Chapter 5: One Million Credited and a New Crisis Brewing
The next morning, Chen Mo walked into Qingcheng International with a folder tucked under his arm and a carefully neutral expression on his face.
The office was buzzing. Word had spread about the "consultant" who'd been asking questions. People watched him pass with a mix of curiosity and wariness. He ignored them all, heading straight for Li Bingyan's office.
He didn't knock.
He pushed the door open, stepped inside, and slapped the folder on her desk with enough force to make the papers inside rustle.
"I've got him." His voice was loud enough to carry through the open doorway. "Director Wang. He's been skimming from marketing budgets, selling internal data to competitors, running side deals with our rivals. Everything. The proof is all in there."
Director Wang happened to be walking past the office at that exact moment. He froze in the doorway, coffee cup halfway to his lips.
Li Bingyan's expression didn't flicker. She opened the folder, flipping through the pages slowly, deliberately. Pages and pages of "evidence" Chen Mo had prepared—bank transfer records, email chains, meeting logs. All fabricated, all convincing. The system had helped him create a masterpiece of misdirection.
"Director Wang." Her voice was ice. "Get in here."
Wang stumbled into the office, face draining of color. "Ms. Li, I—this is—I've never—"
"Then explain this." She slid the folder toward him.
He grabbed it with shaking hands. His eyes darted across the pages, and with each line, his face went from pale to ashen gray. "These numbers… these emails… they're not mine! Someone's setting me up! I would never—"
"Internal audit will conduct a full investigation." Li Bingyan's tone brooked no argument. "You are suspended, effective immediately, pending the results. Security will escort you out."
Two guards appeared at the door. Wang looked between them, then at Chen Mo, then back at Li Bingyan. His expression shifted from panic to something else—realization.
"Wait." His voice cracked. "Wait, I know who did this. I know who's behind this setup. It wasn't me. It was—"
"Escort him out."
Wang was dragged away, still protesting, his voice fading down the hallway. But before he disappeared, his eyes darted one last time—toward the office of Deputy Finance Director Liu.
The floor had gone dead silent. Employees pretended to work, but everyone had seen. Everyone was watching.
Chen Mo lingered by the doorway, scanning the faces in the open-plan office.
Most people looked shocked. Some looked relieved. A few looked nervous.
But Deputy Director Liu?
He was at his desk, head bent over some paperwork, looking for all the world like nothing had happened. But Chen Mo caught it. Just a flicker at the corner of his lips.
A smile.
Brief. Tiny. Satisfied.
The trap was set. The bait was taken. And now the real rat thought he was safe, his scapegoat neatly removed.
Chen Mo stepped back into Li Bingyan's office and pulled the door closed.
She was standing by the window now, arms crossed, looking out at the city below. When she turned, there was something new in her eyes. Not quite warmth. But close. Respect, maybe.
"That was a risk. If Wang had called your bluff—"
"He didn't. Because he's not the real target." Chen Mo leaned against the wall. "Did you see Liu? He smiled when Wang got dragged out. The man thought he just got away with murder."
Li Bingyan's jaw tightened. "Liu is my uncle's man. Has been for years. If he's involved—"
"Then your uncle is involved. Or at least, Liu thinks he has protection from the top." Chen Mo met her gaze. "I'm not done. Give me one more week. I'll give you everything you need to take Liu down. Clean. No blowback."
Li Bingyan studied him for a long moment. The morning light caught the gold rims of her glasses, glinted off the sharp lines of her face.
Then she walked back to her desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a certificate. She filled it out without a word and slid it across to him.
[Debt Reduction Certificate: Amount—¥1,000,000. Reason—Special Investigation (Phase 1). Creditor Signature—Li Bingyan.]
One million.
Chen Mo stared at the number. One zero. Six zeros. A million yuan. For one week's work.
"You earned this." Li Bingyan's voice was quiet. "But the real prize comes when Liu falls. And when we find out who's really behind all of this."
He picked up the certificate, folded it carefully, and tucked it into his jacket pocket.
[Ding! Mission "Assist Creditor Li Bingyan in Exposing the Corporate Mole (Phase 1)" complete!]
[Rewards distributed: Debt Reduction ¥1,000,000 applied. System Points +500. Random Skill Chest deposited to system inventory.]
[Host's current total debt: ¥98,950,000. Remaining Points: 500.]
Chen Mo let out a slow breath. Almost a million and a half knocked off in less than two weeks. At this rate—
The system chimed again, cutting off his thoughts.
[Ding! Second Creditor—Su Mengli—detected in vicinity. Intel update: Her team is facing critical creative block for upcoming album. Lead single remains unfinished. Production stalled. Label pressure mounting.]
[Ding! Third Creditor—Qin Qing—situation update: International surgical evaluation approaching. Opposition within hospital actively undermining her project. Funding at risk. Reputation at risk. Countdown: 14 days.]
Chen Mo's eyes widened.
Both of them. Both of their problems were coming to a head at the same time.
Li Bingyan noticed his expression shift. "Something wrong?"
He shook his head slowly, a grin spreading across his face despite himself. "No. Nothing wrong at all."
He headed for the door, mind already spinning ahead.
A pop star who needed a song. A surgeon who needed a breakthrough. A CEO who needed a traitor exposed.
Three goddesses. Three problems. Three chances to chip away at that mountain of debt.
He stepped into the hallway, past the cubicles and the whispering employees, and rode the elevator down to the street.
The city sprawled before him—loud, chaotic, full of possibilities.
His phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
"Mr. Chen, this is Su Mengli's manager. We heard about your… musical talents. If you're interested in a business discussion, we'd love to buy you coffee. Tomorrow, 2pm, The Velvet Bean. Please come."
Chen Mo stared at the message, then looked up at the towering glass facade of Qingcheng International behind him.
One CEO down. Two more to go.
He typed back: "I'll be there. But let's be clear—this is a business transaction. My time, my skills, come with a price."
The reply came seconds later: "Of course. Name your terms when we meet."
He pocketed the phone and started walking.
The debt wasn't going to pay itself.
And for the first time since this whole nightmare began?
He was starting to think maybe, just maybe, he might actually pull this off.
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End of Chapter 5