Chapter 270: Chapter 204: The Mastermind Surfaces (Part 2)
"She said that given the way the Big Business Alliance currently operates, she can’t openly take a side without any evidence. However, she was willing to offer me some ideas out of personal consideration."
"The eleven permanent directors of the Asian Political Zone Big Business Alliance represent eleven Intercontinental Giant Corporations from the Asian Administrative Region. These corporations have no reason to collude with the European Administrative Region. They wouldn’t risk offending the Eastern Alliance for limited gains."
"Therefore, this must be the personal action of a specific permanent director."
"First off, Director Jin Yuanxi, who originally supported our Liu Clan, has most likely exchanged favors with the Si Clan and Ninghang Technology. It probably doesn’t involve the European Big Business Alliance. He’s a cautious man and wouldn’t make a move that carries too much risk."
"Director Qiao Xi suspects that the one truly colluding with the European Big Business Alliance is Director Aishwarya, one of the six directors who has taken a stance on the Asia Political Zone Advanced Pharmaceutical Enterprise Summit incident."
"This director is from New Reid City. Before the last corporate war broke out, she was an executive at the Modi Group. It was only later that she was recognized by the Intercontinental Military Large War Prosthetic Company and became a permanent director of the Big Business Alliance."
"Director Qiao Xi hopes that the Liu Clan can use its own resources to find evidence of Director Aishwarya’s collusion with the European Political Zone Big Business Alliance. Before the Asia Political Zone Advanced Pharmaceutical Enterprise Summit is held, they should report it at a standing meeting of the Big Business Alliance."
After hearing Liu Xuan out, Lin Qi understood what Director Qiao Xi meant.
She couldn’t get involved personally. After all, she was a Neutral Director, and her every action was under the jurisdiction of the Intercontinental Stability Trauma Emergency Company.
She could only offer limited assistance, operating within the scope of her authority and the established framework of rules.
For instance, meeting with Liu Xuan as scheduled, or maintaining the security of Alliance City’s core district.
None of this violated the principle of neutrality.
But she could not initiate an investigation against a fellow director of the same rank without evidence.
Regardless of whether she could find key evidence, doing so would be a departure from the principle of neutrality.
Fortunately, the intelligence Qiao Xi provided was detailed enough for the Liu Clan—and Lin Qi—to lock onto a specific target.
Gathering intelligence was something Lin Qi considered one of his strong suits.
The advantages his Spiritual Vision afforded him were still proving useful.
Lin Qi asked, "What’s your plan?"
The purple light in Liu Xuan’s left prosthetic eye was now almost completely dim; the Suppressor was barely functioning.
Her mental state was quite stable.
After a moment of thought, Liu Xuan expressed a relatively cautious attitude. "I’m very grateful that Director Qiao Xi agreed to meet with me, giving the Liu Clan room to maneuver."
"But as for having the Liu Clan confront a permanent director head-on... even if I were willing, I’d have a hard time convincing the board of Liu’s Heavy Industries. The Liu Clan is a family business, and the power isn’t solely concentrated in my father’s hands."
Hearing this, Lin Qi sighed inwardly.
’Facing annihilation and still unwilling to take a gamble. Signs of rot had already appeared within the Liu Clan.’
’Then again, if the Liu Clan hadn’t already been rotting from within, they wouldn’t have been screwed over so badly back in Greenfield City.’
’Of course, this rot wasn’t about internal betrayal, but about their excessively conservative decision-making.’
But Liu Xuan wasn’t finished.
The next second, the purple light flickering in her left prosthetic eye suddenly grew several shades brighter.
"But United Pharmaceutical is different. United Pharmaceutical has inherited a vast network of connections from the Liu Clan. With my status, and the weight of my recent meeting with Director Qiao Xi, it’s enough for me to get a word in with the heads of many large corporations."
"The Liu Clan’s board might take the conservative route, letting my father personally negotiate with the various corporations."
"But I believe United Pharmaceutical has reached a life-or-death moment. Either the Si Clan is completely toppled, or we end up in ruins."
"I have to seize the opportunity Director Qiao Xi has given me. It’s a show of respect for her, and also..."
