Under the night sky, the Coastal International Exhibition Center looked like a gigantic vessel made of diamonds and crystals docked in the center of the city. Tonight, it was hosting the twentieth anniversary celebration of the Taihua Group, and also serving as the convergence point of all power and wealth in this city. Along the hundreds of meters of red carpet extending from the entrance, media reporters from across the nation crowded both sides, with camera flashes resembling an incessant, dense white rainstorm that turned the entire night sky pale.

One by one, top-tier luxury cars slowly arrived, doors opening to reveal individuals whose names were only seen in financial magazines and news headlines. Business tycoons, political dignitaries, entertainment celebrities, and distinguished socialites—all impeccably dressed with meticulous makeup, wearing appropriate yet distant smiles—elegantly entered the brilliantly lit banquet hall under the pursuit of countless cameras.


In the grand hall, the massive crystal chandelier cast everything in a shimmering, iridescent glow. The air was filled with the fragrance of premium champagne, the scent of expensive perfumes, and the deliberately hushed yet unmistakably excited conversations. This was a feast for the victors, with each smiling face concealing intricate exchanges of interests and unspoken games of power.

The protagonist of the evening, Zhao Lixin, Chairman of Taihua Group, stood at the center of the stage. He wore a perfectly tailored dark suit, his hair meticulously groomed, and on his face was that distinctive smile—confident and charismatic—that belonged uniquely to successful entrepreneurs. He thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention, savoring each breath under the spotlight.

Seated in the center of the front row was Gao Jianguo, the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. He had changed out of his police uniform and was wearing a well-fitted Zhongshan suit, his expression solemn and dignified. As he watched Zhao Lixin shining brilliantly on stage, his eyes revealed a sense of satisfaction that bordered on admiration. It was the look of someone gazing upon a perfect work of art that he had personally crafted. Their relationship had long transcended the boundaries between official and businessman, evolving into a deeper, symbiotic connection where the fall of one would mean the demise of the other. Zhao Lixin's success was his success; Zhao Lixin's empire was also an extension of his own power.


"Twenty years ago, Taihua was just a small chemical factory on the verge of bankruptcy." Zhao Lixin's voice, transmitted through top-quality sound equipment, clearly reached every corner of the hall. His speech was passionate and full of nostalgia for the past and vision for the future, "At that time, we had no funding, no technology, and not even a decent workshop. But we had dreams, courage, and a heart that dared to be pioneers!"

A warm and perfectly timed applause erupted from the audience. Zhao Lixin smiled, opening his arms as if embracing the entire world.


"Today, twenty years later, Taihua has grown into a comprehensive business empire spanning chemicals, real estate, finance, technology, and other sectors! We have created tens of thousands of jobs for this city and contributed tens of billions in taxes! We have built the best schools, funded countless impoverished students, and we have made this city a better place!"

The applause erupted like thunder again, more passionate and sustained than before. A smile of satisfaction appeared on Gao Jianguo's face.

At this moment, however, a different scene was unfolding backstage, separated from the glory and clamor by just a wall.

It was stuffy and crowded here, filled with the greasy smell of food and the hurried footsteps of staff. The shouts of chefs, the crisp clinking of plates, and the urgent calls of waiters all intertwined into a chaotic symphony. Chen Mo was blending into this disorder.

He wore an ill-fitting red uniform with "XX Food Court" printed on it, a baseball cap pulled low over his head, and carried a huge insulated box for takeout deliveries. With hunched shoulders and lowered head, he carefully avoided the servers rushing by with silver trays, moving like the most inconspicuous, most humble ant, struggling to navigate the periphery of someone else's banquet.

No one noticed him. No one would connect this delivery man, reeking of cheap cooking oil and with a face full of exhaustion and numbness, with that former criminal detective who once struck fear into countless criminals.

According to the backend map he had obtained in advance, he easily found a storage room located at a corner of the fire escape. It was filled with discarded tablecloths and damaged tableware, almost completely neglected. He slipped inside, locked the door behind him, and quickly opened the large insulated box.

There was no food in the box. Instead, there was a disassembled miniature camera and a set of small, portable live streaming equipment powered by high-capacity batteries. He assembled them with maximum speed. His fingers still retained a hint of stiffness due to excessive blood loss, but his movements were extraordinarily steady, each step as precise as if performing a surgery rehearsed hundreds of times.

He fixed the miniature camera behind the ventilation duct grille in the storage room using strong adhesive tape. From this angle, he could clearly see everything happening on the stage dozens of meters away through the grille, while remaining undetectable. Then, he connected the live streaming equipment and opened the pre-configured livestream link that would broadcast to the entire world.

On the screen, the crimson countdown showed only a few minutes remaining.

After finishing all this, he took out from his chest the plastic-wrapped paper evidence, soaked with ten years of blood and tears. He carefully extracted the authentic pollution test data report from Taihua Chemical Factory, along with a photocopy of the internal directive bearing Zhao Lixin's signature, folded them neatly, and tucked them into the innermost pocket of his work uniform. There, closest to his heart.

In the distance, Zhao Lixin's voice continued to come through the loudspeaker intermittently, like hypocritical chanting from another world.

