Chapter 125: Illusion Fabrication (3/10)

"How are preparations for the company coming along?"

Fan Xiang nodded happily at Zhu Lan's words. "Boss, the recruitment process for the company is almost complete. I have already invited many actors; invitations have been sent to several big-name stars. Although there hasn't been a response yet, I am confident they will be interested."

Zhu Lan nodded. Fan Xiang’s decade of experience had earned him a vast network of connections. It was no exaggeration to say that there was no one in the Chinese entertainment industry whom Fan Xiang couldn't reach. The stars he had nurtured possessed extensive influence in both film and television, which was precisely why Zhu Lan valued him so highly.

Regarding Fantasy Film and Television, Zhu Lan not only gave Fan Xiang sufficient room for development but also promised an annual budget of one billion for its growth. Fan Xiang was given full autonomy over what to produce, with the sole condition that he not produce "trash" films. The influx of low-quality movies over the past few years had disgusted many, and what was even more infuriating was that these films, with their cheap special effects, actually turned huge profits, prompting many new directors and even non-directors to jump on the bandwagon.

While Zhu Lan was wealthy, his reputation was the one thing he could not tolerate being tarnished.

Years ago, Fan Xiang had transitioned away from television, serving as an assistant director or screenwriter for several films. The major projects he had overseen over the past few years had been massive hits. Since taking over Fantasy Film and Television, he had begun recruiting familiar associates, and within just a few days, the company's framework was already established.

Though Zhu Lan hadn't spoken of it, Red Queen had already uncovered that a few individuals had questionable backgrounds—not necessarily harboring ulterior motives, but having "sticky fingers." With the company currently in a growth phase, Zhu Lan chose not to alert Fan Xiang just yet. He would wait until after the New Year when the Fantasy Group was formally established. At that time, all departments under the group would undergo restructuring, and the fourth wave of recruitment would begin.

"Although you just joined the company, I assume you've heard about the planned reorganization?"

Fan Xiang didn't quite understand why Zhu Lan brought this up, but he nodded nonetheless. He had been with the company for less than a week and this was his first time attending a company meeting. For the most part, his team had been working out of the reception building outside the main Fantasy Technology complex, as Fantasy Film and Television had been established so hastily that no office space had been allocated for them yet. They had to make do in the reception building before a unified arrangement could be made after the New Year.

"There are many issues within the company, and some people have their own problems. These will all be cleared out after the New Year," Zhu Lan said coolly. Fan Xiang’s expression grew serious. He was no fool; having navigated various companies for years, he understood the subtext. Zhu Lan was essentially warning him that some of the people he had hired were problematic and would be purged, thereby heading off any potential misunderstandings.

Fan Xiang nodded. "I understand, Boss."

"Good. Many departments have developed issues, and the company has no need for anyone with sticky fingers. Now, you may go. Have you arranged personnel for Michael?"

"I've already assigned a few professionals. They have experience collaborating with Hollywood, so they won't disturb Director Michael's workflow. Because of the script, Director Michael rarely leaves his hotel; he’s been buried in the screenplay."

"Understood."

Seeing this, Fan Xiang stood up. "Boss, I'll take my leave now."

Zhu Lan hadn't paid close attention to the company for a while, and some individuals had clearly begun to overstep their bounds.

At the East Gate of Fantasy Technology—the logistics gate through which all products were shipped—Zhu Lan had collaborated with the Laicheng government to build a road connecting directly to the Laicheng ring expressway, which in turn provided access to the provincial island-loop expressway and the Laicheng port area. Because the construction was carried out by a military engineering corps, the road, which was only a few kilometers long and passed through sparsely populated areas, took less than two months to clear and pave.

The production plant and warehouse for the genetic optimization serum were located there. However, further to the east, a new facility had been added: the Fantasy Manufacturing Plant. It was originally intended for producing model robots, but due to military restrictions, it had been abandoned. Zhu Lan had not halted construction but instead repurposed it into a model manufacturing plant.

"Boss? You're here?"

"Miranda, can you please put that away?" Zhu Lan sighed helplessly as he looked at Miranda Wilhelmina.

