Above Destiny

Chapter 838 Welcome!

Ji Jue didn't know what the future held for Oasis and White Beach.

Because he left the next day.

Yan Fei, who was still thriving there, returned to Tacheng. After inspecting the recent development of the factory area, he leisurely boarded a cargo ship from Xinshi Logistics and set off back to Haizhou.

For this long trip, he unusually did not use the doomsday special train. Instead, he followed the resource transfer route that the entire coastal industry had just completed.

Thanks to the park's comprehensive monitoring and management, apart from some initial errors due to lack of experience and some maladjustment during the adjustment period, no accumulated problems were found.

It's nothing more than coordination and material adjustments between the three factories, sales and priorities, and internal competition between different factories in the regional market...

The upgraded amusement park system quickly added these minor issues to the list, gradually adjusting and updating processes, and customizing rules and processing templates.

Apart from that, there were no other conflicts that required him to resolve or mediate.

As a company in its growth phase, the current internal environment at Coast is not so bad that different departments are hostile to each other.

After all, all KPIs are quantified, the park system records and archives everything, and all work is completed with the high level of involvement and oversight of Lord of the Flies. It can be said that internal management has been on and off the clock.

From the grassroots level to management, everything was basically transparent in Ji Jue's eyes. He could pull up charts at any time and manage things by pressing buttons, just like in a simulation management game.

He didn't even bother with that little bit of work, leaving it all to Lao Gou, Yu Shu, and Minkler to handle.

With the chairman ruling with ease, the coastal industry is thriving, and with the support of the legendary Isis, it is flourishing and has a promising future.

After connecting the crucial piece of the puzzle—the seven cities—in less than half a month, a perfect route, like an artery, has been completed, connecting Haizhou, Qiandao, and Zhongtu, from three points in a straight line.

After the three parties completed their integration, they embarked on further planning.

Xinquan's engineering facilities, industrial backbone, and automobiles; Qicheng's civilian household appliances, shipbuilding and logistics; Zhongtu's drones, military maintenance and processing...

In addition, there are mass-produced sundials and many basic alchemy components launched by Coastal Technology, as well as military equipment produced in the park and raw materials provided by Ocean Abyss.

Ultimately, all of this combined to form an unprecedented abstract entity, a monstrous corporation rising from the wilderness, the Thousand Islands, and Middle-earth!
The small tricycle factory that was once rooted in the wilderness has, in just over a year, captured all the markets within reach through its extreme cost-effectiveness. It has then rapidly consolidated its base, constantly innovating and becoming irreplaceable, and can no longer be ignored or allowed to go unchecked.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that once the coast has completed its internal cycle of self-sufficiency, its vigorous outward expansion is only a matter of time.

However, when observers and competitors from all sides start to analyze the summary reports from their subordinates, they can't help but feel dizzy and sweating.

There's nothing I can do; I've simply never seen such an indescribable, abstract thing before...

—What the hell is this?!

Strictly speaking, the Coastline today doesn't even qualify as a complete enterprise.

Even if you want to sue, there's nothing you can do, because you might not even be able to find out where it belongs!
It has never paid a single penny of tax!
The kind of money that's passed from one hand to the other in Qicheng doesn't count at all; that's just the allowance and pocket money that Mr. Ji gives to the civil servants in Qicheng...

Aside from sharing the same name as the Coastal Industry and being indeed founded by Ji Jue himself, the Coastal Industry, Coastal Technology, Seven Cities Coast, and the Central Plains Coast are not a unified entity in terms of structure, and their internal cultures, languages, positions, and divisions of labor are all different.

Even their management teams are different, and the supporters and investors behind them are not the same group at all!
String it together!

That's just too much!

You don't even know which side it belongs to!

Anyone with experience working in a large corporation should understand the nightmarish level of management difficulty this presents. Yet, the various departments, which should have been in disarray, were brought together in perfect order under Ji Jue's leadership.

Haizhou goes without saying; it has the backing of the Security Bureau, the support of the Tong and Lou families, and the two large central cities of Chaocheng and Yacheng. Based in Xinquan, it has taken root in the entire wilderness, uniting all the garbage collectors and settlements into one.

