Half Price Recruit

All eyes immediately converged on Du Chen. Frinda had already laid down the gauntlet, and with the students and every Eminence Project in the room watching, if Du Chen failed to answer, or answered poorly, the Grand Duke of Durkus would truly be put to shame...

"Maritime Trade!" Frinda repeated her question, eyeing Du Chen with a cool, arrogant smile playing on her lips.

Du Chen calmly raised his teacup for a sip, musing inwardly, *My views on maritime trade? Heh, I only have one: send Adams, Thunder Cannon slung over his shoulder, commanding a colossal warship to plunder whatever he damn well pleases! Legitimate business? Do you honestly think a scoundrel like me would know anything about that?*

With a slight smile, Du Chen set down his teacup. "Cassian, you answer this question!"

Cassian opened his mouth and began, "Maritime trade first requires assessing the specific oceanic environment, as well as the fundamental economic conditions of the port cities and shipping routes involved..."

"Francis!" Frinda slammed her hand on the table, exclaiming in anger.

"What? Is Cassian's answer incorrect?" Du Chen asked unhurriedly, raising his teacup again and taking a thoughtful sip.

Frinda scoffed, placing her hands on her hips with a sneer. "Cassian's answer was excellent, but I asked *you*. Could it be, Your Grace, that you're ignorant of maritime trade, afraid to lose face, and so you pawned it off to a subordinate? Hmph, fine! I'll ask another question. You are Lanning's Three-Star General, a military commander of high standing. Please, share your insights on jungle warfare! Surely, a distinguished General like yourself wouldn't delegate such a fundamental matter to a subordinate, would you?"

Du Chen remained unperturbed. With a casual wave of his hand, he said, "Martin, share your views on jungle warfare!"

"Me? Ah, yes!" Martin stammered timidly, "Regarding jungle warfare, the pri-primary concern is intelligence gathering within the jungle environment..." Though he stumbled over his words, Martin's military achievements were no mere fluke. In just a few sentences, he articulated precisely the answer Frinda sought!

Gradually, the students' gazes toward Du Chen grew tinged with disdain. *What kind of skill is it to make your subordinates answer?* they seemed to wonder.

Frinda, too, smiled smugly, casting a sidelong glance at Du Chen before turning to leave. "Francis, I'm deeply disappointed in you. It seems you know nothing, capable only of letting your subordinates offer evasions... I needn't ask further!"

The students' mocking gazes grew even more pronounced. A few high-minded individuals, outright dismissing the two hundred thousand Gold Coins, turned and retrieved their resumes from before Du Chen. *Following an incompetent master, no amount of Gold Coins can stave off shame!* they seemed to think.

*Thump, thump!*

Du Chen suddenly rapped on the table. "Frinda, if I answered all these questions myself, then what purpose would I have for talented people like you?"

Frinda froze, turning to stare at Du Chen. "An excuse for incompetence!" she blurted out.

Du Chen chuckled. "What you're truly testing is my ability to let talent flourish! Look, this is Martin. As Student Council President, you should be well aware of this old classmate's capabilities and character. He's inwardly brilliant but not eloquent, yet his military and planning abilities rank among the top three graduates of the academy! What's wrong with me appointing him as a First-Rank Staff Officer in the Staff Headquarters, to manage my strategic proposals? Cassian excels at overseeing political affairs; what's wrong with me having him address trade matters!? To scout for talent but not utilize it—*that* is the greatest tragedy for any gifted individual! Am I not allowing my two subordinates to leverage their respective strengths by having them answer your questions?"

Du Chen posed three rhetorical questions to Frinda, then added with a smile, "President Frinda, I've never doubted your mastery of maritime trade or your expertise in jungle warfare! But if I were also proficient in all these things... then why would I bother recruiting you? Furthermore, I regret to inform you that while your recent answers were excellent, and your questions to me quite good, everything you've demonstrated thus far—someone in Durkus City can already accomplish it. Therefore... Durkus City has no need for you!"

Frinda's brow furrowed. She knew instinctively that this was Du Chen's goading tactic. Yet, looking around, the students weren't thinking that way at all. They were thinking, *Oh, Francis has a point. Frinda is useless!*.

*Useless...*

Those three words pierced Frinda's heart like steel needles, causing a faint ache and filling her with intense indignation!

Du Chen rose, surveying all the students. He declared, "My fellow junior students, you haven't truly entered the professional world yet. It's natural to prioritize high remuneration right now. However, as your Senior Brother who graduated years ago, I tell you this: after graduation, a good superior is more important than a high salary! If you encounter a lord who, like Frinda, can do everything herself, knows everything, solves everything, and needs no help from you... *that* would be your true tragedy!"

*Clap!* Someone, nobody knew who, started it, and immediately a mountainous, tsunami-like wave of applause erupted. Coming from Du Chen, a man of experience, his words resonated far too easily! What was this? It was the wisdom of a Senior Brother, shared with his junior classmates after years of struggle!

