At this moment, in the Trading Room at the headquarters of Daheng Group in Pengcheng.
Xu Zhi's vacant eyes were glued to the glaring -23.7 billion figure on the screen, his fingers unconsciously picking at the dust in the floor cracks.
It had been a full week since the liquidation that ruined him.
Yet every day upon waking, he would rush to this Trading Room, like a prisoner nailed to a pillar of shame, repeatedly staring at this number that had devoured everything he had.
The confidence he once took pride in had long since crumbled; the praises that hailed him as a 'Genius Trader' during smooth sailing had now become needles piercing his heart.
He couldn't intervene in Daheng's current situation, couldn't help, and didn't dare show his face.
Although some wealthy youths who usually followed him still didn't dare openly turn against him, he knew all too well what these people were saying behind his back.
Those with family backgrounds more powerful than his would curse him directly whenever they saw him.
His phone had long been blown up with calls.
The pressure from debt collectors weighed on him like a mountain, and his home was almost blocked.
However, at this moment, Xu Zhi still held a sliver of hope in his heart.
If only Xu Jiayin could find a way to squeeze out a bit more from somewhere, this matter could still be resolved.
As long as this matter was resolved, he would still be that extravagant, arrogant young master of Daheng.
Just as Xu Zhi was indulging in this fantasy, his phone vibrated wildly, the name 'Dad' flashing on the screen.
Yet Xu Zhi didn't answer for a long time, until the ringtone automatically cut off.
In the past, they could talk properly as father and son, but now every call was met with a barrage of curses.
He still didn't answer on the second or third calls.
Only after the fourth call did he numbly swipe to answer.
The receiver instantly erupted with Xu Jiayin's furious and desperate roar: 'You unfilial son! Why aren't you answering my calls!'
'What's the point? Things are already like this. Is it fun for you to call and curse me every day? If you have the guts, go curse that guy surnamed Jiang.'
On the other end of the line, Xu Jiayin was already beyond cursing him.
'Get on the private jet and fly somewhere else right now, immediately...'
These words made Xu Zhi's heart instantly sink: 'Why?'
Xu Jiayin's voice trembled with urgency:'Someone tipped me off that they're moving to arrest you. Fly to Hong Kong Island right now. I'll have someone there to meet you... hurry.'
'Dad...' Xu Zhi was now completely panicked: 'If I leave, can I come back?'
Xu Jiayin sighed: 'Don't think too much. Just run first. We'll stall for time. If we stall long enough, things might get resolved, and you won't have to go in. If you get arrested now, it'll be hard to get you out. Hurry...'
Xu Zhi gripped the phone, his knuckles turning white. The numbness in his eyes finally cracked, and a surge of hatred almost consumed him.
Over the past week, he had watched his account balance freeze in the negative, watched his father run around begging for help.
He knew Jiang Cheng had never intended to let him off from the start.
'It's him! He deliberately detained my people and my phone. He must have found something from one of the phones. This Jiang Cheng, I'll fight him to the death!'
'Shut up! Fight? With what!' Xu Jiayin's roar carried endless exhaustion. 'Jiang Cheng's background isn't something we can shake. The people you sent fell into his hands. He didn't act immediately because he was waiting for us to panic! Now pack your things and go abroad to lay low! Go straight to the rooftop for the helicopter, hurry!'
'Dad...' Xu Jiayin roared, seeming almost insane, but the confidence in his voice had long been exhausted, leaving only the despair of a cornered beast.
He couldn't accept it. Daheng had been infinitely glorious in 2018, relying on scale expansion.
On the surface, the cash reserves were also ample.
But now, how had everything fallen into chaos?
Those projects that collected payments illegally without obtaining presale permits, the 15 billion yuan of public funds he embezzled for stock speculation.
Now, they had surely all become deadly leverage for Jiang Cheng to control them.
Slowly standing up, staggering to hold onto the edge of the table, his expensive custom-made suit crumpled against his body, long gone was its former luster.
He quickly rushed toward the door.
But just as he was about to reach the elevator.
He saw the elevator button lighting up—someone was coming up.
Seeing this, Xu Zhi's heart sank.
Only he could access this floor.
Whoever was coming up now couldn't be...
Thinking this, Xu Zhi immediately tried to run toward the stairwell.
But before he could run far, the elevator doors opened.
Several men in uniform with Economic Crime Investigation badges emerged, followed by two stern-looking Special Agents.
Seeing Xu Zhi running toward the stairs, they immediately gave chase.
Xu Zhi had never experienced such an arrest scene.
Before he could run far, his legs began to weaken.
The lead man took out an arrest warrant, his tone cold and firm: 'Xu Zhi, we are from the Economic Crime Investigation Division. You are suspected of embezzling Company funds, illegally manipulating the stock market, and being involved in multiple cases of misappropriating presale funds at Daheng Group. Please come with us to assist in the investigation.'
'Impossible! I didn't do it! Jiang Cheng framed me!' Xu Zhi snapped back to reality, wildly waving his arms, trying to break free.
'Stay still!' a special agent coldly shouted, twisting his arm behind his back.
He instinctively tried to reach for the private phone in his pocket to contact the people his father had arranged.
But his wrists were tightly gripped by two men.
The cold handcuffs clicked shut, firmly locking around his wrists.
'You can't arrest me! My dad is Xu Jiayin! The chairman of Daheng Group! Do you know the consequences of arresting me?' Xu Zhi screamed hysterically, trying to pressure them with his father's name.
But the economic crime investigators remained unmoved, dragging him by the arms toward the door.
Soon, Xu Zhi was escorted downstairs.
Employees in the Company scattered upon seeing this.
The once infinitely glorious young master of Daheng was now handcuffed and in disarray.
Xu Zhi looked at those avoiding gazes, shame and anger intertwining, his screams growing sharper: 'Jiang Cheng! I won't let you off! Just you wait!'
At this moment, Xu Jiayin was sitting in a car heading to the airport.
The moment he received his assistant's call, he was struck as if by lightning, his phone clattering onto the leather seat.
'What did you say? So fast.' He grabbed his assistant's arm, his voice trembling. 'Find someone, we must find someone to stop them. I'm going there right now.'
'Chairman Xu, the economic crime investigators came with clear evidence. They said someone filed a real-name report and submitted evidence of Young Master Xu's fund misappropriation flow and witnesses and physical evidence of him breaking into someone's residence.' The assistant's voice was tearful. 'We couldn't stop them. They said... the evidence is solid, and they'll further investigate the Company's presale fund supervision.'
Xu Jiayin leaned back in his seat, instantly aging several years.
No one but Jiang Cheng had such power to gather so much ironclad evidence in such a short time and make the economic crime department act so quickly.
The scenery outside the car window sped backward, Xu Jiayin's eyes filled with despair and hatred!
Jiang Cheng! Once I recover, I'll make you die!
In 2018, Daheng seemed to have a solid foundation, but it had long been hollowed out by the holes of illegal expansion.
Xu Zhi's arrest was like a fuse, ready to ignite the entire group's crisis at any moment.