The vast majority of humanity, 99.9999%, remained unaware of the intricate power plays and cunning maneuvers that unfolded today. To them, the world continued as normal, with the return of a Chinese scholar from Europe and the brief diversion of Huang He's private jet due to security concerns being mere footnotes.
Domestically, the event garnered little attention, with minimal media coverage. From the perspective of ordinary people worldwide, it was an unremarkable occurrence. However, those in European nations and influential circles knew that Huang He and Jiangnan Group had once again masterfully outmaneuvered certain individuals, not only humiliating them but also securing the crucial specimen right under their noses.
Furthermore, the European Union was left with no grounds for complaint. They had, after all, approved Professor Zhao's remains for departure from Europe. The professor himself had traveled on a designated aircraft along a specified route, leaving no legal loopholes for criticism. The only point of contention might have been Huang He's presence on the plane without prior authorization. However, considering he lacked a visa, this issue became moot.
In fact, even if there had been a legal quibble, the Europeans were disinclined to press the matter. They had been pressured by the Americans to release the remains, and seeing the Americans denied their prize provided a significant psychological comfort and a sense of satisfaction, allowing them to openly mock the Americans.
The United States, understandably, was furious. However, with Europe offering no objections, they could hardly voice their own complaints, resigned to accepting the fact that they had been outwitted once again. Yet, they became the laughingstock of Europe and China, while the world marveled at Boss Huang's strategic brilliance and audacity.
Once the dust settled, influential figures began piecing together the entirety of the event to uncover the truth. It transpired that during a period of orchestrated chaos that obscured all surveillance, a Jiangnan Group staff member had impersonated Huang He, while Huang He himself had disguised himself as an ordinary staff member. As for the remains that Professor Parkinson believed had been replaced, as long as they remained undisturbed within the coffin and showed no alterations, they were simply placed on the chartered flight.
However, Huang He, through these elaborate deceptions, had successfully misled the Americans. Believing the Jiangnan Group had transferred the remains to Huang He's private jet, they focused all their attention and resources on that aircraft, inadvertently neglecting the chartered flight that was destined for the United States. In a twist no one anticipated, Huang He himself, accompanying the coffin, had remained on the chartered flight, rendering all American efforts futile and allowing him to return safely to China.
The entire process appeared deceptively simple, lacking the complexity of intricate plots or unexpected reversals. It wasn't a display of astonishing strategic genius. Yet, astute observers understood that the more twists and turns a plan involved, the more details had to be meticulously coordinated, and the greater the risk of exposure. Much like highly precise machinery is more prone to malfunction, complex schemes are more susceptible to discovery. Conversely, seemingly straightforward plans often contain the fewest vulnerabilities and are the most effective at ensnaring their targets.
Even more commendable than the strategy was Huang He's courage. He presented himself as the ultimate bait. The success of this Jiangnan Group ploy hinged on a critical element: a sufficiently compelling target to capture the undivided attention of the Americans, compelling them to exert maximum effort and resources to achieve it. This, in turn, would lead them to overlook security protocols for the original objective, allowing for a seamless switch and an unhindered escape right under their noses.
Such a vital target, and one that could only be Huang He, necessitated his presence. Yet, this action was fraught with peril. Should the plan be exposed, any F-16s could force the chartered flight to land, or prevent its takeoff altogether, immediately seizing control of the aircraft on the tarmac. In such a scenario, Huang He would have had no recourse but to surrender. Therefore, Boss Huang's endeavor required immense courage—the courage to place his own freedom at risk. Through this incident, influential figures worldwide realized they perhaps underestimated Huang He, the true courage and character of the world's richest man.
Naturally, these reflections are retrospective. Upon his return to China, Boss Huang maintained an exceptionally low profile, avoiding public appearances. However, within the Jiangnan Group, a grand commemorative event was underway. This event was unprecedented within the company, perhaps even in its history. At Boss Huang's insistence, all senior executives of Jiangnan Group were required to attend. Even those stationed in Europe and the United States promptly flew back to China within three days to participate in this commemoration.
If the senior leadership was so committed, it was a given that the employees of Jiangnan Group would follow suit. It is reported that on that day, 90% of Jiangnan Group's domestic employees participated in the event through various means. Employees near Wenzhou were mandated to attend the event in person. Those in other regions of China, while spared the arduous journey, were required to watch a live online broadcast from their respective company conference rooms. Furthermore, all employees holding managerial positions or higher were required to travel to Wenzhou by various means.
This demand so overwhelmed the transportation sector that it alerted the authorities. They observed that all long-distance transportation heading to and around Wenzhou was completely booked, giving the impression of an early Lunar New Year rush. The general public also noticed the changes. On that day, they observed numerous shops closing, as if preparing for an early Spring Festival. Most strikingly, even delivery services ceased operations. Since the most prominent delivery service in China was Jiangnan Express, its complete suspension for the entire day drove many online shoppers to despair.
Angered, people took to the internet to discover the reason. They learned that the closed establishments were affiliated with Jiangnan Group and had ceased operations due to a large-scale internal event that required all employees to participate, even at the cost of closing their physical stores.
"This is a perfect opportunity for criticism!" Upon reading this, online commentators erupted, launching a barrage of insults at Jiangnan Group from every conceivable angle, demanding an explanation. They vilified the company as unscrupulous businessmen who exploited their economic power for personal gain, never contributing to societal progress. They argued that these businessmen combined were not as valuable as a single strand of hair on a scientist, lamenting that those who build missiles were less valued than those who sell tea eggs.
As these keyboard warriors reveled in their tirades, videos began appearing online. These videos, seemingly recorded surreptitiously on mobile phones and displayed on televisions or projectors, opened with Boss Huang addressing the audience. "Three months ago today, we lost a great colleague, a scholar dedicated to the advancement of high-energy physics, a great ordinary person who devoted his entire life to his country!" Huang He's speech, approximately 2,000 characters long, baffled viewers. It was only then they realized that the grand event organized by Jiangnan Group was not a celebration, but a memorial service to mourn the passing of a researcher.
Following Huang He's address, a relative delivered remarks. Then, without further ado, the employees of the group, one by one, approached the stage holding flowers, bowed to the body lying in the center, and scattered the flowers. The most touching moment came in the latter half of the video, where the coffin was completely buried under a sea of flowers, as if to bid farewell to a pure soul with their fragrant beauty.