Top-tier Unruly Master

Ning Luoxi had already noticed that something was off with Fan Aiping and Zhao Qingshui, so how could Ding Fan have failed to see it?

However, Ding Fan did not say much. For one thing, he lacked evidence at the moment, and furthermore, he didn't want to startle the snakes by beating the grass now.

"Manager Ding," Hu Jin came back again, resolved. "I suspect that the issue with Morning Light Company is related to Fan Aiping and Zhao Qingshui, and I suggest that you should report this matter to Director Su."

"How can you be so sure that this matter is related to Fan Aiping and Zhao Qingshui?" Ding Fan asked, feigning ignorance.

"I just checked, and the time Zheng's Company replaced Morning Light Company for the supplies was during the National Day holiday, when the company had rotating days off. I was on duty, but unusually, Fan Aiping and Zhao Qingshui insisted on taking over my shift. Know this, those two usually do everything they can to avoid work at the company. How could they possibly volunteer to cover my shift?"

As Hu Jin spoke, she handed a report over to Ding Fan.

Ding Fan glanced briefly at the report, which contained data on the inflow and outflow of supplies during the time Hu Jin had mentioned.

"Manager Ding, look at this time period — in just a few days, Zheng Group supplied dozens of tons of building materials. I checked the background of Zheng Group. This company was established less than half a year ago, how could they possibly deliver so much building material in such a short time?"

After examining the data, Ding Fan was even more certain that this matter was related to Fan Aiping and Zhao Qingshui.

"I'm aware of the situation," Ding Fan nodded, dismissing the issue.

Ding Fan didn't plan to involve Hu Jin in this matter any further. He had a high regard for the always diligent Hu Jin. With his sharp intuition, he felt that this matter might not be as simple as he imagined. If Hu Jin got involved, it might be dangerous for her.

"Manager Ding. This matter concerns the reputation of the company; we can't just treat it carelessly," Hu Jin said, clearly unsatisfied with Ding Fan's nonchalant attitude. "Morning Light Group's assigned lawyer has already visited the company yesterday..."

"I know, I have it under control," he said.

Seeing that Ding Fan was not taking it to heart, Hu Jin realized that anything further would be like preaching to deaf ears.

Upon leaving the manager's office with a heavy slam of the door, Hu Jin gave Ding Fan a sharp glare.

Once Hu Jin had left, Ding Fan slowly stood up, thinking of one name.

Zheng's Company.

The fact that Zheng's Company could snatch orders from Morning Light indicated that the company had a deep background. To clarify the location of Morning Light Group's missing materials, Ding Fan felt that his only option now was to start with Zheng Group.

No sooner had he thought than acted, after explaining the situation to Ning Luoxi, Ding Fan left the office...

...

Recently, Zhou Ruoran had been quite busy, landing on a major case not long after starting her job. It involved a financial dispute between two companies—Morning Light Group had taken Qin's Group to court. During this time, she had been preparing the materials for both companies.

Yesterday, Zhou Ruoran had gone to Qin's Group for an investigation. However, after the investigation, she felt increasingly that something was amiss.

Dozens of tons of building materials from Morning Light Group seemed to have vanished without a trace, with no inventory records at Qin's Group, and no paperwork or signatures found at Morning Light Group regarding the handover of materials.

It seemed that if legal proceedings were to proceed as usual, Morning Light Group would have no chance of winning.

In order to uncover the truth, Zhou Ruoran, in collaboration with the local Justice Department, had invited Hu Jin from the logistics department of Qin's Group for a second meeting.

Assisting in the investigation was an essential task, so Hu Jin arrived on time at the agreed location—a meeting with Zhou Ruoran at the Justice Department.

Zhou Ruoran asked all the questions she wanted to know following protocol, yet still found no valuable clues.

"May I ask who is now in charge of your company's logistics department?" Zhou Ruoran said as the meeting was coming to a close.

"The leader of our logistics department has just taken office less than a week ago, so I'm afraid he is not going to be much help with this issue," said Hu Jin.

Hu Jin was too lazy to mention Ding Fan, the loafing manager who was completely unambitious and only concerned with getting through each day. In Hu Jin's eyes, Ding Fan was nothing more than a person leeching off the company.

Zhou Ruoran pondered for a moment. "May I visit your company's underground shopping mall construction site?"

Hu Jin nodded. "Of course, there's no problem with that."

Just then, Zhou Ruoran's phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and picked up the call promptly.

"What? Drop the lawsuit against Qin's Group?... Okay... I understand," Zhou Ruoran hung up the phone, but her brows were tightly furrowed.

The call was from Jeang Hua of Morning Light Company who had personally announced the decision to drop the lawsuit against Qin's Group. Zhou Ruoran had spent a long time preparing for this case, not expecting it to conclude this way.

