Prologue: A Trapped Beast Behind Bars
In the visiting room of Nancheng Prison, the light, like shattered ice shards, slanted across the bulletproof glass and fell on Gu Yanting's gaunt face. The once spirited president of the Gu Group now wore a gray prison uniform, his hair mostly gray, but his eyes still held an unquenchable ruthlessness.
“Mr. Gu,” the man opposite him lowered his voice, nervously rubbing his suit sleeves, “the police… found the original ledgers for the ‘Shenghua Project’ from back then, and… the overseas funds you had Old Chen deal with.”
Gu Yanting paused, his hand holding the enamel mug trembling, the tea inside rippling. He didn't speak immediately, but stared at the beads of sweat on the man's forehead, as if admiring a piece of porcelain about to shatter. The Shenghua project—it was the foundation of his fortune, and also the deepest hidden danger—how many shady methods had he used to acquire that land: bribery, threats, even… Was that accidental fire also related to this ledger?
"Who found it?" His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against a wooden board.
"It was...it was dug out by the police in conjunction with the Economic Crime Investigation Department from a hidden compartment in an old warehouse." The man swallowed hard. "It's said that Ah Yu also provided a lot of clues, and several of your former subordinates who were suppressed by you back then have also started to talk..."
"Ah Yu!" Gu Yanting gripped the cup tightly, his knuckles turning white, oblivious to the tea splashing onto his hands. This name was like a poisonous thorn, piercing his festering heart. That poor boy he once trampled underfoot had now become the fulcrum that leveraged his entire empire. And Lin Wanqing, the woman he had loved, controlled, and ultimately betrayed, and... Zhong Hua.
Thinking of Zhong Hua, a complex emotion flashed in Gu Yanting's eyes, which was then covered by a deeper resentment. This woman was supposed to be a pawn he used to control Ah Yu, but she had fallen in love with him and even used a reporter's pen to expose the carefully woven media network he had created at a crucial moment.
"Is the evidence... conclusive?" he asked through gritted teeth, each word dripping with bloodshed.
"The signature on the ledger... is your handwriting. Although it was tampered with, the Economic Crime Investigation Department's technical methods..." The man dared not continue.
Silence, like an impenetrable net, enveloped the entire visiting room. Gu Yanting closed his eyes, countless images flashing through his mind: his high spirits at the board meeting, the clinking of glasses at the dinner table, and... when he was handcuffed, Ah Yu and Zhong Hua stood in the distance, their eyes filled with indifference and relief.
No, he can't lose. Gu Yanting has never lost in his entire life!
“Tell Ah Biao,” Gu Yanting suddenly opened his eyes, a terrifying madness surging within them, “bring Zhong Hua to me. Alive.”
"Mr. Gu, this... kidnapping is a serious crime. Once we're caught by the police..."
“A serious crime?” Gu Yanting chuckled, his laughter filled with desperate madness. “Do I have any way out now? Get the ledger, destroy it, or… use it to exchange for something else. Zhong Hua is Ah Yu’s weakness. As long as she’s in my hands, Ah Yu won’t dare to make a move.” His voice suddenly rose, carrying a desperate ruthlessness. “Tell Ah Biao that after it’s done, he gets half of the money in the overseas account. If it botches it up… he knows the consequences.”
Seeing the undeniable madness in Gu Yanting's eyes, the man knew that saying anything more would be useless. He nodded, hurriedly stood up, as if a vengeful ghost was chasing him.
The door to the visiting room closed with a dull thud. Gu Yanting sat alone at the table, the sky outside the window a hazy gray. He picked up his cup, downed the remaining cold tea in one gulp, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, Lin Wanqing... do you think you've won? This game isn't over yet.
Chapter One: The Calm Before the Rain
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Zhong Hua sat in front of her computer, organizing follow-up reports on Gu Yanting's commercial crimes. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on her face. Since Gu Yanting was taken into police custody, her life seemed to have finally returned to normal. Although she occasionally received anonymous threatening emails, she had managed to avoid serious harm under police protection.
The phone on the table rang. It was a message from Ah Yu: "What do you want to eat tonight? I'll come pick you up."
Zhong Hua looked at the message, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face. Having weathered so many storms together, her relationship with A Yu had become deeply ingrained through countless hardships. Although Lin Wanqing's surrender was proven to have been coerced by Gu Yanting, the estrangement during that time made Zhong Hua realize that some wounds need time to heal. Now, Lin Wanqing was receiving psychological counseling arranged by the police, while she and A Yu carefully guarded this hard-won peace.
"Whatever, everything you make is delicious." After replying to the message, she stretched and prepared to get up to pour herself a glass of water.
Just then, the office door was pushed open, and a man in a delivery uniform walked in carrying a large box: "Reporter Zhong, your package."
"I didn't buy anything?" Zhong Hua frowned in confusion.
"It was probably sent by your family, since there's no sender's name on it." The man put the box on the ground, his smile somewhat stiff.
Zhong Hua bent down to check the delivery slip, when suddenly, a strong smell of chloroform hit her! She instinctively held her breath, but her body went limp. Before losing consciousness, she saw the "deliveryman" remove his mask, revealing a strange and fierce face. Two other men quickly stepped forward and put a black cloth bag over her head.
Everything happened so fast; all that remained in the office were scattered documents and the glass of water that hadn't been drunk yet. Outside the window, the sky was already covered by dark clouds; a storm was brewing.
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