After paying a great price, including his dignity, Li Qianfan finally succeeded in subverting President Jiao San.
He decided to strike while the iron was hot and, that very night, discussed with Su Nanyin how to more firmly tie Jiao Yin to his war chariot.
He thought of Jiao Yin, the twelve maids she had stationed in the Flowing Water Pavilion.
These twelve maids, responsible for protecting the Flowing Water Pavilion, were all absolute confidantes meticulously trained by Jiao Yin over the years, hidden from the Chief President of the Dark Web.
Among them, four maids had reached the Swallow level within the Dark Web.
The remaining eight maids were at the Sparrow level within the Dark Web.
If Jiao Yin were to establish a branch within the Dark Web, those four Swallows could be promoted to presidents of sub-branches.
Li Qianfan pondered incorporating all twelve maids into the Dark Blade, forming a new Ninth Group.
During dinner, Li Qianfan had already asked for Jiao Yin's opinion.
Jiao Yin's reply was that she needed to consider it carefully.
Li Qianfan certainly knew what she was considering.
She had not yet received Li Qianfan's great secret, nor the security she craved, so she wouldn't agree easily.
Now that Jiao Yin knew Li Qianfan's biggest secret and was honored to be a part of it, the possibility of her agreeing to incorporate the twelve maids into the Dark Blade was high.
However, Li Qianfan had not informed Su Nanyin beforehand.
He also knew that even after informing her, they would need to repeatedly analyze the pros and cons of doing so before making a decision.
Half an hour later.
In Jiao Yin's study.
Li Qianfan, dressed in a black stand-up collar shirt but wearing shorts and slippers, opened his laptop on the desk and logged into his work account within the Dark Blade.
After all, when video conferencing with Vice President Su, only the upper body was visible.
As long as his facial expressions were in place, no matter how smart Vice President Su was, she wouldn't be able to figure out that Mr. Qianfan was disrespecting her with shorts and slippers below.
Soon.
Vice President Su's video call request came through.
On the other end of the video.
Vice President Su was naturally also in formal attire, a white shirt with the top button fastened.
Although the hint of spring in her brows was discernible even to a blind person, her air of aloofness and inviolability was also strong.
Also in the study, Vice President Su subtly tugged at the hem of her shirt, covering her slender porcelain legs, and habitually crossed her feet, which were in small slippers.
Adjusting her Bluetooth earpiece, she asked, "Will our conversation be bugged by Bai Ziyan?"
"No, she wouldn't dare."
Li Qianfan said with confidence, "Besides, Yuanyuan is with her right now."
"That's good then."
Vice President Su nodded and said in a formal tone, "Go ahead, what do you need me for in the middle of the night?"
She really knew how to act!
It wasn't at work now, and no one else was present. Was it still necessary to deliberately differentiate between Vice President Su and Ru Hua's relationship?
Even though Li Qianfan knew very well that she was using this extreme form of self-deception to maintain the last shred of her dignity, he still found it awkward.
Especially when the image of Prince Nengcao, Ru Hua, and the three of them having a video conference suddenly flashed in his mind, he couldn't help but say, "What do I need you for? If I said I want to (a beeping busy signal sounded), would you believe me?"
Vice President Su froze.
Then, her face suddenly turned crimson.
Bang.
She slapped the desk heavily with her hand and shot up from her seat.
Trembling with anger, tears even welled up in her eyes: "Li, Li Qianfan! Do you dare say those two words again!?"
Li Qianfan was startled.
He truly hadn't expected Vice President Su to react so strongly.
Did he dare say those two words again?
There was nothing in this world he wouldn't dare say!
Moreover, Ru Hua had said those two words countless times during their three-person meeting.
But he truly didn't dare to now—
He could only apologize in a low voice, saying he was wrong, begging Vice President Su for forgiveness, and vowing never to be so disrespectful again.
After much pleading and persuasion, Vice President Su, who had been verbally insulted by her subordinate, slowly calmed her agitation and reluctantly forgave him.
Finally, she couldn't help but warn him again: "Li Qianfan, you must remember this firmly. Do not, because of my favor, act recklessly towards me, Su Nanyin. Otherwise, I have ten thousand ways to make you regret it."
"Okay, I'll remember it well and will never do it again."
Li Qianfan could only answer in a subservient tone.
He had seen it now.
This woman truly dared to use her life to protect her image in front of others, especially during work.
This was the last and only stubbornness she had after being kidnapped by the female unit 209 and falling completely into the abyss.
It was ridiculous.
