[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-the-cleanup-crew":3,"chapter-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-37":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm the Cleanup Crew!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2285873,4472,"Chapter 37","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-37",37,"\u003Cp>37 Negotiation? The Cleaver! (Part 1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the black goat’s scream, Li Ang involuntarily froze for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only just learned about the “Demon Gear” before setting out, and now less than three hours had passed—could it be that he’d already found the whereabouts of one of the “offal” pieces? Was his luck really this good?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the black goat’s frantic urging, Li Ang narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and did not rush into the room; instead, he turned to glance at the sign on the door, then called out to the security manager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now, as I passed by that meeting room behind, I thought I heard someone talking about the public water pipes—who’s inside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s Meeting Room Two. As for who’s inside… let me check.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his psychological defenses had been breached, the security manager showed no hesitation in selling out his company—he pulled out the visitor schedule from his chest and flipped through it rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Found it… representatives from the Road Administration Department’s River Bureau, the Agriculture Department’s Water Conservancy Bureau, Char Department Store, plus senior noble families: Lionheart Lane, Shield York, Rose Ma Sai Ni.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the schedule sent to me, they’ve occupied that room for nearly three days—they’re probably… probably negotiating compensation matters…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? So it really is related to the water pipes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ang had merely invented an excuse to extract information about the offal—his claim of hearing talk about water pipes was pure fabrication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, by sheer accident, he’d hit the mark: the people in that meeting room were indeed connected to the public water pipe incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After marveling at his own luck, Li Ang pointed to the meeting room behind him, then slightly curled his lips into a knowing smile directed at the security manager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… this I really can’t do…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Ang’s expression, the security manager shuddered, then pleaded with a grimace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just a junior manager in security! Helping you browse the archives is the limit of what I can do—I can’t possibly get inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The people in that meeting aren’t even within my reach. Someone like me doesn’t even have the right to view meeting records. You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax. I’m not asking you to sneak me in—I just want to point out a security vulnerability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Placing a hand lightly on the security manager’s shoulder, Li Ang softly reminded him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your company’s had a lot of trouble lately. Those savage mobs came harassing again today—you should be more alert.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For instance, right now: Road Administration, Agriculture Department, Char Department Store, senior noble families… so many important guests are in this meeting, yet there’s no security personnel on duty at the door?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the security manager’s expression shift to thoughtful realization, Li Ang requested:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your security department’s duty room should have spare uniforms. Get me one that fits my build… hmm… one guard might look odd. Bring another guard—someone quiet and reliable—to keep watch with me outside the meeting room, how about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Li Ang’s request, the security manager’s breath caught. Instinctively, he wanted to minimize contact with anyone who might expose him—he gritted his teeth and volunteered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I stay here with you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no, no—you’re the security manager. How could you possibly stand guard yourself? Besides, you have more important tasks ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rejecting the manager’s offer outright, Li Ang spoke calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“While I’m on duty here, go to the archives and retrieve the relevant files. If you can’t remove them, copy the key sections and leave them on your desk. I’ll pick them up after my shift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… to avoid confusion over what I take…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Put them under the family photo on your desk. Oh, and judging by the badge on the uniform in the photo, your wife is a teacher at the Victor District Elementary School? If I’m not mistaken, your daughter attends there too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the security manager’s eyes widened in sudden terror, Li Ang withdrew his hand, smiled warmly, and looked at him with encouraging eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How wonderful—your daughter is so lively and adorable, your wife is gentle and beautiful, and you’re a mid-level executive at a major company. Your life is already more fulfilling than ninety percent of people in the royal capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So promise me—you must be a good husband, and an even better father. Don’t let them down, all right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry, but I cannot agree to that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reviewing the seventh revision of the compensation proposal, the middle-aged man with golden hair shook his head, his expression calm as he declined:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the beginning of the funding and expansion of the municipal water pipes, our Lane family has invested heavily in every round. The dividends over the past two years barely covered our costs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we accept this compensation plan, not only will this year’s dividends be forfeited—we’d even have to return last year’s. The Lane family will not accept this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The York family also objects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ma Sai Ni family opposes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three of the six directors have refused. It seems there’s no need to proceed with this round of voting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After observing the expressions in the room, the meeting chairperson shook his head and addressed the middle-aged woman on his left, whose face was dark with anger:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Madam Char, though you contributed the most during the water company’s establishment, I still advise you to revise your proposal. The naive solution you desire will never pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Revise… how else can this be revised?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether worn down by days of endless negotiation or enraged by the subtle sarcasm in the chairperson’s words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though fine lines had begun to form at her eyes, the middle-aged woman remained strikingly beautiful. She rose abruptly, meeting the cold stares of the others with furrowed brows and a sharp voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We took only thirty percent of the dividends, yet now we’re expected to pay fifty percent in compensation! What more do you want? Should Char Department Store bear it all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Madam Char, please remain calm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the woman had vented her anger, the middle-aged man from the Lane family tapped his knuckles lightly on the table, his tone indifferent:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We never said Char Department Store should bear it all—we merely object to the method of compensation. Rather than locating each so-called victim and paying them individually, we prefer a more ‘flexible’ solution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example: spin off the energy, irrigation, and sewage operations—five other divisions besides water supply—into a new company. Let Char Water Power Company pay out all the compensation, then shut down immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the woman across from him, eyes blazing with shock and fury, the middle-aged man leaned back into his sofa, his demeanor serene as he added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the problem lies solely in the water supply division, compensation should be limited to the profits generated by that division alone. There’s no need to drag in the rest of the water power company. Personally, I believe this is a reasonable outcome. What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1161,"2026-06-20T03:18:28.556Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1e8ece1cbc7b23bf9bfc337acee3c70705ca8490b897a48ee1d7ca5786d16412","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-38","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-36",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-the-cleanup-crew-cover.jpg"]