Chapter 504
The thought of their opponent's performance at the 23rd Knight Competition Championship made them sweat profusely.
In addition, a few weeks ago, the Supervision Committee received an invitation from the Duke Wellington's Allied Forces. Although they declined at the time, Mister Zhongli was unaware of it. For these and other reasons, they had no choice but to take the initiative to visit him, and dared not put on any airs.
After a night of fierce fighting, Shi Lei originally planned to set off around nine o'clock. Unexpectedly, the Supervision Committee arrived at 8:30 with a large group of people in suits and ties, waiting outside the Jade Chamber.
Since he hadn't slept anyway, he simply opened the warehouse door and let people in to conduct Business Negotiation in the square.
Upon learning of Shi Lei's recent preparations for Cross-border Communication Network project and his plans to purchase a massive amount of cables and Telecommunication Base Station, Grand Knight Commander Russell slapped his thigh with delight, saying they would try their best to complete half of the order.
Besides the opportunity to earn substantial wealth from this project, more importantly, the Cross-border Communication Network will inject new vitality into Kazimierz!
After the collapse of the Commercial Union, public enthusiasm for the betting game declined significantly.
Kazimierz's wealth was built on gambling, and now this is like cutting off its lifeline. It urgently needs to find a new economic sector to support the country's operations.
To everyone's surprise, it was Mister Zhongli who brought such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The reason Kazimierz is in a predicament is that its core user base is only so big. Limited by network latency in different countries, it cannot be promoted abroad.
If Cross-border Communication Network is successfully established, it will solve a huge problem that they have been unable to solve for a long time.
Kazimierz can establish offices in various countries and Live Broadcast competitive matches abroad via a transnational network.
Once the betting market expands, the competitive pressure in China will be significantly reduced.
Furthermore, once the Competitive Knight's reputation is established, it will be possible to sell related products and merchandise overseas. Kazimierz has a complete supply chain in this regard; all it takes is finding a logistics company to expand into overseas markets.
Russell expressed her support, but said she needed to consult with senior officials in the National Assembly, specifically in Kazimierz. She said she could give a clear answer within twelve hours at most.
Shi Lei wasn't in a hurry, giving the Supervision Committee ample time to prepare. After lunch, he led everyone to the Slums under the Blood Knight's jurisdiction.
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Chapter 578 Dream Fulfillment Star (4K)
Russell needed some time to communicate with the Kazimierz leadership. Shi Lei had Texas drive them to the Slums of Cavaleria.
Compared to a year ago, the infrastructure here has not changed significantly. It's still the same old, dilapidated buildings, completely out of place with the high-rises in the city.
Shi Lei visited empty-handed, bringing no rice, cooking oil, or other gifts. It would be more practical to give money directly than to distribute supplies. They can buy whatever they need themselves, without being restricted by outsiders.
The Blood Knight lived in an old residential area with dusty walls and peeling paint. Given its cheap rent and proximity to the city, it was a popular choice for many Infected Knights.
When Shi Lei participated in the Knight Competition' Arena last year, he wore the Rock Constructs Mask throughout the entire event. Given that he hadn't been there for over a year, it's perfectly normal that no one recognized him.
The infected, who were cooling off in the courtyard, warily watched the group of strangers who had arrived. Sensing something was wrong, someone immediately ran inside to alert the Blood Knight to come out and investigate.
Although there seemed to be a misunderstanding, the final result was the same. Shi Lei stood in the courtyard, waiting for the other party to come out and meet him.
Before long, the Blood Knight, who wasn't wearing armor, ran out with his weapon to investigate. Upon seeing that it was Shi Lei, he immediately hid his weapon behind his back and greeted him with a smile:
"Mister Zhongli, it's been a long time!"
"It's been a long time since I've been here."
"What brings you here today? I thought you'd never come again."
"Look at you, what are you saying? I already told you to go to Liyue City. It was your own unwillingness to leave, how can you blame me?"
The Blood Knight smiled shyly and changed the subject:
"Just kidding, please don't mind. How are Sona and the others doing? Are they alright?"
After Broca his post in Guili City, the security of Liyue City was taken over by Ines and Sona, a former Pinecone Knights. Shi Lei knew that W was a lazy bum, but considering that she hadn't caused any trouble, he didn't pursue the matter.
"Not bad. When I wasn't around, I was practically the fifth-ranking official in the city, helping to manage several thousand people. How are you guys doing now? I see fewer people buying betting odds on the street than before, so your income must be affected, right?"
When the Blood Knight mentioned the Infected Knight's plight, he sighed helplessly. Although he said nothing, the sigh was the best answer.
Public prejudice and discrimination against those infected did not improve with the collapse of the Commercial Union.
As mentioned earlier, fewer people are buying betting tickets, so revenue will naturally decrease sharply.
