The Last 299 Days of Humanity

Just as Yu Qing was exhausted from uploading his consciousness, contacting Professor Lu, and planning the ultimate office, feeling that his spirit and his increasingly weak body were about to reach their limits, another heavy blow from the real world followed.

The vast business empire he nominally controlled, Shengtian Company, was facing serious internal problems.

As the legal chairman of Shengtian Company, Yu Qing knew better than anyone that this century-old business giant was the huge economic pillar that had enabled him and Wengshan to operate to this day.

If Shengtian runs into trouble, it means that a crucial element of its stable cash flow, resource channels, and external influence will collapse instantly. At that time, not only will it be unable to protect Wengshan, but it may even be affected in maintaining its own existence.

The root of the problem lies in the vacuum of core management. Ever since the former president, Chang Sheng, a powerful figure who once managed Shengtian with great efficiency, suddenly became indifferent to power and resigned after the death of his daughter, Ya Shi, the seeds of today's predicament have been sown.

Yu Qing himself had neither the time nor the intention to personally handle those tedious business affairs, and he had even less interest in business operations. He also lacked the prestige and iron-fisted ability that Chang Sheng possessed to firmly unite elites and forces from all sides and drive them to fight for a common goal.

Thus, without a strong leader, Shengtian began to experience serious internal chaos. Factions sprang up, each acting independently, and the departmental silos and conflicts of interest that had once been masked by efficient operations began to surface.

Ineffective communication, project delays, and low morale. In fact, two top-tier employees who possessed core technologies, unable to see a future for the company, simply left to start their own businesses.

The external environment is also watching with predatory eyes. In today's world, city-states stand side by side, various forces are intertwined, and the law of the jungle prevails. There are many "vultures" who hope that the ancient tree of Shengtian will soon fall so that they can seize the opportunity to devour its vast legacy.

Many competitors have begun to openly plot how to undermine Shengtian and encroach on the areas where it once held an absolute advantage.

Among them, the old rival "Shengdi Company" made frequent moves, taking advantage of the opportunity to seize a lot of Shengtian's traditional market, and also used this golden opportunity to quietly poach several top talents from Shengtian Research Institute, giving the tottering Shengtian a heavy blow.

Yu Qing had to force himself to temporarily withdraw from the grand narratives concerning the fate of humanity and his own existence in order to confront this imminent crisis.

He clearly recognized that the development history of human society, or any form of group, has always been accompanied by competition and slaughter. It has grown stronger through the baptism of blood and fire, rather than growing naturally in a greenhouse with gentle breezes and sunshine.

If he doesn't handle things carefully now, Shengtian could quickly turn from a giant ship into prey to be devoured by everyone, dragging all his plans into the abyss.

To reverse this decline, the fastest and most effective option seems to be only one: to find Chang Sheng, who once brought glory to Shengtian but is now nowhere to be found, and invite him back to take charge of the overall situation.

However, the search for Chang Sheng did not go smoothly. Chang Sheng seemed to have vanished into thin air, severing all contact with almost everyone he knew from the past.

Yu Qing utilized Donghao's information network and, after several twists and turns, finally located him in a picturesque lakeside town far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The search was quite arduous. The intelligence agents first found an ascetic monk in a remote mountain temple who called himself "Chang Sheng," only to discover that he was just a fanatical fan who had read too many business saga novels and wanted to experience the reclusive life of a tycoon. Next, they targeted a biologist feeding penguins at an Antarctic research station, and almost had to send an icebreaker due to communication difficulties. Finally, an intelligence agent, while scrolling through short videos, stumbled upon a rural lifestyle sharing account with few likes. In the video, a pair of steady hands pruning potted plants wore an extremely understated yet priceless family crest ring on the ring finger, which led them to locate this true "Shangri-La."

At this time, Chang Sheng had shed his former sharpness, dressed in simple clothes, spending his days either fishing or tending to flowers and plants, with an almost Zen-like tranquility on his face, completely different from the iron-fisted chief judge who had made ruthless decisions in the ups and downs of the business world in the past.

