Chapter 65: Payday!

"By the way, Mr. Su," Li Huilin suddenly leaned in with a gossipy look, asking curiously,
"What are you planning to do with your bonus this time? I reckon...
Tsk tsk, it'll definitely dazzle our titanium alloy eyes!"
"Well..." Su Hao pondered for a moment, stroking his chin, "Speaking of which, there are actually a few things I want to do."
Buy a safe and nice car for his good-for-nothing younger sister, and for his parents who have worked hard for half their lives, so they can enjoy life too.
And buy the family a bigger house.
Settle any debts owed to relatives and friends from the past, repay any favors owed.
All this adds up, hey, it seems like everything is for his family.
Wait, there's actually one wish of his own!
A dream he'd buried deep in his heart for a very long time, the ultimate romance of a hardcore gamer, the ultimate embodiment of his chuunibyou soul!
That is—to buy a big house!
Then, following the style of the game he's currently obsessed with, he'll completely redesign it, inside and out!
He'll redesign and renovate it from the inside out, creating a super luxurious, top-of-the-line internet cafe that can accommodate dozens, even hundreds, of guild members playing together simultaneously!
He'll build a "magical fortress" exclusively for him and his guild brothers, a real-life "gaming utopia"!
After get off work, everyone will flock here!
Games, food, entertainment—they can have as much fun as they want!
Dungeons together, bragging and joking around, sweating it out together!
This is probably the ultimate, albeit somewhat childish and passionate, dream that every hardcore gamer has secretly fantasized about in the dead of night, right?
"Judging from your expression, Mr. Su," Li Huilin chuckled, covering her mouth, "you must be planning something really amazing, right?"
"Hmm... sort of." Su Hao smiled slightly.
Everyone needs some hobbies and interests; otherwise, life wouldn't have any purpose, right?
“Alright, Mr. Su, I won't bother you any longer. I'll report back to you if anything unexpected happens!”
Li Huilin left.
“Okay, thank you, you've worked hard.”
After Li Huilin left, Su Hao turned his attention back to the several large market data displays in front of him.
Still calm and still, like stagnant water, not even a ripple could be seen.
Even the foreign exchange market, which their new department was about to focus on, had an absurdly low daily volatility.
At most, it would only fluctuate by 0.5% a day, even more stable than an old lady's stock account.
Ring ring!
Just then, his phone beeped.
Immediately afterwards, a deafening roar of cheers erupted outside the office!
“Wow! Wow! We've got money! We've got money!”
It was the team members' voices! The noise was deafening, one after another!
It was like winning the lottery jackpot; they practically ripped the ceiling off!
Hearing the commotion, Su Hao knew without a doubt that those kids had received bank transfer notifications!
"Oh, so it's their salary."
Su Hao took a deep breath and opened the notification on his bank app.
To be honest, he had roughly estimated how much he would receive beforehand, given his previous earnings.
But when he actually saw the numbers with his own eyes, his palms still involuntarily broke out in a fine sweat.
Finally, the amount deposited appeared before his eyes in a dazzling string of figures:
【¥75,571,157.00】
“Holy crap…”
Even Su Hao, who had seen it all, couldn't help but swear, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
***
The next day, the lucky ones, showered with the prestigious title of “Top-Tier Investment Department,” gathered in the new office area, beaming with pride and excitement, like they had won the lottery.
“Good morning, everyone! From now on, we’re brothers and sisters fighting side by side in the same department. Please give us your guidance!”
A seemingly simple-minded young man spoke first, his voice trembling slightly.
"I...I really didn't expect to be chosen!
When I saw everyone signing up, I thought it was all about participation!
So I just filled out a form without thinking, and who knew! It was like a pie falling from the sky!"
Another young man, wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking somewhat dull, scratched his head, his face filled with disbelief, as if he were still sleepwalking.
"Me too! Me too! I really don't know what Mr. Su saw in me!
Anyway, from now on, my life belongs to Mr. Su!
I'll go through fire and water without flinching!"
A spirited young man patted his chest, offering his pledge of allegiance.
It was clear that these "lucky ones" were as excited as if they'd been injected with adrenaline, shouting and incredibly thrilled.
Especially most of them, who had never even imagined being chosen by this "god-like" department!
So, after the initial surprise and disbelief, the gazes they cast towards their future boss, Su Hao, held a newfound fervor and unwavering loyalty—a loyalty so strong it seemed to say, "A scholar would die for one who understands him!"
"Is everyone here?"
Su Hao appeared at the doorway, a professional, warm smile on his face, and surveyed the room:
"Find your workstations and sit down. The equipment should be similar to what you've been using before, just a few new gadgets. There shouldn't be any problems operating them."
"Uh… Mr. Su!" a sharp-eyed employee raised his hand, asking with some confusion,
"It seems like ten people are still missing?"
"Oh, them,"
Su Hao waved his hand casually, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, revealing a set of white teeth,
"They'll be starting work tonight."
"Huh? Starting work tonight?" The group exchanged bewildered glances, utterly confused.
What kind of crazy move is this?
"Alright, time is tight and the task is heavy, so let's skip the formalities and pleasantries."
Su Hao clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back. His expression turned serious.
"Everyone, gather the data immediately and prepare for the meeting.
Today, we'll focus on the foreign exchange market. Compile and summarize all relevant information, data, news, and anything else related to your respective currencies. Oh, right, there's one more thing,"
Su Hao paused, his gaze sharp as he swept over the tense crowd, then dropped a bombshell:
"Starting today, the total amount of funds our department will be handling is—five billion!"
"!!?"
The entire office fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop. Only the gasps of astonishment filled the air.
Five billion!
This was absolutely the largest single-department fund ever handled in Fanghuan Investment's history! Without a doubt!
Everyone's throat bobbed involuntarily, they swallowed hard, feeling their hearts pounding in their chests.
"Assemble in the conference room in thirty minutes!"
Su Hao gave them no time to process the shock, issuing the order directly. He turned and walked into his private office.
"Yes, Mr. Su!"
The crowd snapped out of their daze, responding with a roar of approval, filled with a strange mix of excitement and tension!
Then, they frantically began preparations.