Double evil in the business district

Xiao Yue gripped the phone tightly, his eyes determined, "I must find out who is behind this!"

However, things were far more complicated than she had imagined. Hong, the troll, was extremely cautious, using encryption software for all communications and destroying all records after each transaction. He roamed the online world like a ghost, leaving no trace.

Detective Luo, a man with graying hair but a piercing gaze, accepted Shen Ting's commission. He was well-versed in the operating methods of online trolls, so he began by tracing the funds at the source. However, troll Hong always used dummy accounts to receive payments and immediately deleted them after the transaction was completed. Like a loach, he was as slippery as a mudskipper, repeatedly hindering Detective Luo's investigation. "This troll Hong is a veteran," Detective Luo said solemnly, rubbing his brow.

At the same time, Xiao Yue was actively searching for a breakthrough. She contacted several bloggers who had reposted the rumor, hoping to get some clues from them. However, these bloggers were all very secretive and evasive in their responses.

"I just forwarded a message. I don't know anything else." A food blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers explained in a panic.

"I just saw others forwarding it, so I followed suit. I really don't know who spread it first." Another beauty blogger also hurriedly distanced herself from the matter.

Xiao Yue could hear their fear, clearly a fear of offending the forces behind them. She understood that these people were merely pawns, and the real mastermind was still lurking in the shadows.

Xiao Yue informed Detective Luo of the situation. The two exchanged information, both sensing the daunting nature of the situation. Detective Luo paused for a moment, "It seems the other party is well prepared. We need to find another way."

"Is there any news from Shen Ting?" Xiao Yue asked.

"Mr. Shen is investigating companies that have recently had conflicts with the Xiao family to see if there are any suspicious targets." Detective Luo replied.

In the basement, Shui Junhong was still immersed in the joy of counting money, unaware of the approaching danger. Humming a little tune, he stuffed a thick wad of bills into the safe. Suddenly, his phone rang again, the same unfamiliar number. Shui Junhong's heart tightened, and he quickly answered the call.

"Hey?"

"You've been too high-profile lately," the voice on the other end of the phone said, "be careful not to get into trouble."

Shui Junhong's face turned pale instantly, "I...I understand."

"Also, someone's been checking on you lately, so you'd better be careful."

"Investigate me?" Shui Junhong's voice trembled. "Who... who is investigating me?"

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, then a sinister laugh echoed. "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask." After the call ended, Shui Junhong collapsed to the ground, a sense of inexplicable fear engulfing him. He felt like a fly trapped in a spider's web, unable to escape no matter how hard he struggled...

Lines of code scrolled rapidly across Detective Luo's computer screen as he tracked an encrypted IP address. Suddenly, the code stopped scrolling, and a red warning appeared on the screen: Access Denied. Detective Luo frowned. It seemed the other party had been prepared, setting up a powerful firewall. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "It seems the person behind this is even more powerful than we imagined..."

Xiao Yue's phone suddenly rang. It was PR Lin. Her voice was anxious and flustered. "Boss Xiao, something bad has happened! The company's official website..."

"What's wrong with the official website?" Xiao Yue's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition came over him.

"The official website has been hacked! Now it's full of... all false information that slanders you!" Public Relations Officer Lin's voice was filled with tears, and he was obviously on the verge of collapse.

Xiao Yue immediately opened the company's website, only to find that the homepage had been tampered with. A sensational article appeared: "The Hypocritical Mask of Xiao's Female CEO." The article maliciously distorted the facts, fabricated various negative stories about Xiao Yue, and even included some photoshopped photos, portraying her as a scheming and unscrupulous woman.

"This is absolutely shameless!" Xiao Yue was shaking with anger. She knew that this was another malicious attack from the mastermind behind the scenes.

"What should we do now, Mr. Xiao? The online public opinion has exploded, many netizens believe it to be true, and the company's stock price has begun to fall..." Public Relations Officer Lin's voice was full of despair.

"Don't panic, contact the technical department first, restore the official website as soon as possible, and issue a statement to clarify the facts." Xiao Yue tried to keep calm and directed Lin Public Relations to conduct crisis public relations.

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to calm her inner anger. She knew that this attack was more ferocious than any previous one, and the other party clearly wanted to completely defeat her.

