## Chapter Seven:
As Lin Feng expected, the small leak didn't pass unnoticed, although it didn't cause the major media storm a real scandal might trigger. The news spread like wildfire through the darker corners of the financial internet: blogs specializing in rumors, secret forums for speculators, and encrypted chat groups for financial analysts. Speculation varied: some dismissed it as recycled old information, others saw it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish Tian Long Capital's reputation, while a few questioned the strange timing, indirectly linking it to the recent turmoil surrounding the Lin family.
In his luxurious apartment overlooking the bustling city skyline, Lin Feng monitored these digital echoes with Zhao Fu. Zhao Fu presented a summary of the most circulated comments, cautiously confirming, "There is no direct or indirect evidence linking this leak to us, Young Master. It was done with extreme caution as you ordered. But the buzz, though limited, has attracted attention."
Lin Feng nodded, his eyes following the flow of information on the screen. "The direct damage is minimal, as expected. The goal wasn't to bring them down in one blow, but to send a prick, a signal that I'm not asleep. What matters now is how Chu Fan will read this message."
He didn't have to wait long to find out.
On the top floor of the Tian Long Capital skyscraper, Chu Fan listened to his trusted assistant, Liu Qiang, report on the leak. Chu Fan's face, seemingly carved from ice, showed no expression, but a dangerous glint flashed in his dark eyes.
"Just a trivial rumor from an obscure blog," Chu Fan said in a calm voice that carried a clear tone of disdain. "Is this worth wasting my time?"
"Master Chu," Liu Qiang replied cautiously, aware of his boss's volatile mood. "The rumor itself isn't significant, but the timing... it coincides suspiciously with the recent events involving Young Master Lin Feng. Don't you think there's a possibility, however slight, that he's trying to retaliate in his own way? Perhaps to buy some time or create a distraction?"
Chu Fan let out a short, cold laugh. "Lin Feng? That spoiled brat who knows nothing but wasting his family's money and chasing women? Do you really think he's capable of thinking up such tactics? Don't overestimate him, Liu. He's just an insect I'm trying to crush."
Despite his apparent disdain, Chu Fan wasn't stupid. He had built his empire on caution and suspicion as much as on strength and audacity. "However," he continued in a more serious tone, "I don't want any surprises. Conduct a secret and thorough investigation into the source of this leak. Use all available resources. I want to know who's behind it, even if it's just an ambitious journalist looking for a scoop."
Then, with chilling decisiveness, he issued his next orders: "In the meantime, increase the pressure on Lin Feng and his family. Tell the legal team to expedite the proceedings as much as possible. Use our connections to influence some of the Lin Group's business deals. I want them to feel the heat. I want them to come crawling to me, begging for mercy. I want Lin Feng to understand that challenging me was the biggest mistake of his short life."
Liu Qiang nodded, meticulously noting the orders. He knew that when his boss made a decision, he executed it with ruthless efficiency. The infernal machine of Tian Long Capital had begun to move at full force against Lin Feng.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng was holding a strategic meeting with his legal ally, Lawyer Wang, via a secure communication channel arranged by Zhao Fu. Lawyer Wang, with his extensive experience in the corridors of commercial law, explained the situation in precise detail.
"They have become noticeably more aggressive, Mr. Lin," Wang said in a concerned tone. "The opposing counsel is pushing for urgent mediation session dates and filing successive procedural motions. It's clear they've received instructions to escalate."
"And what's our plan, Lawyer Wang?" Lin Feng asked calmly.
"We will respond in kind, but intelligently," Wang replied with renewed confidence. "We will file our own procedural motions, challenge the court's jurisdiction, request more time to review evidence, and formally question the impartiality of key witnesses based on their known relationships with Mr. Chu Fan and the Xiao family. Our goal is calculated delay, buying as much time as possible while we search for real weaknesses in their case. Every day we gain is an extra day for you to strengthen your position."
