## Chapter Eight:
Lin Feng made his decision. Meeting Jiang Yu was a risky move, but ignoring the chance to obtain potentially crucial information wasn't an option in his current situation. Doubts lingered like stubborn shadows: Was Jiang Yu genuinely trying to help him out of old friendship, or was he just bait in a trap set by Chu Fan or another enemy? The possibilities were open, and caution was a necessity, not a luxury.
"Zhao Fu," Lin Feng called his loyal assistant over the secure phone, "I want you to arrange a meeting with Jiang Yu. The location must be completely neutral and private. A separate room in a quiet, secluded tea house would be suitable. Most importantly, I want strict, invisible security measures. Perimeter surveillance, securing entry and exit routes, and an emergency withdrawal plan ready. There's no room for error."
Zhao Fu gave a brief confirmation and immediately got to work. Lin Feng hung up, his eyes staring into space for a moment. Jiang Yu... he wasn't the smartest in their university batch, but he always possessed a fierce ambition and a desire to climb the social ladder by any means. This ambition could make him useful, but it also made him dangerous and unpredictable. What did he really want from this meeting? Was he looking for an ally, or a victim? Lin Feng sighed, realizing that extreme caution was the only way forward.
Lin Feng arrived at the quiet tea house fifteen minutes before the scheduled time. The private room Zhao Fu had chosen was located in a secluded corner of the second floor, its only window overlooking a small, tranquil inner garden. The furniture was simple and elegant, made of dark bamboo, and the fragrant scent of green tea filled the air, lending an atmosphere of artificial calm that didn't fool Lin Feng's alert senses. He sat quietly, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow, every potential exit. Nothing seemed suspicious, but the sense of anticipation hung heavy in the air.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Jiang Yu entered. He looked slightly different from what Lin Feng remembered. He wore an expensive, stylish suit, but it didn't completely hide the fatigue under his eyes. There was a touch of tension in the way he carried himself, and his glances were quick and probing, as if expecting something. He smiled a smile that seemed friendly but didn't reach his eyes.
"Lin Feng! It's been a long time," Jiang Yu said, extending his hand for a handshake. "I heard what happened to you... I'm truly sorry. It must have been difficult."
Lin Feng shook his hand with calculated firmness, keeping his facial expression neutral. "Thank you, Jiang Yu. Life is full of surprises, isn't it? Please, sit down." He watched him sit, noticing how his eyes quickly scanned the room before settling on him. The tension hadn't left him.
After ordering tea and exchanging some brief pleasantries that felt hollow to both men, Jiang Yu cautiously moved to the heart of the matter. "Lin Feng, I know your current situation is complicated, and you might be wondering why I asked to meet you..." He hesitated for a moment, then continued in a low voice, "I'm currently working at a small financial consulting firm... 'Golden Bridge Consulting'. We sometimes deal with projects where Tian Long Capital is indirectly involved. Recently, purely by chance, I came across some information... information I think might interest you."
Lin Feng leaned forward slightly, showing cautious interest. "What kind of information?"
Jiang Yu took a deep breath, glanced around quickly before continuing in an even lower voice. "It concerns a front company known as 'Phoenix International'. Have you heard of it?" Lin Feng nodded slightly, without revealing the extent of his knowledge.
"Good," Jiang Yu continued, "What I discovered is that Tian Long is using Phoenix, and another network of shell companies linked to it, to artificially inflate the costs of a massive real estate project in the new development zone. The project is called 'Horizon Oasis'. The mechanism is complex, but it essentially relies on fake invoices and bogus consulting contracts between Phoenix and subcontractors, allowing them to embezzle huge sums of investor money without raising direct suspicion. It's a very elaborate money laundering and embezzlement operation."
Jiang Yu paused for a moment, watching Lin Feng's reaction. Lin Feng's face remained calm, but his mind was racing. The information matched what Mei Lin had uncovered, and even expanded on it significantly. Mentioning the project name "Horizon Oasis" and the inflation mechanism via Phoenix were new and crucial details.
"How did you confirm this information?" Lin Feng asked quietly, his voice steady. "These are very serious accusations."
