The ergency eting room on the top floor of Blue Sea Heavy Industry’s headquarters was as heavy as a lead block. Around the enormous circular conference table, all core executives were gathered. The projection screen was frozen on the top-secret report that Zheng Guodong had just sent back—"Port" was marked with a crimson circle, like two blood-stained scars.
"Bang!" A director in charge of strategic planning slamd the table and stood up abruptly, his face livid. "Port?! How could she possibly know about the port?! This is the group’s top secret! After the failure fifteen years ago, the restart plan is known only to the Imperial City branch leadership! Not even the project code is in public docunts!"
His voice trembled with extre shock and anger, like a searchlight sweeping across every face in the room. "Investigate! We must investigate thoroughly! There must be a mole inside! Otherwise, how could such core strategic information possibly reach the ears of a local company owner?!"
The eting room exploded instantly, questions and suspicions spreading through the oppressive air.
Doubtful glances interwove as soone quietly listed the limited number of people who had recently accessed core port docunts, while others linked the timing of Yan Yueqing’s precise acquisition of the East Creek Bay mariti territory—right after Blue Sea Heavy Industry completed the final site selection evaluation and submitted the top-secret report designating HZ-07 as the central construction zone! This was no coincidence!
"East Creek Bay!" another senior executive chirped sharply, pointing to another part of the report, "Look at this! The timing when she signed for East Creek Bay! Just within a week after we internally confird HZ-07 as irreplaceable and absolutely necessary! Is this woman clairvoyant, or did she plant a bug in our eting room?!"
Yan Yueqing not only accurately knew their plan to restart the port project that had been abandoned fifteen years ago—viewed as the core deploynt of the regional logistics hub for the next thirty years—but also, one step ahead, locked in the East Creek Bay mariti territory adjacent to HZ-07at a minimal cost, which also had deep-water port potential!
This was no longer just a bargaining chip in comrcial negotiations, but more like a blade hanging over Blue Sea Heavy Industry’s throat, ready to choke their lifeline at any mont. Her display of "foresight" sent a chilling shiver through these battle-hardened executives.
If the group’s most core strategies could be leaked, is there any security left?
"Enough!" The group’s silent President Qin, who was also the highest officer in charge of this project, used a deep and commanding voice to overpower all the noise.
"A mole?" he chuckled coldly, his voice not loud but every word was like a heavy hamr, "Do you think, what kind of ’mole’ could access a top-level strategic project prototype that has just been finalized by the National Developnt and Reform Commission and not yet officially listed in the public planning series? The port project’s restart evaluation report currently exists only in the top-secret archives of three related ministries in the capital and in our group’s top executive’s safes! If Yan Yueqing had the ability to get the information from here, then the force behind her is not sothing we can speculate and confront at the ’mole’ level!"
The eting room fell silent imdiately.
President Qin’s words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the blind suspicion that arose from panic, but bringing a deeper chill.
He leaned forward slightly, his fingers pointing at the keywords "East Creek Bay" and "Port" on the screen, his analysis cold and ruthless:
"The key is timing! Her actions to secure the East Creek Bay mariti usage rights were swift, accurate, and ruthless! The timing couldn’t have been more precise. This was not a spur of the mont decision, but preditated. This can only an one thing: she not only understands the national new energy industry layout trends, the settled location of the final core area, but also the logic chain that led Blue Sea Heavy Industry to inevitably target HZ-07 and associate it with the port plan. Her depth of understanding and the tiliness of obtaining information may... be ahead of so of our intelligence channels, or at least synchronized!"
He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable determination:
"Such connections, such an information network, are her terrifying power that we cannot ignore and must not easily offend. To go head-to-head with her, accusing her of being a ’mole’ or ’blackmail’ is not only naive, but could also bring us unpredictable troubles! Rember, the No.1 base is the embodint of national will, and any ’uncertain factors’ that hinder project progress might be infinitely amplified and interpreted!"
Everyone present were savvy individuals, and President Qin’s analysis peeled off the coat of emotion, revealing the stark nature of power and information gambit. What Yan Yueqing displayed was not only comrcial acun but also a deeply unfathomable background and network.
Another director opened his mouth with difficulty: "Then... Vice President, the one hundred billion price sent back by Zheng Guodong..." This figure still bleeds his heart.
