Chapter 11: The Counterattack
1566 Words
The boardroom of WeiTech Tower felt suffocating.
The morning sunlight glinted off the polished mahogany table, but it did nothing to ease the tension that hung in the air. Zhang Mei stood at the head of the table, her hands resting firmly on the glossy surface. Her eyes scanned the faces of the board members, who were whispering and exchanging uncertain glances.
The events of the previous day had left everyone shaken. WeiTech's stock had dipped, the media frenzy over her “scandal” was still trending, and Wang Xiao’s aggressive moves had only intensified. Yet Zhang Mei refused to stay silent.
She inhaled deeply and began. “We can’t just sit here and wait for him to destroy us.”
Several directors exchanged skeptical looks.
Huo Zhen, standing by the projection screen, glanced at Liang Wei, whose expression was unreadable. He knew the CEO’s patience with the board was thin.
Zhang Mei continued, her voice steady. “Wang Xiao is using financial manipulation, media attacks, and insider leaks to weaken WeiTech. If we respond impulsively, we will play into his hands. We need a calculated counterattack.”
The room went quiet.
Lin Qiang, the CTO, spoke first, frowning. “And what exactly do you propose? You’re still new here, technically our competition hasn’t accepted you. We don’t even know if your methods will work.”
Zhang Mei’s gaze met his, icy but composed. “I know. And I don’t need your approval. I need results. We start by exposing the financial manipulation. We gather evidence of Wang Xiao’s network, prove who is leaking information, and neutralize his influence before he can gain control of more shares.”
A murmur ran through the room.
Zhao Ming, the Legal Director, raised an eyebrow. “That’s… ambitious. It could backfire and further destabilize the company. Are you willing to take responsibility if it fails?”
Zhang Mei leaned slightly forward, her voice calm but sharp. “I am not afraid to take responsibility. This is our company. We fight, or we fall. I refuse to let history repeat itself.”
Liang Wei finally broke his silence. He had been standing behind her, observing quietly. “She’s right.” His voice carried weight firm, unyielding. “I trust her to lead this operation. Everyone else will follow her strategy. No exceptions.”
The words fell like a hammer in the room. Several board members stiffened. They were used to giving Liang Wei directives, not taking orders from someone who was, technically, a new wife and outsider.
Lin Qiang’s face tightened. “You expect us to follow her orders over our own experience?”
Liang Wei’s eyes darkened. “I expect loyalty to WeiTech. If anyone can’t handle that, the door is right there.”
A tense silence followed. Even the most vocal skeptics had little choice but to accept his decree.
Zhang Mei straightened, taking a deep breath. “First, we gather all the financial data linked to Wang Xiao’s recent stock purchases. Any unusual activity, offshore accounts, proxy investors everything.”
Huo Zhen nodded quickly, already tapping on his tablet. “I’ll cross-reference every transaction from the last six months. Any irregularities will show up immediately.”
“Second,” Zhang Mei continued, “we need to monitor media sources. We identify all channels spreading false information about WeiTech and trace them back. Whoever is feeding the press is part of Wang Xiao’s network.”
Several younger board members leaned forward, intrigued despite themselves.
“And third,” Zhang Mei said, her voice dropping slightly, “we need to identify the mole inside WeiTech. Someone has already leaked confidential information. If we don’t find them, Wang Xiao will continue to have the upper hand.”
Liang Wei’s eyes met hers. “You know this is dangerous.”
She nodded. “I know. But I also know we have the advantage if we act quickly.”
Liang Wei allowed himself a faint smile, one she didn’t notice. He trusted her, but he also knew that this plan would test every skill she had.
Huo Zhen stepped forward, his expression serious. “Then let’s get to work. I’ll handle tracking suspicious activity on the financial networks. Security will monitor internal communications for leaks.”
“Good,” Zhang Mei said. “I want constant updates. We’ll meet every three hours to analyze data and adjust the plan. If Wang Xiao makes a move, we’ll respond immediately.”
Lin Qiang leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “And if the mole decides to sabotage the operation before we even start?”
Zhang Mei’s eyes hardened. “Then we’ll know who to watch first.”
The boardroom fell silent again, tension coiling like a spring in the room.
