The richest man started taking advantage of loopholes after joining Alibaba.

The night in Beijing was swallowed up by a sudden sandstorm.

The wind whipped up yellow sand, violently scraping against the windows of the Maybach.

Visibility was less than ten meters, and the streetlights were as dim and yellow as the eyes of a dying person.

At the foot of Xishan Mountain, at the end of an asphalt road without any road signs.

The two huge bronze doors were tightly closed. There was no sign at the entrance, only two security guards in black coats standing like statues in the wind and sand.

This is "that place".

The most exclusive and secluded club in Beijing's elite circles, where there are no membership cards, only facial recognition.

"Mr. Lin, we've arrived." Xie Yu parked the car and handed over a long-handled black umbrella from the passenger seat.

"Wait in the car."

Lin Che took the umbrella, opened the door, and got out of the car.

The sandstorm instantly rushed into my collar, as if trying to drain my body heat.

He opened his umbrella and walked against the wind to the bronze gate.

The security personnel had clearly been notified beforehand; without any obstruction or unnecessary words, they silently opened the heavy door.

Behind the door lies another world.

There was no gaudy, opulent decoration, only a dry landscape garden and dim lighting.

The air was filled with the scent of expensive sandalwood, completely isolating the bleak atmosphere outside.

The waiter led Lin Che through the winding corridors to a tea room at the very back.

"Mr. Cui is inside."

The waiter withdrew.

Lin Che pushed open the wooden door.

The main lights were not on in the room; only a floor lamp emitted a warm yellow light.

A man was curled up on a sofa in the corner, holding a cigarette that had burned down to the butt.

He was wearing an old, pilling sweater, his hair was a mess like a bird's nest, and he had dark, heavy bags under his eyes, but his eyes were frighteningly bright—a kind of neurotic excitement caused by long-term insomnia.

Old Cui.

A former national-level celebrity host, now a "madman" who has been collectively blacklisted by the entertainment industry.

"You're here?"

Old Cui raised his head, his voice hoarse.

He didn't get up, but stared intently at Lin Che with his bloodshot eyes. "There are rumors outside that Weiguang is going bankrupt, and Mr. Lin still has the mood to come to a place like this for tea?"

"collapse?"

Lin Che took off his trench coat and hung it on the hanger, his movements slow and deliberate.

"If I don't play dead, how dare those greedy hyenas stick their necks out?"

He walked over and sat down opposite Old Cui, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"Try it, Da Hong Pao tea. This pot is enough to get Miss Fan to walk two steps on the red carpet."

Old Cui's hand trembled slightly.

Cigarette ash fell onto the carpet.

"What exactly do you want?" Old Cui stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, leaning forward like a wary old wolf. "You said on the phone that you had what I wanted. Don't beat around the bush; I'm out of patience."

Lin Che put down his teacup.

He pulled a black portable hard drive from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

The hard drive was small, but it gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen under the light.

Snapped.

He gently patted the hard drive on the table and pushed it in front of Lao Cui.

"Here you find all the underlying data captured by the Abyss system."

Lin Che's voice was soft, yet every word was like thunder.

"730 dual contracts, cash flow records of 45 shell companies, and a complete map of their money laundering methods through underground banks."

Old Cui's pupils contracted sharply.

His breathing became rapid and his chest heaved violently, like a bellows being pulled apart.

He stared intently at the black cube, his hand outstretched, hovering in mid-air, yet he hesitated to bring it down.

That's Pandora's box.

Once it's exposed, it won't just destroy a few celebrities, but the unspoken rules of the entire industry.

"How...how did you get this?" Old Cui's voice trembled. "This is top secret; even the tax bureau can't find it..."

"Because they are greedy."

Lin Che sneered, his eyes full of mockery.

"They thought that using encryption software and offshore accounts would solve everything, but they forgot that all fund transfers eventually go through the banking system, and as long as it is data, there will be a trace."

"For Weiguang, there are no secrets in the online world."

Old Cui finally got hold of the hard drive.

The icy touch sent a shiver down his spine.

He suddenly looked up at Lin Che: "What do you want? Money? Or to let Weiguang invest in Huaying? If it's just for business interests, you don't need to come to me. Take this to Wang Zhonglei, and he'll kneel down and give you money."

