Chapter 378: The Spider
Ganyu's gentle voice carried a heavy undertone as she continued her explanation. "This means the rival companies involved have been actively hostile toward us for a while now. They have been secretly resisting the public release of our new terminal. However, ultimately, that level of friction is just normal business competition. Miss Ningguang and Miss Keqing are both incredibly experienced in handling these corporate waters, and they handled the pushback flawlessly."
She paused, her delicate brows knitting together in a troubled frown. "But a few days ago, the situation escalated drastically."
"Employees across various departments started receiving anonymous threatening letters," Ganyu said, her golden eyes reflecting deep concern. "The senders demanded they issue public statements slandering the Jade Chamber's new terminal, trying to force them to claim it possessed severe security risks. Miss Ningguang immediately sensed something was wrong and locked down the situation to prevent any major damage to the company's reputation. Unfortunately..."
Ganyu's hands clasped tightly together in her lap. "The employees who received those letters faced brutal retaliation. They were ambushed and injured. Thankfully, there have been no fatalities yet. The most critical case involved a staff member who was intentionally struck by a speeding car. He is currently confined to a hospital bed, but his vitals are stable."
What Ganyu left unsaid was just how close that employee had come to death's door. The injuries had been catastrophic. It was only because Ningguang had anticipated the escalating violence and secretly arranged for Barbara to be on standby that the victim had survived. Barbara's miraculous healing abilities had pulled the man back from the brink, ensuring his injuries, while severe, were no longer life-threatening.
"To be completely honest," Ganyu murmured, a trace of frustration bleeding into her usually serene tone, "if these assailants had targeted Miss Ningguang or Miss Keqing directly, it wouldn't be nearly this troublesome. Both of them are more than capable of defending themselves. But by targeting ordinary, defenseless office workers... it creates a logistical nightmare. No matter how brilliant and capable Miss Ningguang is, the Jade Chamber employs hundreds of people. She simply cannot cast a protective net over every single one of them at all hours of the day."
Suzuki Sonoko's hands balled into tight fists at her sides, her face flushing with righteous indignation. "How could these cowards stoop so low?!" she burst out, her voice echoing slightly in the corridor. "Are they completely out of their minds? Don't they care that they could actually kill someone? This goes way beyond corporate sabotage—this is attempted murder!"
Suddenly, the tense atmosphere on the lower floors made perfect sense to the high school girl. No wonder the staff members she had passed by in the lobby looked so incredibly on edge, jumping at every shadow.
Ganyu let out a long, weary sigh, her shoulders slumping a fraction. "When astronomical profits are on the line, some people will gladly throw away their humanity to secure them."
By this time, the elevator doors chimed open, and the two girls stepped out into the plush, carpeted hallway leading directly to Ningguang's executive office. Ganyu raised her hand, knuckles poised to knock on the heavy mahogany door.
Before she could make contact, the door was wrenched open from the inside.
Keqing strode out, her amethyst eyes flashing with an intense, barely contained fury. Her jaw was locked tight, and her posture was rigid with stress. Catching sight of Ganyu and Sonoko standing in the hallway, the Yuheng paused. She took a sharp breath, visibly forcing the fierce scowl off her face. Softening her expression into something resembling polite acknowledgment, she gave them a curt, silent nod. Then, without waiting for a single word of greeting, she marched down the corridor, her heels clicking sharply against the floorboards with heavy, hurried steps.
Sonoko blinked, staring blankly as Keqing's figure disappeared around the corner. "Whoa... is the situation really that desperate?" she asked, her voice hushed. "Miss Keqing looked like she was ready to wage war!"
Ganyu offered a hesitant, uncertain smile. "It shouldn't be entirely unmanageable just yet. Knowing Miss Keqing's temperament, she is likely just furious at the underhanded tactics being used against her subordinates..."
Stepping past the threshold, they entered the expansive, sunlit office. Ningguang stood elegantly by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down at the sprawling cityscape below. Hearing their approach, the silver-haired woman turned gracefully. Her crimson eyes immediately caught the deep concern etched across Sonoko's features, and a wry, knowing smile touched her painted lips.
"It appears Ganyu has already brought you up to speed on our current predicament, Sonoko," Ningguang noted smoothly.
Sonoko marched right up to the desk, planting her hands on her hips. "Miss Ningguang, you ran into this kind of dangerous trouble, and you deliberately kept it a secret from me? I thought we were friends!"
