“I am giving Mr. Zhang Bo face, not yours. I hope you can admit that you are remnants of the Diesel Company and were involved with the former Diesel Company, otherwise, we will investigate thoroughly.” Seeing Zhang Bo speak like this, the representative of the senior managers didn't say much more.
Of course, it was impossible for them to truly choose a ceasefire.
So, the representative of the senior managers still spoke with a sneer, looking at the leader of the middle-level managers and saying, “Lord Shen Mu has confirmed that the Diesel Company's operations are among you middle-level managers; it's impossible for them to be involved with us senior managers, right? Lord Shen Mu said this himself, and Mr. Zhang Bo directly confirmed it. Don't think for a moment that I don't know your current resistance is due to a guilty conscience.”
He directly stated the original truth of the matter through these words, not fearing that Zhang Bo would be offended by him.
After all, when Zhang Bo chose to take sides, a rift had already implicitly formed.
Moreover, these senior managers all understood why these middle-level managers dared to band together to resist them: it was actually Zhang Bo operating behind the scenes, and Zhang Bo was backed by Zhang Caidong. Although these senior managers had all expressed gratitude and appreciation for Zhang Bo's life-saving intervention at the time, and had always held him in respect, at this point of absolute conflict of interest, when it was already a fundamental conflict, they were somewhat unable to hold back, so they directly brought the matter to light.
They also directly told these middle-level managers that it was Shen Mu, speaking through Zhang Bo, who said that the remnants of the Diesel Company were hidden among them middle-level managers.
This gave a reason for all their actions.
And it was a legitimate reason.
“...” The leader of the middle-level managers said nothing in response, because he also knew that this was indeed the truth, which was why they were all quite indignant. They wanted to band together to show that they were not remnants of the Diesel Company.
At their core, they still wanted to prove that these 70-plus people were actually the most loyal to Shen Mu and Deherim.
And the 40-plus middle-level managers who were excluded, who were the lackeys of those senior managers, were the traitors who had mixed with the remnants of the Diesel Company, unlike these 70-plus deeply trusted middle-level managers, who had also been gathered by Zhang Bo, who were the true loyalists and had no connection whatsoever with the remnants of the Diesel Company—they were their own people.
But they couldn't say that, after all, they weren't sure if there were any remnants of the Diesel Company among their 70-plus people.
This was also why, even though they had united to confront those senior managers and their lackeys, they hadn't gained the upper hand. Although they had an absolute advantage in numbers, they were at a disadvantage in terms of morality and evidence.
Compared to those senior managers who had completely abandoned morality and didn't care about evidence, simply wanting them dead, they were all as naive as lambs. Although they had united, they still lacked the heart for a true uprising, or rather, they lacked a catalyst for an uprising or a bloody conflict during a confrontation.
Zhang Bo could certainly give them this catalyst.
After all, Zhang Bo had orchestrated all these matters, but he couldn't let the situation escalate to its most severe point right now.
Time still needed to wait.
It was currently the morning of the second day, not yet noon, and the afternoon was not over. It would only get dark in the evening, allowing the Skeleton Legion of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty to launch their attack on Deherim. That would be the true opportune moment.
Right now, he absolutely could not allow a strong conflict to erupt between the senior managers and middle-level managers, otherwise, if the opportunity and timing were wrong, it would backfire.
If the conflict between the two sides didn't ignite, he might instead get caught in it, and the Lingjie Human Race would inform Shen Mu. If an investigation were to follow, they would discover his role in instigating and fanning the flames of conflict.
Ultimately, his espionage tactics could be exposed.
Leading to the grand plan failing at the last moment.
“I understand the situation very well, but I also want to tell you that you senior managers are a group of people I trust very much. You certainly wouldn't be involved with the remnants of the Diesel Company, after all, you yourselves were the ones who betrayed the Diesel Company. It would be strange if they didn't wish you dead.” At this moment, Zhang Bo, on the contrary, began to appease the aggressive representative of the senior managers.
He had to appease them, because Zhang Bo had already discovered that the representatives of these senior managers were very dissatisfied with him, especially in this conflict of interests, which had even reached fundamental interests, because he, Zhang Bo, was still taking sides with the middle-level managers, making these representatives of the senior managers believe that they were about to be abandoned, and thus they began to include him in their hostile state.
This did not align with Zhang Bo's identity and plan of walking a tightrope, mediating and fanning the flames on both sides.
“Moreover, these loyal middle-level managers also have better temperaments. The group of people who were not much different from the Diesel Company back then, I think everyone can be trusted, so there's no need to make things so tense. The investigation of the Diesel Company's remnants will proceed slowly. It's impossible to directly root out the remnants of the Diesel Company within a day or two, right? After all, the remnants of the Diesel Company will certainly hide very deeply, and they won't easily come out.” As Zhang Bo spoke, he also tried to smooth things over for the leader of the middle-level managers.
After all, he couldn't offend the leaders of these middle-level managers; they would need to appease others after returning. Whether it was this representative or this leader, they were essentially the influential individuals chosen by their respective groups to negotiate.
“Alright, alright, Mr. Zhang Bo, everything you say is right. We still respect you greatly, after all, you helped us a lot in the Diesel Company back then, and it was you who recommended us to Deherim. And you even saved our lives at a crucial moment. We will definitely remember this favor.” The representative of the senior managers nodded, saying nothing more, only speaking to Zhang Bo with sincere words: “No matter what happens, we will always respect you, Mr. Zhang Bo. Please believe us on this point, because back then, you saved our lives, and none of us will ever forget that.”
