The richest man's parents were kidnapped, and his adorable son captivated the entire family.

The immense sense of risk almost completely consumed his thinking.

Supporting Gu Yinshen again not only means that the stock price may continue to fall, but also that in future shareholder battles, it may offend Gu Hongtao's faction, which currently clearly holds the "public opinion" and "moral" advantage.

This is a political judgment, but even more so, it is a choice made by capital.

Li Ming slowly turned off the screen, took a deep breath, and his face was filled with the cold conclusion that a fund manager must make.

Continuing to side with Gu Yinshen at this point is probably no longer in the best interests of their foundation.

Li Ming took a deep breath, looked at the horizon through the fog outside the window, and finally pressed the number that Gu Hongtao's subordinate had secretly left behind.

After two beeps, the call was connected.

A deep, calm voice came from the other end, carrying a hint of deliberately suppressed caution and scrutiny: "This is Zhou Ming. Who is this?"

Li Ming lowered his voice, his tone steady but clearly tinged with nervousness: "Assistant Zhou, I am... Li Ming, from Zhuochen Capital. We had a brief encounter at the shareholders' meeting before."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then the voice became somewhat meaningful: "Oh, it's Mr. Li. You're calling so late... is it to discuss the recent situation?"

Li Ming's eyes flickered slightly. He turned and walked to his desk, slamming his coffee cup down as if to shatter the last vestige of hesitation in his heart.

"Regarding the current situation of your group... After careful evaluation, our fund believes that Mr. Gu Hongtao's approach of 'correcting the wrongs and stabilizing the overall situation' is more in line with the company's long-term development and the interests of shareholders. We hope to have the opportunity to hear Mr. Gu Hongtao's future governance plan in person."

Zhou Ming did not respond immediately, as if he was considering his words.

A few seconds later, his voice came slowly, with a hint of light laughter, but his tone remained calm.

"President Li's judgment has always been insightful. Second Master has always valued the voice of reason. I will convey your goodwill."

"There will be a small, private luncheon tomorrow at noon. Several friends who hold more than 5% of the shares will be there... Mr. Li is also welcome to join. I will send you the address via encrypted channel later."

"Thank you, Assistant Zhou." Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief, his tone sincere.

"It's a win-win situation," Zhou Ming said meaningfully, and then hung up the phone.

Li Ming held his phone, standing there for a long time. At this moment, he had completed the shift in his stance.

This phone call was not just a shift in one institution's strategy, but also the quiet drop of a heavyweight in a capital storm.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a dimly lit, quaint and elegant private club, another, more secretive plan is quietly taking shape.

The private room was very soundproof, and the door was thick. Inside, steam rose from a purple clay teapot, creating a quiet yet oppressive atmosphere.

Zhou Ming sat in the main seat, his expression calm and composed.

Opposite him was Sun Qiang, the deputy leader of the project team. He was slightly overweight, with a receding hairline, and an overly respectful smile on his face.

Zhou Ming slowly put down the teapot, then pulled out a bulging folder and a slightly heavy envelope from his briefcase and gently pushed them over.

“Manager Sun,” he said in a calm and unhurried tone, as if an elder were giving advice to a younger person, “you are wasting your talents in your current position. We have been watching you for a long time. Your management skills, data processing skills, and even your ability to understand people… all have great potential.”

A flicker of excitement and suspicion flashed in Sun Qiang's eyes. He already harbored resentment towards Xie Yumin, and now, hearing someone appreciate him so highly, and seeing the thick envelope, his heart began to pound.

He glanced quickly at the document cover, which read "Guidelines for Risk Nodes and Data Modification in Smart Park Projects".

Looking at the thickness of the envelope, the mere sight of the red banknote peeking out from one corner made his Adam's apple bob slightly, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

He immediately adopted a grateful and humble attitude: "Mr. Zhou, you flatter me! I may not be particularly capable, but I am certainly loyal."

"That woman Xie Yumin, relying on her connections, treats the project like her own property and is always lecturing people... I've been wanting to find a chance to stand up for everyone for a long time. Just say the word, and I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly!"

Zhou Ming nodded calmly: "Okay. These are some 'notes' for the 'Smart Park' project. You don't need to write them yourself; someone has already written a 'revised' report for you. You just need to follow the instructions, find the right time, and replace the one she submitted with this USB drive."

"We've also prepared the printed copy, which is in the locked drawer of your desk. It will be delivered tomorrow night. Remember, your movements should be natural, and you shouldn't give anything away."

Sun hurriedly stuffed the documents into his bag, his movements so swift and efficient that they were astonishing.

He nodded vigorously: "Understood, understood! I'll just say she gave it to me herself, and I was just 'passing it on.' If there's a problem, it'll be because her data was wrong, and I'll just say it was an accident. The investigation team will look at the evidence, not just words, right?"

He looked up at Zhou Ming, his fawning eyes barely concealing his greed and smugness.

Zhou Ming's expression suddenly turned cold, and his voice became icy: "Remember, be 'natural.' You just 'unfortunately' handed over a problematic report. The one who made the mistake was her, not you. You'll get your share of the benefits after it's done."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared at Sun Qiang: "But if you mess this up... you know the consequences."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and even the gurgling sound of the purple clay teapot seemed to fade into the distance.

Sun Qiang broke out in a cold sweat and quickly lowered his head to agree, pressing his hands tightly to his legs, afraid that Zhou Ming would see his uncontrollable trembling.

The light in the room fell on Zhou Ming's glasses, reflecting a cold glint.

A deadly hunt, fraught with danger, has quietly begun.

Outside the office building, a storm was brewing, but the seventeenth floor, where the project team was located, was brightly lit, like a lone boat adrift in the night, desperately holding onto the last line of defense that had not yet been breached.

Despite it being late at night, several people were still sitting at their desks in the office, heads down, typing away. Every Enter keystroke sounded like a race against the clock.

The air was thick with the scents of coffee, fatigue, and anxiety; no one dared to relax for even a moment.

Xie Yumin sat in the main seat, her eyes were dark circles and her knuckles were white.

The dual monitors in front of her were simultaneously running a data comparison program and a project budget allocation chart. Sweat slowly slid down her temples, which she subconsciously wiped away.

This is her most demanding week, because she knows that amidst hostile gazes and countless hidden attacks, even the smallest mistake could lead to her utter ruin.

She took a breath, confirmed that the last report was correct, imported it to the USB drive, and printed out three paper copies.