Chapter 46: A Fatal Blow
In her bedroom, Yu Ling was frantically searching the internet for keywords! Following Zhao Chen's "hint," she circumvented the firewall, bypassing conventional search engines and diving headfirst into Southeast Asian environmental forums, human rights organizations, and independent journalists' blogs.
At first, the information was fragmentary and vague. But as her search skills improved and she continued to adjust her keywords, shocking pieces of information began to surge to the surface like an undercurrent in the deep sea!
The homepage of the website of an independent environmental protection organization called "Chao Phraya River Guardians" prominently displays a blood-red headline:
"Silent plunder! Taifeng Resources' crimes in K Province!"
Clicking on the link reveals a dozens-page, illustrated report! Numerous high-definition photos and drone footage reveal large-scale, systematic environmental destruction at the rare metal mining site in K State Province, Southeast Asia, run by Taifeng Resources, a subsidiary of Hongyuan Group.
The virgin forests were savagely cut down, the mountains were blasted to pieces, and the wastewater, rich in heavy metals, was discharged untreated into the Chao Phraya River tributaries on which the local people depended for survival! The river water turned a strange reddish-brown color and exuded a pungent odor! Not a blade of grass grew on either side of the riverbanks!
The report also details how Taifeng Resources colluded with corrupt local officials to forcibly expropriate indigenous lands, where they had lived for generations, at extremely low prices. They also resorted to violence and intimidation to evict villagers who refused to relocate, even hiring local criminal gangs to injure and maim protesting village leaders. Numerous villagers were displaced and left in dire straits.
What made Yu Ling's scalp tingle even more was the scanned copies of several extremely valuable internal documents attached to the report! One was the minutes of an internal Taifeng Resources meeting on "environmental treatment cost optimization," clearly stating the directive to "use the lowest-cost landfill, no specialized treatment equipment required," and bearing Wang Jun's signature! Another was a transfer record of "coordination fees" paid to a local official! And another was a copy of a "security service" contract for hiring local thugs! The evidence was overwhelming!
The information is detailed, logically sound, and the chain of evidence is complete! It's like a bombshell waiting to be unleashed!
Yu Ling's heart was pounding wildly in her chest! Her fingers were trembling with excitement! Wang Dehai! This is your Achilles' heel! This time bomb your nephew Wang Jun planted with his own hands!
She suppressed her excitement and immediately downloaded, sorted, and packaged all the key web pages, images, and especially the scanned copies of the fatal internal documents! Her mind was working at an unprecedented speed, and a clear and powerful counterattack plan quickly took shape in her mind!
For the next two days, Yu Ling was so excited that she forgot to eat and sleep. She no longer worried about how to meet Wang Dehai's demanding requirements, but instead devoted all her energy to deeply integrating and packaging this "windfall."
She used her excellent writing skills to transform those cold evidences into a logically clear, illustrated and highly impactful "Independent Investigation Report on Serious Violations and Potential Risks of Taifeng Resources, a Southeast Asian Subsidiary of Hongyuan Group".
The report not only details environmental and labor issues, but also focuses on analyzing the devastating impact these scandals would have on Hongyuan Group's global brand reputation, stock price, financing capabilities, and the severe regulatory penalties it faces in China once they are exposed!
Three days later, on the top floor of Genesis Building, the final report meeting room of Hongyuan Group and Genesis Project was held.
The atmosphere was even more tense than before. Wang Dehai sat at the head table, his face tinged with the arrogance of a confident winner and a hint of impatience. Behind him stood several stern-faced assistants, ready to call for justice. Lin Wei and the senior management of Chuangshi looked displeased, their gazes occasionally glancing worriedly at Yu Ling, who sat at the briefing table.
"Time's up, Director Lin." Wang Dehai knocked on the table, his voice carrying an unquestionable command. "Where's the plan? And..." He shot Yu Ling a sharp look with undisguised contempt, "Has the person in charge changed?"