On this land, only Liyue can erase this prejudice and discrimination; other countries can only dream of doing so.
Shi Lei knew he couldn't save all the infected people, but he would do his best to help those in need.
"Texas, that card..."
Upon hearing this, Texas, who controlled the finances, took out a Kazimierz bank card. Inside was the remaining transaction funds in the Jade Chamber account, amounting to approximately five million.
After Shi Lei took it, he handed it to the Blood Knight:
"The password is six sixes. All the money in here is yours. You should know better than me which Infected Knight are in dire straits; distribute it to them appropriately."
"No, no, no, that won't do."
The Blood Knight gripped his weapon behind his back with his right hand, while waving his left hand repeatedly, unwilling to accept such a gift.
"Mister Zhongli, on behalf of the Infected Knight, thank you. I know you are kind to the infected, but please take this money back; it really is unacceptable."
Shi Lei ignored all of that and forcefully shoved the bank card into the other man's shirt pocket, then immediately explained:
"Don't rush to return the money to me. This money isn't free; consider it a loan. Let me give you a heads-up: in the next year or two, I'll be building a massive Cross-border Network Signal project. Do you know what the fastest-growing industry will be around then?"
The Blood Knight excelled at fighting, but lacked a keen sense of economics, and shook his head blankly.
"Have no idea."
"It's a delivery."
Seeing that he didn't understand, Shi Lei directly revealed the answer:
"The establishment of Cross-border Network Signal will promote the generation of massive cross-border orders. The express delivery industry, which transports goods from one country to another, will experience explosive growth. I'll talk to the boss about opening a branch in Kazimierz. You can use this money to open a logistics station and use the Penguin Logistics name."
Anyway, the Infected Knight are good at fighting, so escorting packages is a perfect fit for them. With a whole bunch of you delivering, no bandits in the wasteland will dare to rob us. This job is not only safe, but the pay is no less than what you'd get in the arena.
Some infected individuals with poor health can work as logistics personnel, transporting goods for you. While they may not become extremely wealthy, they will certainly have enough to eat and wear.
I won't charge interest on this money; you can pay me back when you've earned enough. You can manage your subsequent income as you see fit, just don't tarnish Penguin Logistics' reputation.
Shi Lei intends to promote Penguin Logistics globally in order to repay the kindness of his former employer, Penguin Logistics.
Although the company doesn't have many employees, we can cooperate with Fengchi Logistics. We can outsource to them as usual and transport goods under the Penguin Logistics name.
Even if the Emperor doesn't release records, he can still make a fortune just from the price difference in outsourced transportation and logistics.
Given that Fengchi Logistics has a limited workforce, it probably cannot handle such a large international express delivery market.
Shi Lei then did a favor and gave Kazimierz's portion to the infected people who were struggling financially.
"Really... really?"
The Blood Knight was deeply moved upon hearing this, never expecting that Mister Zhongli had arranged an escape route for them.
Being Infected Knight is a high-risk profession; one wrong move and you could lose your life.
They have nothing but a worthless life, and they are rejected by non-infected people when they go out to look for work. In order to survive, they have no choice but to bite the bullet and go to the arena.
But things are different now. The courier industry is indeed the most suitable industry for Infected Knight to switch careers. It has lower risks, higher incomes, and most importantly, it's safe.
"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"
Blood Knight, a grown man of seven feet, had tears welling in his eyes; deep down, he still harbored the inferiority complex of being an infected person.
"But... but we are infected."
"So what if you're infected? You're not inferior. I'm the one who hired you and paid you in advance. Don't you trust me?"
"No, no, no, that's not what I meant..."
Shi Lei, knowing his concerns, interrupted him:
"When the time comes, those of you who want to join, gather together and I'll treat all of you for Originium-related illness. Although it may not be a complete cure, the symptoms should improve."
If you're worried that people will be unwilling to come to the logistics station to send or receive packages after they know you're infected, then just hire a few handsome, non-infected men to handle the basic tasks of picking up and sending packages at the storefront."
Upon hearing this, the Blood Knight had no more reservations and repeatedly thanked Shi Lei for saving them.
There's an old saying in the Yan: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Now that they've thought everything through and arranged everything perfectly, it would be too tactless to refuse.
"Mister Zhongli, thank you so much! On behalf of all the Infected Knight of Kazimierz, I sincerely express my gratitude to you. I just wonder how long it will take to complete the Cross-border Communication Project you mentioned?"
"I'm not sure, at the latest a year or two. I'm still procuring materials, and I'll need to reinforce the cables along the route to ensure they can withstand Catastrophe disasters. Anyway, Knight who don't want to participate in the competition can step down and rest. You have enough money in your account to last until the project is completed, so don't let me down then."
The Blood Knight was overjoyed and, upon hearing this, patted his chest and assured him:
"Mister Zhongli, please rest assured. After the company opens, we will definitely live up to your expectations."
