Chapter 457: President Fortune
After careful consideration, Zhang Yu decided to establish a small company.
He sighed, “This isn’t just for myself. It’s about taking on more responsibility for Kunxu.”
“It will make it easier for me to support my fellow villagers, provide more opportunities for the poor to earn a living, and eventually lead everyone to prosperity…”
Fu Ji burst out laughing as Zhang Yu trailed off. Struggling to suppress her amusement, she said, “I think what you said is wonderful. I completely understand your intentions. Just… save these grand speeches for your employee meetings. You don’t need to say them when it’s just the two of us!”
Zhang Yu shook his head inwardly. How could a pure Kunxu Evil God possibly comprehend my lofty aspirations?
Next, Zhang Yu realized he lacked experience in starting a company, so he sought advice from Director Gao.
Director Gao: “Hmm, you could definitely start a small company!”
Director Gao: “Here, I’ll have Tu Lishan guide you through the process.”
Soon, Tu Lishan contacted Zhang Yu, and with his assistance, Zhang Yu successfully established his company the very next day.
Tu Lishan then sent Zhang Yu a beginner’s guide to starting a company and casually shared some of his own experiences.
He explained how to keep wages low, recruit interns, get students to work for free, and secure school projects.
When Tu Lishan asked if Zhang Yu needed any introductions to finance or accounting resources, Zhang Yu replied, “I heard Ying Xin studied that. I’m planning to have her give it a try for now.”
Tu Lishan remarked, “You really look out for your classmates! Ying Xin has been wanting to escape pure construction work for a while. She’s really seizing this opportunity you’ve given her!”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, “Actually, it’s mainly because… Ying Xin is cheap!”
After all, Ying Xin was just a beginner in this field. Without Zhang Yu’s opportunity, she would have had almost no chance of finding relevant work.
Zhang Yu also felt that the current scale of his company didn’t require highly skilled professionals. Ying Xin should be sufficient for now.
“Fu Ji, once the company is up and running, Ying Xin will be our accounting supervisor, and you’ll be the chief financial officer, responsible for managing and overseeing her work!”
Hearing Zhang Yu’s words, Fu Ji exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? I have to work too?”
“What ‘huh’?” Zhang Yu retorted. “You’ve been freeloading here for years, lying around doing nothing. I’ve gone from a freshman to a third-year, from Songyang High School to the Ten Greats. And you?”
“You’ve barely reached Level 2 Evil God, and even that was thanks to my help!”
Fu Ji said hesitantly, “It’s not convenient for me to work.”
Zhang Yu replied, “It’s a new company with no need for an office. We’re keeping things simple… everything will be remote!”
“Just use my Bionic to contact Ying Xin, communicate in my name, and manage and supervise her work. Easy!”
Zhang Yu continued confidently, “You’ve bragged so much about your grand swindling schemes in Kunxu. You must be an expert in finance, accounting, law, and taxes by now, right?”
Fu Ji asked, “What about my salary…”
Zhang Yu cut her off. “You don’t eat or drink, and I haven’t charged you rent for staying here all this time. You’re asking for a salary?”
“Besides, the company is just starting out. We’re in the toughest phase of entrepreneurship, with everything still being built. How can you even think about a salary?”
“Besides… if I don’t make a fortune, I won’t be able to join the Sect. In that case, I’ll take you down with me. Your top priority right now should be helping me get into the Sect!”
“You’re one of the company’s founding shareholders, after all. What kind of shareholder doesn’t pull their weight, right, President Fortune?”
Fu Ji silently rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine, I’ll do it!”
Hearing her agreement, Zhang Yu reflected on how he had recruited Ying Xin and now managed Fu Ji. He realized he was starting to think like a true boss.
Ever since starting the company, my mindset has shifted.
Sigh, has shouldering more responsibility made me more mature?
Meanwhile, Fu Ji thought to herself: “That Zhang Yu… I taught him how to exploit employees yesterday, and now he’s already exploiting me?”
He’s throwing around verbal and mental pressure like it’s nothing. This kid… it seems he really did absorb everything I taught him!
Good! Fu Ji mused. How can you grow stronger in Kunxu without running a company?
Focus on enhancing your own strength to tackle critical tasks. Hire subordinates for the grunt work, freeing up your energy for the essential stuff!
“Keep expanding the company, earning more money, increasing our power, hiring more subordinates to boost productivity, and simultaneously resolving issues in sales, finance, taxes, magic power, human resources, and so on, squeezing out even greater profits…”
“Heh heh, get stronger, Zhang Yu!”
“The stronger you become, the greater the returns on my long-term investment in you!”
In the days that followed, Zhang Yu focused on his studies and cultivation while also managing projects under the company’s name. The days passed in this manner.
On the Simulation Battlefield.
Su Yanyang and Shi Huaiyu coordinated their efforts, unleashing a storm of mud and sand that swept toward the Upper College Students in the distance.
Zhang Yu was absent from this match.
Su Yanyang and the other team members had no objections.
They understood that Zhang Yu’s time was too valuable to waste on Upper College-level opponents. He needed to concentrate on cultivating the Heavenly Kunlun Divine Power to improve their chances in future competitions.