"...All these achievements would not have been possible without the wise leadership of the municipal party committee and government, nor without the strong support of friends from all sectors of society! Moreover, they wouldn't be possible without the millions of hardworking and kind people of this city!" Zhao Lixin stood at the center of the stage, pushing the atmosphere of his speech to its climax. He took a deep breath, his face glowing with a saint-like radiance, opened his arms, and said emphatically: "Therefore, I announce! Taihua Group will once again donate 500 million yuan for Ben's environmental protection causes! We want to make Binhai's sky bluer! Water, clearer! And people, happier!"

Boom——!

Applause erupted like a tidal wave, drowning out everything. Everyone stood up, offering the most enthusiastic cheers for this great entrepreneur's generosity and sentiment. Camera flashes blinked frantically at an unprecedented frequency, as if attempting to eternally capture this historic moment. Zhao Lixin smiled, savoring the glory of this peak moment. Gao Jianguo also stood up, taking the lead in applause, with an exceptionally radiant smile on his face. It was a perfect evening, a perfect evening that belonged to him and Zhao Lixin.

However, at the pinnacle of this frenzy, a discordant figure, like a rusty dagger suddenly piercing through an elegant curtain, tore apart this perfect scene.

Chen Mo pushed open the door to the storage room. He took off that cumbersome baseball cap, pulled off the red uniform, revealing an old, faded jacket underneath. Like a bull that had been silent for too long and finally decided to make its last charge, facing those astonished and rebuking gazes, he suddenly rushed toward the stage.

"Stop! Who are you!"

"Stop him! Quickly!"

The backstage security personnel reacted first. They tried to block him, but Chen Mo's momentum was too fierce, carrying a kind of desperate, all-or-nothing madness. He knocked aside a security guard who tried to grab him, dodged another outstretched arm, and using all his strength, leaped onto the magnificent stage before anyone could react.

The entire hall, in that instant, fell into a deathly silence.

The applause came to an abrupt halt. The music suddenly stopped. Everyone stared in disbelief at this man who had suddenly burst in, completely out of place with everything around him.

On Zhao Lixin's face, that perfect smile still froze at the corners of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and irritation at being interrupted. Down below the stage, Gao Jianguo's smile also froze, he frowned, not knowing where this madman had come from.

Chen Mo didn't give anyone time to think. He darted forward to Zhao Lixin, and in the face of the other's terrified gaze, snatched the microphone from his hand.

"Zzzz—" A piercing electric howl rang out, like a sharp alarm.

The security personnel below the stage snapped out of their trance, roaring with anger, they charged toward the stage like a pack of enraged hunting dogs.

Chen Mo didn't look at them. He turned around to face thousands of audience members and hundreds of media cameras pointing at him like dark holes. Gripping the microphone, he used the last bit of strength in his chest to roar out the words he had silently repeated countless times in his heart and had suppressed for ten long years.

"Ten years ago, reporter Song Wenjie did not die accidentally—he was murdered!"

His voice, amplified through top-quality speakers, exploded like thunder from clear sky throughout the massive banquet hall, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

"Huaaa——!"

The crowd erupted into chaos. Reporters, like sharks smelling blood, instantly went into a frenzy. They pushed aside all obstacles in front of them, directing all their cameras and attention at the lone man standing on the stage.

While shouting out those words, Chen Mo pulled out the documents he had prepared from his pocket and held them high. Under the illumination of countless camera flashes, that report filled with data on carcinogenic substances exceeding standards, along with that flamboyant signature, was clearly exposed before the eyes of the whole world!

"Grab him! Get him down from there!" Zhao Lixin finally recovered from his shock, screaming in terror, the color draining from his face, no longer displaying the confidence he had just moments ago.

Four or five burly security guards had already rushed onto the stage. They pounced on Chen Mo like wolves, trying to pin him to the ground.

Chen Mo didn't resist. He knew his time was running out. Before those strong arms firmly pressed him down and his body was slammed hard onto the cold floor, he used his last bit of strength to lift his head, his gaze cutting through the chaotic crowd, precisely, like two poisoned daggers, stabbing toward the two people he most wanted to see in the front row.

He saw Zhao Lixin's face contorted with extreme fear.

He also saw Gao Jianguo's face turning ashen in an instant, as if all strength had been drained from him.

He smiled.

It was an extremely slight, almost imperceptible smile.

Speaking into the microphone that was already at his lips, in a slow, clear tone as if reading a final judgment, he articulated word by word the most crucial content from that recording.

"The pollution data from Taihua Chemical Factory was falsified under the written directive of Chairman Zhao Lixin."

"Director Liu from the Environmental Protection Bureau, because he refused to sign off, was framed, and his wife was reported for owing a million yuan in gambling debts."

"Anyone who doesn't comply will be 'dealt with.' He said he's not someone we can afford to offend."

Each word fell like a heavy hammer, striking hard at the hearts of Zhao Lixin and Gao Jianguo.

Each word, through wireless signals, through that small livestream room, spread to every corner of the internet.

"Shut up! Make him shut up!" Zhao Lixin screamed hysterically.

One security guard firmly covered Chen Mo's mouth with his hand, while another roughly dragged him up from the ground, pulling him like a dead dog toward the backstage area.

The live broadcast signal was cut off at the moment he was forcibly dragged off the stage.

The screen plunged into darkness.

But the entire world had heard his voice.