"But…" Jason also heard Clement's polite refusal, but he was still a little unwilling. Perhaps Clement's gentle attitude gave him the motivation to try again.
"Lord Clement, I understand your difficulties. I don't expect to create something out of nothing. It's indeed very difficult to equip the Maintenance Team with such powerful gear in a short time."
"But… don't we have some readily available?" Jason couldn't help but pause here, mulling it over. "Actually, many people can see that the risks the Maintenance Team usually has to bear are higher than those of the Patrol Team…"
"Enough!"
Clement immediately interrupted Jason. How could he not understand what the other party meant? He was hoping to reallocate the Tactical Vests assigned to the Patrol Team to the Maintenance Team. However, the Patrol Team was responsible for the safety of the entire base. He knew very well that the park's Patrol Team was mostly just for show. They hadn't encountered trouble many times over the years; at most, they dealt with Muggles who trespassed without reason. Otherwise, he wouldn't have placed his nephew in the Patrol Team.
But he also understood the Patrol Team's significance. They were the basic security of the breeding base, like matches in winter or reserved water in the desert. So, even if they were never needed, they absolutely couldn't be without them. He was clear about this point. Especially at this point in time, Clement knew all too well how much the club's bigwigs valued the breeding base; they made their living by smuggling magical creatures. At the same time, those individuals were a group of ruthless people who wouldn't bat an eye at killing, so there could absolutely be no thought of slacking off. For this, Clement even held meetings with the Patrol Team members periodically to prevent them from learning to slack off out of boredom.
Therefore, Clement's expression suddenly changed, instantly turning from amiable to stern and sharp. At the same time, he glared fiercely at Jason. It was clearly a warning to the other party that this was an absolute bottom line, and the Patrol Team's equipment could absolutely not be reduced.
"I-I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean that…" After being glared at by Clement, Jason knew he had said the wrong thing and sat there nervously, his hands rubbing together frequently due to tension.
"Sigh…" Seeing Jason's current state, Clement couldn't bring himself to be angry and merely reminded him softly:
"Jason, the Patrol Team ensures the safety of everyone in the park. The organization we belong to is a well-known large company on an international level, and they themselves have many enemies. Not to mention that we have so many precious magical creatures here, which can easily attract the covetousness of criminals. And we are actually very close to Muggle cities; if we accidentally expose ourselves to Muggle sight, it would violate the Statute of Secrecy!"
"So, while the Patrol Team may seem less strenuous and dangerous than the Maintenance Team, the responsibilities they bear are crucial!"
Clement earnestly advised Jason. Jason, at this point, could only nod helplessly to Clement, not knowing how much he actually took in. After all, Clement had given them this speech many times, and the more it was said, the higher everyone's immunity became; some old hands in the park could even recite it backward. This was like the common lectures from bosses and teachers in companies or schools. Perhaps in their eyes, they were sharing valuable life experiences and wisdom, but in the eyes of employees and students, it was no different from nonsense.
The key here was asymmetric information and differing perspectives. These employees cared about whether their income and effort were balanced, and whether the boss was playing favorites. Clearly, in the eyes of the Maintenance Team members, Clement was somewhat biased, and even the usually honest Jason had such a thought at this moment.
And Clement, being an old fox, could see this clearly and knew that Jason hadn't taken much of his advice to heart. However, Clement was also quite helpless. He couldn't directly tell the other party that they were actually working for a group of international smugglers, that this was a job that could land them in jail at any time, and that the Patrol Team was actually guarding against the Ministry of Magic, could he? It was important to know that the most crucial quality for a Patrol Team member in the park was not strength, but loyalty. Only those who could be completely trusted and who understood their position could bear such a heavy responsibility.
Otherwise, the best way to handle this conflict would actually be to rotate shifts, giving everyone a chance to do Patrol Team work. But Clement knew this was impossible. Some secrets could never be told to the ordinary wizards in the park.
However, considering that the Maintenance Team now knew the secret of the Tactical Vest, Jason needed to bring back some good news, otherwise the conflict between the Patrol Team and the Maintenance Team would intensify, which would not be conducive to the park's future management. So Clement immediately put on a considerate expression.