Despite past conflicts with Zhang Yu, Su Yanyang now hoped he would master the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, leading them to victory in the upcoming matches.
“If we can hold out until Mo Shangjin returns, claiming first place might not be impossible!”
With this thought, Su Yanyang couldn’t help but feel hopeful about Zhang Yu’s progress.
As the final mudslide subsided and the lingering dust settled, the match concluded.
On their way back from the arena, Mo Shangjin’s projection materialized. “You all coordinated well,” he said. “The training wasn’t wasted.”
Shi Huaiyu asked, “Has our next opponent been decided?”
Mo Shangjin nodded. “It has. Vajra University.”
Xiao Yunji exclaimed in surprise, “They were eliminated?”
Mo Shangjin confirmed, “They lost to Heavenly Sword University and have been relegated to the Losers’ Bracket. We’ll face them next.”
Xiao Yunji asked anxiously, “How’s Zhang Yu doing?”
Mo Shangjin shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure.”
The group grew worried. If Zhang Yu’s Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power didn’t reach a certain level before the next match, they might suffer a second defeat against Vajra University and be eliminated early from the Civil Engineering Inter-University League.
As they left the arena and heard the commotion outside, Su Yanyang frowned. “What’s all the noise?”
Xiao Yunji replied casually, “Apparently, one of the universities here gave students a day off this month. They’re protesting, suspecting school leaders are followers of the Dual Cultivation Sect.”
Su Yanyang scoffed, “They’ve reached the Upper College level and still get holidays? They’re regressing! Learning all the wrong things — ancient holidays? If I were them, I’d protest too!”
A moment later, watching the students protesting in the streets, Su Yanyang couldn’t help but think, “There aren’t even many Foundation Establishment cultivators among them!”
“What’s the point of these Upper College students studying and cultivating so hard? They’ll only climb a few more steps on the Immortal Dao path. Dying sooner or later makes no difference!”
“Thinking about it that way, a day off wouldn’t make much difference to them anyway!”
At a construction site in a canyon region.
With a shift in Zhang Yu’s hand seals, he unleashed the Star Locking Prison from the Ten Phases of Suppressing Stars.
Waves of Earthly Fiend Gravity swept across the canyon, conjuring transparent force fields that locked onto the support structures of the bridge being built. Soul Cultivators then manipulated magical artifacts to weld and reinforce the structures.
This construction site marked Zhang Yu’s first major project since establishing his company, with a contract value of nearly 60 Spirit Coins.
Every time he thought about the impending income, Zhang Yu’s heart raced with excitement, reaffirming his belief that the Civil Engineering Department was truly a great field.
These past few days, he had been tirelessly working at the site, finding the process not only fulfilling his professional duties but also serving as a form of cultivation.
Each time Zhang Yu unleashed the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, it also propelled the Earth Essence Art forward, causing this martial art to rapidly advance. In the blink of an eye, the Earth Essence Art had reached level 17.
Furthermore, Zhang Yu’s mastery of the Ten Phases of Suppressing Stars continued to grow. After all, these were merely techniques and experiences for using the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, and with the support of his high-level Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering, his comprehension and learning speed were naturally astonishing.
However, while his strength was increasing rapidly, his savings remained stagnant.
This was because Zhang Yu no longer took on projects through Director Gao’s company, meaning no one was directly paying him a salary anymore.
Following standard engineering procedures, his own company had only received a small advance payment. He now needed to cover his employees’ wages out of pocket and wait for the project funds to be settled piece by piece before seeing any real income.
“I’ll just have to hold out for now,” Zhang Yu thought. “Thankfully, I have nearly 70 Spirit Coins saved up. I can manage.”
“Once the first batch of project payments starts coming in, my income will surge!”
“After all, running my own company and taking on projects is far more profitable than working for someone else ever was!”
Just then, Zhang Yu received a message:
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Now that you’ve mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, why haven’t you contacted me even once?”
Zhang Yu: “True Monarch, you’re so busy with your duties. I thought it best not to bother you with my trivial matter.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I have been quite occupied lately.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “But I still have time to see you.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Come to the Artifact Refinement Department tonight. I’ll examine you and check the effects of your Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.”
Zhang Yu: “I’m tied up with construction work these next few days.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “I wanted to discuss your potential transfer to the department.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Since you’re busy, we’ll talk another time.”
Zhang Yu: “It’s no problem. This project is for Myriad Laws University, and the site is close to University City. A quick flight will only take about fifteen minutes. It’s easy for me to come.”
That night…
Ye Xingli emerged from the Artifact Refinement Department’s laboratory and paused, slightly startled by the figure ahead.
“Zhang Yu? What’s he doing here?”
“Could it be…?”
After a moment’s contemplation, Ye Xingli followed him, watching as Zhang Yu headed toward that familiar office. Just as I thought, she mused.
“That’s Teacher’s office. So Zhang Yu really is here to see her.”
“Why would he come to see Teacher instead of working overtime at this hour?”
Could it be… private tutoring? Ye Xingli wondered.
“The teacher values him so highly… After Zhang Yu enters his third year, could he really transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department?”