MMB Chapter 3 is too difficult? Then let's not do it!
Chapter 3 is too difficult? Then let's not do it!
[Zhou Lang]: It's settled then, I'm serious.
[Michelle]: No problem, bro, don't you trust my character?
[Michelle]: I guarantee my performance will be flawless, and the red envelope will be returned in full, don't worry.
Within the system interface.
Two activatable "Money Power" prisms shimmer with a faint white-gold luster.
Bai Jiaoru's "Flexible Swaying" and Michelle's "Draw Your Sword!"
The system's cash-based abilities seem to be inspired by the naming and rank system of a certain game.
Silver, gold, and prismatic gold are rarer and more precious in that order.
So, what's the next step?
For Zhou Lang, this was truly an unnecessary question.
Choosing Bai Jiaoru means becoming a father unexpectedly, groveling to your superiors, and the reward is a medium-sized tobacco and liquor store with an annual profit of 30 to 50 yuan, and an engineering company with an annual profit cap of 300 million yuan.
Choose Michelle, have fun pretending to be a couple with your best buddies, and confront your boss. The reward is a gym and swimming pool with an annual profit of around 20 to 35 yuan.
Zhou Lang thought that if he were nearly forty years old, disillusioned and decadent, mediocre and worn down by life to the point that he no longer cared about dignity, perhaps he would consider Bai Jiaoru's "flexible swing".
In certain "relationships-driven" regions, the value of an engineering company with connections is self-evident.
Those who are not doing well in the local area drive an Audi A8, while those who are doing well drive a Range Rover Autobiography Long Wheelbase.
While they might not be considered to be exploiting the local populace, they were certainly a powerful and domineering force in their own corner of the country.
But he's a typical Gen Z, only 26 years old this year.
Some things you just can't understand before you're 20, and you can't swallow before you're 30!
He was at the age where he could understand what was being said but couldn't swallow it down.
"I'll bind Michelle's financial power," Zhou Lang thought to himself.
[Only one cash ability can be linked per month. Confirm?]
"confirm."
【Draw your sword! Activated.】
Please check out the series of tasks brought about by the power of money.
[Current Task - Refuse and object to one unreasonable arrangement.]
[Follow-up Task - Flip the Table! Openly defy an unscrupulous superior.]
My thoughts returned to reality.
Tian Wenming was still putting on airs of seniority, lecturing the two new employees incessantly.
"Back then, Mr. Wu started as an apprentice in the factory. He would come to the workshop at five o'clock in the morning."
One person cleaned five offices, knelt on the ground to wipe stone bricks, and carried eight thermos flasks in one go.
When the bosses arrived at work at eight o'clock, they touched their water cups and, hey, the temperature was just right—not too hot, not too cold!
"Your level of service to your superiors is just so-so. It's far from adequate."
Zhou Lang glanced at Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu, who were both silent and withdrawn. They hadn't been subjected to PUA (Pick-Up Artist) tactics many times, and their expressions became somewhat unnatural upon hearing these words.
Xiao Huang was furious but dared not speak, while Xiao Liu felt nauseous and forced himself not to vomit.
"Director Tian, you shouldn't actually be called Tian Wenming."
Zhou Lang clicked his tongue and said, "You should be called Tian Wenjing."
"What?"
Tian Wenming didn't understand, but Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu immediately grasped the joke and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Are you full?" Zhou Lang asked them slowly. "Eat some more."
The two waved their hands hastily, saying, "We're full, thank you, Director Zhou."
Zhou Lang then served them a few more pieces of braised abalone and pork belly, beef ribs, and sweet potatoes.
They breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming that they really couldn't eat anymore.
"Tian Wenming," Zhou Lang turned to him and said, "I'm going home for May Day, and from now on, I'll have my regular two-day weekends off."
Tian Wenming was picking his teeth with his legs crossed when he heard this. He squinted and wondered if he had misheard.
"What are you slurping about?" Tian Wenming mumbled, a toothpick dangling from his mouth.
"On May 1st, I'm going home," Zhou Lang said in a deep voice, then chuckled to himself.
It was clearly his rightful right, yet he spoke of it with the forceful tone of "I want to control all the armies in the land," as if he were trying to seize power...
