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Wu Group headquarters, boardroom.

"The financial report for last quarter is out. Net profit has dropped by 37%, and cash flow has bottomed out." The CFO's voice was particularly jarring in the deathly silent conference room.

"The cash flow deficit has widened to 12 billion, and the deadline for pledging the mining rights in the Calponia mine is the 15th of next month."

The young chairman, Wu Dengke, sat in the main seat, his fingers gripping the pen tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Woodenko's fingertips tapped unconsciously on the solid wood conference table, the rhythm quickening.

His 22-year-old face appeared exceptionally pale under the blue light, and half of the Patek Philippe watch left by his father was visible through the cuff of his custom-made suit.

However, the expensive watch seemed too heavy on his wrist.

He looked around and saw that the executives' eyes were full of undisguised contempt.

They were completely unconvinced by this "young master" who had just taken over the family business, especially his androgynous, anime-style long hair which was particularly eye-catching.

"Mr. Cheng, what suggestions do you have?" Wu Dengke asked General Manager Cheng Jianshe.

This is an old minister left behind by his father, and currently the only one who is still willing to give him some face.

Cheng Jianshe pushed up his glasses: "Jiuzhou Group is acquiring mineral resources globally, and we can try to cooperate with them."

"Cooperation?" Vice President Liu Zhiming sneered. "Jiuzhou Group is ruthless and predatory. If we cooperate with them, what will the Wu family have left?"

Wu Dengke took a deep breath: "Let's meet with Suning first and sound him out before making any decisions."

“Okay! I’ll contact Jiuzhou Group right away.” General Manager Cheng Jianjun immediately took out his phone and made a call.

The call ended quickly, and everyone in the conference room looked over.

At this moment, Wu Dengke couldn't help but feel nervous. "President Cheng, what did the people from Kyushu Group say?"

Cheng Jianshe wiped his glasses: "Chairman, President Su agrees to meet, but..."

He glanced at the executives present. "We've only been given twenty minutes."

"..." At this moment, all the executives of the Wu Group present felt displeased.

However, they don't seem to have any good solutions right now; the Wu Group is now a leaky, dilapidated ship.

……

The top-floor reception room of the Kyushu Building offers a panoramic view of the city's vibrant nightscape through its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Suning sat on the leather sofa, slowly flipping through the documents of the Wu Group, while Wu Dengke and Cheng Jianshe sat opposite him, looking somewhat reserved.

"Chairman Wu, I've heard so much about you." Su Ning closed the document and smiled slightly. "When your father was alive, we met once."

Wu Dengke's eyes lit up: "President Su knows my father?"

"I wouldn't say I know him, but I admire his business acumen," Su Ning said calmly. "I wonder what kind of cooperation Chairman Wu wants to discuss today?"

Cheng Jianshe quickly chimed in, "Our Wu family owns several high-quality mining areas in Brazil and Australia, and we hope to develop them jointly with Kyushu..."

Suning raised his hand to interrupt: "I have no interest in joint development."

He looked directly at Woodenko and said, “But if the Wood family is willing to sell the operating rights of the Calponia mine, our Kyushu Group can offer a reasonable price.”

Wu Dengke's expression changed. Calponia was the Wu family's last valuable asset!

"President Su, I'm afraid..."

"No rush." ​​Su Ning picked up his teacup and said calmly, "Jiuzhou never forces sales. Chairman Wu can go back and think it over."

"President Su, could we discuss this further?"

"There's no need! If your father were still alive, we could talk."

"..."

Wu Dengke and Cheng Jianshe were quickly sent away; today's meeting was not very pleasant.

Suning, meanwhile, remained seated on his throne, toying with a mineral specimen from the Calponia mine. Seventeen other mineral samples were displayed in a tungsten steel showcase.

The main businesses of Jiuzhou Group are concentrated in real estate, supermarket retail, and mobile phone manufacturing, while traditional mineral resources are also highly profitable and attractive.

