Mystery: A Spark

"Since the Industrial Revolution initiated by Emperor Russell, our productivity has been continuously improving, and all kinds of factories have sprung up everywhere, with factory owners accumulating enormous wealth through them."

“However, the people’s living standards have not improved much, and they have not benefited from the progress of the times at all. I think this phenomenon is wrong,” Audrey said with a very serious expression.

Of course, Audrey didn't read those books for nothing; in the process, she naturally had all sorts of thoughts.

Many of the viewpoints in the book broadened her horizons, allowing her to step outside her own perspective and look at issues from a higher level.

After hearing Audrey's words, Arthur nodded and said:

"That's right, which is why I had the idea of ​​establishing the Umbrella Corporation, because I think that today's factory owners and capitalists have gone down the wrong path."

"I believe that the greater a person's ability, the greater the responsibility he should bear. In today's world, 20% of the population controls 80% of the world's wealth, and this wealth is not being used in the right way."

“Those people are just blindly pursuing gold pounds, using all sorts of methods, even wantonly exploiting others, which is very bad.”

Arthur tapped the table with his index finger, stared at Audrey, and said in a more serious tone:

"Therefore, the Umbrella Corporation should become a benchmark and set a rule in the capital world, and I have enough confidence in you, Miss Audrey."

"When you develop it into a behemoth spanning multiple countries, you will be able to easily allocate massive amounts of resources."

"At that time, war and peace between nations will be decided by your word, and the kingdom's policies will change because of your will. You only need to open your mouth, and countless people will follow in your footsteps."

"At that time, Miss Audrey, your ideal will naturally be realized, and you will also have a new title."

"People's Entrepreneurs".

Audrey and Arthur locked eyes, and she slowly said:

"Yes, it is an incredibly bright future. If this Umbrella Corporation can really do everything you said, Mr. Heller, then it wouldn't hurt for me to join it."

"But I have another question."

Arthur leaned back slightly and asked with a smile:

"what is the problem?"

"The question is, Mr. Heller, where will you be then?" Audrey asked Arthur with a smile.

"It's a great idea, Mr. Heller, without a doubt, yet you haven't mentioned where you stand in this idea."

"But it is obvious that if this idea can really be realized, then Mr. Heller's support will be indispensable."

"So I wanted to ask..."

Audrey leaned forward slightly and looked at Arthur earnestly, saying:

"What if we disagree on our opinions and goals at that point?"

“At that time, we should seek common ground while reserving differences, Miss Audrey,” Arthur said gently. “No two leaves in the world are exactly alike, and naturally, people’s thoughts and ideas are not exactly the same either.”

"And when disagreements arise between us, I believe we can resolve them in a proper way. That is what it means to be like-minded, or rather, comrades. Are you satisfied with this answer, Miss Audrey?"

“Comrade…” Audrey murmured the word, her eyes lowered as she fell into thought.

Arthur didn't urge them. He poured himself and Audrey a cup of black tea each, and then slowly sipped it.

At this point, the matter is already more than half successful.

Arthur could clearly sense that Audrey was seriously considering his invitation, even though the young woman was a psychologist skilled at controlling her emotions.

As for why he opened a so-called department store focused on people's livelihood?

That's because no one has stipulated that department stores can only sell general merchandise.

Just like fishery administration vessels aren't only used for fishing.

Department stores refer to a wide variety of goods.

Food and medicine are department stores, as are clothing and furniture.

So, can't energy and weapons be considered general merchandise?

How can we so easily assume that "department store" can only refer to "department stores" in daily life?

Energy and materials are the two driving forces behind technological development.

Since Arthur brought psionic energy into this world, he wouldn't just use it for small-scale activities.

Making a hammer and a pair of gauntlets are just experiments with the nature of psionic energy.

To truly enable psionic energy to function as a new energy source, it is necessary to accumulate sufficient wealth and recruit outstanding talents. Only then will there be enough power to allow Arthur to do what he wants.

Audrey was the first talent he wanted to recruit.

In today's mysterious world, the literacy rate of the people is extremely low, far lower than that of the country with widespread education in his previous life.

In this situation, those who possess economic knowledge are even fewer than the very few.

Of all these people, Audrey was Arthur's best choice.

This is a young girl born into a noble family, yet possessing a strong sense of justice and deep compassion for the people.