Miranda Wilhelmina, the head of Fantasy Manufacturing, was a Dutch national. She had graduated from Harvard College and joined General Motors, later becoming a General Dynamics engineer. Following a data leak incident, she was taken in by the FBI and subsequently deported. After returning to her country, her background made it impossible for her to find employment at many firms. Fantasy Technology had reached out to her with a job offer, and she had been unable to refuse, eventually boarding a plane to China. She was one of the successes of Kong Yan’s talent recruitment program.

Miranda was a genius, but geniuses are often targets of jealousy—a universal truth in both China and the United States. The leak incident at General Dynamics had nothing to do with her; she was merely a scapegoat in the corporate rivalry between General Dynamics and Boeing. Fortunately for Zhu Lan, that tragedy gave him his opportunity. Her background was not widely known, so there was no concern about her presence causing friction.

"Boss..." Miranda rolled her eyes at Zhu Lan.

"Alright, how is the equipment installation going?"

Since Fantasy Manufacturing was no longer producing robots, the equipment had been reinstalled to house a large-scale 3D model manufacturing machine. To avoid causing too much alarm, Zhu Lan had restricted them to printing individual components rather than full units.

The Fantasy District had expanded several times over, and many residents in the northern suburbs had taken their relocation compensation and moved away. A dozen buildings were currently under construction to the south, which would become the "Happiness Residential Community"—the true main entrance of Fantasy Technology. The East Gate was for logistics, there was no West Gate, and the North Gate led into the mountains, where the Azure Base was located.

After the New Year, most administrative offices, including those for Fantasy Film and Television, would move to the west, where five buildings were already being renovated for occupancy. The east was the manufacturing zone, the south was the residential zone, the west was the office zone, and the north was the research zone. The four areas were now clearly delineated, awaiting the formal establishment of the Fantasy Group after the New Year.

"Boss, the equipment is installed, and we are currently calibrating it."

"Are there any issues?"

Miranda shook her head. "No problems. The equipment is state-of-the-art, and the workers are top-tier engineers. Everything is fine. According to the plan, we will be ready for production in two months."

Zhu Lan nodded in satisfaction. The proportion of foreign talent in Fantasy Manufacturing was very high. In the field of military industry, it was impossible to find such specialists domestically. While he could find plenty of mechanical engineers, experts in the military sector were scarce, and even if he found them, he wouldn't dare recruit them easily. He had no choice but to hire from abroad.

There were over thirty employees from Ukraine alone, twenty-six of whom were tank engineers. While not top-tier experts, they had a deep understanding of Soviet-style tanks. There were several from General Dynamics—Miranda being one—and a few junior engineers from Martin Marietta. Although they couldn't build highly advanced aircraft, they were capable of working on third-generation fighters (by Western standards). Zhu Lan had also recruited many from French, German, and British arms companies. While not senior experts, they were still military-industrial talents. Even though they couldn't access the company's core secrets, they were valuable additions, and Zhu Lan couldn't ask for more.

At the Azure Shipyard, there were several Russian naval experts, and Zhu Lan had also managed to invite a few professors from world-renowned naval architecture institutes. Their expertise was needed for the battleship project.

"Good. Overall, everything is proceeding according to plan."

"Yes, Boss. You know how we Westerners love to stick to our schedules. As long as there are no accidents, the plan will proceed smoothly. There won't be any issues with production."

"If you have any problems with the equipment, don't hesitate to speak up. I will do my best to help you solve them."

"Oh, Boss, if I have an issue, I certainly won't be as subtle as you Chinese people."

Zhu Lan gave a bitter smile. "Alright, I'm heading out. Come find me if anything comes up."

"Boss, you aren't going to take a look at the equipment installation?"

Zhu Lan shook his head. "No need. I trust you, don't I, Dr. Miranda Wilhelmina?"

Miranda was taken aback, then smiled. "Boss, I find myself liking you more and more."

Zhu Lan chuckled helplessly. "I'm leaving now!"

Miranda was only twenty-seven years old. She had once had a boyfriend, a design engineer at Boeing. The result was predictable: someone had exploited that relationship. Corporate competition in the United States was brutal; one might be working away, only for someone to suggest that a friend had stolen state secrets. That was exactly what happened to Miranda. She had been completely unaware, her fingerprints simply used to gain access to restricted areas. She had been heartbroken, but she recovered quickly and sought new work. The tragedy was that, due to the blacklist from General Dynamics, she couldn't find a job anywhere. To escape that ban, she had to go to a "Red" country. Since Russia was out of the question, only China remained.