As she spoke, Liu Xuan looked directly into Lin Qi’s eyes.
’The opportunity came from Director Qiao Xi.’
’But it was Lin Qi who fought for it.’
’Although I don’t know how Lin Qi did it... ’
Liu Xuan could imagine that Lin Qi must have paid a considerable price to make this happen.
’I absolutely cannot let him down! I must risk my life and everything I have!’
Liu Xuan was a fighter; otherwise, she wouldn’t have broken away from Liu’s Heavy Industries to establish United Pharmaceutical.
Hearing her words, Lin Qi finally felt a sense of relief.
’His efforts hadn’t been in vain. He had kept his promise to Liu Xuan, and she hadn’t backed down an inch.’
Lin Qi and Liu Xuan were both willing to work together and overcome all obstacles for this newly founded company, United Pharmaceutical.
That being the case, Lin Qi would naturally give Liu Xuan another shot of confidence.
"I’ll figure out a way to find evidence. Anything that is done in this world is bound to leave a trace."
"Besides, a deal involving an exchange of interests is never settled in just one or two negotiations."
"Plus, your meeting with Director Qiao Xi today is bound to put pressure on multiple parties. A weakness might just reveal itself today."
’Lin Qi was already wondering if he should rack up more debt with Guang Ling in Credit Points to dig up some intel on Director Aishwarya.’
’It was unlikely this kind of thing would leave a digital trail.’
’But his own intelligence was sorely lacking—he didn’t even know where the woman lived. He needed more intel support.’
Hearing Lin Qi’s words, Liu Xuan felt a flicker of panic and said, "Don’t take any risks."
He could tell this was her worrying about him.
Lin Qi continued, "Don’t worry. We might not need to find rock-solid proof, just some clues will do."
"As far as I know, we aren’t the only ones in Alliance City fighting the Si Clan, nor are we the only ones looking for evidence of a director colluding with the European Big Business Alliance."
"If my timing is right, people from the Eastern Alliance should have already arrived in Alliance City."
He didn’t need to spell everything out. Liu Xuan could read between the lines.
’Given the Eastern Alliance’s efficiency, Baili Xueyuan must have already reached Alliance City and begun searching for evidence of a director colluding with outside forces.’
As for whether this Tier Four Blood Robe had already locked onto Aishwarya, the director from New Reid City, Lin Qi wasn’t worried.
As soon as he left this conference room, Lin Qi would sync up with Lin Xin by email.
With a Capitalist on the council working from the inside, plus a powerful reinforcement like Baili Xueyuan from the Eastern Alliance...
Lin Qi was confident that the day this whole situation was resolved was not far off.
Hearing Lin Qi’s words, Liu Xuan was once again stunned.
’People from the Eastern Alliance are in Alliance City, too?’
’Lin Qi wasn’t exaggerating yesterday. He really did it?’
’First, he secured a connection with Director Qiao Xi, and then he contacted the Eastern Alliance.’
This display of power suddenly made Liu Xuan feel a great deal of pressure.
Liu Xuan was suddenly grateful that she had founded United Pharmaceutical after returning from Greenfield City.
’Otherwise, with Lin Qi’s abilities, he probably would have left Red Fruit City behind long ago.’
Liu Xuan couldn’t bear to imagine it: if she had just gone on as usual, having these "chance encounters" with Lin Qi every day, only for him to suddenly vanish from Red Fruit City late one night, never to return.
’At that point, how long could this S-Class Suppressor really let her hold on?’
’It probably wouldn’t be long before she, the so-called "miracle" of the Liu Clan, turned into a cyber madman.’
Lin Qi and Liu Xuan’s discussion in the conference room didn’t last long.
Liu Xuan needed to make more arrangements, leveraging the lingering influence from her meeting with Director Qiao Xi to negotiate and open up some intelligence channels as quickly as possible.
As for Lin Qi, he needed to hurry back to Alliance Mansion, first to pass the message to Lin Xin, and then to use every means at his disposal to obtain intelligence on Director Aishwarya.
If necessary, Lin Qi would even need to set up a plan to deliberately "startle the snake."
