In truth, if he could, he didn’t want to choose any of them, because none of the options were good for him. If he made even a slight mistake, he would suffer eternal damnation. Yet, if he didn’t choose, an endless abyss lay behind him. How was he supposed to make a choice now? He thought it over and over but couldn’t find a solution. No matter which step he took — whether it was the first or the second option — they would… they had caught him stealing trade secrets, after all. They certainly wouldn’t let him go easily. He had been wrong from the very beginning. What should he do?
While he was still hesitating, a solution had actually already presented itself. Of course, it depended on whether the other party would accept it. A mere nobody naturally didn’t have the standing to propose such a condition, but for a glimmer of hope, if he didn’t speak up, he could be sent to prison at any moment. So, in the end, he stated his condition.
After hearing it, it seemed the condition might actually be feasible.
Lin Guanqi thought the condition was quite wonderful and spoke.
“No, wait! Spare me! I have a way to buy my life. Do you want to hear the condition to buy my life? After all, if you send me to court, you just lose one competitor. But if you take me in, you gain a business partner. How about it? I’m not joking; I’m serious.”
It was understandable; following the flow was indeed a person’s best form of virtue. Of course, this “following the flow” didn’t mean attaching oneself to anyone you saw. If you chose the wrong person, you would be prepared to die along with them. Fortunately, he hadn’t chosen wrong.
This time, the “big brother” he recognized was a company with the most advanced technology in the world; there was nothing else like it.
Bai Ningbing still hadn’t completely let her guard down regarding this man. She cast a skeptical gaze his way. ‘Can he really be trusted?’ He was an enemy before, after all. But having one less enemy was better than having one more friend — there was nothing wrong with that approach. However, if this man wasn’t loyal, she would definitely root him out herself. She didn’t want him affecting her Jiaojiao.
The man didn’t seem to have any intention of rebelling. Ever since he conceded, he hadn’t done anything detrimental. This was a good sign; at least it showed he was serious and not joking. He wasn’t like others who tried everything to steal secrets back for their companies, attacking firewalls or even getting plastic surgery to pose as internal employees.
Lin Guanqi didn’t even know that the mere idea of wanting to become the number one ecosystem system company was considered wrong by others. This was because the two major businesses believed that while the ecosystem being developed was indeed terrifyingly powerful, it would be a waste of money if it couldn’t be realized. They looked at it; this so-called ecosystem system required extremely heavy-duty steel. In other words, they would have to spend a lot of money. If it failed, the loss of financial and human resources would be immense. As for how to solve it, that was simple: find enough steel or find enough investment.
For them now, the second option was undoubtedly better. Once the ecosystem system was finished, it would be beneficial for the entire country. His previous live-streaming might not have benefited the country much, but this ecosystem definitely would. Not only could it handle anything via the cloud, but one only needed to install an AI to create a fully automated civil servant for office work. Theoretically, with enough AI, it could completely replace a company.
Of course, replacing an entire company would still take some time, but it was coming soon. Development had entered the first stage. Although the financing would likely be insufficient, they could start by seeking “lazy financing.” Only when people saw results during the process would they invest.
Investors with fewer assets were very shrewd. They wouldn’t risk seeing a project through until it had achieved certain accomplishments. Their money didn’t blow in with the wind, after all. For some, this was their last bit of money; they couldn’t let anyone miss out or betray anyone’s trust.
“Fine, you can join us in the future and even buy our shares. Of course, you need to sign this contract and guarantee that you won’t do anything to harm the company’s interests. Once you’ve finished, you can leave.”
The man hadn’t expected to be let go so easily. This was a first for him. Without a second thought, he immediately went to the letter of guarantee and signed it. However, he still had some doubts.
If the project went bankrupt after his guarantee, would the company compensate him? He looked through the contract with this doubt in mind. The contract said exactly that on the last page: “Investment carries risk; financial management requires caution. If the project research fails in this investment activity, no refunds will be given. Please invest cautiously.”
Seeing this sentence, it was as if a fire in his heart had been doused. Did he really have to bet all his money on this? This ecosystem system was indeed a very significant application for them. Once developed, it would definitely be snatched up, even if it cost money. Current corporate management was very chaotic; they just needed an ecosystem to help them manage, and his ecosystem undoubtedly solved these companies’ urgent needs.
Lin Guanqi had worked in two industries so far. The first was live-streaming sales. He hadn’t come to find an investment for live-streaming sales from this man; he was looking for investment for the ecosystem. He found it strange. ‘The ecosystem project clearly hasn’t been leaked to the outside world, so how did he know about it?’ It was very strange indeed, but he didn’t dwell on it too much. As long as the man didn’t do anything to harm their interests, it didn’t matter to him how he found out.
“I hope you can cherish this job. After all, many people are fighting for this position. Of course, if you don’t want to work here anymore, tell me directly, resign, and go home. However, you won’t be allowed to take even a single cent from the company then. You know the consequences, don’t you?”
Only a fool would turn down such a good job.