Double evil in the business district

"I'm..." The other party's voice was very low, like sandpaper rubbing against metal, harsh and blurry, "I know where Inspector Xiao Zhao is."

Xiao Yue's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers gripping the phone unconsciously tightened. "Where is it?" she asked eagerly, a faint tremor in her voice.

"Want to know? Then exchange it with what you want." The other party laughed lowly, with a hint of teasing in his tone.

"What do you want?" Xiao Yue forced herself to calm down. She knew that she must not lose her composure at this moment.

The other party did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Mr. Xiao, you should be aware of the difficult situation you are in now. There are problems with the product test report, and competitors are eyeing you covetously. The Xiao Group you control may collapse at any time."

Xiao Yue bit her lip and said nothing. The other party's words were like a sharp needle, piercing her sore spot.

"I can help you. I can tell you the whereabouts of Inspector Xiao Zhao, and I can even help you find real evidence to prove your innocence." The other party's voice was full of temptation. "But, I need you to agree to one condition."

"What conditions?" Xiao Yue's voice was hoarse.

"It's very simple," the other party paused, his tone becoming meaningful, "I want you to leave Shen Ting."

Xiao Yue's breathing stagnated, and a chill ran from her feet to her head. She had never imagined that the other party's target was actually her and Shen Ting's relationship.

Before she could even begin, the other party hung up. Xiao Yue held the phone blankly, her heart filled with confusion and unease. Who was this mysterious caller? Why did he want her to leave Shen Ting? And what did all this have to do with the mastermind behind the Xiao Corporation's attack?

Xiao Yue immediately arranged for someone to check the strange number, but the result made her even more disappointed. The number was virtual and could not be traced at all.

She began to search for Inspector Zhao, but found that he had disappeared. She asked his colleagues, but they all said they didn't know where he had gone. They only remembered that he had asked for leave that morning, saying that there was an emergency at home, and they hadn't seen him since.

At this time, Technician Liu, looking pale, found Xiao Yue and stammered, "Xiao...Mr. Xiao, this is bad! The equipment on the production line... is gone!"

Xiao Yue's heart sank, and she immediately rushed to the production line. Sure enough, the unfamiliar equipment that Technician Liu had discovered had vanished without a trace. She realized the framer was destroying the evidence, and she was powerless to stop it.

A deep sense of powerlessness washed over Xiao Yue, and she felt an unprecedented level of frustration. She held onto the cold machine, her fingertips turning white.

Just then, the office phone rang. Public Relations Officer Chen answered the phone, her face suddenly changing. She covered the receiver and said to Xiao Yue in a trembling voice, "Mr. Xiao, Wang's Enterprise...they..."

Public Relations Officer Chen's voice was filled with tears: "Wang Enterprise... They publicly accused us of malicious competition and spread more rumors about our product quality issues..."

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I understand." She hung up the phone and rubbed her aching temple. Wang's actions had undoubtedly made matters worse. Negative news about Xiao's products was now flooding the market, causing panic among consumers and plummeting sales.

"Mr. Xiao, we must respond immediately!" Public Relations Officer Chen was extremely anxious. "The internet is full of negative comments now. If this continues, Xiao's reputation will be completely ruined!" She suggested holding a press conference immediately to publicly clarify the facts.

Xiao Yue shook her head, rejecting the proposal. "We don't have any evidence right now. Holding a press conference will only give Wang more leverage to attack us."

She walked to the window, looking at the endless stream of cars in the distance, her mind full of thoughts. The clues were interrupted, the witnesses disappeared, and the opponents were closing in. Xiao seemed to have fallen into an elaborate trap, and she could not find any way out.

Technician Liu also walked in with a dejected look on his face. "Boss Xiao, I've carefully inspected the production line. The equipment was dismantled very cleanly, leaving no traces. They clearly came prepared and were very professional."

The office was filled with an atmosphere of despair. Everyone felt immense pressure, as if a mountain were bearing down on them, making it difficult to breathe. Xiao Yue forced herself to calm down. She knew she couldn't give up. The fate of the Xiao Group was still in her hands. She had to find a breakthrough quickly to reverse the current situation.