At the same time, Shen Ting was also fully investigating the financial backer behind blogger Zhang. He used his personal connections to gather information, but the results surprised him.

"Mr. Shen, the identity of blogger Zhang is very hidden. His account information is all fake, and the source of funds behind him has been transferred through multiple layers, making it difficult to trace." Shen Ting's assistant reported.

"It seems that the other party has been prepared for this." Shen Ting's face was gloomy. He realized that he was facing an extremely cunning opponent.

"However, we've found a clue," the assistant continued. "Blogger Zhang has been frequently contacting an overseas IP address recently. We suspect his financial backer might be overseas."

"Overseas?" Shen Ting frowned, which made him feel that things became more complicated.

"Keep investigating and make sure to find out the exact location of this IP address." Shen Ting said in a firm tone. He would not allow anyone to hurt Xiao Yue.

Detective Luo had also made some progress. By tracking the virtual accounts used by Hong Shuijun, he discovered some clues. Although the registration information for these virtual accounts was forged, Detective Luo noticed that they all pointed to the same network node.

"This network node is located in an old residential area on the outskirts of the city. It is very likely the location of the water army studio." Detective Luo said, pointing to the map on the computer screen.

"Let's go there without delay!" Xiao Yue immediately stood up and prepared to go to the community with Detective Luo.

As night fell, a black car quietly drove into an old residential area on the outskirts of the city. After Detective Luo and Xiao Yue got out of the car, they followed the markings on the map and arrived in front of a dilapidated residential building.

They went to the third floor and found the target room. Detective Luo knocked on the door gently, but there was no response.

"There seems to be no one inside." Xiao Yue said.

Detective Luo frowned and knocked on the door again. Still no response, he took out his tools and pried the door open.

The room was dark and empty. The computer, desk, chairs, filing cabinets... everything was gone, leaving only dust and scattered paper on the floor.

"They ran away..." Detective Luo's tone was filled with disappointment.

Suddenly, Xiao Yue's eyes fell on an inconspicuous black USB drive in the corner... She bent down to pick it up, a complex glint in her eyes. "Perhaps..." Xiao Yue pinched the USB drive, her heart beating faster. This small object might be the key to uncovering the truth.

Detective Luo also noticed her actions. "What is this?" He took the USB drive and examined it carefully. "Maybe there are clues in it."

Back in the car, Detective Luo used his laptop to read the contents of the USB drive. A pile of encrypted files popped up on the screen, and Detective Luo sighed, "It's encrypted. It'll take time to crack." Xiao Yue frowned. Time was exactly what she lacked right now. Online rumors spread like wildfire, eroding Xiao's reputation with every passing second.

The next morning, Xiao Yue sensed a strange atmosphere as she entered the company. Several shareholders were blocking her office door, their faces grim.

"Mr. Xiao, this public opinion crisis has had a huge impact. We must take more effective measures," one of the shareholders said in a serious tone. "We suggest you temporarily put aside your current business and focus on handling public relations issues."

Another shareholder also agreed: "That's right, the company's stock price has fallen a lot now. If we don't control the situation, the consequences will be disastrous." Xiao Yue understood their concerns, but she knew even more clearly that if she gave up the project now, all her previous efforts would be wasted and Xiao's company would face greater losses.

"Dear shareholders, I understand your concerns, but I believe that as long as we find the mastermind behind this, we can thoroughly clarify the facts and reverse the situation."

"But the question now is, when will we find the mastermind?" one shareholder asked. "Public opinion won't wait for us. The longer we wait, the greater the damage to the company."

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Please believe me, I have found the key clue and will soon find out the truth."

Although the shareholders were skeptical, they had no choice but to trust Xiao Yue for the time being. Xiao Yue returned to the office and immediately contacted Detective Luo to inquire about the progress of the USB drive cracking. "We've made some progress," Detective Luo said with a hint of fatigue. "The encryption method is complex, but I've found some breakthroughs. I believe we'll be able to crack it completely soon."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue felt a wave of weakness. She rubbed her temples, trying to stay awake. Just then, Public Relations Officer Lin hurried in. "Mr. Xiao, this is bad! Another media outlet has published a report that's unfavorable to you. This time, it's even more vicious, even..." Public Relations Officer Lin choked up, speechless.

