavering in the slightest.

In the end, less than two hundred people remained standing firmly in their original positions.

Xu Ning nodded and said calmly, "Very good.

Then, everyone who took a step forward just now can go to the finance department to collect this month's salary and severance pay."

"What?"

"What's going on?"

A female worker was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with confusion and dissatisfaction: "Mr. Xu, we have always respected you.

May I ask, what kind of mistake have we committed?

Why are you treating us like this?"

"Exactly," other voices followed, "Is it just because we are afraid of losing our lives, or because we are women?"

"We are workers, not soldiers, what's wrong with that?"

Xu Ning waved his hand, "You are not wrong, what is wrong is this era, an era where ordinary people have nowhere to settle."

"Orders have already been issued from above; in two days, this place will be requisitioned by the state and turned into a pig farm, and will no longer need a single worker."

His words were like sharp knives in the cold wind, cutting through the Gongda Family's illusions.

"It is not I who am expelling you, but Uto Male, those who advocate for independence.

They are the real masterminds."

For a moment, the air was filled with silence, everyone looked at each other, their eyes full of shock and confusion.

Xu Ning took a deep breath, an unyielding flame ignited in his eyes: "I, Xu Ning, hereby promise that if the factory is still standing in three days, you can all come back to continue working, and that severance pay does not need to be returned."

"The following words are only for those who are brave and fearless, who dare to face challenges."

His voice grew more impassioned, "This military factory with a hundred years of history will absolutely not allow itself to be subjected to such humiliation.

Since someone dares to threaten to raze it to the ground, then let them see what the true spirit of a military factory is."

There was silence below the stage, everyone making difficult choices deep within their hearts.

Finally, Xiao Adam was the first to step forward, saying resolutely, "Mr. Xu, please tell us what to do, we are all willing to follow you."

This action seemed to ignite the passion at the scene, and more people began to respond.

"Damn it, since the world is so unfair to us, let's resist together to the end!" Tato shouted excitedly, raising his hand, leading the people around him to join in this grand oath.

"Ura!"

"Ura..."

Shouts rose and fell, echoing over this land.

Upon learning of Xu Ning's plan to restart the production line to resist foreign enemies, even those who had collected their severance pay chose to stay.

For their common goal, they decided to work overtime, striving to produce enough tanks in the shortest possible time to defend their homeland.

However, when Xu Ning handed the design blueprints for the Poor Oddity Tank to the workshop director, Security Chief, the latter appeared unusually calm.

Facing Xu Ning's curious inquiry, the Security Chief just smiled slightly, "Although Zhao Zhide hid it very secretly, as the person in charge here, I actually knew about the existence of this design all along, it's just that the time wasn't right yet."

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