Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

The morning sunlight streamed through the glass curtain wall of the Tiansheng Group headquarters building, illuminating the bustling office area and the employees coming and going. They moved quickly, their expressions varied, as if each carried their own secrets. A subtle tension hung in the air, as if something significant was about to happen.

Su Bing walked gracefully into the company through the doors in her high heels. Her dark blue business suit accentuated her tall, slender figure. Normally, her arrival would elicit greetings, but today, she keenly sensed that the atmosphere was somewhat unusual. The usual warm greetings were gone, replaced by whispers and meaningful glances.

The employees huddled together in twos and threes, talking quietly, occasionally glancing up at her with curiosity, inquiry, and even a hint of schadenfreude in their eyes. Some quickly lowered their heads, pretending to be working; others made no attempt to hide their stares, their eyes gleaming with gossip.

"Looks like I'm the subject of today's gossip," Su Bing thought to herself, trying to remain calm. She slightly raised her chin, her face still bearing that icy expression, as if oblivious to the unusual surroundings. Her high heels clicked crisply on the marble floor, each step exuding confidence and authority as she walked straight to her office.

"Good morning, Ms. Su." Bai Ling, Su Bing's assistant, greeted her. She was a young and beautiful girl, always with a gentle and charming demeanor. She handed Su Bing a cup of fragrant coffee, a gentle smile on her face, but a hint of barely perceptible worry lurked in her eyes. "You don't look too well today. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Su Bing took the coffee and took a small sip. The bitterness of the hot coffee spread across her tongue, making her slightly more awake. She replied casually, "It's nothing, just a little tired." With that, she walked into her office, placed her handbag on her desk, and did so with fluid, effortless movements.

Bai Ling followed behind her, gently closing the office door. She hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "President Su, you'd better take a look at this." She handed her phone to Su Bing, on which was displayed a photo: under a dim streetlamp, Su Bing and Zhu Feifei walked side by side, their backs appearing exceptionally intimate. Below the photo were comments filled with ambiguity and speculation.

Su Bing's heart raced instantly; she felt her blood freeze. The scene in the photo reminded her of the night before when Zhu Feifei had driven her home—the electric shock she felt was still vivid in her memory. Her hands trembled slightly, and her voice was hoarse: "This...when was this taken?"

Bai Ling bit her lower lip and whispered, "I just saw it too. Everyone in the company is saying... you and President Zhu..." She hesitated, her eyes filled with a hint of "worry," which only fueled Su Bing's curiosity and unease.

Su Bing took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She quickly walked to her desk, turned on her computer, and logged into the company's internal forum. Countless messages immediately popped up on the screen; the post about her and Zhu Feifei had already been up and down for hundreds of times, with all sorts of speculations and rumors flying around.

Some say Zhu Feifei approached her only for personal gain, calling him a playboy who simply saw Su Bing as his new prey. Others say Su Bing was only involved with Zhu Feifei to climb the social ladder, using her beauty to solidify her position. Some even fabricated various sordid details, describing how they secretly carried on their affair in the office.

Each comment was like a sharp knife, piercing Su Bing's heart. She felt dizzy, her hands gripping the edge of her desk tightly until her knuckles turned white. She had never experienced anything like this before and didn't know how to deal with it. Worse still, these rumors could damage the company's reputation and shake the authority she had built up over the years.

"Damn it!" Su Bing slammed her hand on the table in anger, making a loud bang. Bai Ling was startled and looked at her cautiously. Su Bing took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions, her voice cold and firm: "Bai Ling, immediately find out the source of these rumors and take measures as soon as possible to control the situation. I want to know who's behind this!"

Bai Ling nodded and quickly left the office. Su Bing sat alone in her office chair, watching the bustling traffic outside the window, lost in thought. Her mind kept replaying every moment she had spent with Zhu Feifei: his domineering business decisions, his gentle and considerate care, his heartfelt confessions… All of this left her feeling utterly confused.

