Chapter 103
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 103: “Business Strategy”
“No problem,” Xue Quan said with a smile, as if he hadn’t heard the Russian’s taunts. “I heard everyone who participated in this game is exceptional. I’d like to discuss things with all of you. Honestly, this world has really astounded me. It’s hard to believe that lines of code could create such a detailed and realistic society, it’s beyond imagination.So… I’ve been treating it as reality in my analyses. I don’t think any of you would disagree with that.”
No one spoke.Silence hung in the room.
Clearly, everyone had already made up their minds about the world’s reality.
“I spent a day digesting all the information you’ve collected so far, but I must say we’re still missing a lot of data. We know little not just about the Old Continent across the sea, but even this harbor city is largely unexplored. On the surface, our main competitor seems to be Lesheng Corporation, but in fact, we have no real competition—at least not at the product level.”
“Is that all you wanted to say?” Anthony raised an eyebrow.
“This is crucial. It means whatever we do is justified. So your ideas about promoting medicine, partnering with the Yeni Cathedral, and highlighting our treatment for the Scarlet Curse are all fine. We’re the only ones who can make this antibiotic. Before other companies figure out how to replicate it, we’ll expand quickly. But—” Xue Quan’s tone shifted, his smile fading away. “This doesn’t mean we lack enemies. Let me briefly outline three proposals.”
“First, build our own armed forces, and we have to that swiftly.”
“Second, eliminate adversaries who covet our pharmaceutical company through force, neutralizing threats permanently.”
“Third, seek potential partners to bind ourselves with existing powers through mutual benefits, preventing threats on a broader scale.”
Those are the main points. Any questions or thoughts?”
The room fell silent for a moment.
Only Zhou Zhi cautiously raised his hand. “Excuse me… Are we discussing business strategies here?”
“Why does it all sound like we’re planning for war?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha…” Anthony burst out laughing. “Mr. Justice, it seems like your choice of candidate doesn’t match your values at all! Mr. Xue, you’re truly a talent. If you’ve time, come to the north and I’ll treat you to a drink!”
“Why does Destiny Gate Pharmaceuticals focus be on armed forces?” Choi Jeon-eun frowned, clearly puzzled. “Could you explain the reasoning behind this strategy?”
“It’s actually quite simple. You can understand it by considering two factors: First, the broader environment or the context of the times we’re in, and second, how our competitors behave,” Xue Quan replied patiently, his voice steady. “From the information we’ve gathered so far, neither the City Guard of Glorious Fortress nor the district police stations function as modern law enforcement agencies. The former are essentially the Lord’s private soldiers, while the latter are supported by large corporations. They maintain public order to some extent, but only as long as it doesn’t interfere with their own interests. A prime example is the serial-killer case orchestrated by the Northern City Police Department. Clearly, they can even neglect their most basic duties, so relying on them is risky.”
“The latter is also clear… Most of the big companies we’ve come across so far have their own security forces. High Heaven Mining even has armed trains! All these things cost money. If running a business wasn’t dangerous, why would they go to such lengths?
“Both points show that the general environment doesn’t discourage companies from having their own armed forces. In fact, having guns is likely the best way to ensure a company can grow safely. In this kind of world, if Destiny Gate didn’t have its own armed forces, it would be very hard to compete with other big companies.” Xue Quan paused. “I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, ‘He who cherishes pearls becomes a target.’ Antibiotics will definitely be a cash cow, so we need to prepare for violent conflict early on.”
“If our neighbors are stockpiling food, we should stockpile guns. They’ll become our granary, won’t they?” Zhou Zhi had a look of sudden understanding. “Now I get it. So… who do you think this enemy might be?”
“This is precisely what I wanted to discuss,” Xue Quan said calmly. “The Yeni Cathedral once signed contracts with four companies, prioritizing access to Lesheng Corporation’s medical products. This clearly involved some shady deals. Now that we’ve taken over the Cathedral’s funding and medical supplies, the ones to react most strongly will definitely be those four companies. As for which one will jump up first, I can’t say. But no matter who comes at us first, we need to show the others that the Destiny Gate doesn’t lack for violent means—these days, physical elimination is undoubtedly the most effective strategy in business rivalry.”
“It’d be best if it’s High Heaven Mining,” Anthony said excitedly, rubbing his hands together. “After all, we’re all old acquaintances and as such they deserve special treatment.”
“Your insights are truly unique, Mr. Xue,” Tyler said, giving a rare compliment. “If you’d come from a time of turmoil, I’d understand how you see things like this. But since you’ve lived in peaceful times too, it’s remarkable. Can you tell me what kind of business work you do in reality?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s personal information. I can’t reveal it.”
“That’s fine. I understand.” The Brit nodded.
“The first two points aren’t really in question,” Asahara Naruko spoke up. “I’m more curious about the third… Since you mentioned collaboration, do you already have anyone specific alliance targer in mind?”
“I just feel that the Destiny Gate should stay independent, shouldn’t it?” Zhou Zhi muttered.
“We know that working together doesn’t mean losing independence. I think you all understand how that works,” Xue Quan said, looking at the host the whole time. Chaoyang realized he was actually talking to him.
“I have some thoughts about it,” Xue Quan continued. “The best partner for us right now is the City Guard.”
“The City Guard?” Everyone was surprised by that suggestion.
“Exactly. Since they’re the lord’s private soldiers, we can influence the lord’s decisions by working with them.” Xue Quan explained carefully. “I also noticed that the City Guard and the major corporations don’t get along. We can use that to our advantage. And lastly, the army really needs emergency and Anti-infection medicine right now. That’s right up Destiny Gate’s alley.”
“Are you sure there’s a real conflict between them?” Anthony asked sceptically. “Not long after we robbed that train, the City Guard worked with the company’s forces to hunt down foggy region for miners… It was even reported in the papers.”
“If Zhou Zhi hadn’t explained the second game in such detail, I wouldn’t have noticed this crucial point. In theory, the city’s security should be handled by the police department. But have you seen what’s happening? Ever since the serial killer was exposed, the entire street patrol has been taken over by the City Guard. It’s still like that even now.”
“Ah…” Zhou Zhi said, surprised. “It seems that’s indeed the case.”
“The police department’s authority has been stripped away,” Xue Quan said, his tone suddenly deepening. “If this was just an incident caused by the Chief of the Northern City Police Department, the situation should’ve gone back to normal after the case was closed. But it didn’t. Even more interesting is that the other three police departments haven’t been abolished either. They still exist in name to handle the City’s safety. So the question is—what’s causing this deadlock? The answer can only be a power struggle.”
“It’s not that the police department isn’t willing to step back. It’s that the major corporations behind them that is reluctant to give up their held authority.”
“So… they aren’t actually on the same side,” Xue Quan concluded at last. “And this presents us with an opportunity to win over the City Guard.”