At the start, I had to choose one of four options, and I immediately picked the Brahmin from the cou

The wind on the viewing platform was colder than downstairs, making Cao Weidong's hair a little disheveled, but he was completely unaware, staring blankly at the rows of steel frame structures being hoisted at the Phase II construction site in the distance.

The sun had already sunk behind Purple Mountain, leaving only the last sliver of dark red light on the horizon, falling on the tops of those giant tower cranes like torches stuck in the twilight.

Li Xiao did not disturb him.

He knew in his heart that Cao Weidong's feelings were very complicated at this moment.

Although he managed to deflect the inspection team's whistleblower letter with his prepared materials, this kind of subtle tactic is what officials fear most. The matter was investigated and clarified, but the person had already been thoroughly humiliated.

Xinglan's move of its headquarters back to Jiangyang is like a shot in the arm for Cao Weidong.

The fact that a high-tech enterprise with an investment of hundreds of millions of yuan and the only T4-level data center in the province has settled in is a solid achievement that makes any flaws in the inspection report irrelevant.

"Mr. Li, let me show you the main building." Cao Weidong snapped out of his daze, turned around, and gestured for Li Xiao to proceed.

The group turned back from the observation platform, passed through the administrative office area, and entered the exhibition hall of the main building.

The hall has a ceiling height of over nine meters, and the top is made up of thousands of triangular LED screens that form a huge dome that can display the data flow and business peaks of Xinglan Technology's system across the country in real time.

In the center of the hall is a holographic projection sand table, in which the buildings, road network, and underground pipe corridors of the entire Jiangyang High-tech Zone are precisely shrunk down. Looking down from above the sand table, it is like watching a miniature city that is growing.

Cao Weidong pointed to a main road extending from the industrial park on the model and said:

"Once this road is completed, it will only take eight minutes to get from the industrial park to the highway exit. The city has already approved a dedicated bus line, which will open next spring. At that time, employees in the industrial park can take a new energy bus directly from the county town to work." He then pointed to an area marked "supporting living area" in the southeast corner of the model, "Employee apartments, talent apartments, a community hospital, and a nine-year compulsory education school will be built there. They will all be built to first-tier city standards. Mr. Li, I plan to turn this place into a self-sufficient small city by next summer."

Li Xiao strolled slowly along the edge of the sand table, his gaze sweeping over the dense markings. Suddenly, he stopped in front of an area marked with blue light on the east side. It was the only reserved plot of land in the park that had not yet been developed; it was small, sandwiched between two data centers and an experimental building.

"Secretary Cao, I see that this land hasn't been allocated yet."

Li Xiao looked up, his tone questioning.

Cao Weidong smiled slightly, seemingly having anticipated Li Xiao's question:

"That land was reserved for Xinglan. According to the management committee's original plan, a corporate exhibition hall was to be built there, but I thought that rather than building a showroom for people to visit, it would be better to reserve it for companies that could actually use it. Xinglan will have new projects in Jiangyang in the future, and the land issue will be handled through the green channel then."

Li Xiao nodded without refusing.

This arrangement was exactly what he expected—Cao Weidong was a shrewd official; what he offered wasn't land, but a continuous binding agreement. The more Xinglan relied on Jiangyang's land and infrastructure, the less likely it would be to easily relocate its headquarters.

This is not a bad thing for him.

The deeper Xinglan's foundation, the stronger his trump cards will be when he battles with Zhou Bingsheng and his gang in Jianye.

Moreover, Jiangyang is his stronghold.

The Li family has been operating here for generations. The legacy of their fathers, Li Jianguo's business empire, and the old man's protégés and friends in the province—these things are usually unassuming, but when it comes to getting things done, they are more effective than any contract.

Cao Weidong was so keen on Xinglan's headquarters settling there for two reasons. First, he needed this achievement to offset the pressure from the inspection team. Second, the Li family behind Xinglan had long held an unshakeable position in Jiangyang's political and business landscape.

By relocating Xinglan's lifeline back to Jiangyang, Li Xiao essentially locked a phoenix that lays golden eggs in his own garden.

This move not only gave Cao Weidong face, but also placed the most core assets right under his nose.

The two walked around the sand table again.

As Cao Weidong walked and talked, his tone was no longer as emotional as it had been on the viewing platform; instead, it revealed the excitement unique to a planner.

He pointed to the living area, underground utility tunnel, smart streetlights, and driverless test lanes, and for each place he mentioned, he would add, "Mr. Li, do you think this arrangement is convenient for Xinglan?"

Li Xiao mostly just listened, occasionally nodding, and sometimes stopping to ask a question about the data.

"Secretary Cao, to be honest, I was quite surprised when I first saw this park today."

Li Xiao finally spoke, his tone not harsh, but it made Cao Weidong pause in his steps.

"From the start of construction to today, it has been less than six months. The county's execution ability is stronger than that of many professional managers I have met in the provincial capital."

Cao Weidong waved his hand: "It's all because of the tight deadline. The province has put a lot of pressure on the high-tech zone's performance indicators. If I don't make a name for myself, things will be even more difficult in the future. Fortunately, you, General Manager Li, have given me a way out."

Li Xiao understood what the man meant by "way out," but he didn't respond. He simply continued pacing along the sand table.

Cao Weidong caught up half a beat later, lowering his tone slightly:

"The matter of the inspection team may be more complicated than previously estimated."

After I submitted the materials, the inspection team didn't talk to me again, but they didn't officially end the meeting either.

Several senior city leaders have told me that the source of this whistleblower letter is questionable, and the inspection team is also verifying it. I suspect that Zhou Bingsheng wasn't the only one behind this.

Li Xiao turned around and looked at him.

Cao Weidong's decision to huddle and say this in front of a group of bureau chiefs clearly indicated that the situation had reached a point where he had no choice but to speak out. Li Xiao didn't rush to comment, but instead asked, "Who in the city is speaking up for you?"

"Vice Mayor Liu called once and told me to stay calm. A senior section chief at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission also put in a good word for me. But you know how these things get, the higher you go, the more sensitive they become. They think I'm too closely tied to you."

As Cao Weidong spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the sand table, his fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of his shirt, as if searching for a foothold.

"That's why I was in a hurry to move Xinglan's headquarters back to Jiangyang. It's a signal to let them know that what's going on between us isn't a private deal, but a legitimate project collaboration. Xinglan's decision to establish itself in Jiangyang is an affirmation of Jiangyang's business environment and of my work as the Party Secretary."