Under One Person: The End of Technique, Company Building

The air in the corridor seemed to freeze at Wang Ai's chilling laughter.

The two junior employees in charge of security felt a chill run down their spines; that was Wang Ai, one of the Ten Elders!

In the world of supernatural beings, the name of the Ten Elders is like a sword hanging over the heads of all independent cultivators and small sects.

They instinctively turned their pleading gaze to Zhuge Qi, who was standing in front of them.

Faced with Wang Ai's barbed and condescending pressure, Zhuge Qi not only did not back down, but his smile became even warmer.

That smile was like that of a veteran bureau chief who had spent thirty years working his way up in the system, watching an ignorant local gentry act arrogantly in front of him.

"Senior Wang, you're exaggerating." Zhuge Qi crossed his arms naturally in front of him, his posture upright, and his tone was gentle and persuasive. "Our mission at Na Du Tong has always been to provide 'service-oriented management' for our fellow non-human beings. How could we possibly treat the Ten Elders like criminals? That would be an absolute ideological error."

Zhuge Qi paused, took the iconic stainless steel thermos from Xiao Li beside him, slowly unscrewed the lid, blew on the goji berries floating on top, took a sip, and then continued:

"However, Elder Wang, those of us who work at the grassroots level also have our difficulties. This restricted area on the back of Longhu Mountain is a red line personally drawn by the Old Celestial Master. It's said that the ancestral tablets and handwritten letters of the Celestial Master's Mansion are kept there, and there are even some sacred artifacts and scriptures that cannot be passed on to outsiders. Just think about it, if we just let people in, what if they get hurt, or even if they step on a blade of grass? How will our company explain this to the Old Celestial Master?"

Wang Ai narrowed her venomous eyes and sneered, "Section Chief Zhuge, you don't need to use the Old Master to intimidate me. Does my great-grandson, Wang Ai's son, lack even this basic sense of propriety? He was merely curious and wanted to take a stroll in the back mountain for some fresh air. How did that become him causing trouble in your mouth?"

Wang Bing, standing nearby, also chimed in arrogantly, "That's right! What rare treasures haven't I seen? Why would I touch those junk from the Celestial Master's Mansion? You're clearly just deliberately picking a fight!"

"Young Master Wang, watch your words. The foundation of the Celestial Master's Mansion cannot be described with the word 'shabby'." Zhuge Qi's eyes turned slightly cold, and the passive effect of [Intimidation] spread out again, forcing Wang Bing to swallow the curse that was on the tip of his tongue, and his chest felt tight again.

"Since Elder Wang has so much confidence in Young Master Wang's judgment..." Zhuge Qi changed the subject, the coldness on his face instantly disappearing. He then magically pulled out a neatly folded A4 sheet of paper from the inside pocket of his suit.

He handed the A4 paper to Xiao Li next to him, who immediately understood and took out a pen from his briefcase, and respectfully handed it to Wang Ai along with the document.

"Section Chief Zhuge, what do you mean by this?" Wang Ai looked at the paper and pen in front of her, her brows furrowing deeply.

"Oh, it's nothing, just a small 'Longhu Mountain Special Passage Disclaimer and Joint Liability Guarantee'," Zhuge Qi explained with a smile, his tone as if he were selling an investment product. "Since Young Master Wang insists on entering the restricted area to relax, our company has always emphasized humane management, and we can't be inflexible. As long as you, Elder Wang, sign this guarantee and affix the Wang family's private seal, I'll immediately make way, and can even send someone to act as your guide."

Zhuge Qi extended a finger and gently tapped on a clause in the document, his tone gentle yet every word piercing:

"The terms on this document are very simple; they're just a formality. It states that if any property loss or leak of secrets occurs while Wang Bing is in the restricted area, or even if the Celestial Master's Mansion loses a single broom, the Wang family will bear 100% joint liability for compensation."

Furthermore, to protect the interests of the Celestial Master's Mansion, all compensation will be calculated at one hundred times the highest market valuation. At the same time, the Wang family must publicly apologize in the world of supernatural beings… Elder Wang, do you think this is reasonable? Once you sign, the responsibility will be assigned to someone, and we grassroots workers will be able to finish our work easily, right?

silence.

The corridor fell into a deathly silence.

Wang Ai's old face, which had previously worn a sinister smile, was now as black as the bottom of a pot. He stared intently at Zhuge Qi, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the sandalwood cane bulging.

Sign? How could I possibly sign that!

Putting aside the fact that Wang Bing is a mischievous kid and might cause trouble after he goes in, even if Wang Bing does nothing, once this document is signed, it's tantamount to handing over the Wang family's Achilles' heel to the company and the Celestial Master's Mansion!

If the company were to accidentally damage something in the back mountain and frame Wang Bing, the Wang family would not only have to pay a huge fine, but they would also lose face in the entire world of supernatural beings!

This is no guarantee letter; it's clearly a bloodless indenture!

"You...good! What a fine young man from the Zhuge family! What a fine head of the Extraordinary Persons Affairs Department!" Wang Ai laughed angrily, pointing his withered finger at Zhuge Qi and saying "good" three times. He never expected that he, a dignified member of the Ten Elders, would be cornered by a young man in his early twenties using a set of high-sounding bureaucratic procedures.

This subtle, insidious approach is even more painful than a direct physical beating!

"Great-Grandpa, let's sign! I want to see who dares to stop me once I'm inside!" Wang Bing hadn't even grasped the situation yet, and in a moment of impulsiveness, he tried to grab the pen.

"Snapped!"

A crisp slap echoed in the corridor.

Wang Bing covered his instantly swollen cheek, looking at Wang Ai in disbelief: "Great-Grandpa... why did you hit me?"

"You bastard! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Get back here!" Wang Ai growled through gritted teeth. He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging anger in his chest, and turned to look at Zhuge Qi, his eyes showing less contempt and more deep apprehension.

"Section Chief Zhuge, I'll remember this debt. Rules are rules, and our Wang family will abide by your company's rules." Wang Ai coldly uttered these words, then turned and, leaning on his cane, strode away with the help of his butler.

The priest carrying the sword box glared at Ma Hong and quickly pulled the stunned Wang Bing along to follow.

Watching the Wang family slink away, Zhuge Qi leisurely took a sip of goji berry water, his smile gradually fading into an unfathomable calm.

"Ding! Detected that the host established his authority in front of the Ten Elders using a forceful yet procedural approach, demonstrating strong political skills and absolute confidence."

"Congratulations, host, you have affected the mood of Wang Ai, Wang Bing, Ma Hong, and the employees present."

"Reputation points +2000!"

Current reputation level: LV4 (15800/100000)