"Since you haven't made up your minds yet, I won’t disturb the two family heads any longer. I hope you won’t make decisions you’ll regret."
Liu Meng had no intention of waiting any longer. The seeds had already been sown, and the harvest would come sooner or later.
"Wait—you still haven’t told us how you uncovered the Li Family’s misdeeds. And how did you know about the Lu Family’s affairs?"
One could say Liu Meng’s dismantling of the three major families felt almost like a joke.
It was as if she barely lifted a finger, and their empires crumbled like rotten wood.
These were the three major families, not some small-time businesses.
"What I just said was giving you half a face—that’s all I can reveal. But as they say, the innocent have nothing to fear. If you hadn’t done those things, I wouldn’t have been able to exploit them. Isn’t that right, Lu Youqi?"
Lu Youqi gritted his teeth, saying nothing. Though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, he had already acknowledged Luo Yao’s ruthlessness—her methods were even more brutal than before.
Wang Xiaolin sighed. "President Luo is truly formidable. Who would’ve thought? I, Wang Xiaolin, who’ve scaled the heights and plunged into the abyss, would end up defeated by a mere girl."
Luo Yao was only 26 years old, so calling her a "girl" wasn’t wrong. But Liu Meng couldn’t stand it. "There’s one more thing you should know. President Luo gave me 48 hours to bring your three families to a standstill. The time’s just up—mission accomplished."Lu Youqi and Wang Xiaolin stared at Liu Meng in shock.
"So… all of this was your doing?"
Liu Meng nodded. "To be precise, it was accomplished under President Luo’s support."
The two exchanged glances, seeing the same disbelief in each other’s eyes.
"Kids these days… they really don’t know restraint," Lu Youqi grumbled.
"But heroes do emerge from the young," Wang Xiaolin admitted sincerely.
"That’s not the point. What I’m telling you is—you should be grateful President Luo handed this task to me. If she had taken action herself, whether you’d still be standing here right now would be anyone’s guess."
"So, the true extent of President Luo’s capabilities? You haven’t even glimpsed them. She’s no ‘girl’—she’s a bona fide demon queen."
The two fell silent, but the tremor in their hearts was unmistakable.
Before leaving the private room, Liu Meng turned back. "Oh, one more thing. President Luo said since you’ve offended our Young Master Lin, if you agree to our acquisition proposal, you’ll have to kneel and apologize to him in person."
With that, Liu Meng left—swaggering out without a care.
"Did we even offend Lin Ran?"
"All I did was exchange a few words with him. He even threatened to burn down the Lu Family estate—and that counts as an offense?"
Wang Xiaolin gave a bitter laugh. "At least you had a reason. I can’t even figure out why I’m involved."
"Ugh." Lu Youqi sighed. Truthfully, he was exhausted.
The night before, he had personally undergone official questioning. Now, even his movements were restricted—the authorities had ordered all direct descendants of the Lu Family to remain in Shanghai.
Even when he tried calling in favors, doors were slammed in his face. Those people had taken plenty from Lu Youqi in the past, yet now they didn’t dare lift a finger to help him.
It felt like the Lu Family’s entire network of influence had snapped like a frayed rope, useless when it mattered most.
And right at this moment, Liu Meng had completed the 48-hour mission Luo Yao had assigned her.
The stocks of the three major families plummeted, leaving countless investors wailing in despair.
Without Li Chifen at the helm, the rest of the Li Family had become frightened birds, easily startled.
Almost all direct descendants had been taken away, leaving the collateral branches powerless—without even the authority to make decisions.
Of course, an empire this large couldn’t collapse overnight. The authorities, as the Li Family’s former largest partner, stepped in to temporarily take over operations.
Temporary management—not absorption or nationalization. Doing otherwise would make it seem like the government was just after profit.
If that happened, who would dare cooperate with the authorities in the future?
Meanwhile, Lin Ran and Luo Yao had already finished their discussion just as Liu Meng arrived outside the door.
A knock. Luo Yao permitted her entry.
"This mission was… passable."
A single sentence from Luo Yao sent Liu Meng’s mind reeling.
On the surface, it seemed simple, but it was Luo Yao’s acknowledgment—her approval.
This meant Liu Meng’s future in Luo Corporation held the potential for even greater advancement.
Though her official rank hadn’t surpassed certain executives, within the company, she was already second only to one.
One more step, and she’d be…
Liu Meng didn’t dare imagine further.
Lin Ran gave a slight nod.
He knew Liu Meng would soon become Luo Corporation’s de facto second-in-command.
In the previous life, she had achieved it. In this one, she would again.
Only this time, the timeline had been pushed forward considerably.
Back at Peace Hotel, Lu Youqi and Wang Xiaolin still hadn’t recovered from the shock.
"That woman, Luo Yao… she’s no ordinary opponent," Lu Youqi finally conceded, his admiration laced with dread.
"But if she thinks I, Lu Youqi, will just roll over, she’s sorely mistaken."
Wang Xiaolin stayed silent. In truth, his resolve was wavering.
He had grown weary over the years.
Perhaps handing his doomed empire to someone capable wasn’t such a bad idea.
He had two sons.
One was named Wang Dacong.
The other was named Doomed Enterprises.
"Family Head Lu, what’s your next move?"
"I’ll invite Luo Yao to the Lu Family estate as a guest. Maybe we can ease tensions—keep our wells from mixing."
The bidding for the tech city no longer mattered. Luo Yao wanted their submission.
Lu Youqi, proud for half a lifetime—how could he accept that?
"Alright. I’ll wait for your good news."
Lu Youqi shot Wang Xiaolin a look. "You’re not actually considering surrendering to Luo Yao, are you?"
"Impossible. Do I look like someone who’d trade integrity for profit? You know my principles, old friend."
"Good."
At the same time, in the Shanghai branch of the National Academy of Sciences, Chen Buhui narrowed his eyes.
"I’m no businessman. Commercial competition isn’t my domain, nor do I have the authority to intervene."
"But Luo Yao’s methods… I find them deeply distasteful. Frankly, I despise them."
"Luo Corporation’s ruthless tactics have laid bare their merciless nature."
The other experts remained silent. They cared little for corporate battles.
Their only concern was which proposal best suited the future tech city.
This was a government-mandated, high-priority project.
If not for recent budget constraints and gaps in core technologies, there’d be no need for bidding at all.
Besides, most here didn’t see Luo Yao as being in the wrong. She had, after all, exposed traitors.
Where was the mistake?
"Arrange a meeting. Tell them Chen Buhui demands their presence." He pointed at himself with his thumb.