Chapter 505: Financial Talent Acquisition
A few months ago, True Monarch Chain Nexus wouldn’t have given Zhang Yu, a Civil Engineering student, a second thought. Even if Zhang Yu had earned his Military Certificate in his third year, True Monarch Chain Nexus might have only vaguely recognized the name.
After all, for students, obtaining a Military Certificate was an extraordinary feat — a rare and difficult achievement. In a class of many students, perhaps none would manage to earn one over a decade.
However, while earning a Military Certificate was challenging, True Monarch Chain Nexus knew that across the entire grade and the entire university, there were quite a few students who held one. For instance, in his student contact list, nearly half the students in his groups had Military Certificates.
What truly caught True Monarch Chain Nexus’s attention was Zhang Yu’s involvement in the Spirit Transformation Bionic experiments. Anything related to Spirit Transformation, no matter how minor, was a matter of great significance. Moreover, this case involved the core technology of Divine Monarch Jade Nectar.
In the project teams led by True Monarch Magnetic Pole and True Monarch Celestial Seal, Zhang Yu was the only experimental subject to achieve success.
Despite recent investments from the school and project teams, and the recruitment of more students for testing, no genuine success stories had emerged.
It wasn’t just True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s Spirit Transformation Bionic that failed; according to True Monarch Chain Nexus, the hidden Spirit Transformation Bionic within the Finance Department had also failed to find a successful experimental subject.
Thus, after Jiutian Liu’s failed attempt to recruit Zhang Yu, absorbing him into the Finance Department gradually became a new option.
While this option had initially been merely a backup plan, True Monarch Chain Nexus decided to implement it after Zhang Yu won the Inter-University Civil Engineering Competition.
After all, even disregarding the Spirit Transformation Bionic, Zhang Yu’s demonstrated capabilities made investing in him a guaranteed win.
At this moment, True Monarch Chain Nexus projected his avatar, intending to personally recruit Zhang Yu.
In his view, personally recruiting Zhang Yu as the esteemed head of the Finance Department would be a simple matter.
As for the Civil Engineering Department’s reputation? Director Gao’s reputation? To True Monarch Chain Nexus, when had they ever had any reputation to begin with?
Meanwhile, hearing True Monarch Chain Nexus’s all-out recruitment pitch for Zhang Yu, the scene erupted into chaos.
Especially among the students present, though they remained outwardly silent, the volume of information exchanged in the Spirit Realm surged dramatically.
Someone in the class group chat posted photos from the scene:
“True Monarch Chain Nexus from the Finance Department is trying to snatch Zhang Yu!”
“And right when Director Gao was about to recommend Zhang Yu for graduate studies!”
Ying Xin: “Looks like Senior Brother is getting promoted to the Finance Department.”
Li Xiao: “Will we be able to apply for loans from Senior Brother in the future?”
Ji Yuanshu, who was working overtime at the construction site, paused, staring at the messages in the group for a long moment without moving.
In the Inter-University Competition Group:
Shi Huaiyu: “The talent war is on!”
Xiao Yunji: “It’s not just Director Gao trying to recruit Zhang Yu. The Artifact Refinement Department and the Finance Department are after him too!”
Su Yanyang: “If I were him, I’d definitely choose the Finance Department. They have the most money and even cover breach-of-contract fees!”
In the Departmental Competition Group:
Gongshu Jin: “You guys missed a major drama at the banquet!”
Gongshu Jin: “Just as Director Gao announced Zhang Yu’s graduate recommendation, True Monarch Chain Nexus from the Finance Department descended!”
Gongshu Jin: “He immediately tried to recruit Zhang Yu to the Finance Department!”
Yu Xinghan: “Zhang Yu, are you going to become a finance tycoon now?”
Shi Yunxiang: “Ascended!”
In the Artifact Refinement Department Group, Feng Tingting posted: “At the Civil Engineering celebration banquet, a finance big shot descended from the heavens and snatched a disciple on the spot! A complete humiliation for Civil Engineering!”
In that instant, news of the Finance Department poaching students spread like wildfire across the Spirit Realm. Even the scene of Director Gao, Zhang Yu, and True Monarch Chain Nexus standing together was repeatedly captured and shared.
Under the intense scrutiny of countless onlookers, Director Gao snorted coldly, stepped in front of Zhang Yu, and addressed True Monarch Chain Nexus: “Zhang Yu is a student of the Civil Engineering Department and my disciple. While I appreciate True Monarch Chain Nexus’s favor, the matter of him joining the Finance Department is non-negotiable.”
True Monarch Chain Nexus smiled dismissively. “Whether a student transfers departments or chooses their teacher is entirely their own decision. Why not ask Zhang Yu himself?”
“Director Gao has only recently taken charge of the Civil Engineering Department’s affairs. It would be wise to avoid unilateral actions that could strain relations between our departments and jeopardize ongoing projects.”
Director Gao’s gaze sharpened slightly. He immediately recognized True Monarch Chain Nexus’s veiled threat, leveraging the Finance Department’s control over loans, debts, investments, and other financial instruments.
After all, many of the Civil Engineering Department’s projects required substantial capital, and a significant portion of their Spirit Coin funding came from the Finance Department.
Once the Finance Department began tightening its grip on the Civil Engineering Department, many construction sites would be unable to pay wages, bringing projects to a standstill.
Historically, the Finance Department had used this tactic to control much of the Civil Engineering Department’s internal affairs. With just a little pressure, many of the department’s professors and experts would quickly capitulate.