As they spoke, Lin Feng received a new encrypted message from Mei Lin, which Zhao Fu decrypted and displayed on a secure screen.
"Surveillance is intensifying," Mei wrote. "Tian Long's networks are becoming more fortified, and any attempt at a direct breach would be extremely dangerous now. But I managed to trace part of those suspicious financial transactions you mentioned earlier. They seem to pass through a shell company registered in the Cayman Islands, a company called 'Phoenix International'. There's no clear direct link to Tian Long on paper, but the timing and volume of the transfers align with one of the major real estate development projects Tian Long manages indirectly. It's a thin thread, but it might lead somewhere. I'll need additional time and resources to investigate this shell company very carefully to avoid raising suspicion."
"Phoenix International..." Lin Feng murmured, committing the name to memory. "Lawyer Wang, can you start legal research on this company? Any information about its registration, owners, activities?"
"Certainly, Mr. Lin. I'll assign my team to research it immediately, but be warned, investigating offshore companies can be complex and time-consuming."
"Time is what we're trying to buy," Lin Feng said. "Continue with your defensive plan to gain time, and let Mei continue her investigations cautiously. Secrecy is paramount now."
Lin Feng ended the meeting feeling that things were moving, albeit slowly and dangerously. He was managing a battle on two fronts: a public legal front aimed at endurance and delay, and a secret front aimed at finding the killer evidence that could turn the tables on Chu Fan.
But the pressure didn't stop. The next day, he received a call from his favorite aunt, his father's younger sister, Lin Xue. Her tone was full of feigned concern and effusive emotion.
"Little Feng," she began, her voice almost tearful. "I heard what's happening. Your mother's heart is broken, and your father is under immense pressure. Please, my boy, think of the family, think of the reputation we've built over generations. Chu Fan is not someone you can challenge. Apologize, settle the matter. Don't destroy yourself and destroy us with you."
Lin Feng felt a bitterness in his throat. He knew his aunt, despite her apparent kindness, was always a tool in his father's hands. "Auntie," he said calmly but firmly. "I appreciate your concern, but I haven't done anything wrong that warrants such a humiliating apology. I will handle this situation, and I will try to protect the family's interests as much as possible, but I will not compromise my dignity or my rights."
He ended the call feeling a deep sense of isolation. Even his closest family members were either against him or tools to pressure him. He was alone in this fight, except for his two new, still somewhat unfamiliar allies, and his loyal servant Zhao Fu.
He sat alone in his spacious apartment, analyzing the complex situation he found himself in. Chu Fan now suspected him, and pressure was mounting legally, familially, and commercially. The 'Phoenix International' thread was a glimmer of hope, but it was fraught with risk and required time he might not have. He was still in a defensive position, facing immense power with limited resources.
A sarcastic smile formed on his face as he thought about the absurdity of fate. In the original novel, he was supposed to be the stupid villain who fell easily before the protagonist Chu Fan. But now, he rejected that script. He would fight, use his intelligence and caution, search for his opponent's weaknesses. He wouldn't be just a victim awaiting his inevitable fate.
"Protagonist's halo, huh?" he muttered to himself sarcastically. "We'll see how long that halo lasts when the truths start coming out."
As Lin Feng was lost in these thoughts, carefully plotting his future moves, his phone buzzed with a short text message from Zhao Fu. The message was unexpected and intriguing:
"Young Master, I just received a call from Mr. Jiang Yu, your old friend from university days. It seems he heard about your recent troubles and wishes to meet you as soon as possible. He claims to have some information that might particularly interest you regarding Tian Long Capital and its recent activities."
Lin Feng's eyes widened slightly. Jiang Yu? His old friend whom he had almost lost contact with after graduation? Information about Tian Long? Was this a new trap set for him by Chu Fan in a devious way, or was it a genuine, unexpected opportunity that could change the course of the game? A sense of cautious anticipation, mixed with suspicion, washed over him as he considered his next move.