However, the words of this senior manager's representative also implied something: even now, these senior managers actually wanted to once again gain Zhang Bo's support. After all, if they had Zhang Bo's support, it would mean Zhang Bo had abandoned those middle-level managers. At that time, their actions would be more ruthless, faster, and easier.
Most importantly, if Zhang Bo chose to support them, then Zhang Caidong would also return to the senior managers' circle and support them, which was crucial.
If everyone chose to support and maintain the senior managers' circle, then even if all these middle-level managers died out, it would be easy to replenish the middle-level managers from among the remaining Blue Star Humans.
senior managers were indispensable, but middle and lower levels could be replaced at will.
This was the current thinking of these senior managers.
And the leader of the middle-level managers beside him clearly understood the implications of these words, and immediately became anxious, looking at Zhang Bo and interjecting, “Mr. Zhang Bo, we have always respected you greatly, and we don't want too many conflicts. Now that you are mediating for us, we will completely listen to you.”
At this moment, the leader of the middle-level managers also expressed his attitude, which was to completely obey Zhang Bo, appearing utterly loyal.
Both sides had their own value and their own attitudes.
Making Zhang Bo feel even more helpless.
But in his heart, that smile spread even wider, making him feel very relaxed and pleased: “That’s right, this is it. Now, both of them seem to be listening to me. In reality, I just need to temporarily suppress this fire, and that will buy some time. Then, in the evening, I’ll reignite this fire, like a coiled spring that has accumulated power, a volcano about to erupt, the power that is about to burst forth, the power that is about to spring out, will be even more violent.”
At that time, both sides would definitely erupt in extremely intense bloody conflict, Zhang Bo was very certain of this.
But Zhang Bo's face showed no change.
He still looked at the two, earnestly persuading them: “I understand your intentions, I am very clear and understand your thoughts, but now is not the time for conflict between the two sides. We should unite and work together to find the remnants of the Diesel Company. After all, our internal minor friction is just minor friction. If those remnants of the Diesel Company attack us, that would be a bloody war. This is the most direct battle, and cannot be compared.”
He spoke meaningless platitudes, but his tone was very sincere, including his expression. He looked at the two and seriously said: “When you go back, tell your people that we must consider the bigger picture, do you understand? We must consider the overall situation. We cannot lose sight of the big picture due to private temples; if we do, we will all be very passive, and it will always be us who get hurt. Finally, I will say one more thing: consider the big picture, the big picture is paramount.”
Zhang Bo repeatedly spoke of considering the bigger picture, thinking for the greater good, and prioritizing the overall situation.
Such grand and meaningless words.
But at this moment, coupled with his tone and expression, it indeed made the two people in front of him see the state and demeanor of a kind old man who was earnestly trying to maintain the overall situation.
“Okay, Mr. Zhang Bo, we will listen to you. When we go back, we will tell those people to return first and not have any more unnecessary words with those guys.” The senior manager nodded at this moment, agreeing with Zhang Bo's statement.
“We will not say another word to those lackeys. We are innocent, loyal, completely loyal to Lord Shen Mu, Deherim, and grateful to you, Mr. Zhang Bo.” The leader of the middle-level managers also acknowledged Zhang Bo's words.
The more such grand principles were spoken, the harder it was to refute, because no matter how they refuted, they would put themselves in a moral low ground, subject to moral condemnation from Zhang Bo and the other person, and even potentially push Zhang Bo to the other side, which would be a net loss.
So both sides chose a temporary ceasefire.
“That's excellent! You two should have your people retreat for now. It's almost noon, so let's have lunch first. In the afternoon, we'll rest up, and then in the evening or tomorrow, we can start tracing clues about the remnants of the Diesel Company. How does that sound to you?” Zhang Bo smiled at this point.
“Good.” The representative of the senior managers and the leader of the middle-level managers both nodded in unison, without objection.
Then the atmosphere temporarily calmed down.
Zhang Bo, smiling, chatted with both sides about some interesting anecdotes, then told them to quickly return to their respective groups and temporarily alleviate the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere of the ongoing conflicts, separating them to prevent more intense clashes.
At this moment, Zhang Bo also went out to the open spaces from before, and saw the 20 somewhat uneasy Blue Star Humans standing there.
These Blue Star Humans had not yet completed their Ten-Man Commander enfeoffment, so they were still in their ordinary human state.
The reason they were here was also because these 20 people had arrived today, and it was time for Zhang Bo to lead them for their enfeoffment. So, according to the agreement, they came here to wait, then Zhang Bo would lead them into the Noble Residence to find Shen Mu for the enfeoffment ceremony.
Once they became Ten-Man Commanders, they would be able to become Spiritual Realm Commanders, have their own Lingjie Human Race followers, live well in this world, and also have the foundation for better opportunities and a better future.
But the reason they were uneasy was also because they already knew about the conflict that had occurred in the southwest corner of Deherim.
This group of people followed the senior managers.
With their leaders clashing with those who had betrayed the leaders outside, they were also afraid that after their transformation, they would still get into conflicts and bloody incidents with those people. If that happened, they would die before they had a chance to grow, which would not be good.
“Mr. Zhang Bo is here! Mr. Zhang Bo is here! What's the situation? Can Mr. Zhang Bo tell us anything?”
When Zhang Bo arrived, these Blue Star Humans all gathered around him, each looking at Zhang Bo eagerly, with anxiety on their faces and a questioning look in their eyes. They were truly quite uneasy and also felt a sense of confusion about the future. (End of Chapter)