Chapter 76: A Promising Company

As a company offering relatively good benefits and approachable leadership, when the boss says to arrive at three o’clock, the staff will certainly not be late. Many of the employees in managerial positions, such as supervisors and managers, own cars. Ordinary staff members also have their fair share of vehicles. This isn’t necessarily because Wu You’s company pays so well that, after barely two months in operation, employees can afford to buy cars. Instead, it’s a trait of the young people in Qiantang; many of them have cars purchased by their families right after graduation. It’s not everyone, but the number is significant.

Around half past two, a dozen cars of various brands pulled into the little mountain hollow. This was the company’s seedling unloading site, where a vast, level cement plaza had long been poured, providing ample parking space. At that moment, Wu You was still at home; Xugou village wasn’t far away, and it took less than ten minutes to reach the mountain hollow by car.

A few minutes before three, a Maybach Zeppelin turned off the asphalt road and drove in. Wu You got out and saw his employees already waiting nearby. Truth be told, he was a rather unqualified boss; apart from the main core staff, he couldn’t even recall the names of most employees—only vague impressions remained. Seeing everyone waiting for him, he walked over and greeted them, with Garuru still faithfully at his side.

“Xiang Biao, is everyone here?”

He was used to asking Xiang Biao first.

“Except for those on business trips or working at other branch farms, all thirty-six headquarters staff are present.”

Wu You smiled and nodded to everyone, giving Wang Hui a friendly pat on the shoulder.

“Very well, let’s head into the mountain. Don’t worry about muddying your shoes and pants—next time, the company will reimburse you.”

...

There was a narrow path in the mountain, as if pressed by heavy objects over time; the soil and rocks had been compacted, making it easy to walk. The vegetation on the outer hills had been planted but was not particularly dense. Once they passed the perimeter, the path up the mountain became harder to traverse. Many people began to sweat. Yet the greenery around them grew ever more abundant.

Wang Hui curiously asked Wu You, “Boss Wu, wasn’t Shiniu Mountain different before? I remember the records—it was nearly stripped bare.”

Wu You chuckled. “What did you expect? Did you think our ecological project was just talk? This is the fruit of our labor.”

The group chatted and laughed as they walked, sometimes helping each other climb. The deeper they went, the more lush and vibrant the vegetation became. It hardly looked artificial. Every tree was thriving, as if it had taken root here from a seedling. But Hua Zai did not think so—since he managed most of the seedlings, he could identify the batch some trees belonged to. Yet these trees not only grew vigorously, their trunks seemed to have thickened a bit—yes, seemed.

Because their pace was slow, it took nearly half an hour to reach the true “interior” designated by Wu You. Beyond dense vegetation, a wall made of vines appeared before them. This wall was adorned with tiny star-like flowers, its height averaging over three meters, looking as if countless vines had naturally intertwined and grown together. Many employees who had never visited Wu You’s home marveled at the sight.

A few meters outside the vine wall stood some conspicuous warning signs, alerting people to the danger of the vines and marking the area as private property. Where the group needed to pass, the wall lay flat on the ground, as if a doorway had been specially opened for them.

Wu You led the way inside. Everyone understood that the interior was the true “development zone” of the company project; the outside was merely a buffer. The vine wall blocked the view, so the difference wasn’t noticeable from outside. Once inside, the vegetation seemed even denser, and the temperature noticeably cooler. The air grew fresher. Walking in the mountains felt nothing like traversing a wasteland awaiting development; it truly felt like a mountain forest.

Some employees even spotted giant trees in the distance that would take two or three people to encircle—something impossible among the company’s purchased seedlings. If one or two could be attributed to remnants of the original mountain, their increasing frequency prompted many to reach for their phones to take pictures.

It no longer resembled a desolate mountain being afforested, but rather a rolling stretch of pristine forest. Of course, management stopped them—the project was still in its confidential phase.

Everyone felt a sense of awe rising in their hearts, though doubts gradually crept in. Every person here had read the basic information about Shiniu Mountain and knew what it used to be. Although many shared these thoughts, most regarded it with curiosity and fascination. After all, it was their company’s property.

Probably only Xiang Biao and Hua Zai could guess something more, silently mourning for Wang Dong who couldn’t attend. No one else noticed or realized.

...

In a forest like this, there should have been plenty of snakes, insects, rats, and ants. Yet there wasn’t a single snake, not even a mosquito to bite them—perhaps the absence of disturbance prevented anyone from noticing.

...

They had been walking for two hours—partly due to distance, partly the rough terrain. Some employees began whispering about where the boss was taking them. They had seen enough greenery, after all.

The murmurs had barely started when the group seemed to break through some invisible barrier—the scenery suddenly changed. Still green, still vibrant. But soon, everyone stopped in their tracks, stunned.

Some clasped their hands, overwhelmed with excitement; others pinched their cheeks to see if they were dreaming, while some rubbed their eyes hard. All their gazes pointed ahead and upward.

There, a towering tree dominated their thoughts, rising majestically. Looking at it, an inexplicable sense of emotion surged in their hearts. That feeling of intimacy was like witnessing the mother of nature herself. Even craning their heads, they could not see its crown. Above, a vast canopy of green clouds spread overhead.

Its weathered surface, imposing trunk, and branches all told of ages past, bearing witness to history.

“Is this the World Tree from myth?” someone whispered.

Wu You answered loudly, “No, this is the Mountain Tree. Like you, it is an employee of the Beast Mountain Lodge. But someday, it will grow into a true World Tree.”

He had already disregarded the suffix “Biotech Company.”

“Now then, let us witness what kind of existence your company truly is.”

As Wu You finished speaking, gentle tremors began to pulse through the ground, and in the distance, beastly roars echoed.

“Oooh~~~~” A soul-shaking dragon’s cry drew near...