192 The Start of Company War
"Er… okay…" Daniel responded, his attempt to maintain a normal tone meeting with awkwardness. He didn't quite know how to navigate Aryan's romantic ambiance.
After that, Aryan delved into the forecasted profits for the company, discussing his projections. The outlook was undeniably bright; in fact, "bright" was an understatement. Aryan's plan involved launching Daniel's new phone product in America first. The reasoning behind this decision was that consumers in the Tessia Kingdom weren't as inclined to invest in high-end phones due to their relatively lower income levels compared to the world average.
"In the plan, we have two phones lined up for introduction to the market. The first one is a high-end model intended for the American market. This phone is a game-changer, with performance capabilities that outclass existing high-end phones by a wide margin. The advancements it holds would take other high-end phone manufacturers about 30 years to catch up to," Aryan explained.
Aryan continued, "The second phone is designed to strike a balance between cost and performance. While it's priced more affordably, its performance is projected to be three times better than the current high-end models in the market."
Daniel nodded, absorbing the information. "Seems like you've got everything well laid out, Mr. Sharma. Execute the plan as you've proposed. I trust you."
Aryan's confidence was evident in his smile. "Thank you, Mr. Emberweave. You'll find that hiring me as the CEO was one of the best decisions you've ever made."
Following this, Aryan delved into addressing several minor issues that had cropped up during operations at the power plant. Despite many of the employees being veterans in electricity production and power plant maintenance, the transition to new technologies and concepts posed a learning curve. However, their pride and experience as veterans enabled them to adapt swiftly. In fact, some of the employees had even provided constructive feedback that led to cost-saving measures in maintenance.
With their discussion concluded, Aryan swiftly left the room to attend to his tasks. The office, once filled with conversation and innovation, settled into a quiet ambiance. Meanwhile, Daniel's gaze drifted to the wall clock, revealing that it was 5 PM.
Considering the time difference, Daniel calculated that it should be 2 AM in San Francisco. He pressed a button on the holographic projection panel on his desk, activating the chat app to check if Greed was still online. Confirming that she was, he typed out a message to her.
"Still awake?" he inquired.
On Greed's end, she had just finished the last report and sent an email to her employees when she noticed the chat notification on the lower right of her screen. Seeing the sender's name, she couldn't help but smile.
"What can I do for you?" she replied, playfully adding a hint of teasing to her tone.
Receiving Greed's response, Daniel felt a twinge of guilt. While he did have something in mind that he could ask her for, he didn't want to take advantage of their relationship by making it seem like he only contacted her when he needed something.
"Initially, yes. But not right now," he clarified.
Greed's reply came swiftly, her tone light and reassuring. "Hey, I'm just joking around. Yes, we have a romantic relationship, but we're also adults. Plus, I'm a businesswoman. I won't play the role of a needy lover from a Korean drama, saying things like 'You only reach out when you need something!' That's not my style. As long as there's mutual benefit, I'm all in." She concluded her message with a smiling emoji, signifying her ease and understanding in their interaction.
"No, seriously... It's bothering me. Just let me know where I can obtain a fake yet legitimate license and all the necessary documents for my PMC. I need it to have a believable history, even if it involves some shady black ops or fabricated dirty dealings that your defense ministry would turn a blind eye to. It's just about bolstering my PMC's profile prior to today," Daniel responded, a hint of perplexity tingeing his words.
"You know, Koyuki once told me that when someone can guilt-trip you into doing or not doing something, it means you truly care about them and consider them family. Just knowing this is enough for me. Let me handle it, alright?" Greed reassured him, her words carrying a sense of understanding and comfort. With that, she activated her live camera, allowing Daniel to see her face.
Responding to Daniel's live camera, Greed's face appeared on the screen. "I'm relying on you, Vicky. Thank you," he said, a genuine smile gracing his lips.
"By the way, using a PMC as a front to explain the origin of your forces is a smart move. Many mages have their own PMCs as well. It's likely that some of them might have crossed paths with your company and attempted to take over using force if they weren't aware that you're the founder," Greed praised Daniel for the strategic choice of using a PMC to conceal his forces, while also hinting at the potential dangers posed by other mages.