Tian Wenming slammed his fist on the table with a loud "bang": "I've repeatedly emphasized that working overtime during the May Day holiday is mandatory. Maliciously requesting leave will be treated as absenteeism. Do you want to be fired?"
Zhou Lang smiled and heard a "ding" in his mind, which meant that the first counterattack task had been easily completed.
Zhou Lang wasn't interested in checking the rewards; what was so special about a yearly card? He was after the subsequent missions.
Tian Wenming kept nagging, "Zhou Lang, I've told you before, the group built a new factory in Yuanjiang County this year. It's 70 kilometers from the city center and even farther from your home. I remember it's a full 120 kilometers away."
Zhou Lang tugged at Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu, signaling them to move back and away from the table.
"Considering you're a key employee, General Manager Wu and I didn't assign you to the new factory. Otherwise, you don't even have a car; how would you adapt after arriving in Yuanjiang County?"
The move, akin to "exile to Ningguta," is a blatant threat.
Wu Daxing, who remained calm and collected, observed Zhou Lang for a while and then coughed.
"These days, I've been working a lot of overtime. Could you please take a few days off...?"
"No way!" Tian Wenming interrupted his father, then stared at Zhou Lang with disdain, as if he was certain that Zhou Lang wouldn't dare to act recklessly.
"You dare not come to work overtime? Who gave you the guts to deliberately embarrass me in front of the new colleagues?"
Tian Wenming smiled confidently: "Pour me a drink, toast me twice, and apologize—Deputy Director Zhou, it's not easy to have a stable job these days. If you get fired or transferred to the new factory, it will be difficult for the leaders."
Zhou Lang's smile remained unchanged as he gripped the edge of the table with one hand.
"Difficult to handle?"
"Then let's not do it!!"
Splash splash splash splash—
Zhou Lang suddenly exerted force and overturned the table!
【Draw your sword!】The subsequent mission description is, "Openly confronting an unscrupulous superior."
Zhou Lang was unsure of the level of confrontation required for the system to recognize him.
Let's just go with the literal meaning and flip the table!
New and old grudges, personal feuds, all to be settled at once!
Steamed fish, roasted meat, glutinous rice cake syrup, all served with soup.
Wu Daxing and Tian Wenming were soaked.
Tian Wenming was stunned, completely stunned.
He stood there, frozen in place, unable to react for a long time.
Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu jumped up abruptly, looked at each other, and their eyes revealed deep disbelief.
"Zhou Lang!"
Tian Wenming was soaked in oil.
Garlic-coated scallop shells and gnawed chicken bones were still hanging on his clothes.
Smoky and disgusting, utterly disheveled.
He wiped his hair, getting his hands covered in the burnt, golden-brown broth of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and immediately flew into a rage: "I'll blanch you—"
"I'll blanch your ***!"
To protect his family, Zhou Lang blanched the food before he even cooked it himself, as a sign of respect!
Tian Wenming screamed loudly. He had never suffered such humiliation before. He lost his mind at this moment, grabbed a chair next to him, and smashed it on Zhou Lang's forehead.
Zhou Lang spread his arm to block, and then launched a punch and a kick straight at him.
"I'll blanch your ***!"
"You son of a bitch, Tian Wenming, you're stuck in the office collecting documents and setting up name cards—the easiest job in the whole company. You want your dad to put you on a front-line factory floor, making you an engineer's salary of 20,000 yuan a month? Are you even human?"
While venting his energy and anger, Zhou Lang cursed Tian Wenming for all sorts of dirty tricks and grievances.
"You son of a bitch! You make us work overtime, you're late and leave early, and you even go on company-funded trips abroad, gambling like crazy in Macau and Europe! Are you even human?"
"I'll fucking slap you! You've taken so many benefits; for the past four years, all the group's awards, commendations, youth cadre training programs, and contribution awards have had your name on them. Have you no shame?!"
"I'll fucking swear to you! Chen Jieni's sister passed away, and she took three days of bereavement leave. You also have a sister, and you actually asked her about it? Her sister isn't even a direct relative, what business is it of hers with the funeral? You're worse than an animal!"
"I'll fucking smear you! You two bastards have embezzled all of our workers' overtime pay and travel expenses, spending it all on food, drinks, and cigarettes. According to company regulations, I'm supposed to receive over ten thousand yuan in overtime pay a year, and you two have pocketed half of it!"
