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The conference room on the top floor of the Yongren Building in Los Angeles, at 2:15 a.m.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of the City of Angels still shone brightly, but the air inside the conference room seemed to freeze.

Twenty-three Yongren global executives and major shareholders sat upright, none daring to touch the steaming Wuyishan Da Hong Pao tea in front of them...

This was specially prepared by Suning, and it is said to have come from a cliff in Fujian that only he knows about.

When the heavy walnut door opened silently, everyone unconsciously held their breath.

Suning was the last to enter, his black handcrafted leather shoes making no sound as he stepped on the Persian carpet.

Today he was wearing a stand-up collar Zhongshan suit, with the Yongren lightning badge pinned to his left breast, and the jade ring on his right ring finger gleaming eerily green under the light.

This outfit caused the pupils of several Chinese shareholders and executives present to shrink in shock...

Because they recognized it as the standard attire of the leader of the Los Angeles Five Blessings Gang, the predecessor of Yongren.

"Does anyone know why we chose to hold this meeting in the early hours of the morning?" Su Ning asked as she sat down, her voice so soft it was as if she didn't want to wake anything.

Without waiting for a reply, he pressed the remote control, and the projection screen lowered to display three sets of data bar charts.

“Yongren’s true industrial distribution.” The laser pointer circled the “17% in China” column, “while you portray it in the media as if you have already monopolized 90% of the market.”

The red dot moved to the pillar next to it that read "Southeast Asia 23%", "Especially here, we can't even rank in the top three".

At that opportune moment, CFO Lin Shimin handed over a document.

Suning casually flipped through the document: "In the past three months, due to your 'bold words,' we have received antitrust investigations from 11 countries, and our stock price has fluctuated, resulting in a loss of $37 billion."

He paused, then added, "What's even more remarkable is that this accelerated the South Koreans' OLED research and development, allowing them to break through the technology that was holding us back six months ahead of schedule."

In the conference room, Choi Byung-hun, the president in charge of the Korean market, was pale, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

The projector then switched to displaying another set of news screenshots.

When the blond, blue-eyed COO, Tom Wilson, saw his comments in the Wall Street Journal magnified, his Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed.

"Chinese workers are better suited to repetitive labor?" Suning read out the headline.

Schmidt, who was in charge of European operations, quickly tried to defend himself, saying, "Mr. Su, the media always takes things out of context."

Suddenly, he pulled a silver Colt Python revolver from his inner suit pocket and gently placed it on the conference table.

The sound of metal colliding with solid wood sent chills down everyone's spine.

“Winter 1989, St. Petersburg.” Su Ning slowly turned the magazine with his index finger. “A German arms dealer said something similar.”

With a click, the missile launcher returned to its position. "His body was later left to soak in the Neva River for three months."

Just as Schmidt, who was in charge of European operations, was about to defend himself, Suning suddenly slammed his fist on the table.

Water from the teacup splashed onto the financial statements, spreading into a blood-red stain.

Suning sneered, "When you're bragging in the media, it's as if Yongren has already dominated the global consumer electronics market?"

He clicked on a video showing an executive on CNBC making arrogant remarks that he would "crush Samsung within three years".

CFO Lin Shimin chimed in, "It was this interview that led to the Korea Fair Trade Commission launching an antitrust investigation against us, resulting in losses of at least..."

“Actually, money is a minor issue!” He stood up abruptly, the chair behind him scraping against the carpet with a dull thud. “The key issue is that you’ve all forgotten who’s at the helm at Yongren!”

Press the remote control, and a collection of photos of Southeast Asian Chinese businessmen being purged in the 90s will appear on the screen.

“Lin Shaoliang’s clove cigarette empire was once worth three times that of Yongren.” Su Ning switched to a bleak photo with each name he mentioned. “Xie Jianlong’s automobile kingdom controlled the sales network of the entire Java Island.”

The camera finally focuses on an overgrown ancestral grave. "And now? Even visiting the grave has to be done secretly."