Lin Wei took a deep breath and was about to speak.
"Here's the proposal, Mr. Wang." Yu Ling stood up, her voice clear and calm, without a trace of stage fright. She even wore a calm smile, a stark contrast to the despair she had displayed a few days earlier. Instead of pulling out the thick proposal, she placed a thin USB drive next to the wireless projector on the desk.
"However," Yu Ling calmly met Wang Dehai's scrutinizing gaze, her tone neither humble nor arrogant, even with a subtle edge, "I would like to ask you and the leaders of Hongyuan to take a few minutes to review a report... which may be more important than the plan itself. This report concerns the core interests and long-term development of Hongyuan Group."
Her words caught everyone's attention. Wang Dehai frowned, his eyes filled with confusion and displeasure. "What report? Manager Yu, don't be so mysterious! Our time is precious!"
"It won't take up too much of your time, Mr. Wang." Yu Ling smiled faintly and lightly pressed the button on the projector. "The name of this report is: 'Independent Investigation Report on Serious Violations and Potential Risks of Taifeng Resources, a Southeast Asian Subsidiary of Hongyuan Group.'"
Buzz——
The lights in the conference room dimmed. The huge projection screen lit up. The first thing that appeared was the report's cover, its title striking and eye-catching!
Then, shocking photos began to scroll: the virgin forest that had been completely cut down, the mountain that was bombed beyond recognition, the river flowing with reddish-brown sewage, the villagers who were angrily protesting but were violently driven away, the village leader lying on a simple hospital bed with wounds all over his body... Each photo was like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of all the Hongyuan Group representatives present!
The arrogance and harshness on Wang Dehai's face instantly vanished! He sat up straight, his eyes fixed on the screen, his pupils suddenly constricted with extreme shock and fear! His face turned pale at a visible speed! The assistants behind him gasped and looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief and panic!
"...This is slander! Forgery!" Wang Dehai slammed the table and stood up, his voice distorted with shock and anger. He pointed at the screen with trembling fingers, "Yu Ling! Where did you get these fake things? You're slandering me! I'm suing you!"
"Slander?" Yu Ling's voice remained calm, yet carried a chilling, penetrating force. She fiddled with her computer, and instantly scans of those damning internal documents appeared on the screen! Meeting minutes signed by Wang Jun! Bribery records! Contracts for hiring thugs! Clear as a slap in the face, before everyone's eyes!
"Mr. Wang, these 'fakes' bearing your nephew, Mr. Wang Jun's signature and the official seal of Hongyuan Taifeng Resources are incredibly convincing, aren't they?" Yu Ling's tone was tinged with just the right amount of sarcasm. "Or do you want me to contact the head of Chao Phraya Guardians, or the independent journalist who's been undercover for six months, and have them come and explain to you in person how these 'fakes' came about?"
The meeting room was dead silent! You could hear a pin drop!
Wang Dehai felt as if all his strength had been drained from him. He slumped back into his chair, his face ashen, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. He looked at Yu Ling with eyes filled with utter fear and disbelief, as if he were looking at a demon with its fangs suddenly bared!
Lin Wei and the top management of Chuangshi were also stunned! Looking at the ironclad documents on the screen, and then seeing the miserable state of Wang Dehai, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, like a defeated rooster, the shock of this huge reversal made them unable to recover for a while!
Yu Ling stood before the projection screen, bathed in the gazes of shock, awe, and even fear. She clearly felt a powerful force coursing through her—the exhilaration of a desperate counterattack, the confidence of mastering the situation, the exhilaration of shredding the enemy's disguise! This power stemmed from her own wisdom and courage, but even more so from... that man's seemingly "casual" yet deadly and precise "hint."
She took a deep breath, glanced at Wang Dehai, whose face was ashen, and her voice resounded clearly and forcefully throughout the conference room:
"Boss Wang, now, can we calmly discuss the plan?"
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