Su Zhan coldly stared at the restrained Manager Liu: "If aberrations truly treat their employees as well as you claim, then why did Du Shanhe abandon you, the financial director, and flee alone?"
Now's the time to say a few words for Commander Qin.
Lin Yu had been watching this side all along and quickly rushed over upon hearing this, his young face flushed red:
"You're nothing but a complete discarded pawn! Someone abandoned by your master, how dare you question us humans here?"
"Hahaha... what a sharp-tongued brat!"
Manager Liu's bloodshot eyes fixed fiercely on Lin Yu and Su Zhan: "If it weren't for these two SSS-grade adults present..."
He bared his blood-stained lips, revealing ghastly white teeth: "Just based on you two wet-behind-the-ears kids, how dare you stand before me and act recklessly?"
"Homeless dog!"
Lin Yu retorted without backing down: "A prisoner dares to bark madly here?"
The madness in Manager Liu's eyes intensified: "I voluntarily stayed behind to cover the retreat, buying time for my kind every minute..."
His smile grew increasingly twisted: "Right now, my kind have already relocated to safety, hahahaha..."
Qin Bai suddenly increased the pressure in his hand, pushing the Heart-Interrogation Needle another half-inch deeper: "Had enough to say?"
Manager Liu's face contorted in pain, but he suddenly turned and shouted to the company employees:
"Do you know? Director Du's assets will soon be completely confiscated! The company will quickly be auctioned off by the authorities!
Will new owners give you the same treatment you have now?
Director Du's salaries, year-end bonuses, overtime pay, medical insurance... hehehe... will all become things of the past!"
Su Zhan frowned and looked at Wang Mingyuan, his eyes filled with question.
Why not stop him from continuing?
Wang Mingyuan slightly shook his head, his gaze turning toward Qin Bai.
But Qin Bai not only didn't stop him, instead listening with keen interest.
The restlessness among the crowd grew stronger.
Before long.
Several middle-aged employees timidly stepped forward.
"Um... sir."
A balding middle-aged man rubbed his hands together, voice trembling: "Director Du, Director Du was usually very kind, last year when my wife was hospitalized, he specially approved an interest-free loan."
"Yes, yes!"
A female accountant gathered courage to add: "My child's education - Director Du gave employee children scholarships every year."
Her voice grew softer as she spoke: "Such a boss, even if... is that thing... should still be considered good, right?"
"Sir, please see clearly!"
An elderly employee with graying hair shouted loudly: "I've worked at this company for twenty years, Director Du never delayed wages for a single day, last year I had a work injury, not only were medical fees fully covered, but he also gave nutrition allowances..."
Tears streamed down his aged face: "Such a good boss, I beg you to show mercy!"
"I, I know I shouldn't say this."
A middle-aged female supervisor with glasses spoke timidly: "But Director Du really, really showed more humanity than many bosses, at the very least, he never laid off employees just for being older."
...
Su Zhan slightly frowned.
He truly hadn't expected so many people would risk imprisonment to defend an aberration.
It seemed this job was really that important to them.
Seeing this, Manager Liu grinned triumphantly: "Hear that? This is the monster you speak of!
What we give is far more generous than you human capitalists!"
Qin Bai let out a disdainful laugh, speaking loudly to the still-pleading crowd:
"Your year-end bonuses, medical subsidies, children's education funds - these are nothing but carefully crafted disguises by Du Shanhe.
A philanthropic entrepreneur - who would suspect he's an aberration?"
The air on site seemed to freeze.
Qin Bai continued: "Now, let me tell you this good boss's true identity - one of the first founding members of the Transcendence Society, regional director in charge of all mist incidents in Jiang City and three surrounding cities.
In the past six months, Du Shanhe personally approved 103 mist incidents.
Death toll: 98,734 people, and the number injured is beyond counting."
Qin Bai scanned the ashen-faced employees: "This is the good entrepreneur you're pleading for.
Knowing full well the other party is responsible for nearly a hundred thousand deaths, yet openly sheltering them for personal gain - your actions already constitute the crime of harboring aberrations!"
These words exploded through the crowd like a bomb:
"Sir, have mercy! We truly didn't know any of this!"
"Who knew Director Du...ugh! That aberration would do such things!"
"Sir, my, my daughter is still in the hospital, I can't go to jail!"
...
Qin Bai slowly scanned these employees, pausing a full ten seconds before speaking:
"Considering you were indeed deceived by Du Shanhe's carefully constructed facade, this time, the Aberrant Purge Division can let it slide."
The crowd immediately erupted with sighs of relief.
But the next second, they froze in place from Qin Bai's following words:
"But if I discover anyone still spreading such absurd remarks in private, the assembly lines in prison just happen to need workers."
I hear they provide room and board, with a few hundred yuan monthly labor compensation - then you won't need to worry about finding jobs anymore."
The scene fell silent, even breathing sounds became clearly audible.
Qin Bai turned to the deathly pale Manager Liu: "Now, still insisting you treat humans better than humans do?"
Manager Liu's lips moved, but he finally lowered his head in defeat.
All those carefully prepared arguments proved useless at this moment.
Qin Bai leaned close to Manager Liu's ear, his silver earring brushing against the other's blood-stained cheek: "You claimed to be so loyal and righteous earlier - during interrogation, better not lose that loyalty and righteousness."
With that, he escorted Manager Liu into the vehicle.
Su Zhan silently watched this scene from behind.
There's a saying that puts it well.
A gentleman is judged by his actions, not his intentions.
For these employees, Director Du was indeed a good boss.
But for all humanity, Du Shanhe was a complete and utter murderous madman!
"Big brother, how could those people be like that, actually speaking up for aberrations."
Lin Yu said indignantly.
But Su Zhan didn't answer.
Most employees who came to plead for Du Shanhe were middle-aged.
These people carried families on their shoulders.
And being older, they faced mid-life crises.
For their age group, companies prefer hiring young people.
They can pay less salary yet get more work done.
Compared to youth, these middle-aged people have no advantages.
What should they do?
What can they do?
Su Zhan looked up at the sky, sighing inwardly: I'm an SSS-grade Life Soul Awakener, yet was forcibly required to join Vermilion Bird Academy - back then I had no choice either, how could you possibly have any choice?
No way out, accepting reality - this is the only thing they should do.