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"It just so happens that there is this opportunity. Shajin should care more about these children than I do."
"…Um, Topa, you seem to have misunderstood something. I don't intend to let you plant commercial spies in Luofu, and the children don't have any relevant cognitive abilities."
After Esta's many bedtime science lessons, Kong had a slight understanding of the Stone Heart Ten - although they had only received sponsorship through Topala, the gambler who tried to join the fusion chessboard had not yet made any requests for shares, and seemed to be surprisingly well-behaved.
If the other party borrowed this name and Topa's introduction to deepen their influence on Yalilo, it would also be a way for them to become more familiar to him - Kong thought it was reasonable.
It is time to allow them to recoup some of the benefits of their investment. We cannot let them make no profit at all… But if these young people are influenced by the gold dust… Compared to Topa, who advocates "paying debts is a natural thing", Bay City is very likely to go astray.
"If we can use them, we have to wait until they return from their studies."
"Hey! Doctor, you think even further ahead than I do! I wouldn't have thought of it if you hadn't told me - corporate espionage is indeed a very tempting proposal."
"Hey."
"Just kidding." Topa stuck out his tongue slyly.
I don't know if it was Sora's illusion, but ever since he confirmed his relationship with Estella and shared a portion of the shares, Topa also intended to make his image in public more lively.
Let's not talk about imitating the rich lady, but if you are more active, you will cross the line and become inconsistent with the "demeanor" that a businessman should maintain.
"How could the children I recruited let the gold dust pick the peaches? You may have a misunderstanding about the cooperative relationship between the ten people in Stone Heart - except for Ms. Emerald - I can't say that I have enemies everywhere in the company, but there are also many people who want to trip me up."
Topa twirled his fingers, and the bulging collar of his shirt opened slightly under the pressure of his elbow, revealing a milky white light.
"The relationship between colleagues is the most unreliable. On the contrary, investors are easier to maintain because they only need to be responsible to you and the young lady. Before this deal is closed, I will put my whole butt on your side~"
It was a statement that could easily be misunderstood, or maybe she did it on purpose.
When Banya saw that Topa was about to take away the initiative in the conversation, Kong's eyes began to look at some parts of the other person's body that men would pay attention to. He coughed lightly and moved closer to him under the reflection of Pella's flashing glasses.
The curve of the black slime holding up the pantyhose fits Sora's gluteus maximus perfectly. She holds Sora's hand and raises her neck slightly, showing the height advantage of the Bay City people, allowing her to put pressure on Yelena with the tip of her nose.
Although she hated to play the role of a superior person, this action was a declaration of sovereignty in another sense, and it was also a way of telling Topa that her current identity was not enough and not suitable for seducing the Doctor in front of him.
"I'm glad you're willing to continue to stand with us, Miss Ye Lina. In that case, if you have any other demands, please raise them. I will immediately write an official announcement to let those young people prepare. I can't wait until they set off to give them instructions."
"Alas, that's not how you negotiate business, Bronya."
By not continuing to call Banya the Great Guardian, Topa intended to make the atmosphere more relaxed and also wanted to drag this political novice into the rhythm of a private meeting rather than continue negotiations as representatives of the two parties.
"You can't just do whatever you want just because a man is around, okay? At least the production of the second batch of the mixture must meet the target. If the doctor can't get his share, his development in Luofu will be hindered, and the research funds will be cut off—"
"Woo..."
Banya couldn't win the argument with Topa after all, and his momentum faltered when he saw her cute smile that seemed like she was deliberately playing tricks on her best friend.
The key is not how to put the blame on someone. The fact that Topa bluntly admitted that Kong was her man made Yaya go into a state of panic.
"My request is very simple. I will ask for whatever the doctor asks. This business and the entire investment chain are created to increase the influence of his team and then give back to the company. I must ask his opinion."
Topa pinched his chin, pressing a sexy indentation where cheek and chin met.
The specially invited stylist told her that adding small actions appropriately would make it easier for her to win the favor of men who claim to be mature. The psychologist gave her some advice, asking her to create an image of a considerate and scheming person, and to find the flaw in Sora on the border between cuteness and intelligence. In this way, she could perfectly avoid the elements that the girls around Sora possessed and make him feel fresh again.
With a pessimistic expression, Toppa knew that he was not imitating others - although it was a bit unfair to compete with the eldest lady for food, protection also required the doctor to invest more resources and wisdom. So many star gods and subordinate forces extended olive branches to the doctor, but the company was unable to win him over with all its strength due to the special nature of the authority granted by Clipper, which was really a pity.
If she continues to act like a spoiled brat, the doctor will probably end up being led to adopt an attitude of being neither close nor distant with the company. It can be seen from the fact that Ester left her work this time and took the train for vacation that she is interested in development rather than protection, and her goal is crooked.
...There must be a woman who speaks up for the doctor at the company headquarters and reminds him that there is a huge economic entity that will pay for his ideals and he only needs to make a tiny contribution in return.
