BXBX NOVEL Chapter 133 Corporate Panic
On the top floor of a high-rise building in the business and finance district of Tessia Royal City, the capital of the kingdom, an opulent and extravagant room occupied nearly half of the floor. A multitude of individuals sat around a long table, engrossed in their discussions.
Seated at the head of the table, the leader's position, was an obese man in his sixties. With a receding hairline that bordered on baldness, he sat there, bored expression etched on his face, reading a stack of papers in his hand.
"This is ridiculous! That whole new element thing is nothing more than a PR stunt!" exclaimed one of the individuals at the table, frustration evident as he slammed his hand on the table, causing the stack of papers he held to scatter.
The obese man at the head of the table nodded in agreement before nonchalantly placing the document down.
"Yes, it's just a PR stunt," he concurred, displaying a complete lack of belief in the matter.
"Yes! Just as sir said, it's merely a PR stunt!" echoed another person at the table, seemingly attempting to ingratiate themselves with the obese man by fervently agreeing with him. The remaining individuals at the table followed suit, eager to gain favor from the influential figure by aligning their opinions with his.
Among the attendees, there was a bespectacled, tan-skinned man in his late twenties who exuded a calm and composed demeanor. He had thoroughly examined the document multiple times, meticulously comparing the data he had in hand with the information gathered by his informers, scientists, power plant engineers, and the environmentalist team that had entered Astral Tech's power plant to challenge the CEO's claims.
"I don't believe it's merely a PR stunt, sir," the man said seriously as he placed the document down on the table.
"What are you talking about, Mr. Sharma?" one of the businessmen at the table asked in an unfriendly tone.
"I'm referring to this data. I have compared it with the tests conducted by a third party. The accuracy and consistency are too high to be fake, which undermines the notion of it being solely a PR stunt. Indeed, I am confident that Mr. Emberweave's achievements in building both power plants and the Astral Tech headquarters in a single night were aimed at creating an effective PR campaign that would quickly go viral. However, it goes beyond that. Everything he has accomplished is real and can be measured even by the most stringent environmental and engineering standards," explained the handsome man with tan skin.
This man is Aryan Sharma, the new generation of the Sharma family. Although he currently heads a branch family, his remarkable business acumen is the primary source of income for the Sharma family, enabling them to maintain their noble status in India. If his mother had noble heritage instead of coming from a peasant background, Aryan would have already assumed the position of heir.
"Gentlemen," Sharma began, as he displayed the details from his notebook on the large screen for everyone to see.
The screen presented a plethora of numbers and technical terms, including electricity output, carbon scale, and environmental effects. These measurements had been conducted and analyzed by numerous experts and scientists who aimed to debunk Daniel's claim of producing cheap yet highly efficient power while maintaining zero carbon emissions.
"As you can see in the data," Aryan began, "the energy output of each reactor is a staggering 2000 MW. Now, according to conventional knowledge, achieving such a high energy output while maintaining zero emissions is deemed impossible. However, Astral Tech has shattered this belief and accomplished the unattainable."
He continued, delving into the technical details and numbers. "Let's examine the carbon emission levels. Traditional power plants relying on fossil fuels release significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and environmental degradation. Yet, the measurements from Astral Tech's power plant indicate not just a near-zero carbon scale, but an absolute zero. In fact, what has been detected is the natural background level of carbon in the environment, demonstrating the unprecedented achievement of Astral Tech."
Aryan was about to proceed to explain the intricacies of the power plant's operations and its advanced technologies but was stopped by one of the businessmen.
"Mr. Sharma, please use human language and be concise," the man interjected with disdain. He was well aware of Sharma's background. Despite Sharma's impressive business skills and financial success, his mother's humble origins had denied him the opportunity to be an heir.
However, Aryan took pride in his mother's and remained unfazed by such judgments. This, in turn, bred envy among many businessmen who were aware of his origins, fueling their disdain for him. They couldn't help but feel jealous of Aryan's exceptional business acumen and intelligence, evident in his attainment of three doctorates from Cambridge University.
Aryan remained silent for a moment, scanning the room filled with smirks, stifled laughter, and open contempt. He knew well that his chances of being an heir were nonexistent, rendering him nothing more than a money-making machine for the Sharma family.
"Fine then..." Aryan paused, waiting for the room's attention to shift towards him. "Here's the bottom line: Emberweave has pulled off the damn impossible. His power plant requires dirt-cheap investments for electricity production, and his prices are ten times lower than ours. If we don't figure out how to tap into Ether, we better start thinking about investing in a whole new industry. 'Cause let me tell you, we can't keep up the price war with him forever." Aryan delivered his explanation with simplicity, catering to the minds of those present who couldn't comprehend much beyond money and profit.
"Watch your language, Mr. Sharma. Don't take it too far!" The same businessman who disliked Aryan growled at him, but Aryan just shrugged and made a face that clearly said, "You asked for it."
"Enough!" The obese man at the head of the table glared at both of them, focusing more on Aryan as he took the opportunity to disrespect him. He didn't like it, but he still needed Aryan's intelligence and accurate forecasts for their group.
"Hire an expert from The Syndicate Union to tarnish Astral Tech's reputation. And find someone to seize their technology once they lose the lawsuit against the government," the obese man said domineeringly.
"On it, Mr. Presscott," one of the businessmen said gleefully, dialing his phone to contact their destination, The Syndicate Union. After a few rings, someone answered the call.
"Yes? How may I assist you, Mr. Leclerc?" The businessman, Antoine Leclerc, had connections with The Syndicate Union through his family's past involvement with them. He had the privilege of contacting them directly by phone, showcasing his connections to everyone, especially his boss, Mr. Prescott. He deliberately used the phone's speaker to flaunt his association.
"Yes, I would like to utilize your services to, let's say, tarnish someone's reputation more than they deserve," Leclerc stated without explicitly mentioning "defamation," attempting to display his sense of refinement. Aryan rolled his eyes at this show-off idiot.
"Defamation, you mean? So, who is the target, sir?" the operator asked politely.
"Daniel Emberweave, CEO and Founder of Astral Tech Corporation," Leclerc replied.
"One moment, sir. Let me check the target," the operator politely requested before falling silent, the sound of keyboard typing coming from the other end.
After a brief pause, the operator returned. "Apologies for the delay, sir, but I regret to inform you that your membership rank is not high enough to issue this order," the operator explained.
"Wait! My membership is D Rank! D! As far as I know, even the leader of a country is only B rank. According to your rules, I can use more money to pay you for this order!" Leclerc shouted back in anger, feeling humiliated by The Syndicate Union's refusal in the midst of his showboating. Aryan couldn't help but smirk, relishing in Leclerc's frustration.
"I must apologize, sir, but based on our assessment, the target's rank is at least S rank. According to our rules, you need to have a membership rank of at least B or higher to issue such an order," the operator explained.
"What!? S Rank?" Leclerc was startled by the revelation.
What did S Rank signify? Even the Queen of Great Britain or the President of the United States held only an A Rank. Targets like these possessed immense influence and were considered significant threats, making it extremely challenging to eliminate or tarnish their reputation. S Rank was beyond that—it meant they posed an exceptionally high threat to The Syndicate Union. They couldn't be easily targeted, and even A or S rank members would have to pay a hefty price to hire them.
Based on what the operator said, Daniel's rank was undetermined but likely around S Rank, potentially higher than the usual S Rank.