The country entrusted me to buy an aircraft carrier, Hou Liangping, do you dare to investigate?

Sophie bent down and gently stroked Hou Liangping's cheek with her slender fingers, her movements as gentle as if she were comforting a wounded little animal.

“It’s not your fault, dear Hou,” she said in a sweet voice, her tone laced with feigned concern.

"Huang Feipeng is the real culprit; he's the one who drove you to this point. He wears the cloak of patriotism but is actually pursuing personal gain. Shouldn't such a person be brought to justice?"

Sophie's voice seemed to possess some kind of magic; it penetrated Hou Liangping's eardrums, numbing his nerves and weakening his already faltering will.

He closed his eyes in anguish, his mind flashing back to Zhong Xiaoai's disappointed gaze, his father-in-law Zhong Zhengguo's angry rebukes filled with disappointment, and Huang Feipeng's confident and resolute face.

“You are a victim too, Hou,” Sophie continued, like a seasoned hunter cornering her prey step by step. “You were just used by him; he is the real mastermind. Think about it, without him, you could have had a happy family and a bright future. It's all because of him; he ruined you!”

"It was him...he ruined me..." Hou Liangping muttered to himself. Sophie's words echoed in his ears like poisonous thorns, piercing his heart. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, yet he felt no pain. The anger and hatred in his heart were slowly shifting to Huang Feipeng, following Sophie's words.

"Sign it, Hou, tell the world everything, expose Huang Feipeng's true colors, and make him pay the price for what he did!" Sophie placed the "confession" back into Hou Liangping's hands, her eyes gleaming with excitement, as if she had already foreseen the arrival of victory.

Hou Liangping's hands trembled as he picked up the pen and signed his name on the document. At that moment, he seemed to hear the sound of his soul shattering. He had betrayed his country, his beliefs, and his own soul, all for a ridiculous reason—revenge.

Sophie watched Hou Liangping sign his name, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. Like a cunning fox, she easily manipulated her prey. She knew that from this moment on, Hou Liangping had become a pawn in her hands, a pawn that could be used to bring down Huang Feipeng.

“Very good, my Director Hou,” Sophie picked up the signed document, gently patted Hou Liangping’s cheek, and said with a hint of teasing, “Congratulations on making the wisest choice.”

After saying that, she turned and left, leaving Hou Liangping dejected, alone, sinking into the darkness...

Meanwhile, Huang Feipeng's science and technology park is under construction in full swing.

"Brother Huang, look, this is our latest chip design, and its performance is at least 30% better than the previous generation!" Li Ying excitedly showed Huang Feipeng their latest achievement on a tablet computer.

"Excellent, Li Ying, you've worked hard." Huang Feipeng took the tablet computer, examined it carefully, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He knew that he was making history; a technological empire belonging to Great Xia was rising in his hands.

"Brother Huang, if we successfully develop this chip, it will directly break the Western technological blockade! At that time, the technological level of our Great Xia will reach a new level!" Wang Hu said in a deep voice, standing to the side, his tone full of pride and anticipation.

"Of course! Our goal is to make Great Xia the world's leader in science and technology!" Huang Feipeng clenched his fist, his eyes shining with determination. "However, we cannot let our guard down. The more critical the moment, the more careful we must be. Those who are envious of our development will not stand by and watch us succeed."

No sooner had Huang Feipeng finished speaking than Chang Long pushed open the door and entered, his face grave. "Brother Huang, something's happened. Hou Liangping has made a move."

"Oh? Tell me about it." Huang Feipeng gestured for Chang Long to sit down and explain in detail.

“I received information that Hou Liangping has been in frequent contact with a foreign woman named Sophie recently. Moreover, I also found out that Sophie’s identity is not simple. She is very likely an intelligence agent of the United States!” Chang Long said, his tone tinged with worry.

"American intelligence agents?" Huang Feipeng frowned slightly. He had a bad feeling; things seemed more complicated than he had imagined...

"American intelligence agents?" Huang Feipeng repeated, his tone unreadable, but a cold glint flashed deep in his eyes. Chang Long's words confirmed his suspicions. "It seems this pool of water is deeper than I imagined."

He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling scene below. The technology park was changing rapidly, and his empire was expanding little by little. "How long has this Sophie been eyeing Hou Liangping?"

Chang Long frowned, his tone grave: "Based on the information we have so far, it's been at least a few months. They've been in contact very frequently and very discreetly. If it weren't for my people keeping a close eye on them, it would have been very difficult to discover."

“A few months…” Huang Feipeng muttered to himself, tapping lightly on the windowsill with his fingers. “It seems this woman is after me.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Chang Long's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew Huang Feipeng all too well; this man seemed to possess an innate ability to see through everything.

"Brother Huang, do you mean... she's trying to use Hou Liangping to deal with you?"

"Who else would be more suitable than him?" Huang Feipeng sneered. "Hou Liangping always prides himself on being righteous and can't tolerate any wrongdoing. Plus, he's been repeatedly thwarted because of me, so he must hate me to the core. He's exactly the kind of pawn Su Fei can use."

A cold glint flashed in Chang Long's eyes, and his tone was icy: "Then should we..."

Huang Feipeng raised his hand to interrupt him, "Don't rush, let's see what they're up to. Give the order to keep a close eye on them and report their every move to me."

"Understood!" Chang Long nodded in response, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He knew that a good show was about to begin.

Meanwhile, in a high-end Western restaurant in the capital, Sophie and Hou Liangping sat facing each other. Sophie wore a black evening gown that accentuated her shapely figure, her fair skin seemed to glow under the lights, and her deep blue eyes were captivating, as if they could see right through people.

“My dear Hou, you seem to be in a good mood?” Sophie picked up her wine glass, swirled it gently, and spoke in a soft and charming tone.