Li Wen Jie slammed the Vision Debate announcement onto his desk, his eyes burning with resentment as he glared at Ming Zhi. "My father is clearly trying to clear a path for that bastard Gawin to leapfrog over Zhang Wei. He set up this ridiculous 'debate' just to showcase how brilliant his little golden boy is."

  Ming Zhi adjusted his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses remaining chillingly calm. "Do not be troubled, Master. Since we cannot alter the Chairman’s decree, we shall simply transform this 'visionary stage' into an execution ground. I have already prepared a special gift to welcome Mr. Gawin."

  "What kind of gift?" Wen Jie raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

  Ming Zhi offered a foxy, sinister smile and handed a thick dossier to his master. "I intend to deploy this at the exact moment the Chairman is about to grant project approval to Gawin."

  Wen Jie took the file and flipped through the pages. As he absorbed the contents, a slow, predatory smirk spread across his face.

  "You truly are a demon, aren't you?" Wen Jie said in a low tone, unable to hide his perverse satisfaction. "Gawin is going to meet his end in front of everyone..." He tossed the file back onto the desk.

  "Indeed, Master," Ming Zhi looked up with a cold gaze. "Gawin’s 'Valley Project' will look like nothing more than the work of a naive child who knows nothing of the world. Just wait for the highlight of the show."

  Wen Jie traced the cover of the report lightly, as if stroking the throat of a prey. "Let him play the 'Idealist' all he wants... I will be the one to rip off his mask and expose his fatal flaws. I want to see if he can still smile when he’s cornered like a rat."

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Ming Zhi bowed in acknowledgment. "Understood, sir."

  Tum spotted a shimmering black aura so intense that he couldn't help but follow it out of curiosity. He discovered the source was a tall man in his fifties, whom employees bowed to as he passed, greeting him with, "Good morning, Director Chen." So, this is the one, Tum thought, stealthily trailing him down a long, deserted corridor. The sound of footsteps echoed in the silence, forcing Tum to hold his breath to avoid detection. However, at a sharp turn, he had to stop dead in his tracks as Fan Ming Zhi stepped out to intercept Director Chen.

  "Greetings, sir," Director Chen said, bowing his head respectfully. Tum quickly ducked behind a wall on the opposite side. "Any news from Yong Chang?"

  "Yes. Yong Chang is attempting to meet that logistics tycoon again," Director Chen reported with a tone of mild contempt. "After Gawin reported that company to the Chairman... it seems they’ve become defiant. It’s making it difficult for Yong Chang to negotiate as before."

  "Of course..." Ming Zhi sneered coldly. "Now that the power of negotiation has been handed to CEO Gawin on a silver platter, who would want to talk to a washed-up has-been?" His low chuckle was laced with mockery.

  "What do you want Yong Chang to do next, sir?" Director Chen probed.

  "Tell him to keep his mouth shut. Stay as quiet as possible. And most importantly... tell him to stop being so 'greedy' for now," Ming Zhi lowered his voice with a threatening undertone. "Don't let his gluttony attract the Chairman's attention, or I will cut him loose myself."

  "Understood, sir... I will warn him strictly." Director Chen bowed before they both went their separate ways.

  Tum slowly peeked around the corner before turning to leave. But just as he cleared the bend of the building... his feet froze, nearly making him lose his balance.

  Ming Zhi stood there, just a few paces away. His sharp, deep-set eyes behind his lenses were locked onto Tum, unblinking. The secretary struggled to keep his expression neutral.

  "This is quite a long corridor... walking behind me for so long must have been exhausting." Ming Zhi’s voice was smooth, yet it cut deeper than a blade. Tum forced his heart to stay still, even as the blood in his veins turned to ice, having been caught red-handed.