From Wage Slave to Tycoon

After Chen Fei and the others went into the two-story building, someone on the training ground started whispering, "Did you guys notice? The look in that guy's eyes on the stage was terrifying. It felt like he's seen blood."

"That look was even scarier than my drill instructor's in the special forces!"

"You can say that again. It gave me cold sweats."

A slightly older-looking man, seeing the chatter grow, couldn't help but bark out an order.

"Alright, shut it! Did you forget all your discipline the moment you were discharged? Don't let your curiosity get the other brothers in trouble!"

In an instant, the chattering men fell silent. Each of them stood even straighter than before, their military posture impeccable.

In the conference room, Chen Fei looked at the ten men sitting ramrod straight. He pulled a white box of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it onto the table, a flicker of pain in his eyes.

"Go on, pass 'em around. One for each of you."

These cigarettes were a special bonus from Su Chen, who had noticed how hard he'd been working lately. And he'd only been given three packs.

'If I hadn't wanted to awe the men a little, why would I have been so generous? Wouldn't it be better to keep them for myself and enjoy them slowly?'

The ten squad leaders stared at the white box on the table and the distinctive red star logo on it. Their breathing grew heavy, and looks of shock flashed across their faces.

As veterans who had spent years in the military, they knew exactly what these cigarettes signified. Most of them had only ever heard of them; few had ever seen them in person.

The squad leader closest to Chen Fei reached out and carefully picked up the pack. He examined it closely and realized it was of a much higher grade than any he had seen before. He was incredibly careful as he took a cigarette.

By the time the pack made its way around the table, only half of it remained when it returned to Chen Fei's hand.

Seeing how few were left, Chen Fei felt another pang of regret. 'Maybe I can ask Su Chen to reimburse me later,' he thought.

After lighting one for himself, Chen Fei noticed the others weren't moving and said irritably, "If you're not going to smoke them, give them back."

At his words, how could any of them dare to hesitate? Those with lighters lit up, and those without borrowed one. In an instant, the conference room was filled with plumes of white smoke.

"Tsk, tsk. These are really something else. So smooth!"

"I never thought I'd see the day I'd smoke one of these. Even my regimental commander has never seen one. Too bad it's just one, or I could go show it off to him."

They say cigarettes build bridges and alcohol paves roads. Chen Fei's move had done a lot to dispel the initial awkwardness among the men.

When his cigarette had burned down, Chen Fei scanned the room. Everyone instinctively sat up straight, knowing it was time to get down to business.

"First, let me introduce myself. I'm Chen Fei, the temporary head of this security company. I imagine you've gathered some information about why you're here. You'll know the specifics once you get to the site."

"For now, I'll get straight to the point about your future salary and benefits."

"During the probationary period, regular team members will earn eight thousand a month, and squad leaders will earn ten thousand. After you become official, everyone gets a two-thousand-yuan raise!"

"You'll get a full social insurance and housing fund package, a year-end bonus, free room and board, and holiday benefits. The workday is twelve hours long!"

"But there's one condition. Everyone must sign a non-disclosure agreement. You cannot reveal a single detail of what you see or hear within the compound to anyone. You were all hand-picked, and I believe you are all worthy of that trust!"

Hearing these terms, the ten squad leaders' eyes went wide. The jobs they were assigned after being discharged paid less than six thousand, and some of the jobs they found for themselves only paid four or five thousand.

Of course, those who weren't afraid of hard work could earn over ten thousand a month hauling bricks on a construction site, but how exhausting was that!

Now, just by handling security for a compound, they could earn over ten thousand after their probation, plus a full benefits package and a year-end bonus. Where else could they find a deal like this?

'A twelve-hour shift?'

'Isn't it just sitting at a guard post or walking a patrol? What's so hard about that?'

'As for the NDA, isn't that standard procedure?'

After a round of excited discussion, all ten squad leaders were fired up, looking like they were ready to start work immediately.

"Go back and explain the salary and benefits clearly to your team members. Do you have any other questions?"

"Pres... President Chen," one of the squad leaders asked, "where will we be working, and when can we start?"

Hearing the title, Chen Fei's mouth twitched. He said, a little uncomfortably, "Just call me Captain from now on. No need for the 'President' stuff. As for the workplace, it's on Zheng Island. You'll all be heading over in the next couple of days."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "The site is still under construction, so it might be a bit tiring at first. But Sir won't treat any of you unfairly."

"'Sir?'" The men voiced their confusion. 'Could the 'Sir' Chen Fei mentioned be our future boss?'

Chen Fei didn't hide Su Chen's identity. After all, they would find out eventually, and telling them now would prevent the awkward scene of the boss being stopped by his own security guards in the future.

"He's the one who was on the stage earlier." After saying this, an idea flashed in Chen Fei's mind, and he added, "Those white-box cigarettes you just smoked were a reward from Sir. If you perform well in the future, you might get some too."

Having come from the military himself, he knew exactly what those cigarettes represented to these men. For anyone with half a brain, getting ahold of these cigarettes could open up many doors for their future.