Therefore, Zhang Caidong confidently entered the Noble Residence.
As he entered the residence, Zhang Caidong even reached out and waved to Sun Zhiru, who was walking at the very back, and said with a smile, “Brother Sun Zhiru, you are the aide personally appointed by Lord Shen Mu, so you should be walking beside me now.”
“Ah, Brother Zhang Caidong, I’ll just walk at the back. You and the others are all seniors, I’ll bring up the rear here.” Sun Zhiru was very polite at this moment.
After all, before the apocalypse, he was also the CEO of a large corporation, so he understood the common schemes and tricks in the workplace.
Now that he had just joined Shen Mu’s Deherim and was appointed as an aide to work alongside Zhang Caidong, it would definitely cause dissatisfaction and jealousy among those who he had heard previously risked their lives as inside agents to be arranged into senior management positions.
After all, at that time, they truly risked their lives to infiltrate the Diesel Company’s Orc Tribe to achieve their current status.
Yet, Sun Zhiru was appointed as an aide just by offering a so-called holy artifact, a treasure.
Just by thinking about it, one could tell that the cost was completely incomparable.
It made their risking their lives for their current status seem a bit ridiculous, and it also made them feel a strong sense of disgust towards Sun Zhiru.
Even though there was no expression on their faces, their flickering gazes already revealed their inner dislike.
Sun Zhiru understood this as well; the treasure he offered did indeed seem very valuable, capable of defending against Undead Monster invasions.
But in reality, for everyone who already possessed the castle and town of Deherim, it was utterly insignificant.
After all, in Sun Zhiru’s eyes, that treasure could only dispel darkness and gray mist within a 10 meters radius, and the castle and town they now possessed already covered a vast area, almost encompassing large areas spanning several kilometers around.
He also understood why he was appointed as Cai Dong’s aide; perhaps it was a gesture of “buying a thousand gold bones for a horse.”
At this moment, he and Zhang Caidong were thinking along the same lines.
However, he also understood that becoming Zhang Caidong’s aide and another senior manager among these Blue Star Humans for no reason would surely cause jealousy and dissatisfaction among the existing senior managers.
Now, if Zhang Caidong waved for him to walk at the very front, he would definitely decline; otherwise, it would be a swelling of vanity.
It would unnecessarily make these senior managers, who were already jealous and dissatisfied with him, dislike him even more.
Especially if they ganged up on him, his work would not progress, everything he did would hit a wall, and he might even be completely sidelined, which would truly be miserable then.
Having been a CEO, Sun Zhiru understood that he absolutely could not be sidelined or targeted, so he maintained a humble demeanor, walked at the very back, and politely declined Zhang Caidong’s invitation.
He also understood that this was definitely a small trick and a small test from Zhang Caidong. If he had unsuitably agreed to walk beside him, he would have been directly targeted.
That would also be a torment for his future work.
After all, Shen Mu had already assigned him work. If Sun Zhiru’s work didn’t progress well, it would mean he was incompetent, and this work could be taken back at any time, which also meant the authority Shen Mu had given him would be revoked.
If he wanted to live a good life in the future, it would definitely not be as comfortable as it was now.
Therefore, Sun Zhiru humbly walked behind, not wanting to be eliminated quickly.
And during this period, having just joined the senior management.
Sun Zhiru had also discovered that these 16 people, though seemingly a united front, actually had some internal conflicts and friction.
Especially towards Zhang Caidong, their leader, they would secretly harbor some complaints and grievances.
They didn’t truly respect him from the bottom of their hearts.
Therefore, Sun Zhiru knew that as long as he acted and lived humbly during this period, and avoided touching upon the interests of these senior managers as much as possible, he would slowly settle in and become ingrained within their power core.
Then, he would find an opportunity to get close to one of the smaller circles, and that way, he would survive.
These were all small habits he had developed over a long time; after all, he was also a CEO back then and was quite knowledgeable about the infighting in the workplace.
At this moment, he was also quite adept at it.
So, they entered the Noble Residence and went to both sides of the conference room table, taking their seats.
“Gentlemen, Lord Shen Mu will arrive shortly. Please be seated here; honey water and apples will be brought over shortly.”
