People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"As for whether we'll break the rules, don't worry. We're just a makeshift operation right now, what rules do we need to follow?"

As the saying goes, no requirements are the best requirements. Headhunting companies are already having enough of a headache, so Ernst naturally wants to understand their difficulties and give them even more pressure, letting them have a real headache. After all, he's not the one paying.

Vina deeply appreciated Ernst's blatant lack of decency towards strangers and his generosity and tolerance towards his own people, and nodded with emotion. Straightening her back, she adjusted the "Foreign Minister of the Sherag Government" nameplate pinned to her chest, which resembled a towering mountain peak, and strode confidently into the chaotic recruitment area.

What kind of people apply for positions in our government?

She thought with anticipation that she had found the first target in the crowd that stood out from the crowd at first glance.

A tall, muscular man from Liboli, whose impressive physique was still evident even in a black suit!

She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said, "Hello, sir, are you here for the job fair?"

The tall, burly Liberian man glanced at the endless line stretching before him, then at his own resume, his eyes seeming to ask:

"Otherwise, what do you think I'm here for?"

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors, wait for the rumors to reverse.

"Jesston Williams."

Vina looked at the resume in her hand and couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

From any perspective, this is a perfect resume.

Jeston graduated from Columbia University's East Point Military Academy. Although he did not choose to join the military because his family did not have a military background, he was undoubtedly a graduate of a prestigious university.

During his time at school, he achieved excellent grades and had internship experience at companies such as Beach Umbrella and Wieland. He has more experience in security planning than the average student.

His Originium Arts are particularly focused on the very simple and brutal "iron" aspect. He could be considered a very good security-oriented talent.

The only drawback was that Jeston was not a recent graduate, but a seasoned veteran who had been working in the workplace for several years, which did not meet Ernst's top instruction to "recruit college graduates".

However, Vina believed that Ernst wasn't one to get bogged down in trivial details when it came to talent. Vina herself had only a basic education, yet Ernst still hired her. This suggests that if someone possessed certain strengths, Ernst probably wouldn't care.

So, Vina also wanted to test the mettle of this Mr. Jeston.

She led Jeston to Ernst.

Ernst felt a sense of familiarity upon first glance at Jesston. After a moment's thought, he poured a glass of red wine into a stemmed glass provided by the organizers and handed it to a bewildered Jesston. Seeing that classic gesture, he suddenly realized who it was.

Oh my, isn't this the famous Mr. Toilet Cleaner?

If we're talking about any story-driven character in Arknights whose popularity even surpasses that of the in-game characters, then Jesston definitely deserves a mention.

Initially, when he first appeared in Prison Break, people just thought that this guy, who said to Saria, "I have a slight doubt about whether you are really stronger than me," and was then defeated by Sethis with three punches, was just a clown with nothing remarkable about him. He was even used as an adjective because of his embarrassingly weak boss strength.

But with the airing of the real-life story show on Terra, players were suddenly surprised to discover that Mr. Mighty, the toilet cleaner, could not be considered a clown. Even a certain unnamed clown would have to kowtow three times and call him "Grandmaster" when he saw him.

I thought that was the end of it. But perhaps YJ had a strange fondness for Jeston. With the grand opening of the Rhine comics and the Lone Star storyline, facing the physical ascension to sainthood, the ability to survive a vertical freefall from 5,000 meters, the ability to blast through a powered mech unscathed with a single punch, and the ability to tear apart the Columbia Supergirl Saria's anti-Saria Aura spell without using Originium Arts, Jeston's value began to rise dramatically.

From then on, the famous meme "One man's strength is terrifying" began to circulate among players.

Ernst got to know Jeston through this.

To be fair, Ernst treated most interviewees with a peaceful attitude, and even when he occasionally encountered characters from the original works that he knew, he did not show excessive prejudice.

After all, he had become the Speaker and Prime Minister of Sherag, and the timeline was already spiraling out of control, turning into Margaret. Who knew if the trajectory of these characters would still be the same as before?

Just because the original work is bad doesn't mean Ernst assumes that the author is now bad too, right?

After thinking it over, Ens decided to give Mr. Jeston a steel wool ball—no, a chance—and let him try. It would also be a way for him to gain experience from his first serious employee interview.

