Growing with the Project

Veteran civil official Venus Star Lord was indeed exceptionally capable.

He led his four trusted aides, Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li,

They pored over every word of the appeasement plan drafted by Su Yuan.

"Should we split the six working groups here into six separate plans, to make things clearer?"

"Little Su, prepare a set of separate plans."

Three days later.

"No, no,"

another aide objected.

"Separating them still makes it seem too fragmented. Combining them is the only way to demonstrate the grandeur of the Heavenly Court."

"Little Su, revise it."

Two days later.

"Little Su, would 'improve' be better changed to 'raise'? Or perhaps 'deepen'?"

"In this old man's opinion, this 'Supervisory Group' may be unnecessary. Better remove it, lest it draw attention."

Venus Star Lord stroked his long beard, then suddenly pointed to a spot.

"Wait. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to start a new line here?"

"Little Su, revise it."

"Little Su, come here."

"Little Su, come."

"Come!"

After three and a half months without sleep or rest, a draft of the plan was finally completed.

It was not the slightest bit different from the first version Su Yuan had drafted.

Su Yuan's name was placed at the very bottom of the staff list for the "Materials Support Group."

Beside it was a tiny footnote: Su Yuan (temporary).

Su Yuan understood perfectly well.

That word "temporary" was an impassable chasm.

A chasm worth two hundred million spirit stones.

These spirit stones were not meant to be slipped into Venus Star Lord's sleeve.

He needed to spend them on himself.

If he failed to break through to the Origin Immortal realm,

his name would be completely removed from the plan.

He would become no different from those ordinary temporary workers.

All effort, no benefits.

And only five years remained before this document would be formally submitted for imperial approval.

If he broke through to the Origin Immortal realm within those five years,

the word "temporary" would be crossed out,

and he would officially become a member of the Appeasement Task Force.

Though the Appeasement Task Force was a temporary unit that would be dissolved once its mission was complete,

its platform was high enough. Even an ordinary member held a post one rank above his project manager position.

And with the great Venus Star Lord backing it,

a little maneuvering afterward would make transferring to a good post no difficult matter.

With this gilded credential on his record, his official career would naturally soar.

As they parted, Venus Star Lord took out an embroidered box.

Lined with bright yellow silk lay three plump, round golden elixirs, each bearing three rings of pill patterns.

The meaning behind it needed no explanation.

Su Yuan understood at once.

His mentor intended to support him wholeheartedly.

As one of the court's notable "lone officials," Venus Star Lord

had few allies and usually acted alone.

But this time, he was to lead such a large working group down to subdue that monkey.

Without a few truly reliable people of his own in the team, how could the old star lord rest easy?

If Su Yuan could legitimately join the working group, Venus Star Lord could direct matters from the rear, and everything would naturally become twice as effective with half the effort.

On the other hand, it also proved that his previous "managing upward" had achieved remarkable results.

Those hundreds of millions of spirit stones had not been wasted.

Still, there remained a massive gap of two hundred million spirit stones before he could advance to Origin Immortal. The thought made Su Yuan's teeth ache.

After taking stock of his assets, he estimated that selling off the heavenly materials and earthly treasures he had accumulated could raise thirty or forty million.

These three Three-Turn Golden Elixirs were also fine cultivation supplements. If he steeled himself and sold them, they might fetch another thirty million.

That still left a deficit of one hundred and fifty million.

After thinking it over, Su Yuan hardened his heart.

His brothers would just have to suffer a little.

Upon returning to the South Heaven Gate Project Department,

the first thing he did was summon Chief Engineer Liu, whose enthusiasm for work had recently been "running high."

"Liu Yaoqing, send out a meeting notice. We'll convene a general meeting of all project members this afternoon to discuss paying project risk deposits."

The smile on Liu Yaoqing's face instantly froze and fell away. He said awkwardly,

"Lord Su, you've been gone for over three months, and the brothers haven't been paid in three months either. Asking everyone to pay money out of pocket now... I'm afraid it might dishearten them!"

What kind of man was Su Yuan?

Trying to play the sentiment card on him?

Did they think his nickname, Su Skinflint, had fallen from the sky?

"Have I been sitting around doing nothing?"

Su Yuan lifted his eyelids, his tone calm but oppressive.

"While you lot were banging away at the construction site, who do you think secured all these connections, approvals, and resources for you one by one? Me, wasn't it?"

He casually adjusted his sleeve. An exquisite embroidered box slipped halfway out of his sleeve pocket before he swiftly tucked it back in.

Liu Yaoqing recognized the seal of Taibai Jinxing's Residence on the box.

His eyes widened as he lowered his voice and exclaimed,

"That is... Venus Star—"

Su Yuan immediately waved a hand, his expression turning stern.

"Keep it low-key! Low-key!"

Liu Yaoqing immediately put on an understanding look and even straightened his back a little.

"Understood! I'll notify everyone at once!"

[South Heaven Gate Project Department Holds "Growing with the Project" Risk Deposit Payment Ceremony]

Heavenly Court Infrastructure Office News

On the eleventh day of the Winter Moon in the 123,600th year of the Heavenly Emperor Calendar, the South Heaven Gate Project Department solemnly held the "Growing with the Project" special meeting and risk deposit payment ceremony at the Phase Two construction site. Project Manager Su Yuan presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.

At the meeting, Manager Su reviewed with deep feeling the project's journey of struggle since its launch, thoroughly analyzed the major strategic opportunities currently before them, laid out in detail the key tasks for the next stage's "Hundred-Day Push," and set the grand objective of project profitability and shared success. Manager Su stressed that the project's success or failure concerned both collective honor and individual development, calling on all immortal workers to breathe and share the same fate as the project.

The attending immortal workers were deeply encouraged and greatly inspired. One after another, they stated that they fully understood the importance of paying risk deposits. It was a solemn commitment to bind their interests to the project, share its risks, and enjoy its results, demonstrating the South Heaven Gate project team's strong sense of ownership and responsibility. Enthusiasm for payment reached unprecedented heights at the scene, with immortal workers eagerly stepping forward, fully embodying the team spirit of "sharing glory and sharing ruin."

Project Chief Engineer Liu Yaoqing led by example, becoming the first to pay a full one million spirit stones. The project collected more than twenty million spirit stones in total.

(Correspondent: Liu Yaoqing)

Having gathered these twenty million spirit stones squeezed from his brothers,

Su Yuan calculated that he was still short around one hundred and twenty million.

He called in the project accountant and went over the books again.

The remaining balance from the Phase One project and the newly approved advance payment

still left over sixty million sitting in the accounts.

Su Yuan did not so much as furrow his brow.

With a sweep of his pen, he diverted all of it.

I got this money through my own ability. What's wrong with skimming a little?

Besides, there were no oversight measures.

The nominal supervisory department—the Thunder Bureau—

was busy every day striking people undergoing tribulations everywhere. How could it have time to investigate the Heavenly Court's internal affairs?

For the final sixty million, he would have to earn it through real means.

Su Yuan summoned the fastest Somersault Cloud,

and sped straight toward the Immortal Execution Platform.

Fortune and honor had to be sought amid danger.