The others present had never seen anything like it.
When Wu Daxing saw his own son being beaten, he completely lost his feigned sternness. He gripped the back of the chair with one hand and muttered, "Don't fight back, you can't fight back..."
Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu took in this blustering yet cowardly act.
They all turned their attention to the two who were still fighting and entangled.
Tian Wenming, weakened by alcohol and women, suffered from kidney deficiency and lethargy. After exchanging a few punches, he was already panting heavily.
Although Zhou Lang lacked physical training and had little muscle, his anger, which he had suppressed for four years, erupted and he fought with increasing ferocity.
What started as a fight gradually escalated into him pinning Tian Wenming down and slapping and kicking him repeatedly!
Tian Wenming cried out in pain and hid behind a cabinet, panting heavily.
"Zhou Lang, Director Zhou...!"
Before Zhou Lang could catch up, Wu Daxing opened his mouth to call out to Zhou Lang and stop this embarrassing situation as soon as possible.
Zhou Lang turned around and glared at him: "Get lost! You're no better than me, I'll blanch your genitals too."
Xiao Huang and Xiao Liu couldn't help but burst into laughter again.
Tonight, Zhou Lang's sudden outburst and table-flipping were undoubtedly seen by them as a heroic act of a righteous army.
The two of them were thoroughly entertained as Zhou Lang frantically visited Tian Wenming's factory and attacked the product's manufacturing address.
"That's enough, shall we break up the fight?"
"Yeah, if the fighting continues, and things get heated and injuries result, things will get out of control..."
After discussing it, the two young men split up to try and stop Zhou Lang and Tian Wenming.
"Director Zhou, never mind, it's not easy for anyone..."
"Director Tian, Director Tian, this way, let's go back to the office..."
Xiao Liu accompanied Zhou Lang to an empty warehouse compartment.
"Brother Zhou Lang!"
After locking the door, Xiao Liu looked radiant, his dejected state completely gone.
"You're amazing!" He gave Zhou Lang a big thumbs up. "Awesome!!"
Zhou Lang smiled and said, "Alright, I'm fine. You should go home and rest. I'm sorry you had to see me like this tonight."
Xiao Liu shook his head repeatedly. Zhou Lang had done what they had always dreamed of doing, and it was so satisfying.
"Brother Zhou Lang, don't worry. If those two bastards call the police, Xiao Huang and I know what to say."
Zhou Lang, however, remained confident, waving his hand and saying with certainty, "They won't report it."
Xiao Liu paused for a moment, thought for a second, and then suddenly realized: "Oh, right!"
"President Wu has just passed the public announcement period. If trouble arises under his management, he certainly won't dare to make a fuss."
"That bastard Tian Wenming just laid a hand on me too. He's even more reluctant to give up this job than you, Zhou Lang, and he definitely wouldn't dare risk going to jail for a few days!"
Zhou Lang nodded. That's right. He had planned this out beforehand. The more reactionary a guy is, the more likely he is to be a paper tiger. That's why he had the confidence to flip the table.
I want to be alone for a while.
Xiao Liu tactfully left, leaving Zhou Lang alone.
Congratulations, mission complete!
[Ding! You have been awarded permanent ownership of a special swimming and fitness center, with an annual profit of 200,000 to 350,000 yuan. Exercising in the center can improve your health.]
"Phew—I wonder how the system will give me the reward?" Zhou Lang thought expectantly.
next second.
SMS notification sound.
【招商银行】您帐户3344于04月25日02:53入帐款项，人民币504000.00。
At the same time, a message popped up on Zhou Lang's WeChat.
Because of the nature of his work involving coordination, he had set his WeChat account to allow adding friends without verification, so this unfamiliar account added him directly.
【Momo - Jianeng Swimming and Fitness Center, Economic Development Zone】: Hello Mr. Zhou, the boss has arranged to transfer the membership card and pre-paid amount, after deducting six months of venue operating expenses, to your card.
[Momo]: Could you please confirm if the money has arrived?
【MoMo】: X-Link eSignature [Link]
[Momo]: Here is a "Transfer Agreement for Operating Revenue Rights". Please sign it, Mr. Zhou. All subsequent after-tax net profits of the gym will belong to you.