The press conference room at Song Group’s headquarters buzzed with flashes and voices.
Dozens of reporters filled the seats, caras pointed at the stage where Song Kai stood with confidence painted across his face.
Behind him, a large digital screen displayed Huo Corporation’s logo crossed out in red. It was the perfect visual for a public execution.
"I have reason to believe," Song Kai said into the microphones, his tone calm yet laced with venom, "that Huo Corporation has violated several cybersecurity and defense regulations by stealing confidential data from our subsidiary. We will pursue this matter through the highest legal channels."
His words echoed across the hall. A storm of murmurs followed.
"Is that true?"
"Huo Feng’s company? But he’s known for being clean!"
"It doesn’t matter. Song Group brought evidence. It could be true!"
Song Kai’s lips curved faintly. He had planned this mont to perfection. The files he had fabricated through the mole’s failed hack were already circulating online. To the public eye, Huo Feng’s empire now stood accused of national-level espionage.
"This isn’t just about business," he continued, his tone sharpening. "This is about protecting the nation’s technological interests from corruption and theft."
The room erupted into flashes as reporters raised their hands, shouting questions.
"Mr. Song, do you have proof?"
"Is Huo Feng under investigation?"
Song Kai raised a hand, motioning for calm. "Proof will be provided to the authorities, but as of this mont, I’ve already shared preliminary evidence with the dia. You’ll find that—"
All of a sudden, the heavy doors at the back of the hall creaked open.
The noise died instantly as all eyes turned towards the door.
Huo Feng walked in, tall and steady, dressed in a dark tailored suit. His expression was unreadable, but the air around him shifted like a tightening noose.
Yue Ning followed two steps behind, a laptop in hand. Her calm presence was an anchor in the brewing chaos.
Song Kai froze for half a second before his smirk returned. "Ah, President Huo," he greeted smoothly. "You’re just in ti to hear about your company’s cris."
The caras spun toward the new arrivals. Reporters scrambled, shouting again.
"Huo Feng! Is it true?"
"Are you guilty of espionage?"
"Do you have a statent to make?"
Huo Feng didn’t look at the reporters. His gaze was fixed solely on Song Kai.
"Your performance is impressive," he said quietly, walking toward the stage. "You’ve always had a flair for theatrics. But unfortunately for you, this act ends now."
Song Kai’s brows lifted. "Strong words, President Huo. But words won’t clear your na."
"Who said I’m here with words?" Huo Feng replied, stopping just right before the podium. "I prefer facts."
He turned slightly. "Yue Ning." It was a hint.
She nodded once, her fingers flying across her keyboard. Within seconds, the massive screen behind Song Kai flickered — the Song Group logo vanished, replaced by real surveillance footage.
The hall fell silent.
The first clip showed the mole, entering Huo Corporation’s restricted data wing using Huo Mingjie’s ID card.
Gasps filled the air.
Another clip rolled — the mole caught attempting to upload data from his laptop, only for the feed to cut as security burst in. The tistamp matched the sa hour Song Kai claid his ’evidence’ was stolen.
Song Kai’s face paled slightly. "This doesn’t prove—"
Huo Feng’s cold voice cut through. "It proves everything... including your involvent."
The next file appeared. It was bank records, transactions linking one of Song Kai’s proxy companies to the sa mole’s account.
Offshore transfers, contract mos, encrypted ssages. Each detail hit like a bullet and the caras flashed wildly.
"This information," Huo Feng pointed to the screen, "has already been verified and sent to the regulatory bureau. The press will receive it in the next ten minutes. So please, continue explaining how I stole data from you."
Song Kai’s jaw tightened, sweat beading faintly at his temple. "You can’t—this was fabricated—"
"Fabricated?" Huo Feng’s lips curved faintly. "That’s funny coming from soone who specializes in forged data."
The reporters erupted, voices overlapping as they surrounded the stage.
"Mr. Song, is this true?"
"Did you pay the mole?"
"Are you accusing Huo Corporation under false evidence?"
Song Kai’s composure cracked. "This is all a misunderstanding! Those docunts were altered—"
But no one was listening anymore. Screens across the hall began flashing financial tickers. Song Group’s stock was plunging in real ti.
Within five minutes, it dropped by 7%. Then 10%. The reporters’ phones buzzed nonstop with breaking alerts.
Breaking: Song Group under investigation for internal fraud.
Huo Corporation cleared of espionage claims.
Huo Feng stood silently through it all, unbothered by the chaos. His eyes never left Song Kai’s. "You wanted a war, Song Kai," he said quietly. "You got one."
The microphones caught every word.
Song Kai stumbled back, his lips twitching as the dia sward him. Security guards rushed in, trying to control the flood of caras. Reporters shouted, flashes went off, and the room descended into a storm of noise.
Yue Ning closed her laptop, watching the scene unfold. Her expression remained composed, but her heart was pounding. The system’s calm voice broke through the noise in her head.
’Mission complete. Primary objective: cleared. Reward unlocked.’
She exhaled softly, relief washing through her.
Then ca another statent.
’Warning: New threat detected. Unknown source initiating scan.’
Her hand froze. "What?" she asked silently.
’Signal trace inbound. Unknown origin, high-level encryption,’ the system continued. ’Attempting to conceal host identity.’
Her eyes darted across the room, scanning faces instinctively. Nothing seed out of place, yet a chill crept up her spine.
anwhile, Huo Feng’s gaze found hers. "It’s over," he said quietly, stepping closer. "You handled it perfectly."
His nearness made her pulse skip for a brief mont. She managed a faint smile. "For now. Song Kai isn’t the type who would give up so easily."
He raised a brow. "I agree but we will be ready for him."
Before she could respond, the system’s voice cut in again but it sharper this ti.
’Incoming digital interference detected. Soone is tracking you, Yue Ning.’
Her eyes widened slightly, but she masked it quickly, forcing a neutral tone. "We should go," she said softly. "There’s still sothing I need to check."
Huo Feng studied her for a mont, then nodded. "Alright."
As they walked out of the hall, flashes continued behind them. Song Kai’s voice rose in panic while the reporters tore him apart with questions. The echo of his downfall followed them all the way to the corridor.
But Yue Ning’s thoughts weren’t on Song Kai anymore.
They were on the faint pulsing in her mind, the system’s warning flashing again.
’Threat origin... unknown.’
And this ti, the system’s voice carried sothing it never had before — unease.
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