Braving the bitter cold, Xiao Gao waited anxiously at the door for over an hour until Xu Neng finally returned.
"Mr. Xu, you should hurry over to Hu Tianhao. He's been waiting for you for a long time."
Did you say what I asked?
“I told you you went on a mission this morning and will be back soon.”
"good."
Upon entering Hu Tianhao's meeting room, Xu Neng immediately sensed a very oppressive atmosphere.
Since the assassination attempt, Hu Tianhao has become suspicious of everything and has stopped pretending in many situations.
For example, at this moment, when he saw Xu Neng return, his eyes were full of suspicion...
"I wonder what business the leader has with me?"
Xu Neng had long anticipated facing interrogation, and since concealing his identity would only be detrimental to him, he simply asked questions frankly.
"It's nothing too important. Little Liu will be executed tonight, which happens to coincide with the sacrificial ceremony. As for the punishment, I wonder if Commander Xu has any suggestions?"
"I haven't been a member for long, so please let the leader decide."
Xu Neng didn't care how Xiao Liu died; he only cared that Xiao Liu would shut up forever.
His reply, in Hu Tianhao's opinion, indirectly confirmed that he had no personal grudge against Xiao Liu, thus alleviating much of Hu Tianhao's suspicions.
Now Hu Tianhao was more curious about what Xu Neng had secretly done outside, so he asked:
"Commander Xu, I heard you went out early this morning?"
"Hmm, go investigate something."
"Investigate what?"
“Last time I found a burning smoke in the suburbs, I was worried, so I went to check it out.”
Hearing this, Hu Tianhao became interested and asked:
"What were you found?"
"There's a steel mill there, heated by burning coal. There seem to be quite a few people inside, divided into two groups, each operating independently."
Xu Neng glanced at Hu Tianhao; the news indeed excited him.
Since the Battle of Yujing City, the entire city has been almost completely looted by the "Frost Society." He couldn't refuse such a mysterious place.
Which two groups of people?
"One group consisted of steelworkers and their families, while the other group consisted of employees from the state-owned livestock farm next door."
Hu Tianhao's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected to miss such a great place, and he couldn't help but wonder:
"How come we never discovered this treasure trove before?"
“I went to investigate this morning and found that they were in a mountain valley. The snow covered them and they were very well hidden. In addition, they were located in a remote area. If it weren’t for the smoke, they would have been almost impossible to find.”
Although Hu Tianhao was pleased, he was still quite displeased that Xu Neng had acted without reporting to him, so he asked directly:
Why did you go there before dawn?
Fortunately, Xu Neng had already prepared an excuse on the way, which he could use to deal with Hu Tianhao's questioning:
“We have already conducted two rounds of searches in the suburbs, and this area has never been explored before, which means they have strict defenses. The early morning is when the defenses are weak, so choosing this time is more prudent.”
Hu Tianhao narrowed his eyes. Xu Neng's answer was indeed impeccable, and most of his suspicions had been dispelled. Now, the steel plant had clearly captured all of his attention.
After several battles, the Frost Society has accumulated a considerable amount of resources and "newbies," but the number of workers and low-level apostles has increased even more, as these are people who are just waiting to be fed.
With food supplies running low, there are only two solutions left: increase revenue or cut costs...
The "cost-cutting" plan is already being implemented. Yesterday, Hu Tianhao classified more than 100 "workers" whose physical strength had declined, as well as the "traitors" purged this time, as "vegetable people."
Tonight's sacrificial ceremony is to announce the outcome, and Xiao Liu is about to become the "appetizer".
Fate is always strikingly similar. Hu Tianhao had already planned it all out, and tonight he would subject him to the torture of "branding with hot irons".
This whole operation was designed to intimidate everyone and show them the consequences of defying the leader!
Hu Tianhao was still at a loss when it came to an "open source" solution...
The steel plant that Xu Neng mentioned at this time was a big surprise for Hu Tianhao, as it almost fulfilled all his expectations: supplies, food, and people.
All of this was within Xu Neng's expectations. Now, only a sufficiently large temptation could divert everyone's attention to another direction.
Hu Tianhao was very pleased, and his trust in Xu Neng increased even more.
But then he thought again that apart from Xu Neng, he had no one else to rely on. It wouldn't be long before Xu Neng would build up his own power base.
He doesn't want to see another "Shen Qingshan"!
Therefore, he urgently needs to find one or two more loyal "dogs" to keep Xu Neng in check and balance him, so that he can firmly sit in the position of leader.
Selecting talent is a challenge for Hu Tianhao, as his status makes it difficult for him to access truly talented ordinary apostles.
Based on past experience, the most effective way is to select talent through "real-world" experience, and this mission is an excellent opportunity.
Hu Tianhao suddenly had a bold idea: this time he would lead the team himself, which would not only help him regain his authority but also allow him to personally select talent.
People you choose yourself are more likely to be loyal to you.
With this in mind, Hu Tianhao gave Xu Neng an order to lead a team to investigate the steel plant again, including its terrain, reserves, manpower, and defenses.
Hu Tianhao had it all planned out. This time, Xu Neng wouldn't go alone; he wanted to plant his own people to monitor Xu Neng while also gathering real intelligence...
It was used to prepare for the formal attack.
Xu Neng accepted the mission and returned to his residence with a heavy heart, but he never expected that he would be greeted with a "surprise"!
Standing next to Xiao Gao was an "old acquaintance" that Xu Neng was extremely reluctant to see—Chen Nian.
Xu Neng glanced at him sideways, sat down at his desk, and asked Xiao Gao, "What's going on?"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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