hhnovel Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85: Let Me Hand You a Military-Industrial Enterprise to Run
Inside the Abyss-Suppressing Army Military-Industrial Enterprise Cooperation Department, Zhang Chaoyang had just submitted the proposal.
Like a schoolboy, he had sat there obediently before several leaders from the Cooperation Department and explained his proposal on the spot.
He had said every flattering thing he could think of.
And in the end, all he got was a bland, “Go back and wait for news.”
The moment he stepped out of the bidding room, Zhang Chaoyang wilted like an eggplant struck by frost.
He knew this time had failed again, because if the other side had been interested, they would have told him to go back and prepare for a second round of review.
But they had not said that.
So there was no chance at all.
As soon as he entered the waiting room, all the bosses from various metal industries were gathered there, looking at Zhang Chaoyang with half-smiles.
Any one of the people with enough strength to come here and submit a bid would be someone the Commerce and Industry Administration Department would normally fawn over.
But here, they were all pitiful creatures in the same miserable boat.
“Old Zhang, you’re confused. Why even bother bidding anymore?”
One of them laughed as he patted the stool beside him.
“Sit down! Just wait for the Ye family to toss you a bowl of rice!”
Another said gloomily, “Exactly. Who told them to have military backing?”
“I heard that the moment the news came out last night, the Ye family already finished their victory banquet overnight!”
“They’re absolutely determined to get this Mother Crystal.”
“When the time comes, getting a few spoonfuls of soup from the Ye family’s downstream business wouldn’t be bad either!”
Zhang Chaoyang gave a faint snort and prepared to leave.
He had no interest in mingling with this crowd.
But just then, a middle-aged man with a gold tooth walked over, grinning broadly.
“Hahahaha, good morning, gentlemen!”
“They say the early bird catches the worm.”
“You’ve all done very well indeed! Hahaha!”
Even though they had just been compared to birds, these bosses could only stand up with forced smiles and greet the newcomer.
“President Ye, good morning.”
“President Ye, you seem to be in good spirits. Did something good happen?”
someone joked.
“I never forget my friends when I have good fortune.”
“Would any of you be interested in joining me for a meal later?”
“How about we share in the good news together?”
President Ye said with a broad smile.
Everyone understood that President Ye was looking for downstream manufacturers for the Living Crystal business.
Those who felt they had the strength and were willing to align themselves with him
immediately began chiming in.
“President Ye is practically a god. How did you know I skipped breakfast?”
“How could I possibly refuse an invitation from President Ye?”
President Ye was all smiles.
Then he suddenly spotted Zhang Chaoyang.
Zhang Chaoyang had always been something of an oddity. The scale of his business could not compare with the Ye family’s, yet he had never once taken the initiative to attach himself to them.
President Ye had not paid much attention to him in the past.
But in recent years, the Zhang Group’s energy-metal business had been gaining tremendous momentum.
Its rate of growth was so fast that it had made many people feel threatened.
President Ye had long wanted to pull him under his own banner.
“Brother Zhang, it’s rare that we see each other. How about joining us for a meal and getting a little closer?”
President Ye asked with a smile.
Zhang Chaoyang replied without servility or arrogance, “My apologies. I have some urgent business at home and need to head back. Another time, perhaps.”
Seeing Zhang Chaoyang refuse, the smile on President Ye’s face dimmed somewhat.
Though Zhang Chaoyang had refused very politely, he still felt he had lost face.
“Brother Zhang, it seems you don’t care much for people like us.”
“That isn’t what I meant,” Zhang Chaoyang said calmly.
“Opportunities often come only once. Our table will only grow bigger in the future, but by then, coming along may not be something you can do just because you want to.”
President Ye smiled faintly.
His meaning was obvious.
The Ye family was already the dominant force.
And once they secured the Mother Crystal this time, they would become even more powerful.
Their expansion would only grow more aggressive.
Once the Ye family’s business empire became even larger, joining them later would no longer be so easy.
And once the Ye family truly dominated the field, enterprises of the same type would face only two outcomes.
Either they would be swallowed up.
Or they would be crushed to death.
Zhang Chaoyang’s face alternated between red and pale.
Those words were already quite rude, even carrying a hint of threat.
It was an attitude that clearly treated him as little more than hired muscle to be brought to heel, and it infuriated Zhang Chaoyang.
He had always despised the Ye family’s domineering arrogance.
As businessmen, they knew better than anyone how vile the Ye family was.
How many conscientious entrepreneurs had been driven to death by the Ye family’s commercial bullying?
Though such things were not technically criminal, and the Abyss-Suppressing Army knew little about them, people in their circle knew exactly how deep the waters ran.
So Zhang Chaoyang would never stand with the Ye family, even if it meant leaving the industry altogether.
He could not be bothered to waste any more words.
“Good day.”
With that, he turned and left.
Watching Zhang Chaoyang leave, President Ye smilingly draped an arm over another boss’s shoulder and said,
“That Brother Zhang certainly has character.”
The others could only laugh awkwardly along.