But also more pitiable.
If Li Qianfan had any humanity left, he should help her maintain this last bit of dignity.
However, she kept talking about formal attire, so why was she only wearing a white shirt?
When she angrily slammed the table, her formal appearance while sitting completely vanished.
Li Qianfan dared not remind her.
If he did, she would be so ashamed that she would probably bang her head against the corner of the table?
Sometimes, being blind could reduce a lot of trouble.
"Speak."
Seeing that Li Qianfan was truly scared, Su Nanyin slowly sat down and asked indifferently, "What do you need me for in the middle of the night?"
"Vice President Su, this is what I was thinking."
Li Qianfan straightened his attitude and presented his planned strategy.
He summarized several points on the benefits of incorporating Jiao Yin's twelve maids into the Dark Blade.
One.
The establishment of the Ninth Group can further enhance Jiao Yin's sense of belonging.
Her subordinates were all being heavily utilized by Su Nanyin, weren't they?
In the future, Jiao Yin might even be privy to certain secrets of the Dark Blade or participate in important missions.
In short, Li Qianfan intended to use the three presidents of the Dark Web to deal with the fifth faction of the Dark Web.
It could be considered a form of poison fighting poison.
Two.
After the Dark Blade establishes the Ninth Group, its own strength will also greatly increase.
After all, any department would take a step up in strength with the addition of four Swallow-level and eight Sparrow-level experts from the Dark Web.
Three.
The Dark Blade can use the Ninth Group to specifically eliminate the hidden pawns of the Dark Web's fifth faction.
They were originally the backbone of the Dark Web, and in searching and identifying the subordinates of the Dark Web's fifth faction, they would naturally have advantages in searching and screening that other groups lacked.
While Li Qianfan explained these three points, Vice President Su remained silent but picked up a pen and rapidly jotted down what he was saying on a piece of paper.
"Of course."
After she put down her pen and looked up, Li Qianfan added, "The prerequisite is that all these people must genuinely submit and be useful to me. Otherwise, we would be deliberately inviting wolves into our house."
"What you're saying makes a lot of sense, but I need to consider it carefully."
Su Nanyin frowned slightly, resting her right elbow on her left palm, habitually stood up, pulled out a chair, and began pacing back and forth in front of the desk.
Where were her formal clothes?
Who bought her this shirt, the hem of which barely covered her navel?
Should I tell her that the inviolable Vice President was now fully displaying her most ample curves for her subordinate to admire?
Forget it—
Li Qianfan thought to himself, but he still maintained a proper posture, with his hands clasped on the desk, not daring to even breathe.
He was afraid that Vice President Su in the video would suddenly realize her current "half-formal attire" was extremely immodest if she heard any noise.
Vice President Su's mind was currently racing.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she unconsciously lit a cigarette and slowly walked to the study's back window, habitually pushing it open to look outside.
Now.
Li Qianfan could even see what shoes she was wearing.
Her back was truly beautiful—
As Mr. Qianfan secretly admired Vice President Su, she turned around and leaned against the windowsill, looking down at her toes, murmuring to herself, occasionally taking a light puff of her cigarette.
Li Qianfan's eyebrows twitched, but he dared not make any sound.
After a full half-minute more.
Vice President Su finally made up her mind and quickly walked back to the desk.
She didn't even realize she had gone to the window.
Moreover, being completely immersed in work, she habitually rested her hands on the desk without sitting down, looking at the video with her head bowed.
Just as she was about to say something.
She saw the study door on Li Qianfan's side open.
Jiao Yin, who had been asleep at the time, shivered slightly upon hearing the owl's hoot and was startled awake from her dream. Realizing Li Qianfan was not by her side, she came to the study.
As soon as Jiao Yin entered, she saw Li Qianfan video conferencing with Vice President Su.
She immediately leaned in curiously.
Seeing the woman on the screen, who was "dressed so lightly," Vice President Su's expression immediately turned grim.
She coldly questioned Li Qianfan, "Who is she?"
Jiao Yin looked somewhat stunned and instinctively blurted out, "Who am I? You don't recognize me? We were singing together back then. How could you..."
"Shut up."
Su Nanyin interrupted her expressionlessly and continued to question Li Qianfan, "Li Qianfan, who authorized you to allow outsiders to participate freely while I'm discussing work with you? And she's acting so immodestly?"
What?
You're dressed like this, and you're calling me immodest?
Where do you get off—
Jiao Yin became even angrier and was about to retort when she heard Li Qianfan reprimand her in a low voice, "Get out."