The vicious female supporting role is posted in the opposite direction by the cub

In the emergency conference room on the top floor of Blue Ocean Heavy Industry's headquarters, the air was as still as lead. All the core executives were gathered around the huge circular conference table, and the projection screen displayed the top-secret report that Zheng Guodong had just sent back—the word "port" was marked with a scarlet circle, like two bleeding wounds.

"Bang!" A director in charge of strategic planning slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, his face ashen. "The port?! How could she possibly know about the port?! This is the group's top secret! After the failure fifteen years ago, only the leader in charge in the capital knew about the restart plan! Not even the project code name was in the public documents!"

His voice trembled with extreme shock and anger, his gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present like a searchlight. "Investigate! We must investigate thoroughly! There's definitely a mole inside! Otherwise, how could such core strategic information have fallen into the ears of a local business owner?!"

The meeting room erupted in chaos, with doubts and suspicions filling the oppressive atmosphere.

Suspicious glances were exchanged. Some whispered a limited list of people who had recently come into contact with the port's core documents, while others thought of the timing of Yan Yueqing's precise acquisition of the Dongxi Bay area—shortly after Blue Ocean Heavy Industry completed its final site selection assessment and submitted a confidential report to its superiors designating HZ-07 as the core construction area!

Another senior executive spoke sharply, pointing to another part of the report, "Look at this! The timing of her signing the Dongxi Bay deal! It was just one week after we internally confirmed that HZ-07 was irreplaceable and we had to secure it! Was this woman a prophet, or did she plant a bug in our meeting room?!"

If the original aquaculture farm was a coincidence, what about Dongxi Bay?

Yan Yueqing not only received huge demolition compensation from the original aquaculture farm, but also took the lead and secured the Dongxi Bay sea area adjacent to HZ-07 at a very low cost!

This was no longer just a bargaining chip in business negotiations; it was more like a sharp blade hanging over Blue Ocean Heavy Industry's throat, ready to sever their lifeline at any moment. Her displayed "foresight" sent a chill down the spines of these seasoned executives.

If the group's most core strategies can be leaked, then what kind of security is there to speak of?

"Enough!" The group's CEO, Qin, who had been silent all along and was also the highest-ranking person in charge of this project, suppressed all the noise with his deep and authoritative voice.

"An insider?" He sneered, his voice low but each word like a hammer blow. "What kind of 'insider' do you think could access the prototype of a top-level strategic project that has just completed its final review at the National Development and Reform Commission level and hasn't even been officially included in the public planning sequence? The feasibility study report for restarting the port project currently only exists in the top-secret archives of three relevant ministries in Beijing, and in the safe of our group's highest-level management! If Yan Yueqing has the ability to get information from here, then the power behind her is far beyond what we can speculate about or confront using the term 'insider'!"

The meeting room fell into a deathly silence.

President Qin's words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the flames of blind suspicion that arose from panic among the crowd, but bringing an even deeper chill.

He leaned forward slightly, his finger tapping the keywords "Dongxi Bay" and "port" on the screen, his analysis cold and cruel:
"The key is timing! Her move to secure the Dongxi Bay sea area usage rights was swift, precise, and ruthless! The timing was impeccable. This was by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather premeditated. This can only mean one thing: her understanding of the national new energy industry layout, the final selection of the core area, and even the logical chain that led Blue Ocean Heavy Industry to inevitably target HZ-07 and ultimately connect it to the port plan, is perhaps... ahead of our intelligence channels, or at least synchronized!"

He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable decisiveness:

"Such connections and information channels constitute a terrifying force that we cannot ignore, much less easily offend. To confront her head-on, to question whether she is an 'insider' or 'extortionist,' is not only naive, but could also bring unforeseen trouble upon ourselves! Don't forget, Base One embodies the will of the nation, and any 'uncertainty' that hinders the project's progress could be infinitely magnified and misinterpreted!"

Everyone present was a shrewd individual. President Qin's analysis stripped away the emotional veneer, revealing the naked essence of a power and information game. What Yan Yueqing displayed was not only business acumen, but also an unfathomable background and resource network.

