Chapter 562: It’s Over! Dragged into the Pit by the Boss
Guangzhou.
“Boss, you weren’t kidnapped, were you? Why would you choose to go to someplace like Pearl City, a complete backwater?”
“Yeah, if you hadn’t told us, we’d never even heard of that city.”
“Boss, is the work pressure here too much? Should we sign a petition to help you apply for a long vacation, so you can really relax?”
“Did some headhunter bait you with some ridiculous salary? It’s all a scam, all a trap! Boss, you mustn’t fall for it!”
“……….”
Zhang Dalong was in charge of R&D in Guangzhou, with about thirty people under him. His sudden departure naturally came as a surprise to his team, even seeming unbelievable.
“Stop guessing blindly, this is my own choice,” Zhang Dalong said, silently adding in his heart: “As if!”
To be honest, after working at Big Goose Company for several years, he didn’t really want to change environments. Pony Ma thought highly of him, and there would be opportunities to take on better projects in the future.
But the problem was, he had somehow already become a member of Wanlong Society, and those people were so… entrenched in the underworld that he really didn’t dare betray them.
Zhang Tao had hinted so clearly before. While he believed they wouldn’t really do anything to him… what if they did?
Besides, that new boss really had incredible presence. In some ways, he even felt that her charisma was far stronger than his current boss, Pony Ma.
“I fly the day after tomorrow at three in the afternoon. If any of you ever want to visit Pearl City, I’ll definitely make all the arrangements.”
“Boss, do you really have to go?” Everyone still wasn’t ready to give up.
Zhang Dalong nodded. “Yes, I have to go. If you’re willing to come with me, I can arrange jobs for you with income no less than what you have now.”
At these words, everyone in the R&D department fell silent.
After all, in the internet industry, big cities definitely had better environments and more prospects. Going to a city they’d never even heard of before—unless they were planning to retire—wasn’t something normal people would consider.
From their perspective, their boss Zhang Dalong had probably been duped by some small company.
Of course, not everyone thought this way. Some were tempted.
This temptation wasn’t because the new company attracted them, but because Zhang Dalong said the cost of living there was extremely low. If their income stayed the same, they’d definitely live much more comfortably than in Guangzhou.
For example, a monthly salary of ten thousand was completely different in a first-tier city versus a third-tier city.
In a first-tier city, that income still made you a corporate slave, but in a third-tier city, you might practically be a king.
Though this example was a bit exaggerated, the fact was that the same income could definitely give you a much better life in a small city.
For the next two days, Zhang Dalong appeared extremely calm, even somewhat heartless. No matter how his superiors tried to persuade him to stay, he would only listen politely, not explaining, not arguing, and not budging.
In short, he was determined to leave.
In the end, he even took twelve team members who had been with him for a long time. This was truly unexpected—it was nearly half of the Guangzhou R&D department’s staff.
But this was actually normal. The latest news from Pearl City had arrived: the benefits there were even better than here, with a 20% increase in base salary, plus a lower cost of living than Guangzhou. This was definitely enough to attract some employees whose hometowns were in the more northern regions.
Plus, following a familiar boss like Zhang Dalong might not be a bad thing either.
Naturally, Pony Ma, the boss of Big Goose Company, also learned of Zhang Dalong’s departure, and it was through this that he first heard the unfamiliar name, Wanlong Society Group.
“Find anything?”
Pony Ma asked the assistant standing beside him, not looking up from the report in his hands.
The assistant hurriedly handed over a document. “Mr. Ma, I found something. Wanlong Society Group is registered in a small city called Pearl City. Its business basically involves real industries—such as retail supermarkets, dining and entertainment, etc.—leaning toward local industrial investment. It should be a local comprehensive enterprise group.”
Pony Ma took the document and quickly scanned through it, his brows furrowing slightly.
Zhang Dalong was a technical talent. His understanding of distributed systems and user experience was top-tier in the country.
Honestly, he really hated to lose someone like this.
But everyone has their own ambitions, and he couldn’t force him to stay. Besides, the email business was basically mature now; Zhang Dalong’s departure wouldn’t have any impact on it.
What surprised him greatly was that the company he was leaving for was a traditional industry company.
What a waste of talent!
“Everyone has their own path. Since he’s chosen this one, all we can do is wish him well. It’s a pity…”
From Pony Ma’s perspective, Zhang Dalong’s departure was like a fierce tiger returning to the mountains… no, more like a whale stranded in shallow water—destined to accomplish nothing from now on.
……….
A few days later, at South City Airport.
Led by Zhang Dalong, the twelve former Big Goose employees, along with some of their family members, walked out of the airport with hopes for their future life.
They had imagined that at most, the company would send a shuttle bus to pick them up. But when they saw the scene outside the airport, they instantly froze in place.
They saw that in the temporary parking area outside the airport, more than twenty brand-new black Mercedes-Benz vehicles lined up, and beside each car stood a young man in a black suit.
In addition, more than twenty young men in black suits were lined up in two rows at the exit, as if waiting for some important figure.
This display, this spectacle, was no less impressive than a mafia godfather’s entourage in a movie.
“Holy crap, Boss! Look over there! What’s the situation? Are they filming a movie? Is this where they’re shooting the Godfather sequel?”
“Doesn’t look like a movie set—I don’t see any cameras. Besides, look at how straight those guys are standing, how fierce their eyes are. That aura—they’re definitely real underworld figures.”
“All black Mercedes-Benz, and they’re all S-Class. How much must that have cost? What a show!”
“Should we use a different exit? What if some big shot is coming out and we accidentally block their way? That wouldn’t be good.”
“Huh, they’re looking over here…”
Just as these former Big Goose employees were nervously preparing to get out of the way.
Suddenly!
The dozens of black-suited men waiting in formation all turned their eyes to Zhang Dalong and shouted in unison.
“Welcome back, Brother Long!!”
The employees and family members behind Zhang Dalong were instantly stunned.
When they regained their senses, they all turned to look at Zhang Dalong.
“Bro-Brother Long? Are they calling you? Boss, when did you become a ‘brother’?”
“Boss, didn’t you say the company you were going to was a legitimate company? How did you get mixed up with the underworld?”
“Um… can we still go back? I don’t want to go to Pearl City anymore.”
They had originally followed Zhang Dalong because of the high benefits, but no one said anything about joining the mafia!
Besides, they were all programmers—fighting was not their forte at all!
It’s over! It’s over! Dragged into the pit by the boss!
Zhang Dalong was also startled by this display. He didn’t know how to explain it either and could only offer a vague explanation: “Uh, this is all company culture. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
At that moment, a young man in casual business attire with a bright smile walked over—it was Zhang Tao.
“Brother, you must be exhausted from the journey!”
Zhang Tao stepped forward and gave Zhang Dalong a warm hug, then looked at the nervous group of former Big Goose employees behind him and greeted them with a smile.
“You’re the elite that Brother Zhang brought, right? Welcome, welcome! You must be tired from the journey! I’m Zhang Tao, in charge of reception today and subsequent arrangements.”
“Please get in the cars, everyone. The Young Mistress has prepared a welcome banquet for you all in Pearl City.”