Double evil in the business district

The man's voice on the other end of the line was low and slightly hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time. "I heard... you were investigating something."

Xiao Yue's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers gripping the phone unconsciously tightened. She suppressed her inner excitement and asked calmly, "Excuse me, what's your name?"

"Just call me Old K," the other person replied. "I used to work at... Shengshi Technology."

Shengshi Technology! It was the small company Xiao Yue had been searching for, the one that had a partnership with the Shen Corporation but had suddenly gone bankrupt. Xiao Yue felt like he was one step closer to the truth, and his heartbeat quickened involuntarily. "Mr. K, what do you know?"

"I know a lot," Old K's voice trembled slightly, "but some things are inconvenient to talk about over the phone. If you really want to know the truth, I'll be waiting for you at No. 3, the abandoned dock warehouse in the west of the city, at 12 noon tomorrow."

The abandoned dock in the west of the city? Xiao Yue frowned slightly. The place was remote and desolate, with few people around, which made her feel a little uneasy. "Can we change places?"

"No." Old K's tone was unquestionable. "It's the only safe place. Remember, you can only come here alone. Don't tell anyone, otherwise..." He suddenly paused, then said in a cold tone, "You will get nothing."

The call ended, and Xiao Yue stood there, her thoughts swirling. Old K's tone and the mysterious meeting place made her uneasy, but a voice deep in her heart told her that this was an opportunity, a chance to solve all the mysteries.

The next day at noon, Xiao Yue drove alone to the abandoned dock west of the city. Sunlight shone off the rusted iron frame, reflecting a dazzling light. The air was filled with a damp, musty smell, mingled with the salty, fishy smell of the sea breeze, leaving one feeling oppressive and suffocating.

Following Old K's instructions, she found Warehouse No. 3. The warehouse door was closed, and silence reigned, as if forgotten by the world. Xiao Yue took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy iron door.

The warehouse was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the smell of dust. A thin man in a baseball cap stood by the window with his back to her. It was Old K.

"You're here." Old K's voice was still low, with a hint of nervousness.

Xiao Yue nodded and walked up to him. "Mr. K, what do you know?"

Old K turned around and took off his hat, revealing a haggard and pale face. His eyes flickered, as if he was hesitating and struggling. "I... I know that Shengshi Technology's bankruptcy was no accident..."

He pulled a crumpled envelope from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Yue. "There's some evidence in here..."

Xiao Yue took the envelope, her fingers trembling slightly. She felt she was getting closer and closer to the truth, but at the same time, she also sensed a greater danger looming.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of Shen's Building, Shen Ting stood in front of the French window, gazing intently into the distance. His assistant, Director Ma, stood respectfully behind him, reporting in a low voice, "Mr. Shen, Miss Xiao went to the abandoned dock in the west of the city..."

The corners of Shen Ting's mouth curled up slightly, barely perceptible. He turned around, a complex light flashing in his eyes. "I understand." He paused, then added, "Send someone to secretly protect her."

At this time, Accountant Chen of Xiao Enterprise was hiding in a dark corner and made a mysterious phone call: "She went to the abandoned dock in the west of the city...According to the plan..." He smiled coldly and hung up the phone.

Xiao Yue opened the envelope, revealing a document and a photo. She looked at the familiar face in the photo and her expression suddenly changed.

"How could it be him..." The person in the photo was Accountant Chen from Xiao Enterprise! He was secretly meeting with a stranger in the offices of Shengshi Technology. On the back of the photo, a line of words was scribbled: "Accountant Chen, the real culprit behind Shengshi Technology's bankruptcy."

Xiao Yue's mind was buzzing, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to his head. This document contained the detailed account statement for Shengshi Technology, clearly documenting evidence that Accountant Chen had exploited his position to transfer company funds to an overseas account.

Suddenly, a loud sound of footsteps was heard outside the warehouse, breaking the silence inside. Old K's face suddenly changed, and he grabbed Xiao Yue's wrist: "Oh no, they're coming! Let's go!"

Xiao Yue's heart sank. She knew who "they" Old K was referring to. Now that Accountant Chen had been exposed, he would definitely kill her to silence her.

