Leverage
The unexpected online attention made Lan Tongtong's name particularly prominent within and outside the project department. This attention was like a double-edged sword, bringing a sense of vanity but also invisible pressure and potential risks. Lan Tongtong tried to keep a low profile and focus on her work, but she could sense that the gazes from behind were becoming more complex.
That night, Mo Zhichi once again called Lan Tongtong to his car. Unlike usual, this time he didn't beat around the bush and looked extremely serious.
"Tongtong, you've seen what's happening online," Mo Zhichi said straight to the point. "This attention is temporary, but it's also a sign. It means many people are starting to take notice of this project, and of down-to-earth young people like you."
Lan Tongtong nodded and waited for his next words.
Mo Zhichi looked at her sharply. "You experienced the Liu Feng and his son's affairs firsthand, and you have the evidence. Not only are they behaving inappropriately, they may even compromise the quality of the project for personal gain. This is absolutely intolerable. The timing wasn't right before, but now... perhaps there's an opportunity."
He paused, his tone heavy and firm: "I want to seize the opportunity and completely eliminate this cancer. But this requires your help, and even requires you to take certain risks. So, I must solemnly ask you: Tongtong, are you willing to join me in taking down Liu Feng?"
Lan Tongtong's heart skipped a beat. Although she'd been mentally prepared, hearing Mo Zhichi state this goal so directly still made her nervous. She flashed before her eyes Liu Feng's contemptuous sarcasm, his arrogant expression, and the potential risks he might pose to the project. A surge of long-suppressed anger and a sense of justice suddenly surged.
Without the slightest hesitation, she met Mo Zhichi's gaze with clear eyes. Her voice was soft but remarkably firm: "Brother Mo, I agree. This man is very evil, not just targeting me, his very existence is a threat to the project. I don't want to see him do whatever he wants by relying on his background. Just tell me what you need me to do."
Hearing Lan Tongtong's straightforward answer, Mo Zhichi's eyes flashed with relief and approval. He nodded heavily, "Good! I was right about you! You're courageous and righteous!"
He lowered his voice and began to lay out his plans. "What we have now is the recording you recorded last time of him exposing his shortcomings and flaunting his power. It's a breakthrough, but it's not directly fatal enough. We need a more specific, irrefutable incident to prove his dereliction of duty."
"You mean..." Lan Tongtong seemed to understand.
"Yes, the project itself." Mo Zhichi's eyes were as sharp as an eagle. "Liu Feng seems to have calmed down recently because of the review and promotional video incidents, but his greed and lucky nature are hard to change. Especially now, he might be mentally unbalanced because of your 'fame'. We must keep a close eye on him, especially during the on-site inspection and acceptance of the next batch of important prestressed anchors. This is a critical control point and we cannot afford to be careless."
Mo Zhichi looked at Lan Tongtong and said solemnly, "Tongtong, you are the first checkpoint in the beam yard. I want you to be extremely alert and pay close attention to every detail of the regulations, just like you have been doing recently. If Liu Feng dares to tamper with the material acceptance or hint at asking for benefits, that will be the time to dig his own grave. What you need to do is to discover it and leave solid evidence."
"I understand!" Lan Tongtong felt a heavy responsibility on her shoulders, but more importantly, a sense of mission to participate in a just action. "I will keep a close eye on it and will not let go of any suspicious points."
"Remember, safety first," Mo Zhichi warned. "If you discover something, notify me immediately and don't act on your own. This time, we either don't move, or if we do, we must strike with one strike!"
"Yes, Brother Mo!"
The online buzz about the "most beautiful construction site technician" continues to grow, with Lan Tongtong's name and image becoming increasingly popular. This surge of attention, like a sudden gust of wind, ruffled the tranquil surface of the construction site and left some feeling a mixture of emotions.
At the moment when the attention reached its peak, Lan Tongtong received an encrypted message from Mo Zhichi. The content was extremely brief, but extremely important:
"Tongtong, the time has come. Use new equipment, create an untraceable smurf account, and anonymously release the key parts of Liu Feng's recordings to the most trafficked social media platforms. Focus on his flaunting of power, interference with reviewers, and hints at covering up quality issues. After posting, immediately erase all traces and disconnect. This matter must be known to heaven and earth, to you and me, and must never be heard by a third party. Action."
Lan Tongtong's heart raced as she read the message, and cold sweat instantly broke out on her palms. She understood what Brother Mo meant by "seizing the opportunity to strike back." Dropping this bombshell at a time of heightened public attention would cause unprecedented shockwaves. Liu Feng and his son would be thrust into the spotlight, leaving no room for covert manipulation.
This is a risky move, but also a decisive one.
Without hesitation, she replied with two words: "I understand."
For the next few hours, Lan Tongtong followed Mo Zhichi's instructions meticulously. Using pre-prepared electronic devices and an online environment completely unrelated to her personal identity, she created a completely anonymous account. She meticulously edited the recording, retaining the core and most impactful parts, including Liu Feng's boasting about his father's power, his admission of tampering with the review results, and his vague mention of covering up certain "minor issues." She omitted any information that might reveal Lan Tongtong's identity.
Late at night, all was silent. Lan Tongtong took a deep breath and pressed the publish button. The shockwaves of the recording, accompanied by a concise yet compelling caption ("A key project supervisor exposes his dark side: How does power override quality and fairness?"), were instantly released into the vast online ocean.
After the release was complete, she immediately cleared all traces of the operation, shutting down and disposing of the temporary equipment, as if nothing had happened. But her heart could not calm down for a long time, she knew that a storm had been inevitably ignited.
The next morning, the storm arrived as expected.
This recording was like a drop of cold water on boiling oil, instantly causing a stir. Leveraging highly explosive keywords like "key project," "power shady dealings," and "supervisor's self-exposure," along with the massive traffic generated by the previous topic of "beautiful construction site technicians," the recording spread across various platforms at an alarming rate.
Netizens were outraged:
"That's too dark! Is this kind of person qualified to be a supervisor?"
"No wonder there are always problems with the quality of the project. It turns out the root of the problem is here!"
"Please investigate thoroughly! Find his father too!"
"The public must be given an explanation!"
The pressure of public opinion surged like a tidal wave towards Tianma Investment Company, Anfang Supervision Company, and relevant regulatory authorities.
Everyone in the project department was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Colleagues whispered among themselves, looking at Liu Feng with strangeness and disdain. Liu Feng's face paled, and he locked himself in his office. The phone kept ringing, but he didn't dare answer any of it.
Project manager Liu Chao and chief engineer Zhang Xiao held an emergency meeting with serious expressions. They realized that the situation was serious and far beyond the control of the project department.
Lan Tongtong appeared at the construction site as usual, trying to remain calm, but her heart was in turmoil. Seeing Liu Feng's panic, she felt a sense of revenge, but also a complex and inexplicable emotion. She knew that she had started the fire herself.
Mo Zhichi, on the other hand, appeared remarkably calm, meticulously overseeing his supervisory work, as if the turmoil outside had nothing to do with him. But as they passed each other, he gave Lan Tongtong a fleeting yet resolute look that said, "Hold your composure, and begin!"
That afternoon, a joint investigation team from Tianma Investment Company and the Municipal Quality Supervision and Inspection Center entered the project office. A serious investigation into the issues raised in the recording officially began. Liu Feng was immediately ordered to suspend all work and cooperate with the investigation.
Vice President Liu Tianyuan, who was originally in the limelight because of the promotional video, suddenly fell into the abyss, was in a state of panic and could not save himself.
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