In the elevator of the Su Group headquarters, Lin Mo’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the metal railing. The sinister look Su Zhiyuan had given him at last night’s celebration banquet felt like a needle pricked into the back of his neck, impossible to shake off. The mirrored surface of the elevator reflected a coffee stain on the third button of his suit—a masterpiece "accidentally" spilled by Chen Hao.
"Host, your heart rate has been abnormally high for seventeen minutes," the System Spirit’s voice echoed in his ear, accompanied by a static, electrical hum. "I suggest three deep breaths, otherwise it will affect the upcoming surveillance mission."
Lin Mo loosened his tie. Outside the glass curtain wall, the lights of the entire financial district suddenly stabbed at his eyes. The brief halo brought about by the miracle of the logistics data three days ago faded faster than the red "28th Floor" digital display in the elevator.
"Remember, your current access level only allows you to intercept audio from the surveillance system," the System Spirit’s phantom image traced blue ripples in the air. "The Board of Directors conference room has electromagnetic shielding; the video recording function will deactivate in thirty seconds."
*Ding.*
As the elevator doors opened, the Su Family’s old butler frowned as if he had seen a stray dog. "Mr. Lin, the family meeting is not open to..."
"I’m delivering documents." Lin Mo held up his tablet, flashing the logistics department’s seal before the old man’s eyes. From the end of the hallway came Su Yuqing’s icy voice: "The conditions for the Chen Group’s capital injection must be re-evaluated!"
His leather shoes made no sound on the Persian carpet. At the corner, the surveillance camera suddenly flashed green, and the system interface unfolded on his retina: *[Temporary access activated: Audio capture mode].*
Cigar smoke leaked through the gap in the conference room door. Su Zhiyuan’s voice cut through the air like a dull knife: "...Yuqing and Chen Hao’s marriage alliance can raise the stock price by 23%. That is far more practical than the logistics data managed by a certain son-in-law."
Lin Mo’s fingernails dug into his palms. The tablet suddenly vibrated, and under the cover of the documents, a system pop-up flashed frantically: *[Abnormal access to the surveillance room detected! Someone is deleting the archives for July 12, from 19:03 to 19:15!]*
"Damn it..." He turned and dashed toward the emergency exit, only to collide with Su Yuqing as she stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Her wine-red skirt swept across the fire hydrant, and she clutched a shredded copy of the meeting minutes.
The two locked eyes under the emergency light. Behind Lin Mo, the blue light from the surveillance room cast striped shadows across his face through the blinds.
"Are you..." Su Yuqing’s gaze shifted from the cold sweat on his forehead to the flickering tablet. "Deleting surveillance footage?"
Confused footsteps echoed at the end of the hall. The system alarm exploded in his eardrum: *[Warning! Chen Hao’s biological signature detected, distance 15 meters!]*
Lin Mo suddenly grabbed Su Yuqing’s wrist and pulled her into a nearby utility closet. In the darkness, the scent of her perfume mingled with the sharp tang of bleach.
"Listen," he whispered, as the logistics forms on his tablet shifted to a feed from the surveillance room. "Someone is trying to erase the evidence that Chen Hao drugged you at the banquet."
Su Yuqing’s eyelashes trembled violently in the soft glow of the phone. On the screen, Chen Hao’s assistant was inserting a USB drive into the main console.
"Why help me?" she demanded, her breath smelling of roses.
Lin Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The system pinged with a new message: *[Mission updated: Expose the marriage conspiracy. Reward: 'Connection Map' primary access].*
"Because," he swiped across the tablet to display an encrypted email between Chen Hao and Su Zhiyuan from three hours ago, "you deserve a real choice, not to be treated as an add-on in a stock equity deal."
A knock sounded on the closet door. Chen Hao’s voice, laced with a smile, drifted through the door panel: "Yuqing? Your father is looking for you to discuss the menu for the engagement banquet."
Su Yuqing’s pupils dilated in the darkness. Lin Mo felt her hand suddenly grip his own, her icy fingers clinging to him like a lifeline.
"Host, attention," the System Spirit’s voice was unusually strained. "Electronic interference detected on the door lock!"
A second later, blinding light split the darkness. Chen Hao’s meticulously combed-back hair appeared in the doorway, his gaze freezing on their clasped hands.
"Truly..." The corners of his mouth twisted into an exaggerated arch. "Touching, this display of marital affection."
Su Yuqing’s high heel slammed down onto Chen Hao’s leather shoe. As she dragged Lin Mo out of the utility closet, the system notification sound and Chen Hao’s shriek rang out simultaneously:
*[Primary mission 87% complete. Obtained fragment clue: Chen Group overseas account key fragment]*
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hallway, a torrential downpour began. Su Yuqing’s grip left deep creases in Lin Mo’s white shirt, much like the exquisite, self-serving alliance behind them that had just begun to crumble.