Double evil in the business district

Xiao Yue's black car sped along, finally stopping in front of an old residential building. Li Ming's door was locked, and no one answered her knocks. A sense of foreboding settled over Xiao Yue. She asked the driver to wait downstairs while she called the property management office. After explaining the situation, someone from the property management office opened Li Ming's door.

The room was empty, all the luggage and clothing gone, and a faint musty smell hung in the air. Xiao Yue looked around, her gaze landing on the desk, where scattered documents and a family photo lay. The photo showed Li Ming with a simple smile, his wife gentle and virtuous, and his children lively and adorable. Xiao Yue felt a mixture of emotions. If Li Ming was truly involved in this incident, what would become of his family?

Xiao Yue didn't find any valuable clues at Li Ming's house, so she had to return to the company. Time was running out, and the press conference was about to begin. She had to find the root of the problem as soon as possible and stabilize the situation.

Upon returning to the company, Xiao Yue immediately summoned the heads of all departments and began a department-by-department investigation. From the production floor to the quality inspection department, she meticulously questioned every staff member and every step of the process, attempting to uncover any clues. However, many employees, fearing repercussions, concealed information and were evasive, making Xiao Yue's investigation difficult.

In the production workshop, machines roared and workers bustled about nervously. Xiao Yue questioned several workers in charge of raw materials, but they all said they hadn't noticed anything unusual. Seeing their evasive looks, Xiao Yue understood that they were hesitant.

At this time, a slightly thin figure came over. It was Technician Liu. He hesitated for a moment, walked up to Xiao Yue, and whispered, "Boss Xiao, I remembered something. I wonder if it's helpful."

Xiao Yue's eyes lit up, and she motioned for him to continue. "I recently noticed some unfamiliar equipment on the production line. It seems...it seems to have been imported from abroad. But I didn't think much of it at the time, thinking it was just new technology..." Technician Liu's voice trailed off, as if he was afraid of saying something wrong.

Xiao Yue's heartbeat quickened. This might be an important clue! She immediately asked, "Can you take me to see the equipment?"

Technician Liu nodded and led Xiao Yue to a corner of the production line. There stood several brand-new pieces of equipment, their surfaces smooth and gleaming with metallic luster. Xiao Yue examined them carefully, finding them incongruous with the rest of the equipment, as if they had appeared out of thin air.

"When did these devices appear?" Xiao Yue asked.

Technician Liu thought for a moment and said, "It was about a month ago, but I can't remember the exact time."

A month ago...it was time to change suppliers! Xiao Yue felt she was getting closer to the truth. She immediately arranged for a comprehensive inspection of the equipment, hoping to find some breakthrough.

At this moment, Xiao Yue's eyes swept through the crowd and saw a familiar figure - Inspector Zhao. He was standing in the corner, looking flustered, as if deliberately avoiding her sight. Every time he saw Xiao Yue, he would quickly lower his head or turn away.

Xiao Yue's heart skipped a beat. Her intuition told her that Inspector Zhao must know something. She quickly walked towards Inspector Zhao, ready to ask him in depth. When Inspector Zhao saw Xiao Yue coming towards him, his face turned even paler. He turned around and tried to slip away, but Xiao Yue grabbed him. "Inspector Zhao, I have a few questions for you..."

Inspector Zhao trembled noticeably when Xiao Yue grabbed him. His face paled even further, as if covered in a thick layer of foundation, appearing somewhat unnatural under the factory lights. His eyes flickered, not daring to meet Xiao Yue's gaze. He stammered, "Xiao... Mr. Xiao, I... I still have work to do..." He struggled to pull his hand back.

Xiao Yue didn't let go. Instead, he held her hand tighter, and her tone became more serious. "Inspector Zhao, I know you may have some concerns, but the company is facing a crisis right now, and we need the cooperation of every employee. Your behavior has been a little unusual recently, and I hope you can answer my questions truthfully."

Inspector Zhao's forehead was covered in beads of sweat. His eyes wandered, and he looked around, as if searching for an opportunity to escape. "Boss Xiao, I... I really don't know anything... I've just been... I've been busy with work lately..." His voice trailed off, almost inaudible.