Ningguang's smile softened into something genuinely apologetic. "You have my sincerest apologies, Sonoko. I saw how incredibly excited you were for the Bell Tree Express trip with Ran and Natsume. It was meant to be a joyous vacation. I simply did not want to burden you with my corporate headaches, so I chose to withhold the details."
At the mere mention of the Suzuki Train, Sonoko's righteous anger instantly deflated like a pierced balloon. She groaned, her shoulders slumping dramatically. "Ugh, please don't even bring up that disaster of a train ride. It was absolute chaos from start to finish! So many crazy things happened, I didn't even get a single glimpse of my beloved Lord Kid. And to top it all off, we had to evacuate halfway through and never even reached the final destination!"
Before Ningguang could offer any words of comfort, the resilient high schooler slapped her cheeks with both hands, instantly reviving her own spirits. Her eyes sparkled with renewed determination.
"But never mind that!" Sonoko declared, pointing a confident thumb at her own chest. "Miss Ningguang, you don't need to worry about a thing anymore. Now that you're in trouble, I, Suzuki Sonoko, the undisputed Queen of Deduction, am officially on the case! I will definitely help you sort this out."
She grinned broadly. "And hey, even if things get a little too complicated for me, we still have the legendary Sleeping Kogoro! Tomorrow morning, even if I have to drag him out of his office kicking and screaming, I am bringing Uncle Mouri straight here. With his brilliant mind, we'll definitely expose the mastermind pulling the strings and put an end to this harassment!"
Ningguang chuckled softly, nodding her head with a gracious smile. "I would be deeply grateful for your assistance, Sonoko."
The two of them chatted casually for a little while longer, shifting the topic to lighter matters. Eventually, glancing at the clock and realizing the afternoon was slipping away, Sonoko bid her farewells and bounded out of the office, eager to recruit her detective uncle.
Ganyu escorted the energetic teenager to the elevators. Once the doors slid shut, the half-qilin returned to the quiet sanctuary of the executive office. She found Ningguang standing by the window once more, her crimson eyes tracking the bustling traffic far below, lost in deep contemplation.
"Miss Ningguang..." Ganyu began, her voice laced with lingering anxiety. "Do you truly believe Mr. Mouri and his group can successfully divert The Spider's attention?"
Ningguang's lips curved into a sharp, calculating arc. "Put your worries to rest, Ganyu. Mr. Mouri is merely the flashy front. What truly matters is the little gentleman who constantly shadows him." She turned her head slightly, the afternoon light catching the ornate hairpin resting in her silver tresses. "I have the utmost confidence in Conan Edogawa's peculiar... luck. With that boy present, we won't need to lift a single finger. The universe itself bends around him. Any clues regarding The Spider's attacks on my innocent employees will naturally, almost magically, converge right at that child's feet."
Ningguang walked back to her massive desk, her posture exuding absolute authority. "Ganyu, you may officially reply to the Illusionist's meeting invitation now. Arrange the appointment for tomorrow morning. Set the time precisely for nine o'clock."
Ganyu nodded respectfully, her posture straightening. "Understood, Miss Ningguang. I will handle the arrangements immediately."
Ningguang shifted her gaze back toward the sprawling metropolis outside her window, her smile turning distinctly glacial. "The Spider fancies himself a master weaver, spinning complex webs in the dark. He deliberately incited those rival companies to harass us, hoping to draw my full attention away. He thought a corporate crisis would leave me with no time or energy to interfere with his private investigation into our Holographic Projection Technology."
She let out a soft, mocking hum. "Well, two can play at that game. If he wishes to use distractions, I am more than capable of providing him with a spectacular one of my own. Let the detectives chase the assassin."
Ningguang's eyes narrowed, a predatory glint flashing within their crimson depths. "The irrelevant players are finally leaving the stage. What comes next is the true battle—a direct competition between myself and those tactless old geezers who thought they could strong-arm the Jade Chamber."
Ganyu's expression shifted from worry to a quiet, steadfast determination. "Swallowing up those rival companies in a hostile takeover will exponentially enhance the overall strength and market share of the Jade Chamber."
Ningguang laughed, a light, melodic sound that carried a hint of genuine amusement. "The opening bell hasn't even rung yet, and you are already calculating the spoils of our victory, Ganyu? Do you truly place that much absolute trust in me?"
Ganyu nodded, her expression deadpan and entirely serious. "Of course I do. Miss Ningguang is the Tianquan. When it comes to the battlefield of commerce, the Tianquan will never lose to anyone."
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