"Manager Chen," Xiao Yue turned to look at Public Relations Manager Chen, "continue to closely monitor online public opinion and control the spread of negative news as much as possible. Also, contact major media outlets to discuss the recent situation and strive for their understanding and support."

"Engineer Liu," Xiao Yue turned to Technician Liu, "Go check the production line again carefully and see if you can find any clues, even the slightest trace. Don't miss any."

She knew these arrangements might be a drop in the bucket, but now she had to grasp at every straw, desperately trying to hold on. As night fell, the lights in the office remained bright. Xiao Yue sat alone at her desk, flipping through a mountain of documents, trying to find a clue.

Suddenly, the office door was gently pushed open, and Shen Ting walked in. He walked over to Xiao Yue and gently held her in his arms. "Don't worry too much, everything will be fine."

Xiao Yue leaned on Shen Ting's shoulder, feeling the warmth coming from him, and her tense nerves relaxed a little. "Shen Ting," she raised her head, her eyes filled with fatigue and helplessness, "I feel like I can't hold on any longer."

Shen Ting stroked her hair lovingly, "I know it's been hard for you, but you must hold on. I'll always be by your side, and we'll face this together." He paused, his tone becoming serious, "I've used all my connections to find Inspector Zhao, but..."

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Yue's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment, but finally answered the call.

"Xiao Yue," a deep voice came from the other end of the phone, "Long time no see."

Xiao Yue's heart sank suddenly. She immediately recognized the voice—it was Wang's opponent! "What do you want to do?"

"Don't be nervous," Wang's opponent chuckled, "I just want to remind you that the game has just begun..."

The call was suddenly disconnected, and Xiao Yue's fingers trembled slightly as she held the phone. She raised her head and looked at Shen Ting, her eyes filled with complex emotions... "It's him..."

"It's him..." Xiao Yue's voice trembled, her face pale as paper. Wang's phone call was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the remaining hope in her heart. The clues were interrupted, the witness disappeared, and now even the opponent was blatantly provoking her. The Xiao family's situation was precarious.

Shen Ting held Xiao Yue's hand tightly, offering her silent comfort. "Don't be afraid, Yueyue, we still have a chance." He spoke firmly, trying to dispel the fear in Xiao Yue's heart. He knew that Wang's call wasn't just a provocation, but a warning, warning them not to pursue the case any further.

"Opportunity..." Xiao Yue smiled bitterly and leaned weakly on the back of the chair, "What chance do we have? Inspector Zhao is missing, the key clue is lost, and now Wang is pressing on step by step..." She felt like a trapped beast, firmly trapped in this carefully designed trap, unable to move.

Shen Ting took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "I've mobilized all my connections to find Inspector Zhao, but..." He paused, a hint of helplessness in his tone, "There's still no news." Inspector Zhao had vanished without a trace, as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth.

"No news..." Xiao Yue muttered to herself, feeling lost. Inspector Zhao had been her last hope, and now even that glimmer of hope was gone.

To make matters worse, turmoil began to set in within Xiao's company. Some shareholders began to doubt Xiao Yue's ability and believed that he could not lead Xiao's company out of its predicament.

"Mr. Xiao, we understand that your current situation is very difficult," a shareholder said in a serious tone, "but you must come up with a viable solution as soon as possible, otherwise..." He paused meaningfully, "We will have no choice but to withdraw our investment."

Withdraw investment! These two words hit Xiao Yue like a bolt from the blue. If shareholders withdraw their investment, Xiao Group will face an even more serious crisis, and may even collapse.

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "I know you're worried, and I understand how you feel," she said firmly. "Please give me a moment. I'll definitely give you a satisfactory answer."

After sending the shareholders off, Xiao Yue felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. Internal and external troubles left her breathless. She sat alone in the office for a long time, not leaving until late at night.