The temperature in the conference room seemed to drop suddenly.

James, the Asia-Pacific president, began to tremble uncontrollably, and his phone fell to the ground on the Persian carpet with a thud.

Su Ning sat down again, his posture relaxed as if he were having a casual chat: "When doing business in the East, remember three things."

He held up three fingers, the jade ring gleaming softly under the light. "First, the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled; second, it's better to offend a gentleman than a petty person; third,"

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "The seeds of disaster you sow now could cost your whole family their lives ten years from now."

The projection screen suddenly switched to a detailed list.

When the executives saw the contents, several faces instantly turned pale...

The document not only accurately marked their home address and children's school, but also clearly indicated the apartment number of their mistress.

Even more frightening is that all the offshore companies and secret accounts hidden under each person's name were also listed.

"Don't be nervous." Su Ning suddenly laughed, pouring himself a cup of tea. "Just a reminder to everyone, since you've chosen to make your fortune with Yongren,"

He blew away the tea foam, saying, "Don't be so clever as to plant landmines."

The meeting room was completely silent.

Everyone remembered that rumor...

When the Five Blessings Gang cleans up their households, they first send the target a family photo with all family members circled in red on the back.

"From today onwards, all media statements must be approved by headquarters." Su Ning took a sip of tea. "If anyone can't control their mouth..."

He looked at Tom, “Like the little trick of using a shell company in the Bahamas to own a yacht in Miami. When Indians ask if they can become number one in the world, we have to say they are the only country with the potential to be number one.”

Tom Wilson's blue eyes widened instantly, and his pen drew a long line of ink on the document.

"Meeting adjourned." Su Ning stood up and walked towards the door, then suddenly turned back. "Oh, right! I'm going to Heilongjiang next week to visit a soybean base. Anyone want to experience the northern scenery at minus thirty degrees Celsius?"

After the conference room door closed, several executives slumped into their chairs like deflated balloons.

Lin Shimin slowly tidied up the documents and said softly, "Actually, what the chairman means is to be careful what you say! After all, Yongren Group belongs to everyone."

"..."

Three days later, the Financial Times published a full-page statement from Yongren Group, which not only retracted all previous controversial statements, but also included an apology letter signed by a senior executive.

On the same day, Yongren announced a donation of US$5000 million to the Southeast Asia Education Foundation and invited reporters to visit its "Worker Innovation Lab" at its Suzhou factory...

There, a demonstration is underway showing how Chinese workers use independently developed robotic arms to complete precision assembly.

In the secluded room of his hilltop villa in Los Angeles, Su Ning stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, toying with the revolver in his hand.

Outside the window, the city lights resembled a galaxy lying at my feet.

"Chairman, we've found out." Lin Shimin handed over a tablet, on which was displayed a video of Tom's private conversation with the vice president of Carlson Capital in the golf locker room. "Matthew offered $20 million to buy Yongren's supplier list."

Su Ning chuckled and turned the magazine, ejecting six bullets: "Contact Deep Blue Capital in the Cayman Islands. Starting tomorrow, we will short the three stocks with the largest holdings of Carlson."

He placed the bullets one by one on the windowsill, "especially that Israeli cybersecurity company; we have a complete copy of their IPO documents."

“James has already been sent to Siberia,” Lin Shimin said, flipping through his memo. “However, he emailed this morning asking if I needed any bear hunting equipment.”

Suning walked towards the oil painting deep inside the study, and lifted the lid to reveal a safe.

As he turned the PIN, the jade ring on his ring finger gleamed faintly in the darkness.

Inside the safe was only a manila envelope containing yellowed photographs…

The young Suning stood on the St. Petersburg dock, with seven body bags neatly arranged behind him.

On the back of the photo, besides the Russian phrase "Business is business," there is also a line of smaller print: "Neva River ice thickness 2.4 meters."

He lit a corner of the photograph, and the flames illuminated the map of China hanging on the wall...

