151: Chapter 150 Ultimate Skill

Hao Linger leaned back in her solid wood, genuine leather executive chair, wearing over-ear headphones. Hugging a large bag of potato chips, she happily munched away, her eyes glued to the TV drama. Her delicate legs, sheathed in crystal stockings, rested on the luxurious solid wood executive desk, swinging back and forth. Occasionally, she would pick up the coffee cup beside her and take a small sip, an expression of utter contentment on her face. She was completely unaware that someone had entered the office, until a face suddenly blocked her view, then loomed larger and larger right before her eyes, startling her. "Ah! Cao Xiao! How dare you scare me! You're dead!"

"Bang!"

"Smack!"

"Ouch! Hao Linger! You really went all out!" Cao Xiao clutched his chest, genuinely surprised by Hao Linger's violence. Caught completely off guard, she had suddenly hurled a coffee cup at him. Thankfully, he had managed to step back twice in time, avoiding a direct hit to the face, but his chest throbbed with pain, and his shirt was stained.

Hao Linger hastily put on her shoes and sat up straight. Her previous posture had indeed been somewhat unladylike, and Cao Xiao had seen it all. Reacting on impulse, she had grabbed the nearest object and thrown it. Now, thinking back, she felt a twinge of fear—if it had really hit Cao Xiao's face, the situation would have been a mess. Her face flushed slightly with embarrassment, but she had never backed down or apologized to Cao Xiao before. So, hearing his words, she feigned anger: "This is my private space! Who told you to barge in without my permission and scare me? You deserve to have your face smashed in!"

"Alright, alright! It's all my fault. I won't argue with you! But watching TV behind closed doors with nothing to do during work hours—are you worthy of me as your boss?" Cao Xiao understood Hao Linger's prideful personality. If he really argued with her, it would never end. However, he didn't want to let her off the hook either. Since he was having a bad time, he'd drag her down with him.

Hao Linger said proudly, "With me, President Hao, holding the fort, the company's operations and development naturally go smoothly and prosper day by day. I just need to assign tasks and supervise the employees. Why would this young lady need to do everything herself? How much effort could a steel plant and an orchard possibly require? I wrap things up in no time. I've been so idle lately I'm practically bored to tears. If I don't find something to pass the time, I'll grow mold waiting for you, Boss Cao, to remember me!"

Cao Xiao pulled up a chair and sat opposite Hao Linger. Looking at her smug expression, he felt somewhat helpless. There was no denying Hao Linger's management skills. Even professional managers with decades of workplace experience might not do as well as her. It wasn't about education or experience; her brain was just naturally sharp. She might not know everything, but she always grasped the key points when handling matters. Her actions were meticulous and well-organized. Combined with her willful and domineering personality, no one dared to disobey. Execution wasn't a problem, so work efficiency was naturally very high. Therefore, his words, which might be threatening to others, were met with a clear conscience from Hao Linger. Instead, it highlighted his own lack of focus on work. Using work attitude as an argument was simply asking for trouble. "Well, I'm here now! But my arrival means your leisurely days are officially over. I haven't been idle all this time, you know. Don't complain later that there's too much to do!"

"Pfft, how much could there possibly be? Even if you asked me to manage a Fortune Global 500 company right now, this young lady would still live a carefree and comfortable life. Go on, tell me! I want to see what great gains you've made during this time. Don't waste my brain cells on trivial matters." Hao Linger said dismissively.

Cao Xiao rolled his eyes, feeling somewhat powerless. "Fine! You're a goddess! Since that's the case, I'll speak freely. A while back, by a stroke of luck, I acquired half of the shares of the Africa branch of the Hongdu Group. I went to South Africa to inspect the situation there. After I arrived, I changed the company's name. It's now called the Tiandu Company. I want you to send some trustworthy people over to participate in the management. We need at least a Deputy General Manager and a Financial Director over there. The Dizang Company currently lacks a reserve of senior talent, so we need to recruit from outside as soon as possible. It's not just South Africa that needs talent; from now on, we need to start building up a reserve of management personnel. Let's organize a recruitment fair this time and absorb more talent to build up our reserves. I have sufficient funds now; supporting a hundred or so senior talents is no problem. I'll send you the information on the Tiandu Company later. You decide on the salaries and benefits. Also, I purchased the mineral resource rights for a piece of land in the eastern region of South Africa. A large copper deposit with reserves of 150 million tons was discovered there. So, we also need to establish a dedicated branch company in South Africa to develop the copper mine. I'll send you the specific information on the copper mine as well. How to proceed is your business. Furthermore, the Dizang Steel Plant needs renovation and upgrading. I've already prepared the machinery, equipment, and production process formulas. What you need to do is find people to plan and construct according to my requirements, while also recruiting corresponding senior technical talent to supplement the factory. Finally, the Tianxing Garden can start construction. I've prepared the funds, and I'll arrange for some of the building materials. It must be built to the highest standard according to the blueprint."