Yu Qing personally went to visit him, humbling himself and explaining the pros and cons, earnestly pleading with him to regain control for the sake of the livelihoods of Shengtian's thousands of employees and the survival of this century-old enterprise. But Chang Sheng simply listened quietly, then slowly shook his head.

“Chairman Yu, thank you for your kind words. However, I really don’t want to get involved in those troubles anymore.” His gaze drifted to the shimmering lake, carrying a weary look of someone who had seen through the ways of the world. “All the fighting and arguing ultimately amounts to nothing. I’m fine as I am now.” He even casually handed Yu Qing a freshly picked tomato. “Try it. It’s naturally ripe and healthier than the coffee in the conference room.” Yu Qing looked at the bright red fruit, unsure whether to accept it or not, creating an awkward moment.

This is truly a huge irony. Not long ago, Chang Sheng was always on guard, fearing that Yu Qing, the "parachuted" chairman, would seize his power and diminish his influence in the company.

Now, Yu Qing is begging to have the scepter, a symbol of power and responsibility, put back in his hands, but he is avoiding it like the plague and refuses to accept it.

Yu Qing understood that this was not a genuine lack of desire, but rather the work of inner demons. Perhaps it was the exhaustion and trauma from past business battles, or perhaps it was the excruciating pain of losing his daughter Ya Shi, that led him to choose complete escape, isolating himself in this small paradise.

The situation was urgent, and Chang Sheng could no longer remain in seclusion. Left with no other choice, Yu Qing had to resort to drastic measures. He knew that Chang Sheng's greatest weakness was his good-for-nothing son, Chang Lai, who was his only surviving child.

Chang Lai was a typical playboy, living a life of extravagance under his father's protection, spending his days partying and with women. He was mediocre in ability, all talk and no action. Winning him over wouldn't be difficult. Yu Qing didn't go to the lakeside cottage again, but instead found Chang Lai, surrounded by women, in a high-end entertainment center. Chang Lai was standing on a sofa, using fragrant champagne as a fountain, attempting to recreate a scene from a famous historical painting, shouting, "Art is an explosion!" drawing cheers from his drinking buddies. He didn't beat around the bush, directly throwing out a "suggestion" that left Chang Lai speechless:
"Young Master Chang, it seems your father is determined to retire and enjoy his old age. Shengtian cannot be without a leader. After much consideration, I feel that as the only son of the Chang family, you are the most suitable person to inherit your father's business. I have decided to formally appoint you as the new president of Shengtian Company."

Chang Lai was initially stunned, nearly dropping the champagne bottle to his foot. Then, an unbelievable, ecstatic glow of vanity washed over him. The CEO of Shengtian! That was his father's former position, representing unparalleled power, status, and wealth! He almost wanted to agree immediately. He could even imagine himself sitting in the CEO's office, stylishly drawing the company's new logo with cigar smoke rings.

But Yu Qing's next words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing his impulse and, through any possible eavesdropping devices, clearly reaching the ears of his father, who had been closely monitoring his son's movements:

"However, I must remind you, Young Master Chang. Many people are eyeing this position. The CEO of Shengdi Company, and those powerful veterans within the company, are not benevolent figures. Given your abilities and experience, what will they do once you take the position?"
"Should I obediently follow your orders, or... devour you whole, skin and bones, and then dismantle and eat Shengtian? I'm giving you a friendly reminder: don't end up being the culprit who ruins Shengtian's century-old legacy and brings disgrace upon yourself."

These words, seemingly a reminder, were in fact a blatant threat and prophecy. Even the dim-witted Chang Lai sensed the danger within, his face instantly turning deathly pale. His mind was already conjuring up a mini-drama: he was cornered in an office by a pack of well-dressed "wolves," who slammed thick financial statements at him like bricks, while he could only scream, "My dad is Chang Sheng!" but no one paid him any attention. He could almost see himself sitting in that high and mighty CEO's office, riddled with open and hidden attacks from all sides.

But as the helmsman of such a vast empire as Shengtian, what an honor this was! The arrogant Chang Lai believed he could overcome even the slightest difficulty. He took a deep breath, trying to puff out his chest (though somewhat hunched from excessive drinking and womanizing), attempting to project a "domineering CEO" aura, and thus decisively agreed to Yu Qing's proposal. "Chairman Yu... Chairman Yu! Thank you for your high regard! I think... I think I can do it! This is just managing people, it's similar to managing my brothers!" He pointed to the group of laughing cronies around him.