In addition, the current policies are particularly favorable to this area, so we have been looking for high-quality mining areas for the past two years.

The Calponia mine, owned by the Wu Group, is a highly coveted prize, but unfortunately, too many forces are eyeing it.

"Suning, are you really not considering cooperating with the Wu Group?"

“Dongcao, the interest groups within the Wu Group have long been solidified. Wu Dengke cannot intimidate those shareholders and executives. Rashly investing and cooperating will only drag our Kyushu down.”

"But I see your shadow in Woodenko."

"Dongcao, you can't be too sentimental when running a business, or you'll be bound by morality, just like that Li Ka-shing in Hong Kong who has no feelings."

"But I don't want you to become that kind of person."

Do I know this Wooddenko? Or do we have any prior acquaintance?

"This……"

"Since we're complete strangers, why bother talking about feelings?"

"Hey! Maybe you're right."

"Dongcao, what's wrong with you lately? You seem less decisive than before."

"Suning, I think I'm pregnant."

"What? You didn't take emergency contraception?"

“I…I want to have your child, and so does the Queen.”

"Alright! I'll reduce your workload from now on."

"Aren't you angry?"

"Why be angry! A woman who is willing to bear my child is someone I will cherish for a lifetime."

"Suning, thank you."

"Sigh! It seems the Queen will have to work overtime too. She always loves to compete with you the most."

"Ah."

……

After leaving the Kyushu Building, Wu Dengke sat in his car and slammed his fist hard on the seat.

“They completely look down on me!” he gritted his teeth. “They said things like, ‘If your father were alive, we could talk…’”

Cheng Jianshe sighed: "Chairman Wu, Su Ning is right. The Wu Group has a deeply entrenched network of vested interests. You are indeed..."

"President Cheng, even you think I'm not as good as my father?" Wu Dengke turned his head sharply, his eyes filled with anger and resentment.

Cheng Jianshe remained silent for a moment before finally speaking: "Chairman Wu, the business world is like a battlefield; you can't win just by being hot-blooded."

Wu Dengke clenched his fists, and after a long while, he suddenly said, "I want to meet with Su Ning again, and I want to talk to him alone!"

"Does it make sense?"

"I want to give it a try! I've always idolized Suning, but I never expected him to be so domineering."

"Okay! I'll help you make the appointment."

"Mr. Cheng, thank you."

"Chairman, I still want to remind you one more thing. Su Ning can treat her own father like that, so she can't possibly be swayed by your few words."

"..."

Three days later, Wu Dengke arrived at Kyushu Group alone.

"President Su, I really hope to cooperate with you." Wu Dengke tried to make his voice sound calm. "And for some reason, I feel like we've known each other for a long time..."

Suning chuckled: "Chairman Wu, the business world isn't a place for sentimentality."

"I know you don't think highly of me, but please give me a chance!" Woodenko pleaded.

Su Ning put down his pen, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Chairman Wu, I heard you really like cars, is that right?"

Wu Dengke was taken aback: "Yes..."

“Then you should understand that not every car is suitable for you.” Su Ning’s tone was calm, but every word was piercing. “There are some things that you can’t control. Forcing them into your hands will only harm yourself and others.”

Wu Dengke was pale and speechless for a long time.

"In addition, I heard that Wei Jinghai of the Li Group is also in contact with you and has been using the Calponia mining area to carry out smuggling, so you don't have much time left."

"what?"

……

Meanwhile, at Haicheng Wharf, in warehouse number 3, the air was thick with the smells of fish and diesel fuel from the shadows of the containers.

Chen Zhuhe kicked over the porter's wooden crate: "Where are my goods?"

"Mr. Chen, that batch of copper concentrate really hasn't arrived." Before the worker could finish speaking, a shovel had already smashed into his shoulder.

"Impossible!" Chen Zhuhe led a group of men into the warehouse and arrogantly said to another shipment, "Our boss Wei wants this batch of ore!"

