Chapter 215 214: The Useless Group's Gamble

Xue Yang's eyes flashed. "What's it to you? The Li Group has been around for years, and this isn't the first year for the Special Projects Team. No client has ever thought it was strange, so why is it suddenly a laughingstock coming out of your mouth?"

Cheng Xin said, "That was then, and this is now! The Li Group has acquired the Yuelong Group and become the number one construction company in Anhua. What was acceptable in the past is no longer possible. You understand?"

"What are you trying to say?!" Xue Yang stared intently at Cheng Xin.

"What else could it be? It's simple. The group is bigger now, so we inevitably have to professionalize our operations. These positions, which are obviously just handouts for the children of shareholders, can't be allowed to exist anymore!"

"If Manager Xue insists on protecting them, please take it up with President Li yourself."

Xue Yang pursed his lips. 'That's probably not going to work,' he thought.

Mu Lin clapped Xue Yang on the shoulder. "Manager Xue, thank you. You've said enough. I'll take it from here."

With that, Mu Lin walked up to Cheng Xin, his expression placid. "Director Cheng, are you dead set on making the Special Projects Team disappear from the Li Group?"

Cheng Xin said, "That's right! From top to bottom, the Special Projects Team has done nothing but waste the group's money. The group has also paid a heavy price in terms of its reputation."

"Letting the group suffer heavy losses just for a few spoiled heirs—it's not worth it!"

"I'm dissolving the Special Projects Team. This is a decision made for the long-term good of the group. Operationally, at the very least, we must be accountable to all our shareholders."

He specifically emphasized the word *all*, which made it difficult for Mu Lin to find any fault with his reasoning.

After all, although Zhu Qiyu had invested money, he hadn't joined the board of directors.

Nor did Zhu Qiyu have any younger relatives in the Special Projects Team, just coasting and collecting a paycheck.

With things put that way, Mu Lin couldn't say a word in rebuttal. Cheng Xin had him completely cornered.

Mu Lin said, "Then what would it take for you to stop seeing the Special Projects Team as a burden to the group?"

Cheng Xin chuckled. "For a start, they'd have to actually work on some projects. Lazing around all day doing nothing is unacceptable."

Mu Lin sneered. "I bet you didn't know. The Special Projects Team won a bid. We broke ground on it yesterday!"

Cheng Xin's expression froze. He really hadn't known about that.

Xue Yang added, "Director Cheng, it's absolutely true. The Special Projects Team is perfectly capable of managing a project now. They aren't the bunch of slackers you think they are!"

Flustered, Cheng Xin quickly looked it up on his device. When he found it, however, his expression brightened considerably.

"Hahaha! No wonder. So it's just a single resettlement housing building!"

"Are you kidding me? What kind of profit can that possibly generate?"

Mu Lin said, "It has a profit of 380,000. I believe that as we take on more projects, the Special Projects Team's contribution to the group will only grow."

Cheng Xin smiled. "Is that all? Do you know the average profit per project for Teams One, Two, and Three? Two million! And that's net profit after deducting all expenses!"

Mu Lin opened his mouth, but for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Cheng Xin laughed again. "I just looked up the salaries for everyone in the Special Projects Team. Combined, your monthly expenses are nearly 500,000… With a profit of 380,000, what good are you?"

Mu Lin was truly speechless.

He himself accounted for 200,000 of that salary. He didn't even want that much, but every time he brought it up with Elder Li, the old man would change the subject, clearly unwilling to let Mu Lin take a pay cut.

'How strange,' Mu Lin thought.

Mu Lin asked, "Then what do you want?"

"The Special Projects Team's revenue should at least be in the black, shouldn't it? At minimum, you need to land a top-tier project on par with what Teams One, Two, and Three handle—a project that can bring significant profits to the group!"

Mu Lin said, "You mean we're going to make another wager based on project value?"

"What do you mean, 'again'? Has someone made a bet like this with you before?"

Mu Lin replied calmly, "Your predecessor, the former Director of Finance, Lu Yi."

"Oh," Cheng Xin said. "I have heard something about that. Let's continue that wager, then. If you can't land a major project in the time remaining this month, the Special Projects Team must be dissolved!"

"So, is it a deal? Are you man enough to accept the terms?"

Mu Lin smiled. "I never intended to back down. Now get lost! And stay out of my sight!"

