One person said: The essence of Wuhou Qimen lies not in Qimen, but in Wuhou.

Zhuge Ming was stuffing the last document into his briefcase, and just as he zipped it up, the red hotline on the table suddenly went off.

The bell wasn't loud, but it was particularly clear in the clean and tidy office.

A special forces soldier glanced at the phone, then turned to Zhuge Ming: "Sir, the phone is ringing."

Zhuge Ming raised his head and his gaze fell on the red dedicated line.

It was already past working hours, and he didn't have to answer the call—but the Red Hotline was a top-secret line directly connecting the provincial party committee and central ministries, and it could not be used except for major matters.

If the red emergency hotline rings during off-hours, it means something's wrong.

He reached for the microphone, his voice steady and clear: "Hello, this is Zhuge Ming."

Zhao Fangxu's voice came from the other end of the phone, his tone serious and cautious, every word as if carefully chosen: "Director Zhuge, this is Zhao Fangxu. There is something I need to report to you."

"Chairman Zhao," Zhuge Ming leaned against his desk, one hand holding the phone and the other gripping the handle of his briefcase, "Is it work-related? It's past closing time. Since you've called the hotline, what kind of emergency has occurred?"

"Director Zhuge, this is what happened—our colleagues in Tianjin, North China region, just sent word that Zhang Chulan, an employee not on the company's payroll, showed unusual activity this evening. However, thanks to the swift response of our colleagues in North China, his location has now been confirmed."

Zhao Fangxu paused, as if mentally preparing himself for his next sentence, "Zhang Chulan is currently with the Tianxia Hui Group. This Tianxia Hui Group is also very powerful in society—on the surface, it is a business giant covering real estate, entertainment, and investment, with a market value of 300 billion. Behind the scenes, it is the network of supernatural beings built by Feng Zhenghao, recruiting scattered talented individuals as cadres, both protecting the building's security and supporting a force that cannot be underestimated in the world of supernatural beings."

Sitting in his top-floor office, Feng Zhenghao, a man in a suit, exuded the blood of a descendant of the Liangshan shaman. He held the Eight Extraordinary Techniques, specifically the Spirit Binding and Commanding skill, a qualification that earned him a place among the Ten Elders. In the world of supernatural beings, Feng Zhenghao was a shrewd and cunning figure whose eyes always betrayed his ability to be both ruthless and cunning.

Zhuge Ming listened quietly, his expression unchanged.

He placed his briefcase on the table and tapped it lightly with his long, slender fingers.

He quickly broke down the information in his mind into several key elements: Zhang Chulan ran away to the World Society, Feng Zhenghao intervened, just like in the original story. He silently marked Feng Zhenghao's name in his mind—a newly appointed member of the Ten Elders, holder of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, head of a business empire worth 300 billion, and a descendant of the Liangshan Great Shaman. This man didn't have the traditional burdens of the Old Celestial Master's generation, nor did he possess Lu Jin's moral fastidiousness; he was a true ruthless tycoon who had survived in both the business world and the martial arts world. Interesting.

"I understand."

When Zhuge Ming spoke, his tone was calm and brief, as if he were reading a report he had already reviewed. Then he asked a question, a precise one that made Zhao Fangxu pause for a moment on the other end of the phone: "Who is the head of the North China region?"

Zhao Fangxu immediately responded, speaking a fraction faster than before, but his wording remained impeccable, as if he were carefully handling a piece of porcelain: "Director Zhuge, the person in charge of the North China region is Xu Si. He has been attending a high-level company meeting at the Beijing headquarters these past few days, and the meeting just ended this afternoon. After receiving the news, he rushed to the scene to handle the situation immediately."

I don't think this incident was due to his negligence—as far as I know, Zhang Chulan is a disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain, possessing considerable supernatural abilities; he's no ordinary person. His escape unnoticed certainly had its objective factors. Comrade Xu Si usually has a solid work style, high efficiency, and is loyal to the organization. This incident happened suddenly, but it was still within a controllable range.

After hearing this, Zhuge Ming's lips twitched slightly.

The curve was so shallow that Zhao Fangxu on the other end of the phone couldn't see it at all.

That old fox—he wants to have his cake and eat it too.

He was clearly tattling, but he reported everything that needed to be reported without missing a single detail, fully fulfilling his organizational obligations as chairman. No one can say that Zhao Fangxu knew about it but didn't report it.

But after the report, he immediately defended Xu Si, exaggerating the responsibility to the skies, thus avoiding offending his superiors while maintaining his image as a "good leader" in front of his subordinates.

However, Zhuge Ming gave him a fair score in his mind—to have done this much, he was already a good leader.

Being the top leader within the system requires being accountable to superiors while also providing support to subordinates. Zhao Fangxu's skill in this regard is not something everyone can master.

But today he encountered Zhuge Ming, who saw through everything.

"Chairman Zhao, I understand."

Zhuge Ming's voice remained calm and emotionless. "This isn't about whose responsibility it is. I haven't had any contact with Feng Zhenghao, one of the Ten Elders. This is a good opportunity—know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. We can accumulate some experience for our future work, get a feel for the strength of these rising forces in the world of supernatural beings, and lay a solid foundation for subsequent policy-making. Here's what I'll do: I don't have a definite timetable for my trip to Jiangxi, so I'll cancel tonight's flight and go to Tianjin first thing tomorrow morning."

Zhao Fangxu paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then immediately replied, his tone carrying just the right amount of respect and concern. Every word sounded like it had been taken from a standard official document template, yet it was still very personal: "Director Zhuge, you've worked so hard. You've been working non-stop all day, attending a meeting in the city this morning, presiding over a top-level meeting at the company this afternoon, and you were supposed to fly to Jiangxi tonight—please be sure to take care of your health and get some rest."

"I will accompany you to Tianjin tomorrow. This Feng Zhenghao shows no restraint; knowing Zhang Chulan is an employee of the company, he still tried to recruit him. This blatant disregard for organizational authority deserves a warning. Otherwise, once this precedent is set, others will follow suit, making our work in the world of supernatural beings even more difficult."

After listening, Zhuge Ming nodded slightly.

He had no objection to Zhao Fangxu going along.

After all, Feng Zhenghao had dealt with Zhao Fangxu before. With Zhao Fangxu present, someone would pave the way for him to say certain things, saving him the trouble of having to say everything himself.

He said two words: "Okay."

Then he hung up the phone.

He put the microphone back on the landline of the red hotline, his finger hovered over the receiver for a moment, then he withdrew his hand, picked up his briefcase, and walked towards the door.

Two special forces soldiers followed on the left and right, their steps silent and synchronized.

Zhuge Ming walked down the corridor, his leather shoes making a steady clattering sound on the floor tiles. The light from the incandescent bulbs slid over his head one by one, casting his shadow as a long, straight line on the ground.

He thought of something in his mind but didn't say it aloud, but the smile on his lips deepened a little more than before.

Interesting. Let me see what this protagonist-like Zhang Chulan is all about...