Chapter 129: Shifting the Conflict - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 129: Shifting the Conflict To be honest. If the person knocking on the door right now were Xia Wu You, it would be a decisive moment. The timing was perfect, just like it was back then. But unfortunately, it wasn't Xia Wu You who entered; instead, it was Jiang Cheng Cheng. "...Come in, come in, come in." Xu Shi chuckled with a hint of annoyance, though it seemed feigned; he wasn't truly upset. If the earlier interruption with Xia Wu You was genuinely inconvenient, then with Su Lin, it was merely a playful tease. This implicitly revealed that Su Lin held a special place in his heart that differed from others. The main reason was that Director Su had been by his side for too long, over twenty years since they were children. There wasn't anything new to discover about her, but in terms of everything else, she surpassed others, resembling a dearly close family member. This might explain why childhood friends often lose to those who come unbidden; familiarity breeds indifference. Moreover, Su Lin wasn't exactly a typical childhood friend. She played the role of an older sister or even a caretaker, always tending to every detail of his life. Teasing her was amusing. But when it came to taking it seriously... well. Xu Shi couldn't quite articulate that. Su Lin internally sighed with relief, quietly extracting herself from the situation. Her mind was in turmoil too. She was Xu Shi's childhood friend, so wasn't Xu Shi the same to her? On the surface, she treated him as a master or young lord, but for Director Su, Xu Shi had always been more like an immature younger brother. Now, however, her little brother had suddenly grown up. Not only had he shed his reckless ways, but he also exuded an aura of charismatic competence, handling each situation flawlessly. Such traits are undeniably captivating, especially for women. Who doesn't secretly hope for their beloved to be a heroic figure? In truth, the girls who were captivated didn't fall solely for Xu Shi's abilities—whether it was Gu Yi, Xia Wu You, or even Jiang Cheng Cheng, none were exceptions. Even someone like Xie Qing Yan held admiration for Xu Shi. Su Lin, of all people, couldn't claim to be unaffected either. Could she honestly say she felt nothing in this regard? If she truly felt nothing, why would she get jealous seeing him be playful and intimate with others? No one would believe that. Moreover, Xu Shi had been kind to her, which undoubtedly added weight to such feelings. She wasn't affected by mere abilities, but when it came to affinity points, hers could probably surpass anyone else's. Therefore, Xu Shi's teasing was never met with resistance from Su Lin. In fact, if the young lord genuinely desired her, she'd yield without hesitation. However, she didn't want to feel diminished in this regard, especially not under the guise of being "compensated." That would change its entire nature. After all, she had always seen herself as a subordinate, harboring a subtle sense of inadequacy because of the perceived disparity in their statuses. That was the real source of her confusion and frustration. Thus, whether Xu Shi's feelings for her were genuine or not, Jiang Cheng Cheng's timely appearance undoubtedly extricated her from the situation. A true best friend! As for Jiang Cheng Cheng, she remained silent, simply observing it all. She was well aware of what had transpired. The flustered and sweaty Su Lin with reddened ears alone spoke volumes. Yet she chose to remain silent, her face even showing an intriguingly knowing smile. To be honest, if it were anyone else, Jiang Cheng Cheng might not have taken it well, even if she didn't show it outwardly. She harbored a peculiar sense of attachment and possessiveness towards Xu Shi. She wasn't thrilled when she saw Xu Shi tying up Lin Yue like that... But with Su Lin, it was acceptable. After all, they were best friends. Although they'd reconnected after many years, the undeniable truth was that there were only two people important to her in the world presently: Xu Shi and Su Lin. Therefore, even if Xu Shi had intentions with Su Lin, or if she inadvertently witnessed a spring scene between them, Jiang Cheng Cheng wouldn't mind. She might even harbor a subconscious, faint anticipation. Of course, she wouldn't say any of this aloud now. "Do you need something?" Xu Shi didn't know what was going through her mind, but he assumed she had serious matters to discuss, so he quickly dropped his teasing and adopted a serious demeanor. "I came to report on the arrangement for the newcomers." Jiang Cheng Cheng returned to her senses, shaking her head slightly, and handed him the documented arrangements. Xu Shi glanced over them, thoroughly pleased with the arrangements she had made. Jiang Cheng Cheng indeed knew how to handle matters. She had carefully selected the crème de la crème, but she didn't assign them to vital positions. Instead, she placed them in roles that demanded significant labor and had little chance for advancement. These positions, often termed the scapegoat roles, meant that if things went well, the credit would go to the leaders, but if they went awry, these individuals would take the fall. It was evident she had learned a lot from following Jiang Feng Shan for years, picking up on things naturally. Xu Shi's thoughts coincided with Shen Qin's: no one would trust these "Forgotten Ones" with critical tasks. This wasn't about capability; it stemmed from an inherent "us versus them" mentality. Entrusting them with pivotal roles wasn't feasible at the onset of the migration; trust-building required years, perhaps even decades. External individuals faced this uphill battle to prove themselves. Nonetheless. "Have these arrangements been finalized? If not, don't dismiss all of them." Xu Shi offered a suggestion. "Select a few of exceptional talent and place them in relatively important, yet non-critical positions. Then, extend some special privileges to them. Ideally, these individuals should already have a certain influence among their peers. Understood?" The people in the Night City of Sin had their considerations, but such oppressive measures would only render the "Forgotten Ones" unstable... a backlash wouldn't be ideal. To subtly assimilate them, one must shift the focus of conflict internally. It's not that they weren't being promoted; it's their lack of capability. Show diligence and effort might just yield the results they desire, right? Assigning influential "Forgotten Ones" to significant roles also inadvertently created divides among them, just like Xu Shi hadn't overly pressurized someone as influential as Shen Qin, considering similar tactics. "...I understand." Jiang Cheng Cheng genuinely agreed, realizing this plan was more comprehensive than her original ideas. Su Lin also agreed wholeheartedly. The young lord indeed possessed considerable skill in managing subordinates. Apart from that, "Should we officially commence the development of the phase two chip now?" (End of the chapter)