At Coro Island, in the Future Building, was the headquarters of Future Group.
If it wasn’t for the fact that tourists weren’t permitted to enter, this place absolutely had the potential to become the most iconic landmark building, second only to “The Heart of the Sea” on Coro Island.
Since the name of the corporation included the word “Future,” the building was designed with a futuristic feeling. It stood at a height of 437 meters, with 110 floors above ground and 20 floors below ground. It was a skyscraper that combined offices, residences, and dining halls. The top floors offered an aerial view of the island; the middle floors could be Future Group’s employees’ offices and fulfill living and dining needs; the lower floors could serve as a nuclear bunker with a capacity of ten thousand people… Of course, the last function was only designed as a contingency.
Since the skyscraper officially came into service, Future Biology, Mining, Tourism and all other subsidiaries located on Ange Island as well as Celestial Trade’s non-combat employees all moved there. Future Headquarters currently held 6000 employees that accounted for 20% of Xin’s total population.
Needless to say, it was a terrifying percentage.
Sitting inside the Future Group building, Xia Shiyu was reporting to Jiang Chen on the current performance of the group.
Although Xia Shiyu had only been on the job for a month, she quickly displayed her talent in management, familiarized herself with Future Group’s operations in the shortest possible time, and slotted herself into the role of the Group’s CEO. Of course, she was able to quickly get into character partially because before she came to be the Group’s CEO, Jiang Chen always left her the work he was supposed to do…
Jiang Chen didn’t just sit around the past few days.
After taking care of business in Moro, he returned to Coro Island and lived life traveling between the dimensions. The plus side was that he had great help on both sides to take care of miscellaneous things. If he didn’t have that help, he suspected he would be at risk of schizophrenia.
“Takeda Pharmaceutical?” When Jiang Chen heard this unfamiliar name, Jiang Chen’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Yes.” Xia Shiyu nodded and hugged the tablet in her arms. “Yesterday at noon, Takeda Pharmaceutical conducted a press conference at Yoto, announcing a significant breakthrough on the research of T virus. They’re in the last stage of the clinical trial period before the vaccine will be released to the market.”
Jiang Chen gave it some thought. He tapped on his EP and connected with Lin Lin’s communication terminal.
“Hello big pervert, what do you need?”
Lin Lin, with a baggy white apron, surfaced on the screen. She gently swirled a cylinder containing an unknown liquid while yawning.
Jiang Chen’s eyebrows twitched and he pretended to not notice Xia Shiyu’s peculiar look. He coughed.
“How’s the progress on the T virus vaccine?
“Of course it’s done – I’m the gorgeous scientist after all.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were done?” Jiang Chen gave her a hard stare.
Lin Lin stuck out her tongue then pouted. “You didn’t ask me.”
She put down the cylinder in her hand, turned around to walk to a machine, took out a USB from the top, returned to the communication terminal, then typed on the control panel with her graceful fingers.
Klein particles carried the information to the modern world.
Jiang Chen saw the signal light on the EP flashing, and he knew the data was transported to his EP. The researchers on this side didn’t need to do anything other than using Lin Lin’s research to design the production plan.
After he comforted Lin Lin, who wanted mango pudding, he ended communication and finally met Xia Shiyu’s peculiar gaze.
“And she is?”
“She’s Future Group’s Research Department’s scientist,” Jiang Chen said sternly.
The Research Department, the mysterious department, was always the subject of gossip within the Group. No one knew its whereabouts. All data was transferred from the artificial intelligence Yao Yao designed to acquire information requested by Jiang Chen. Even Xia Shiyu, as the Group’s CEO, didn’t know too much about the special department.
“Isn’t she a bit young?” Xia Shiyu facepalmed.
Because she was a digitalized human, even after 100 years, Lin Lin would still look like she was 16 years of age. Jiang Chen had been considering if he should let Xia Shiyu know about Future Group’s core secret. But from her shocked expression, perhaps this would have to be delayed further…
The data related to the genetic vaccine was transferred from the EP onto the USB. Xia Shiyu took the USB from Jiang Chen’s hands and reported on preparations for Godly Land’s official launch before she left the office.
Jiang Chen sank into his chair, closed his eyes, and repeatedly chewed on the information Xia Shiyu reported to him.
There was one piece of information he was concerned about the most.
Takeda Pharmaceutical’s T virus had entered the clinical trial phase. Jiang Chen sensed something odd about their speed of research.
“Takeda Pharmaceutical?”
Jiang Chen muttered while staring at the ceiling. He suddenly stood up and pressed on the computer.
Momentarily, the door to the office opened again.
It was Ayesha who came in. Because it was business hours, she was dressed in a suit similar to Xia Shiyu.
Xin’s National Security Department’s non-field employees also worked in Future Group’s building, including Ayesha as the captain of the Ghost Agents. But the work of the Ghost Agents was mostly directed and planned by the people of the department. Her responsibility was to approve Ghost Agent missions, so she was usually free without a need to come to the office every day. The reason she came today was because Jiang Chen was there.
“Is there anything you need?”
“Mhmm. I need your people to keep an eye on something for me.”
Ayesha nodded and her eyes responded: “At your service.”
“Takeda Pharmaceutical, Kurofune – only these two keywords. I need you to gather as much intelligence as possible through these two keywords.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them.”
…
It was January 24th in the blink of an eye with Han New Year’s Eve only a few days away.
In order to complete the launch of Godly Land, the entire Future Group was bustling with activities.
But no one complained about the chaos before the New Year.
Since the date for their bonuses was approaching by the day!
The President said at the end-of-year meeting that all Future Group employees would be given a big bonus, so all employees working for the company would have a great New Year!
As for the bonus amount, it was based on the profitability of the subsidiary, the employee’s position, and personal performance. But regardless, the average bonus was at least 100 thousand dollars. Also, the bonus of the employees was calculated separately from senior management, therefore the figure wasn’t a boosted average. The CEO of the subsidiaries would receive a dividend of at least ten million USD. Xia Shiyu, as the Group’s CEO, would receive at least 100 million.
Future Group’s profitability this year easily broke through 40 billion USD because of the over 100 million Phantom units sold. The other subsidiaries all provided stellar financial reports.
Based on the decision of the board comprised of only two people, Future Group would pay out a dividend of at least 30 billion USD for the fiscal year of 2016. Therefore, Jiang Chen’s private account officially broke the 30 billion USD mark.
There was nothing that excited people more than money. Although there was still some time before the New Year, the company was filled with the holiday spirit.
At the end-of-year ball, Jiang Chen drunk with the employees.
Jiang Chen was naturally delighted by the enthusiastic employees and he didn’t reject any of the toasts proposed to him. He only vaguely remembered that his drunk self seemed to have lost a bet, and with the encouragement of the young employees, he kissed Xia Shiyu on the cheek.
The result was obvious.
Such a flirtatious move made the girl with a thin face ignore him for several days…