Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

June 1st, the height of summer had arrived.

A shrill burst of cicada calls erupted from the branches of the parasol trees, fraying one’s nerves.

In Room 0418, Chen Yansen sat on the sofa as his Divine Sense swept through a fifteen-meter radius around him.

In an instant, a dozen sparrows and swallows, along with dozens of chirping cicadas, fled in a panicked scramble, as if they had seen some terrifying creature.

Just a dozen seconds later, the surroundings fell completely silent.

Chen Yansen glanced at his system panel. His Spirit attribute had been enhanced again, increasing from 44.95 to 55.64.

The perception of his Divine Sense grew more refined; he could now clearly make out even the flyspeck-sized print on a package.

His detection range continued to expand, and his telekinetic ability was significantly stronger—he could effortlessly ’lift’ a 500-milliliter bottle of mineral water.

’For every 10-point increase in my Spirit attribute, the weight limit for my telekinesis more than triples. By that logic, I won’t even need to reach 100 points before I can lift a 300-jin object with my Spiritual Power.’

After a moment of thought, Chen Yansen came to a conclusion.

’This damn system is actually pretty impressive!’

Chen Yansen gestured with his hand, and the car keys on the coffee table flew into his grasp.

He pushed the door open, went downstairs, and sat in the driver’s seat of his Bentley, speeding down Xue Lin Road toward the Science and Technology Park.

The road was filled with vibrant and youthful female students. Most wore thin, tight-fitting short T-shirts paired with short floral skirts, revealing their fair, slender legs.

The commercial street across from the East Gate of Xuyuan had gained several more hotels and internet cafes compared to two years ago. The former satisfied physical needs, while the latter satisfied spiritual ones.

Restaurants were doing exceptionally well. With graduation season approaching, they were packed every day. Groups of young people would hold their cups, their eyes red, and say, ”We have to get together often! Brothers, we have to make something of ourselves!”

Little did they know, for most of them, this would be the last time they ever saw each other.

Seven or eight years later, upon reaching middle age, forget about becoming wildly successful—they’d often find themselves forcing a smile and admitting fault just to keep their jobs, even after being viciously chewed out by their boss.

Working hard, getting promoted, earning a raise—it’s all fucking bullshit!

Making money is all that matters!

Heaven doesn’t reward the diligent. Only by being thick-skinned and black-hearted can one be invincible.

Ten minutes later, Chen Yansen parked his car on the ground floor of the Science and Technology Park, walked into Building 9, and took the elevator to his top-floor office.

He turned on his computer and opened his email.

The first email was from Gao Weilin. The industrial plot of land that Meng Yuanzhi had promised him had been approved. It covered an area of 470,000 square meters and was located near the South Second Ring Road in the Baohe District, close to Luzhou South Station and the main urban area, with well-developed transportation and supporting infrastructure.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Yansen sent a message to Wang Xueting from the HR department, telling her to start recruiting a project director, civil engineers, and construction supervisors to begin forming Orange Technology’s construction management department.

The upcoming work—headquarters design, surveying and mapping, project budgeting, construction bidding, and acceptance—all required their own in-house team.

Otherwise, stumbling into even a small pitfall could result in losses of tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions.

The second email was a work report from Pei Yi. In late May, Kuai Pao had launched in three consecutive cities in Huian Province, and its average daily order volume had surpassed one million for the first time.

Following that were business and financial weekly reports from subsidiaries like the Orange Phone Factory, Gaode Map, Cloud Speed Express, and Byte.

Chen Yansen worked quickly. In less than ten minutes, he had arranged everything in perfect order.

After finishing the miscellaneous tasks, he opened the Eclipse CDT editor and continued writing the mobile operating system.

His train of thought was only broken by a knock on the door.

”Come in!” Chen Yansen replied coolly.

Gao Weilin pushed the door open and walked in, his face wreathed in smiles. He wiped a hand across his forehead, brushing away non-existent sweat, looking as if he had successfully completed a difficult mission.

”Have you settled things with Investment Attraction, Huake, and Huaxin?”

Chen Yansen looked up at Gao Weilin and asked in a calm, unhurried tone.

”Each is getting 5% equity for a financing amount of 600 million US dollars. The three of them together total 1.8 billion US dollars,” Gao Weilin replied, pulling over a chair and sitting down.

”A valuation of 12 billion US dollars... so-so. Didn’t Liao Wei try to keep you for a few more days?” Chen Yansen said with a placid expression.

’12 billion US dollars? And he calls that *so-so*?’

If anyone else had said that to his face, Gao Weilin would have spat right at them.

”I rushed back without stopping as soon as the contracts were signed.”

Gao Weilin chuckled.

”So now Lao Liao isn’t short on cash, and he has a state-backed enterprise as his backer. The situation for the Three Passes and One Reach is about to get even tougher.”

Chen Yansen’s tone was laced with pity, but his face was all smiles.

”Zheng Shengyu from the Postal Association has already spoken with people at Air China. Once Cloud Speed Express’s route operation and airport usage permits are approved, they’ll be able to purchase a batch of secondhand passenger planes, form an air freight team, and compete with Shunfeng for the air cargo market.”

Gao Weilin slowly explained.

”It’s about time Cloud Speed entered the high-end express market. How many pennies can you really make scraping a living on the ground, preying on poor people?”

Chen Yansen replied with a laugh.

This 1.8 billion US dollar financing round would, first, provide ample development capital to further accelerate the expansion of their network and open up time-sensitive express services; and second, it would serve to intimidate Chen Dejun and the others.

The companies of the Three Passes and One Reach were just waiting to see who would be the first to buckle under the losses.

The moment Cloud Speed abandoned its low-price strategy would be the perfect time for them to counterattack.

