Retreat as an advance
The text message he sent to Zhang Lei, "Agree to integration, but with conditions," was like a pledge of integrity written on the edge of a cliff, every word soaked with the blood and helplessness dripping from Li Ming's heart. The moment he pressed the send button, he seemed to hear something shatter completely within him—the last bulwark he had been desperately holding onto regarding independence and the future.
But he had no time to wallow in his grief. The red light on the emergency room door was still glaringly bright, his mother's helpless sobs were right beside him, and Wang Hao's message about foreign forces attempting to infiltrate the hospital system felt like an invisible blade hanging over his father's head.
He forced himself to calm down, his mind becoming unusually clear and cold under extreme pressure. He first found the attending physician, revealed his identity (using the name of "Mingyu Technology" and the pilot enterprise), and pleaded with the hospital to mobilize the best medical resources. Under the pretext of "cooperating with the police investigation of potential cybersecurity risks," he requested the hospital's information technology department to immediately encrypt and monitor his father's electronic medical records at the highest level. He needed to establish the first line of defense for his father.
Immediately afterwards, he replied to Wang Hao through an encrypted channel: "Mobilize all available resources, trace the source of the intrusion, set traps, I need to know what they're up to! At the same time, raise the security level of all 'Spark' servers and put them on high alert!"
He had to stabilize the rear and ensure that "Spark," his most important bargaining chip, wouldn't encounter any unexpected problems before the negotiations even began.
After doing all that, he took a deep breath, walked to the corner outside the emergency room, and dialed Zhang Lei's number.
The call was answered almost instantly.
"Li Ming, how is your father?" Zhang Lei's voice came through, carrying just the right amount of concern, but Li Ming could hear a deeper scrutiny behind it. The other party clearly already knew about his father's hospitalization; their efficiency was alarming.
"They're still being treated, thank you for your concern, Mr. Zhang." Li Ming's voice was hoarse and tired, but this tiredness wasn't entirely feigned. "I'll get to the point. I agree to divest 'Spark' and have it controlled by Lei Yao Holdings."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, as if they hadn't expected Li Ming to be so decisive. "Your terms?"
“My condition is,” Li Ming paused, his tone resolute, “that the integrated ‘Spark’ subsidiary must remain in Jinyang and operate independently. My existing core team and I must have full decision-making power over daily operations. Lei Yao can send financial and supervisory personnel, but any major adjustments to the strategic direction, especially the technological roadmap, must be approved by me personally.”
This is the maximum degree of autonomy he can secure for "Spark." It will remain in Jinyang, relying on local policies and community roots; it will retain operational rights to ensure its core essence is not completely replaced.
“Furthermore,” Li Ming continued, his tone lower and sharper, before Zhang Lei could respond, “I need Lei Yao to use all his resources to ensure my parents’ absolute safety in Jinyang, including their personal safety and privacy. And I need you to help me find out who attempted to hack into the hospital system this time, and what their purpose was.”
He placed his father's safety directly on the negotiating table as one of the core conditions for agreeing to the integration. This was not only to protect his family, but also to test Zhang Lei's bottom line and capabilities, and to directly link his father's "accident" with potential threats, implying to Zhang Lei that if anything happened to his family, the integration would inevitably change.
A longer silence fell on the other end of the phone. Zhang Lei seemed to be weighing his options. Li Ming's conditions, especially retaining operational control and investigating the intruders, undoubtedly challenged Lei Yao's usual control over the holding company. However, the unique value and potential shown by "Spark," as well as Li Ming's clear negotiating ability even in dire straits, forced him to be cautious.
“Li Ming,” Zhang Lei finally spoke after a long silence, his tone regaining its usual calm and deep tone, “I can guarantee your father’s safety. Lei Yao still has that much influence in Jinyang. As for the investigation… I will have someone follow up.”
He avoided directly answering questions about operational control and strategic direction, but tacitly approved of security and investigation requirements, which in itself was a positive sign.
