Chapter 6: The Icy CEO's Proposal
The cold satisfaction from Evelyn Reed's message still hummed through Li Wei's veins. The first blow had been struck, and struck perfectly. He was reviewing a deeper financial dossier on Jin Long Technologies, looking for more ways to apply pressure to his old rival Song Feng, when the villa's AI system chimed with a soft, alert tone.
"Mr. Li," the neutral voice of the AI stated. "You have a visitor at the main gate. A Ms. Leng Xue. She states she has an unscheduled but critical business matter to discuss."
Leng Xue. The name meant nothing to him, but the description did. The woman from the gate. His mind immediately recalled the piercing amber eyes and the glacial demeanor. Curiosity, an emotion he had little time for, flickered within him. This was not part of the plan.
He accessed the security feed. There she was, standing calmly before the camera on the gatepost. She was dressed not in casual wear, but in a stunning, tailored white pantsuit that looked like it was woven from Arctic ice and moonlight. It contrasted sharply with her waterfall of dark hair. She looked every bit the powerful executive, not a social visitor. Behind her, idling silently on the road outside the community's main gate, was a vehicle different from the Bentley of the previous night: a long, silver Genesis G90 limousine, its lines sleek and predatory.
"Verify her identity," Li Wei commanded the AI.
A moment later, the system responded. "Identity cross-referenced with public corporate records. Confirmed: Leng Xue, Chief Executive Officer of the Frostpeak Group."
Li Wei's eyebrows rose slightly. Frostpeak Group. A name as formidable as OmniStar. A conglomerate with a fierce reputation in biotechnology and advanced materials, known for its ruthless efficiency and intense secrecy. A direct competitor in several global markets. Her presence here was not a coincidence; it was a strategic move.
"Allow her entry to the main courtyard only. Inform her my security will escort her to the entrance."
"Confirmed."
He watched on the monitor as the gates swung open. The silver limousine whispered into the courtyard, its electric motor utterly silent. Notably, the vehicle that had been following it—a black, modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class that screamed "security"—did not follow her in. It remained parked outside the main community gate, a dark sentinel. A sign of trust, or perhaps, of immense confidence.
He met her at the main entrance, the towering glass doors sliding open silently. She stood there, a picture of elegant power against the backdrop of his impossible villa. Her eyes, those cool, assessing amber pools, swept over him, then past him, taking in the staggering view of the interior and the city beyond with a single, professional glance. There was no awe in her expression, only a calculated appraisal, as if she were mentally valuing the artwork and the square footage.
"Mr. Li," she said, her voice as cool and clear as a mountain stream. It was not a question. She knew exactly who he was.
"Ms. Leng," he replied, his tone neutral, mirroring her own lack of warmth. "This is unexpected."
"Congratulations are in order, though perhaps belated," she began, her words precise and devoid of any real congratulatory tone. "The business world is buzzing with the news of OmniStar's mysterious new major shareholder. To acquire a controlling stake so quietly… it is an impressive, and some might say, unsettling, feat. I felt it prudent to pay my respects to the new power in the city." She made it sound like a feudal lord acknowledging a neighboring duke whose army had just appeared on the border. There was no warmth, only a statement of fact and a subtle probe.
"Your respects are noted," Li Wei said, gesturing for her to enter. He led her not to a cozy sitting area, but to the formal living space with the panoramic view. It was a setting for negotiations, not conversation. He did not offer her a drink.
She sat gracefully on the edge of a low sofa, her back straight, not touching the cushions, her posture impeccable. "I will not waste your time with pleasantries, Mr. Li. Frostpeak is on the verge of a breakthrough in quantum-resistant data encryption. Our project, 'Crystal Citadel,' is not merely a product; it is the future bedrock of global digital security. It requires a manufacturing partner with unparalleled resources, precision, and absolute discretion. After a thorough review of global capabilities, we have concluded that OmniStar's semiconductor foundries are the only ones in the world capable of meeting our specifications at the scale we require."
She laid out the proposal with clinical, devastating efficiency. She spoke of profit-sharing ratios, intellectual property rights, timelines measured in nanoseconds, and security protocols that would make a intelligence agency blush. The numbers were astronomical, the potential market dominance absolute. She spoke with the cool detachment of a chess master moving pieces, each word placed with deliberate intent.