In the original story's Battle of Rune-Foss, she uses her extraordinary abilities to guide wealthy people, including her own family, to distribute food for the sake of the starving people.

After the war, she relinquished her former naive self, letting her care for her parents and family in her place, while she embarked alone on the path of healing the wounds of the war-stricken people.

She possessed noble character and unwavering will, along with extensive connections as the daughter of a noble family, and a thorough understanding of economics.

Therefore, no one was more suitable for Arthur to manage the Umbrella Corporation than her.

After a long silence, Audrey raised her head and looked at Arthur solemnly, saying:

“Mr. Heller, I would like to accept your invitation.”

……

"So, Miss Audrey was won over by you just like that?"

At 7 Downsend Street, Arthas, sprawled on the sofa, teased Arthur.

Arthur rolled up his sleeves, pulled a razor from his emblem, and strode toward Arthas.

"I misspoke! Help! Don't shave my fur!" Arthas, seeing the situation was bad, turned and ran.

But the next second, a flame appeared in front of it, and then Arthur's figure emerged from it.

"Hehehe...Arthur..." Arthas, who had been caught by Arthur, looked adorable and acted cute.

"Arthas, do you know a dish called stir-fried dog tongue?" Arthur looked at the grinning puppy in his hand, a kind smile spreading across his face.

"I...I don't know, and I don't want to know." Arthas covered his ears with his two little paws.

"Hmph! Alright, stop being naughty." Arthur patted the puppy on the head and then tossed it onto the sofa.

He sat down on the sofa and picked up some pastries from the coffee table to eat.

“But speaking of which, I thought you were going to wipe out all those capitalists and factory owners in one fell swoop, but I didn’t expect you to start your own company now.” Arthas snuggled into Arthur’s arms and said.

"I never intended to eliminate them all, nor could they be completely eliminated, because their existence is primarily due to the desires within people's hearts."

"As long as people still have desires, even if all these people are killed, they will still keep growing back like leeks in the ground."

“So what I want to do is restrict them, control them, put a dog... leash around their necks, and make their strength work for me,” Arthur said, shaking his head.

"Were you trying to say dog ​​leash just now?" Arthas looked up at Arthur and asked with some suspicion.

“You misheard me,” Arthur said calmly.

He brought the plate of pastries to himself, picked up a small pastry, placed it on the table, and said:

"Therefore, we should first unite the weak."

He then picked up the largest pastry and said:

"Subdue those powerful ones again."

Then, he scooped the remaining pastries out of the plate and said:

"Then those that are neither strong nor weak will be completely under our control."

Arthas tilted his head, looking at the pastries on the table, his mind seemingly wandering. Suddenly, he lunged forward and inhaled all the pastries in one swift motion.

It let out a burp and said lazily:

"Who cares about the strong or the weak, just eat them all, shall we?"

"You little rascal, you're so stubborn!" Arthur flicked Arthas's ear and chuckled as he scolded him.

……

"Klein, are you leaving?"

Melissa said with deep reluctance on her face.

"Well, I have to go." Klein looked at his brother and sister and nodded with difficulty.

During this period, he felt as if he had returned to his time in Tingen.

With family by his side, no longer facing everything alone, Klein truly cherished this kind of life.

But he also knew in his heart that what he carried on his shoulders did not allow him to stop.

That gray mist, which was very likely related to the true god, was a ticking time bomb for Klein.

It could explode at any moment, destroying everything he has now.

Because Klein is not strong enough yet, his possession of the gray mist is like a child running down the street with a gold nugget.

Furthermore, this street is located in a very chaotic area, a place completely devoid of law and order.

Klein, however, did not want to lose everything he had.

Therefore, he cannot stop moving forward.

He must strive to acquire enough power to protect himself before the gray mist on his body is discovered by others, especially by the sequences of the Gui San family.

He must at least be an angel; otherwise, he wouldn't even have the right to bargain with anyone.

"Believe in the power of the gods, but do not believe in their mercy."

According to Arthur, this is a proverb that circulated during the Quaternary period.

Klein thought it made a lot of sense, and he felt that the statement would be perfectly applicable even to those beings in Sequence One.

“Benson, Melissa, don’t worry. Once I’m settled, I’ll find a way to contract a messenger, and then we can still contact each other by letter,” Klein said, forcing a smile.

“Okay, it’s settled then.” Melissa nodded seriously.