Chapter 9
The moment the hands-free button was pressed, Zhou Liguang's voice, which was familiar to him, with just the right amount of anxiety and concern, slithered into the silent safe house like a slippery poisonous snake.
"Xiao Jing? Is that you? Thank God! I heard there was a big incident at the factory in the suburbs, and there was an explosion. The police have been dispatched! I can't contact you, I'm so worried! Are you with Mr. Qin? Are you okay?"
Each syllable struck precisely against the fragments of Gu Jing's remaining understanding of the past, producing a chilling, crisp sound. He stared at the buzzing phone, at the name on the screen, his stomach churning with nausea, his face pale. His nails dug deep into his palms, causing a sharp sting as he barely suppressed the sharp question that threatened to burst out.
Qin Yu stood aside, his face cold and silent, but his eyes were like ice-hardened probes, firmly locked on Gu Jing's every subtle reaction. He said nothing, as if waiting for a performance that he had long expected.
Gu Jing took a deep breath, the air carrying the cold smell of rust and dust from the warehouse, choking his lungs. He tried his best to steady his voice, even forcing a hint of weakness and panic from surviving a disaster: "Uncle Zhou...Uncle Zhou..."
The voice had just the right amount of trembling.
"I...we're fine..." He paused, as if still in shock, his words incoherent. "For some reason, the factory exploded... We were just investigating nearby... It almost... It almost..."
On the other end of the line, Zhou Liguang's voice was immediately filled with relief. "That's good! That's good! I was so scared! The most important thing is that you're safe! Where are you now? Are you safe? I'll send someone to pick you up right away!"
The concern is beyond words and the whole process is seamless.
Gu Jing's heart felt like it was being gripped by an icy hand, tightening ever tighter. He raised his eyes and met Qin Yu's. Qin Yu raised his eyebrows ever so slightly, his gaze cold and mocking, as if to say: Look, he's anxious, anxious to confirm whether the chess piece is out of control, anxious to get you back into his sights.
"No... no need, Uncle Zhou." Gu Jing's voice still carried the weakness of being "frightened", but he refused directly, "Boss Qin... Boss Qin has arranged a place here, it's very safe. We... we are all a little frightened, and we want to rest first and take care of some minor injuries."
He deliberately blurred the location and the extent of his injuries.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, so brief, almost imperceptible, and then it was replaced by even stronger concern: "Okay, okay, as long as you're safe! Tell Uncle Zhou immediately if you need anything! I'll stabilize the company first, you guys can rest assured and recover! By the way, the police may still inquire, you..."
"We know what to say." Gu Jing interrupted him, his tone slightly hurried, and he seemed impatient due to fatigue. "Uncle Zhou, let's leave it at that for now. I feel a little dizzy."
"...Okay, you should take a rest. If you have any problem, feel free to call me." Zhou Liguang's voice was still gentle. He gave a few instructions before hanging up the phone.
A busy tone came.
The safe house fell into a silence even more suffocating than before.
Gu Jing held the phone until his knuckles turned bluish-white, then slowly lowered his arm. His back was to Qin Yu, his shoulders trembling slightly. This wasn't a disguise, but a genuine, suppressed rage and chill.
Once trust tears open the gap of suspicion, all the past "care", "support" and "earnest teachings" will instantly change their meaning and be wrapped in carefully calculated poisonous honey.
Qin Yu didn't interrupt him, simply sitting back down at the console. The screen's cold light reflected his expressionless profile. His fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, pulling up the Gu Group's shareholding structure, a log of all recent major decisions, and all the overt and covert financial transactions involving Zhou Liguang and his affiliated factions.
The cold data has now become the bloodiest evidence of crime.
After a long pause, Gu Jing slowly turned around. The fragility and panic on his face had completely faded, leaving only a cold calm that settled after being completely betrayed, but a dark fire burned in his eyes.
"He wants the Gu Group." Gu Jing's voice was terrifyingly calm. "It's not just that he wants it, he's almost there."
Qin Yu hit the enter key, and a complex pledge agreement and several secret overseas fund flows appeared on the screen.
"More than that." His voice was flat, yet it cast a deeper shadow. "For the past six months, he's been gradually shorting Gu's stock through multiple shell companies. If we really die in the factory this time, or if Gu's stock completely collapses due to the death of an 'accidental' heir, he can not only buy back the stock at a low price, but also make a fortune from short selling. At the same time, he can play the role of savior who turns the tide."
Kill three birds with one stone. Swallow the Gu family, make huge profits, and gain reputation.
What a cruel method, what a deep calculation!
Gu Jing walked to the console, his eyes scanning the cold data and clauses. Every number pierced his eyes like a poisoned needle. His father had passed away from a serious illness, and the company was in turmoil. He had been working tirelessly, believing that his greatest enemies were the wolves outside and the icebergs around him. He had never imagined that the most deadly venomous snake was lurking in what he thought was the warmest nest, its fangs already piercing his heart.
"What should we do now?" he asked. There was no emotion in his voice, only a kind of tension that came from extreme repression.
A direct showdown? They didn't have conclusive evidence to deliver a fatal blow. Zhou Liguang had been operating for years, and his position was deeply entrenched. Alerting him would only expedite his destruction of evidence and his revenge.
Qin Yu raised his eyes and looked at Gu Jing. The light from the screen flowed in his bottomless pupils.
"Doesn't he want to play a business game?" Qin Yu's lips curled up into a cold, yet controlled arc. "Then play with him."
He pointed his finger at several key data on the screen.
"If he's shorting, we'll wipe out his position. If he wants Gu's, we'll make him watch his cooked duck fly away, and even lose his life and property."
His tone was calm, yet it contained astonishing power and cold murderous intent.
"The first step," Qin Yu turned his gaze towards Gu Jing, with an almost cruel scrutiny, yet strangely mixed with an indescribable concentration, "I need you to go back."
Gu Jing's pupils shrank slightly.
"Go back to the company and play the role of the frightened heir who is now completely dependent on Gu and even trusts him even more because of the 'Qin family's persecution.'" Qin Yu said word by word. "Steady him, confuse him, make him feel that everything is under control, and even... encourage him to invest more to 'save' the Gu family."
Lure the snake out of its hole and lure the enemy into a trap.
This is the most effective, yet also the most dangerous step. It's like walking back into the mouth of a venomous snake, with every step being like treading on thin ice.
Gu Jing fell silent. He stared at the cold numbers on the screen, then at Qin Yu's eyes, which were unfathomable but strangely reassuring at that moment.
He knew what this meant. This wasn't just a commercial counterattack, it was also a psychological war. He needed to use himself as bait, to gamble on a slim chance.
The air was stagnant, with only the low hum of the machines running.
After a long time, Gu Jing slowly raised his eyes. All the chaotic emotions in his eyes had settled, leaving only the desperate determination and cold sharp light.
"Okay." He heard his own voice say, clear and calm, "I'll go back."
He paused and added, his eyes meeting Qin Yu's without hesitation.
"But how can you ensure that I, a chess piece, won't be easily 'eliminated' by your father or anyone else?"
After experiencing the dead end of the factory, he could no longer easily believe in any so-called "arrangements".
Qin Yu looked him in the eye, his eyes, always filled with secrets, now clearly reflecting Gu Jing's pale yet resolute face. He suddenly smiled softly, not in a sarcastic tone, but with a dark, almost rebellious confidence.
"Because from now on," he stood up and walked in front of Gu Jing, so close that he could almost feel each other's breath, "your life is mine."
His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable strength and a frightening possessiveness.
"No one can touch you except me."
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