"Do you still need me to accompany you to the underground mall's construction site?" Hu Jin asked, having overheard Zhou Ruoran's conversation on the phone.

"It no longer seems necessary. Morning Light Group has already dropped their lawsuit against Qin's Group," Zhou Ruoran said indifferently.

Hu Jin nodded, adding no further comment.

However, Hu Jin knew about Morning Light Group's withdrawal from the suit; it was because Jeang Hua had told Ding Fan that they would no longer pursue the matter earlier that morning. It looked like Jeang Hua was a man of his word.

"Lawyer Zhou, would you care to join me for a coffee?" Hu Jin invited Zhou Ruoran after they left the Justice Department.

Hu Jin had her own plans in inviting Zhou Ruoran.

Although Morning Light Company no longer pursued the matter, Hu Jin had no intention of letting it go so easily. At this moment, her thoughts were clear. She planned to obtain some of the information Zhou Ruoran's team had uncovered. With hard evidence, she could legally bring Fan Aiping and his accomplices to justice.

With two parasites gone from the logistics department, it could now develop healthily and normally.

Zhou Ruoran did not refuse Hu Jin's invitation. She nodded slightly.

However, just at that moment, a white van pulled up in front of the two of them. The door opened, and two burly men jumped out, quickly abducting Hu Jin and Zhou Ruoran into the vehicle.

After seizing the two women, the white van quickly vanished from sight. The entire process took only a dozen seconds.

"Who are you, what do you want to do?" Zhou Ruran tried to appear calm as she addressed the few burly men inside the van.

"Let me go..." Hu Jin also shouted defiantly.

At that moment, two men with white towels moved to gag the two women. After the towels were pressed against their mouths, the women struggled briefly before succumbing to unconsciousness.

...

Ding Fan went to Zheng's Company, but from the outside, there seemed to be nothing amiss.

Since Ding Fan hadn't made an appointment, he couldn't meet with their general manager even after entering the company. So, he found a corner outside Zheng's Company and stakeout.

Ding Fan observed every person entering and exiting Zheng's Company carefully. He hid for an hour, and all the people who came in and out were just ordinary employees.

Another half an hour passed before a man who looked like a dignitary, smartly dressed in middle age, came out of Zheng's Company.

What puzzled Ding Fan was that this middle-aged man had a strong aura of vital energy, suggesting he too was a cultivator. However, he seemed to practice neither Ancient Martial Arts nor Cultivation; it must be some sort of abnormal method.

The man got into a black sedan and drove off.

Ding Fan had a feeling that there were many secrets associated with this man. Regardless of whether he was connected to Morning Light or not, Ding Fan decided to follow and see for himself.

Without alarming the person of interest, Ding Fan called a taxi and followed the black sedan from a distance after it departed.

The black sedan drove through the streets and finally stopped at a hotel.

Completely unaware that he was being followed, the middle-aged man confidently walked toward the hotel after getting out of the car.

Ding Fan glanced at the hotel's name: Paradise Hotel.

Ding Fan frowned; he recalled that Xu Rui had mentioned waiting for him at Paradise Hotel after leaving the Medicine Shop. Unexpectedly, he had ended up here seemingly by fate.

Ding Fan didn't delay; he followed into the hotel.

"Good day, sir, are you checking in or looking for someone...?"

As soon as Ding Fan entered the lobby, an attendant stopped him.

"Looking for someone," Ding Fan said after a moment's thought.

"Could you please tell me who you're looking for, sir? We need to confirm beforehand as it's our hotel's policy. We hope for your cooperation," the attendant kindly advised.

Ding Fan scanned the middle-aged man with his Divine Sense; the man was about to take the elevator. If he got on, Ding Fan wouldn't be able to use his Divine Sense to track him anymore.

"Xu Rui."

Ding Fan could only give Xu Rui's name now; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to go in.

"Please wait a moment..." The attendant checked and then called Xu Rui's room for confirmation. After a short while, the attendant smiled at Ding Fan.

"Sir, you may go in now."

Ding Fan wasted no time; the middle-aged man had just taken the elevator. Ding Fan quickly boarded another and followed...

The middle-aged man got off on the tenth floor and entered room 1012.

"Brother Iron Dragon..."

"Brother Iron Dragon..."

As soon as the middle-aged man entered the room, several people inside stood and greeted him.

The man they called Iron Dragon glanced around the room before addressing someone who looked to be in charge, "You made sure no one saw when you brought them here, right?"

"Brother Long, don't you trust us? We made sure there wasn't any trouble when we arrived," they reassured him.

Iron Dragon nodded. "After I finish my practice with that girl, I'll let you have her as a reward. I always share the spoils with my brothers..."

"Thank you, Brother Long."

"Brother Long is always so generous"...