"Great, great, very motivated."
Shi Lei nodded in satisfaction and extended a second invitation to the infected individuals here:
"Also, I need to go back to Cavaleria before September. If anyone is willing to settle in Liyue City then, please pack your things and wait for me here."
He then gave a few brief instructions, left his contact information, and led everyone back to the Jade Chamber warehouse.
With nothing to do in the afternoon, Exusiai and Lappland, unable to stay still, went out shopping again.
When they returned carrying large and small bags, Grand Knight Commander Russell had been waiting at the warehouse entrance for quite some time.
Shi Lei negotiated with the other party in the square, and the result was exactly as expected.
Kazimierz's top leadership warmly welcomed the completion of the Cross-border Communication Network project, seeing no reason to refuse something that would benefit both sides.
A high-ranking official in the National Assembly sensed boundless business opportunities in this wave of information globalization.
If Kazimierz can seize the opportunity and expand into international markets, he might be able to resolve the various problems caused by the over-reliance on a single domestic economic structure.
They had no objection to the 10 yuan service fee per person per month. In the early stages of the establishment of the Cross-border Communication Network, it could be offset by an equivalent amount of living supplies. This was essentially a way of helping to clear out unsold agricultural products.
Kazimierz benefited greatly from this business collaboration and naturally felt obligated to reciprocate afterwards.
Russell stated that the National Assembly has begun drafting a law aimed at promoting Cross-border Communication services.
We aim to get most Kazimierz people to use the service, thus expanding and strengthening the market.
Russell also indicated that it could take on a larger share of the procurement of cables and base station equipment.
But Shi Lei knew very well that Kazimierz did not have that many finished products at the moment, and the manufacturing cycle needed to be extended.
As the saying goes, "All the world's hustle and bustle is for profit." Don't be fooled by Kazimierz's seemingly kind words about contributing to the Cross-border Communication Project. In reality, he's always looking for something better.
Currently, only Kazimierz and Columbia, which focus on technological research and development, are able to sell materials such as cables.
If Kazimierz takes on more orders, Columbia will naturally get less. So, seize the opportunity to make initial contact and try to secure as much market share as possible.
However, Shi Lei adhered to his bottom line, stating that he would only allow Kazimierz to take on a maximum of 50% of the procurement share.
If insufficient cable is found during installation, the remaining cable materials will be procured through the Supervision Committee.
Russell's attempts to negotiate failed, and he was forced to accept the terms. The two parties drafted a business contract on-site at Jade Chamber, which officially came into effect after being signed. Shi Lei paid a deposit for the purchase with high-purity pure Pure Gold. He would pay the remaining balance in one lump sum after receiving the goods.
Shi Lei wasn't in a hurry to leave and decided to spend the night in Cavaleria. Exusiai suggested going to a bar for a party that night, and everyone else agreed. So, under the cover of night, they immersed themselves in the brightly lit, bustling city center and enjoyed a long-awaited, exhilarating nightlife.
The next day at noon, Rebecca actually showed up.
She was very happy to see Shi Lei return. She reported to him on all sorts of trivial matters she had done over the past year, including purchasing equipment and improving formulas, showing great dedication.
Shi Lei didn't interrupt, silently listening to her report and acknowledging her efforts. He then asked Rebecca to continue her research and optimize the beer's taste.
With the advent of the global information age, in addition to the express delivery industry, the online shopping industry will also develop rapidly.
Shi Lei plans to build a platform similar to Tmall Bao, and JD. com, allowing merchants from all over the country to join and creating more jobs.
Unlike the world he traveled to before, he doesn't charge exorbitant management fees. Most of his income goes towards routine maintenance and hiring resource auditors.
If a merchant receives negative reviews and it is discovered after investigation that the issue stems from a problem with the source of goods, a warning will be issued. If a merchant accumulates three negative reviews or a major problem with the source of goods occurs, their registration fee will be forfeited and they will be permanently banned from joining the platform.
Shi Lei wanted to use this simple and crude method to drive out inferior products and keep the high-quality ones. As for the potential side effects, he would figure that out later.
They stayed in Cavaleria for three days and left on the fourth day, heading west towards Trimon, Columbia's 'science capital'.
August 1st, 3:10 pm
Kristen returned to her top-floor office at Rhine Lab Headquarters and slumped into a chair. She took a breath, picked up a recorder, and began to record:
"Today is August 1, 1098. I just got back from Friston."
When I first learned about the concept of the universe from Zhongli, I couldn't imagine how vast, magnificent, beautiful, and moving it must have been.
It transcends our vision, surpasses the barren imagination built upon our knowledge. No words can accurately describe it.
Zhongli then, I was told that there were unknown dangers beyond the Star Pod. If we recklessly explored outwards, it could very well lead to annihilation. Today, I learned the reason for this from Friston.