404: Chapter 48 New Mission

The Xu family living room.

Zhang Chulan, Feng Baobao, Xu San, and Xu Si were gathered together.

Strangely, the usually lazy and roguish Xu Si was wearing a serious expression.

Seeing Xu Si's unusual expression, Zhang Chulan asked curiously, "Fourth Brother, you called us here specifically; did something happen?"

He and Feng Baobao had just returned from Kyoto after finishing Wang Ye's commission. After reporting on the mission's completion, they had planned to rest for two days, but they were summoned by Xu Si, who had just returned from a meeting at company headquarters.

Xu San didn't speak, his expression showing his confusion.

Feng Baobao was preoccupied with drinking her juice.

Facing Zhang Chulan's question, Xu Si didn't answer immediately but said, "I've read the report on your and Baobao's mission. You did very well. Especially at the end, not using our people and letting the Little Peach Orchard do the dirty work—brilliant!"

Beside him, Xu San raised an objection: "The focus shouldn't be on who did it, but that the methods shouldn't have been so dirty."

As he spoke, he looked directly at Zhang Chulan: "Do you know there were ordinary people among the targets you moved against? If word of this got out, it would be an unprecedented scandal."

Zhang Chulan felt a bit awkward but didn't argue.

Xu Si curled his lip and said, "Forget it, the Little Peach Orchard isn't part of the company anyway."

Then, he simply moved past the matter: "In short, you did well. I was going to give you a vacation, but unfortunately..."

"I encountered a new task while attending the meeting at headquarters."

With that, Xu Si asked Zhang Chulan, "Chu Lan, do you know what a Temporary Workers is?"

Zhang Chulan thought for a moment and said honestly, "A scapegoat."

Xu Si laughed: "You're not wrong to say that."

He then elaborated further: "The company also has Temporary Workerss, but the position is a bit special. Our company does have certain management authority, just as some people suspect, but our management is limited to outcasts."

"So, even though we can get cooperation from many factions in our work, some tasks are inevitably hindered by red tape."

"This has caused significant losses in the past."

"To address this, my father proposed the establishment of Temporary Workers positions shortly after joining the company."

"The company is divided into seven major regions across the country. Each region has a head, and each head has one quota for a Temporary Workers. The true identities of these Temporary Workerss are kept strictly confidential. Aside from the regional heads, no more than three people in the entire company have the authority to view their files."

"This includes the company chairman; if the other two want to view them, they also need the chairman's approval."

"Because the work done by Temporary Workerss is mostly very important, the company provides them with identity protection."

"The reason Baobao could have a fake identity when you first met her was because of this."

Zhang Chulan nodded, deep in thought.

Xu San adjusted his glasses and took over: "But that's all. According to regulations, the company won't provide her with any other support or protection beyond that."

"In other words, if she meets with an accident, no one will bear the consequences for her."

"Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"

He directed the last question at Xu Si.

Xu Si sighed and replied, "Because this new task is related to the Temporary Workerss."

Then, looking at Zhang Chulan, he explained, "As you know, the previous head of the North China Region was my old man, and now it's me. The head of the South China Region is surnamed Liao, full name Liao Zhong. I've met him a few times; he looks rough and even a bit fierce, but he's a good man."

"But just a short while ago—he died!"

Xu San and Zhang Chulan were startled.

Xu Si took a document from his bag and showed the three of them photos of Liao Zhong's death, then said solemnly, "The most important thing is that, based on what we know, the person who killed him is likely the Temporary Workers under him."

"In other words, his Temporary Workers is suspected of murdering their superior and defecting!"

Both Xu San and Zhang Chulan's expressions changed slightly.

Xu Si continued, "This incident has caused a massive stir among the company's top brass. That's why I was called to headquarters for a meeting."

"In response, headquarters has issued an order for the other six Temporary Workerss to team up and hunt down the defector. They want them found, dead or alive!"

Having explained the mission, he asked Zhang Chulan, "Any questions?"

Zhang Chulan glanced at Feng Baobao, thought for a moment, and asked, "Since the Temporary Workers system was created, have the Temporary Workerss ever collaborated?"

Xu Si laughed: "Not bad, you noticed that point quickly. The answer is no."

"Temporary Workerss joining forces—this is a first in history."

"Since we're on the subject, I might as well tell you everything."

"The company's Temporary Workers system was specifically established by my old man for himself and Baobao."

"Confidential identities allow Baobao to stay under the radar and move through this world without hindrance."

"The reason I say it was established for himself is because there were other ways to give Baobao a legal identity. But through this system, he could find an excuse to keep her by his side."

Zhang Chulan understood.

He had learned about the history between Xu Xiang and Feng Baobao shortly after leaving the Tianxia Society with her. He could easily understand Xu Si's explanation.

Then, Xu Si took a photo out of his bag and handed it to Zhang Chulan.

Zhang Chulan took it and saw that the person in the photo looked somewhat similar to Feng Baobao. He immediately asked in confusion, "This is?"

Xu Si said, "A dead person, and also the current Temporary Workers on record for the North China Region. Baobao has been enjoying this person's benefits without fully fulfilling her duties. To put it simply, Baobao has been a ghost employee."

"Actually, since the system's inception, the Temporary Workers for North China has undergone two changes."

"Of course, they were all dead people."

Hearing this, Zhang Chulan understood.

This was Xu Xiang's behind-the-scenes manipulation to provide protection for the ageless Feng Baobao, but...

"But this position must require work," Zhang Chulan voiced his doubt.

Xu Si replied, "Only a very few secretive infiltration tasks are completed by Baobao herself. Most of the rest were handled by my old man using his outside connections, or he did them himself. So, to some extent, before going to headquarters, my old man was the real Temporary Workers of North China."

"Was his job as the regional head that light?" Zhang Chulan asked.

"Of course not," Xu Si denied. He then explained, "He hardly ever rested over the years. If it weren't for his decades of cultivation supporting him, plus the treatment and care from a national-level doctor like Meng Li, he would have collapsed long ago."

"Later, I couldn't stand to watch it anymore and found a way to trick him into letting me take over his position."

"Then, using the excuse of 'escorting Baobao from above,' I managed to talk him into retiring to the second line and going to headquarters for some peace and quiet."

Zhang Chulan was surprised.

Then, Xu Si returned to the main topic. "Back to business. After the meeting at headquarters, I had a private chat with my old man."

"He told me that Liao Zhong's murder had a terrible impact, even making some on the Board of Directors consider abolishing the Temporary Workers system. Fortunately, he stepped in, and along with Chairman Zhao Fangxu and other directors' opposition, the matter was suppressed."

"But this mission cannot be refused; otherwise, headquarters will conduct a thorough investigation into the Temporary Workerss and might even revoke the quotas."

"The problem is Baobao's special situation. My old man is worried that meeting the other Temporary Workerss will attract the attention of those with ulterior motives."

"Therefore, you must go along on this mission."

At this point, Xu Si paused, his face solemn. "When you go this time, you must not only protect Baobao and try to keep her from being noticed, but also find a way to deal with the difficulties brought about by the mission's hidden aspects, or rather, its aftermath."

"Difficulties brought about by the mission's hidden aspects... and the aftermath?"

...

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