Chapter 7 — Having occupied a Business Seat, I went straight to First Class

That page… is a piece of music. The version of “Moonlight” that I used to play when I was a child. My father once told me… Code is like music. Good people... can use it to create the most beautiful things. At the end of the music... there are a few notes circled in red. Next to it is a small text.

“To my daughter, the most precious melody.”

That day I thought... just a memory. But now… I understand. That's not a memory. That's the key.

“Convert a musical note string into ASCII code.”

“Then hex encode.”

I speak slowly.

“This is the first encryption my father ever taught.”

Lam Phong's eyes immediately lit up. He rushed to the computer. Fingers tap continuously. Just a few seconds later… a chaotic string of characters appeared on the screen.

“That's it!”

His voice almost burst out.

“This is the key to activate ‘Ghost Spirit’!”

There's no more time to hesitate. The race begins. The technical team frantically analyzed the data obtained from Hoanh Vien. The goal is very clear. Find all systems that use the underlying algorithm of “Khai Minh”. The amount of work... huge. Because that system… became the foundation of the entire empire. Data center. Even... Hoanh Vien's own investment analysis system. are all built on what my father created. And now… I myself… will remove that foundation. Time passes. Black becomes white. Then it turned white again into night. Twenty hours. No one sleeps. No one left their position. Lam Phong stood up. Bloodshot eyes. But bright. Scary morning.

“Miss Khuong… all targets have been locked.”

“Three hundred and seventy-one core databases… spread throughout the entire Khai Minh Group.”

“The ‘Ghost Spirit’ has been successfully implanted.”

He looked at me. There's only one step left. I walked to the main console. On the screen… there is only one button.

“ACTIVATE.”

is a countdown. Twenty-four hours. Once pressed down… twenty-four hours later… all the data will be trash. The Meng empire… Just for one night. My hand stopped on that button. This isn't just about revenge. This is judgment. Judging a past buried for twenty years. I closed my eyes. press down. Time to start running. I hold the phone. Call Manh Phi. My voice was calm and cold.

“Meng Phi.”

“I give you… twenty-four hours.”

“Now… it's your turn to choose.”

On the other end of the line, Manh Phi was in an emergency meeting with the media team. The bad news rushed in like a storm, leaving her breathless. My voice when receiving the phone was full of annoyance and venom.

“Khuong Nhien, do you still dare to call me?”

“Do you think those tricks can turn me over?”

“My legal department has already prepared a counterclaim, just wait to receive the summons!”

Her voice was still high and noble, as if she was still the queen who held the power of life and death. I didn't argue, just calmly said one sentence.

“‘Evil Spirit’… has activated.”

The other end of the line immediately went silent. I clearly heard her breathing... pause. A few seconds later, a sharp scream burst out.

“What…what did you say?!”

"No way! How do you know 'U Linh'?!"

That reaction… enough. She knows. At least, I've heard it before. Something that makes her... unable to sleep peacefully.

“I don't just know.”

“I even turned it on.”

I leaned back in my chair, my voice cold as ice.

“Twenty-four hour countdown.”

“From now on, every second you waste talking nonsense… is every second your empire gets closer to collapse.”

"Miss-!" For the first time, in her voice There was real panic. “Khuong Nhien, what exactly do you want?!”

“Very simple.”

I sat up straight, looking at the number jumping on the screen.

“Tomorrow morning, ten o'clock, in front of Khai Minh Group headquarters.”

“I want you and your father, Manh Quoc Dong, to stand together in front of all the media.”

“Admitted all of my sins twenty years ago to my father.”

"Publicly apologize, return all appropriated technology and property."

“After that, the two of them… left the industry forever.”

“Are you dreaming!” Her voice was hoarse from screaming. "Khuong Nhien, this is blackmail! This is illegal!"

“Whatever you think.”

My voice didn't waver.

“You may not do it.”

“Twenty-four hours from now, my father will be the one to hit the delete button, taking with it everything he created… and the empire you built on top of it.”

“At that time, what you will lose… is not just money.”

“I don't have time to waste with you.”

“The choice… is in your hands.”

“Kneel down and spit out what you swallowed.”

“Or stand there… watch it all turn to ash.”

“You decide for yourself.”

I hung up. No hesitation. I put the phone down on the table and let out a deep breath. Lam Phong walked over and gave me a cup of hot water.

“Miss Khuong… will she accept?”

I shook my head.

"I do not know."

“But we must prepare for both possibilities.”

“If she agrees… that's the best outcome.”

“If not…”

My eyes turned cold.

“Then… let this fireworks display burn a little brighter.”

“Lam Phong, do one thing.”

“Send all evidence of Hoanh Vien's cyber attack… in anonymous form… to all banks and financial institutions cooperating with Khai Minh.”

“I want their cash flow… to start cracking now.”

Lam Phong's eyes lit up.

“I see…hit the base!”

I continued to call Ly Triet.

“Lawyer Ly, activate plan B.”

“Contact all the major investment funds we have ever contacted.”

“Tell them… Khai Minh is about to collapse.”

“This is the best time to tear it apart.”

“We will hold an unprecedented… hunt.”

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. Then there was a slightly excited voice.

“Sister Khuong… are you planning to change the entire dynasty?”

I looked out the window, the city lights had not yet turned off.

“Not a change.”

“It's… give it back.”