Suddenly, Huo Zhen’s tablet pinged. He picked it up and scrolled quickly, his brow furrowing.
“Miss Zhang… President Liang…” His voice was low, urgent. “There’s been another leak.”
Everyone froze.
Zhang Mei’s heart skipped a beat. “Another one?”
Huo Zhen nodded grimly. “Yes. Confidential strategic plans were just uploaded to a private investor forum before we could even send them internally. The mole is still active.”
Liang Wei’s jaw tightened. His normally composed face betrayed the tiniest hint of anger. “Who?”
Huo Zhen shook his head. “I don’t know yet. But it’s someone in the boardroom.”
Gasps rippled through the remaining executives.
Zhang Mei’s fingers tapped lightly on the table, mind racing. She had anticipated Wang Xiao’s attacks, but she had assumed the mole would be cautious. This… this was bold.
Liang Wei’s voice cut through the room, low and commanding. “We’re going to find them. And when we do, no one will question WeiTech’s strength again.”
Zhang Mei felt a shiver run down her spine. The mole’s audacity made the threat real and immediate. Every second they waited, Wang Xiao gained ground.
“I want surveillance on all internal communications,” Zhang Mei said, her voice sharp. “Emails, messages, access logs everything. The person who did this is exposing themselves. They’ll make a mistake.”
Huo Zhen nodded again, his fingers flying over the screen. “I’ll start tracking patterns immediately. We’ll know who’s responsible within hours.”
Lin Qiang muttered under his breath, still wary. “And what if it’s someone we trust? Someone we’ve worked with for years?”
Zhang Mei’s eyes narrowed. “Then their loyalty means nothing. In this game, trust is earned through actions, not titles or years of service.”
The tension in the room escalated as the reality sank in: the mole could be anyone.
Liang Wei leaned back slightly, observing her. “You’re ready for this,” he said quietly.
“I have to be,” she replied, her voice steady. “This isn’t just about WeiTech. It’s about my reputation. If we fail, Wang Xiao will ruin both.”
Huo Zhen’s tablet pinged again. He looked up quickly, face pale. “Miss Zhang… President Liang… there’s an alert from the internal network. Someone is accessing confidential data right now. They’re on the move.”
Zhang Mei’s eyes sharpened. “Show me.”
Huo Zhen handed her the tablet. On the screen, a series of internal logins appeared, each tied to a different executive account. One account stood out a senior director’s credentials, used at an odd hour, from an unusual location inside the building.
She traced the IP address. “They’re trying to download our strategy documents.”
Liang Wei’s fists clenched slightly. “They won’t get away with it.”
Zhang Mei’s mind raced. Every second counted. “We have to act fast. Lock down access. Track the user. And make sure nothing leaves the system.”
Huo Zhen nodded, typing quickly. “Already on it.”
Zhang Mei’s eyes flicked to the board members. “No one leaves this room until we identify the mole.”
Several gasps echoed around the room. Anxiety mixed with fear.
Liang Wei stood and walked to the front of the room. “This is a war,” he said, his voice low but commanding. “And in a war, there are no bystanders. Everyone here is either with us… or against us.”
The board members shifted uncomfortably, knowing the stakes had escalated far beyond stock prices.
Zhang Mei took a deep breath. “We will expose Wang Xiao. We will find the mole. And we will turn his attacks into his downfall.”
A tense silence followed. Every mind in the room was calculating, plotting, and waiting for the next move.
Suddenly, Huo Zhen’s eyes widened. He stared at his tablet in disbelief.
“Miss Zhang… President Liang… the mole has just attempted to delete files again. I’ve traced the location…”
Zhang Mei felt her pulse quicken.
“Where?” she demanded.
Huo Zhen’s voice dropped. “It’s… someone inside this boardroom.”
The room froze.
Liang Wei’s eyes narrowed. “Which one of you?”
No one moved.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Zhang Mei clenched her fists, her jaw tight. “The mole is still active,” she whispered. “And they’re closer than we thought.”
Outside, the wind howled around the WeiTech Tower. Inside, a new battle had begun, unseen by the public, and more dangerous than anyone could imagine.
Because the mole was inside.
- Writer