"One hundred billion, it’s a lion’s opening, yet not without basis." President Qin’s eyes glead with calculation, restoring the cold calculation of a businessman. "She factored in ti cost, political risk, reputation collapse, and competitive threats, all accounted for and very ’reasonable’. Zheng Guodong also reported that she even broke down the hundred billion into ’three value parts’ with logic so tight that our people couldn’t find any flaw to rebut... This woman has us by the soft spot."
He glanced around the room and finally made a decision:
"One hundred billion, that’s impossible! But nine billion? That’s self-humiliation!"
He needed to offer a price that would show ’sincerity’ and ’respect’—especially respect for the potential forces behind her, without letting the group suffer too much, while also testing her real bottom line.
President Qin pondered for a mont, his fingers tapping out a clear rhythm on the table:
"Sixty-eight billion, tell Zheng Guodong, this is the maximum earnest price we can offer based on absolute attention to national strategic projects and recognition of President Yan’s ’foresight’. We accept the concepts of ’efficiency premium’ and ’risk avoidance’, but they need to be within a ’reasonable’ frawork. Paynt terms can be negotiated, one-ti paynt is acceptable, but it must ensure she imdiately and unconditionally cooperates with the handover—this stretches the edges of our bottom line!"
"Sixty-eight billion..." soone muttered, still feeling like an astronomical figure, but compared to the one hundred billion and the risk of project failure, it seed to be the only viable option.
More importantly, the "backing forces" pointed out by President Qin made them weigh the consequences of completely falling out with Yan Yueqing.
"So decided." President Qin decisively closed the matter, wearily rubbing his temple, "Imdiately inform Zheng Guodong. Tell him to bring this new proposal and negotiate with Yan Yueqing as quickly as possible! Lower our stance, but stick to the core conditions. We need to know if she holds any cards beyond East Creek Bay and the port!"
When Zheng Guodong received this final directive in his hotel room, the sweat in his palms almost soaked the encrypted phone.
Sixty-eight billion! The figure still made his head spin, but compared to the enraged roars he heard from the other end of the phone previously when he reported one hundred billion, this ti the top brass’s voice was full of heaviness, helplessness, and a trace of... wariness towards unknown forces.
He recalled the aningful reminder from the Vice President at the end of the call: "Xiao Zheng, rember, this ti, it’s not just about negotiating the price, it’s about ’seeing’ her clearly. Who stands behind her? Where does her confidence co from? This sixty-eight billion doesn’t just buy land, but buys a ’sense of security’, a passage that ensures the project won’t be ’noticed’ or ’interfered with’ at higher levels! Show the right deanor, but keep your eyes open!"
Putting down the phone, Zheng Guodong looked at the brilliant yet unfamiliar night view of Sea Star City outside the window, filled with mixed emotions.
A few days ago, he was the giant representative who stepped into the shabby office of Sea Star with scrutiny and superiority, now he had to present this astronomical offer, to show that profound woman "sincerity".
Yan Yueqing’s calm as the deep sea and seemingly all-seeing eyes appeared in his mind again, causing an uncontrollable shiver.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. There was no ti for hesitation and sentintality.
He imdiately called his assistant, his voice hoarse yet filled with unmistakable determination: "Prepare imdiately! We go to Sea Star Company first thing in the morning! Also," he paused, his gaze complex, "prepare a... a top-notch Sea Star tea gift box for . Tomorrow, we will ’properly’ visit President Yan."
The assistant’s mouth dropped open in shock, almost thinking he had heard wrong.
Bringing a gift? This was completely different from the decisive, forceful Zheng Guodong he rembered! But he dared not ask more, just nodded forcefully: "Yes! Mr. Zheng! I will do it right away!"
The next day, Zheng Guodong went to Sea Star Company with exquisite gifts.
Unexpectedly, Lei Ran said directly: "Sorry Mr. Zheng, President Yan instructed that if the price proposed by the group is still below seventy billion, then there’s no need for detailed negotiations, she is very busy."
Zheng Guodong was shocked once again.
He hadn’t even opened his mouth; how did Yan Yueqing know that the group’s proposed price... was less than seventy billion?
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