Regarding the operation of 'Spark', Zhang Lei changed the subject, "After Lei Yao takes control, we naturally hope it will develop better. The specific division of rights and responsibilities can be clearly defined in subsequent agreements. But the premise is that you need to prove that even with a larger injection of resources, 'Spark' can still be led by you to achieve faster and more stable growth."
He neither fully agreed nor refused, but instead set a performance threshold. This is a typical capital tactic.
“I understand.” Li Ming didn’t press the matter further; he knew this was the best outcome he could achieve at the moment. “I will prove it with results.”
“Okay.” Zhang Lei said decisively. “I’ll have the lawyer prepare the agreement as soon as possible. We’ll sign it after your father’s condition stabilizes. In the meantime, take care of your family matters. Keep things stable at ‘Spark’.”
The call ended. Li Ming leaned against the cold wall and let out a long sigh. A negotiation concerning the fate of "Mingyu" and "Xinghuo" was hastily and decisively concluded in this hospital corridor filled with the smell of disinfectant.
He used a strategic retreat to gain temporary safety and a breathing space by exchanging control of "Spark" for control of the plant. The price was huge, but at least he temporarily stabilized the most dangerous situation, secured protection for his father, and earned "Spark" a relatively independent environment to grow in.
Several hours later, the door to the emergency room finally opened. The doctor came out, his expression grave but with a hint of relief: "The rescue was timely, and you are temporarily out of danger. However, the bleeding was significant, and the recovery will take a long time. Moreover... there may be some aftereffects, so you should be prepared."
Li Ming and his mother finally felt a sense of relief, but the doctor's words plunged them back into despair. Aftereffects…
After sending his father to the ICU for observation, Li Ming told his exhausted mother to go home and rest, while he insisted on staying at the hospital. The hospital corridor was deserted and eerily quiet late at night.
Wang Hao's message came again: "The intrusion has been stopped. The other party was extremely vigilant and the source could not be traced. However, judging from the attack methods and the targeting, it is highly consistent with the style of the overseas forces before. They seem to... just want to confirm the authenticity of Uncle's illness."
Confirming the illness? Li Ming frowned. Was the other party confirming his father's condition at this time to assess his vulnerability? Or did they have ulterior motives?
Just as he was lost in thought, a middle-aged man in a hospital cleaning uniform and wearing a mask quietly pushed a cleaning cart into the corridor of the ICU area. He kept his head down and slowly wiped the walls, but out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to inadvertently glance in the direction where Li Ming was.
Li Ming's nerves tensed instantly! This person... something felt off!
He stood up calmly, pretended to stretch his limbs, and took a few steps closer to the cleaner.
Just then, his phone vibrated, and a text message from an unknown number popped up, containing only one sentence:
"The deal is off. Take care of your father. We... will meet again."
The sender is that overseas force!
Li Ming looked up abruptly, only to see the cleaner had already pushed his cart into the stairwell next door and disappeared.
Transaction cancelled? Until next time?
The other party cancelled the extortion deal because his father was seriously ill? This is not their usual style. Was it due to some kind of... "rules" or "bottom line" that he didn't understand? Or did they see that he had reached a compromise with Zhang Lei, and believed that he had lost his value for independent cooperation, so they adopted a longer-term "wait and see" strategy?
Countless questions flooded my mind.
Standing in the empty corridor, Li Ming looked at the closed doors of the ICU and then at the cryptic text message on his phone. He felt as if he were in a huge maze made up of countless mirrors, each reflecting a part of the truth, yet distorting the overall direction.
Zhang Lei, overseas forces, his father's illness, the precarious "Spark"... all the clues are intertwined.
He knew that the temporary compromise was merely postponing the final battle. The moment he signed the integration agreement, a new, and perhaps even more dangerous, game was just beginning.
At this moment, his biggest concern is his father, who is lying in the ICU and is still in critical condition.
He walked to the visiting window of the ICU, and looking through the glass at his father, whose body was covered with tubes, a huge wave of sorrow and an unprecedented determination surged into his heart at the same time.
No matter what lies ahead, he must keep going.
For my father, and for the still-burning flame of hope for the future.
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