The news of his employee caught dozing off during his shift hit young master Lin like a jolt. A vein throbbed visibly in his temple as he stormed towards the main work area.
That good-for-nothing!
Does he think my dad run a charity here?
If everyone started slacking off like this, the Pavilion of Prosperity would be bankrupt in no time!
And then where would I be?
Stuck counting pennies instead of enjoying the company of those sweet sisters at Blossom Pavilion.
The thought alone sent a fresh wave of fury through him.
He reached Chen Yang's station, a simple wooden desk cluttered with tools. Without a word, Lin brought his palm down on it with a sharp crack.
"Dammit... Ow!"
The sound echoed through the relatively quiet workspace, followed by Lin shaking his hand, a grimace momentarily flashing across his face before he composed himself, trying to maintain a semblance of authority.
"You!"
He pointed a trembling finger, not quite steady due to the stinging in his hand, at a startled Chen Yang.
"What's your name?"
"He is Chen Yang," Manager Zhang interjected quickly, not allowing Chen Yang a chance to speak.
"Right, Chen Yang." Lin sneered, the initial pain in his hand now fueling his anger.
"Consider yourself dismissed. You don't need to waste another breath in this establishment. The Pavilion of Prosperity doesn't need an employee who treats his work like a damn bed. We have no room for leeches who would rather nap than earn their keep."
Lin Chen's words hit Chen Yang like a physical blow. The air seemed to thicken, the bustling sounds of the office fading into a low, menacing hum.
He turned, his gaze locking onto Manager Zhang. A thin, oily sheen clung to Zhang's face, stretched into a cruel smirk that made Chen Yang's stomach churn.
'That bloated leech,' Chen Yang thought, the words a raw, guttural growl in his mind. 'If he wants to drag me down, I make sure to choke him on the same mud.'
As the guards prepared to intervene, Chen Yang hastily interjected, "Young master Lin, please, a moment."
Without awaiting a permission,he lunging towards the cluttered desk. Papers scattered, scrolls unrolled with a papery whump as he frantically searched.
Young master Lin, a flicker of cold curiosity in his eyes, raised a hand, silencing the guards. He leaned forward, his expression unreadable.
Manager Zhang's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. He watched Chen Yang's frantic search with the detached pleasure of a cat toying with a trapped mouse.
Finally, Chen Yang's fingers closed around a worn leather-bound book. He held it up, his hand trembling slightly. "Young master Lin," he said with some relief.
"Manager Zhang's accusations of me dozing or neglecting my duties are entirely false. He has been systematically undermining me since I began working here, with the sole intent of removing me from my position. This would allow him to manipulate the account books for his personal gain. This ledger,"
Chen Yang stated, his voice unwavering despite the rapid delivery, "contains records of transactions where Manager Zhang has been illicitly profiting—or, more accurately, embezzling funds from the Pavilion."
With this extended declaration, delivered in a single, unbroken flow, Chen Yang presented the ledger to Young Master Lin.
Young Master Lin examined the ledger and discovered discrepancies. Several items appeared to have been sold at prices significantly below their manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, the listed prices were inconsistent, seemingly manipulated to ensure the overall balance of the accounts.
Young master Lin face darken,he looked at manager Zhang as if he was going to eat him alive.
"Good...good.. what a good manager you and fatso , do you have anything to say for your self if not get the every single penny you looted from pavilion and get the hell out of here."
The sudden shift in the situation nearly caused Manager Zhang to panic.
He hadn't anticipated the discovery of the ledger. He glared at Chen Yang with the same hatred Chen Yang had previously directed toward him.
"Damn it," he thought, "who in the world would be so meticulous as to examine past accounts, especially after I deliberately overloaded and misled him?"
"Young Master Lin, he's accusing a good man! I haven't done anything to endanger the pavilion..."
Before Manager Zhang could finish, Young Master Lin cut him off. "Then why is your signature on this ledger?" Young Master Lin pointed at Manager Zhang's signature.
"Young Master Lin, I... him... you..." Manager Zhang tried to speak, but a man in black grabbed him like a chicken and took him away.
"Chen Yang, right?" Young Master Lin turned to Chen Yang with a smile. "You did well. Go finish your work. I'll talk to you later."
He then walked away, followed by the other men in black.
Chen Yang was stunned that everyone had suddenly left him alone. "Shouldn't I get some kind of apology?" he thought.
"Forget it. He's the boss here. The good news is, I don't have to see that fatso's face in this pavilion anymore."
A smile, born from the satisfaction, tugged at the corner of his lips. Chen Yang felt a lightness he hadn't experienced in years.
"And the boss said, 'I'll have a talk with you later."
What could it mean?
A promotion?
Thinking about it, Chen Yang couldn't help but laugh.
While laughing, Chen Yang suddenly realized he seems to have forgot about something.
Right, Manager Zhang's rumored late-stage Body Refinement cultivator brother!
He'd almost forgotten about it.
Wasn't all the enduring of Manager Zhang's bullying simply because of his vengeanceful brother being a late-stage Body Refinement cultivator?
If not, as person from Blue Planet would he have needed to endure until now.
Thinking about it, a sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Damn, why didn't I think about it? No, that fatso didn't give me a chance, cornered me into a dead end."
"I have to think of a way to get rid of his brother or should I talk about it with the boss?"
As Chen Yang was thinking of a solution, suddenly, a voice, clear and distinct, echoed within his head.
"Detect: The host has exposed Zhang's secret to his boss... Exposer System... Awaken... 1... 3... 10... 50... 88... 100."
The voice trailed off, replaced by a faint hum.
Chen Yang froze, eyes wide with disbelief.
Did he just hear... a system announcement?
Or had his mind cracked from thinking of a solution?