Xiao Yue looked at Inspector Zhao's panic, and she became even more certain that something was wrong with him. She slowed her tone and tried to calm him down, "Inspector Zhao, don't be afraid. I just want to understand some of the situation. If you really don't know anything, you should cooperate with my investigation. That way, I can clear my suspicion as soon as possible."

However, Inspector Zhao still refused to speak, just kept repeating "I know nothing." He struggled to break free from Xiao Yue's hand, turned around and ran into the crowd, disappearing. Xiao Yue looked at his back, frowning, full of doubts.

At this time, Public Relations Officer Chen hurried over, an anxious look on her face, a document in her hand, and said hurriedly, "Mr. Xiao, this is bad. Because of the negative news, many of our orders have been canceled, and the company's capital chain is starting to become strained."

Xiao Yue took the document and quickly scanned it, her expression becoming serious. The number of order cancellations far exceeded her expectations. If this situation continued, Xiao's enterprise might really face bankruptcy.

She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and said to PR Chen, "I understand. Go calm the customers down and try to recover some orders. I'll find the root of the problem as quickly as possible and resolve this crisis."

PR Chen nodded and turned to leave. Xiao Yue watched her departing figure, feeling the burden on her shoulders grow heavier. The Xiao Group was in a precarious situation, plagued by internal and external troubles.

Just then, a group of people appeared at the factory entrance, led by Shen Ting. He was followed by several professionals in suits and ties, each carrying a laptop and various instruments. Shen Ting walked up to Xiao Yue and said with a firm look in his eyes, "Xiao Yue, I've brought some people here. I hope they can help."

Xiao Yue looked at Shen Ting, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. At this critical moment, Shen Ting's appearance undoubtedly gave her great support and encouragement. However, before she could speak, some dissatisfied voices came from the crowd...

An old employee stood up and said in a bad tone: "Boss Shen, please don't bother with the affairs of our Xiao Enterprise..."

Shen Ting's arrival was like dropping a boulder onto the already turbulent surface of Xiao's Enterprise, stirring up even greater waves. An old employee stiffened his neck and said bluntly, "Mr. Shen, please don't worry about our Xiao Enterprise's affairs. We can handle it ourselves!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was echoed by several other veteran employees, who all expressed their distrust of Shen Ting's team. They believed that allowing competitors to interfere in the company's internal affairs was tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house.

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, looked around at everyone, and spoke in a firm and steady tone: "Everyone, I understand how you feel, but now is not the time to act rashly. The company is in crisis, and we must find the root cause of the problem as soon as possible to reverse the situation. Mr. Shen's team has rich experience and advanced technology, and their help is crucial to us."

She turned to Shen Ting, nodded slightly, and said sincerely: "Mr. Shen, thank you for your willingness to help us."

Shen Ting responded with an encouraging look: "Xiao Yue, I believe in you and the Xiao Group. We will do our best to assist you."

Although the old employees were still dissatisfied, they no longer openly obstructed the work due to Xiao Yue's prestige. The technicians brought by Shen Ting quickly got to work, connecting to Xiao's corporate server and beginning to analyze the data.

Xiao Yue led Technician Liu to Inspector Zhao's workstation. She asked him to retrieve Zhao's product inspection records from the past month. Although honest and dutiful, Technician Liu didn't hesitate to follow Xiao Yue's instructions and immediately complied.

On the computer screen, rows and rows of data were densely packed. Xiao Yue carefully examined each piece of data, her brow furrowing ever deeper. She keenly noticed that some key data had been altered, and the time of modification coincided with the production of the problematic product.

"Look here," Xiao Yue said to Technician Liu, pointing to the data on the screen. "These data clearly don't make sense. Normal test data should fluctuate within a certain range, but these data are unusually stable, as if someone has deliberately adjusted them."

Technician Liu took a closer look and noticed something. He pushed his glasses up and said hesitantly, "Mr. Xiao, are you saying... that Inspector Zhao modified these data?"

Xiao Yue did not answer directly, but continued to ask: "Can you trace the records of these data modifications?"