The dockworkers glared angrily: "This is Kyushu Group's cargo!"

"Nine Provinces? Ha, they'll be ours soon!" Chen Zhuhe sneered, waving his hand to signal his men to make their move.

Actually, their purpose in causing trouble this time was to obtain goods from the Kyushu Group. The Li Group has already regarded the Kyushu Group as an enemy.

The conflict erupted instantly, and several workers were injured.

But soon, more dockworkers surrounded them and pinned Chen Zhuhe and his group to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, more than twenty stevedores surrounded them.

Just as Chen Zhuhe's bodyguards were about to draw their weapons and escalate the conflict, several steel bars suddenly flew out from the darkness and accurately struck them behind the knees.

"Sister Cai!" The workers suddenly made way for her.

Cai Yanzhi walked over, her Martin boots stained with oil, her ponytail tied behind her head like a drawn sword.

She bent down to pick up the blood-stained steel bar and wiped it on Chen Zhuhe's suit: "How dare you! You actually dared to make a move at my dock?"

Cai Yanzhi rushed over upon hearing the news, followed by several bodyguards.

"What's going on?" she asked in a cold voice.

The worker pointed at Chen Zhuhe: "Manager Cai, they stole the goods and even beat people up!"

Just then, Wei Jinghai's car drove into the dock.

After getting out of the car, he first glanced at Chen Zhuhe, who was being held down, and then smiled at Cai Yanzhi, saying, "President Cai, it's all a misunderstanding."

Cai Yanzhi's eyes were icy: "President Wei's people caused trouble on my turf, and you think a simple 'misunderstanding' will suffice?"

Wei Jinghai feigned helplessness: "Zhu He, apologize to President Cai."

Chen Zhuhe gritted his teeth and reluctantly lowered his head: "President Cai, I'm sorry."

Cai Yanzhi snorted coldly and waved her hand to signal the workers to release the people.

Taking the opportunity, Wei Jinghai leaned closer and whispered, "President Cai, Kyushu Group is in talks with the Wu family about the Calponia mining area. If we don't join forces, we'll be swallowed up by Suning sooner or later."

Cai Yanzhi narrowed her eyes: "I don't care about the Kyushu Group, and I'm not interested in the Calponia mining area. I'm just warning President Wei not to cause trouble on my turf. I have no interest in your business war."

“I’m not interested now. It will be too late when Kyushu comes knocking on your door. The Kyushu Group has already swallowed up the Jinhai Group. Their development strategy is to gradually devour our interests. If we don’t resist now, we will eventually become fish on the chopping block of the Kyushu Group,” Wei Jinghai said meaningfully.

"..." Cai Yanzhi remained silent for a moment, then looked into the distance with a complicated expression.

There, Kyushu Group's cargo ships are unloading cargo, and the workers are busy but orderly.

She suddenly felt a sense of curiosity about Su Ning, whom she had never met before.

"How could a young man be so... insane?"

……

Late at night at the headquarters of the Wu Group.

Wu Dengke sat alone in his father's former office, the financial statements spread out on the table resembling death notices.

“Cash flow has dried up, banks are pressing for repayment, and executives are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant…” He rubbed his temples with a bitter smile, “Dad, I really can’t hold on any longer.”

The city lights outside the window were bright, but the Wu's Building seemed particularly deserted.

He picked up his phone, found Suning's number, and hovered his finger over the dial button, hesitating to press it.

"Does it really have to come to this...?"

But when he recalled the disdainful looks and perfunctory attitude of the executives at the board meeting today, he finally made up his mind.

Rather than letting it be devoured by internal parasites, it's better to sell it to someone who can truly control it!

In the private meeting room of the Kyushu Group, the curtains were drawn, and only a warm yellow table lamp illuminated the equity transfer agreement on the table.

“President Su, I’ve changed my mind.” Wu Dengke took a deep breath. “I don’t want to sell the Calponia mining area separately, but rather… the entire Wu Group.”