But the news that Cloud Speed Express had secured 1.8 billion US dollars in financing was like the final, fatal straw that broke the camel’s back for Chen Dejun and his allies.

”Fight? How are we supposed to fight this?” Lai Haisheng of Zhongtong Express said listlessly, his head hanging low.

Over the past two months, he had proactively contacted Redwood Capital, Gao Ling Capital, and Hua Ping Capital, but without exception, none of the talks had panned out.

He was either rejected outright or they couldn’t agree on a valuation.

Lai Haisheng’s desired valuation was 2.6 billion Hua Yuan, but Hua Ping Capital, the only interested investor, was only willing to offer 800 million Hua Yuan.

’This is just bullying!’

”1.8 billion US dollars is enough for Cloud Speed to keep fighting us for another two years,” Yu Weijiao of Yuantong Express said grimly.

Two years?

At this rate, the Three Passes and One Reach would all be dead in less than a year.

In fact, this was precisely Chen Yansen’s goal: to use prices as low as 1.5 yuan to drive the Tongda-affiliated companies out of the express delivery industry.

Those who couldn’t afford the losses would quit on their own.

”Boss Chen, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to find Liao Wei tomorrow to negotiate,” Nie Tengyu of Yunda Express said, standing up abruptly with a resolute look on his face.

’What else can I do but surrender?’

’Just stand by and watch the company I built with my own hands slowly go bankrupt?’

’Admitting defeat early might still get me a good price.’

’After all, Cloud Speed even acquired Quanfeng Express; there’s no reason they would refuse Yunda.’

”President Nie, you want to sell the company to Cloud Speed?” Chen Dejun, who had been silent until now, demanded coldly.

”Is this something I can decide just because I want to or not?” Nie Tengyu shot back.

”Yesterday, I spoke with Mr. Ma from Hang City. Ah Li is interested in entering the express delivery industry and is willing to incorporate the Three Passes and One Reach into Ah Li’s logistics system, supporting us with orders from Taobao and Tmall Mall.”

As Chen Dejun spoke, he scanned the faces of Lai Haisheng, Nie Tengyu, and Yu Weijiao, observing their expressions and demeanors.

Nie Tengyu looked utterly disdainful!

Yu Weijiao remained unmoved.

Only Lai Haisheng showed a slight bit of interest, waiting for him to continue.

”Don’t be a fool! Ma Liyun has nearly emptied his coffers to buy back Yahoo’s shares. The partnership he’s talking about is most likely an attempt to get something for nothing. He absolutely won’t spend a single dime.”

Nie Tengyu snorted coldly.

Yu Weijiao and Lai Haisheng exchanged a glance, and the glimmer of hope that had just appeared was instantly extinguished.

That’s right!

Ah Li has no money!

It would be better to sell the company to Cloud Speed than to get taken for a ride by Ma Liyun.

”He definitely has the money. Mr. Ma’s idea is for Ah Li to take the lead, team up with Best and Shunfeng Express, and establish a brand-new logistics company...” Chen Dejun said softly, frowning.

”Best and Shunfeng? Then we wouldn’t get much equity. At the end of the day, Ma Liyun is still unwilling to cough up any cash. He just wants to use the network resources of the Three Passes and One Reach to build his own Cainiao service stations. He’s playing his cards well, trying to use a borrowed hen to lay eggs!”

At this point, Yu Weijiao also caught on, his face filled with dissatisfaction.

Perhaps he might have agreed in the past, but with Yuantong Express being pushed to the brink by Cloud Speed, he was in no mood to carry the sedan chair for Ma Liyun.

”You all can take your time discussing. I’ll be taking my leave,” Nie Tengyu sneered. With that, he left the private room without a backward glance.

”President Lai, President Yu, what do you two think?” Chen Dejun asked, looking at Nie Tengyu’s departing back before turning to Lai Haisheng and Yu Weijiao.

”Working with Ah Li is fine, but make Ma Liyun cough up some investment money,” Yu Weijiao said, his eyes narrowed.

If Ah Li wanted to use Yuantong Express’s resources, empty promises wouldn’t cut it.

”I agree. Let’s do as Old Yu says,” Lai Haisheng said, lighting a cigarette and taking an agitated drag.

”Alright, I’ll arrange a time to meet.”

Chen Dejun nodded, indicating his approval of Yu Weijiao’s and Lai Haisheng’s approach.

As for Yunda Express, to hell with them!

Nie Tengyu left the clubhouse and instructed his driver to head straight for the Cloud Speed Express headquarters.

He had figured it out. If he was going to sell, he had to do it soon. Otherwise, in a few months, Yunda Express’s network and business volume would continue to shrink, and its value would plummet along with them.

Half an hour later, Nie Tengyu and his assistant arrived at the Cloud Speed headquarters.

”I’m Nie Tengyu, the chairman of Yunda Express. Is Liao Wei in?” Nie Tengyu asked, standing at the front desk with a stern face.

The young woman at the reception desk flinched, instinctively assuming he was there to cause trouble. She said cautiously, ”President Nie, I’m not sure if President Liao is in the office. How about I check for you?”

”Fine. Thanks. Tell Liao Wei I’m here to discuss an acquisition,” Nie Tengyu said impatiently, waving his hand dismissively.

”Please wait a moment.” The receptionist could also tell that Nie Tengyu didn’t have any malicious intent.

She picked up the phone and called Zhai’an.

”An acquisition?” Zhai’an immediately understood what the other party meant when he heard the receptionist’s explanation.

He turned, walked into Liao Wei’s office, and said excitedly, ”Boss, Yunda has surrendered.”

”What do you mean?” Liao Wei asked, putting down the document in his hands with a puzzled expression.