Ayu and the retired employee rushed frantically into the narrow back alley, which was filled with clutter and dimly lit. They could only run desperately in this chaotic environment. Ayu's heart was pounding like thunder in her ears, and she felt her legs were going weak, but she couldn't care less at the moment. She could only grit her teeth and keep running forward.

The retired employee, being of advanced age, became breathless after running for a while, and his pace gradually slowed down. Seeing that the men in black were about to catch up, the retired employee shouted, "Girl, run! Don't worry about me!" With that, he turned and rushed towards the men in black, trying to slow them down and buy Ayu more time to escape.

Ayu's eyes welled up with tears, but she knew now was not the time to hesitate. With tears in her eyes, she ran towards the other end of the alley, praying in her heart that the retired employees would be safe and sound.

She weaved through the intricate alleyways, finally shaking off the men in black behind her, but she was exhausted and collapsed in a corner, panting heavily. At that moment, her heart was filled with guilt and worry, but it also strengthened her resolve to find out the truth and seek justice for the retired employees.

Chapter Six: A Difficult Choice

Hiding in a corner, Ayu's mind raced. She knew she was now completely caught in this dangerous vortex, and there was no way to escape. But continuing the investigation would undoubtedly lead to more dangers, and might even implicate those around her.

She recalled the hardships she had endured, the efforts she had made in searching for clues about her origins, and the danger the retired employee had put in to help her. Her heart was torn with anguish. If she gave up now, everything she had done would have been in vain, the forces that had threatened her would go unpunished, and she would never know who she truly was. But if she continued, she didn't know how many more dangerous situations like today she would encounter, or whether she could escape unscathed each time.

Ayu stayed in the corner for a long time, until it gradually got dark, before she slowly stood up. She dusted herself off, her eyes rekindling with fighting spirit. She decided that she would continue investigating no matter what, even if there was only a sliver of hope, she would dig out the truth.

Chapter Seven: New Clues

Ayu began searching for new clues from various angles. She recalled the fact that retired employees had mentioned several factions involved in the power struggle back then, so she inquired about those people through various channels. She went to the library to look up old business newspapers and magazines, searched for relevant clues online, and even secretly visited the homes of some former employees of Ruifeng Group who had now retired.

Persistence pays off. During a visit to an old accountant, Ayu obtained an important clue. The old accountant recalled that during the most intense period of the power struggle, a mysterious foreign businessman frequently entered and exited the group, making contact with several factions. Moreover, it was said that this businessman seemed to possess some crucial incriminating evidence and was very likely the mastermind behind the leak of secrets and Ayu's disappearance.

Ayu hurriedly pressed for details about the mysterious businessman's characteristics. The old accountant thought for a moment and said, "That man always wears a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and speaks with a slight accent from another region. I can't quite remember exactly where the accent is, but he always wears a very elegant gray suit whenever he appears."

After receiving this clue, Ayu felt a glimmer of hope. She began to look for people with these characteristics in various business settings and also asked some of her business friends to help her keep an eye out.

Chapter 8: A Suspicious Figure

At a business cocktail party, Ayu was wearily observing everyone from a corner when suddenly a man in a gray suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and speaking with a slight regional accent came into her view. Ayu's heart skipped a beat; she felt she might have found the key person.

She approached the man discreetly, wanting to eavesdrop on his conversation with others and see if she could find any flaws. But just as she was about to get close, the man seemed to sense something, suddenly turned to look at Ayu, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes, then hurriedly said goodbye to the people around him and headed towards the exit of the party.

Ayu wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by, so she quickly followed. The man left the party and got into a black sedan. Ayu hurriedly hailed a taxi and told the driver to follow the car. The sedan wound its way through the city, finally entering an upscale villa area. Ayu had the taxi stop outside the villa area, got out, and quietly walked inside.

Chapter Nine: The Secrets of the Villa District

Ayu carefully navigated the villa area, trying to avoid the patrolling security guards. Following the direction of the car she had seen earlier, she finally spotted it parked in front of a luxurious villa. The villa was brightly lit, and she could faintly hear voices coming from inside.

Ayu quietly approached the villa, hiding behind a bush and listening intently to what was happening inside. She heard the suspicious man's voice say, "That matter happened so many years ago, I thought no one would pursue it anymore, but I didn't expect someone to be investigating it recently. We'd better be careful."

Another voice responded in a low voice: "Hmph, no matter who is investigating, we can't let them find out the truth. We went through a lot of trouble to get rid of that girl back then, we can't let it all go to waste."

Hearing this, Ayu trembled with rage. She was finally certain that this man was one of the culprits who had caused her disappearance and shrouded her past in mystery. She took out her phone, intending to secretly take pictures of the villa's location and the man's image as evidence.

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