Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 118 Special Forces Team (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations to continue reading)
“This is Comrade Zhao Gang,” Wang Jianjun introduced, pointing to a man who was about thirty years old and had a particularly calm expression, standing at the front of the line. “He was the former platoon leader of the reconnaissance company. He has made meritorious contributions and is first-class in both skills and intelligence. He will be in charge of the team and responsible for the overall security work on your side from now on.”

Zhao Gang stepped forward and gave Chen Bingwen a crisp military salute. His voice was loud but not harsh: "Good day, General Chen! Reporting for duty! I am here on orders from my superiors to take charge of the follow-up security work. Please give your instructions!"

His Mandarin had a slight northern accent, and his gaze was honest and firm.

Although Chen Bingwen was not a soldier, he could still feel the professionalism that was ingrained in the other person.

He extended his hand and shook hands firmly with Zhao Gang: "Platoon Leader Zhao, welcome to you and your brothers! I'll be counting on you from now on!"

"Please rest assured, Mr. Chen! We guarantee to complete the mission!" Zhao Gang's reply was concise and powerful.

Wang Jianjun added from the side, "Xiao Zhao and his soldiers have all just retired this year. They are politically reliable and absolutely trustworthy."

Now that we're here, we're your people. Use us as you see fit.

He raised his hand and patted Zhao Gang's sturdy shoulder forcefully, saying with undisguised admiration and regret:

"To be honest, Mr. Chen, soldiers like Xiao Zhao are the backbone of the army, trained with great effort. They are all promising talents who can stand on their own. How could we bear to let them go?"

As he spoke, Wang Jianjun sighed slightly: "But the camp remains, but the soldiers come and go. They have their battles to fight, and we have our journey."

"It's better to have them in the hands of a capable and promising boss like you, so they can continue to shine and contribute, than to let them go back to their hometowns and be forgotten."

His gaze swept over the eight resolute faces again, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He said this not only to Chen Bingwen, but also to Zhao Gang and the others.

Chen Bingwen was an extremely shrewd man, and he immediately sensed the heavy entrustment and reluctance in Wang Jianjun's words and expression.

He suppressed his smile, looked at Wang Jianjun, and said solemnly:
"Mr. Wang, please rest assured!"

Platoon Leader Zhao and all my brothers are outstanding talents nurtured by the nation, true gems! It is an honor and destiny for me, Chen Bingwen, and Chen Ji, to be here with us!
I can assure you that the salary and benefits of Platoon Leader Zhao and his brothers are absolutely on par with the top bodyguard standards in Hong Kong, and will only be higher, never lower!

We provide top-quality employee apartments for accommodation. If family members wish to come to Hong Kong, the company will assist with resettlement and school enrollment for their children!

"I will never let your talents and futures go to waste!"

As long as I, Chen Bingwen, have a bite to eat, I will never let my brothers go hungry!

As long as there's an opportunity for Chen's Kitchen to develop, there will definitely be a new stage for my brothers to make their mark!

His words were forceful and sincere, which not only made Wang Jianjun and Li Guowei nod slightly with satisfaction on their faces, but also brought a noticeable warmth to the eyes of Zhao Gang and the others.

If it weren't for making a living, who would leave their hometown, parents, wife, and children?

On this journey south, who wouldn't feel a little apprehensive deep down?
Leaving behind the familiar military camp and comrades, taking off the uniform he cherished as his life, he came to the dazzling and legendary Hong Kong Island to become a "bodyguard" for a young boss he had never met.

What will the future hold?
How should we take care of my parents, wife, and children at home?
These questions weighed on everyone's heart like stones.

Chen Bingwen's words made them feel respected and recognized, as well as given a solemn guarantee for their future lives.

That was exactly the attitude Wang Jianjun wanted. He laughed and patted Chen Bingwen on the shoulder forcefully: "Good! Boss Chen, with your words, I'm completely relieved!"

"I've handed the man over to you; my mission is complete!"

Chen Bingwen smiled and turned to Zhao Gang: "Platoon Leader Zhao, from now on we're family. I won't say much more, just watch our actions."

You and your brothers should settle in first and get familiar with the surroundings.

We'll discuss the specific work arrangements and requirements in more detail later.

"Yes, General Manager Chen!" Zhao Gang saluted again, his tone now carrying a sense of belonging that he hadn't shown before.

Kwun Tong, Wai Yip Building.

Chen Bingwen's pen stroked across the last line of numbers on the report, and he gently closed the folder.

"Jinba" instant powder, produced for the mainland, is flowing from the production line of Fuyuan Factory at a steady rate of 150,000 bags per day.

This order from China Resources for two million bags of military supplies established a direct connection between Chenji and the mainland.

The arrival of Zhao Gang and the other eight people was the most direct and concrete manifestation of this relationship.

These eight people are currently waiting in the conference room next door.

Chen Bingwen did not go over immediately.

He needs to sort out his thoughts on his own first.

The security team is different from any other employee in the company.

They are the shield, the spear, the last line of defense, and must be absolutely reliable.

Trust cannot be based solely on a recommendation from Wang Jianjun.

It must be based on mutual understanding.

He needed to know what kind of people were standing behind him.

A moment later, he pushed open the conference room door.

Eight pairs of eyes instantly focused on him, filled with a unique sense of vigilance.

Upon recognizing Chen Bingwen, all eight men stood up simultaneously.

"Mr. Chen!"

"Please sit down." Chen Bingwen nodded, pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for them to sit as well.

The eight people sat down in unison, their backs still straight.

"Relax, this isn't a drill." Chen Bingwen tried to ease the tension. "We'll be spending more time together in the future, and I'd like to get to know everyone."

