Chapter 20: The Contract

Jiang Hui put forward two additional conditions, both of which were non-negotiable; otherwise, the talks would be considered a failure.

The first was a demand for the Heluos Group to investigate the cause of the smart system malfunction. She insisted on getting to the bottom of whether it was poor quality control in the system itself that led to the operational failure, or if defective individual components had created hidden dangers that triggered the subsequent disaster—she wanted no ambiguity.

If one must die, it should be with a clear understanding of why. One should not reach the afterlife without knowing the cause of their own death. While the original owner of this body could no longer seek answers, Jiang Hui was alive within it, and she felt compelled to secure this justice on her behalf. She further requested that once the truth was uncovered, the company must issue a public apology in the Consumer Weekly, which would at least provide some form of closure for the original owner.

The second condition was a demand that the Heluos Group recall the TM series products and conduct a comprehensive quality audit. It was well-known that this series had suffered multiple incidents; even before Jiang Hui’s accident, there had been three major reported cases, not to mention numerous minor accidents settled privately. This was no secret in the interstellar community. Even those outside the industry, like Kalai and Te Xujia, had heard of the product line—though only for its poor reputation.

If a product of this caliber had been produced by a smaller firm, it would have long since been under the scrutiny of the authorities. Yet, not only had they escaped warnings from relevant departments this year, but they had also launched several new product lines. It seemed their corporate maneuvering—and their "money power"—was highly effective.

Jiang Hui could be considered the primary victim of this product line, and in a way, its "gravedigger." Had her soul not crossed over from Blue Star to inhabit this body, the Heluos Group would likely have faced a massive scandal. Thus, both publicly and privately, Jiang Hui’s greatest hope was for them to launch an immediate investigation to prevent further tragedies. Such a high failure rate was absurd and could not be explained away as normal wear and tear.

Unexpectedly, Andy agreed to the second condition immediately, whereas he had to report the first one back to the group.

"Ms. Jiang, you are very thoughtful and truly a kind-hearted person. Before we found you, our group had already held review meetings. The board of directors has decided to cease production of the TM series and recall all units currently on the market to ensure such incidents never happen again. You need not worry about this. Our group has always operated with integrity, striving to provide all customers with superior products and services," Andy said, looking at the girl with a hint of admiration.

Jiang Hui: ...The advertisement at the end was really unnecessary.

She had no good impression of the Heluos Group. They had failed to investigate previous incidents properly, seemingly preferring to silence victims with money. Even if the victims accepted the hush money, the company’s refusal to address the root cause of the product failures was inexcusable. This recall was likely just a crisis management tactic—a desperate measure—rather than a genuine desire for reform.

To Jiang Hui, the Heluos Group appeared to be a typical profit-driven corporate entity that disregarded the consequences of its actions.

However, this negotiator, Andy, was an oddity. She looked at the person on the other side of the screen with a subtle expression. He had spoken earnestly, swearing that the group had already decided to discontinue the TM series, as if trying to dissuade her from making it a formal requirement. He even badmouthed his own company, suggesting that the board might block the deal if she insisted on too many conditions. Why was he so reluctant to include this specific demand? Was it truly for the reasons he stated?

Of course not. Andy was experiencing a pang of conscience; he didn't want to watch this young girl walk into a trap. Although he had only recently joined the company, he was well aware of its dark, ruthless nature.

The first condition Jiang Hui proposed was manageable; he had seen all sorts of demands during negotiations. He had even dealt with a victim who, instead of monetary compensation, requested he introduce her to several high-quality, eligible men. Compared to that, Jiang Hui’s requests were quite normal.

But the second condition... in Andy’s eyes, it wasn't a bad thing; in fact, it echoed a question he had long held in his own heart. As a fresh graduate, he still possessed a sense of idealism that hadn't been extinguished by the world. He detested the group's practices. The issues with the TM series had been brought to their attention countless times, yet management had ignored them, choosing to bury them with money until they could no longer be hidden.

Unfortunately, he had signed a three-year contract upon graduation, and quitting within the first year would damage his career. He had no choice but to push forward, though being pushed out as a "cannon fodder" negotiator had already prompted him to consider resigning.

He didn't want to see Jiang Hui fall into the trap. The group did intend to recall the products, but they were looking for a way to announce it without losing face. Jiang Hui’s status as a victim was a perfect, exploitable marketing opportunity—and heaven knows how the heartless marketing department would use this poor girl to their advantage. They might exploit her story, lead interstellar media to harass her life, and invite malicious speculation from bottom-feeding internet trolls. The mere thought was suffocating. That was why he couldn't let her bring it up.

He still wanted to persuade her to drop the idea.

The girl spoke again: "Thank you for informing me of your company's decision, but I cannot rest easy until the matter is finalized. Since we will be signing a contract anyway, we can include a non-disclosure agreement, and it wouldn't hurt to add this as a formal clause, especially since your group plans to do it regardless."

A contract? A non-disclosure agreement?

Were all unawakened people these days this sharp? She seemed to be reading his very thoughts. Andy felt like a fool for coming to this negotiation; he had been led by the nose from start to finish. He was truly afraid—the unawakened of today were terrifyingly formidable.