But President Ye’s smile soon turned knife-edged, and he said in a sinister tone, “Still, people with character usually don’t live long. Hehehe...”
A chill immediately ran through the others.
At headquarters, Wang Longcheng had already learned over the phone that Li Mu was bringing Zhang Zhiwei over.
After exchanging a few pleasantries when they met, he had the two of them sit down.
By then, he already understood that Li Mu and Zhang Zhiwei must be very close.
Li Mu clearly wanted the Zhang Group to take charge of the Mother Crystal.
Otherwise, what had been discussed over dinner yesterday was that Li Mu would merely bring over the Zhang family’s proposal.
Why would Li Mu bring the man himself straight before him?
Still, it was not a bad thing for Li Mu to expand his network a little.
And now that the two of them had come, Wang Longcheng simply helped Li Mu out by laying it bare himself.
“Didn’t we agree yesterday that you’d only bring me their proposal to look at?”
“Bringing the man directly to me like this—are you trying to pressure me?”
Wang Longcheng said this to Li Mu in mock irritation.
At once, Zhang Zhiwei felt cold sweat break out on him.
Pressure him?
Who would dare pressure the Deputy Commanding Officer of an entire military district?
So yesterday, Li Mu had already recommended the Zhang Group to Wang Longcheng,
and today he had even broken convention by bringing him here in person?
While feeling boundless gratitude, Zhang Zhiwei also broke out in a cold sweat for Li Mu.
Brother, this move of yours is a little too bold.
Li Mu smiled and said, “How would I dare? I only visited the Zhang family’s conscientious enterprise and thought I should help ease your burden, so I hurriedly brought him to see you.”
Wang Longcheng let out a smiling snort.
“As if there’s anything you wouldn’t dare do. You’re the one who brought back the Mother Crystal.”
“Over on the research side, your words already carry more weight than mine! Hmph!”
Then he smiled and looked at Zhang Zhiwei.
“Young Master Zhang, would you mind letting me have a look at your proposal?”
Zhang Zhiwei was completely stunned.
What had he just heard?
Li Mu was the one who had brought back the Mother Crystal?
And over on the research side, Li Mu’s words already carried weight?
What exactly had he missed these past few days?
“Ah—yes! Of course. Certainly.”
Zhang Zhiwei came back to himself and hurriedly replied.
Li Mu laughed inwardly.
Zhang Zhiwei was normally a cool-faced, expressionless type.
This was the first time Li Mu had ever seen him so flustered.
Zhang Zhiwei stayed in the office for more than three full hours.
As the young master heir of the Zhang Group and an academic prodigy, his expertise in the relevant field was even more solid than his father’s. Even if Zhang Chaoyang had come himself, he would not have been able to keep talking so competently for that long.
With Li Mu there, chiming in from time to time, Zhang Zhiwei did not feel intimidated either.
The discussion went on until noon, and only ended after Wang Longcheng kept both him and Li Mu for lunch.
At the Zhang family villa, Zhang Chaoyang rubbed his temples as he came to the lunch table.
He had barely slept the night before, and had just managed to grab a bit of extra sleep.
The more he slept, the worse his head seemed to ache.
Even looking at the table full of appetizing dishes, he had little interest.
Noticing one person missing from the table, he asked, “Where’s Zhiwei?”
Li Ru replied, “He called. He’s not coming back for lunch.”
Zhang Jiuhe said, “He’s probably running around over this matter too. Never mind him for now. Let’s eat.”
They had just lifted their chopsticks when the front door was shoved open with a bang.
Zhang Zhiwei walked in, his face faintly flushed.
As he looked at the people inside, even his eyes seemed a little unfocused.
“Xiao Wei, what’s wrong with you?”
Li Ru immediately rose in concern.
Her son did look a little off.
Usually he was cool and handsome.
Why did he seem a little dazed and foolish today?
“I’m fine.”
“This morning, Li Mu took me to see Wang Longcheng.”
“I personally explained our proposal to Wang Longcheng!”
As Zhang Zhiwei spoke, he took out the proposal.
Those three short sentences plunged the entire room into absolute silence.
Every word was plain enough, and every sentence could be read straight through, yet when Zhang Chaoyang put them together, he felt like his brain was about to burn out.
“You said... you went to see... and then what??”
By the time he reached the last three words, Zhang Chaoyang was already on his feet, and even his voice had gone shrill.
Zhang Zhiwei said, “Deputy Commanding Officer Wang wasn’t satisfied with this proposal for a military-industrial cooperation enterprise...”
At once, Zhang Chaoyang and the others felt as though they had fallen into an icy abyss.
They had already been in hell to begin with. That one sentence had just dragged them to heaven, and now they had been thrown right back into hell again.
But after Zhang Zhiwei’s next sentence, they no longer even knew where they had been sent.
“Deputy Commanding Officer Wang asked me to ask you all this.”
“Are you willing to work with the military district on a deeper level and draft a new proposal for jointly building a true military-industrial enterprise with the military district?”