Su Ning raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised by the suggestion.

He picked up his teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip: "Mr. Wu, are you sure?"

“I’m sure.” Wu Dengke smiled wryly. “You’re right! I can’t control the Wu family business. Rather than let it rot in my hands, I’d rather hand it over to someone more capable.”

Su Ning was silent for a moment, his gaze deep: "How many shares do you and your mother own?"

"35%."

“Okay.” Suning put down his teacup. “I’ll take this 35%, at 1.2 times the market value.”

Wu Dengke was taken aback: "1.2 times?"

This is much higher than he expected.

“Your father is a respectable businessman,” Su Ning said calmly. “I won’t take advantage of him.”

Wu Dengke's eyes welled up with tears as he bowed his head and signed his name on the agreement.

The main reason is that with the passing of Wu Dengke's father, the market value of the Wu Group plummeted, so 1.2 times is really not a high price.

After the agreement was signed, Suning personally saw Wu Dengke off.

Before parting, he whispered:
"Mr. Wu, the upcoming acquisition will be conducted in secret. I hope you and your mother will keep it confidential for the time being."

Wu Dengke nodded: "I understand! When I get back, I will continue to deal with them. I will talk to whoever they say they want to talk to."

"clever!"

"President Su, compared to you, I'm just a fool."

"Don't say that! Your strengths may not lie in business."

Back in the car, Mrs. Wu, Wu Dengke's mother, asked nervously, "How did the talks go?"

"Mom, we're free." Wu Dengke breathed a sigh of relief. "Suning agreed to acquire our shares, and the price is very fair."

Mrs. Wu was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "If your father knew..."

“Dad will understand.” Wu Dengke gripped his mother’s hand tightly. “The Wu family is a source of honor in his hands, but in my hands… it will only become a joke.”

"..."

"Furthermore, we must keep this a secret! We must cooperate with Suning's acquisition next."

"Good! Those jackals are indeed difficult to deal with."

At the Kyushu Group Financial Center, a silent capital operation quietly unfolded.

"Have you compiled the list of Wu's minority shareholders?" Su Ning asked, standing in front of the data screen.

“We have identified our targets.” The chief investment officer pulled up a list. “These shareholders hold a dispersed stake, but together they account for 33%. If we can acquire them all, we will gain control of the Wu Group.”

"Don't alert them." Su Ning narrowed his eyes. "First, acquire them in batches through offshore companies. The price can be 10% higher than the market price, but we must keep a low profile."

"clear."

Meanwhile, several shell companies under Kyushu began quietly acquiring Wu's Group shares on the secondary market, and several key minority shareholders also received acquisition offers from "anonymous buyers".

However, word still leaked out.

Wei Jinghai sat in his office, listening to his subordinate's report, his face grim: "Is someone secretly acquiring Wu's shares?"

"Yes, Mr. Wei," the assistant said in a low voice. "The shares circulating in the market have been snapped up, and several small shareholders have suddenly stopped talking about company matters."

Wei Jinghai slammed his fist on the table: "Investigate! Who exactly is behind this!"

He vaguely sensed that a capital hunt targeting the Wu Group had begun, and that the Kyushu Group was likely the hunter hiding behind the scenes!
At Haicheng Wharf, Cai Yanzhi was inspecting a batch of newly arrived goods when she suddenly received a call from Wei Jinghai.

“President Cai, the Wu Group may be about to undergo a major change.” Wei Jinghai’s voice was tinged with urgency. “Someone is secretly acquiring shares, and I suspect it’s the work of the Kyushu Group.”

Cai Yanzhi frowned: "Are you sure?"

"It's uncertain, but if it's true, once Suning takes control of the Wu family, our entire layout in the mining area will be ruined!"

Cai Yanzhi was silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Understood! I'll have someone investigate."

After hanging up the phone, she looked at the distant sea, her eyes filled with an unusually complex expression.

"Suning... what exactly are you trying to do?"

...(End of chapter)