The two rushed out, only to find themselves surrounded by a group of men in black. Each of them was a burly man with a stern face, and it was clear they were not good people.

"It seems someone leaked the news." Old K whispered, with a hint of despair in his tone.

Xiao Yue looked around, searching for a chance to escape. The dock was deserted, with few areas for hiding except for a few containers.

"Follow me!" Xiao Yue made a quick decision and pulled Lao K towards the container area.

The two men shuttled between the containers, their footsteps growing closer behind them. Xiao Yue keenly noticed that the men in black seemed to be very familiar with the terrain and were gradually closing the encirclement.

"They seem to know we are here!" Old K said breathlessly.

Xiao Yue's heart trembled, and he suddenly remembered that Accountant Chen had worked at Xiao's for many years and was familiar with the situation at the dock. He must have arranged an ambush in advance.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them, blocking their path. The man was tall, wearing a black suit, with a sinister smile on his face. It was Accountant Chen.

"Miss Xiao, how are you?" Accountant Chen said sarcastically. "I didn't expect you to find this. However, that's all for now."

Xiao Yue forced himself to calm down, glanced at the man in black behind Accountant Chen, and thought about the possibility of escape.

"Accountant Chen, why are you doing this?" Xiao Yue asked in a deep voice, trying to delay time.

"Why?" Accountant Chen sneered, "Of course it's for money! Shengshi Technology's money, Shen's money, all of it is mine!"

"Do you think you can escape?" Xiao Yue sneered, "I already have evidence. Just wait for jail time!"

Accountant Chen's expression changed slightly, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. "If that's the case, don't blame me for being rude!" He waved his hand, and the men in black behind him immediately approached.

Xiao Yue pulled Old K and turned to run, but the men in black had already surrounded them. At this critical moment, a gunshot pierced the silent air.

One of the men in black fell to the ground, and the others rushed for cover. In the chaos, Xiao Yue and Lao K took the opportunity to hide in a shipping container.

"It seems someone is helping us." Old K said in a low voice.

Xiao Yue nodded, his heart full of doubts. Who was helping them secretly?

Outside the container, gunfire continued, mixed with the shouts of the men in black. Xiao Yue's heart was in her throat, she had no idea how this sudden gunfight would end.

Suddenly, the container door opened. A tall figure appeared at the door, standing against the light, his face unclear.

"Come out, it's safe." The man said in a deep voice.

Xiao Yue and Lao K looked at each other and walked out hesitantly.

The man turned around, revealing a familiar face. It was... Li Baoan! The security guard from the Xiao family's archives! He was holding a gun, smoke still billowing from the muzzle.

"Li Baoan...you..." Xiao Yue was so surprised that he couldn't speak.

Li Baoan looked at Xiao Yue with a complicated expression and said slowly: "I know more than you think..."

Li Baoan's appearance was like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating Xiao Yue's bewildered path. He briefly explained what had happened: he had been secretly observing Accountant Chen, noticed his suspicious behavior, and promptly notified the police. Tonight's gunfight was a trap set by the police.

Xiao Yue was filled with gratitude, but also with confusion. Why would Li Baoan, an ordinary data room security guard, notice Accountant Chen's actions? "Li Baoan, why are you helping me?"

Li Baoan took a deep breath, a flicker of pain in his eyes. "I...I owe Xiao's." His tone was low, as if hiding a dark past. He didn't explain much, simply urging Xiao Yue to leave the dock as soon as possible.

Sirens blared from afar, the docks lit up, and the men in black were subdued one after another. Accountant Chen was arrested, his face etched with resentment and despair. Xiao Yue watched all this with mixed emotions. The truth behind Shengshi Technology's bankruptcy had finally surfaced, but the Xiao family's crisis was far from over.

At the same time, Shen Ting's investigation also made a breakthrough. He discovered that there were a lot of financial transactions between Director Ma and several unknown small companies, whose businesses were highly overlapping with the projects being carried out by Xiao.

Shen Ting keenly sensed that Director Ma's conspiracy might be more complex and far-reaching than he had imagined. He immediately deployed personnel to conduct an in-depth investigation into these small companies.