Ernst sat up straight, coughed twice, and asked Jeston:

"Mr. Jesston Williams, which position are you applying for?"

Knowing he might have a chance to skip the process and be hired directly, Jesston was somewhat excited. He answered seriously:

"I believe that with my abilities, I am qualified to serve as a secretary or bodyguard."

Upon hearing this, for some reason, he suddenly felt the air in the room grow colder, and at least two faint killing intents were hidden in the atmosphere.

what's the situation?

He pursed his lips and subconsciously looked around, only to see Vina studying diligently beside him, and Lola and Hinterlea maintaining their kind smiles.

Have I offended them?

Uncertain in his heart, he thought for a moment and then added:

"I also learned several languages ​​during my school years, so I am capable of handling international communication work."

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt another murderous gaze. He looked up in surprise, only to see Vina with the same kind smile.

That's strange. Everyone seems quite friendly. Where is this weird sense of danger coming from?

He scratched his head, completely bewildered. Ernst noticed his reaction and silently marked him wrong.

Being easily startled and looking around nervously during the interview is a sign of insufficient preparation and excessive anxiety. Mr. Jesston's mental fortitude seems a bit lacking.

However, psychological resilience can be further developed; ultimately, ability is the key factor.

Ernst then asked:

"Since you want to interview for the secretary position, I have a question for you. Please answer truthfully according to your own thoughts."

"If I were to pour a cup of milk into the ocean and then give you the cup, asking you to retrieve it, what would you do?"

Jeston hesitated for a moment, as if he were deep in thought.

Ernst wasn't in a hurry. He swirled the wine glass on the table and unconsciously began humming the melody of "The Princess".

After a long pause, Jesston finally tentatively replied, "I'll pay for another cup for you myself."

He considered this to be a relatively high-EQ response.

As an employee conducting the interview, whether he was genuinely sincere or just going through the motions, he couldn't very well accuse Ernst, the boss, of deliberately making things difficult. And since the milk had already been poured into the sea, it was impossible to retrieve it.

At this point, he paid for another cup out of his own pocket to buy the boss a cup, so that the boss could drink the milk without spending a penny of his money. Wouldn't that solve the problem?

Although it might cost a little money, it won the boss's favor, so it's definitely worth it.

He was quite confident in his answer.

But Ernst shook his head in disappointment and asked in return:

"What if this 'tumor milk' isn't 'tumor milk,' but rather a huge sum of money for a construction project? Can you afford it? Are you willing to pay for it for me?"

"If you can really afford it and are willing to pay for it for me, would that solve everything?"

Ernst's barrage of questions left Jeston somewhat bewildered, but Ernst simply shook his head and explained:

"What you've done at best means that the hole can only be patched up after it's been discovered. But that doesn't solve the fundamental problem, because the hole has already been discovered."

Once the hole is discovered, it will inevitably arouse suspicion and investigation. And once the problem is confirmed, Ernst, this hypothetical "I," will likely lose his official position, along with his own head.

In politics, there's no such thing as mending the fence after the sheep are lost; once a mistake is discovered, it's truly over.

Ernst stood up, extended his hand to Jeston, and said:

“I’m sorry, Mr. Jesston, thank you for your participation. If there are other suitable positions available, I will give you priority consideration.”

Jeston was momentarily stunned, not yet understanding how he had suddenly been eliminated:

“Wait, Mr. Ernst, didn’t I also apply for positions as a bodyguard and a diplomat? Do I need to answer these kinds of questions?”

“Oh, that’s not necessary.” Ernst shook his head. “But these positions are already filled.” He gestured towards Hinterlea and the others beside him.

Jeston turned around and met that kind smile again. Realizing something, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly bowed and greeted the three men before turning and fleeing the scene.

Watching Jeston's retreating figure disappear from the recruitment area, Vina finally dropped her chilling smile, curiously stepped forward, and asked:

"So what's the answer to that question? How can we get the tumour milk back?"

“It’s gone.” Ernst answered bluntly, “The milk has gone into the sea, how could it be found again?”

He paused and explained:

"There is no standard answer to this question, but there are many ways to solve it."

Let me tell you something simpler.

Ernst poured the red wine from his glass into the trash can, then picked up the bottle, refilled it, and placed it in front of Vina.

