After all, they were well aware that many of these middle-level managers were not remnants of the Diesel Company; many were also middle-level managers on whom Lord Shen Mu had placed high hopes.
However, if they were allowed to develop like this, and become their equals, they would be a bit unconvinced.
Therefore, it was not only to execute a portion of the middle-level managers to ease his authority, but also to execute a portion of the middle-level managers to solidify his position as a senior manager.
“You set a list, and then give it to me tonight. I want to see who is on this list. And I hope you can remember not to have too many, otherwise, I won’t be able to explain it to Lord Shen Mu.” Zhang Caidong nodded at this point, waved his hand wearily, and said, “You go, and come to my room tonight to find me.”
He now agreed to these people’s plan.
In fact, he didn’t care what these people’s plan was, nor did he object to their idea of executing those middle-level managers who disobeyed these senior managers.
Even for Zhang Caidong, his personal character was originally quite cruel, even a bit vindictive, but his current position was different; he had to consider the overall situation, which was why he said such opposing words to restrain these senior managers.
So when all these senior managers left his house, Zhang Caidong sat alone in the room with a playful expression, because he saw that these people were united and pressuring him, which was actually a test of his thoughts and attitude, and a challenge to his authority.
He just didn’t expect that he would directly use the tactic of ‘using a small force to move a great weight’ and absolute pressure to force them to withdraw their previous idea of pressuring him, and instead, they became more respectful towards him. This meant he had defused the pressure.
He did not allow this pressure to succeed.
It also indirectly proved that he, in this Town Area of Deherim, was still the undisputed leader among Blue Star Humans, the undisputed highest supervisor, and the first person among Blue Star Humans, second only to Shen Mu, the Spiritual Realm Lord.
Zhang Caidong would absolutely not give up this power, because the power he possessed represented his current status in Deherim, and what honors and future status he could obtain after the Spiritual Realm fully descended upon the Blue Star World.
Zhang Caidong certainly wanted to firmly grasp it in his hands.
However, at this moment, Zhang Caidong looked at the departing senior managers and their indignant faces, and felt a sense of weariness.
“These guys are really getting out of control. I don’t know what Bo Ge is thinking, allowing so many middle-level managers to directly become Spiritual Realm Commanders. For us senior managers, this is a very serious provocative act. If they want to bypass us and directly contact Lord Shen Mu, that’s impossible. After all, Lord Shen Mu trusts us, the people who followed him in overthrowing the Diesel Company. It’s impossible for him to trust those middle-level managers who didn’t follow him in overthrowing the Diesel Company.”
Zhang Caidong sighed at this point. He understood why Zhang Bo had allowed him to tacitly agree to those middle-level managers submitting lists to Shen Mu at that time.
He also understood why Zhang Bo had kept himself out of it during this period, watching the internal strife between the senior managers and middle-level managers.
He even knew very well why Zhang Bo had the authority for middle-level managers to be promoted to Spiritual Realm Commanders.
It was all to avoid suspicion.
Because he was already in the highest position among Blue Star Humans in Shen Mu’s Deherim. If he continued to centralize power and possess too much authority, then Shen Mu would certainly have other thoughts about him.
Sun Zhiru was an example; he only contributed a relatively important magic item and was directly promoted to Deputy General Manager by Shen Mu.
Now, Sun Zhiru was subtly getting along well with those middle-level managers, and many middle-level managers seemed to have found their backbone, defecting to Sun Zhiru, subtly contending with those senior managers.
And because Zhang Caidong did not get involved in the internal strife between the senior managers and middle-level managers, but rather watched coldly, this led to the senior managers themselves not being a monolithic block, and also having many small cliques.
While subtly leading their own middle-level managers in internal strife, they were actually at a disadvantage when contending with those tightly united middle-level managers and Sun Zhiru.
This was also why those senior managers were so angry; it was because they were always at a disadvantage in every struggle. Even if they wanted to counterattack those middle-level managers, due to Sun Zhiru, they received news in advance, made full preparations as much as possible, leaving these senior managers unable to act.
Even other senior managers, due to their grudges and conflicts with the senior manager who wanted to make a move, leaked the news in advance, which led to these methods not achieving their intended effect.
This caused the senior manager to suffer a setback, leading to other senior managers with whom he had conflicts secretly mocking him.
As a result, their internal strife became more and more intense, and the accumulated resentment grew.
It finally evolved into their current fierce determination to unite, and seize this opportunity to first eliminate all those middle-level managers who challenged their authority, and then they would settle their own scores.
This was the tacit understanding they reached.
But for Zhang Caidong, their tacit understanding actually pushed him to a dead end. If Zhang Caidong really agreed to their request, allowing a large number of middle-level managers, especially the more than 200 middle-level managers currently, even if 50 of them died, it would be something he would have to report to Shen Mu. And if Shen Mu were to investigate this responsibility at that time, as the highest general manager, the first person among Blue Star Humans, he would certainly be criticized, or even severely demoted.
One must know that 50 people were not just 50 ordinary people, but 50 Spiritual Realm Commanders.
Moreover, these 50 people also had 500 Spiritual Realm Followers following behind them.
They were the backbone in resisting death spirit rules and Undead Monsters.
They haven’t yet developed into a backbone force; they are still in their weakest stage, yet so many were lost due to internal strife.
How could Shen Mu not be angry?
How could he be indifferent to this?
After all, when the Diesel Company lost about 10 Spiritual Realm Followers, it had already alarmed the general manager, which was a considerably angry reaction.