The Swadian Sergeant who led them in politely asked them to sit down first, then whispered a few words to the Swadian Light Infantry serving as attendants nearby, before bringing over apples and honey water.
The apples were all fresh apples.
They were all apples grown in the White Tower region, fresh and quite crisp.
Even the honey water was quite sweet.
Of course, for Blue Star Humans who had already eaten many things, these were just some basic, ordinary foods, but considering the power of rules contained within them, which Blue Star food currently lacked, they all ate with great relish.
Moreover, when they ate, they could fully taste the delicious flavor brought by the power of rules, which made them all quite satisfied.
After all, they had all completed soul-level synchronized resonance.
They were all beginning to transform into their respective Spiritual Realm creatures.
The key was that they also had souls.
Therefore, when they ate Blue Star food, they would feel that the taste was very bland, as if they were eating candles—bitter and tasteless, with not much real flavor.
But now, when they ate food from the Mount & Blade World, it was like eating Spiritual Realm food; they could taste the normal flavor of these foods brought by the power of rules contained within them, and it could also nourish their souls.
This is also why Spiritual Realm food is a very valuable thing.
“This time, Lord Shen Mu has called us here and even treated us to Spiritual Realm food, so this meeting must be extraordinary.” A senior manager was already whispering at this moment.
“That’s right, and I heard that the content of this meeting is about entrusting us with the soldiers of the Lingjie Human Race to lead.” Another well-informed senior manager glanced at Zhang Caidong, and seeing no reaction from him, he spoke boldly: “It seems that earlier, our Brother Zhang Caidong made a suggestion to Lord Shen Mu, hoping to release all our non-human followers from their contracts and then sign contracts with Lord Shen Mu’s Lingjie Human Race.”
This person was clearly Zhang Caidong’s relative and one of his core inner circle. Therefore, he was instructed to highlight the theme of this meeting.
It was also equivalent to telling everyone that the theme of this meeting was actually a suggestion made by Zhang Caidong to Shen Mu.
It was Zhang Caidong’s credit.
“I never thought Brother Zhang Caidong was truly so important in Lord Shen Mu’s eyes.” The others also offered congratulations, looking at Zhang Caidong with some envy and deep-seated jealousy in their eyes.
Just a suggestion, and Shen Mu immediately called them for a meeting. Isn’t that a position of high power and authority?
This was certainly a position of high power and authority.
And it was a position of high power and authority that these senior managers simply couldn’t compare to.
“Alright, no need to say too much, and don’t be so polite. After all, I’m also thinking for everyone.” Zhang Caidong spoke with reserve at this moment: “Previously, I also saw that the official employees and senior managers of the Diesel Company were all their own Spiritual Realm Followers, all their own Spiritual Realm creatures. Now that we are also starting to get on track with Lord Shen Mu, I think our Spiritual Realm Followers should also be Human Race soldiers.”
“I completely agree with what Brother Zhang Caidong said, and I completely agree with his suggestion. After all, we should be of one mind and walk one path with Lord Shen Mu.” Another confidant of Zhang Caidong also nodded and said: “We have not yet achieved complete soul-level synchronized resonance, so now we can also change our souls, bind contracts, and establish contracts with Lord Shen Mu’s Lingjie Human Race. After all, everyone wants to have a Human Race appearance and wants Human Race Followers to be their soldiers.”
This statement received unanimous approval from everyone.
After all, it was the truth.
Their subordinates were all Gnoll, Lizardmen, or Goblins and Goblins, all bandit races from the wilderness.
If their souls synchronized towards that direction, it would definitely cause their appearance to also transform towards those Spiritual Realm creatures, eventually becoming a race similar to those Spiritual Realm creatures.
They looked quite ugly.
Of course, it was previously said that it was due to survival and no other option, which is why they underwent such synchronized resonance, transforming their souls into corresponding Spiritual Realm races.
Otherwise, if they remained ordinary Blue Star Humans, they would absolutely be slaughtered by Undead Monster. After all, every night, ordinary Blue Star Humans truly had no ability to resist. If they encountered death, they could only wait for death.
