“Wen Ting, it seems you’ll never admit to your schemes no matter what,” Su Jie said, narrowing his eyes.
“I’m just doing my job honestly. Where would I get schemes from? You’ve been targeting me since you arrived, I wonder what hidden agenda you have,” Wen Ting said. “I’m in the middle of a critical acquisition, and your sister is working on product development at Haoyu Group. For all I know, you could be a corporate spy for Haoyu.”
“I’ve seen the thief cry ‘stop thief’ before,” Su Jie said, unfazed by Wen Ting’s counter-accusation. But Wen Ting was indeed extremely difficult to deal with, catching him in a mistake wouldn’t be simple. “Wen Ting, you said this acquisition plan succeeded because you obtained evidence of Feng Yuxuan and Feng Qiancang’s illegal activities. Now, I’d like you to show me that evidence.”
“I’m sorry, but the evidence was used as a commercial bargaining chip,” Wen Ting said. “The moment they signed the acquisition contract, I returned the evidence to them. Hedao Group is only concerned with the acquisition, not their illegal activities. If they’ve broken the law, the law will deal with them.”
“So there’s really nothing I can do to you?” A smile appeared on Su Jie’s face, as if he had found another way to make Wen Ting yield.
“There’s nothing wrong with me in the first place. You, on the other hand, are full of suspicious,” Wen Ting said. “Now, you may leave. Also, please have security clean this up. The cost of the damage here I will report to the board and deduct from your salary.”
“Leave? It’s not that simple. If you don’t hand over the evidence of their illegal activities, we might have to fight a few more rounds.” Su Jie had the advantage in this matter. “And I’ll be coming here every day.”
He was only temporarily serving as a bodyguard at Hedao Group, he wasn’t afraid of making a scene. Wen Ting, on the other hand, needed to establish roots here and gradually take over this giant conglomerate. The last thing he wanted was a public scandal.
He needed a quiet infiltration, no fuss, no noise, slowly winning hearts and climbing the ladder.
Su Jie had identified this weakness.
If they engaged in a covert struggle, Su Jie would be at a disadvantage within the company. But in an open confrontation, Wen Ting’s actions could be magnified endlessly, there was no way he wouldn’t slip up.
“Are you a mad dog determined to bite me?” A hint of darkness crept into Wen Ting’s expression. He too could see Su Jie’s intention: to make the matter bigger, and bigger still, even if it became public knowledge.
“I admit you’re very deep, calculating, and flawless. But you want too much, your plans are too ambitious. In this process, you’re bound to be cautious and constrained. You’re no match for me.” Su Jie tapped the table. “I have the advantage now, and I think you know it. How about we sit down and talk? I won’t interfere with your plans, but you have to give me what I want.”
“Are you leaving or not?” Wen Ting ignored Su Jie’s negotiation offer. “If you won’t leave, I’ll have to make you.”
“Not taking the bait.” Su Jie had been testing Wen Ting, if Wen Ting were afraid of him making a scene, he would have softened his tone and sat down to talk. Su Jie could then have extracted secrets about Typhon Training Camp and possibly even learned about his sister. But Wen Ting remained impenetrable.
“It seems you’re not afraid of me making a scene at all?” Su Jie saw that Wen Ting was impervious to persuasion, with no weakness to exploit.
“Making a scene won’t cost me much, it will cost you more. This acquisition satisfies both the Feng family and Hedao Group. When both sides are happy, things proceed naturally. If you mess this up, the Feng family will be your enemy, and Hedao will be your enemy too. Besides, didn’t you say your sister works for the Feng family? If they find out you sabotaged this deal, I don’t know what might happen.” Wen Ting’s tone carried a chilling edge.
Su Jie understood the implication.
His hand moved, his whole body coiling with power, his fingers hooking, ready to strike again.
This time, he decided to go all out: “Wen Ting, I want to see what your real trump card is after all those years of training at Typhon Training Camp. Feng Hengyi started training in the womb. You’re thirty now, twelve years more experience than him. You should give me some unexpected surprises.”
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside.
Su Jie relaxed his power and stopped.
The office door opened, and in walked Liu Shi’s daughter, Liu Xiaoguo.
Taking one look at the chaos, clearly from a fight between Su Jie and Wen Ting, her face filled with anger. She pointed directly at Su Jie: “What do you think you’re doing? Deliberately causing trouble? Get out of here right now. Don’t interfere with the Investment and M&A Department’s work.”
“Ms. Liu Xiaoguo, this has nothing to do with you, so I’m asking you to leave,” Su Jie said coldly. “I’m in charge of your father’s security. He was attacked in Japan, and I suspect Wen Ting is involved. My investigation supports this.”