I want order.

Lin Che leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and his eyes became deep and cold.

"Money is just a number to me, but this industry is too dirty."

"It's so dirty that even I can't stand it anymore."

Memories of my previous life resurfaced.

That winter, countless film and television companies with dreams went bankrupt, and good projects were aborted due to lack of funds. Meanwhile, those traffic stars who only knew how to use green screen and recite numbers received sky-high salaries, lived in mansions worth hundreds of millions, and mocked the efforts of ordinary people.

Bad money drives out good money.

This is the kind of business logic that Lin Che finds most intolerable.

"I don't want money."

Lin Che looked into Old Cui's eyes and said, word by word.

"I want you to be the one to light the fire."

"If this evidence were released by Weiguang, it would be considered malicious business competition and a smear campaign, which would severely damage its credibility."

"But if it were posted by you—a 'Tell It Like It Is' host who's willing to risk your reputation for justice..."

Lin Che paused for a moment, a cruel smile curving his lips.

"That is a just trial."

That is public opinion.

Old Cui fell silent.

He gripped the hard drive tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He knew Lin Che was using him.

They used him as a tool.

But he doesn't care.

He had waited too long and felt frustrated for this day.

He was willing to make those people pay the price, even if it meant making a deal with the devil.

"it is good."

Old Cui tucked the hard drive into his coat pocket and pressed it against his chest.

The madness and determination in his eyes were chilling.

"When will you make your move?"

Lin Che raised his wrist and looked at the Patek Philippe.

Sunday night.

"That's when the traffic is at its highest, and also when their vigilance is at its lowest."

"Everyone is scrolling through their phones, preparing for the agonizing Monday. If you give them a big piece of gossip right now, they'll pounce on it like hungry wolves and tear Huaying to shreds."

Old Cui stood up and gave Lin Che a deep look.

"Lin Che, you are more terrifying than them."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Lin Che picked up his teacup and toasted the air.

"Go ahead. You're in charge of starting the fire, and I'll take care of collecting the bodies."

……

Old Cui is gone.

He disappeared into the sandstorm outside the door, like an assassin going to his death.

Lin Che sat alone in the tea room and slowly finished the pot of tea.

The tea has gone cold and tastes bitter.

But he liked the taste.

This is the taste of power. Without lifting a finger, a mere push can unleash a massive wave.

Ten minutes later, Lin Che walked out of "that house".

The sandstorms have intensified.

Xie Yu had been standing by the car waiting, and when he saw Lin Che come out, he immediately opened the car door.

"Brother Che, has the deal been reached?"

"Um."

Lin Che climbed into the warm carriage and shook the dust off his shoulders.

"go home."

The Maybach restarted, its tires crunching over the gravel on the ground.

The car was deathly silent.

Xie Yu stole a glance at his boss through the rearview mirror.

Lin Che was pretending to sleep with his eyes closed, his face expressionless, like an emotionless statue.

But he could sense that the boss was in a good mood.

The thrill of watching the prey about to fall into the net permeated the entire carriage.

drop.

Lin Che's personal cell phone suddenly vibrated.

He opened his eyes and swiped the screen.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

Only two words:

It's done.

Lin Che deleted the text message and tossed his phone aside.

He turned to look out the window.

Although he couldn't see clearly, he knew that direction led to the China World Trade Center and the headquarters building of Huaying Entertainment.

At this very moment, Wang Zhonglei is probably still popping champagne to celebrate the record high stock price.

That Miss Fan is probably still trying on her haute couture gown that she's going to wear on Sunday's red carpet to outshine everyone else, right?

Let's party!

This is your last supper.

"Xie Yu".

Lin Che suddenly spoke.

"exist."

"Notify the Hong Kong side to max out the leverage."

"In addition, have the finance department prepare 100 billion in working capital."

Xie Yu's hand trembled, and the steering wheel almost slipped.

"One...one hundred billion? What are we going to do with that?"

Lin Che looked at the blurry streetlights outside the window, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes.

"When the ruins are formed, we will go in and become the only king."

"This Sunday night, I'm going to let all of China know who the real rule-makers in this industry are."

The wind and sand howled.

The black Maybach, like a ghost ship, sailed through the chaotic night.

A fireworks show worth hundreds of billions is now in its countdown.