With the help of Li Baoan, Xiao Yue safely left the dock. Instead of returning home, she went directly to the former office building of Shengshi Technology. She needed to find more evidence to prove that Accountant Chen was just a pawn in the hands of Director Ma and expose his true face.

The office building was already deserted, a scene of desolation. Following a lead from Wu Baoan, Xiao Yue tracked down several former employees of Shengshi Technology. They all had a favorable impression of Accountant Chen, considering him a conscientious and responsible accountant. However, when Xiao Yue mentioned the project she was collaborating on, their eyes flickered, as if they were hiding something.

After some negotiation, Xiao Yue finally persuaded a former employee to meet with her. In a secluded cafe, the former employee revealed some cryptic clues. He mentioned that during the project, Accountant Chen frequently received mysterious emails and phone calls, and his expression would turn grim after each call.

He also mentioned that the company once had an important document that recorded all the details of the project, but this document disappeared after Shengshi Technology went bankrupt.

Xiao Yue keenly grasped the key information in these clues: mysterious emails and phone calls, missing documents. She realized that these all pointed in the same direction - Director Ma.

With less than 24 hours remaining until Xiao's final trial, Xiao Yue must quickly uncover irrefutable evidence proving Director Ma is the true mastermind. Based on clues provided by a former employee, she discovers a new potential hiding place for the evidence: Director Ma's private villa.

As night fell, Xiao Yue stood outside the walls of Director Ma's villa, looking at the heavily guarded compound, her heart filled with anxiety and unease. She knew this would be her last chance...

"Are you ready?" A deep voice sounded behind her. Xiao Yue turned around and saw Li Baoan standing there with a black backpack in his hand.

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, suppressing her nervousness. "I'm ready." Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable firmness.

Li Baoan handed her a black backpack. "There are some tools in here that might be useful." He paused, then added, "I know you're brave, but be careful. Director Ma is not someone you can easily deal with."

Xiao Yue took the backpack and felt the heavy weight on her hands and heart. She understood that this was not just the weight of tools, but also the weight of responsibility, the weight of the Xiao family's fate. Time passed by, and there were less than twelve hours left until the Xiao family's final trial.

"Thank you," Xiao Yue said sincerely, "Thank you for everything you have done for the Xiao Group."

Li Baoan gave a wry smile and waved his hand, "No need to thank me. I'm just... making up for past mistakes."

His eyes were filled with complex emotions, including regret, guilt, and a subtle sense of relief. He didn't say anything more, just patted Xiao Yue's shoulder, turned around, and disappeared into the night.

Xiao Yue looked at Li Baoan's departing back, her heart filled with gratitude and admiration. She knew that Li Baoan's help meant a lot to her, not only because of the clues and tools he provided, but also because of the courage and hope he gave her.

She turned, her gaze once again fixed on Director Ma's villa. The towering walls and heavily guarded perimeter signaled the owner's power and status. This was undoubtedly a tough battle, but she had to win.

Xiao Yue opened her backpack and examined the tools inside. Flashlight, Swiss Army knife, climbing rope, miniature camera... Each tool had been carefully selected to handle any emergency. She put the tools away and began to survey the surroundings of the villa, searching for a breakthrough.

The villa was densely covered with surveillance cameras and infrared detectors, leaving virtually no blind spots. Guards patrolled the area, vigilantly observing every movement. Xiao Yue knew that forcing her way in was impossible; she had to find a hidden entrance, out of sight.

As time ticked by, beads of sweat formed on Xiao Yue's forehead. She carefully observed the layout of the villa, analyzed the patrol routes of the guards, and constantly ran through various possibilities in her mind.

Suddenly, her gaze settled on a corner of the villa's backyard. There was a dense patch of bushes there, just enough to block the surveillance camera's view. Furthermore, the guards patrolling there were relatively infrequent, making it a good opportunity for a breakthrough.

Xiao Yue's heartbeat began to accelerate, and she felt she was getting closer and closer to the truth. She took a deep breath, slung her backpack tightly over her shoulders, and then crouched down, slowly approaching the bushes...

Just as she was about to approach the bushes, a dog barking suddenly came from the villa, and then a strong light shone over, exposing Xiao Yue's figure under the light.

"Who is it?!" a vigilant voice sounded.