Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

Golden sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows like a veil, casting a warm glow on the mahogany table in the Tiansheng Group's conference room, illuminating the neatly arranged documents and exquisite refreshments. The air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, mingling with subtle scents of perfume and cologne, creating an elegant and professional atmosphere. However, beneath this seemingly harmonious surface, an invisible tension was quietly spreading.

Su Bing, president of Tiansheng Group, sat upright at one side of the conference table. Her well-tailored black business suit accentuated her tall and slender figure. Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, a slow yet firm rhythm, as if calculating some unknown beat. Su Bing's gaze, sharp as a sword, swept over her partner opposite her—CEO Liu, the CEO of a well-known technology company and a key figure in this collaboration with Tiansheng Group.

Beside Su Bing, her secretary, Secretary Zhang, sat upright, her pen hovering over her notebook, ready to record every detail of the meeting. Secretary Zhang's eyes frequently glanced at Su Bing, trying to catch any subtle changes in her expression.

“Mr. Liu,” Su Bing began, her voice clear and confident, radiating the aura of a powerful woman, “our proposal has undergone repeated review and revisions. I believe it will not only meet your company’s needs but also bring substantial returns to both parties.” Her slender fingers lightly tapped the documents on the table, emphasizing the key points. A confident glint shone in Su Bing’s eyes, and a slight smile played on her lips, revealing a composed demeanor.

Mr. Liu smiled and nodded. He was slightly overweight, his hair was neatly combed, and his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses gleamed with shrewdness. He picked up his coffee cup, took a small sip, and then slowly put it down. "President Su, your proposal is indeed very attractive, and we fully recognize the strength of Tiansheng Group." Mr. Liu's voice was gentle and smooth, but a fleeting, almost imperceptible hesitation flashed in his eyes.

He paused, the smile fading from his face, replaced by an indescribable complex expression. "However, the market environment has changed drastically recently, and our company has had to reassess some collaborative projects." Mr. Liu's fingers unconsciously traced the rim of his coffee cup, a small gesture that betrayed his inner unease.

Su Bing keenly noticed the unusual tone in Mr. Liu's words. Her brow furrowed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She placed her hands cross on the table, leaning forward slightly, adopting a focused posture. "Mr. Liu, you mean...?" Her tone remained professionally calm, but inwardly she was becoming wary. Su Bing's gaze sharpened, as if trying to see through Mr. Liu's thoughts.

Mr. Liu sighed deeply, seemingly organizing his thoughts. His gaze swept across the conference room before finally settling on Su Bing. His expression turned serious, and his voice lowered. "Ms. Su," he said, "to be frank, there have been many rumors circulating in the industry recently regarding your company and that womanizing investor, Mr. Zhu. While we believe the truth will prevail, this matter has inevitably impacted your company's reputation and cast a shadow over our cooperation."

These words exploded like a bomb in the conference room. Su Bing's face instantly turned pale, her fingers clenching involuntarily until her knuckles turned white. But she quickly regained her composure, took a deep breath, and said calmly, "Mr. Liu, I understand your concerns. But please believe me, these are just baseless rumors and will not affect our company's normal operations, much less our cooperation." Although Su Bing's voice was steady, the underlying tension and anxiety could not be completely concealed.

Mr. Liu spoke slowly, a hint of apology in his eyes, “Ms. Su, I personally trust your character. But as you know, the business world is like a battlefield, and many things are beyond our complete control. Our company's board of directors takes this matter very seriously, and they believe... we need more time to reassess the risks of this cooperation.” Mr. Liu's tone carried a trace of helplessness, seemingly implying that this decision was not his personal wish.

Su Bing's heart sank. She realized there was no turning back from this negotiation. The other party was clearly trying to use the scandal as an excuse to cancel or at least postpone the cooperation. A flicker of disappointment and anger flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by professional composure.

Suppressing her anger and maintaining her professional demeanor, she said, "I understand, Mr. Liu. So, could we agree on a time to continue our discussion once the situation becomes clearer?" Su Bing's voice remained calm, but the disappointment within it was undeniable.

Mr. Liu nodded with a sigh of relief, a polite smile returning to his face. "Of course, Ms. Su. We will closely monitor the situation and hope to restart our cooperation plan as soon as possible." He stood up, extended his hand to shake hands with Su Bing, as if the conversation had never happened.

After the meeting, Su Bing strode towards the elevator, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor. Secretary Zhang followed closely behind, carrying a thick folder. As soon as she entered the elevator, Su Bing's expression instantly darkened, her eyes filled with anger and anxiety.

“Secretary Zhang, arrange an emergency meeting immediately.” Su Bing’s voice was low and urgent. “Notify the public relations department; I need to know where these rumors are coming from. Also, have the legal department prepare a response plan.” Her fingers unconsciously rubbed her forehead, clearly under immense pressure.

