Chapter 258
The probe contains specialized synthetic compounds, so it’s incredibly durable. During a high-stakes crisis like this, we can deploy one to every single branch, though the quality control staff will need a crash course on how to use it p>
If they could spin it publicly, then they would blow the whole story wide open.
The perpetrators were so utterly unhinged that they had poisoned a public wholesale market. This was no longer just corporate sabotage against a restaurant.
This was an act of domestic terrorism—a catastrophic threat to public safety. A crime of this magnitude demanded that the police ruthlessly hunt down everyone involved and drag them to justice.
While the purchasing agents had been grossly negligent, the wholesale market’s internal security had completely failed as well.
Owen turned to his assistant. “Get the police on the line, and alert every major media outlet p>
Mira locked her predatory gaze on the three trembling agents. “Do you remember the face of the vendor who sold this to you p>
“Yes! We remember, and we have the digital transaction records right here p>
“You will cooperate fully with the police investigation later,” Mr. Ziegler ordered coldly.
“Boss… Mr. Ziegler… are we going to lose our jobs p>
They had fought so hard to land such high-paying positions.
Dealing with staff discipline fell under the branch manager’s jurisdiction. Mira and her inner circle remained completely silent.
The branch manager stepped forward. “According to strict company policy, you three should be terminated immediately p>
“Please, I’m begging you! My whole family relies on this paycheck! My wife just had a baby p>
“Me too! My parents are elderly and sick p>
“If I don’t penalize you for a mistake this colossal, how do I discipline anyone else when they screw up p>
“We’ll forfeit our entire base salary this month. Please, is that enough p>
The manager glanced back. Seeing Mira and the executives offer a subtle nod, he turned back to the men.
The manager said to the men, “Your negligence nearly triggered a catastrophe, but since this is your first offense, you are fined two months of your base pay.
Consider this a very painful lesson p>
The purchasing agents practically wept with gratitude. “Thank you, Boss! Thank you, Manager p>
Mira mentally applauded the branch manager. The man was a master of psychological leverage.
If he had immediately suggested docking their pay, the three men might have
harbored bitter resentment.
But compared to the sheer
devastation of being fired? A
financial penalty felt like a godsend. Even working for free for two months seemed entirely fair to them now especially since their performance bonuses hadn’t been touched.
Given how explosive the business was right now, their bonuses heavily eclipsed
their actual base salaries anyway.
Mira finally spoke. “Take this scare
to heart. From now on, you inspect
every single delivery with a
magnifying glass. The moment
anything looks or
Smells even
slightly off, you report it instantly.
Furthermore, lock down a roster of trusted, fixed suppliers, and ensure every single transaction leaves a bulletproof paper trail.
We have a brutal season ahead of us. Work hard, and your bonuses will reflect it p>
Having survived a crisis like this, these three were now hyper-vigilant. Retaining them was far more strategic than hiring green recruits who hadn’t learned the hard way.
Their eyes lit up with fierce loyalty. “Thank you! We won’t let you down p>
The supply chains for all the premium meats, soy products, and seafood were already strictly centralized.
But the produce market was chaotic, with dozens of varieties requiring daily restocks from transient vendors.
It didn’t take long for the Melvion City News crew to arrive, quickly followed by a swarm of journalists from competing outlets.
Once they gathered the horrifying details, they promised to break the story immediately.
This was a blockbuster scandal. The ratings were going to shatter records.
Mira made absolutely sure to emphasize on camera that every single ingredient entering Solflare Hearth & Grill underwent rigorous chemical screening.
She also released crystal-clear footage of their state-of-the-art kitchen protocols-showing the dynamic water purification systems and alkaline baths used to sanitize vegetables, as well as the airtight internal surveillance tracking every chef’s movements.
It acted as an aggressively brilliant PR campaign for the steakhouse.
As the journalists packed up, one of them joked, “You owe us a spectacular dinner
for this p>
“Thank you all for rushing over here. Our doors are always open to you,” Mira replied smoothly.
She handed out a stack of premium dining vouchers to the crew.
Because the restaurants were perpetually sold out, these vouchers were incredibly rare and highly coveted, reserved exclusively for powerful favors and elite internal rewards.
Once the police were briefed, they seized the security footage from Westgate Wholesale Market overnight and swiftly arrested the vendor involved.