It would be best if this person was her. After all, she had made preparations as early as that night at the space station, but the opportunity was not good enough.
If other ladies of noble status were to test the waters, it would take a longer period of emotional cultivation...
...Of course, she would be lying if she said she asked that damn gambler for a few Pinocchio room cards but had to give Estella the first push. Her damn desire to win, coupled with the ridicule of Shajin, made her no longer regard holding Sora's hand as a simple task.
Everything has its price, but for her, there are still some things that must outweigh the chips on the dead gambler's table and the valuation of the Emerald Lady.
Its names are "Feminine Charm" and "Faith of Preservation".
If Kong knew the sensitive mind behind Topa's teasing smile, he would probably comfort her and tell her that she was very charming and there were more ways to please him. However, he was being pulled by Banya with a strong force, as if Banya wanted him to stay away from this guy who exuded an amazing hormone scent.
At this time, her possessiveness was almost the same as her mother's, and she no longer cared whether she and Kong were actually married or not.
"Topa, the expansion can be put on hold for now. I've gone to negotiate with them myself. Tianbosi isn't that interested in the mixture. You can be more generous and allocate the portion that is planned to be sold to the Xianzhou Alliance to the company."
"...Hey."
Topa, who was ready to say a lot to show that he was reasonable and considerate, was lost again in Sora's gentle voice.
"I heard from Esta that you are going to reach level 46 soon because of this mission. How about I use the foreign trade portion I prepared to help you smooth things over and make sure more people will stand on your side at the next meeting? Just consider it my investment in you."
Surprisingly, they actually used a more considerate way to shut me up - death
Topa's lips moved for a long time, his heartbeat quickened, thinking that it was a close call, the doctor really knew how to tickle a girl's itch.
"…As thoughtful as ever." 3
She smiled at the air, but in her heart she felt helpless because she failed to radiate her charm and instead made the other party flirt with her more considerately.
She couldn't ignore this benefit. By P46, even if she officially became a big shot in the company who could influence the decisions of Diamond, and she had already passed the stage of making money for the sake of making money, if she wanted to make further progress in her career and assist the Amber King with her own ideas... a group of supporters attracted by the mixture was also very important.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be worried about Yaya's procrastination. She could take a lot of it based on the percentage to build her network... Now that Kong directly asked to give her the portion reserved for pleasing Xianzhou, she had to take it no matter what:
"I have a lot of things ready for you, for the young lady... If the reserved part of Luofu can be transferred to me, it will really help a lot, but I still don't recommend relaxing the hard target of production."
Topa was more tactful when speaking to Sora than when she was trying to persuade Yaya - to Banya it sounded like she was almost performing live ASMR to her man, not to mention the glare in her eyes, which was almost as good as that of a wealthy woman.
"Director Topa...if it's a long-term indicator, I'll find a way to fill the hole."
Yaya's face turned from red to blue, reflecting that the Belobergs can also be considered "people of color":
"Remember that Swarovski agreed to merge the mechanical settlement into the production queue? I will transfer this part of the gap to his robots and mechanics who have just integrated into the life on the ground."
"Hmm? But Swarovski is an omnic..." Seeing that he could no longer overwhelm Bronya, Toppa decided to quit while he was ahead and not create a weird atmosphere of deliberately vying for favor in front of Sora.
She immediately raised her arms and pretended to be in deep thought, wanting to give in here first, at least to prevent Kong from seeing her "ugly appearance" of desperately trying to gain profits for the company.
"Our definition of omnics is different from that of the company. At least for now, we don't care about the risks of hiring omnics. The doctor probably doesn't care either. After all, he gets along well with Swarlow—"
"Yes. After Swarro clarified the misunderstanding with me, he still hoped that I could continue to protect Clara. If the Chief Inspector wants to hire some non-intelligent autonomous machines, I can act as a bridge for you. I think Swarro will make some reasonable requests, such as in exchange for Clara's qualification to go out for study, or in exchange for some metal resources or something."
"Bulk metal element trading is extremely profitable... Doctor, then Diamond needs to speak up. Phew, but I will cooperate with your job protection strategy for the time being."
Topa's eyelids slightly lifted, as if she remembered something in the past that made her unhappy. "The doctor mentioned corporate espionage just now, which reminded me that there are already many such unromantic guys in the upper and lower districts. If we use all locals, at least their identities can be verified, and the source can be traced back, and the price for subversion will be higher."
"Hmm? Someone asked about the potion formula?"
"The ingredients were transported from Xin-41. The route is not long, but it is difficult for someone to find out. Thanks to Yi Ting's participation in the packaging, we were able to ensure that the last few processes were never cracked. You always have foresight."
After praising Sora, Topa immediately added a sigh combo:
“But the bigger challenge is just beginning now…”
"Actually... I don't plan to keep relying on the patent for this mixture. If I find out about new needs, I will try to develop... ahem, reproduce some products. All we have to do is make sure the formula doesn't leak at the speed of light, and I'll reap the benefits for a few years."
