But how could he begin? He couldn't simply go to the finance department to ask for it. The company's internal network had strict access controls; he had no way of accessing the core data. Those files were like treasures hidden deep in the fog; he could see a vague outline, but couldn't find the path to them.
A few days later, another opportunity presented itself unexpectedly. The company held an internal cocktail party to celebrate an artist's award. As usual, Lin Chen was required to attend as a "background figure." He held a wine glass, hovering on the edge of the crowd, his eyes scanning his surroundings like radar.
He saw Mr. Wang and the CFO talking quietly in a corner, both looking somewhat grave. He saw Lu Tianyu's personal assistant, a young man who was always expressionless and quick-moving, carrying an encrypted portable hard drive, hurrying through the crowd towards Lu Tianyu's private elevator.
An encrypted hard drive… what could be inside? More crucial financial data? Or those transaction records that couldn't be brought to light?
Lin Chen felt a sense of unease. The evidence seemed so close, almost within reach, yet an insurmountable chasm separated him. He lacked the necessary permissions, the opportunity to access the core area, and, most importantly, the means to securely transmit the evidence.
He even tried, during a routine check of a trivial schedule on the company computer, secretly inserting a micro USB drive to copy seemingly ordinary files, only to discover that the computer's USB ports were physically disabled, and a background program was monitoring all operations in real time.
It was as tightly secured as an ironclad fortress.
A thick fog enveloped him; he felt as if he were in a giant maze, every path seemingly leading to the core ultimately leading to a dead end or a trap riddled with surveillance.
Frustration washed over him again. He realized that obtaining decisive evidence alone was an impossible task. He needed help, an inside man, a more meticulous plan.
He remembered Su Yuqing's words about "internal and external cooperation." Perhaps he should try to find a potential ally within the company? That outspoken intern, Xiao Zhang? Or were they others equally dissatisfied with the status quo, marginalized?
But the thought was quickly extinguished. Xiao Yao's betrayal was still fresh in his mind; the bloody lesson taught him that trust here was a luxury, a deadly poison. He couldn't risk his own and Su Yuqing's team's efforts.
The fog of evidence still thickly shrouded the road ahead.
He knew he had to be more patient, more cautious, waiting like a hunter for that fleeting, real opportunity to appear.
Until then, all he could do was continue playing the role of the compliant, gradually forgotten artist, observing in silence, accumulating strength in the darkness.
A glimmer of hope remained, but illuminating the path ahead required piercing through layers of perilous fog.