“Yes, Mr. Su.” Secretary Zhang quickly took notes on the tablet, her movements swift and precise, a testament to her long-term training. Suddenly, she hesitated, then cautiously asked, “What about Mr. Zhu…?”

"I'll let him know later!" Su Bing's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of weariness and anger. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The elevator doors opened, and Su Bing strode out, heading towards her office.

Back in her office, Su Bing had just sat down when Zhu Feifei rushed in. His hair was a little disheveled, and his suit jacket was open, clearly indicating that he had come in a hurry.

"Su Bing, I heard the negotiations ran into trouble?" Zhu Feifei asked bluntly, his tone both concerned and slightly displeased. His eyes were filled with anxiety, clearly indicating that he had already learned some of the news.

Su Bing took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. She raised her head and looked directly into Zhu Feifei's eyes. "Yes, President Liu has decided to postpone the cooperation because of the recent rumors." Her voice was calm, but her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Zhu Feifei frowned, his expression turning serious. "How much impact will this have on the company?" He walked to Su Bing's desk, placed his hands on the surface, and leaned forward slightly, showing an eagerness to understand the situation.

“Quite significant.” Su Bing looked directly into Zhu Feifei’s eyes, her voice low and heavy. “This isn’t just about a project; it’s about our reputation in the industry.” Her fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, revealing her inner unease.

Zhu Feifei was silent for a moment, his eyes deepening as if he were contemplating an important decision. Then he slowly said, "We need to convene a board meeting immediately to discuss our response strategy. But before that, Su Bing, we need to discuss these rumors."

Su Bing's expression turned serious. She stood up, walked to the French windows, and turned her back to Zhu Feifei. Sunlight streamed down, gilding her slender figure. "President Zhu, I hope you understand that these rumors not only affect me personally, but also jeopardize the interests of the entire company. As an investor and director of the company, you should know this better than anyone else." Her voice carried a hint of reproach, but even more so, it reflected her concern for the future.

Zhu Feifei nodded, his expression hardening. "I completely understand. In fact, I've already been considering some countermeasures. I want to handle this personally, including contacting the media to clarify the facts and communicating with President Liu." His voice was full of determination, and his eyes shone with unwavering resolve.

Su Bing turned around and looked at Zhu Feifei with some surprise. "Are you sure you want to do this? This could make things more complicated." Her tone contained both worry and a hint of barely perceptible emotion.

“I know the risks,” Zhu Feifei said firmly. He walked to Su Bing’s side and gently took her hand. “But as a major shareholder of the company, I have a responsibility to protect the company’s interests. Besides, these rumors are also related to me, and I cannot stand idly by.” His eyes were full of sincerity and determination.

Just then, the voice of the Ringwraith White echoed in Zhu Feifei's mind, "Be careful, you idiot. Every step you take now could affect the future of the entire company. Don't let emotions cloud your judgment."

Zhu Feifei paused slightly, released Su Bing's hand, took a step back, and resumed his professional demeanor. He continued, "I will formulate a detailed public relations plan as soon as possible and present it at the board meeting. At the same time, I will contact some media friends I know to see if we can find the source of the rumors."

Su Bing pondered for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. Finally, she nodded in agreement, "Okay, but I hope you can consult with me and the other board members before taking any action. We must act in unison and not let things get out of control." Her tone returned to its usual calm and professional.

“Of course,” Zhu Feifei agreed, his expression becoming serious and determined. “We are a team, and we must work together to overcome this difficulty.”

Just then, Su Bing's new assistant, Bai Ling, burst into the office, her face deathly pale and her breathing rapid, clearly having run there. "President Su, President Zhu, something terrible has happened!" Her voice was filled with panic, "Dixiong Group has suddenly launched a hostile takeover bid for us!"

These words struck like a bolt of lightning, hitting everyone in the office. Su Bing and Zhu Feifei's expressions simultaneously turned serious. They exchanged a glance, both realizing that the situation was more severe than they had imagined.

“It seems we need to reconsider our strategy,” Zhu Feifei said heavily, a hint of worry and anger flashing in his eyes.

Su Bing nodded, her expression becoming even more serious. "Immediately summon all senior management and the legal team. We must develop a response plan as soon as possible." Her voice was filled with firmness and determination, as if she were facing an impending war.

As Bai Ling hurriedly left to inform the others, Su Bing suddenly noticed a strange look flashing in her eyes.

It wasn't just panic and anxiety, it was more like... anticipation? Su Bing frowned slightly, a hint of doubt rising in her heart.

This new assistant seems quite capable; she secretly made a mental note of it and decided to pay closer attention to her in the future.