Chapter 542: The Spring of Tumu, Company Expansion

Madness! The Demonic Cult’s surprise attack caused the underground spirit veins to rupture! Over a thousand casualties! Experts estimate tens of thousands of spirit coins are needed for repairs!

The Demonic Cult has seized control of the spiritual realm, and the university city's defensive formations ironically facilitated the massacre! The entire city's array system urgently requires an overhaul!

Several primordial magnetic conduits suffered severe damage; what were once the city's lifelines have now become deadly hazards! The university city has issued a red alert, suspending the operation of all primordial magnetic conduits, and pledged to complete repairs as soon as possible.

Reading these news reports, Tu Lishan sighed, "This Demonic Cult is truly ruthless and vicious. Not only have they plundered everywhere, but they've also destroyed all the anti-gravity channels, primordial magnetic conduits, magic power circuits, spiritual energy circuits, and various gravity, temperature, and humidity control devices throughout the university city."

"They even ruined all the city's formations and didn't even spare the student dorms. This Demonic Cult is too evil, damn it... Why didn't they tear down the teachers' dorms too?"

"Fellow students, in the coming days, we bear a formidable task. It's up to us to determine when the entire city can be restored. We must not disappoint the teachers and students across the entire city."

Tu Lishan thought to himself: *Ah, if only the Demonic Cult would attack once every year, my Civil Engineering department would surely become the top department in Myriad Arts.*

Seeing the irrepressible smile on Tu Lishan's face, Ying Xin and Shi Yunxiang, who were below, exchanged glances, their minds filled with trepidation.

Ying Xin thought to herself: *Damn it... we only destroyed the magic power circuit of one primordial magnetic conduit, right?*

Shi Yunxiang muttered, "Who on earth blew up all the primordial magnetic conduits throughout the city?"

***

Originally, after the economic crisis, the wave of unemployment had gradually eased. However, within the university city of Myriad Arts University, with many people dying, going bankrupt, or disappearing, a scramble for workers even emerged. Furthermore, due to the extensive destruction caused by the Demonic Cult and the launch of various infrastructure projects, students from the Civil Engineering department were even more in demand, entering a blissful period of daily overtime.

Zhang Yu felt the vibrant vitality on the construction site, seeing the workers' faces radiant with the glow and happy smiles after overtime. At this moment, he had to admit that after the Demonic Cult's attack, the university city's economy seemed even more vibrant.

Fu Ji said, "Kunxu is like this. Sometimes it's about who can endure the most. As long as you can survive a great calamity, those who survive will reap a wave of benefits."

Zhang Yu nodded and decided to seize this opportunity to earn good money, preparing for his upcoming prototype machine refining.

Next, Zhang Yu, under his company's name, took on many projects from the Artifact Forging Department. Although the reconstruction across the university city couldn't proceed without the Civil Engineering Department's construction, many of the projects involved the Artifact Forging Department in their management. For instance, the primordial magnetic conduits and anti-gravity channels that ran through the entire city involved the Artifact Forging Department's investment and their responsibility for manufacturing and deploying the related equipment.

Zhang Yu, relying on his identity from the Artifact Forging Department and his connection to True Monarch Magnetic Pole, was able to take on many projects that weren't large in scale but offered substantial income. However, with the increasing number of projects across the city, workers became increasingly valuable. After all, more workers meant higher construction efficiency, allowing for more projects to be taken on and earlier project completion. And the current number of employees in Zhang Yu's company was clearly insufficient for his needs.

Therefore, with the end of the economic crisis, Zhang Yu began another expansion of his company's scale. The first people Zhang Yu recruited were those from the Civil Engineering Department who had shared his bankruptcy.

***

Tu Lishan looked at Ying Xin in front of him and frowned, saying, "Are you sure you want to leave? My side is about to increase salaries. And there will be so many projects that you'll have more overtime than you can handle until graduation, ensuring you'll never be bored. Didn't you already work part-time as an accountant for Zhang Yu? Isn't that enough?"

Upon hearing the words "about to increase salaries," Ying Xin paused slightly, appearing somewhat swayed. However, after a moment of thought, she still said, "I've already promised Zhang Yu; I'm going to his company to work as an accountant and also on-site."

Tu Lishan said helplessly, "Ah, how can Zhang Yu's new company compare to our established one? Alright then, it's fine for you to go first, but my doors are always open to welcome you back."

At this moment, projects were everywhere in the university city, and Tu Lishan's department was in dire need of personnel. It could be said that every additional worker meant more money earned, and his attitude towards students was unprecedentedly good.

Soon after Ying Xin left, Shi Yunxiang also came over and made the same request to Tu Lishan. Hearing that he also wanted to go to Zhang Yu's company, Tu Lishan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and think, *How much money has this kid Zhang Yu spent on poaching people?*

The next day, seeing that Xiao Qingxuan also wanted to switch jobs, Tu Lishan was even more surprised, saying, "Have you thought this through? It's not easy to find a job after graduation, especially with a departmental company. That's a renowned name in the civil engineering world. If I were you, I'd diligently work for them for ten years first, to gain more experience and build up my qualifications, rather than jumping to a new company with an uncertain future."

Xiao Qingxuan insisted, "Teacher, I've made up my mind. Please let me go."

Being poached by Zhang Yu for several consecutive days, it was impossible for Tu Lishan not to feel uneasy. However, remembering True Monarch Magnetic Pole and Director Gao behind Zhang Yu, he decided to act as if nothing had happened.

That day, seeing Zhang Yu leading people to work on the construction site, Tu Lishan also smiled and greeted him. Seeing the various potent elixirs Zhang Yu was distributing, Tu Lishan asked, "You give your employees this every day?"