The Heilongjiang region is circled in red, with "soybeans," "corn," and "rare earth" labeled next to it.

"Notify Heilongjiang that I want to meet with real large-scale grain growers." The flames consumed the last piece of photographic paper. "Especially those who were cheated by Monsanto."

Lin Shimin nodded as he took notes, when suddenly he heard a "click"—Su Ning had placed a bullet on the windowsill. "This one's for Matthew," Su Ning said, gazing at the distant silhouette of the Carlson Capital building. "He'll soon understand, in the East..."

The jade ring flashed a cold light in the moonlight, "Silence is more precious than gold."

Outside the window, a red-eye flight was streaking across the sky.

Inside the cabin, the Asia-Pacific president, who had been demoted to Siberia, was so regretful he wanted to bang his head against the wall.

And amidst the city lights 30,000 feet below, the Yongren Empire's course is quietly shifting towards more fundamental and clandestine waterways...

Like an undercurrent beneath the ice, calm on the surface, but turbulent inside.

……

Los Angeles, top floor data room of Yongren Group Center.

Real-time data streams flickered across three curved screens. Suning stood in the center, looking at the latest operational reports…

After three months of internal restructuring, the group's operational efficiency improved by 37% and supply chain costs decreased by 15%.

What pleases him most is the media exposure curve, which has plummeted by 82% from its peak and returned to the industry average.

"Chairman, this was just delivered." Lin Shimin handed over a gold-embossed envelope with the word "TIME" engraved on the wax seal. "Time magazine has requested an exclusive interview again, and they guarantee that the cover will only feature a profile shot."

Suning waved his hand without even looking at it: "Tell them I'm on a business trip."

He tapped the Southeast Asia region that had suddenly turned red on the screen. "What's going on with the nickel mines in Indonesia?"

“Environmental organizations are protesting.” Lin Shih-min pulled up surveillance footage showing demonstrators holding signs that read “Yongren is plundering resources.” “The leader is a Swedish girl who is backed by funding from the Earth Justice organization.”

Su Ning chuckled and twirled the jade ring on her ring finger: "Investigate the organization's financial backers over the past three years."

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, where cruise ships in Victoria Harbour were setting sail, "especially those related to the three major mining groups."

The encrypted phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

Lin Shimin's expression changed slightly after answering the call: "Chairman, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has sent an invitation, hoping you will attend next week's 'Global Technology Ethics Summit,' and also..."

"That senator who advocated 'technology sanctions'?" Su Ning asked without turning his head, tapping his fingers lightly on the glass.

"Yes! And I just received news that the Digital Human Rights Coalition has added our Lightning phone to its list of oppressive technologies."

Suning finally turned around, a faint smile on his lips: "Reply to the American Chamber of Commerce and say that I had an appointment with NASA that day to discuss satellite frequency cooperation."

He walked back to the table and took a Cuban Cohiba from his cigar box. "As for that human rights alliance... I remember they have a data center in Singapore?"

“Yes! It’s a property leased from Carlson Capital.” Lin Shimin quickly pulled up the information. “The contract expires next month.”

“Let our Singapore branch snatch it up at three times the price.” Suning cut open the end of a cigar. “Convert it into a blockchain mining farm.”

Through the bluish-gray smoke, his eyes were sharp as knives. "When doing business, you have to use commercial methods."

"clear."

A private club in Midtown Manhattan, New York.

Suning sat in the shadows by the fireplace, the ice cubes in his whiskey glass clinking gently.

Across from him stood David K., the Rothschild family's representative, an elderly silver-haired man who was using an antique letter opener to cut open a box of Havana cigars.

“Su, you’re a rising star that all sides are trying to win over right now.” David offered a cigar, the diamond cufflinks on his sleeve gleaming in the firelight. “At the closed-door meeting at the White House last night, someone suggested awarding you the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

"And then?" Su Ning didn't take the cigar, but instead pulled out his own metal cigarette case. "The condition is that Yongren must join the technology embargo against China?"