However, it has never been officially registered with the federal government and has no apparent connection with the federal government.

Thousand Islands. Seven Cities is Ji Jue's own backyard. The Grand Steward, Minkler, has become a stamping machine. It's not that the coastline belongs to Seven Cities, but that Seven Cities belong to Ji!

In Baibang, there was strong support from the military base, maintenance services assigned by the military, endorsement from the Chongguang Church, and the local Huangji as the largest secondhand dealer, with various anti-king warlords secretly making purchases...

Each part seems to have great potential and a promising future, but when these three come together, the chemical reaction they produce and the scale of their influence are no less than any of the large enterprises under Universal Heavy Industries and Imperial Axis, and may even surpass them in terms of influence!

It belongs neither to the Lian nor to the Di, it neither belongs to Tianyuan nor to Huangji.

The internal and external forces and supporters are a complex mix, with numerous conflicts among them. Yet, they have not engaged in any major battles or life-or-death struggles. Instead, they are able to sit at the same table and wait for the banquet to begin, all within Ji Jue's rules.

In just two years, Ji Jue, a college student who was once insignificant, started from a tricycle and pieced together, picked and chose, and patched up things from the garbage heap that everyone looked down on, and finally created an unprecedented epic Frankenstein's monster.

Immediately afterwards, he distinguished himself in the battle of stagnation and decay, was appraised by a master, received honors and titles, and even personally destroyed the artifact of the Holy Fool.

With such ability and skill, such achievements and foundation, how can one not be astonished?

Today, the craftsman named Ji Jue has become an important figure that no force can afford to underestimate or ignore.

...Anyway, that's what it says in the intelligence interview on the Huangji platform!
As the behind-the-scenes creator of the coastal industry, an outstanding figure the association has never seen in forty years, the undisputed chosen one of the embers, and the youngest crowned master of our time, Ji Jue, the most formidable craftsman and contender for the title of Grandmaster of the Association, couldn't help but buy dozens of copies out of his own pocket after reading them. He gave them to his relatives, friends, colleagues and fellow members of the association. This generous act won unanimous praise and enthusiastic response from everyone.

This specifically refers to an average of a dozen or so 60-second voice messages per person.

As Ji Jue scrolled through the messages on his phone, he clicked his tongue in admiration. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and realized that he hadn't told Xianyu about his heroic deeds of outsmarting You Suo, bravely eliminating Bei Gong, and pointing his sword at the old man with a sword!
We just went over it three times yesterday, so we need to reinforce it again today.

Unfortunately, after being phished so many times, Ye Chun is no longer fooled by Ji Jue's external links and pop-ups disguised as news or coupons.

Not only did she stop answering the phone long ago, but she also specifically switched to an old-fashioned phone that couldn't access the internet or view pictures to protect herself. It's clear that there's absolutely no tacit understanding or trust between the senior and junior students!
I kindly shared my happiness, and you won't even let me have a laugh?
Salted fish, they deserve to be killed!

Unfortunately, in the past, Ji Jue could still use his thesis to challenge her, but since winning the honor, Professor Ye has completely given up comparing him to her own salted fish.

Anyway, the mantle has already been passed down, so no matter how it's passed down, the legacy of our ancestors has already been passed on.

So as long as the rice weevils in the house are alive, that's fine; as long as they can breathe, that's enough.

The only thing to be wary of now is preventing these two from getting together when I'm not looking and repeating the old ways, which could cause the amount of waste in my workshop to increase dramatically.

In the short term, Ji Jue really didn't have the courage to show his face in front of his teacher... After all, he had been beaten up too badly in Tian Shu before, and now he was afraid that if Professor Ye saw his face, he would lose his temper and want to teach him a few more lessons.

I'll quietly check things out with Xianyu another day!
"Have we arrived yet?"

After several days of research in the workshop, Ji Jue heard a voice reminding him.

Beyond the cargo ship, the outline of land was faintly emerging at the edge of the sea. Haizhou was already within reach. The closer they got, the clearer the steel-framed houses and temporary buildings on the coastline, the flying dust, and the loud noises from the construction site became.

