A Silent Thunder
Zhang Lei's seemingly concerned yet deeply meaningful text message, like a pebble thrown into a still-flowing lake, once again created ripples in Li Ming's mind, still reeling from the storm of the investigation team. "Let's talk in a different way?" What witty remarks and traps were hidden behind these seemingly casual words?
Within the team, the sense of relief after surviving the ordeal hadn't even lasted 24 hours before it was overshadowed by the new uncertainty brought about by the text message. Wang Hao silently reinforced the system, as if trying to shut out all possible prying eyes; Liu Qiang seemed somewhat anxious, both worried and curious; Li Ziqing's worries were more specific—she feared that Li Ming, facing an old fox like Zhang Lei alone, would suffer losses, or even… be persuaded.
"He's definitely up to no good by contacting you at this time!" Liu Qiang muttered.
"Do you need me to come with you?" Li Ziqing asked softly, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.
Li Ming looked out the window. The night sky over Jinyang was unusually clear, with sparse stars. He shook his head, his tone calm but unwavering: "No need. This time, I must go myself." He needed to determine Zhang Lei's true intentions on his own, and he also needed to show the other party that even if he were isolated and helpless, Li Ming had the confidence to face any situation alone.
He didn't reply to the text message, but instead dialed Zhang Lei's number directly.
"Mr. Zhang, this is Li Ming."
"Oh? Li Ming, have you made up your mind?" Zhang Lei's voice carried a hint of the expected laziness.
“I won’t go to Beijing,” Li Ming said bluntly. “If Mr. Zhang really wants to talk, I’ll choose the place, Jinyang, how about that?”
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Zhang Lei's low chuckle: "Interesting. Sure, whatever you say. You decide the time and place, just send it to my assistant."
After hanging up the phone, Li Ming chose a secluded mountain villa outside Jinyang City, renowned for its tea culture. The environment was tranquil and private, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and the eyes of all sides.
Two days later, in the evening, Li Ming arrived at the reserved tea room half an hour early. The bamboo curtains were slightly rolled up, revealing a lush courtyard outside the window, with the babbling of a spring. The atmosphere was so tranquil that it seemed out of place with the impending confrontation. He slowly brewed the tea, his movements steady, using it to calm his mind and await his opponent's arrival.
Zhang Lei arrived on time, still dressed in seemingly casual attire, but his composed demeanor, accustomed to his high position, was even more pronounced in the rustic teahouse. He was alone, without any entourage.
“A good place.” Zhang Lei sat down, his gaze sweeping over the tea set and the view outside the window, and nodded approvingly. “Young man, you know how to pick a place.”
Li Ming pushed a freshly brewed cup of clear Longjing tea in front of him: "Mr. Zhang, you flatter me. This is just some simple tea and water, nothing special."
Without any pleasantries or probing, Zhang Lei picked up his teacup, gently inhaled the aroma, but his gaze, as if it were tangible, landed on Li Ming's face, getting straight to the point:
"You passed the investigation team test beautifully. They were more composed and better prepared than I expected." He took a sip of tea, his tone unreadable, whether it was praise or something else. "That guy, Sun Wukong, is not easy to deal with."
Li Ming felt a chill run down his spine. Zhang Lei knew so much about the composition of the investigation team! "We were lucky, and we were indeed doing the right thing," he replied cautiously.
"Doing things right?" Zhang Lei put down his teacup, a meaningful smile curving his lips. "In this quagmire, you can't go far just by 'doing things right.' You should know that all too well."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes, which seemed to see right through people, fixed on Li Ming: "You handled the Zhou family matter very tactfully, and weren't used as a pawn. That's good. But do you think that refusing that 'gift' will make the trouble disappear on its own?"
Li Ming tightened his grip on the teacup, but did not reply.
“The person who gave you that ‘gift,’ or rather… the powerful,” Zhang Lei’s voice lowered, carrying a cold quality, “has limited patience. You turned it down this time, but what about next time? And the time after that? They will never give up until they get what they want.”
"What do they want?" Li Ming finally asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time.
Zhang Lei didn't answer directly. He leaned back in his chair and looked out at the deepening twilight: "Knowing too much about some things won't do you any good. You just need to know that you and your small team alone can't withstand the storms ahead."
He looked at Li Ming again, his gaze sharp and direct: "The conditions I set before were indeed harsh. But back then, in my eyes, you were just a promising talent with some ideas, worth observing. Now it's different."
“You have proven your resilience, your vision, and even… your luck,” Zhang Lei said slowly. “What I value is no longer just your platform concept, but you as a person. Therefore, I can change the terms.”
"Leiyao Capital can refrain from making direct investments in 'Mingyu Technology,' holding no shares, sending no personnel, and having no veto power."
This condition was completely unexpected by Li Ming! It practically meant giving up all control!
“However,” Zhang Lei’s tone shifted abruptly, like a reef suddenly emerging from calm water, “I need you personally to sign a five-year exclusive strategic advisory agreement. During this period, all major strategic decisions, technology direction choices, and even future financing targets for you and ‘Mingyu Technology’ must be reported to Lei Yao in advance, and… you must fully respect Lei Yao’s advice.”
Li Ming's heart sank!
This isn't just relinquishing control; it's a more sophisticated and covert way of binding him and "Mingyu's" future firmly to Lei Yao's chariot! No shares, but control of thought and direction! This "advisory agreement" is far more pervasive than equity investment! It doesn't want ownership of the company, but rather control over Li Ming, the "brain" behind it all!
