{Chapter: 252 Chen family spy!}
Looking into Lin Yuan's calm and detached eyes, Ding Fan felt a chill creep down his spine. A cold sweat broke out across his back as he realized—Lin Yuan knew. Not just a little. He knew everything.
He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze drifting toward Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan. Their once-trusting eyes were now clouded with suspicion. He could also see the hesitation in the eyes of those colleagues who had initially wanted to speak up for him. One by one, their mouths closed, their expressions turning distant.
And then his eyes returned to Lin Yuan.
It was in that moment Ding Fan understood—completely and without doubt.
If he chose to deny the accusations, Lin Yuan would not stop. He would send people to investigate. And it was clear now that both Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan would fully support that investigation. There would be no protection. No favoritism. No saving grace.
If he were innocent, such scrutiny wouldn't matter. But every detail Lin Yuan had revealed about his actions had been terrifyingly accurate.
He couldn't hide it. Not anymore.
After a tense two-second pause, Ding Fan finally broke. He turned around in front of everyone and dropped to his knees before Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan.
"Director Lin! Director Meng! I—I was confused… just a moment of weakness! I've been loyal to the Lin Group for more than a decade. Please, give me one more chance! I beg you!"
His voice cracked with desperation. But Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan stood still, unmoved. Their eyes were hard. Cold.
In truth, the names of the Qingyang District and Yunmei projects had rung a bell in their minds the moment Lin Yuan mentioned them. Both had been high-profile projects that, on paper, should have brought considerable profit to the company. Instead, they had oddly resulted in losses. At the time, there had been no solid evidence of wrongdoing, so the incidents were quietly shelved.
But Lin Yuan's words had reignited old suspicions.
Without hesitation, Lin Jianjun ordered an internal audit and a reinvestigation of both projects. This time, under Lin Yuan's direct oversight, the investigation proceeded with startling speed.
And as expected, the truth began to surface.
Numerous irregularities were uncovered—discrepancies in payments, misallocated budgets, shell company contracts. Bit by bit, the puzzle came together. The evidence was overwhelming. Irrefutable.
Eventually, faced with the damning evidence, Ding Fan broke down and confessed to everything.
The betrayal was laid bare.
Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan acted swiftly and decisively. With no hesitation, they ordered security to escort Ding Fan out of the building and begin legal proceedings.
Within the Lin Group's leadership structure, all high-level officials were bound to the company by strict contractual obligations. Their benefits were closely tied to the Group's performance—bonuses during profitable years, but personal liability in the face of losses caused by fraud or misconduct.
Thanks to Ding Fan's greed, the company had suffered severe financial damage. According to the contract terms, not only would the Group recover its losses from him, but Ding Fan would also be liable to pay double in penalties. The impact would be devastating. His family would likely face bankruptcy, and on top of that, he could be sentenced to a lengthy prison term.
Watching him being taken away by security, many of the senior officials in the room felt a complicated mix of emotions.
"Such a shame," one of them sighed. "I really didn't expect Ding Fan to be involved in something like this…"
"I remember he seemed off during the Qingyang Project," another said. "I had a bad feeling back then but didn't look deeper. I just… I didn't think it would come to this."
Their voices were low, tinged with regret. Though disgusted by the betrayal, there was still some sorrow. They had worked alongside Ding Fan for years. Some had even called him a friend.
But as their conversations drifted, more and more of them began casting subtle glances toward Lin Yuan.
There was something different about him.
Some wondered if this had all been part of a carefully orchestrated plan—perhaps Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan had deliberately handed Lin Yuan the spotlight today, allowing him to expose Ding Fan to solidify his authority and establish himself as the next leader of the Lin Group.
Yet when they turned to look at the two directors, they found the same surprise reflected in their faces. It didn't seem staged at all.
And truthfully, it didn't need to be.
Lin Yuan's incredible business acumen had already been proven when he generated a 30 billion profit in just one day. That feat alone had earned him the admiration and cautious respect of everyone present.
Now, after today's events, many of the executives began to feel a growing sense of trust in him.
If this was the young man who would eventually inherit the Lin Group… then maybe the company's future wasn't in such uncertain hands after all.
As the atmosphere began to calm and people started preparing to leave the meeting room, feeling like the situation had reached its conclusion, Lin Yuan suddenly raised his voice.
"Wait."
His tone was sharp and clear. It cut through the murmurs like a blade.
Everyone stopped and turned toward him, startled.
Lu Junlan blinked in surprise and asked cautiously, "Young Master Lin, wasn't Ding Fan already dealt with? Is there something else?"
Indeed, many had forgotten the original reason Lin Yuan had called them all together today. The confrontation with Ding Fan had overshadowed everything else.
They thought the meeting was over.
But from the look in Lin Yuan's eyes… it had only just begun.
Lin Yuan's expression remained composed as he took a step forward, his calm voice cutting through the tense air like a sharpened blade.