Technician Liu nodded and began to operate the computer. Soon, the modification record appeared on the screen. The ID of the person who made the modification was exactly the work number of Inspector Zhao.

"It seems that Inspector Zhao has a serious problem." Xiao Yue's tone was chilling. She immediately decided to talk to Inspector Zhao again, hoping to get the truth from him.

However, when Xiao Yue and technician Liu arrived at Inspector Zhao's workstation, they found it empty. She asked around and learned that Inspector Zhao had taken a day off and was absent from work.

Xiao Yue's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over her. She worried that Inspector Zhao had destroyed the evidence or even fled. She immediately pulled out her phone and called Inspector Zhao, but a cold, robotic female voice came from the other end: "Sorry, the number you dialed is powered off..."

Xiao Yue held the phone, his expression becoming increasingly serious.

At this time, Shen Ting came over, "What's wrong?"

"Inspector Xiao Zhao has taken leave and cannot be contacted." There was a hint of fatigue and anxiety in Xiao Yue's voice. She glanced at the "powered off" prompt on the phone screen to Shen Ting.

Shen Ting's brow furrowed slightly as he took the phone and carefully reviewed the call log, pondering for a moment. "When things are out of the ordinary, there must be something fishy going on. His request for leave at this hour is probably no coincidence." He returned the phone to Xiao Yue, his sharp gaze sweeping over the surrounding employees, who were all wearing varying expressions. "It seems someone is trying to cover up the truth."

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "The most important thing now is to find Inspector Xiao Zhao. Only he knows the truth." She looked at Technician Liu. "Xiao Liu, immediately check Inspector Xiao Zhao's leave records to see if he left any contact information or address."

Technician Liu nodded quickly and walked quickly towards the HR department. Xiao Yue walked to the French window and looked out at the busy streets, his heart sinking. This product crisis had dealt a heavy blow to Xiao Corporation. If they couldn't quickly uncover the truth and regain public trust, Xiao Corporation might never recover.

PR Chen hurried over, his face filled with anxiety. "Mr. Xiao, there are more and more negative comments about our products online. Many partners have called to inquire about the situation, and some have even proposed terminating their contracts..."

Xiao Yue rubbed his brows and forced himself to cheer up. "Manager Chen, calm our partners down first. Tell them we're actively investigating and will give everyone a satisfactory answer as soon as possible. As for online public opinion, we must also strengthen guidance and prevent the situation from escalating further."

Public Relations Officer Chen nodded and added, "Also, a few media outlets just called to interview you. Look..."

Xiao Yue thought for a moment and said decisively, "Let's arrange it. I'll accept their interview. Instead of letting them speculate, it's better for me to personally clarify the facts and express our determination to resolve the problem."

Shen Ting walked over to Xiao Yue and gently patted her shoulder, offering her silent encouragement and support. "Don't worry, Xiao Yue. I'll always be with you and face this together." His deep gaze, filled with determination and tenderness, relaxed Xiao Yue's tense nerves a little.

At that moment, Technician Liu came running back, breathless, holding a leave request. "Mr. Xiao, I've checked. Inspector Xiao Zhao requested leave because of a family emergency and needed to return home. The address he left was his hometown, in a small county town outside of City S."

Xiao Yue took the leave application and her eyes fell on the unfamiliar address. A hint of doubt rose in her heart. City S was hundreds of kilometers away, and it would take several hours to drive there. Would inspector Xiao Zhao really go back home at this critical moment? She had a feeling that things were not that simple.

"S City..." Shen Ting repeated the place name in a low voice, a glint in his eyes. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Please help me find Zhao XX in XX Village, XX County, S City. I need all his information, the more detailed the better, especially his recent movements."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Ting looked at Xiao Yue and said firmly, "I have a feeling that there might be something else behind Inspector Xiao Zhao's trip to his 'hometown'."

At this moment, Xiao Yue's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment, but finally answered the call.

"Hello, is this Mr. Xiao Yue?" A deep male voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I am, who are you?"

"I am..." The other party's voice was very low, as if deliberately hiding his identity, "I know where the inspector Xiao Zhao is."