Du Chen smiled faintly, raising both hands to quell the applause, then added, "With your intellects, you should have already realized it. Indeed, what I seek today is talent that can bring something *unique* to Durkus City. If what you know, everyone else knows, then what use do I have for you!? Heh heh, if any of you can prove that you can bring something to Durkus City that others cannot, then I, Francis, will personally invite you back to Durkus City in a Wyvern Carriage! 'Employ not the doubtful, doubt not the employed; utilize talent to its utmost potential'—these are my principles of recruitment! Who's next!?"

"I will!" Immediately, another person rushed forward amidst the roaring applause.

"Wait!" Frinda, her face dark, grabbed him back and walked directly up to Du Chen. "Am I truly a useless reject in your eyes?"

Du Chen shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, you haven't demonstrated what I hoped to see."

Frinda abruptly lifted her head. "Francis, I can make Durkus City's tax revenue double, its military might flourish, and its population swell within ten years, making it the premier city on the Aethelgard Continent! This... no one but me can achieve!"

*This girl has quite the audacity,* Du Chen thought. *If Liana said that, coupled with unlimited Gold Coin support from the Papal Curia, then I'd believe Liana could achieve it. But Frinda... is her internal affairs capability truly so formidable it can rival Liana's?*

Du Chen pondered for a moment, then smiled. "Ten years..."

He had meant to say that ten years was too short, that perhaps he'd believe her if she said twenty years. But Frinda suddenly cut him off. "Five years! No, I can achieve it in *three* years, Francis. Do you dare to employ me and put me to the test?"

Du Chen inwardly gasped, *This girl truly is a stubborn mule!* "Miss Frinda, with your status..."

"I will immediately sever ties with my family, Francis. Governing a city cannot be explained in a few words. Do you... dare to take me on probation?"

"This... alright. After a full day of recruitment, Senior Sister Frinda is indeed the most outstanding among these candidates! How about this: we'll start with a one-year probationary period. During this year, you'll receive no noble title, and only half salary. If your performance is good, I'll continue to employ you and make your position permanent! But if you lack the capability..."

"That situation will *not* happen!"

Du Chen smiled, raising a hand. "Then please proceed with the formalities and pack your bags!"

Frinda was now effectively snared. True, she could walk away at any point during her probation—but once she entered Durkus City, if she tried to leave, would the Old Matriarch of the Saint Dak family let her? Indeed, Frinda could also slack off or even actively sabotage Durkus City—but with thousands of people publicly witnessing her declaration to transform Durkus City into the Aethelgard Continent's premier city within three years, would Frinda's pride allow her to simply go through the motions?

Du Chen clapped his hand on the money chests again. "These Gold Coins, I'll keep them for you. If, after three years, you truly fulfill your promise, then they'll still be yours!"

*Bingo.* Du Chen had saved all the Gold Coins, effectively recruiting Frinda at half price!

...

Galas had once said that among the Godslayer Five Families, the young members who defied Du Chen were led by Frinda. If he secured Frinda, everything else would fall into place naturally, and Frinda herself might even settle the other young rebels for Du Chen!

As expected, not long after Frinda departed, several extraordinary young individuals privately applied. Ostensibly, they claimed to be moved by Du Chen's principle of 'utilizing talent to its utmost potential' today, but in reality, they were those very young scions from the Godslayer Five Families. Du Chen was fully aware but chose not to expose them. After some pretense of reluctance, he accepted them, directly instructing them to report to Frinda. It must be said, the Godslayer Five Families had truly invested heavily; the capabilities of these young people... at least, Cassian's current abilities were insufficient to assess them. In fact, they left him speechless!

While Cassian and Martin handled these miscellaneous affairs, Du Chen had already arrived at the back garden. Checking his watch, less than ten minutes had passed!

Bairu sat impassively on a stone platform, while Mas paced anxiously in circles, muttering incessantly. It seemed a matter of no small importance indeed!

Du Chen smiled as he approached, his gaze bypassing Mas, the boisterous fellow. He chuckled, "Senior Brother Bairu, you two arrived in such haste, clutching a Crystal Edict. Has there been a new development from the Fiendkind?"

Bairu hesitated. "Mas, the Battle God, is the principal envoy for this command. You speak, I'll supplement!"

Mas impatiently leaped up, slapping Du Chen firmly on the shoulder. "I don't like beating around the bush, Francis! His Holiness the Pontiff is summoning you this time..."

Bairu interjected, "It's an order, issued in the name of the Holy Alliance. No human can refuse!"

Mas shot Bairu a glare, then continued, "The Old One's exact words were—Godfather Francis, the First Boss of Thornwood Valley's time is short. When he passes, Thornwood Valley is bound to descend into chaos. You are to immediately begin preparations and seize the opportunity to lead troops and suppress Thornwood Valley!"