As for the other mineral deposits discovered in the northern area of Lake St. Lucia in South Africa, Cao Xiao didn't plan to develop them immediately. If five or six highly valuable mineral deposits were continuously explored in one area within a short time, anyone would guess something was up without even thinking. So, he would announce the largest copper deposit first. The others would be mined slowly, one by one, later on. People would just think he had gotten incredibly lucky.

Hao Linger stared intently at Cao Xiao as he finished speaking, then looked at him with a strange expression. "You're still doing things all over the place, jumping from domestic matters to South Africa thousands of kilometers away. You really know how to stir things up! Have you recently fallen into a pile of dog poop? Otherwise, how could you suddenly discover a huge copper deposit? You absolutely have! Tell me honestly, how much capital do you actually have now? The funds needed to mine a copper deposit aren't something one or two billion can solve, especially in Africa. Just transportation would require a huge sum to build roads. The same goes for the steel plant upgrade and the Tianxing Garden construction. Especially the Tianxing Garden. If it's really built to the highest design standard of the blueprint, tens of billions could easily be spent. Are you sure you have that much money to splurge? Got a little cash and you want to live like an emperor already? Wake up!"

Cao Xiao was momentarily speechless by Hao Linger's words. The reason he wanted to spend a fortune building the Tianxing Garden into a paradise-like place wasn't just for his and his family's enjoyment. He had other plans for its positioning, but he didn't intend to explain that to Hao Linger now. As long as he could provide sufficient funds, Hao Linger wouldn't stop him. So, he sat up straight and said with feigned restraint, "Ahem, the land for the steel plant is already there. The machinery and equipment needed for the upgrade and expansion are already prepared. The actual construction won't cost much. The same goes for the Tianxing Garden. The main expenses are for purchasing those high-end building materials, but I have the materials myself. The construction costs, at most, would be two billion huaxia currency. I can definitely come up with that amount. I can allocate one billion us dollars to the company right now. If that's not enough, I can provide another two billion us dollars in a while. Surely three billion us dollars is more than enough, right?"

"Looks like you were hit by Erlang Shen's dog's hot droppings. Three billion us dollars! Where did you dig that up from? With that much money, why even run a company? Just find a country with polygamy and you can live like an emperor directly. Why are you still bothering me with all this nonsense!" Hao Linger felt bewildered upon hearing the figure Cao Xiao mentioned.

"Uh, it's only three billion us dollars! There are countless people in this world richer than me. Those world-class tycoons are still racking their brains trying to earn more money. My little fortune isn't even a fraction of their wealth. Besides, who would ever think they have enough money? Am I supposed to start idling away my life at such a young age? Kid, the world is vast. We must continue to strive!" Cao Xiao looked at Hao Linger with a distant gaze, speaking earnestly.

"Stop showing off in front of me! No matter how much money you have, you still have to hand it over to me to manage. You better never offend me in the future, or be careful—if I'm in a bad mood one day, I might squander it all, and you won't even have tears left to cry. Now that you're done talking, give me the materials and then scram quickly out of my sight!" Hao Linger snapped out of her daze and, seeing Cao Xiao's deliberately profound expression, felt a surge of anger. She immediately threatened him fiercely.

"Uh! I am your boss, after all! Can't you be a bit more polite? Being kicked out of my own company—is that reasonable? A girl like you, fierce and menacing all day, be careful no one will want you!" Cao Xiao pretended to be wronged, adding a sincere piece of advice at the end.

"So you're the boss, big deal? Be careful, or I'll fire you! Get out right now! And close the door on your way out!" Hearing the last sentence, Hao Linger's eyes instantly sharpened, a murderous intent spreading in her gaze towards Cao Xiao. She abruptly stood up, about to come over and pinch him. Seeing Cao Xiao dodge, she roared.

"Alright, alright! I'm the boss, you're the big shot. Big shot, please take your time and work slowly! This humble one shall take his leave." Cao Xiao retreated to the door, finished speaking, and was about to open it to leave. However, he was observing Hao Linger's reaction, so his movements were slow. Seeing Hao Linger sit back down, he pretended to be regretful and muttered to himself, "Sigh! I actually brought a gift today to reward the meritorious officials. Seems it's unnecessary now! It just saves me a set of high-end jewelry. I'm also reluctant to part with that Breguet Haute Joaillerie watch. Over three million! Good thing I didn't give it, or I'd definitely regret it now!"

"Cao Xiao, you stop right there! Hand over my things immediately, or you won't leave this office in one piece today! I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!" Cao Xiao's voice wasn't loud, but the office was quiet, so his words clearly reached Hao Linger's ears. As soon as he finished, Hao Linger's roar erupted right on cue.

"What's up? Big Shot Hao wants to keep me for lunch?" Cao Xiao had anticipated Hao Linger's reaction. He let go of the doorknob, turned around, and looked at Hao Linger with an extremely bright smile.

"I'll eat your big head! I work so hard managing your company, and you're reluctant to part with a little gift? How heartless! And you dare play games with me, trying to whet my appetite! Have you forgotten my A signature move that has made him famous for many years? Over the years, I've even created a few more powerful moves. Just the right time to test their power. Hand it over quickly, or I'll unleash them!" Hao Linger slowly approached Cao Xiao, her hands formed into claws, a cold smile on her face.

