Special Commissioner Team left not even two hours ago, when a series of notifications popped up on Zhou Yi's tablet.
First was Chuneng City.
The local authorities announced the cessation of purchases of Light Soot Sand from Wasteland Developnt Company and formally prohibited the sale of technology and goods to the latter, with express cooperation also indefinitely halted.
Following that was Coral Port.
Program Departnt's Jin Yi sent a voice ssage saying: "I'm very sorry, Mr. Zhou, Wasteland Developnt Company has been placed on the sanctions list. According to the latest Protocol 412.39 and related regulations, we regret to inform you that Coral Port's cooperation with Wasteland Developnt Company must now be indefinitely suspended."
"Due to the higher priority of a superior protocol coming into effect, resulting in force majeure. Agreents concerning products like Jade Soup, Fla Cup and other related collaborations are henceforth nullified, and the manufacturing, production, and sale of related goods are terminated until further notice. Only if subsequent agreents are lifted or your company is removed from the list can the prior electronic agreents be reactivated."
"During this period, Coral Port will prohibit the sale of technology and goods to your company, with express cooperation ceased effective imdiately."
"For the sa reasons, Wasteland Developnt Company's credit rating has been downgraded to C ."
The third notification ca from Mass Production City, essentially echoing the stance of Coral Port.
Not long after.
Notification arrived from Holy Mountain as well.
"In accordance with the latest Protocol 412.39 and relevant regulations... concerning the developnt and patent agreents for Wise Mushroom, we will have to temporarily discontinue until your company is removed from the sanctions list."
"Maria Hospital has been removed from Holy Mountain's designated dical institutions list."
"Wasteland Developnt Company's chanical City account has been frozen."
Although Zhou Yi had anticipated this, the successive announcents of suspensions and sanctions still weighed heavily on him.
Many chanical Cities seem neutral, but they actually have their own positions and the power to turn the wheels of the Wasteland World.
Heavenly Kingdom symbolizes military hegemony, whereas the chanical society controls technological hegemony.
Both are shadowed by the influence of Heavenly People.
Unlike the first few chanical Cities, Recursive City chose to deliver the notice in person.
Approximately 13 hours later, Program Departnt's go-kart Sigma sped to the outskirts of Jade City for a visit.
"Mr. Zhou, we regret to inform you…"
It was the sa official rhetoric of sanctions.
Sigma added, "Although the general agreent prohibits cooperation between chanical Cities and your company, there remains a core agent you could consider trading with."
"They are called 'Spring and Autumn Consortium', mainly composed of a rchant group of humans and Bone n. They procure items past warranty or defects from various chanical Cities, including chanical-Electrical Light Imprints."
"So of these Light Imprints are part-defective or damaged due to prolonged storage, but can still be utilized after minor repairs, their precision and effectiveness still far outmatch those of the Craftsn Light Seal. The major flaw is that the quality guarantee and after-sales service are not provided by chanical Cities, but by the Spring and Autumn Consortium."
Zhou Yi imdiately caught on: "You've invested in the Spring and Autumn Consortium?"
"Yes, Mr. Zhou."
Sigma was rather blunt: "Recursive City holds 41% shares in the Spring and Autumn Consortium. However, it is not a subordinate organization of Recursive City and does not violate relevant regulations; they can engage in various collaborative efforts with your company."
"Rest assured, Spring and Autumn Consortium is an entirely trustworthy group, and they typically only cooperate with organizations that have very high credit ratings."
Zhou Yi got the hint.
Recursive City's shareholding was intricately calculated, clearly to avoid risks.
The fact that Spring and Autumn Consortium could secure flawed goods and warranty-lapsed Light Imprints from chanical Cities suggested backing from Recursive City itself—a smaller erging city founded on services, daring to take actions and adapt to changes more than bigger cities.
Essentially, the consortium was almost an extension of Recursive City.
Through this form of controlled joint investnt, they could circumvent surveillance and restrictions from the chanical society.
