247: Go and make contact.

Old Shi walked up to Lin Yu with a cheerful smile and made a "please" gesture. His posture was respectful, but no longer showed the slightest hint of humility.

"President Lin, the wind is strong out here. We have prepared a reception room; please step inside so we can talk."

Lin Yu watched him calmly.

Just a moment ago.

He had clearly captured every change that had occurred in this old man.

From stiffness to astonishment, then to a flicker of ecstasy, and finally to this current composure mixed with calculation and confidence.

It had taken no more than ten seconds.

How could a person change so quickly?

What on earth did that executive say to him?

What kind of news could make an old fox, whose mental defenses had just been completely shattered and who had knelt in surrender, suddenly feel like he was back in the game?

There were no unnecessary ripples of emotion on Lin Yu's face.

He simply made a mental comparison between Old Shi's revitalized appearance and the despondent look he had on the bus earlier.

Interesting.

He nodded slightly and began to walk.

Seeing this, the smile on Old Shi's face deepened.

He took the lead. His hunched back actually straightened a bit, and his steps became exceptionally light.

As he walked, he shouted with full vigor at the executives who were still standing there in a daze.

"What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and prepare to welcome our honored guest!"

His voice carried a sense of regained authority.

The executives snapped out of it, silent as cicadas in winter, and immediately scattered, each of them quickly operating something via their wrist terminals.

Lin Yu followed behind Old Shi with a composed air.

As he walked, he observed the interior of this so-called industrial park.

It had to be said that the Four Major Pharmaceutical Companies did indeed have their own foundations.

A fully enclosed alloy dome isolated the interior from the outside world, creating its own ecosystem. In mid-air, silent maglev conveyor belts shuttled back and forth. On the ground, behind massive glass curtain walls, were extremely precise automated production lines.

Countless mechanical arms waved within halos of energy, as bottle after bottle of various colored potions were produced, sealed, and packaged on the assembly lines.

It was full of technological flair.

Old Shi was clearly very proud of the layout here. He deliberately slowed his pace, like a child showing off toys, and pointed to an area shrouded by a special energy shield.

"President Lin, over there is one of our core research and development centers."

An executive from Fengxing Technology immediately took the hint, stepped forward, and began to introduce it with a face full of smiles.

"President Lin may not be aware, but our main focus here is how to further compress production costs while maintaining the same efficacy, as well as significantly reducing the side effects for Professionalss after use."

He paused, seemingly weighing his words, before finally saying in a tone that seemed to be fishing for credit.

"Our largest research project, and one where we have made breakthrough progress... is how to maximize the dilution of finished potions without affecting the basic effects, or rather, without the user noticing any impact."

The executive's voice was filled with pride.

"Through this technology, we can easily double the value of our existing inventory without doing anything else!"

After he finished, he looked at Lin Yu expectantly, waiting for praise.

The air went silent.

Following behind, Wang Qingxuan almost lost control of her facial expression.

Diluting potions?

And saying it so grandly?

Treating the act of passing off inferior goods as high quality and cutting corners as core technology for R&D, and even making 'breakthrough progress'?

She was almost driven to a cold laugh by these people's shamelessness.

Li Mo's head hung even lower, his shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly.

That's right, he was one of the main drivers behind this.

As expected of the Four Major Companies; this was indeed something they were capable of.

Lin Yu was completely speechless.

He had originally thought that these guys' research direction would be something high-end, like new types of potions or gene potential development.

In the end... they were researching how to mix water into the medicine, and they'd even fucking mastered it?

They treated the art of swindling as their core competitiveness?

Truly 'talented' individuals.

It seemed that expecting this group, who had nothing left in their heads but costs and profits, to conduct R&D according to his ideas would be like playing a lute to a cow.

If he wanted them to truly serve him, he would have to replace them from the roots.

He had to pull a new team together from the existing roster that would only listen to him.

Thinking of this, Lin Yu's footsteps paused.

He turned his head and looked at Wang Qingxuan behind him.

Wang Qingxuan immediately understood, stepped forward, and bowed slightly, waiting for instructions.

Lin Yu didn't look at her; his gaze still fell on the distant glass curtain walls shimmering with data streams.

"Wang Qingxuan."

"Present."

"I'm giving you your first task."

Wang Qingxuan's breathing instantly quickened.

It was here.

The moment to prove her value had arrived!

Lin Yu's voice was very flat, devoid of any emotion.

"Contact all the research teams here."

"Screen the people inside."

"I want a list of everyone... who has the value to be recruited."

As the words fell.

Wang Qingxuan snapped her head up.

An astonishing light burst forth from her eyes.

She instantly understood Lin Yu's meaning.

The Boss was... cutting the ground out from under them!

And he wasn't just poaching one or two people; he wanted to pack up and take everyone of value in their entire R&D system!

How overbearing!

What boldness!

A massive surge of excitement and a shiver instantly ran through Wang Qingxuan's entire body.

She didn't hesitate at all, nor did she even say "okay" or "understood."

She simply took a deep breath and then, with a posture of absolute certainty that was almost like an oath, replied decisively.

"Boss, seeing through a person's essence is my talent."

"Within three days, I will give you a perfect list."

Lin Yu's footsteps didn't stop.

His gaze didn't even move away from those cold production lines in the distance; he just spat out three words in a flat tone as if stating a fact.

"Too long."

Wang Qingxuan's certain reply, along with her entire person, froze in place.

Too... long?

Three days to screen the entire intricate R&D system of the Four Major Pharmaceutical Companies and accurately find those truly valuable targets who could be recruited from among hundreds or thousands of researchers.

This was already the absolute limit of time she could give based on her talent.

This wasn't even a business task; this was a subversion operation comparable to those executed by top-tier intelligence agencies.

But the Boss actually said... it was too long?

A massive surge of bewilderment, mixed with an indescribable sense of frustration, instantly welled up in Wang Qingxuan's heart.

This was the first task to show her value to her new Boss.

She thought she had given a perfect, even stunning, answer.

In the end, it was dismissed so casually.

Lin Yu finally turned his head and glanced at her.

That glance was very calm, without any blame or any urging.

But it was precisely this calmness that made Wang Qingxuan feel an unprecedented pressure.