"Really?! I want to sign an exclusive agency contract!"
"So we should first find out what the people of Xianzhou need. With their population and sphere of influence, producing just a few things would be enough to feed Beicheng."
"...Okay, okay, Doctor, I understand. You want to let the kids go to Xianzhou to 'learn from the masters', right? Obviously, as long as you open your mouth, the door of Pierpoint will be open to them... The company's territory can also provide a lot of opportunities..."
Topa pinched her lips with her white teeth, trying to show some of the grievance she felt after being PUA'd by a man.
"To survive in the cracks, we have to do this, and this is also the way to survive."
"Doctor, you are such a fool... For the sake of our protection, I can't really push Beloberg into the fire pit—"
"But it's not certain for others, such as Emerald and Gold Dust. They may not make the same kind decision as you, Topa. Now Bay City is leaving a way out for itself and sacrificing economic benefits for public facilities. This is all to prepare for the possibility that you will be replaced."
"…This is really a very harsh questioning of my colleague…"
Topa was teased by Kong again. Zhang Zhang, who was hiding behind her, raised his little paws with an expression of "not being able to watch" and made a gesture of wiping sweat towards the floating spirit behind Kong.
The floating spirit spread his hands - if no woman could control him, he would turn back into a peacock with its feathers spread out.
"But thank you for your trust in me, Doctor. I will ensure that I will not let down my friends in Bay City during my term..."
“Chi-chi—chi.”
[Topa, this is... so different from what we agreed on.] Zhang Zhang tugged at Topa's boots, complaining that even the synesthesia beacon couldn't translate his calls.
"But, but there's nothing I can do. The doctor's words are so nice, and it's not that Ms. Bronya is making excuses. Is there anything wrong with my decision?..."
After a few rounds, Banya was stunned to find that Topa, who had been "against him in everything", was easily defeated by Kong.
She turned around and looked at the four parties in confusion, but saw that they shrugged and said:
[Finally I got her down. Let's find a place to hang out for a while. You made me swollen just now.]
443. The Child I Pushed
When Topa walked out of the audience room, he felt elated.
Although from a purely business perspective, it is reasonable for Kong to allocate the excess production capacity to her so that she can get value for money.
But as long as one is a human being, when he cares about the object of his love, he will always involuntarily have the illusion that "he likes me".
She almost forgot that Sora had also helped Bronya out - if the Grand Guardian had been unable to urge the "colony" to deliver the product on schedule, she had wanted to not interfere and let Beloberg learn a lesson. However, Sora's method not only filled the labor gap, but also gave the girl who she thought had great potential a chance to step into the spotlight.
That's right, Clara - Topa was very optimistic about the little girl. After many collaborations, as well as several competitions and mergers with Swarovski, and the days when she had to persuade and persuade him when she failed to recruit him, she believed that Clara's determination to protect him was worthy of her becoming the person in power that the lower-level area urgently needed to be trained.
The key point is that Swarovski supports Clara, and that omnic controls a large amount of means of production. Even if Topal tears his face off and uses the company's energy to recycle the automatic production line on which he depends for survival, he can still control a large part of the population and potential omnics in the lower area.
Thinking of this, she immediately clicked the headset twice, hugged Zhang Zhang back into her arms, and called a white-haired girl:
[Clara is looking for ∝$sHu group: 芭浯∫倛熝⊙≌熘_¨钐“∞缌#‰偲△陑, are you free tonight? I miss you, let’s go to the upper area for dinner together?]
[Yes, there is time, but Director Sister, do you want to talk to Mr. Swarlow about borrowing the little robot? You don't have to be so polite to me...] Clara's reaction was cute but also obviously wary, and she didn't seem unprepared.
Thinking of Kong's ability to transmit messages across dozens of light years, Topa had anticipated this result, but just because the child was not sweetened, she didn't necessarily have to fire the remaining shells - she couldn't get along with Clara with an extremely utilitarian mentality, otherwise if the child grew up badly, it would be a huge loss to the conservation cause.
[…In addition to this business, I also hope to sponsor you to study abroad in the name of the Topa Foundation—]
Of course, Topa would also be happy if the child could treat the transaction between them maturely. This would not only reduce the room for misunderstanding, but also make Swarovski and the Doctor feel at ease.
[Sister, do you want me to keep an eye on Big Brother for you? ]
Stare, stare...
Topa, who was originally quite happy that her child was sensible enough, almost burst into laughter - this child was too sensible!
[No, no, it’s not your turn yet… ahem, there’s no need for you to go. ]
Topa couldn't help but use the double entendre skills she used with her colleagues on the inexplicably mature girl on the other end of the phone.
[…Based on my personal investment vision, I hope you can learn something so that you can help me when I cooperate with the omnics in the mechanical settlement in Beloberg in the future…The integration of the upper and lower areas is still a bit slow. Bronya alone cannot make the city fully operational—]