"You can go back now. I'll notify you once I make a decision." Ling Qingyu put down the files on the table and smiled at the man who stood up. "Oh, please don't forget to reimburse your benefits at the reception."
"Yes, Ma'am. Then, I'll leave now." The man bowed and turned to walk out of the room. "Thank you."
"Thank you for your time and effort." Ling Qingyu offered her final remarks before sighing in relief as the door closed.
She rubbed her forehead and rotated the office chair as she gazed through the one-way glass, visible only from inside.
Ling Qingyu wasn't satisfied with the interviewees. Somehow, they always fell short of her expectations, but life was like that. Nobody was perfect.
She wanted an all-rounder and preferred a capable person with higher moral standards, which explained her pickiness.
The candidates were undeniably skilled and met the requirements, but she knew they didn't suit her or match her ideal.
It might not seem like much, but problems arose once deeper cooperation on detailed projects began, which often hit predicaments.
Such moments tested both parties. Although she, as the employer, could act domineeringly, she preferred not to unless necessary.
The previous man was already the eighth interviewee. One more remained. The final interview required her personal approval alone.
These men and women had already gone through several stages and passed them brilliantly to arrive before her.
Honestly, the candidates were competent, and she didn't want to let them go. However, higher positions required more than just technical merits.
Perhaps her delaying tactics might have disappointed them. After all, when Ling Qingyu informed them that the decision would be made later, they likely understood the result was unfavorable.
Of course, there were rare instances where things turned around, but those were low-probability cases.
She had decided that if the final candidate didn't satisfy her, she would serve as a temporary head and hire the others to retain them and put their talents to use.
Ling Qingyu had further goals and needed skilled individuals. With her Spirit Group's various industries, there was no way a position couldn't be reserved for them. After all, gold shines anywhere.
The issue was that the selected candidate was meant to be posted as chief executive for a new project in cooperation with the government.
If the person didn't align with her type, how could she trust and fully utilize them, no matter how strong they were?
It had been a week since Ling Qingyu ventured across the border on a rescue operation. To raise the security level in Province N and help her wife, Yang Qingyue, Ling Qingyu announced her donation.
Since the entire police force of Province N would soon fall under Yang Qingyue's command, she didn't hold back.
Spirit Electronics gifted a significant package to equip the entire province with CCTV cameras and drones. Athena had already researched schematic structures to ensure no loopholes in coverage.
The network spanned from urban to rural areas, even where CCTV use seemed inefficient.
It didn't matter as long as full public space coverage was achieved. Meanwhile, drones patrolled and complemented areas the CCTV cameras couldn't reach.
They also served as a first-line deterrent with flashing red and blue lights and non-lethal equipment onboard to detain suspects until officers arrived.
Athena's new innovations were applied to the equipment, allowing officers, alerted by the AI monitoring system, to communicate with victims and criminals via intercom before reinforcements arrived.
The new AI system had been upgraded further from what Ling Qingyu previously provided to Yang Qingyue's City N station.
The package also included one HongQi patrol sedan for each police station, from villages and townships to districts. City stations received an additional vehicle.
With Gu Yi's presence, Ling Qingyu directly negotiated with the governor on Yang Qingyue's behalf. Everyone knew that once the network was fully established, public safety would rise to unimaginable levels.
As for those nitpicking over privacy concerns, Ling Qingyu had no comment. Public spaces, by definition, lacked privacy.
Furthermore, the benefits outweighed any perceived disadvantages. She knew her actions might offend some, but with Gu Yi's intervention, she pushed forward, seizing the rare opportunity.
Perhaps her mother-in-law had sold a favor to the governor, persuading him to support Ling Qingyu's decisions. To Ling Qingyu, the process had been surprisingly smooth.
The announcement was well-received by the public but angered parties with vested interests. Gangs weren't the only issue; some influential families became an eyesore.
The governor's forceful push removed any obstacles. Ling Qingyu's actions put these vested interests in an uncomfortable position.
To avoid moral scrutiny or public backlash, they had to replicate her donation efforts, begrudgingly making concessions. They didn't want to much but couldn't afford to little either.
Caught in an awkward zone, they gritted their teeth at Ling Qingyu, who sneered at their reaction.
Ling Qingyu's expenditures were enormous, shocking both Yang Qingyue and her mother, who were unable to dissuade her.
Nobody realized that such expenses didn't faze Ling Qingyu. She didn't even glance at her true wealth, leaving Athena to handle the mess because the numbers always made her dizzy.
This initiative, particularly the autonomous drones and CCTV system, prompted a new project to build a network for province-wide monitoring and future equipment maintenance.
Her donation only covered the initial costs. Maintenance and repairs would generate revenue for her through service contracts with the government.
In essence, the government would pay her for future services, allowing her to offset the initial expenses within a few years.
Moreover, her actions encouraged the governor to award additional contracts, including orders for HongQi vehicles to improve the police fleet and upgrade fire department trucks.
All in all, she spent lavishly but secured significant wealth in return. The sales didn't end with product delivery; spare parts and ongoing services were her true sources of income.
Ling Qingyu understood the governor's motivation. A generous donor like her deserved recognition, and reciprocating her kindness also benefited the government's image.
With her public alignment to Yang Qingyue's faction and Gu Yi's support, Ling Qingyu solidified her influence while achieving her goals.
The governor wasn't an idiot. He hadn't gained his current position for nothing. Rewards were necessary to encourage people.
Of course, Ling Qingyu didn't care much about his gestures, but it felt better to hear that the governor now had her back.
She knew this governor wouldn't be clean. In fact, she had wanted to cleanse him, but since she had received a favor, it would be unkind to repay it with grievance when neither side held a grudge.
These matters were beyond her control and desire. And since she had obtained so many benefits, she didn't bother to care as long as the old man refrained from committing any further atrocious acts.
As for what lay ahead in the future, that depended on her discretion. This old man should consider retirement rather than climbing higher up the ladder, given Ling Qingyu's low opinion of him.
Anyway, Ling Qingyu had been busy for an entire week since the announcement. The project would undoubtedly take more than two months to complete.
Materials belonged to her own group but she needed a large teams to setup all the necessary facilities and additional after-service.
Fortunately, even without a manager's existence, Athena could help her with recruiting low level staff and manage them.
She could afford to wait longer till she met someone coinciding her expectations. She decided to give another week to see whether there would be applicable candidates.
The drones and CCTV systems were supplied by Athena's Spirit Electronics Co., Ltd. These products were easily manufactured, thanks to the factories Ling Qingyu had acquired during her battles of wit with opponents in recent months.
For materials that weren't readily available and needed to be outsourced, Athena streamlined the process using nano-printing.
This cheat-like device bridged any gaps, allowing Ling Qingyu to prepare thoroughly. Without it, she would have suffered considerably in business battles.
Although it didn't cost her much, any potential loss would still sting her heart.
For a capitalist, losing a fortune over a lost cause was the most contemptible outcome.
As she expanded her industries, she recalled her two saviors and felt a desire to recruit them.
The two were honest and hardworking, and from her perspective, employing them on purpose wouldn't be difficult.
However, both of them rejected her generous offer, which puzzled Ling Qingyu to the point that she doubted her own charisma.
After some time, she came to understand that the two felt overwhelmed and didn't want to owe anyone.
Although they had rescued her from danger, they believed that Ling Qingyu had already done enough by resolving their immediate threats and financial crises.
If Ling Qingyu did more, it might have been counterproductive. Moreover, they didn't want to rely on someone else's gratitude for their own advantage.
Ling Qingyu smiled and respected their refusal. She admired their choice and quietly planned to help them covertly, easing their paths in the future.