After the fourth phase of the coastal industrial park expansion project was officially launched, the wharf, which was originally just a small fishing port outside Xinquan, also underwent renovation.

Nowadays, the entire Xinquan area is full of construction sites, not only in the coastal industrial areas, but also in residential areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce.

As the income level of local employees gradually increases, they save some money and find it difficult to get used to living in the tenement buildings along the coast, so they naturally want to improve their living conditions.

Moreover, there are many commercial demands. With increased purchasing power, many businesses that were originally located in the city have opened shops in Xinquan, which has now formed a bustling commercial street.

Unfortunately, although the wilderness was vast, there was very little usable land.

Recently, some people have begun to call for the cleanup and redevelopment of the old city of Jinan.

Ji Jue temporarily shelved similar proposals.

The business has already expanded too much and become too large, but managing such a large area is ultimately not so simple or straightforward.

With too few reliable people and a small enough base, if things get out of control, it could end up like blowing a soap bubble, leaving nothing behind and unable to even maintain the current situation. Worse still, it might be usurped, and all those years of hard work would be for nothing.

There are countless things to do, and they must be done one by one. Some things can only be done slowly.

Amidst a thriving atmosphere, Xinquan has now ushered in a prosperity that no one had ever imagined, and the title of "wilderness hub of Haizhou" has truly come to be lived up to.

Amidst its unbridled growth, a vibrant scene of life has already come into view.

No matter how many reports, photos, and videos you see, it's never as good as going there in person. Even though only half a month had passed since I set off, the scenes on the streets and alleys already felt somewhat unfamiliar.

Including the appearance of the building facade.

"...Holy crap?"

Ji Jue, who was still carrying fried skewers sold by the roadside and slurping his milk tea noisily, had just pushed open the door of Loufeng Workshop when he saw that pale, ghostly face.

He was unshaven, unkempt, and almost emaciated.

I don't know how long it's been since he showered or changed his clothes. The stains on his collar are pitch black. He doesn't look like the young master he used to be. Instead, he looks like a garbage collector from who-knows-where. He's blended into the local style.

He was now slumped in the center of the workshop, in a strange mechanical metal chair, his eyes slanted and empty, drooling, sparks flying from his body, constantly twitching and spasming.

The sounds coming from his mouth were indistinct and unclear, as if he were possessed, overlapping in one place, shrill and piercing.

Even more bizarrely, all around him were semi-transparent phantoms, some human, some beast, some snake, some spider, or some octopus with countless limbs intertwined together.

They come and go silently like ghosts, moving about everywhere, working together as if they were one entity, busy as bees.

Upon noticing the presence of the outsider, they all turned around in unison and stared straight at them...

Such a bizarre sight almost made Ji Jue doubt that he had done something wrong.

I instinctively took a step back and closed the door.

Once again, reopen it.

No, I don't think I came from the deepest place!
As a result, a hint of disdain clearly emerged in the countless gazes cast upon him—Hey, Ji, are you out of your mind?

Right in front of Ji Jue, the busy phantoms put down their work, disintegrated into a strange mist shrouded in rainbow light, quickly gathered, and entered the body on the chair.

Soon, a familiar light shone in his empty eyes once again.

Lou Feng opened his eyes, his limbs twitched, and he raised his hand to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth. Then, he casually pulled a sharp-edged spiritual energy transmission interface from the back of his head.

She finally propped herself up on the chair and looked at him.

Suddenly, he gave a mocking laugh.

"Oh my, isn't this Master Ji, the hottest star in the association, who was featured in the Wilderness Headline interview?"

Lou Feng asked, "Why are you in the mood to stroll around my humble Golden Ribbon workshop today? I thought you had already forgotten the big trouble you caused!"
"What's wrong? What instructions or lectures do you need me to listen to?" The sarcastic remark, as always, was barbed and pointed, causing Ji Jue to narrow his eyes and nod repeatedly. Finally, it suited his taste!
"Hey, Brother Lou, no need to be so polite. Yes, I've missed you very much too!"

It was the familiar "read and reply randomly" message again. Ji Jue grabbed the hand that was pointing at him, shook it vigorously, skillfully pressed him back down, and stuffed the milk tea into his hand.

