Chapter 841: Another Call Dropped

Zhao Group headquarters.

The new audit team's office is set up in the eighteenth-floor conference room; Xu Shiyuan brought eight elite cadres transferred from various counties, and has turned this place into a temporary command center.

The walls are covered with project blueprints, cash flow diagrams, and photocopied contracts.

The whiteboard is filled with pending issues to investigate.

But at this moment…

The atmosphere in the conference room isn't just solemn; it's downright oppressive, making even breathing a little difficult.

"Director Xu, the core financial data has been destroyed."

A young auditor held a freshly printed list.

He said grimly: "From last year to this year, all electronic bills have been wiped clean; the backup hard drives are gone too. As for paper vouchers, we just checked the archives and twelve whole boxes are missing."

"When did you discover this?"

Xu Shiyuan sat at the head of the conference table, his face ashen.

The auditor replied truthfully: "Just this morning, as planned, we retrieved the cost details for the Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project; the system's related data had all been lost. Going to the archive room for paper vouchers, we further found that boxes numbered G7 through G18 were all empty."

"What about the surveillance?"

"The archive room's surveillance broke down Friday night and wasn't reported for repair until Monday. The maintenance record shows it was due to line aging."

"Line aging?" Xu Shiyuan frowned suspiciously: "It didn't age early or late—it conveniently aged the day before we arrived? Go fetch the Zhao Group's financial director."

He stood up, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the conference room.

Outside the window lay Wuzhou's bustling streetscape; but anyone not blind could see that beneath the prosperity lurked plenty of shady dealings.

"Director Xu!"

Another auditor rushed in, face ashen: "Just got the news—Zhao Group's financial director Shen Mingyang jumped to his death…"

"What?!"

Xu Shiyuan whirled around, shock flashing across his face.

The messenger reported grimly to Director Xu: "Just half an hour ago, Shen Mingyang fell from the rooftop of his own building—a thirty‑two‑story tower. Police and ambulance arrived, confirming death on the spot. Officers found a suicide note at his home, saying the pressure was too much to bear."

The conference room fell into dead silence.

Xu Shiyuan slowly sat back down, closing his exhausted eyes.

Core financial data destroyed!

The financial director jumped to his death again!

What a coincidence—both incidents happened on the same day, damn it! Even thinking with your toes you know what's going on.

"Director Xu, we…" someone asked softly.

"Keep investigating!" Xu Shiyuan opened his eyes, his gaze icy: "Since the internal data's gone, we'll go outward—bank flows, affiliated firms, contractors, suppliers, trace each line! I want to see how long these lawless outlaws can keep running rampant!"

That evening at six o'clock.

Zhao Tianyu sat in his villa's living room, the TV on but he was looking at his phone. The screen showed only six words: "Already taken care of."

He deleted the message, picked up the whiskey on the coffee table, and downed it in one gulp.

The liquor burned his throat, but he felt satisfied.

He thought:

"Shen Mingyang, that coward—keeping him around would only bring trouble sooner or later."

"Now it's fine—he jumped, suicide note clear as day—work pressure huge, debts piling up, life not worth living."

That's perfection in imperfection.

As for those financial records, Along and Ahu hauled them away overnight; they're already ashes! Want to audit my accounts? Good luck finding them—damn it!

……

Lost in thought, Zhao Tianyu set down his drink and walked to the floor‑to‑ceiling window to view the scenery.

The sunset's afterglow dyed Wuzhou's sky blood‑red; on the villa district's lawn, a few kids kicked a ball, their laughter carrying far.

He suddenly felt he should be as carefree as those kids.

What the hell to worry about!

If the sky falls, the tall ones get crushed first; only then would it reach me, Zhao Tianyu. Barefoot folks aren't scared of shoes—I'm already at the end of my rope, what's there to fear?

Thinking that, Zhao Tianyu felt refreshed and clear‑headed.

Zhao Tianyu pulled out his incessantly ringing phone; the caller ID showed an overseas number.

As soon as the call connected, a cold voice warned: "General Manager Zhao, you have five days. If that loan doesn't arrive on time, we'll initiate collateral liquidation. Also, I'd like to remind you kindly that the daily late fee is three per mille of the principal."

It was a woman's voice—a very beautiful woman, the kind any man would want to sleep with.

Her name was Wang Minjuan!

Zhao Tianyu simply replied, "I know, no need to remind me," and hung up immediately.

Five days!

Wang Minjuan had given him only five days left!

Still impossible to repay.

Principal plus interest amount to several billion—what could he use to pay it back?

But no need to worry—eighty million in escape funds are already set, arriving in three days! The Singapore property is also lined up, fake passports in the works.

Once the money arrives, Zhao Tianyu can flee at once.

As for this mess in Wuzhou, let it be whatever it will be.

Zhao Tianyu walked to the liquor cabinet.

He poured another drink.

This time he didn't rush to drink; he held the glass, swirling it slowly. The amber liquid spun in the cup, reflecting his smug grin.

"Lin Dongfan, Lin Dongfan..." Zhao Tianyu chuckled lightly, muttering: "You've driven me to this point, and yet you still can't die, your strength is only this much. Once I gain a foothold overseas, I'll come back and see how I kill you! Aren't you afraid of death? Aren't your wife and children afraid? Hahahaha!"

Night fell.

The lights were still on in the City Bureau's Criminal Investigation Detachment, and Zhou Zheng led the special task force in sorting through the clues.

The audit group's meeting room was also lit, and Xu Shiyuan and several core members were analyzing bank transactions through the night.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the city.

Lin Dongfan stood on his own balcony, gazing at the distant nightscape, his brows slightly furrowed.

Lao Ba uncovered a piece of information in the afternoon, saying Zhao Tianyu was secretly contacting someone about obtaining fake passports. Yang Qing's side also received a message, saying the Provincial Department was evaluating his reinstatement application, and it was unclear whether it would go smoothly.

The wind fills the tower before the mountain rain comes.

Lin Dongfan took out his phone and called Director Qi of the Provincial Public Security Department: "Director Qi, regarding Yang Qing's reinstatement, how is it going?"

"The process is underway." Director Qi asked with a laugh over the phone: "What's wrong? Are you worried he won't be reinstated, or did he give you some petty report?"

"That's too heavy." Lin Dongfan said frankly: "The situation here in Wuzhou, you know it, is complex. Few people are willing to follow my command. At a critical moment, I also hope the Provincial Department can lend some support. If Yang Qing can be reinstated, with his help, many problems can be readily resolved."

"Don't worry, I will push forward Yang Qing's reinstatement with all my effort."

After the pleasantries, Director Qi suddenly shifted gears, joking: "Speaking of which, Mayor Lin, we're old acquaintances, and I feel you still don't trust me."

"Where does that come from?" Lin Dongfan laughed.

Director Qi chuckled and replied: "If you need help from our Provincial Department, Deputy Director Yang can assist you; could it be that I, as the Director, cannot help you?"

Hearing that, Lin Dongfan was momentarily lost for words, not expecting that he had inadvertently offended someone again.

It's not hard to hear that Director Qi, who has never managed to break into the standing committee, still feels a bit resentful! On the surface he's complaining, but in reality he's volunteering for duty, hoping to squeeze into the Jingcheng Lin Family's circle.

Lin Dongfan returned the smile knowingly: "Director Qi, if you put it that way, the misunderstanding would be huge. I'm calling you now, isn't that also to ask for your help?"