Therefore, as long as they found a spiritual realm mark that could transform them into Spiritual Realm creatures, they would naturally be very eager to become Spiritual Realm creatures and gain the ability to resist Undead Monster.
Thus, they had no room for arbitrary selection.
After all, if they didn’t quickly transform into Spiritual Realm creatures, complete soul-level synchronized resonance, and gain the ability to harm Undead Monster, or recruit Spiritual Realm Followers, their fate would be very tragic.
Therefore, they had no choice at the time. Now that they had many more options, they also wanted to make changes in their hearts.
Zhang Caidong’s suggestion undoubtedly showed them a new path.
“Later, when Lord Shen Mu arrives, I will report our ideas to him thoroughly. And my suggestion is to select a group of excellent individuals to form a formal employee army, carrying Lord Shen Mu’s expectations.”
Zhang Caidong spoke vaguely, but those present immediately understood his meaning.
After all, the Diesel Company’s Orc Tribe were all formal armies composed of official employees, forming those true forces belonging to their own people.
At that time, they were all temporary or contract workers, unable to truly access the core members of the official employees.
Therefore, they were quite envious and desirous of the treatment of those core members who were official employees.
Now that they had changed their allegiance and become official employees, even senior managers, under Shen Mu, they naturally needed to assemble some of their own troops to make their own people official employees of Deherim.
Following the Diesel Company’s system for division, it was quite convenient and fast, and could directly form combat power.
A ready-made system to be used immediately.
“I think this is really good. Of course, it still needs Brother Zhang Caidong to allocate, and we will still listen to Brother Zhang Caidong.”
At this moment, one of Zhang Caidong’s confidants spoke again.
And the other senior managers were basically on good terms with Zhang Caidong. Although they would badmouth him behind his back, they still bowed their heads on important matters.
They all expressed their obedience to Zhang Caidong’s arrangements.
“Hmm, it’s good that you can be obedient, that’s great. Of course, we still have to listen to Lord Shen Mu’s opinion.” Zhang Caidong’s lips curled slightly at this moment, looking at these senior managers who were quite submissive to him, and he also paid special attention to Sun Zhiru.
He also noticed that he was also sitting at the very back, with his head bowed, not daring to contradict him in the slightest, and the smile on his lips grew wider and wider.
He was satisfied with Sun Zhiru’s wise choice to submit and not have any conflict with him.
This meant that he was the absolute leader among the Blue Star Humans, whose word was law.
In this way, he would certainly gain a more unified strategic position in Shen Mu’s heart.
“Everyone, Lord Shen Mu is about to arrive. Please maintain your composure.” While they were still whispering, a Swadian Sergeant quickly came from outside the conference room and spoke to them in a low voice, reminding them.
Then, the 17 people still in the conference room immediately all stood up from their chairs, each respectfully turning their heads to look at the position of the door.
And there, Shen Mu’s figure quickly walked in.
“It seems you’ve all discussed enough.” He had already heard the content of the discussion among these people in the conference room, as reported by the Swadian Sergeant.
Shen Mu didn’t care that they had discussed the next topic beforehand; instead, he was quite satisfied that they could form a unified opinion.
So, sitting at his head seat, he gestured for these senior managers to sit down, and then directly said: “As you have discussed, I also intend to entrust my Lingjie Human Race soldiers to you for command. However, at first, you can only get some of the most ordinary low-level Spiritual Realm Militia. I hope you will take good care of them. If you can lead them to achieve some results, I will replace them with better soldiers to become your followers.”
As he spoke, Shen Mu also said again: “And I also possess a special ability for job advancement. If you perform well, I will also allow you to directly advance to Spiritual Realm warriors and receive corresponding weapons and equipment.”
As he spoke, Shen Mu also pointed to the Holy Tree Knights and Swadian Sergeants nearby: “If you perform really well, you can also obtain the same weapons and equipment as them, and have them pledge allegiance to you and become your followers.”
“Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss!” Then, the entire conference room immediately gasped in astonishment, looking at each other.
Because they truly hadn’t expected Shen Mu to be so generous, and even if they knew it was a pie in the sky, this pie was drawn too big.
After all, they knew the true combat power of these Spiritual Realm soldiers.