She didn't know if Zhu Feifei's feelings for her were genuine, nor did she know how she felt about him. All she knew was that the situation was now out of her control, which filled her, someone who always had everything under control, with immense panic.

Meanwhile, in the boardroom of the Tiansheng Group headquarters building, Zhu Feifei stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city view. He wore a finely tailored dark gray suit, his tall figure and handsome face impeccable. He held a mobile phone in one hand, the other casually in his trouser pocket, a slightly unruly smile on his face.

The documents on the table were spread out, but his thoughts had already drifted back to the scene from last night. He recalled Su Bing's nervous yet unconsciously close body, and the barely perceptible blush on her face, all of which filled him with a smug smile. He knew all too well the influence he had over her, and he enjoyed this subtle sense of control.

Just as Zhu Feifei was immersed in the sweet memories of last night, the voice of the Ringwraith Little White rang out untimely, carrying its usual teasing tone: "Tsk tsk, you idiot, your methods are really clever. Even the Ice Queen is completely bewitched by you."

Zhu Feifei chuckled softly and replied in a low voice, "Shut up, Xiaobai. I didn't mean it that way."

"Hmph, don't get too cocky," Xiaobai's voice suddenly turned serious. "Do you know what's being talked about in the company right now?"

Zhu Feifei's smile gradually froze. He turned and walked back to his desk, his gaze turning slightly cold: "What gossip?"

"The gossip about you and Su Bing is spreading like wildfire," Xiaobai explained. "Many people are speculating about your relationship, even suspecting that you have ulterior motives for approaching her."

"Damn it." Zhu Feifei cursed under his breath, realizing that things were far more complicated than he had anticipated. The rumors might disrupt his plans and even affect Su Bing. He couldn't help but think of Su Bing's always icy face, and a sudden sense of worry welled up in his heart.

"What are you planning to do? Just sit here and wait to die?" Xiaobai continued to provoke.

Zhu Feifei rubbed her temples, a serious glint in her eyes: "Of course not! I have to find a way to control the situation and prevent these rumors from affecting Su Bing and the company."

Just then, the office door was flung open, and Zhu Feifei's assistant, Li Qiang, rushed in, his face filled with anxiety: "President Zhu, something's happened! The company's internal forum is full of discussions about your relationship with President Su, and someone even posted photos of you two together last night."

Zhu Feifei frowned as he took the tablet computer from Li Qiang and quickly browsed its contents. With each comment he read, his brow furrowed deeper. Finally, he slammed the tablet down on the table with a dull thud.

"Have you found out who's behind this?" Zhu Feifei's voice was low and dangerous.

Li Qiang shook his head: "Not yet, but we are investigating with all our might."

Zhu Feifei took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew that the most important thing now was to remain calm and not let the enemy see his panic. He turned to Li Qiang, his voice carrying an unquestionable command: "Contact the public relations department immediately and prepare a statement. At the same time, increase monitoring of the internal forums and delete all false statements."

Li Qiang nodded in agreement and quickly left the office. Zhu Feifei stood there, lost in thought. He knew that this incident not only concerned his own reputation but could also affect Su Bing's status. He couldn't help but recall Su Bing's always icy eyes, and a strong protective instinct suddenly welled up within him.

"It seems it's time to take action," Zhu Feifei muttered to himself, a determined glint in his eyes. He picked up his phone, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed Su Bing's number.

The call was answered quickly, and Su Bing's icy voice came through: "Mr. Zhu, what's the matter?"

Zhu Feifei took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm and firm: "Su Bing, we need to talk. About those rumors..."

“I understand,” Su Bing interrupted him, her voice tinged with weariness. “We really need to have a serious talk.”

Zhu Feifei sensed the distance in Su Bing's words, and his heart tightened. He knew that the conversation that followed would determine the direction of their relationship and could also affect the future of the entire company.

“Okay, then let’s do it now, in my office.” Zhu Feifei said, hanging up the phone before Su Bing could reply. He stood by the window, looking at the bustling city outside, his heart filled with complex emotions.