"Pleasure doing business."
Chen Mo shook hands with Deqiu, marking the official completion of the nuclear power plant acquisition.
Then they moved into the signing phase.
Instead of signing his real name, Chen Mo wrote "Red Queen." The Red Queen was the virtual controller of Black Domain Technology Company, and having her as the signatory made the acquisition more secure.
With that signature, the nuclear power plant now officially belonged to Black Domain Technology Company.
But on the surface, it had nothing to do with Chen Mo.
This also served as a form of protection for him.
After signing with Deqiu, Chen Mo uploaded the contract to the legal department for notarization, which was completed quickly.
Of course…
Since Black Domain was an offshore company, the deal was not only notarized domestically, but also notarized in several offshore jurisdictions.
This changed the nature of the plant.
It was no longer a purely private domestic enterprise, and normal authorities would have no jurisdiction over it. It was now under the protection of international laws.
Although Chen Mo didn't expect trouble in Jiuzhou, it was better to be prepared. His ultimate goal was to build a transcendent force above the world itself.
Something like Umbrella Corporation from Resident Evil or Stark Industries from Iron Man.
But even stronger than them.
"Mr. Chen Mo, you're really young. From today on, as long as you make your payments on time, this nuclear plant is yours," Deqiu sighed with some sadness in his expression. He had been there since the plant's inception—now witnessing its fall and having to sell it off was like handing over his own child.
"Don't worry."
"Black Domain will pay on time."
Chen Mo smiled, then seemed to remember something and quickly turned to Deqiu.
"Mr. Deqiu, earlier you wouldn't let me inspect the power generation equipment. Now that the plant is mine, could you take me for a look?"
Deqiu's expression suddenly became as uncomfortable as constipation. A flicker of panic appeared in his eyes, but he managed to force a smile.
"Of course."
"From now on, it's all yours. You can check anything you want. It's just that… I'm a bit busy today and won't be able to accompany you personally. I'll have our security captain Zhao Qiang show you around instead."
Oh? Fine.
"Then send over the security captain." Chen Mo caught all of Deqiu's microexpressions. Earlier, he'd outright refused Chen Mo's request to inspect the equipment. Now that the deal was sealed, he looked panicked and didn't want to accompany him.
It was clear the plant's equipment had serious issues.
Possibly even worse than Chen Mo had anticipated. Not just the nuclear generators—maybe even the thermal generators were problematic.
Sigh.
Let's hope the thermal systems are still functional.
Chen Mo fell silent for a moment.
Although he didn't care much about the machines—he was more focused on the 5,000 acres of land and the legally armed security team—it didn't mean he liked being deceived.
If Deqiu was trying to scam him?
Then sorry.
His money wasn't so easy to take.
Once Black Domain Technology rose to power, he would make Deqiu pay back every cent, with interest.
Chen Mo made a silent vow.
...
Soon enough,
Security captain Zhao Qiang arrived.
He turned out to be the same tough-looking man who had received them at the entrance.
Zhao Qiang wasn't much of a talker and had a stoic demeanor, but facing his new boss, he managed to force a polite smile. He was tall and muscular—a classic Northeastern tough guy.
"Boss, I'm Zhao Qiang, the plant's security captain. Do you have any instructions for me?"
Zhao Qiang stood at attention, saluted, and kept a perfect posture—clearly the result of long-term training.
"Master, Zhao Qiang is a retired soldier and an excellent fighter. I've scanned his background—clean lineage, no criminal history. He's worth observing further and may be reliable," Red Queen's soft voice spoke in Chen Mo's ear.
Chen Mo was pleasantly surprised.
Having a super AI was amazing. No matter who he met, he could instantly investigate their entire family history.
It was like having cheat codes for real life.
Chen Mo lightly tapped his wireless earpiece to signal he got the message.
Then turned to Zhao Qiang.
"Take me to inspect the surrounding power generation systems."
"Yes, sir."
Zhao Qiang nodded but didn't move. It seemed he had something on his mind but didn't know how to bring it up.
Chen Mo noticed this and waited for Zhao Qiang to speak.
"Zhao Qiang, is there something you want to say? Feel free to speak your mind."
Zhao Qiang hesitated: "Alright, I'll just say it. Since you've taken over the plant, you're now the new owner. But I've still got 150 security team members under my command. What are your plans for them? Can you keep them? Just give us a job and a meal."
Haha…
Chen Mo chuckled. Just as he suspected.
After the takeover, Zhao Qiang and his security team were the only ones left—the rest of the technical and support staff had been dismissed.
Naturally, he was worried about his and his team's futures.
And as the captain of 150 men, he knew that if he lost his job, all of them would be out too. It would be nearly impossible to find another employer who could take on such a large team.
"Of course. But I won't guarantee that you'll stay on here at the plant." Chen Mo smiled.
He was planning to turn the plant into Black Domain's base of operations.
Only people he could trust would be allowed to stay.
Those who didn't pass muster would be reassigned to work as security or property management at other company locations—positions with no access to sensitive operations.
Zhao Qiang scratched his head. Being a straightforward Northeasterner, it took him a moment to catch on.
"Boss, what does that mean exactly?"
"To put it simply, I'll keep your whole team, and I'll even give you a 20% raise. But only those who behave, follow orders, and keep their mouths shut will stay at the plant. The rest will be reassigned to other locations. Who stays and who goes—that'll depend on how you all perform. I'll be watching."
Zhao Qiang finally understood.
The boss wanted discipline, loyalty, and discretion.
None of that was a problem!
What mattered was being allowed to stay.
Zhao Qiang's eyes lit up. Following orders was a soldier's duty—it was his way of life. If the boss paid him, he'd serve him.
Everything else was just details.
Oh, and with that 20% raise, he could finally buy more treats for his wife.
"Thank you, boss!"
"Thank you for taking us in. My team and I will work hard. You pay us—we follow your orders." Zhao Qiang answered sincerely, his blunt personality shining through.