Chapter 646 I can leave, but Chen Feng can't.
"Do you know what kind of temper Chen Feng has? You've never met him in person!"
“If we choose to abandon him this time, he will never return to the exploration team in his life. He didn’t even want to come this time. Do you know how much effort we put into getting him here?”
"At worst, I'll just give him more benefits. I don't believe anyone would turn down money and power!" Liu Jie retorted, his temper flaring.
"Do they need your little bit of money? How much can you give them? They own a gold mine; that's more useful than a printing press."
"As for power, how much power do you think he would even want? And even if you gave him power, he wouldn't take it. Right now, all he wants is to find a mine and bring it home. His wife is waiting for him at home."
"You're so good at talking, why don't you say we can invite Zhang Richeng back later? Anyway, there's nothing that money and power can't solve," Zhang Ce said, somewhat agitated.
After saying this, Liu Jie was speechless for a moment. Wasn't this like stabbing himself in the back? How was he supposed to answer?
"Then what do we do? Are we just going to watch the exploration team fall apart?" Liu Jie asked, taking a deep breath.
"How would I know what to do? I didn't even sleep well last night. Do you know how old I am? I still have to worry about this. It's like a child playing house."
"Zhang Richeng has really gone crazy this time, insisting on going to Kari, damn it!" Zhang Ce lit a cigarette and cursed.
“We must not give up on Zhang Richeng. This is not a solution. If we really can’t persuade him, then let’s give up on Chen Feng. He can’t stay in the team forever.”
“Zhang Richeng can stay in the team for life and contribute to the country; he is the best solution,” Liu Jie said after a long silence.
"Bullshit! Remember this: I will never give up on Chen Feng. I would rather give up on myself than give up on him. It's impossible for me, both emotionally and logically. Forget about it!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ce was furious and spoke decisively.
"So you're going to give up on Zhang Richeng? Don't you know how big a loss that is? You need to think long-term!" Liu Jie was equally furious, slamming his fist on the table and shouting.
"He can lose as much as he wants, it's his own willful decision to leave, what does it have to do with me? Didn't I try to stop him?!"
"I've tried everything, from kind words to harsh ones, do you expect me to kneel down and kowtow to him?"
"What nonsense! Let him leave if he wants, but Chen Feng absolutely cannot leave!" Zhang Ce was already angry, and this made him even angrier.
"Zhang Ce, now is not the time to act impulsively. We are in high positions and cannot afford to be willful in the slightest!" Liu Jie warned sternly.
"Who's really being willful, me or Zhang Richeng?!"
Zhang Ce roared and slammed the cigarette to the ground.
“Zhang Ce, you’re being too impulsive. As the initiator of the special exploration team, I order you to keep Zhang Richeng here, no matter the cost!” Liu Jie issued his ultimatum.
"Screw whoever you want, I'm the leader of the special exploration team now. Nobody's word matters today. I'm keeping Chen Feng here!"
“I’m telling you, I’m perfectly calm right now, extremely calm!” Zhang Ce said without backing down.
"If you keep doing this, I'm going to report this to my superiors. Besides, in terms of rank, I'm a head taller than you, do you understand?!" Liu Jie slammed his hand on the table and stood up, holding the phone angrily.
"I don't understand a damn thing! Whether you're big or small, go ahead and tattle if you like!"
"Unless I leave the exploration team and completely get rid of these things, no one will be allowed to lay a finger on Chen Feng!" Zhang Ce roared.
"You...you, you should think about this carefully yourself. You're completely emotional right now, do you even realize that?!" Liu Jie said angrily, slamming his fist on the table repeatedly.
"Do I not know whether I'm emotional or not? If you hadn't called me, I probably wouldn't have been able to make such a quick decision. Now that you've called me, I'm much more clear-headed."
"If things really come to that point, then only Chen Feng will be left. I'm telling you." Zhang Ce hung up the phone after saying that, and took a deep breath to calm himself down.
Liu Jie, furious at the dial tone, slammed the phone down.
Although he was a little higher in rank than Zhang Ce, at their level, there was basically no such thing as abusing power; it all depended on what department they were in charge of.
He had known Zhang Ce for decades; he couldn't very well go and report Zhang Ce, and then have him removed from office.
Moreover, he had never seen Zhang Ce like this in all these years. It was as if he was bewitched. Even at the cost of losing a third of the exploration team's strength, he was determined to protect a novice like Chen Feng. It was outrageous.
"You should calm down and see if what I said is right or wrong. You're crazy, you don't consider the consequences at all."
Liu Jie couldn't help but curse at the phone that had already been disconnected.
Zhang Ce squatted on the ground and smoked a few more cigarettes before going to find Zhang Richeng, hoping to see if he could persuade him after a night.
After all, it would be a really good thing if both sides could stay; giving up either side would be the most unavoidable choice.
Zhang Ce truly didn't want things to come to that point.
"Richeng, want one?" Zhang Ce found Zhang Richeng and handed him a cigarette.
At this moment, Zhang Richeng sat on a stool, his eyes vacant, clearly preoccupied.
"Thank you, sir." Zhang Richeng looked up at the sound of the voice, took the cigarette, and lit it himself with a lighter.
“Let’s both calm down. I know you’ve been feeling down for the past year or so.”
“I completely understand how you feel, but the country needs you now, you can’t be so willful.”
"Chen Feng won't be staying here for more than a few days; he still needs to go home."
“Once he’s gone, you can do whatever you want. I’ll approve all the funding. What do you think?” Zhang Ce took a puff of his cigarette and looked at Zhang Richeng.
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I've been feeling a bit lost lately and would like to get away for a while."
“I’m relieved to have Chen Feng with the exploration team now. Let me go.” Zhang Richeng forced a smile and exhaled a puff of smoke as he spoke.
"Why do you, a top student, have to pick a fight with a thug? Chen Feng is just a self-taught amateur, he's nothing special. Can't we just put up with him for a few more days?"
“Once we find a few more mines, I’ll kick him out even if he doesn’t want to. Do you think that’s okay? You’re the expert, why don’t you understand? The country has always had high hopes for you.”
“I received a call from above this morning to express how much they value you and told me that I absolutely cannot let you leave.”
"That's exactly what I meant. We can't let you go, no matter who else is allowed to. You are the top force in the country's geological exploration. What is Chen Feng compared to you? Now you understand how much the higher-ups value you?"
Zhang Ce looked at Zhang Richeng and grinned.
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