"Here, try this! I even brought you some milk tea from the city, it's a limited edition, it won't taste good if it melts..."

Lou Feng glanced down at the ridiculous packaging, and even his barely suppressed anger couldn't help but turn into a laugh: "Hey Ji, you'd better think before you lie. Do you really think I don't even know what that knock-off milk tea shop around the corner looks like?!"

"Hey, it's all the same, it's all the same. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?"

Ji Jue waved his hand and strolled around his workshop with his hands behind his back, touching this and that, and sighing, "Besides, as the chairman, I am busy with countless affairs every day. Inspecting the coastal industry, I have worked hard even if I have not made any merits. It's just a trip... I just don't understand. We are all working for our common cause. Why can't you be more understanding?"

"I'll be understanding my ass!"

Lou Feng nearly crushed the milk tea in his hand, his eyes instantly turning red. He just wanted to grab a gun and smash this bastard's head open: "Is this what you call going out? You blew up a latrine and then ran away like a f***ing idiot!"

Do you know how much criticism I took for you after you open-sourced the three-phase code? Do you know how many people you offended after showing off?
Do you know how much trouble those old bastards have caused lately?!

"Hey, it's just a little hardship, don't worry about it. Besides, these are all trials. How can one become a pillar of society without experiencing trials and pressure? You should understand my suffering... cough cough, put down the knife, let's talk slowly. No, no, Lao Lou."

After much persuasion, Ji Jue finally managed to calm Lou Feng down, who was throwing a tantrum and taking the blame, but it left him sweating profusely.

no way.

The main problem is that I was really being unfair.

After showing off their open-source skills in the association, they used the old building as a scapegoat. It's normal for them to have some resentment now. A true man has a broad mind, so why care about mere words? At worst, they can always make things difficult for him later.

"...But, is this some new trick you've come up with recently?"

Ji Jue bent down, examining the incredibly complex alchemical creation beneath him. He squinted, his professional instincts kicking in, and he subconsciously wanted to reach out his little hand...

Then, he felt Lou Feng's cold gaze.

Having no other choice, he took it back.

What's wrong with letting me touch it? It's not like I'll lose a part.

People's prejudices are still too deep!
"It's just something in the experimental stage, it can't be called a result yet, and it can't compare to the great things that Master Ji has done in the association!"

Lou Feng snorted coldly, flicked his finger, and created a series of afterimages in front of Ji Jue before returning to his original work.

"Huh? Interesting—"

Ji Jue pinched his chin, leaned closer to examine it, touched one afterimage, then touched another, and clicked his tongue in amazement: "They are all differentiations of your own spiritual matter... How can you maintain so many at the same time with such precision? Can your thinking and control keep up?"

"I am all myself, so why do I need to think or control?"

His hand was slapped away impatiently by the afterimage beside him. Right in front of him, the differentiated afterimages turned around and told him in unison, "It's just spiritual material derivation and consciousness projection. There's nothing special about it. It just makes the work a little more convenient."

There's more tough stuff to do?!

Ji Jue was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but gasp for breath.

Through the transformation and inheritance of the Lou family and his own exploration, Lou Feng, relying on the structure of the workshop, split his soul into dozens or even hundreds of pieces at the same time to handle different tasks. These pieces cooperated with each other, ultimately achieving the scale and effect he has today...

Judging solely by the results, they are nothing short of astonishing.

It can almost serve as the foundation of the workshop, with its own unique skills passed down through generations, opening up a new path!

However, what is the difference between a split soul, manifesting as different individuals independently, and active split personality?
Even if it could be salvaged, the risk is ridiculously high.

Judging from his practiced manner, he had probably been secretly plotting this for quite some time.

No, bro, you've gone a bit too far with this!
I just accidentally became a master and got a crown by accident. Does that put that much pressure on you?
Ji Jue sighed and shook his head.

For some reason, even though words of comfort and reassurance were already on the tip of his tongue, his eyes couldn't help but light up slightly, an instinctive surprise:
"Wouldn't that mean we can add even more work?"

Suddenly, in the deathly silence, countless afterimages, like vengeful ghosts and demons, slowly turned their heads.