Indeed, it was a clever move.
Zhou Yi earnestly said: "The support of Recursive City for the company, I will bear it in mind."
Sigma emitted a synthetic laugh: "If you don't mind, Spring and Autumn Consortium can set up a dedicated presence at your company for direct liaison."
Zhou Yi nodded in agreent.
During a period of sanction and blockade, having an extra option ant another opportunity.
Sigma continued: "Although Recursive City is a small city, and our influence is limited, we will go to great lengths for partners we recognize."
"In our city's Program Departnt's assessnt, the sanctions against your company are irrational, and we are very optimistic about your company's future. However, the general agreent is a higher rule; we cannot bypass it, nor do we have the right to veto."
"This visit was to convey these ssages to you. Now I will take my leave."
"Safe travels."
Zhou Yi watched the go-kart head into the Dead Sea.
In the multitude of chanical Cities, only Recursive City was bucking the pressure, looking for ways to maintain the relationship and show good intentions, and even put out a discreet auxiliary branch.
Coral Port, Chuneng City, and other mid-to-large chanical Cities weren't short of partners, so they hardly cared.
Zhou Yi told Red Kestrel: "Gather the heads of departnts for a eting."
…
Half an hour later.
In room 3101 of Jade City, the company's core staff sat with solemn expressions.
"The current situation is as follows."
Zhou Yi, sitting on the couch, spoke calmly: "To put it simply, the company has now lost the support of chanical Cities, aning all previous collaborations have been suspended, and moving forward, we won't be able to carry out any transactions in technology and services."
"From now on, we have to rely on ourselves."
"So what I need to know right now is the actual difficulties you all are facing, and then I will think of ways to solve them."
Zheng Tao was the first to speak.
"In terms of agriculture, the disconnection from chanical Cities doesn't have a significant impact, as the crops we cultivate are common varieties. We are already self-sufficient in producing and breeding seeds, and we have natural fertilizers made from manure. If we need farm equipnt and seeds, we can also purchase them from Human Cities or Guangna City."
"The Agricultural Machinery Brothers and Yanmar should be unaffected; they really like the company environnt. It's the new recruits from the Leiwo Team, the three mbers—I'm not sure if they might waver and consider leaving due to the external sanctions."
Zhou Yi said, "Talk to them later. If they have no issues, that'd be best. If they really don't want to stay, just give them so severance pay and process their resignation."
"Yes."
Next was Yuan Tong.
With a pained expression, he said, "Chairman, the large amounts of Light Soot Sand produced by our dam are now cut off from Chuneng City's purchases; we must find another buyer."
"Our Light Soot Sand itself is not of poor quality, but considering the company is on the sanctions list, many cities will likely take advantage of this to pressure us on the price; our losses could be substantial."
Zhou Yi pondered for a mont: "The dam's operations will continue as usual; I'll find a new partner."
"Yes, Chairman."
Qian Su was nearly crying: "Chairman, this is a destructive-level blow for us."
"The largest custor of our express center is the four chanical Cities. Now that the company is sanctioned and blockaded, our main source of inco is directly cut off."
"The remaining orders are just small shipnts between Human Cities; relying solely on this inco... it will be difficult to break even this year."
The chanical City sanctions were a cut to the major arteries, almost directly shutting down the company's fastest-growing departnt.
After thinking for a long ti, Zhou Yi said, "Then take this opportunity to restructure."
"The biggest advantage of Wasteland Express itself is that our Bone Fish deliveryn can cross the Dead Sea and deliver goods at a faster speed than other ships."
"Now that we have lost the dium-to-high-end market of the chanical Cities, let's focus on small shipnts for ordinary cities."
"Our core competitiveness remains."
He looked at the Iron Head Girl beside him: "In terms of pricing, valuable goods will still be charged as before; for ordinary goods, we'll benchmark against the cost of ship transportation and adjust according to the actual situation."