"Zhao Gang, you start. Introduce yourself: what you did in the army, what you're good at, and what your family situation is like."

"I called you here for no other reason than that."

From now on, I'll be entrusting my safety and some important company matters to you all. Before that, I'd like to hear your opinions.

He looked at Zhao Gang, who was sitting at the head of the table: "Platoon Leader Zhao, Mr. Wang has given a brief introduction. Now tell me why you are willing to come here with me?"

Zhao Gang stood ramrod straight and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to General Manager Chen."

Military service has a time limit; everyone must eventually return to society.

We trust the recommendation from our superiors.

Before coming here, I learned about you and Chen Ji. You started from scratch and are doing a real business. Your products can help many people.

Here, we can continue to use our strengths to protect valuable people and things, and we feel that it's meaningful.

The answers were standard, but the sincerity in his eyes was undeniable.

Chen Bingwen nodded and looked at the next person, "What exactly did you do in the army before? What were you best at?"

"Report, my name is Li Wei, 25 years old, a reconnaissance soldier. I am skilled in hand-to-hand combat, tracking and counter-tracking, and battlefield intelligence gathering."

The second man answered crisply and decisively.

"Report, Wang Gang, 22 years old, artilleryman. Proficient in long-range observation, terrain analysis, and encrypted radio communications."

"Report, Liu Ermeng, 18 years old, soldier in motor transport. Skilled in vehicle driving, vehicle maintenance and emergency troubleshooting."

"Report, Zhou Yongqiang, 19 years old, medic. Skilled in battlefield first aid, trauma treatment, and routine medical support, and has some knowledge of basic toxicology."

"Report, Sun Honglei, 22 years old, guard duty. Specializes in close protection and risk assessment."

……

The eight people were introduced one by one, covering various fields such as command, reconnaissance, communications, driving, medical care, and security, resembling a streamlined special operations support team.

Chen Bingwen was secretly shocked; Wang Jianjun's "gift" was indeed very generous.

This is not just eight bodyguards, but also a small security consultant and emergency response team.

Why would a small energy drink manufacturer like myself receive such a generous "gift"?
Although Chen Bingwen muttered to himself inwardly, he did not show it on his face at all.

After a moment of silence, he said, "You are all elites in the military. To be honest, it's a bit of a waste of your talents to have you here to provide security for me."

Zhao Gang immediately replied, "Mr. Chen, even after leaving the military, we still need to work and live. Coming here is actually a new beginning for us."

Chen Bingwen looked at him and knew that this was not just a polite remark.

He nodded: "Okay, then I won't mince words."

My rules are simple: First, absolute loyalty. I don't want any of my information to leak out through improper channels.
Second, act in accordance with the law. This is Hong Kong Island, not a battlefield. All actions must be within the legal framework.

Third, your future work will not only be about security, but also about preventing commercial espionage, technology theft, malicious sabotage, and even some underhanded tricks that skirt the edge of the law.

Are you mentally prepared?

"Don't worry, General Manager Chen," Zhao Gang replied on behalf of everyone. "Protecting the target and completing the mission is our duty, no matter where the battlefield is or who the enemy is.

"Okay." Chen Bingwen stood up. "Zhao Gang will be in charge of overall coordination and will report directly to me. The office will be here for now, but a separate security center and training ground will be arranged later. If you have any difficulties at home, just contact me."

I have only one requirement: professionalism and loyalty.

"Yes!" The eight men stood up again.

After arranging the security team, Chen Bingwen returned to his office.

Isabella and Zhou Zhiyuan were already waiting; the table was covered with market research reports and blind test data tables from North America and Japan.

"Mr. Chen." Zhou Zhiyuan adjusted his glasses and handed over several core data sheets. "The results of the first round of blind tests in North America and Japan are in, and the differences are quite obvious."

Chen Bingwen took the document and quickly glanced at it.

Data from the North American market is polarized.

Those who liked it gave extremely high marks to the "Pulse" for its refreshing coolness and complex fruit flavor.

The samples that were disliked mainly focused on "strange sweetness", "overly stimulating mint flavor" and "indescribable astringent aftertaste".

Data from the Japanese market presents a different picture.

Extreme comments were few, but the overall score hovered around the median, which was quite polite.

Most of the comments were neutral terms like "not bad" or "quite unique".

Negative reviews focused on vague feelings such as "the sweetness is not pure enough", "the fruit flavor is not natural enough", and "it seems to be missing something".

It's fair to say that, based on the results of blind tests in Japan, it would be extremely difficult to develop a targeted formula for the Japanese version of "Pulse".

"Isabella, what are your thoughts on these blind test results?" Chen Bingwen asked the perfumer, Isabella.

Isabella pointed to the blind test data and said, "I recommend reducing the menthol intensity by about 15% for the North American version and changing the core sweetener from high-fructose corn syrup to high-fructose corn syrup to make its sweetness more direct and Americanized."

At the same time, a very small amount of vanilla extract is added to make the overall flavor more rounded.

“The Japanese market is the opposite,” Isabella continued. “Japanese consumers’ palates have been educated to be extremely sensitive and discerning by a highly developed market for sugar-free tea and light beverages.”

Our flavor matrix might not have appealed to them. They needed clearer, more natural flavor profiles.

She flipped to the Japanese data page: "I suggest enhancing the fruit flavor in the Japanese version."

Reduce the proportion of compound flavorings and increase the content of real fruit juice concentrate, even if it increases costs.

The sweetness can be slightly increased, but a purer sucrose flavor should be used to reduce the aftertaste caused by sugar substitutes.

(End of this chapter)