Li Wei listened, his face an unreadable mask, his mind—sharpened by the System—processing the torrent of information at lightning speed, cross-referencing terms, and identifying potential pitfalls. The deal was solid, incredibly lucrative, and strategically brilliant for both parties. It was also a tremendous risk. Aligning with Frostpeak would make powerful enemies.
"It is a compelling proposal," he acknowledged finally, his voice giving nothing away. "The scope is significant. My executive team at OmniStar will need to review the specifics in depth."
"Naturally. Due diligence is expected." From a slim, matte-black portfolio she carried, she produced a single, thick document. "The non-disclosure agreement is binding upon touch. The preliminary terms are enclosed." She then placed a business card on top of it. The card was not paper. It was made of a strange, cool, metallic-grey composite material, thin yet surprisingly heavy. It was etched with her name, title, and a single, encrypted contact number. There was no company logo, no address. It was a card for a ghost.
"I trust your discretion, Mr. Li. Frostpeak looks forward to OmniStar's response." The way she said "trust" sounded like a threat.
With that, she rose smoothly, the meeting clearly concluded. He walked her to the door. The entire interaction had lasted less than fifteen minutes.
As the glass doors slid open for her, Li Wei's gaze shifted past her to the courtyard beyond. Her driver, a man with a military bearing in a tailored black suit, was already holding the door of the limousine open. But Li Wei's eyes, sharpened by the System's heightened awareness, were instantly drawn to the perimeter.
Two figures had emerged from the front passenger seat of the idling black G-Wagon outside the gate. They were not typical bodyguards. They wore not suits, but tailored tactical gear in a dark, charcoal grey, made from a material that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Their postures were deceptively relaxed, but everything about them screamed controlled lethality.
One stood slightly ahead of the other, his head on a constant, slow swivel. His eyes, hidden behind thin-framed tactical glasses, didn't just look; they scanned, assessed, and categorized. They flicked from the villa's roofline, to the trees lining the property, to the windows of neighboring homes, calculating sightlines and potential threats with a calm, professional detachment that was more frightening than any overt aggression. A faint, pale scar cut a precise line through his left eyebrow, a permanent record of a past miscalculation.
The second man leaned against the fender of the G-Wagon, his arms crossed. He seemed more casual, but the corded muscle in his forearms and the way his weight was perfectly balanced on the balls of his feet betrayed his readiness. The collar of his tactical shirt was pulled down, revealing the edge of a tattoo on his neck—a intricate pattern of microchips and circuit boards that seemed to crawl over what looked like old, knotted burn scars. He chewed slowly on a toothpick, his gaze fixed not on the scenery, but directly on Li Wei, as if he were measuring him for a coffin. His aura was not one of protection, but of pure, unadulterated offense.
These were not hired muscle. They were hunters. They were special operations, likely former military of an elite and shadowy unit, now on a private payroll. Their presence suggested that Leng Xue wasn't just a CEO; she was a high-value target who moved with her own personal fireteam. The fact that she had left them outside the gate wasn't a gesture of trust towards Li Wei; it was a demonstration of her own absolute control and their utter professionalism. They knew their principal was inside, and they had the entire area locked down from their position.
Leng Xue did not acknowledge them. She did not look back or offer a reassuring nod. She simply slid into the limousine with the same effortless grace with which she did everything. The driver closed the door with a soft thud that seemed abnormally loud in the tense silence.
The moment the door closed, the two operatives moved. It wasn't a rush; it was a synchronized flow. The one with the scar opened the passenger door of the G-Wagon. The one with the tattoo gave Li Wei one last, long, measuring look—a look that promised unimaginable violence should any harm come to their principal—then slid into the driver's seat. The entire maneuver took less than three seconds. The G-Wagon pulled away first, a vanguard, followed immediately by the silver limousine. The convoy disappeared down the mountain road with a quiet, menacing efficiency that was far more intimidating than any show of force.
Li Wei stood at the door, the cool, alien composite of her business card between his fingers. The woman was an enigma wrapped in a threat: a CEO of a rival empire offering a monumental deal, protected by what was essentially a private military team. Her visit was a message: I know who you are. I know what you have. And I am not someone you can afford to ignore. Just as he was turning these facts over in his mind,a sound echoed in the silence of his own head, clear and distinct.
Ding.