"Hahaha..." David laughed loudly, but his laughter was interrupted by the sudden cracking sound of firewood.

Inside the fireplace, a piece of oak wood sparked brilliantly.

“Su, it seems you’re more perceptive than rumored.” The old man suddenly lowered his voice. “But some people… aren’t so easy to refuse. The ‘New Century Alliance’ has already put you on their watch list.”

Suning's pupils contracted slightly.

This shadowy organization, spanning political and business circles in Europe and America, uses the guise of "upholding Western values" to actually control a number of international sanctions.

He gently set down his wine glass, the glass making a crisp sound as it struck the mahogany tabletop.

“David, do you remember the advice you gave me in Los Angeles during the Asian financial crisis in 1997?” Suning suddenly changed the subject. “You said, ‘Business is business.’”

“The situation has changed, Su,” David sighed. “Now even Swiss banks are starting to take sides.”

Suning took out a pen from his inner pocket and drew three intersecting circles on a napkin: "Yongren's fund in the Cayman Islands generated $28 billion in commissions for Wall Street last year."

He pushed a napkin over, "Next year we plan to issue 150 billion yuan in technology bonds."

The old man's blue eyes lit up in the firelight as he picked up a napkin and examined it closely: "JPMorgan Chase would be very interested."

"The premise is..." Su Ning finally lit the cigar, the smoke forming a hazy barrier between the two of them, "that I can concentrate on doing business."

"Of course! As you wish! Actually, I also really hate those idiots."

That night, Suning's private jet quietly departed New York.

During the flight, Lin Shih-min reported the latest news: "The 'New Century Alliance' website has updated its list of honorary members, and David K's name has been added."

Looking at the flashing flight path map on his laptop, Su Ning's lips curled into a slight smile: "Donate $500 million to that environmental organization in Indonesia, specifying that it is 'for research on pollution control in nickel mining'."

"Yes! I'll arrange it right away."

……

The secret meeting room on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich.

Matthew Carlson slammed a stack of photos on the table: "Sue, you've gone too far."

The photo shows a secret meeting between Suning and the Saudi oil minister. "What those old men on Capitol Hill hate most is someone bypassing them to talk about energy deals."

“This is just normal business negotiation.” Su Ning remained unmoved, the red tea in front of him steaming. “Yongren is planning to build an undersea fiber optic cable in the Red Sea, which requires the geopolitical guarantee of Saudi Arabia.”

Carlson sneered and took a document from his briefcase: "And this? Yongren sold 'civilian' grade centrifuge control systems to Iran through shell companies?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop suddenly.

Suning slowly put down the teacup, the porcelain clinking against the silver tray with a crisp "ding".

“Matthew, that underage dancer you slept with in Dubai…” Su Ning’s voice was as soft as if she were talking about the weather, “her father was recently released from prison.”

He pulled a photo from his wallet and pushed it over, saying, "He seems to miss his daughter."

Carlson's face turned deathly pale instantly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The Middle Eastern man in the photo is standing in New York's Central Park, with Carlson's Fifth Avenue apartment faintly visible in the background.

“Carlson, business is business.” Su Ning stood up and straightened his cuffs. “Besides, Yongren’s bottom line is very simple—”

He leaned down and whispered in Carlson's ear, "Don't touch our supply chain."

Three hours later, Yongren Group suddenly announced the acquisition of a Swedish environmental technology company for $45 billion.

On the same day, an Indonesian environmental organization unexpectedly acquired a batch of advanced water quality testing equipment, with the donor listed as "Friends of the Nordic Nature".

In a Zurich bank safe deposit box, a document labeled "Starlink Project - Ultimate Edition" had its password quietly changed.

The new password is the six-digit number engraved on the jade ring—which happens to be the date Suning smuggled himself into America in 1987.

The world is actually very complex, and everyone has their own goals. It's difficult to completely get rid of the harassment of those flies.

However, Suning doesn't take them too seriously right now, since they can always find the right direction to move forward.

...(End of chapter)