Another director struggled to speak: "Then... Vice President, Zheng Guodong's asking price of 10 billion..." This figure still made his heart bleed.

“Ten billion is an outrageous demand, but it’s not entirely without basis.” President Qin’s eyes gleamed as he regained his businessman’s calm calculation. “She has taken into account the time cost, political risks, reputational collapse, and competitive threats, and she has calculated them very ‘reasonably.’ Zheng Guodong also mentioned in his report that she even broke down this ten billion into ‘three parts of value,’ with such rigorous logic that our people couldn’t find any flaws to refute it… This woman has our Achilles’ heel.”

He looked around at everyone and finally made the decision:
"Ten billion? Impossible! But nine hundred million? That would be humiliating!"

He needed to offer a price that demonstrated sincerity and respect—especially respect for the potential power behind her—without crippling the group, while also testing her true bottom line. President Qin pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping a clear rhythm on the table:

"Tell Zheng Guodong that 6.8 billion is the highest price we can offer based on our absolute emphasis on this national strategic project and our recognition of President Yan's 'vision and wisdom.' We accept the concepts of 'efficiency premium' and 'risk avoidance,' but it needs to be within a 'reasonable' framework. The payment method is negotiable, and a one-time payment is also fine, but we must ensure that she cooperates immediately and unconditionally with the handover. This is our bottom line!"

"Six billion..." someone murmured, still finding it an astronomical figure, but compared to ten billion and the risk of the project failing, it seemed to be the only viable option.

More importantly, the "backstage forces" pointed out by President Qin forced them to weigh the consequences of completely breaking ties with Yan Yueqing.

"That's settled then." President Qin made the final decision, wearily rubbing his temples. "Immediately notify Zheng Guodong and have him take this new proposal to Yan Yueqing as quickly as possible! Lower your stance, but stick to the core conditions. We need to know if she has any deeper cards up her sleeve besides Dongxi Bay and the port!"

When Zheng Guodong received this final instruction in his hotel room, the sweat on his palms almost soaked the encrypted phone.

Sixty-eight billion! This number still made him dizzy, but compared to the furious roar on the other end of the phone when he reported ten billion before, this time the voice of the higher-ups was filled with heaviness, helplessness, and a trace of... fear of the unknown power.

He recalled the vice president's meaningful words at the end of the phone call: "Xiao Zheng, remember, this time we're not just going to talk about the price, but also to 'see' her clearly. Who's behind her? What's the source of her confidence? This 6.8 billion isn't just about buying land, it's about buying 'peace of mind,' buying a pass to ensure the project won't be 'watched' or 'interfered' by higher levels! Make the right gesture, but keep your eyes open!"

After hanging up the phone, Zheng Guodong looked out the window at the dazzling yet unfamiliar night view of Haidu, feeling a mix of emotions.

Just a few days ago, he was the tycoon's representative who stepped into Haixing's humble office with scrutiny and a sense of superiority. Now, he has to present this astronomical quote to that unfathomable woman to "show his sincerity."

Yan Yueqing's calm, deep-sea-like eyes, seemingly able to see through everything, resurfaced in his mind, sending a chill down his spine.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. There was no time for hesitation or reflection.

He immediately summoned his assistant, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable determination: "Prepare immediately! Tomorrow morning, go to Haixing Company! Also," he paused, his eyes filled with complex emotions, "prepare a... um, a top-of-the-line tea and snack gift box from Haidu. Tomorrow, we'll visit President Yan with 'perfect manners'."

The assistant gaped in shock, almost thinking he had misheard.

Bringing a gift? This was completely different from the decisive and domineering CEO Zheng he remembered! But he didn't dare ask any more questions, and just nodded vigorously: "Yes! CEO Zheng! I'll take care of it right away!"

The following day, Zheng Guodong went to Haixing Company with exquisite gifts.

To everyone's surprise, Lei Ran said directly, "I'm sorry, President Zheng, President Yan instructed that if the group's offer is less than seven billion, then there is no need for further discussion. She is very busy."

Zheng Guodong was shocked once again.

Before he could even speak, how did Yan Yueqing know that the group's proposed price was... less than seven billion? (End of Chapter)