Daniel chuckled and retorted, "So you're saying those greedy bastards actually have a survival instinct?" He held a strong disdain for many mages, considering them heartless and greedy.
"Hey, Danny," Greed's tone shifted slightly to a more admonishing one before she continued, "Most mages may come off as heartless pragmatists, but self-preservation and maximizing their self-interest are ingrained in them. Never underestimate them, no matter how powerful you are. Some of them might surprise you and even outsmart you if given the chance." She offered a word of caution.
Taking her warning to heart, Daniel made a mental note to never underestimate any mage who might become his adversary in the future. He decided that he would go all out against them, leaving no room for them to maneuver, unless he had no choice but to spare them, similar to his encounters with Victor and Lucian. However, he vowed to ensure that they would never possess enough power to easily oppose him.
As their conversation continued, they delved deeper into the specifics of setting up the PMC and the type of reputation Daniel needed to cultivate. Greed was well-prepared in this regard, having dealt with numerous mages who utilized her services to fabricate legitimate cover stories for their enterprises. She even mentioned the presence of a dedicated department handling such matters, indicating that constructing these backstories had become second nature for her.
As his anger spiraled out of control, his mind raced through the failed attempts: backdoor deals, 21:34
whispered threats, leveraging connections—none of it had worked. The realization that his —
In the opulent confines of Benjamin Prescott's lavish residence, the air was thick with tension and rage. The expensive furniture and elegant decor became mere casualties of his seething anger. Papers flew through the air as he flung them aside, and the resounding thud of a vase crashing against the wall echoed his frustration.
His attempts at manipulating the situation had proven futile. Every avenue he explored to counter Daniel's influence had hit a dead end. The power dynamic had shifted, and his control over the situation was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.
As his anger spiraled out of control, his mind raced through the failed attempts: backdoor deals, whispered threats, leveraging connections—none of it had worked. The realization that his company's dominance was being dismantled by someone he saw as an upstart left him incensed.
The situation had only worsened with the government's implementation of Daniel's transparent pricing policy. The public had rallied behind this transparency, calling for the same standards from all power providers. The pressure mounted as his company's unwillingness to comply with such demands became starkly apparent.
The public's outrage turned into a force to be reckoned with, demanding fairness and accountability. They demanded lower electricity prices, using Daniel's model as a benchmark. Prescott found himself cornered by his own past actions as the public held him accountable for years of exploiting their trust and wallets.
Faced with the onslaught of public sentiment and the unyielding reality of Daniel's relentless strategy, Prescott's company had no choice but to begin lowering their prices. The billions he had amassed were now at risk of being wiped away by a single man's cunning and a populace awakened to their own power.
In a dramatic turn of events, the tables had been turned against Prescott and his group. Daniel's intricate plan had not only secured a victory for his company but also forced the industry giant to bend to his will. The once-mighty Prescott was now forced to count his losses, as hundreds of millions of dollars slipped through his grasp.
Amid the lavish backdrop of his opulent residence, a storm of unbridled fury engulfed Benjamin Prescott. His primal roar resounded through the room, carrying the weight of his frustration and anger. With a forceful motion, he hurled a priceless Ming Dynasty vase that had once been a symbol of his affluence and power, watching it shatter into irreplaceable fragments upon impact with the ground.
His face contorted with rage, veins pulsating with the intensity of his emotions. In this moment, he was reduced to a figure consumed by a visceral, uncontrollable fury. The remnants of the vase, now strewn across the floor, mirrored the shattered illusion of his dominion.
"Daaamn brat! Damn brat!" his voice thundered, each word a manifestation of his mounting outrage. The weight of his recent loss hung heavily in the air, magnifying the intensity of his rage. With every shard of porcelain, it was as though he was trying to break free from the confines of his powerlessness.
His outburst painted a picture of a man on the brink, grappling with the realization that his once-mighty empire was slipping through his fingers. The remnants of the vase, a poignant symbol of his shattered authority, lay scattered like the fragments of his own shattered ego.
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