"People like Ding Fan," he said with a faint smile, "are nothing more than moths—pests that slowly, silently eat away at the foundation of the company. Their harm builds up over time, weakening us from the inside, and by the time we notice, the damage is already severe."
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the room, his eyes sharp and observant.
"But today, I'm not just here to hunt down moths. I came for something far worse. I came looking for traitors. For infiltrators. For imposter hiding in plain sight."
A ripple of anxiety swept through the room.
"A moth may gnaw on the surface, but a spy… A spy is a venomous snake. Hidden inside the body, it releases poison slowly and persistently. It destroys not just from without, but from within—leaving devastation far more quickly and with far greater cruelty."
He clenched his fist slowly, his tone turning cold and resolute.
"And so, to preserve this company and protect everything we've built—we must crush the snake's head without hesitation."
A chilling silence fell over the room. Everyone could feel the sudden drop in temperature, metaphorically if not physically. The threat was clear, and every person standing there instinctively tensed.
They remembered that Lin Yuan had announced his true goal earlier—he wasn't just looking for corruption today. He had come seeking an imposter. And judging by his tone, this so-called 'imposter' was far more dangerous and despicable than Ding Fan.
After Lin Yuan exposed Ding Fan so precisely and effortlessly, no one present dared to underestimate him again. The management team, who had once doubted the young man's capabilities, now stood stiff and silent, hearts racing, waiting to see what he would uncover next.
Unfazed by the tension in the air, Lin Yuan continued to walk down the line of high-ranking officials as if Ding Fan's exposure and removal had been a mere warm-up act. He now stood before the sixth person in the row.
This man was different from the others—composed and confident. A well-dressed middle-aged executive with short, neatly combed hair, a trimmed beard, and a sharp gaze that radiated intelligence. His tailored suit was spotless, and his posture straight as an arrow. He gave the impression of a seasoned professional who was meticulous about every detail.
Glancing at the name badge pinned to the man's chest, Lin Yuan's lips curved into a small, almost friendly smile. "Uncle Wang Qu," he greeted calmly. "Tell me—how was the turnover in your department last month?"
Wang Qu didn't blink. He answered steadily, "Last month, the overall turnover in my department rose by 7 percent. The increase was mainly driven by performance improvements in the northeast sector, especially in the logistics and procurement chains. We optimized internal processes and introduced a few targeted policy changes that boosted overall efficiency."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly and followed up with more questions—probing into quarterly performance trends, departmental cost control, employee turnover, and vendor management.
Wang Qu answered each question with poise and precision.
His tone was balanced—neither overly humble nor arrogantly proud. His words were to the point, rich in data and analysis, yet easy to understand. He didn't stumble once, showing no signs of nervousness, even after the recent incident with Ding Fan.
Lin Yuan listened with interest, and his expression showed satisfaction.
Beside him, Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan were also visibly impressed. Wang Qu's ability was well-known within the Lin Group. He had consistently delivered excellent results and had always maintained a clean record.
Even Yan Ruyue, who had been observing Lin Yuan silently all this time, found herself slightly impressed by Wang Qu's professional demeanor and composure. She could tell he was a seasoned executive, perhaps the most competent among those present.
Once Lin Yuan finished his questions, he gave a nod of approval and stepped past Wang Qu.
The room seemed to exhale in relief.
Everyone, including Wang Qu himself, believed that he had passed the test.
Wang Qu's shoulders relaxed slightly. A faint trace of relief flickered in his eyes. It appeared he had cleared the most dangerous part of the storm.
But then, without warning, Lin Yuan's foot—which had already moved on—paused in midair and shifted back.
He turned once again to face Wang Qu directly.
"Uncle Wang Qu," Lin Yuan said slowly, his eyes narrowing, "you're remarkably calm. In fact, you remained so composed even when I exposed Ding Fan, a friend. It's as if even the collapse of Mount Tai wouldn't cause your expression to change. That's truly admirable."
Wang Qu's face twitched subtly, but he stayed silent.
Lin Yuan's voice turned colder, sharp with accusation. "To be honest, I brought up Ding Fan's case just now not only to eliminate a problem, but also to observe your reaction. You didn't flinch once. Not a flicker of emotion. That kind of control… it's not natural. It's trained."
A hush fell over the room again. The atmosphere became suffocating.
Lin Yuan continued, his tone both calm and deadly: "You've worked for the Lin Group for several years. You've been diligent. Conscientious. Even brought in large profits. But through it all, you remained loyal to someone else. A spy from the Chen family—sent to observe, sabotage, and ultimately cripple us from within."
He stared at Wang Qu directly. "I must admit… I genuinely admire your patience and discipline. To maintain such a perfect mask for so long—it's impressive. But your mission ends today."
At those words, gasps broke out across the room.
The atmosphere shattered like glass.
Several executives visibly flinched. Their eyes darted between Lin Yuan and Wang Qu in disbelief.
Could it really be true?
Wang Qu—the top-performing, seemingly incorruptible executive—was a spy?
The very thought sent a chill down everyone's spine.
*****
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