Xiao Yue took the tablet from PR Lin and saw an article titled "The Extravagant Life of the Xiao Female CEO" on the screen. The article portrayed Xiao Yue as a spendthrift and dissolute woman, accompanied by photos of her at business events that had been maliciously interpreted and edited.

Xiao Yue's fingers gripped the tablet tightly, her knuckles turning white. She knew this was intentional, designed to disrupt her mind and throw her off balance. But she wouldn't give in. She was determined to find the mastermind and clear her name.

In the evening, Detective Luo finally called. "The USB drive has been cracked! There are some important email records in it, which can prove that Zhang Bozhu and Hong Shuijun were instructed by someone else. Moreover..." Detective Luo paused, "The email mentioned someone codenamed 'Nightingale'. This person is the real mastermind behind this."

"Nightingale?" Xiao Yue repeated the code name, and an inexplicable chill surged in his heart.

"Based on the content of the email, 'Nightingale' seems to be very familiar with the Xiao family's situation. I suspect..." Detective Luo's voice lowered, "This person is right next to you."

Xiao Yue's face turned pale in an instant. She turned her head abruptly to look out the window. The night enveloped the city like a huge black hole, swallowing up all light and hope... "Could it be..." She murmured to herself, her eyes falling on a photo on the desk. In the photo, she was standing intimately with a familiar figure, both of them with bright smiles on their faces.

“Impossible…” Xiao Yue sat alone in her office in the dead of night, the light from the computer screen illuminating her tired face. Detective Luo’s words echoed in her ears: “‘Nightingale’ seems to know a lot about the Xiao family. I suspect… this person is right beside you.”

She mechanically flipped through the documents on her desk, trying to find a clue in every report and email. But she found nothing, except a deepening sense of exhaustion and powerlessness. "Nightingale," this mysterious code name, was like a thorn, deeply piercing her heart.

She recalled the emails Detective Luo had deciphered, which detailed the transactions between blogger Zhang and Hong Shuijun, even down to the exact time and content of each Weibo post. Such precise manipulation would have been impossible without a thorough understanding of the Xiao family's inner workings.

Could someone really be lurking beside her, waiting for an opportunity to strike? The thought chilled her. She looked around; everything in the office seemed so familiar, yet so strange. Once, this had been her battleground, the place where she'd realized her dreams. But now, it felt like a cage filled with conspiracy, suffocating her.

She picked up her phone and wanted to call Shen Ting, but hesitated. She didn't want to make him worry, and she didn't want him to be involved in this dispute. But, besides him, who else could she rely on?

Just as she was hesitating, her phone suddenly vibrated. It was Shen Ting calling. "Yueyue, haven't you rested yet?" His voice was filled with concern.

"Not yet," Xiao Yue's voice was a little hoarse, "I..."

"I know you're having trouble," Shen Ting interrupted her. "Don't worry, I'll always be by your side."

His words were like a warm current, flowing into Xiao Yue's icy heart. She took a deep breath and tried to control her emotions. "Ting, Detective Luo has found some clues. The mastermind seems to be..."

She told Shen Ting about the "Nightingale" incident. There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, and then Shen Ting's low voice came: "I understand. I will send someone to protect you secretly. You should also be careful."

"Ting, I..." Xiao Yue wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Shen Ting, "Don't be afraid, everything will be fine."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue felt a little calmer. Shen Ting's support gave her immense strength and rekindled her hope. She knew she couldn't give up. She had to be strong, for herself and for the Xiao family.

She turned on her computer again and began to carefully sort out recent events, trying to find a breakthrough from some subtle clues. Time passed by minute by minute, the sky outside the window gradually turned white, and a new day was about to arrive.

Suddenly, her eyes stopped at a document on the computer screen. It was a personnel transfer record from several months ago. She remembered that she had carefully reviewed it before and found nothing unusual. However, now she noticed a detail she had overlooked... A name, a name that shocked her greatly, appeared on the transfer list.

"How could it be him..." Xiao Yue muttered to herself, her face turning pale. Trembling, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello, Detective Luo? I... I think I know who 'Nightingale' is..."

On the other end of the phone, Detective Luo's voice was full of surprise, "Who is it?"

Xiao Yue took a deep breath and slowly said a name...