Xiao Xun bought two tickets for a popular doomsday movie on his phone. He wanted to go with Mu Jiahe to see how much it differed from the prophecy.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to tell Mu Jiahe, he received a message from Mu Jiahe: "There's an important gathering tonight, take your car and leave! Someone will drive me home later."
Xiao Xun wanted to refund the tickets, but it was past the refund period. He could only comfort himself, "Forget it, it's just a movie ticket. Besides, disaster movies aren't suitable for two people to watch together."
After comforting himself, he opened his computer and accessed the internal system, promoting the chief designer of another studio to the position of Design Director and granting them the relevant permissions.
The appointment notice also bypassed the HR department and was delivered directly to the recipient's personal information account.
After finishing these tasks, he checked the time. It was time to get off work.
He took the elevator directly to the underground parking lot. Anyway, since he started working there, he had never officially clocked in. He probably wouldn't get full attendance, as he often didn't adhere to regular work hours. Moreover, he had a very unpleasant encounter with the HR department last time.
Putting other things aside, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone in the company received gifts and mooncake gift boxes, and senior management even got shopping cards. But Xiao Xun received nothing. It wasn't that the logistics department refused to give it, but that the HR department hadn't approved it.
However, Xiao Xun didn't care about those things. He drove to the cinema. There was still more than an hour before the movie started. He ate something casually at a nearby fast-food restaurant, then collected his ticket and entered the cinema.
This was his first time going to the cinema alone. The Dolby surround sound and dim lighting made him very uncomfortable. He soon recalled the time he went to the wrong place with Chu Ningxiang when they went to the movies. His face involuntarily flushed again.
Thinking of Chu Ningxiang, he began to worry about her, wondering if she was alright. His cousin had told him that Chu Ningxiang had been arrested by the police.
So he opened his phone and searched for Chu Ningxiang's name and related events, but found nothing.
He then searched for the daughter of the Yilong Real Estate company, but still found nothing.
Just then, someone behind him patted his seat. Xiao Xun turned his head, and it was a couple. The man reminded him, "Brother, the movie has started. Could you please turn off your phone?"
"Sorry, sorry," Xiao Xun quickly put away his phone and looked at the big screen.
This doomsday movie was truly shocking. The audience was constantly discussing the impending doomsday and various prophecies were being debated.
As Xiao Xun stood up to leave, someone patted his shoulder from behind.
He turned his head and suddenly a black cloth was thrown over his head, and he instantly lost consciousness.
When Xiao Xun regained consciousness, he was on a familiar sofa, with a dust-covered table and the kind of chairs found in internet cafes next to him.
"What is this?"
"Golden Gourd Internet Cafe!"
A voice answered his question.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xun realized it was indeed the Golden Gourd Internet Cafe. He looked at the "old acquaintance" wearing a black mask in front of him, "Please, next time you contact me, can you not make it seem like a kidnapping? Just tell me what you need directly, and if I can help, I will."
"Actually, there is something. Have you heard of the Cradle Plan?"
Xiao Xun casually replied, "There are too many Cradle Plans. Which one are you referring to?"
"The Cradle Plan we call it, also known as the 'Euthanasia' Plan."
Xiao Xun shook his head, "I don't know about this. Besides, what does this have to do with me?"
The masked man nodded, "Of course it has something to do with you. I will give you an appointment letter. From now on, you will have no relation with Saint Ti Luoman."
Xiao Xun said in surprise, "Why?"
"Because you are going to be the general manager of the Cradle Plan."
He suddenly remembered something, "The world is ending anyway, what's the point of you guys still working on these plans?"
The masked man's tone turned cold, "That's not your concern. You just need to live in the present and do as our boss requires."
"Then why do you insist that I leave Saint Ti Luoman?"
The masked man said, "That small company is too slow to complete our plan."
Xiao Xun said in surprise, "Saint Ti Luoman is a small company?"
The masked man picked up a briefcase from a nearby table and took out an appointment letter, throwing it at him. Xiao Xun was stunned when he opened the appointment letter, "This... this company belongs to you?"
The masked man stood with his hands behind his back, "Publicly listed companies have no absolute owner. We just hold a larger stake, so we can appoint certain positions. Although you don't have much business acumen, we highly appreciate your technical abilities. In that position, you only need to be a figurehead. You won't be responsible whether it makes a profit or a loss."
Xiao Xun frowned, "But this company's headquarters isn't here. If I join this company, won't I have to leave here?"
The masked man took two steps forward, "Is that not possible?"
Xiao Xun thought about his situation in another world and quickly shook his head, "Of course not."
"Alright, then move the company headquarters here. In the meantime, I hope you can resign from Saint Ti Luoman as soon as possible."
Xiao Xun looked at the masked man, "I'm very curious, the face under your mask, have I seen it before?"
Only the eyes were visible through the mask, but from his gaze, one could tell that the other party was calm and emotionless, "Maybe, maybe not. It doesn't matter."
Xiao Xun simply stood up, "Then let me ask something meaningful. If I agree to your request, what will I get?"
In the past, he would never have asked this question, because the other party could have taken his life whenever they pleased. But now, if they wanted to kill him, it would be troublesome, and secondly, they would be reluctant.
"You have no room for negotiation here. You just need to do as you're told. Don't forget, you owe us a life."
Xiao Xun also said confidently, "But I also remember that you said I was your friend back then, and everything was settled. Now you're bringing it up again, which means you don't consider me a friend at all!"
The masked man hadn't expected that in just a few months, the timid young man would become so resolute.
He didn't know if it was because he had come to terms with the doomsday prophecy or for some other reason.
However, the masked man wasn't interested in knowing. He was the regional manager. "How about this! Talking about money is too vulgar. I don't know what else, but as long as you resolutely complete my plan, I guarantee you will survive the doomsday."
Xiao Xun said in surprise, "Do you have a ticket for Noah's Ark?"
"Movies are fake. We don't have the inclination to do such useless things, but we definitely have our own ways to ensure you survive." From his tone of speaking, it seemed he had also watched the movie.
Xiao Xun gathered two pieces of information from his words: the doomsday is real, and they have other ways to deal with it.
"Okay, no matter how you plan to keep me alive, can you also bring my family?"
The masked man said three words calmly, "Not necessary."
Xiao Xun looked at the masked man in confusion, "What do you mean by that?"
"You don't need to worry about what it means. You can choose your own office building. If you can't choose, someone will make the decision for you. I hope to see you in your designated place next month."
Xiao Xun looked around. He felt that someone was watching him from the darkness.
"But I still don't know what the Cradle Plan is. How can I help you?"
"You just need to go to work as usual. Others will explain the rest to you."
After saying this, the masked man took out car keys from his pocket and threw them to Xiao Xun, "Your car is parked in the public parking lot on the street. If there's nothing else, I won't keep you. You should be quite familiar with this area."