Zhang Yu replied, "Eating this makes them work fiercely."

Tu Lishan thought to himself: *A change in boss really does make a difference. If they eat this every day, no matter how good their constitution, employees won't be able to handle it.* However, seeing Shi Yunxiang and the others willingly take the medicine, Tu Lishan secretly gave Zhang Yu a thumbs-up, muttering, "Impressive."

He messaged Zhang Yu: "You really know how to train your employees."

Of course, Zhang Yu couldn't tell him that with his and Le Mulan's Profound Cold Dharma Bones, and Xiao Qingxuan's ancient medical techniques, they could help employees eliminate the side effects of the potent elixirs. So Zhang Yu replied, "Just a little trick."

Tu Lishan: "This is no small trick. It must have taken a lot of effort to make them willingly take the medicine, right? When can we exchange tips?" Tu Lishan was genuinely curious about what methods Zhang Yu used to train his employees, to exploit them to such an extent.

***

Just as the two exchanged smiles, Shi Huaiyu came over and said, "Master, I plan to switch to Zhang Yu's company."

If Xiao Qingxuan's departure had only surprised Tu Lishan, then Shi Huaiyu's job change made him a little angry. Especially since Shi Huaiyu had now become a key student cultivated by the Civil Engineering Department, possessing the "Seven Civil Engineering Marvels," with a very high probability of obtaining a military certificate in the future and mastering the Sky Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, she was also a disciple with an extremely high return on investment in Tu Lishan's eyes.

Thinking that this disciple was going to switch to Zhang Yu's company to be mercilessly exploited by him, Tu Lishan took a deep breath. His entire golden Dharma Bone shimmered with rays of magic power circuits' light, indicating that his magic power circulation had just accelerated. Looking at his graceful disciple before him, Tu Lishan couldn't help but ask, "You're also going to Zhang Yu's company?"

Seeing Shi Huaiyu nod, Tu Lishan looked around, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation, and directly messaged her privately: "Nonsense! Why aren't you doing well at this reputable, large civil engineering company here, and instead going to Zhang Yu's newly established small company? Don't think that just because you competed with him, your relationship is different. He'll only use that to exploit you more fiercely and make more money off you."

Shi Huaiyu opened her mouth, wanting to say many things, but finding nothing she could say. Ultimately, her myriad words condensed into a single sentence.

Shi Huaiyu: "Zhang Yu is different."

Tu Lishan said with deep distress, "Different? What's different? Let me tell you, company bosses are all the same. I know exactly what goes on in their minds! They're all full of schemes, only thinking about how to exploit you, how to suppress your wages, and how to make you do more work for less pay! Listen to your master, stay here and work hard. After graduation, you'll become a formal employee and enter the office as a manager."

Shi Huaiyu said helplessly, "Master, I've already promised Zhang Yu."

Tu Lishan continued to persuade her, "Shi Huaiyu, I've trained you for so many years, not for you to waste your life on a construction site, but for you to eventually leave the construction site and help me earn big money."

Shi Huaiyu: "Master, Zhang Yu really is different. I believe I can earn much more if I follow him. Anyway, I'm definitely going to Zhang Yu's company. Besides, my relationship with the department's company is temporary employment, so it doesn't matter if you don't agree."

Watching Shi Huaiyu turn and run towards Zhang Yu, Tu Lishan, suppressing his frustration, messaged her: "If you dare to go, don't even think about working overtime if you come back later!"

Shi Huaiyu: "Master, don't worry, Zhang Yu promised that after I join, he'll make me work overtime 24 hours a day."

Seeing Shi Huaiyu take the potent elixir from Zhang Yu's hand and swallow it without a second thought, Tu Lishan felt a pang of heartache.

Tu Lishan: "Did he lie and say he could get you into the Artifact Forging Department? Let me tell you, bosses are all liars. You can't believe a word they say. He certainly can't get you into the Artifact Forging Department."

Shi Huaiyu: "Zhang Yu didn't say any of that. I just want to work for him. Alright, if there's anything else, wait until I'm off work. General Manager Zhang doesn't like employees chatting during work hours."

Seeing Shi Huaiyu's diligent appearance, Tu Lishan couldn't help but look at Zhang Yu and messaged him: "Huaiyu is a key student the department plans to cultivate. Give her less of that medicine; don't ruin her health."

Zhang Yu: "Don't worry, Teacher Tu, I'll be careful with my personnel."

Tu Lishan gritted his teeth and thought, *First Magnetic Pole, then Zhang Yu. Does the Artifact Forging Department now teach how to poach people in class?*

***

In addition to Ying Xin, Shi Yunxiang, Xiao Qingxuan, and Shi Huaiyu from the Civil Engineering Department, Zhang Yu naturally also recruited another batch of Soul Cultivators to work. Considering their cost-effectiveness and good quality, Zhang Yu recruited a group of talented but financially struggling individuals from the Songyang fellow-villager group. With this wave of company expansion, the entire team's construction efficiency surged, allowing Zhang Yu to take on more projects, and quickly bringing his company's monthly income close to 30 spirit coins.

A more crucial point was that as projects got on track, Zhang Yu's direct intervention became less and less necessary. Especially with Fu Ji helping him handle various mundane tasks for free, including overseeing finances and managing employees. Thus, Zhang Yu only needed to spend a few days each month at the construction site to unleash the Sky Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to complete some major tasks. The company's income could truly be considered his passive income.

Adding his 40 spirit coin laboratory subsidy, this way, while having ample free time each month, Zhang Yu could still maintain an income of nearly 70 spirit coins. With such confidence, Zhang Yu could finally confidently begin refining the prototype of the Sky Sun Blazing God Machine.