Evening, around five o'clock, Xu Jinbo drove to the group headquarters. In the phone, he instructed the security department: "Don't have any friction with them. Whether they're holding banners or shouting slogans, just ignore them. Just maintain order on the scene!"

"There are too many of them, they're blocking the entire lobby...!"

"You listen to me. Even if they shit in your mouth, you can't fight back, and you can't do anything rash," Xu Jinbo said through gritted teeth. "Once you do, it's completely over."

"Okay, I understand, President Xu!"

"That's it!"

After saying that, Xu Jinbo dialed the number of the director of the Victory District Public Security Bureau in the car, "Hey, Heming!"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Have you received a report from your side?" Xu Jinbo asked.

"Yes, we have."

"Oh, we need your help with this. More than a hundred people from those two associations have come. We can't handle it," Xu Jinbo said softly.

"The Public Security Bureau has already sent people over," the director replied.

"Great, great, thank you for your trouble!"

After saying that, the two ended the call. Xu Jinbo cursed with a gloomy expression, "Damn it, they're playing Chencang behind my back!" (referring to a military tactic of deception).

...

Baolong Group headquarters.

Zhang Taotao, the group's vice president, was called out of a small conference room. Her hair was styled in a bun, and her face was exquisitely beautiful. "What's wrong?"

"The Tongji Association and Changqing Company have brought over a hundred people and blocked the downstairs lobby," a senior executive said in a low voice. "They want to make a big deal out of it."

Zhang Taotao frowned slightly, "Let the security department find social connections to resolve it!"

"Xu Jinbo has already returned, but I doubt he can negotiate a settlement. He listened to General Manager Miao and is only prepared to offer a maximum of 400,000 in compensation," the executive said in a low voice. "This is clearly not meeting the association's expectations."

Zhang Taotao thought carefully for a long time, "This is General Manager Miao's decision, and we shouldn't express our opinions. Let them handle it themselves."

"Do you want to tell the president...!"

"If I tell the president, wouldn't that be tattling and creating conflict?" Zhang Taotao replied with a light smile, "You don't know how many people in the group want to make that call. I won't take credit for it."

"That's true!"

"Work normally, ignore it!" Zhang Taotao said, throwing down the sentence and turning to leave.

...

Downstairs.

The security members of the Baolong Group had formed a line to block the entrances of each corridor to ensure the normal operation of the work area.

In the lobby, the people from the two major associations in Zhanan District were not acting like hooligans, nor were they rolling around on the ground. They were just holding up a dozen huge banners, shouting for compensation.

Su Tiannan stood expressionlessly in the corner, holding a walkie-talkie and asked, "Have the Public Security Bureau's cars come out yet?"

"Yes, there are more than a dozen cars!"

"Same as before, don't panic when the Public Security Bureau arrives, but don't cause trouble either. I'll handle everything," Su Tiannan replied.

"Understood!"

The two ended the call, and Su Tiannan walked to Er Mao's side and asked softly, "What's the attitude of the new president of your Changqing Trade Union?"

"Brother Feng called him. At first, the president didn't want us to cause trouble together, but Brother Feng put him in the position of the union's spiritual leader... and he couldn't get off the stage," Er Mao replied with a light smile. "Workers are always right, so the president can only support it. That's political correctness!"

Su Tiannan nodded, "Your Brother Feng has completely understood Buddhism."

"I admire my Brother Feng the most. Whenever something happens, he goes to jail. When it's over, he comes out. That's accurate!" Er Mao also expressed his admiration.

...

Upstairs.

After Zhang Taotao finished a meeting with her subordinates, she returned to the office with a coffee cup.

"President Zhang, there are signs that the mine accident is causing a public opinion storm," the secretary walked over and said softly.

"Really?"

"Yes, take a look at this news." The secretary placed her laptop on the desk.

Zhang Taotao bent down and sat down, picking up a piece of pastry from the table and eating it while browsing the news.

Seven or eight online media platforms were all pushing the latest news about the mine accident.

《The deceased miners' bones are still cold, and the miners' families have no way to appeal!》

《Why was the compensation of 980,000 reduced to 350,000?》

《The current living conditions of the miners' families, where is the warmth of humanity after the disaster?》

"...!"

A series of news pushes quickly caused a small-scale fermentation on the online media platforms.

Zhang Taotao frowned as she looked at the computer screen, and said softly to the secretary, "This copywriting is very targeted! It doesn't mention our Baolong Group much, but it portrays us as cannibals."

"President Zhang, are you saying Yang Decheng...!"

"General Manager Miao has the final say on the mining industry. He will have a way to solve the public opinion, right?" Zhang Taotao replied lightly, closing the laptop directly, "Yu Mingyuan, Su Tianyu... these two are quite smart."

...

In the city.

Miao Ziwei sat in the car and said with a sneer, "They really don't know what's good for them! Playing public opinion control with capital, how ignorant!"

"Look at this...!"

"The more they cause trouble, the less money I'll give them," Miao Ziwei replied immediately. "Notify the group's public relations department to quickly reduce the public sentiment! When necessary, we can call the regulatory authorities! Before twelve o'clock tonight, I want to see the backlash of public opinion!"

"Understood!"

...

An hour later.

All the online media platforms that had reprinted the mine accident news suddenly fell silent and deleted the posts collectively. The speed of cleaning up was astonishing. In some search engines, even the words "mine accident" were blocked.

Half an hour later.

The public relations department of Baolong Group quickly sorted out the information about Lu Feng shooting the mining security personnel, and completed a video interview with the security chief in an extremely short period of time.

Late at night, Baolong Group's press release directly reached more than 60% of the self-media, official media, online media and other platforms in Dragon City.

《Explosion! Major reversal! When Baolong Mining was negotiating compensation with the Tongji Association and Changqing Company, Lu Feng, the manager of a branch of Changqing Company, actually injured people with a gun, crippling innocent security personnel.》

《The security personnel are currently hospitalized, and the Lu Feng case is under investigation!》

《Changqing Company and Tongji Association have been suspected of participating in illegal activities many times. Are they trade union organizations or criminal gangs?》

With the power of capital, public opinion reversed almost instantly. No one mentioned that Lu Feng was held at gunpoint, only that he seized the gun and injured innocent security personnel.

At the back door of Baolong Group, Miao Ziwei got out of the car, looking at the news on his phone while walking quickly, "More than a hundred people is an illegal gathering! Let the Victory District Public Security Bureau quickly identify who is the leader of the trouble, I'll detain dozens of them in a row, and see who dares to cause trouble!"

...

Inside the Tongji Association headquarters.

Zhou Tonghui looked at Su Tianyu and said, "Baolong Group is too fast at whitewashing. Should I find some friends from District One to ferment this news on the outside?"

Su Tianyu waved his hand, "It's useless, external news definitely won't be able to enter Dragon City, and doing so will have an impact on the image of the municipal government. We can't be stupid and offend everyone."

"Then what should we do?!"

"Don't panic!" Su Tianyu said softly, "This is just the beginning!"