"Alright, Jason, I can understand your difficulties. Dealing with those magical creatures every day, that constant feeling of tension is indeed very unpleasant."
"However, the Patrol Team also has their responsibilities. I can't transfer all their resources to you, but perhaps I can think of other ways for you. Give me some time, and I'll see if I can apply for more Tactical Vests or other alternatives from higher-ups."
What Clement said to Jason at this moment was no different from an empty promise, just like what Jason had promised his team members that morning. However, most people, when faced with ambiguous answers, tend to lean toward the information that is more favorable to them. Just like now, Jason immediately beamed with joy after hearing Clement's words, as if he had already seen the boss fulfilling his promise.
"Thank you! Thank you, Lord Clement, I knew you were a great person who cared for your subordinates. I apologize for bothering you at this time." Jason excitedly stood up, constantly flattering Clement. After all, with Clement's words, he could at least give an explanation to his colleagues when he returned.
"Alright, alright, thank me when I have concrete news." Clement replied with a strained smile, then pretended to look out the window. "It's getting late now. Go back and rest early. You have to get up early for work tomorrow. Give my regards to the injured team members."
At this point, Clement specifically walked to the liquor cabinet, pulled out an unopened bottle of Rainbow Brandy, and said, "Here, take this bottle of wine back and share it with your team members. This is a good product from Dino Magic Winery; ordinary people can't buy it."
"Thank you, thank you, sir. I'm very sorry for taking up your time." Jason shyly accepted the wine from Clement's hand, still thanking him profusely, while backing toward the door.
"Hmm, oh, and when you go downstairs, ask Gail to come up for a moment." Clement watched the other party leave with a gentle expression, as if looking at a close junior.
However, as soon as Jason left the room, Clement's expression immediately reverted to coldness, and a hint of gloom could even be seen in his eyes. He didn't have to wait long before Ms. Gail, the doorkeeper downstairs, entered the office. She didn't even knock, which showed that she must have been highly trusted by Clement.
"Sir, you called me?" Gail asked softly, then noticed Clement's less-than-pleasant mood. "What's wrong? Did that Jason bring you bad news? I remember him usually being quite well-behaved."
"Hmph! It's that idiot Matthew again!" Clement raised his glass, about to take a sip, but then annoyedly slammed the glass down.
"Matthew? You mean your nephew? How did he upset you again?" Gail calmly took out a handkerchief, wiped the wine-stained desk dry, and asked casually.
"That fool is a sieve; he just blabbed everything about the Tactical Vest." Clement angrily snatched Gail's handkerchief and haphazardly wiped the wine stains from his hand.
"So that's it. So Jason came on behalf of the Maintenance Team members, then. That makes sense; they seemed to have an accident this morning while dealing with a dragon, and several Maintenance Team members were injured."
Gail's mind was very sharp, and she quickly pieced together the entire situation. Then she actually teased, "I suggested to you before not to let Matthew join the Patrol Team; the people there know too many secrets."
Clement couldn't help but roll his eyes at Gail. The reason he placed Matthew in the Patrol Team was precisely because it was safer there. Was he supposed to send him to the Maintenance Team? If that idiot got hurt by those magical creatures, his mother would nag him to death. However, thinking of this, Clement shook his head helplessly again. Even he instinctively thought the Patrol Team was safer than the Maintenance Team, no wonder the Maintenance Team members had such strong opinions.
"How do you plan to handle this? The news about the Tactical Vest must have spread throughout the Maintenance Team by now. Do you need to hold a separate meeting for the Maintenance Team leaders? And Matthew, if he stays in the Patrol Team, he might spread even more gossip he hears. Should he be reassigned?"
As Clement's personal secretary, Gail not only knew many secrets but also possessed outstanding abilities, quickly offering advice to her boss.
"No need for a meeting. I just appeased Jason and told him I would try my best to secure some protective gear for them. As for Matthew, transfer that fool to outdoor patrol. Let him face a dog every day; I'd like to see what gossip he can dig up then." Clement said irritably.