But Director Gao believed that repeated compromises only emboldened the Finance Department to become increasingly demanding.
Moreover, he saw the Finance Department’s threats as far from foolproof. After all, losses on Civil Engineering projects meant risks for the Finance Department’s loans — the two departments should have been mutually dependent, rising and falling together.
Yet the Civil Engineering Department was plagued by weak-willed individuals. The Finance Department’s slightest threat invariably yielded immediate results, gradually becoming a habitual dynamic between the two departments.
Even now, before Director Gao could respond, many professors, experts, and teachers were already messaging him, urging him to stay calm, not to act impulsively, and to negotiate properly with the Finance Department.
Director Lin: “Calm down, Old Gao. Do you want a bunch of Civil Engineering companies to go bankrupt?”
Lang Yougong: “Director Gao, the work of so many teachers and students is at stake. We can’t afford to clash with the Finance Department.”
Old Director (Soul Cultivator): “Don’t fight with the Finance Department. How else will we make money? The Civil Engineering Department has so many mouths to feed.”
True Person Scorching Thunder: “Director, if the students truly want to transfer, we can only delay them temporarily, not stop them forever. It’s not worth antagonizing the Finance Department over this.”
As Director Gao watched the messages scrolling across his Bionic Eye, he felt as if invisible iron chains were binding him, a trace of helplessness gradually appearing on his face.
Just then, Zhang Yu stepped forward from behind Director Gao.
He looked directly at True Monarch Chain Nexus and said, “True Monarch Chain Nexus, I’ve made myself clear. I have no interest in the Finance Department and will never transfer there.”
True Monarch Chain Nexus narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. “Zhang Yu, you’re still young. You’ve been buried in construction sites all this time and may not fully understand the gap between the Civil Engineering Department and the Finance Department.”
“With your talent, staying in Civil Engineering would be a waste. Think about it carefully…”
Amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, Zhang Yu abruptly cut off True Monarch Chain Nexus, declaring with unwavering resolve, “I will not join the Finance Department.”
True Monarch Chain Nexus’s smiling face instantly turned expressionless at the interruption and Zhang Yu’s resolute refusal.
Director Gao, standing nearby, glanced at Zhang Yu in surprise, seemingly astonished by the student’s decisive rejection of the Finance Department and his unyielding stance against it.
Simultaneously, lines of text messages began flashing across Director Gao’s vision:
Director Lin: “Old Gao! Aren’t you going to advise your student? How can he speak to True Monarch Chain Nexus like that? It’s utterly disrespectful!”
Old Director (Soul Cultivator): “Make your student apologize to True Monarch Chain Nexus immediately! Where’s your responsibility as department head? Don’t ruin business for everyone!”
Director Gao chuckled. “Chain Nexus, my student has made his intentions clear. Why are you still here?”
True Monarch Chain Nexus replied expressionlessly, “Zhang Yu, it seems the contract you signed is indeed exceptionally harsh, hence your reaction.
“It also proves you know absolutely nothing about the Finance Department.”
“Come with me to the Finance Department for a visit. You can make your decision after seeing it,” Chain Nexus said.
Director Gao roared, “Chain Nexus! My student has already refused. How long will you keep pestering him?”
True Monarch Chain Nexus smiled faintly. “Greenwood, I’m merely inviting your student to tour the Finance Department. Why are you so agitated? Are you afraid he won’t return? If you have so little faith in the Civil Engineering Department, why are you clinging to him so tightly now?”
At that moment, Director Lin stepped forward and walked to Director Gao’s side, his face etched with helplessness. “Old Gao, True Monarch Chain Nexus is just taking Zhang Yu to visit the Finance Department. What’s the rush?”
Another teacher chimed in, “Director Gao, it’s a good thing Zhang Yu can visit the Finance Department. We in Civil Engineering have to deal with finance anyway. The sooner Zhang Yu builds connections there, the better it will be for his future.”
Director Gao glared at the Civil Engineering teachers urging him to relent, his heart churning with anger and frustration.
True Monarch Chain Nexus smiled faintly, observing the scene with detached amusement, as if watching a farce unfold.
Suddenly, a tremor shook the Spirit Realm. The Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda materialized, instantly sealing all information transmission within the realm.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s icy voice echoed across the hall: “Enough. Stop spreading this news. Do you want the other universities to laugh at Myriad Laws?”
True Monarch Chain Nexus gazed at True Monarch Magnetic Pole with a faint smile. “Ah, Magnetic Pole, you’ve finally lost your patience. Ready to make a move?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole sneered. “Chain Nexus, today is the Civil Engineering Department’s awards ceremony. What are you, from the Finance Department, doing here singing and dancing, dressed like a walking pile of spirit coins? What’s there to show off about?”
True Monarch Chain Nexus’s projection flickered, his entire body shimmering with spirit coins. In the Spirit Realm, streams of spirit coin radiance erupted, challenging the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda’s dominance, refusing to yield an inch.
True Monarch Chain Nexus: “Magnetic Pole, what does the Finance Department and Civil Engineering Department’s exchange here have to do with you? You should be worrying about whether you can repay your loans next month.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole: “Are we the ones causing the deficits? The Artifact Refinement Department and Civil Engineering Department work tirelessly, yet the school’s debt grows year after year, and the treasury shrinks. Our department’s salaries have been cut every year. Some people hoard wealth while blaming us for the shortfalls, using loans as leverage to choke us?”