She stared straight at him.

It carried a bone-chilling cold.

"Well, just asking, just asking... um, I'm just curious, look at you, you're in such a hurry."

Ji Jue blinked his innocent big eyes and looked in another direction. "I have to criticize you for this, Lao Lou. How could I do such a heinous thing!"

"...What kind of bastard are you? Do you think I don't know you?"

The countless afterimages completely lost their patience. "Speak up if you have something to say, or shut up if you have something to say! If you have nothing to do, get out of here and don't get in my way."

"Um, well, the project we were talking about before."

Ji Jue gave an awkward smile, leaned closer, and rubbed his hands together: "Judging by the time, it should be about time, right? I just don't know the progress..."

"No, get out!"

Lou Feng, sitting on the chair, raised his hand and pointed to the workshop's door.

Ji Jue hesitated several times, wanting to speak but stopping himself. In the end, he shook his head helplessly and sighed, as if he were lonely and sad. He turned and left, taking a few steps and then looking back.

As I was walking, there was a soft thud.

The two manuscripts in her arms fell to the ground.

"Oops, I was so careless." Ji Jue slapped his forehead, quickly bent down to pick it up, and dusted off imaginary dust. "I almost dropped my analysis and summary of Master Zhou's 'Confluence of All Sources'!"

Lou Feng's expression twitched for a moment, but he didn't say anything.

Ji Jue continued walking forward.

Then, there was another snap.

"Oh dear, look at me."

Ji Jue was in a panic: "How did I forget all those fragmented inheritances and summaries I snatched from the Embers of Decay?"

Lou Feng gritted his teeth, his eyes twitched wildly, and he remained silent.

Ji Jue sighed and continued forward.

Finally, with a snap.

"Huh?" He was shocked and pale: "Who dropped the workshop layout diagram and preliminary deduction of the deteriorated structure on the ground again? Does nobody want them?"
If nobody wants me, then…

click!
Lou Feng finally lost his composure, abruptly rising from his metal chair and angrily rebuking:

"Me, whose surname is Ji—"

"Ok?"

Ji Jue held up the stack of manuscripts in his hand, seemingly puzzled.

"Welcome!"

Lou Feng's anger twisted and convulsed. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced a warm smile onto his face: "Upon closer inspection, isn't this our master craftsman, Master Ji Jue, the representative of the Three Phases lineage?"

No wonder the magpies were chirping this morning! When did you arrive? I didn't notice.

"Oh, just now." Ji Jue waved his hand and sighed forlornly, "I was thinking, I've been here for so long and haven't even had a cup of tea. I'm leaving now, I'd better go home."

"Have!"

Lou Feng forced out a soft voice through gritted teeth: "There's tea, the finest Kunwu Golden Leaf. I got two ounces from my grandfather, specially prepared for you. Please!"

"so good?"

Ji Jue looked around blankly: "But there aren't any seats here."

"Have!"

Lou Feng climbed up from the chair, lowered his head, and earnestly pleaded, "Please sit here, don't be shy with me."

"Huh? Isn't this inappropriate?"

Ji Jue hesitated for a moment.

"That's wonderful, that's excellent, that's exactly how it should be!" Lou Feng insisted, grasping his hand with a 'warm' smile: "There is a proper order of seniority! How could I be worthy to sit before you?"

"That would be so embarrassing!"

Ji Jue plopped down in his chair, crossed his legs, and clicked his tongue in admiration: "I have to criticize you for this, Xiao Lou. We've known each other for so many years, why be so formal?"

Ouch, my leg is a little sore... cough cough, but it's okay, it's better now!

Seeing that Lou Feng was about to explode, Ji Jue finally decided to stop while he was ahead.

He picked up the teacup and gulped it down in one go, without even tasting it, swallowing the tea leaves along with it, and that was it.

"Alright, enough joking around. These were originally brought for you. Here, these, and these, take them."

Ji Jue placed stacks of manuscripts he had prepared on the way into Lou Feng's hands, finally seeing a hint of genuine gratitude on the guy's face.

Then, it stretched out its hand and barked again:

Where is what I asked for?

　First day of the month, please vote with monthly tickets!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)