The vibrant wine rippled enchantingly under the lamplight, accompanied by Ernst's captivating voice, like seductive knowledge bewitching the devil:

"First, pour yourself a new glass of wine."

"Then, say that this is the same cup as before."

"If anyone disagrees, just say he's spreading rumors."

Chapter 40: Water comes out with a slight twist

"Sir, these are the resumes of candidates who have basically met our requirements after screening. You can take a quick look at them. If you have any further requests, please let us know."

The headhunter, sweating profusely, placed a thin stack of resumes in front of Ernst.

Ernst was very curious about how they conducted the screening. He was deeply impressed by the huge crowds at the job fair, but now he had resumes in front of him that were probably less than one percent of those present. How did the agency manage to accomplish this series of feats when he, as the client, had provided almost no decent standards?

Can they really make a colorful black?

After hesitating for a moment, Ernst did not ask about the other party's business secrets. He simply nodded gratefully and picked up the first resume in the stack.

Joyce Moore

The name that caught his eye was somewhat unfamiliar, but the photo attached to the resume made Ernst recognize her instantly.

Even without makeup, her outstanding appearance remains unaffected. She has bright, piercing egg-yolk yellow eyes, wears an artist-like beret, and her mature lady's casual attire cannot conceal her unique scholarly temperament.

Without a doubt, this is a white-faced owl, a white-faced owl!

Seeing Ernst pick up the first resume, the person in charge immediately began his introduction:

“Ms. Joyce Moore is a very talented individual. She had an outstanding academic record, with a high GPA, several national scholarships, and top rankings in numerous computer application journals, giving her a significant competitive advantage over many job seekers. Based on our specialists' interviews, Ms. Joyce is capable of handling both technical and administrative positions, and is well-suited for career paths in auditing, data analysis, and record keeping.”

Ernst nodded. The strengths the person in charge had mentioned about Joyce were all reflected in her resume.

Or rather, Joyce's own resume fully lists even the honors and experiences that could be considered plus points, which were not mentioned by the person in charge.

She is indeed an exceptionally talented girl. Perhaps it was the change in the timeline that prevented her from being poached by Rhine Lab, thus giving Ernst the opportunity to find a suitable candidate.

“This is good.” Ernst maintained his composure and said confidently, “We can arrange for her to come, and I will interview her personally.”

“Yes, of course.” The person in charge nodded, but then said sincerely, “However, Mr. Ernst, I must remind you of something.”

"The reason why outstanding college students like Joyce Moore weren't immediately signed by those research giants is largely because they have certain issues. So, do you care?"

Ernst frowned.

Perhaps because he had received enough money, what the person in charge said was indeed the absolute truth.

Joyce's impressive resume would make her stand out even in Tremont, a city known for its talented people. It's winter now, not the time when college graduates are just starting out, and Joyce is still lost in the job market. There must be something wrong with her.

What's the problem? Is it personality? Or behavior pattern?

Ernst asked.

As a casual player, he didn't have a deep understanding of the operator characters, and he was completely unaware of whether Shining had any personality or problem-solving issues.

But the person in charge shook his head mysteriously at Ernst:

“No, sir, you’re oversimplifying things. Joyce’s problem isn’t mental, it’s physical.”

Like discussing a bomb that could explode at any moment in a train station, the person in charge leaned over and warned with a grave expression:

"She has Originium disease."

The atmosphere on the scene seemed to freeze suddenly. Ernst's expression was one of utter astonishment, as if he had never expected the person in charge to say such a thing.

Seeing this, the person in charge sighed and said with great regret:

"Sigh, if it weren't for Oripathy, that girl would probably be a rising star in the research department at Trimont Corporation right now. Actually, according to the rules, infected individuals like her shouldn't pass our initial screening. I was only asked by her mentor to give this girl a chance."

He shrugged:

"But thinking about it, it makes sense. Government officials never recruit infected people. This would not only damage the government's image but also put psychological pressure on visitors and reduce the government's credibility. Therefore, I put this resume first so that we can formally begin the next formal review after you reject it."

He reached out to take the resume back from Ernst. But just as his hand was about to touch the thin sheet of printed paper, Ernst slightly raised his hand to avoid it.

Ernst stared at the person in charge with a surprised look, then put the resume into his briefcase and said firmly: