The Warmth and Coldness of Human Relations, the Harshness of the World

Moreover, apart from Baron Stan's staunch supporter Ramesh Singh, everyone else deliberately kept their distance from him.

Baron Stan stood there all alone, seemingly separated from the others by an invisible chasm.

His face was gloomy, and his heart was filled with resentment and helplessness.

These people were afraid that getting too close would cause Chen Changhe to misunderstand, so they all looked at Baron Stan with disdain.

Their eyes were filled with disdain and alienation, as if Baron Stan were a plague god, and they wished they could stay as far away from him as possible.

Even Ramesh Singh seems to be considering defecting now, secretly watching him, lost in thought.

His gaze flickered uncertainly, and he seemed to be engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

"These damned opportunists!" Baron Stan cursed inwardly.

He felt abandoned by everyone; those who used to fawn over him now avoided him like the plague.

His fists were clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, yet he was unable to vent the anger and sorrow in his heart.

At that moment, Baron Stan experienced firsthand what it meant to be cold and indifferent to human relationships and the fickleness of the world.

He had calculated everything, but he never expected that Chen Changhe was a High-Rank Alchemist.

He looked at the towering mechanical dragon standing outside the room. The mechanical dragon was over three meters tall, its entire body gleaming with a metallic luster, radiating a powerful aura.

Even if such Alchemical Construct cannot compare to a real dragon, its strength should not be underestimated.

At least in this border region of the kingdom, they are absolutely invincible.

Its cold metallic texture, massive size, and complex and mysterious runes and mechanical structures all demonstrate the immense power it contains.

It stood there silently, like a colossal steel beast, radiating a chilling aura, as if it could unleash astonishing destructive power at any moment, inspiring a sense of awe and dread in those who faced it.

"I lost... I accept my defeat wholeheartedly!"

Baron Stan felt a deep desolation; all his schemes and struggles seemed so powerless and laughable in the face of absolute power.

His eyes dimmed, and his body seemed to lose all strength, becoming like a soulless shell.

Now he can only pin his hopes on Chen Changhe's mercy, otherwise he fears he will die without a burial place.

His heart was filled with regret and fear, regretting his past greed and arrogance that had led him into this desperate situation.

The wealth he plundered from Hope Town over the years is considerable; even if Chen Changhe killed him, the Noble Council would have no way to hold him accountable.

He stood there, motionless, as if awaiting the final verdict of fate, and with each passing second, his heart grew more tormented and uneasy.

Chen Changhe remained silent, staring at the ledger in his hand, like a statue.

But it was precisely this behavior that put even more pressure on everyone present.

It's like having a sharp sword hanging over your head that could fall at any moment, keeping your nerves constantly on edge, never daring to relax or be careless.

Everyone was trying to figure out what Chen Changhe was thinking, feeling uneasy and wondering what he would do next—whether it would be a furious outburst or some other plan.

In this oppressive atmosphere, time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each second feeling like an ordeal to everyone's minds.

But suddenly Chen Changhe put down the account book in his hand, then lit a fire and threw the account book into it.

Flames quickly rose, and the ledger gradually curled, carbonized, and finally turned to ashes in the fire.

This sudden action stunned everyone present. They looked at each other, completely baffled by Chen Changhe's intentions.

Baron Stan's eyes widened, a flood of questions and unease rising in his mind. He wondered if Chen Changhe intended to completely erase the past or if he had some other, deeper plan.

Chen Changhe looked at Baron Stan his men, burned the ledgers, and sent a signal to them that he would no longer pursue the matters in the past accounts.

The accounts may contain information that is detrimental to some people or may cause subsequent trouble. Of course, it is also possible to keep the ledgers and settle accounts one by one.

However, in that case, none of these people would survive.

Chen Changhe has just taken over Hope Town, and now is a critical moment for him to use his personnel.

He knew that if he were to pursue the past too harshly at this point, it would instill fear and resistance in these people, which would be detrimental to his management and development of Hope Town.

He needed these people to work for him temporarily to stabilize the situation, so he chose to burn the ledgers.

This approach avoids direct conflict and bloodshed, gives these individuals a chance to regroup and reform, and demonstrates the author's strength and magnanimity.

"This ledger was such a mess, it looked like a complete jumble, it gave me a headache, and in a fit of anger, I accidentally burned it. Please don't laugh at me!"

Chen Changhe said to everyone with a smile.

His smile seemed relaxed and casual, yet his deep eyes seemed to hold an unfathomable light.

After hearing his words, everyone looked at each other, puzzled as to what Chen Changhe was thinking.

"Oh, not at all. I already noticed that Mr. Groot, who keeps the books, is incompetent."

Not only you, Baron, but I also find the account books he sends me dizzy and riddled with errors. Your burning of them saves us the trouble of dealing with these messy accounts in the future."

Only Baron Stan quickly echoed this, a fawning smile on his face.

Seeing this, the others nodded in agreement, and soon, complaints about Mr. Groot arose everywhere.

Poor Mr. Groot, completely unaware, became the scapegoat for all the problems in Hope Town.

He bore accusations and blame that were not his, and even lost his job.

However, Chen Changhe and his group are much more conscientious than some others.

Instead of simply imprisoning Mr. Groot, Baron Stan later provided Mr. Groot with substantial compensation.

The awkward atmosphere was completely dissolved amidst the unanimous complaints against Mr. Groot.

Everyone seemed to have found a common outlet, temporarily forgetting their previous tension and anxiety.

In this way, Chen Changhe skillfully resolved the antagonistic sentiments and brought the situation in Hope Town completely under his control.

The subsequent handover of tasks went exceptionally smoothly.

Not only Baron Stan, but everyone else cooperated with Chen Changhe in the best possible way, for fear of angering him.

It was as if the disappearance of the ledger had truly taken away all obstacles and barriers, making everything flow smoothly.

With everyone's help, Chen Changhe quickly learned everything about Hope Town.