Outside the warehouse, crates of robot components were being loaded into trucks. Watching the process with a smug expression was Feng Dahai, visibly proud of himself.
Once the final crate was secured, he asked, "Where's Chen Mo? Why didn't he come?"
Li Danni frowned, her patience already thin. Trouble never came alone—and lately, there had been no shortage of it. Their company was huge, but every mess added pressure.
In Binhai City, anyone with sense avoided picking a fight with the Marching Ant Company. The fact that someone from the Quality Inspection Bureau had shown up today was very likely an attempt to dig for problems.
Still, the officials had come with all the proper documentation. They couldn't be turned away. Cooperation was the only option.
"I'm the one handling product-related matters," Li Danni replied curtly.
"I want to speak with Chen Mo directly," Feng Dahai pressed, his tone entitled. "Take me to him."
"The boss is busy," she answered flatly, not even sparing him a glance. She'd seen enough of his type before—spoiled brats with too much money and too little sense.
"No time?" Feng Dahai sneered. "Do you even know who I am? Are you implying that your company isn't interested in passing the quality inspection?"
Li Danni stared at him a moment, then silently picked up the phone.
Soon enough, under the escort of a robot, Feng Dahai was led into Chen Mo's office. As he took in the luxurious design and advanced atmosphere of the company, jealousy flickered in his eyes. The Marching Ant Company was dripping in wealth—the richest enterprise in the entire country. First place by far, and no real second.
When he entered, Chen Mo was already seated calmly at his desk, his expression unreadable.
"You were looking for me?" Chen Mo's voice was neutral, almost casual.
"I came to make a deal," Feng Dahai said, sitting down with exaggerated confidence. "I can help your company pass the upcoming quality inspection."
"Oh?" Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "From what I understand, you're not an official."
"I'm not," Feng Dahai admitted, "but my uncle is—Feng Jianfei, deputy director of your provincial Quality Inspection Bureau. If he gives the word, your company's inspection will go through smoothly."
"Is that so?" Chen Mo's voice held the slightest note of feigned surprise.
"It's simple." Feng Dahai lifted five fingers. "Fifty million. That's the deal."
Chen Mo smiled faintly, motioning for him to continue.
"Five million is for you," Feng Dahai continued, "a drop in the bucket for a company like yours—barely the price of ten robots. The rest goes to my uncle. With that, the quality check is as good as done."
"Our products have no quality issues," Chen Mo said coolly. "We have nothing to fear from an inspection. And as for your offer—I'm not interested."
"If you turn it down, it's not just your robots that'll be inspected," Feng Dahai threatened. "Phones, computers—your entire production line. When that happens, don't cry about it."
Chen Mo leaned back, utterly unbothered. "Do what you like."
That calm response was the last straw. Feng Dahai stood up, furious. "Fine! Let's see how long your robots keep selling once production's halted for rectification!"
He stormed out.
Chen Mo didn't even blink. "Mo Nu, did you record that conversation?"
"All recorded," came the AI's reply.
"Good. Contact Yao Yi."
In the city's municipal office, Yao Yi was approving documents when his smart assistant spoke.
"Sir, call from Chen Mo."
Yao Yi's eyes widened slightly. Chen Mo rarely contacted him directly—normally, it was Zhao Min. For him to call personally meant something serious.
"Connect," he said.
"Chen Mo! You calling me yourself? That's rare," Yao Yi said warmly.
"I usually leave things to Zhao Min," Chen Mo replied, "but this one landed on my desk."
"Oh? Must be serious if you're calling personally."
Yao Yi was already running through possibilities. He never played favorites, and wasn't one to hand out shortcuts. If Chen Mo wanted special treatment, he'd have to think carefully about how to decline.
"Are you at your computer?" Chen Mo asked.
"Just finishing up some work."
"I'm sending you a video. Take a look."
Moments later, an email notification popped up on Yao Yi's screen. He opened the compressed file. As the video played, his face darkened.
"I considered posting this online," Chen Mo said, "but I figured that might create unnecessary fallout. So I'm giving you a heads-up. Just this morning, some people from the Quality Inspection Bureau visited us and took product samples. We're more than willing to cooperate with normal inspections. We've got nothing to hide. But I don't want this turning into something ugly."
Yao Yi's voice grew firm. "Rest assured, I'll personally make sure the inspection is handled fairly and by the book."
"Good. That puts my mind at ease."
"But as for the video," Yao Yi continued, "leave it with me. Don't post it publicly. Right now, all we have is the word of a nephew—no proof that Feng Jianfei himself is involved. Publishing it prematurely might lead to complications. I'll submit the footage to the provincial records office and request an internal investigation. If anything's confirmed, I'll keep you informed."
Chen Mo nodded. "I'll wait for your update. I'll visit sometime when I get the chance."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
Once the call ended, Yao Yi sat back and watched the video again. His expression remained grim as he searched for Feng Jianfei's records and dialed a number.
A rat, threatening to bring down the whole house.
The Marching Ant Company wasn't just some startup—it was the pride of Binhai, a strategic pillar of their future development. If this scandal pushed them to relocate, any other city in the country would shower them with incentives to lure them away.
If Chen Mo even hinted at moving headquarters, Yao Yi knew cities would come begging.
Marching Ant was that valuable.
This scandal wasn't just a case of petty corruption—it was a threat to Binhai's future.
And if someone like Feng Jianfei really was involved?
Then someone was going to pay.