Now, over 50 Spiritual Realm Commanders have died, and Deherim has only recently been established and is still in a rapid development phase. Losing so many important backbone forces means that accountability is inevitable.
Therefore, Zhang Caidong had to consider himself.
“Let’s ask Bo Ge what’s going on tonight. I think there must be Bo Ge’s considerations in this.” Zhang Caidong didn’t ponder for too long; instead, he reached out and rubbed his brow, looking at the bustling and vibrant Deherim outside, he couldn’t help but sigh: “I really didn’t expect that the Diesel Company still had remnants infiltrating; they hid really deep.”
Zhang Caidong believed that there must be remnants of the Diesel Company inside, after all, the Diesel Company was a very powerful force before, and it was the undisputed strongest force in Bali River Street.
If there were no remnants lurking, that would be what he couldn’t believe.
But he didn’t expect that Lord Shen Mu had already determined the general scope of the Diesel Company’s remnants so early, and also knew that those remnants of the Diesel Company had all infiltrated among the middle-level managers.
“It must have been through Big Brother Zhang Bo’s Prophecy-type Mage ability.” Zhang Caidong found a suitable reason at this moment, and couldn’t help but slowly exhale a stuffy breath: “After all, Big Brother Zhang Bo’s ability to detect people’s hearts is quite powerful; it’s like a human lie detector.”
However, thinking of this, Zhang Caidong was also a bit puzzled and frowned. If they were to investigate, why not just gather all the middle-level managers to Shen Mu’s noble viewpoint, or even inside the Castle District, and then have the Spiritual Realm Soldiers strictly guard them and conduct lie detector tests one by one? Wouldn’t that be better?
Now, conducting his own investigation felt a bit like making a mountain out of a molehill.
Isn’t this just looking for trouble?
“Or perhaps Lord Shen Mu discovered a larger conspiracy and wants to use these Diesel Company remnants to draw out more Diesel Company remnants, or perhaps some Diesel Company remnants still living among Blue Star Humans or in Long City, and needs a certain plan to deal with them?”
He hadn't figured it out earlier, and after rubbing his head, he didn't intend to think about it anymore. Although he was good at small plans, he wasn't very good at such grand schemes.
This was a strategic issue.
And for such strategic issues, since Zhang Caidong didn't plan to think about them himself, he decided to wait until tonight, when Zhang Bo, his elder brother in his heart, arrived at his Town Area residence, and then they would discuss it thoroughly. That way, they could come up with a good solution.
After all, in Zhang Caidong’s heart, Zhang Bo had always been a very competent advisor who, though not saying much on the surface, would always discuss things thoroughly with him privately.
And he was the Chief of Staff.
Soon, evening arrived.
“Come, go to the cafeteria and get me a few rich dinners. Just say I arranged it.” Zhang Caidong reached out at this moment and instructed his Lingjie Human Race Swadian Militia beside him: “If possible, I’d like to request a small barrel of malt liquor. Just say it’s from me, in my personal name.”
“Understood, Lord Zhang Caidong.” The Swadian Militia immediately nodded respectfully and turned to handle the matter. He knew that Zhang Caidong held the highest general manager position and title among Blue Star Humans.
Therefore, he also had the authority to mobilize a small amount of supplies from the warehouse.
For example, malt liquor and relatively rich dinners were all acceptable.
Soon, the Swadian Militia returned to his Town Area residence with his two Militia companions. At the same time, he was carrying two food boxes and holding a small barrel, about three liters, of malt liquor.
And respectfully placed all these things on the table in Zhang Caidong’s living room, then reported, and only then turned and returned to his room.
“Thank you very much.”
Zhang Caidong also nodded to them, his face filled with satisfaction.
After all, for him, these Human Race Soldiers could really help him a lot, from small issues to trivial work matters, all could be entrusted to these Human Race Soldiers to handle.
Compared to the Gnolls he had before, these Human Race Soldiers were truly both docile and obedient, and their combat power was strong.
It was the same feeling as with their own humans.
“Blue Star Humans and Lingjie Human Race, in essence, seem to be no different, just different skin color, different eye color, and different hair. Of course, there are also some facial features, but I feel that overall, there is absolutely no problem.” Zhang Caidong still curled his lips, looking at the departing Mount & Blade Soldiers. In his eyes, everyone was the same.
As for the issue of what is human or what is Human Race, that was not within his scope of consideration.
Compared to those terrifying Undead Monsters and races like Wood Elf, Gnoll, Lizardmen, and Goblins, now these Human Race Humans can perfectly cooperate together.
“This life now is truly good.” Zhang Caidong was at least quite satisfied with his current life.
But thinking of the remnants of the Diesel Company, a solemn expression appeared in his eyes. He knew that his betrayal of the Diesel Company at that time was known to everyone, and the Diesel Company had given him great trust, but he didn’t expect himself to be a spy.
It also directly led to the downfall of the Diesel Company.
Those remnants of the Diesel Company must hate him to the core, wishing they could get rid of him quickly.
Therefore, Zhang Caidong knew that he was definitely on the Diesel Company’s hit list.
This was also why he intended to discuss with Zhang Bo how to find those remnants of the Diesel Company, and how to avoid implicating more middle-level managers in the process.
All of these needed careful consideration.
“Cai Dong, what did you prepare tonight? It smells so good.” Just as Zhang Caidong was pondering, Zhang Bo’s voice came from outside the door.
At the same time, the door was pushed open, and Zhang Bo’s figure had already entered the living room. He immediately saw the food boxes on the table and the barrel of malt liquor, and his eyes lit up: “Oh, malt liquor, I really didn’t expect you to get a whole barrel.”