When Zhang Hao entered the factory, he discovered that there wasn't even a single light inside. The windows outside had all been fake. It was pitch-black in there.
There was no need to use any switches. He only had to say, "Turn on."
Then came a rumbling sound. At Mifeng's direction, Zhang Hao exited the factory and asked in surprise, "That's it?"
"Yes. The mechanical plant and the electronics plant are linked. Once they're turned on, they form a closed loop. No workers are needed. Everything is produced based on the instructions I send from here."
Zhang Hao asked, "Then should we hire some security guards?"
"Yes! The security manager needs you to shake hands with him."
Zhang Hao understood. A handshake meant control. Though it wasn't really him who would be controlling them, but Mifeng. If they ever posed a threat to the company, something was bound to happen to them.
Of course, Zhang Hao didn't think that way. He had grown up in a peaceful world, and he was mild-mannered in both his outlook and the way he treated people. Even when he argued with someone, he never took it any further. He didn't have some twisted notion like, "You insult me once, and I'll kill your whole family."
"Great God, is there anything else you need me to do?" Everything seemed to be in order, but Zhang Hao still asked out of habit.
"That's all! As long as you're in Ning City, do whatever you want."
Zhang Hao immediately let out a breath of relief. The more he worked with Mifeng, the more pressure he felt. He was still utterly confused, and the billions in wealth weighed heavily on him.
"You can try spending some of it."
Mifeng's words left Zhang Hao dumbfounded. He asked, "You mean...?"
"Make more friends and get to know more people. You might find some talented professionals."
Zhang Hao gave a bitter smile. "I don't like socializing. And what do I need to know those people for? What do they have to do with me..."
Mifeng said just one thing, leaving Zhang Hao speechless.
"If they're talented professionals..."
A handshake!
Zhang Hao nearly choked. That was an unbelievably perfect setup.
He looked at the beaded bracelet on his wrist. Every bead was a controller. It was terrifying.
Mifeng was forcing Zhang Hao to go out and socialize, but Zhang Hao hated all kinds of socializing. Being around strangers made him terribly uncomfortable. As a qualified homebody, he really didn't want to do it. And having to control other people made him even more reluctant.
But Mifeng was adamant, and Zhang Hao was helpless!
An image of an invitation appeared before Zhang Hao. It was an invitation for him and Wu Renbao to attend an investment discussion forum. It was quite high-profile, with big names from the financial world, famous investment banks, and even real estate tycoons. There were fewer than a hundred attendees. Zhang Hao had no idea where Mifeng had gotten it.
As soon as Zhang Hao saw the invitation, Wu Renbao called him.
"General Manager Zhang, there's an investment discussion forum. Are you going?"
Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and answered in a muffled voice, "I'm going!" There was no way he could refuse. Mifeng had plenty of ways to leave him with no room to resist. He would just go and let Wu Renbao handle things as much as possible, while he played dumb.
The investment discussion forum was being held at the Hilton in Ning City. It was a major event that lasted three days: registration on the first day, the conference on the second, and departure on the third. Only those with official invitations could register for accommodation.
Zhang Hao didn't go to register on the first day. Wu Renbao went instead. He knew more people, so he could follow the official schedule.
Zhang Hao arrived on the morning of the second day. Wu Renbao met him at the entrance.
They signed in, collected a stack of materials, and entered the conference hall.
The small venue held just over a hundred people, with a modest stage. Wu Renbao led Zhang Hao around and introduced him to people. Most were senior executives from investment banks, along with a few company heads. There weren't many of them, and most were well-known figures in Ning City.
Zhang Hao had to see someone at least three times before he could remember them. Even then, something had to happen between them. For instance, when he used to take freelance work, he had to submit three design drafts before he remembered the editor who received them. It wasn't that he was stupid; he simply never focused on people's faces. He had always been face-blind.
This time was clearly different. Everyone Wu Renbao introduced immediately became vivid in his mind. Zhang Hao instantly realized that this was the effect of the nanomachines created by the great god Mifeng.
Mifeng didn't prompt him or say anything, so Zhang Hao was still quite relaxed. He could just put on a polite smile and get through it. Once he left, who cared who anyone was?
Everyone could see how distant Zhang Hao was. Though he remained very polite on the surface and kept a humble manner, people could still sense the cool distance he kept. Everyone attending the conference was at least a senior executive at a major company. Naturally, none of them would fawn over him or curry favor. After exchanging greetings, they immediately moved away, treating him like he wasn't there.
Wu Renbao smiled wryly and said quietly, "General Manager Zhang, you don't seem to like this sort of occasion?"
Zhang Hao nodded slightly. "I don't." He had no intention of hiding how he felt. After sitting down, he picked up the stack of materials and started flipping through them.
Some of the materials were in English. As soon as Zhang Hao looked at the text, it automatically translated into Chinese and appeared before his eyes.
He could even hear a voice in his ear, speaking standard English at an extremely rapid pace.
Then Zhang Hao read it a second time, and to his surprise, he understood it. He marveled inwardly, a trace of excitement showing on his face. Turning to Wu Renbao, he said, "Old Wu, have someone buy me a set of encyclopedias in English."
Wu Renbao was taken aback. Whatever his surprise, he readily agreed. He wasn't a poor student like Zhang Hao. He was fluent in English and French, and even knew some Spanish. Though he couldn't understand why Zhang Hao would want an encyclopedia during a conference, he still promised without hesitation. A boss's request had to be fulfilled.
The meeting began, and one speaker followed another. Zhang Hao found himself listening with great interest because he realized that he could understand what they were saying and grasp their points. He had never encountered this kind of knowledge before.
There was still a problem, though. Zhang Hao could understand what he heard, but that was all. He had no train of thought of his own and no ideas of his own.
One executive put on airs and spoke English the entire time. Zhang Hao was amazed to discover that he could understand every word. It was different from before. Back then, his English had been limited to things like "hello" and "goodbye"; he couldn't say anything else. So he was a little excited.
After a full day of discussions, Zhang Hao didn't feel bored at all. Since he could understand what was being said, he had become somewhat interested. When the afternoon session ended, he said, "Old Wu, I'll head back first..." Then he noticed a trace of helplessness on Wu Renbao's face.
"What's wrong?"
Wu Renbao said, "There's a banquet tonight, ten tables... Well... Chairman, you're the host..."
Zhang Hao was dumbfounded. Pointing at himself, he asked, "You mean... our company organized this forum?"
Wu Renbao nodded helplessly. "Yes."
Before you continue