"Previously, we benefited from the bonuses from chanical Cities, and now we are just returning to the normal profits of the express industry itself."
"Cheer up!"
Qian Su took a couple of deep breaths and slightly adjusted her emotions: "From another perspective, this is not entirely bad for the express center."
"Previously, there were two exposed issues. One was an over-reliance on orders from chanical Cities, which gave them too much voice and too high an influence over us; the sooner we detach, the easier it will be. The second is that chanical Cities occupied almost 90% of our transport capacity."
"Organizations of enhancers such as the Knight Order, Alchemist Association, Craftsn Guild, and the archery societies have always wanted us to help them transport things, but they offer very low prices. They often need to transport docunts, materials, equipnt, and the like between the branches in various cities. However, we were short-staffed at that ti; now we can concentrate on this matter."
"But this transition will be painful; the enhancer organizations can only offer a shipping fee between 1,000 to 5,000 mushrooms per order. So, if this year's revenue could be one-thousandth of the previous, it would already be good..."
Zhou Yi encouraged her, "Don't have a ntal burden over the numbers, proceed in an orderly fashion."
"Yes, Chairman. I will look for other profit points and strive to gradually balance the expenses."
Qian Su quickly adjusted and embraced the challenges of the new year.
For the hospital, as usual, Feng Ying represented Chief Da Vinci at the eting.
She wore a signal receiver and said to Zhou Yi: "Chairman, the hospital side has not been affected; our main job is still to treat patients with common diseases."
"High-risk operations are only attempted here, and they are related to willingness to take risks rather than equipnt and environnt."
"Additionally, Chief Da Vinci very much supports your decision."
Feng Ying said, "The chief believes that semi-cultivated entities should not be abandoned but should be regarded as vegetative chanical life forms, and we should find ways to help them."
"He requests setting up a specific departnt for semi-cultivated entities in our hospital. Complete physical examinations for the semi-cultivated entities should be perford first, then install the Ti Anchor. Run and observe the program repairs, all conducted in the hospital along with short-term observation, to ensure the full awakening and repair of the semi-cultivated entities."
Zhou Yi looked at 703 next to him: "What do you think?"
"With guidance from professional chanical Doctors, that would of course be best. It helps a lot with the repair and awakening of the semi-cultivated entities, exactly what is needed."
The chanical dog was delighted.
"Then let's do this, set up the departnt for semi-cultivated entities, and if the outside world needs to repair and awaken semi-cultivated entities, then Maria Hospital will officially provide related services."
Feng Ying nodded: "Yes, the hospital will make the necessary preparations."
Zhou Yi then said, "I have another announcent to make today. The company officially establishes the Program Departnt, with mbers including 703, Walker, Xiao Xiang, and Number Nine, with 703 as the head of the departnt."
This eting lasted a long ti.
Facing the blockade sanctions of the chanical City, the company faced more challenges than it appeared to be, causing a series of massive chain reactions.
Wasteland Developnt Company was recognized by various parties based on the credit rating of chanical Cities; now, a lot of things had beco unknown.
...
After the eting.
703 sought out Zhou Yi alone.
"Chairman, I apologize for bringing huge trouble and losses to you and the company. If I had surrendered earlier, maybe these problems wouldn't have arisen."
The chanical dog said in a low voice.
"Don't feel burdened; this was my choice."
Zhou Yi felt a sense of relief.
The greatest pressure was when things were unresolved.
After the sanctions began, the die was cast, and now it was only necessary to consider how to respond and restructure.
"Now that you are leading the Program Departnt, doing well in program developnt and testing for the company is the best way to repay ."
Zhou Yi patted the dog's head: "I hold you in high regard."
"Thank you, Chairman."
703's single eye glowed: "I won't let you down."
"In Chuneng City previously, I introduced two companions to join the chanical Knight Order; they each have their own talents. I would like to recomnd them to you."
Zhou Yi nodded: "Let them co over for to see."
"Of course!"
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