Cheng Xin was infuriated by Mu Lin's attitude. Suppressing his rage, he thought, 'If I ever get the chance, I'll make Mu Lin kneel and beg me for mercy.'

With that thought, Cheng Xin strode away, not giving Mu Lin a single chance to retort.

Xue Yang turned and headed straight for the balcony. He lit a cigarette and took two deep drags, burning through half of it in an instant.

"He's gone too far! Even Zhu Qiyu hasn't said a word about the Special Projects Team's existence. Who does this hired nobody think he is, abusing his petty authority like this?"

Mu Lin patiently tried to calm Xue Yang down. "Don't be angry. There's no point in wasting your energy like this. It's unnecessary, and it accomplishes nothing."

Xue Yang snorted. "I know! But I can't stand that condescending attitude of his."

"How long has he been here?"

Xue Yang said, "He just interviewed yesterday and started work today! President Li interviewed him personally… Maybe that's why he's so brazen."

'So Li Xue was the one who interviewed him. If I make a move against him, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to Li Xue?'

Mu Lin thought for a moment. "Perhaps… You find people like him everywhere. Lu Yi was a real pain in the ass at first, too, but we got used to him, didn't we?"

Thinking of Lu Yi, Xue Yang sighed. "Sigh. Now that you mention it, this Cheng Xin isn't as detestable as Lu Yi was."

"After all, Lu Yi had a seat on the board, and so did his father. He was truly untouchable. This Cheng Xin is just a regular employee. You think I can't deal with him?"

Xue Yang said, "Mu Lin, are you free tonight? I can contact a few clients for you, help you find some major projects. That'll definitely shut him up."

Mu Lin gave Xue Yang a bear hug. "No need! I have my own ways."

Xue Yang remembered Mu Lin's terrifying network of connections and… relaxed, just a little.

After Xue Yang returned to his office, Mu Lin found a spot and made a call.

"Uncle Zhou!" Mu Lin said into the phone.

Zhou Qianfan's voice came through. "I really can't help with the building materials issue. Stop asking me!"

"No, it's something else. Can you look into someone for me? The Li Group's new Director of Finance. His name is Cheng Xin—the 'Xin' that's written with three 'gold' characters."

Zhou Qianfan sighed in relief. "Oh, that. Hold on, I'll call you right back."

A few moments later, Zhou Qianfan called back.

"This Cheng Xin has a pretty clean background. His performance at his last job was excellent, too. He only moved to Anhua for some family reasons."

"He's a stern man, holds everyone to a very high standard. His colleagues at his last company even called him 'the Second Boss'."

'Damn…' Mu Lin had thought the guy was a mole sent by the Lu Family. 'Turns out he's just a straight-shooter?'

'So he's just a one-track-minded fool? He's trying this hard to get rid of the Special Projects Team because he actually thinks it's for the good of the company?!'

Mu Lin was a bit dumbfounded, and the surprise in his voice was evident to Zhou Qianfan.

Zhou Qianfan said, "That's right. At least, that's the impression his file gives. The Lu Family wouldn't be able to tamper with official records, would they?"

"If you don't believe me, I can have someone dig a little deeper. It won't take long."

Mu Lin said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Zhou!"

"We're practically family. No need for formalities."

"One more thing!" Mu Lin said. "Could you find me a project with a higher investment value, somewhere around twenty million? I'm under a lot of pressure to perform over here."

Zhou Qianfan sucked in a sharp breath. "Twenty million? Are you sure? All right, let me see what I can do. I'll give you an answer within three days, how's that?"

Mu Lin found his reaction a little strange. "Uncle Zhou, you don't normally handle projects?"

"My usual projects are in the hundreds of millions, or even tens of billions. A twenty-million project normally wouldn't even cross my desk… If you really need me to find one, I'll have to ask around in the lower departments."

Mu Lin's scalp tingled. 'Zhou Qianfan is no small fry. If it weren't for that hidden assassin organization targeting them, the Zhou Family would be living a very comfortable life.'

Zhou Qianfan continued, "The Li Group just acquired the Yuelong Group. Projects should be lining up to come your way. Is the project department so busy they can't take on anything new? Why else would you be so worried about finding work?"

Mu Lin said, "It's a long story. The company's performance isn't my performance, right? And that Cheng Xin is a new broom sweeping clean. He's coming on really strong."