"Hao Linger, do you have any humanity left? We're good friends, after all. You actually want to use Ruthless on me? Where did the innocent friendship of those years go? It's just a gift, I'll give it to you. Is that necessary? You stay right there!" Thinking of Hao Linger's Ultimate move, a chill ran down Cao Xiao's spine. He couldn't help but shiver and retreat backward.

Back in the day, Hao Linger in her normal state was a studious, well-behaved girl. But when someone provoked her, they would discover she could transform—not into some Sailor Moon-type warrior, but into a fierce ghost. Cao Xiao had unfortunately witnessed the scene after Hao Linger was bullied by others. To this day, he remembered it vividly, especially Hao Linger's三大 Ultimate move. From that moment on, they became an indelible shadow in his heart.

During high school, Hao Linger was a girl with good grades, a pretty face, and a quiet demeanor. Naturally, some people developed feelings of admiration for her. Among those admirers was the so-called school heartthrob of the time. Consequently, Hao Linger became the target of jealousy for many girls. Some girls, seeing her quiet nature and that she was from out of town, thought she was easy to bully. So, they colluded with some delinquent girls from outside to bully her on her way home. That day, Cao Xiao happened to be passing by and saw three delinquent girls pushing, shoving, and hurling insults at Hao Linger. Hao Linger stood there, tears welling in her eyes, silent.

Originally, Cao Xiao intended to intervene. After all, they were classmates, and as a boy, he wasn't afraid of a few girls. But before he could approach, the situation changed. One of the delinquent girls slapped Hao Linger across the face. Then, the seemingly delicate Hao Linger erupted. Her hair was disheveled, tears streamed down her face, one cheek flushed red. Without a word, she let out a low, beast-like growl, raised her hands, and clawed fiercely at the face of the girl who had hit her. Then, with a forceful yank, she actually tore off a small piece of flesh from the girl's face. The wound was deep enough to see bone. It was then that Cao Xiao understood why Hao Linger kept her fingernails somewhat long on all ten fingers.

Afterward, that girl directly fainted from the pain. The other two girls were frightened and fled in panic. But Hao Linger didn't let them go. She chased after one, grabbed her clothes, pulled her to the ground, and began tearing and clawing wildly. Later, it was Cao Xiao who stepped forward to stop her; otherwise, that girl would have certainly been left with torn and bleeding skin.

Because of this incident, Cao Xiao and Hao Linger became good friends. Later, when they played around, Hao Linger had grabbed him too, but not with full force. She would simply pinch a chunk of flesh on his arm and then twist it. That sensation was unforgettable. Hao Linger proudly named this move "Sawing Flesh and Scraping Bone," meaning to use the nails to lift the flesh while also scraping the bone clean. It was truly vicious and cruel.

However, Cao Xiao had only seen Hao Linger use this move twice. The second time was a follow-up to that incident. The girls who had bullied Hao Linger later sought revenge by bringing others. That time, five young thugs appeared. Cao Xiao and Hao Linger were walking home together when they were surrounded and trapped. Naturally, the two of them were no match for five thugs. Cao Xiao didn't back down, but he didn't strike first either. However, Hao Linger beside him took the initiative. Seizing a Leng Zi moment, she unleashed the "Sawing Flesh and Scraping Bone" move on the face of a thugs who was insulting them right in front. Although she didn't tear flesh off his face, she left ten distinct bloody holes. Instantly, that person lost his fighting ability, clutching his face and crying out in pain.

Seeing this, Cao Xiao didn't hesitate to act either. He knew that if they didn't drive these thugs away, given the Ruthless Hao Linger had used, their own fate would be absolutely miserable. So, he aimed a punch at the nose of a thugs in front of him, then grabbed the thugs's long hair and pummeled his face with his fist. The other three thugs reacted and started beating Cao Xiao. But Cao Xiao focused solely on that one thugs, enduring the punches and kicks on his body without letting go, and his own strikes became unrestrained. It was then that Hao Linger, somehow, appeared behind one of the thugs围攻 Cao Xiao. She aimed the tip of her shoe and delivered a vicious kick to the That person's crotch. A heart-rending scream followed. From Cao Xiao's angle, he clearly witnessed the second Ultimate move, which Hao Linger later named "Kui Star Kicks the Dipper." Moreover, that move was a double batter at the time. When Cao Xiao got up, he saw Hao Linger execute the third move: "Heaven and Earth Overturned, Generous and Bold." The name was a bit long, but both Cao Xiao and Hao Linger felt it was very fitting. Because this move involved standing behind someone, Back to them, backhand wrapping your arms around their neck and pulling them onto your shoulder, then squatting down, causing the attacked person's body to bend backward. At the time, Cao Xiao thought the That person's posture, facing the sky with his back to the ground, Plus his hands flailing up and down, looked quite Bold and bold, which inspired the name.