"Of course, in return," Zhang Lei continued calmly, seemingly oblivious to the fierce glint in Li Ming's eyes, "Lei Yao will use all his resources to protect you and 'Mingyu.' This includes, but is not limited to: settling things with the Zhou family and any potential troubles behind them; providing you with much-needed bandwidth and server resources at below-market costs; introducing truly top-tier strategic investors who won't interfere excessively at the right time; and even... helping you fend off the spying of those unknown forces from overseas."
Every condition he offered precisely addressed Mingyu's most pressing needs and deepest fears! Safety, resources, funding, protection... all of this seemed within reach.
The price was Li Ming's absolute "loyalty" and the de facto subservient status of "Mingyu".
The air in the tea room seemed to freeze. The sound of the spring water was exceptionally clear.
Li Ming looked at Zhang Lei, whose expression was calm and unwavering, as if he were merely stating a routine business deal. But Li Ming knew this was a transaction of souls. What Zhang Lei valued was Li Ming's ability to repeatedly turn the tide in dire straits, and his seemingly "outlandish" strategic vision that always proved proven in the future. What he wanted was to bring this "uncertainty" and "foresight" under Lei Yao's control.
Acceptance means that "Mingyu" will gain unprecedented development resources and a safe environment, allowing it to grow rapidly, but it will forever lose its independent spirit. Li Ming will also become a more important, yet still manipulated, pawn on Lei Yao Capital's chessboard.
Refusing would mean that he would continue to navigate the treacherous sea of commerce, teeming with crocodiles and reefs, alone with the frail "Mingyu," constantly at risk of being swallowed by the next storm, including that mysterious threat hidden in the deep sea, which even Zhang Lei kept secret.
This is a more difficult choice than ever before.
Li Ming slowly picked up the now slightly cool teacup, but didn't drink it, only watching the tea leaves floating in the cup. His mind flashed back to the worried faces of his parents, the trusting gazes of his team members, and the despair of starving on the streets of his past life…
He returned from the dead, not to seek the protection of another giant or become anyone's vassal. He wanted to be the player, not the pawn!
He gently put down his teacup, raised his head, and met Zhang Lei's deep, all-consuming gaze. A faint smile, similar to Zhang Lei's, appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“Mr. Zhang,” his voice was clear and steady, like a pebble thrown into a still lake in the quiet tea room, “your terms are very generous, and also… very fatal.”
Zhang Lei raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
“I am very grateful for your high regard. However,” Li Ming paused, then said, word by word, “Mingyu and I are used to walking on our own. Even if we have to crawl, we have to use our own legs.”
He refused! He refused again!
Zhang Lei's smile froze slightly, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing deep in his eyes, which then transformed into an even more profound and unfathomable emotion. He stared at Li Ming for a long time, as if reassessing the young man's courage and... folly.
"Are you sure?" Zhang Lei's voice remained calm, but the temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees. "If you refuse this time, there will be no more 'advice' or 'protection' from Lei Yao in the future. The road ahead is a real single-plank bridge."
"I'm sure." Li Ming's gaze was calm. "I chose this path myself, and I will naturally bear the consequences."
A long silence fell over the tea room. Only the spring water outside the window flowed tirelessly.
Finally, Zhang Lei slowly stood up and straightened the corner of his clothes, which didn't need straightening.
“Li Ming, I rarely misjudge people.” He looked at Li Ming, his tone returning to its initial calmness, yet carrying a sense of finality. “But this time, I hope I’m wrong.”
"Good luck."
After saying that, he didn't linger. He turned and walked out of the tea room, his figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the twilight-shrouded courtyard.
Li Ming sat alone in the tea room, motionless for a long time. The last rays of the setting sun shone through the bamboo blinds, casting flickering light and shadow on his face.
He knew that from this moment on, he had completely severed any possibility of reconciliation or even cooperation with Lei Yao Capital, and had also lost a seemingly powerful potential protector. He would face alone the remaining hostility of the Zhou family, the competition from Zhao Zhen relying on capital, and the mysterious threat hidden in the deep sea, which even Zhang Lei could not fully explain.
The road ahead seems darker and more difficult than ever before.
However, he felt no regret whatsoever. Instead, he felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and an even more resolute determination after burning his bridges.
He took out his phone and looked at the small group photo of the "Mingyu Technology" team on the screen, his eyes becoming sharp and focused again.
Since I've chosen to go it alone, let the storm rage on.
He stood up, walked out of the tea room, and the cool evening breeze from the mountains brushed against his face.
Just as he was about to drive back to the city, his phone suddenly vibrated urgently; it was Wang Hao calling.
"Li Ming!" Wang Hao's voice carried an unprecedented tension and...excitement? "Come back quickly! The user database port on our platform that has been constantly attacked...just now, we captured an exceptionally clear tracing signal from that mysterious hacker! Although it was only for a moment, the direction was extremely clear!"
Li Ming's heart skipped a beat!
"Where is the signal source pointing?" he immediately asked.
On the other end of the phone, Wang Hao took a deep breath and exhaled a location that made Li Ming's pupils suddenly contract:
"The signal source's endpoint... has been preliminarily located near... the IP segment of the Lei Yao Capital headquarters server in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing, the capital city!"
A silent thunderclap exploded in Li Ming's mind!
Zhang Lei had just left when hacker activity reappeared? And the source pointed directly to Lei Yao Capital?
Was it a coincidence? Was it a frame-up? Or... what was the real meaning behind Zhang Lei's "another way"?
The night was as dark as ink, and the mountain wind suddenly picked up. Li Ming stood in front of the car, feeling that the chess game, which had just become clearer, had once again been turned upside down by an invisible hand.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