“Su Jie, don’t slander people. Do you have evidence? Show me the evidence, or I’ll sue you for defamation.” Liu Xiaoguo naturally had to defend her fiancé.
Since she had started dating Wen Ting, everything had been perfect, except for his humble background. But Wen Ting had amassed considerable wealth entirely through his own abilities, which Liu Xiaoguo greatly admired.
In fact, with Wen Ting, she lived better than she had at home.
Though she was a super-rich second-generation heiress, Liu Shi had always restricted her spending to prevent her from becoming a spoiled brat. Wen Ting was different, he indulged her in everything.
Through their relationship, she had come to feel that Wen Ting wasn’t after her family’s money or wealth, if anything, she had spent a lot of his money.
Wen Ting wasn’t short of money. She had seen his bank accounts, even without the family, he could live like a billionaire for life, spending lavishly.
So whenever anyone said Wen Ting was with her for her family’s fortune, she scoffed inwardly.
Su Jie understood Liu Xiaoguo’s mindset. Women like her were easily blinded by love. And Wen Ting was indeed an expert at disguise, better than any agent. If he wanted to manipulate someone, that person would probably die willingly.
What Liu Xiaoguo didn’t know was that people like Wen Ting, like Feng Hengyi, followed the path of extinguishing humanity, transcending all, becoming gods, with all others as lambs, not Su Jie’s path of traditional Chinese cultivation: the unity of heaven and man, humanity within the heavenly way and the heavenly way within humanity.
“Wen Ting, with your strength and dignity, you shouldn’t hide behind a woman,” Su Jie said, ignoring Liu Xiaoguo, he knew arguing with her was pointless.
“Xiaoguo, this is affecting our Investment and M&A Department’s progress. I think you need to speak to your father about firing this man,” Wen Ting said, ignoring Su Jie’s provocation.
“Su Jie, are you leaving or not?” Liu Xiaoguo demanded.
Su Jie merely chuckled coldly. “I already told your father not to let you interfere. This concerns his safety and Hedao Group’s survival, this is no time for your tantrums. If you keep screaming, I’ll have to throw you out.”
He showed no courtesy toward Liu Shi’s daughter.
To outsiders, Su Jie’s behavior seemed unreasonable. But Wen Ting knew that this kind of relentless harassment put enormous pressure on him.
“I’d like to see how you’re going to throw me out,” Liu Xiaoguo said dismissively.
At that moment, Wen Ting stepped forward to protect Liu Xiaoguo, speaking to Su Jie: “It’s fine if you come after me, I won’t hold it against you. But if you lay a finger on my girlfriend, I’ll kill you.”
At these words, something like emotion flickered in Liu Xiaoguo’s eyes.
Su Jie shook his head.
Just then, another person appeared at the office door, Liu Guan.
“Brother, you came just in time.” Liu Xiaoguo quickly said, “This man is causing trouble here. I think he needs to be kicked out of the company.”
“Su Jie, making a scene now isn’t in our best interest.” Liu Guan shot Su Jie a meaningful look.
Su Jie was silent for a moment. “Fine. I’ll suspend the investigation for now. But this isn’t over. Wen Ting, you’d better be careful, don’t let me catch your tail.”
With that, he walked out of the office.
Liu Guan followed closely.
They quickly left the building and got into a car outside.
“Su Jie, did your move achieve anything?” Liu Guan immediately asked.
“Of course. I fought Wen Ting.” Su Jie said. “He’s extremely powerful, rare in this world. I can say with certainty that he’s received the most professional training, and for a long time. An ordinary person from a poor background couldn’t possibly have access to that kind of training.”
“What’s your plan now?” Liu Guan asked. “We both know Wen Ting is problematic, and my father knows it too. But my foolish sister doesn’t, she thinks it’s undying love. If my father and I try to stop her, she might even cut ties with us.”
“Indeed.” Su Jie thought of his own parents, how his mother had followed his father despite the Xu family’s opposition, and how they had stayed together regardless. “I just got a call from my father, suggesting we hold off for now. Let Wen Ting complete the acquisition first, then we’ll talk.”
“Your father still wants to use him as a knife. But this knife is too sharp, it could backfire.” Su Jie said. “Where is he? I need to have a serious talk with him.”
“He’s coming back from Zhongnan Mountain tomorrow,” Liu Guan said. “I know my father’s thinking: there are many obstacles in the company right now. Once Wen Ting clears them all out, I can take over.”
“But Wen Ting sees that clearly. He won’t clear them out, he’ll secretly make deals with them,” Su Jie said. “Your father can’t outmaneuver him.”