Chapter 5 - Being a Polished Villain! The Company Purge

Su Wanqiu’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth forming an “O” shape that made one want to stuff something into it. How could it be so exaggerated? That was the only thought her mind managed to conjure before she felt herself spinning, the world tilting as Xu Hao lifted her horizontally into his arms. Ding... Su Wanqiu feels extreme shame and frustration. Emotional Value +666... Ding... Su Wanqiu feels deep resentment. Emotional Value +888... Ding... Su Wanqiu feels fear and anxiety. Emotional Value +999... Several days later— Su Wanqiu lay with vacant eyes and a blank mind, looking thoroughly worn out. “I’m such a fool. Truly!” How could I have ever thought Xu Hao was impotent? The sky was already turning light—dawn was breaking. He’s inhuman. But wait, if he’s this strong, why was he so indifferent to me before? Could it be he was conserving his energy, waiting for this moment to strike and catch me off guard? What a calculating man! I’m exhausted... Just let it all end... It was nearing noon when Xu Hao finally woke up leisurely and got out of bed. After a workout like that, he was feeling incredibly refreshed. Glancing at the stunning woman beside him—his gorgeous wife, the protagonist’s beautiful stepmother—a sense of accomplishment surged within him. Ding... Congratulations, Host. Emotional Value has surpassed 10,000. The system’s lottery feature is now unlocked. Xu Hao focused his attention on the system. In just one night, Su Wanqiu had contributed 25,698 Emotional Value points. This was highly promising. He couldn’t help but feel eager. What treasures might the lottery yield? “System, initiate the lottery,” he called out internally. A moment later, a prize pool appeared before him. The sheer variety of items left him dazzled: luxury cars, real estate, advanced weaponry, even spaceships. There were also skills—master-level combat, hypnotism, music, calligraphy, and more. There were even superpowers: x-ray vision, teleportation, resurrection, and immortality. With enough luck, anything in the pool could be his. The brainless villains who wore their wickedness on their faces and charged in recklessly were always the first to meet their end. The villains who made it to the endgame were usually hypocrites—polished on the surface, yet ruthless in the shadows. They’d chat and laugh with you in public, only to stab you in the back when you least expected it. These kinds of villains not only survived longer but sometimes even managed to counter the protagonist. That is, as long as there was no protagonist halo. Xu Hao had no desire to die and couldn’t change his villainous identity, so his only choice was to play the hypocrite. After freshening up, he stepped out of the bedroom. The housekeeper brought lunch to the table. “Wanqiu is still sleeping. Reheat some food and bring it to her when she wakes up,” Xu Hao said casually while eating. After enduring a whole night of stormy chaos, he doubted Su Wanqiu would wake up before the afternoon. Forget about visiting the spa—she’d probably struggle just to get out of bed. “Yes, sir...” The housekeeper replied nervously. Just as Xu Hao finished his meal, Li Kun arrived in the car. Seeing Xu Hao step outside, Li Kun got out, respectfully opening the back door for him. Say what you will—this dog of a man was handy to have around. Too bad he was disloyal. Today, Xu Hao had three goals for the company: Fire people, fire people, and fire even more people. The company had become riddled with corruption. To turn it into a tightly-run ship, he needed a full-scale purge. Slackers? Fired! Those who got in through connections and did nothing? Fired! Disobedient employees? Fired! “Prepare a list of all employees. Mark those who joined through connections, and send me the performance evaluations for everyone,” he instructed on the way. By the time he reached the office, Li Kun had already sent him the sorted files. The purge began. Anyone hired through connections or failing to meet performance standards was fired without mercy. When many employees received dismissal notices from the Chairman and CEO himself, the entire Xu Group erupted in chaos. Ordinary employees could only grumble in silence. Those who had leveraged connections to get hired started calling in favors. Several shareholders even reached out to Xu Hao. “I’m the largest shareholder,” Xu Hao replied coldly. “This company runs according to my decisions. Are you trying to teach me how to do my job?”