He moved with utmost lightness, gently placing the documents on the coffee table in front of Jiang Wenxi. He then bowed and stood to the side, whispering,
“Miss, these are detailed profiles of several key figures you met at the banquet today. They’ve all been compiled. Also, this is an invitation from the Shanghai International Auction House. They’re holding a spring auction of rare items next weekend, and it’s said there are many priceless treasures.”
Jiang Wenxi picked up the envelope. The finely textured kraft paper cover bore the auction house’s gilded emblem. Opening it, a gilded invitation came into view, with the auction time, location, and a preview of some of the rare items written in elegant handwriting.
Just then, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang in her mind:
[System issued second task: Attend the Shanghai International Auction House Spring Auction of Rare Items and acquire at least five items worth over 100 million.]
[Task Reward: 500 points, 60% shares of Tianye Law Firm.]
[Task Prompt: Tianye Law Firm is a top law firm in Shanghai, wielding legal influence across multiple industries. Once you acquire the shares, you can directly appoint and dismiss core management personnel.] A
barely perceptible glint flashed in Jiang Wenxi’s eyes as she traced the edge of the invitation with her fingertips, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She had long heard of Tianye Law Firm’s strength; controlling 60% of its shares would undoubtedly be a huge boost to her power. As for the five products worth over 100 million, they were merely a piece of cake for her.
She put down the invitation and picked up the thick booklet, its black hardcover bearing the gold lettering “Shanghai Core Circle Figures Files.” She extended her slender, white fingertips and gently opened it.
The first page featured Fu Yunzhe, including a high-resolution photo and detailed information about how he took over the technology sector of the Fu Group, doubling its performance in three years—decisive, composed, and capable.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the Fu family’s business empire, spanning from real estate and finance to emerging technologies, with core influence concentrated in Shanghai and surrounding areas.
Next is Fu Siya, whose radiant smile and innocent, charming personality make her the apple of the Fu family patriarch’s eye. Although not yet involved in the family business, she wields considerable influence in Shanghai’s high society.
Further on is Ma Yun. His photo reveals a rebellious gaze; information indicates he is the sole heir to the Ma Group, a conglomerate primarily engaged in entertainment, hotels, and luxury goods, boasting substantial wealth.
He is flamboyant and unrestrained, acting as he pleases, yet possesses considerable business acumen, having expanded the family’s overseas markets in just a few years.
The final page features Jiang Xunye, whose photo exudes a gentle and refined air. His profile states he did not directly inherit the family business but first gained two years of experience at a renowned law firm before joining the Jiang Group, where he is responsible for legal and investment matters.
The Jiang family, with its core businesses in finance and manufacturing, possesses deep influence and operates with a low profile. Jiang Xunye himself, like his family, is gentle and reserved, yet wields considerable influence at crucial moments.
Each page of information is incredibly detailed, not only detailing individual personalities and resumes, but also their respective families’ industrial layouts, core forces, potential competitors, and even some unknown family secrets, all clearly marked.
Jiang Wenxi flipped through the pages, her fingertips rustling softly.
Her expression remained calm, only when she saw certain details would a subtle, almost imperceptible curve appear at the corner of her lips, like a plum blossom in early winter, cool and stunning.
“I didn’t expect these people to be of such high status,” she said softly, her voice clear and cold like the clinking of jade, carrying a hint of amusement. No wonder her words and actions at the banquet today carried a subtle, probing tone.
Fu Yunzhe’s indirect probing, Ma Yun’s direct inquiries, Jiang Xunye’s composure, and Fu Siya’s curiosity hidden beneath her innocence… it was all quite interesting.
She closed the file booklet, placed it on the coffee table, picked up her black tea, and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, warming her somewhat from the chill of the night. Her gaze drifted to the deep night outside the window, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
It seemed her return to the country had already stirred up quite a ripple in this seemingly peaceful elite circle of Shanghai. And beneath these ripples, whether there were undercurrents or other mysteries, only slow exploration would reveal the truth.
Under the same night sky, the study in the Fu family villa was brightly lit.
Fu Yunzhe had removed his suit jacket, wearing only a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his muscular forearms.
On the mahogany desk in front of him lay a laptop, its screen displaying a dense, scrolling code. Opposite him sat a young man with black-rimmed glasses and a grave expression—the top cybersecurity expert specially hired by the Fu Group.
“How’s it going? Did you find anything?” Fu Yunzhe’s voice was low, tinged with barely perceptible urgency.
Since Jiang Wenxi’s departure, he had immediately mobilized all of the family’s intelligence channels, from domestic to international, from public files to secret databases, even bringing in this hacker who had previously cracked international encrypted networks, all to uncover Jiang Wenxi’s true nature.
The expert adjusted his glasses, his fingers tapping the keyboard a few final times. The screen suddenly went black, displaying only a red warning message:
“Insufficient permissions, access denied.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Mr. Fu, we can’t find anything. All her information seems to be shrouded in an invisible barrier. The only thing we can find is that the property rights of No. 1 Tan Palace are registered in her name. Apart from that, her family background, past experience, and even her overseas education are all blank.”
“Even you can’t crack it?” Fu Yunzhe frowned. He knew this expert’s abilities well; he had even been able to penetrate the peripheral database of a certain country’s military back then, yet now he had been defeated by a woman.
“We can’t crack it.” The expert’s tone was grave. “The other party’s encryption technology far surpasses the current level. It doesn’t seem like human operation; it’s more like an extremely sophisticated system automatically defending itself. Any probing access will be instantly intercepted, and even traced back. We dare not delve any deeper, otherwise we might expose the Fu family’s core network.”
Fu Yunzhe fell silent, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, his eyes filled with astonishment.
In Shanghai’s elite circles, no family has ever possessed such terrifying information concealment capabilities.
Meanwhile, inside the Ma Group’s private club, several men dressed as bodyguards in black stood before Ma Yun, the leader of whom was the head of the Ma Group’s intelligence operations.