Chapter 18 — A Day as a Janitor

Nestled within the archive file was a dedicated template tracking the annual usage of personal seals over the years. The older stamp belonging to the elder master of the family indeed bore a tiny, subtle chip at the lower right corner, appearing as though it had been delicately grazed by the tip of a needle. In stark contrast, the imprint gracing the provisional resolution was far too immaculate. Liang Zheng-yi placed the two distinct documents side by side.

This is unequivocally not the same seal.

The defense attorney hastily chimed in, suggesting there could very well be another backup stamp in circulation. Zhao-an fixed him with an icy stare, demanding to know since when it was his place to offer interpretations on personal matters. The lawyer instantly clamped his mouth shut. Zhao-yuan remained silent for a few heavy, lingering seconds.

Uncle, I concede that certain individuals might have rushed the administrative protocols in their zeal.

Yet my sole motivation has always been the long-term stability of the corporation.

A dry, bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Stability once more.

First Zheng Huai-ren speaks of optimizing the organization, and now you prattle on about the stability of the company.

Do the likes of you truly believe that merely substituting a single word absolves you of the debt you owe?

Finally, Zhao-yuan allowed his veneer of gentle composure to fracture and peel away.

Qin Yu-zhen, do not forget that you are merely an administrative department head on the precipice of retirement.

I raised my gaze to meet his.

Precisely.

Which is precisely why I understand far better than you which pieces of parchment bearing the company name are authentic, and which are forged.

At that exact moment, Gu Nan’s cellular phone chimed once more. He answered the call instantly, the color draining from his face with alarming speed.

Chairman, the night shift nurse from the convalescent center has been located.

Zhao-an immediately demanded to know her whereabouts. Gu Nan cast a fleeting glance toward Zhao-yuan.

She was found dumped inside the drainage ditch just beyond the perimeter of the old factory grounds.

She is currently unconscious.

Clutched tightly within her stiffened hand was half a torn authorization data sheet.

The atmosphere within the conference room plummeted into a suffocating stillness. Zhao-yuan’s finger finally ceased its rhythmic, impatient tapping against the polished mahogany tabletop. Liang Zheng-yi rose gracefully to her feet.

Chairman, I formally request the immediate sealing of all equipment belonging to the Secretariat of the Board of Directors.

Zhao-yuan replied with an edge of absolute frost, stating she possessed no such jurisdiction. Liang Zheng-yi countered by hoisting the official audit document into the air.

I do as of this very second.

Because this matter now directly implicates the falsification of binding authorizations and the illicit usurpation of corporate governance.

Xu Chuan-li abruptly pivoted on his heel and strode toward the exit. Gu Nan reacted with lightning speed, blocking his path before he could take two steps. Xu Chuan-li began to thrash and shriek in panic, claiming he merely needed to use the washroom. My eyes locked onto his tightly clenched right hand.

Open your hand.

He steadfastly refused. Old Hu burst through the doorway from the corridor outside, instantly pinning the man’s arm in a vice grip. A tiny, black flash memory card tumbled from his palm and clattered sharply against the floor. Every pair of eyes in the room fixed upon the small piece of plastic. Gu Nan retrieved it from the ground and handed it directly to Liang Zheng-yi. Xu Chuan-li’s face turned the color of ash. Yet, against all expectations, Zhao-yuan suddenly threw back his head and laughed.

Do you genuinely suppose a single memory card possesses the weight to condemn me?

Before his words had even fully faded into the tense air, the massive multimedia screen at the front of the conference room abruptly flickered to black. Moments later, an emergency notification window automatically flashed across the internal corporate network. A special, ad-hoc board meeting was scheduled to convene precisely at nine o'clock. The sole agenda item: the dismissal of Zhao-an from his position as chairman of the board. The petitioner listed was none other than Zhao-yuan.

Seventeen

Less than two hours remained until the stroke of nine. Zhao-an stared up at the vast screen, his expression far more tranquil than it had been moments prior. This profound, unsettling calmness was a look I had witnessed once before, thirty-two years prior. When creditors had smashed the glass panes of the factory gates, he had seated himself in this exact manner, offering no superfluous words. Zhao-yuan meticulously straightened his cuffs.

Uncle, the official protocol for the board meeting has already been officially initiated.

Attempting to obstruct it now will merely project an image to the outside world that you are no longer capable of maintaining a firm grip on the situation.

Zhao-an turned his gaze toward his nephew.

You have already drafted the press releases for the public relations firms, haven't you?

Zhao-yuan did not bother to offer a denial. He simply stated that the company was in dire need of a fresh, orderly hierarchy. I interjected, asking if this new order meant casting out loyal, long-serving employees first, and then shoving the chairman himself into the abyss. He looked down at me with disdain.

Department Head Qin, the boardroom is hardly a place for someone of your station to meddle.

You are profoundly mistaken, I replied.

This entire tempest originated precisely from my transfer order.

Liang Zheng-yi had already instructed the senior auditor to connect the memory card. The massive screen at the front of the room split horizontally into two distinct displays. On the left side remained the notification for the nine o’clock board meeting. On the right side flashed the directory of files contained within the memory card. Exactly three files were listed. A video recording. A scanned document. An audio clip. Gu Nan initiated the playback of the video file first. The footage originated from the security corridors of the convalescent facility, timestamped at precisely eleven minutes before midnight on the previous evening. Xu Chuan-li could be seen leading two individuals clad in maintenance overalls directly into the private quarters of the elder master. Ten minutes later, they emerged wheeling a heavy equipment crate, from beneath the lid of which protruded a dark leather strap. Zhao-an’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous register.

That was my personal authorization hardware.

Xu Chuan-li’s legs buckled, and he collapsed limply into his chair. Yet Zhao-yuan remained entirely unshaken.

Whatever actions Xu Chuan-li chose to undertake were done completely without my knowledge.

Liang Zheng-yi immediately triggered the playback of the audio recording. Initially, the file captured only a harsh wall of static interference. Then, the clear, terrified voice of a young woman cut through the noise.

Secretary Xu, the master is already resting; unauthorized personnel are strictly prohibited from entering.

Xu Chuan-li’s voice lowered in response, laced with manufactured authority.

This is routine maintenance for the board secretariat; the executive director has already granted permission.

Another, more impatient male voice broke in.

Hurry up, both the seal and the equipment must be returned before nine o'clock.

The woman’s voice trembled slightly as she asked where they were to be taken, to which the second man replied that they were bound directly for the office of the general manager. The audio recording abruptly cut off. Zhao-yuan offered a cool, detached smile.

The title of general manager could refer to any number of individuals within this organization.

I met his gaze steadily.

Indeed.

Which is precisely why you still draw breath today.