"I know," Jiang Yu replied, a sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. "During our consulting work for a small supplier involved in the project, we managed to access some internal accounting records and preliminary audit reports that we weren't supposed to see. The numbers didn't add up. I started digging quietly, and managed to connect some names and transfers. There are two employees in the main contractor's accounting department, Li Wei and Zhang Hao, who seem directly involved in approving the fake invoices. And there are suspicious financial transfers made on specific dates, particularly at the end of each fiscal quarter, to accounts linked to Phoenix."
"Do you have any physical evidence? Documents? Records?" Lin Feng pressed.
Jiang Yu shook his head. "Not with me now. Obtaining copies of these documents is almost impossible and extremely risky. But I'm sure they exist. Internal reports, encrypted emails... The evidence is there for someone who knows where to look and how to access it."
Lin Feng remained silent for a few moments, weighing the words and information. The story seemed disturbingly coherent. The details were specific enough to be credible. But the most important question still echoed in his mind.
"Why are you telling me all this, Jiang Yu?" Lin Feng asked directly this time, his eyes fixed on his old friend's. "What do you gain by risking everything to pass this information to me?"
Visible confusion flickered across Jiang Yu's face. He hesitated, then sighed. "Honestly, Lin Feng... I'm disgusted by what they're doing. Tian Long and their partners trample over everyone to make their profits. My small company was wronged in a previous deal they were indirectly involved in, and I lost a lot. Maybe... maybe this is a form of personal revenge. More importantly, I believe you're the only one with the potential courage and resources to confront a monster like Chu Fan. If he falls, maybe... maybe there will be a chance for people like us."
Jiang Yu didn't state a specific request, but the implication was clear. He was betting on Lin Feng. If Lin Feng succeeded, Jiang Yu hoped for a reward, whether financial, a position, or just a chance to advance in the cutthroat business world.
Lin Feng nodded slowly. "I understand. This is extremely valuable and dangerous information, Jiang Yu. And I appreciate... your courage in sharing it with me." He chose his words carefully. "As you can imagine, I need time to think and verify all this with extreme care. I cannot make any promises or commitments at this stage. But rest assured, I will treat this information with the utmost seriousness and confidentiality. And I expect the same from you. Any leak could be catastrophic for both of us."
"Of course, of course!" Jiang Yu replied quickly, seeming somewhat relieved that Lin Feng hadn't outright rejected him. "Absolute secrecy is paramount."
The meeting ended shortly after. They left separately, leaving behind two barely touched cups of tea and an atmosphere charged with possibilities, doubts, and latent risks.
As soon as he returned to the secure car waiting a few streets away, Lin Feng contacted Zhao Fu.
"Zhao Fu, the meeting is over. The information Jiang Yu provided seems consistent and supports what we have, even adding important details about the workings of Phoenix International and the Horizon Oasis project. The embezzlement mechanism is clearer now." Lin Feng paused for a moment, then added in a more serious tone, "But Jiang Yu... his motives aren't just old friendship or noble indignation. He's playing his own game. There's something he's not telling me."
"What are your instructions, sir?" Zhao Fu asked.
"First, initiate a very discreet and limited background check on Jiang Yu himself. I want to know everything about his professional history, current financial situation, any debts or suspicious connections that might explain his true motives. Second, pass the new details I obtained – the employee names Li Wei and Zhang Hao, the specific transfer dates, the mechanism via Phoenix in the Horizon Oasis project – to Mei Lin immediately and securely. Ask her to focus on verifying these specific points, and look for any digital evidence supporting them, especially any records related to these two employees or the project. We need to move quickly, but with extreme caution. I don't want anyone to feel us closing in."
"Understood, sir. I will start working on that immediately."
Lin Feng ended the call, leaning his head back against the car seat. He had obtained new, strong leads, leads that might take him directly to the heart of Chu Fan's fraudulent operations. But with each new thread, the web grew more complex, and the risks multiplied. Jiang Yu, the old friend, could be an unexpected ally in this battle, or he could be just another pawn being moved, a Trojan horse sent to mislead or trap him. There was no way to know the certain truth yet, but one thing was clear: the game had entered a new, more dangerous phase.