Yu Qing smiled slyly, "Alright! But I still want you to think it over carefully for a week before making a decision. It would be best... I suggest you go and learn from your father, ask him how to be a good CEO, what do you think?"

Chang Lai said, "It's good, but he's... so long-winded. He'll definitely be telling his old business war stories again, like the 'Cassette Tape Street Blockade Battle' and the 'Host Price Blitz,' I'm sick of hearing them. But... for Shengtian's future, I'll go!" He put on a show of enduring humiliation.

The man Chang Sheng had sent to follow his son immediately reported everything that had happened, including Chang Lai's boastful words and complaints about the "old stories," to Chang Sheng, who was far away by the lake. Upon hearing this, Chang Sheng was filled with shock and rage. He instantly saw through Yu Qing's insidious scheme—it was an open conspiracy! Yu Qing was risking the entire Shengtian Group to force him to come out of seclusion.

If he doesn't agree, Yu Qing might actually promote that fool Chang Lai to the position of president, which would be tantamount to throwing a fat sheep into a pack of wolves. The inevitable result would be Chang Lai being easily slaughtered by various forces, and Shengtian would be completely finished. Yu Qing is adopting a "suicide pact" stance!

Chang Sheng clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms. He had unconsciously snapped a vital branch from the meticulously pruned Podocarpus macrophyllus in front of him. The death of his daughter, Ya Shi, was a permanent pain in his heart. Now, he only had this good-for-nothing son left. Was he really going to stand by and watch him be "praised to death" by Yu Qing, ending up in a miserable state?

After a long silence, as if all his strength had been exhausted, Chang Sheng finally decided to send several humanoid envoys to contact Yu Qing. His voice message carried a hint of weariness and an undisguised anger:
"Yu Qing...you win. I'll take the CEO position. But you have to promise to stay away from my son and don't try anything with him again!"

Yu Qing listened to the voice message from Chang Sheng and breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his expression remained grave. He knew that this was only a temporary relief from the crisis, and Chang Sheng might never regain his former enthusiasm for work. His appearance, it turned out, was a turning point in Shengtian Company's decline.

What he felt particularly ashamed of was that from the very beginning, he had never treated Shengtian Company as a business, but rather had always been thinking about how to continuously leech off it. Was it worth it for the old man to stubbornly insist on handing the company over to his descendants, even threatening to destroy the earth?

As night deepened, Yu Qing stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, lost in thought. Chang Sheng's weary and angry voice pierced his heart like a thorn, a wound that had been almost entirely consumed by his grand ambitions.

For the first time, he realized with such clarity that Shengtian, the business empire he regarded as an ATM and a tool, was itself a complex living entity composed of the livelihoods, dreams, and legacy of countless people.

“If you keep taking, there will eventually be an end to it,” Yu Qing muttered to himself. He recalled how he took Shengtian’s resources for granted, as if it were an inexhaustible gold mine.

However, Chang Sheng's resistance, Chang Lai's absurdity, and the decline revealed within the company all sharply reminded him that this "gold mine" would also dry up, and the flesh and blood that sustain it would also become tired and rebel.

An unprecedented sense of responsibility quietly grew within me. This was not out of a promise to the old man, but stemmed from a more fundamental understanding: destruction and plunder are easy, but true strength lies in creation and maintenance.

A vague idea began to take shape. He couldn't just take advantage of Shengtian; he had to give back to it, make it stronger than ever before, and even make it part of his future blueprint, not just a stepping stone.

After he becomes a parallel human, can the cutting-edge technologies of Tianqing City that are too advanced and cannot be fully disclosed for the time being be selectively and in stages "downgraded" and applied to Shengtian's product line, so as to at least make it invincible on Earth?

Carbon-based life forms are far behind their parallel humans, yet their rivalry is far more intense. This may be related to the fact that carbon-based life forms have less space and time to survive, and the resources they can utilize are far less abundant than those of their parallel humans. (End of Chapter)