As she walked out of the office building, a cold wind blew past, and Xiao Yue couldn't help but shiver. She walked aimlessly on the street, her mind racing. She had to find a breakthrough as soon as possible, otherwise the Xiao family would be finished.

Before she knew it, Xiao Yue had reached the company's warehouse. The door was locked, and the surroundings were silent. Xiao Yue hesitated for a moment, but ultimately walked over. She pushed the door and found it was not locked. She gently pushed it open and walked in.

The warehouse was filled with all kinds of goods, and the air was filled with the smell of dust. Xiao Yue walked slowly through the warehouse, using the faint light from her phone. Suddenly, she stopped. In a corner, she found some discarded product samples... These samples... seemed a little unusual...

Xiao Yue's heart skipped a beat, a premonition welling up in her. She bent down, picked up a sample, and examined it carefully. Could these samples... hold the key to unlocking the truth? But... how could she test them? She was faced with a new dilemma...

"This..." Xiao Yue muttered to himself while holding the sample, with a complex light flashing in his eyes.

In the dim light of the warehouse, Xiao Yue carefully examined the product samples in his hands. The dust-covered packaging looked slightly worn, but the samples themselves appeared to be in perfect condition. Compared to the samples previously submitted for inspection, these discarded samples were not noticeably different in appearance. However, Xiao Yue had a strong intuition: these samples must be hiding some secret.

She took a deep breath and carefully placed the samples into her briefcase. Now, the most crucial question was how to test these samples. Conventional testing methods were clearly no longer effective, as previous results had been tampered with. She needed to find a new, more reliable method.

Xiao Yue walked out of the warehouse and locked the door. The cold wind brushed against her cheeks, clearing her chaotic thoughts a little. She looked up at the dark night sky. The stars were dotted, but they couldn't illuminate the road ahead.

Back home, exhaustion washed over him. Shen Ting wasn't there; he was still running around looking for Inspector Zhao. Xiao Yue washed up briefly, then sat on the sofa and took out the samples she had brought back from the warehouse.

She flipped through the sample box again and again, hoping to find some clues. Suddenly, her eyes stopped at an inconspicuous logo on the box. It was a small letter "L" that could easily be overlooked if not carefully observed.

Xiao Yue's mind fluttered. What could this "L" represent? She tried to recall various information related to the product, trying to connect this "L" with a key person or event.

"L...L..." she muttered to herself, and suddenly, a name flashed through her mind: Technician Liu! Technician Liu was a senior technician in Xiao's corporate laboratory. He had previously participated in product testing and was very familiar with the product ingredients. More importantly, the first letter of Technician Liu's last name in pinyin was "L"!

Could it be that… these discarded samples were related to Technician Liu? Xiao Yue's heartbeat suddenly quickened. She immediately called Technician Liu.

The phone rang for a long time before it was connected. Technician Liu's voice sounded a little tired and uneasy. "Mr. Xiao, it's so late, what's going on?"

"Mr. Liu, I'm near your house now. Can we meet? I have something very important to discuss with you." Xiao Yue tried her best to keep her tone calm, but she could not hide her anxiety.

"Now?" Technician Liu's voice was a little hesitant. "It's so late... It's not very convenient..."

"I know it's late, but this matter is very urgent and concerns the survival of the company! Please be sure to see me!" Xiao Yue's tone was firm and earnest.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, and then a sigh came from Technician Liu: "Okay, I'll wait for you at home."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue immediately drove to Technician Liu's residence. She clutched her briefcase tightly, her heart filled with anticipation and anxiety.

Upon meeting Technician Liu, Xiao Yue explained his purpose directly and handed him the samples he had brought back from the warehouse. "Engineer Liu, take a look at these samples. Do you have any way of determining their true composition?"

Technician Liu took the sample and examined it carefully, his brow furrowed and his expression serious.

"These samples..." Technician Liu pondered for a moment, "I seem to have seen them somewhere..."

He suddenly raised his head and stared at Xiao Yue with burning eyes, "Mr. Xiao, where did you find these samples?"