A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

Chapter 231 Black and White Impermanence and the Lamb to the Slaughter

"Mr. Li, although I know you two are very experienced in reporting, as I've already mentioned, I still need to inform you beforehand. All your press releases for this interview will need to be reviewed by us. Only after we approve them can they be submitted to your publication. Furthermore, the timeliness of the news will also be determined by us; you can only publish it once we decide it's ready."

"We understand."

They both nodded.

I learned about this kind of news reporting involving illegal or unethical activities back in school.

It was not a timely interview.

It's a delay, not a timeout.

For example, take Liu Xiaoqing. When Li Mu learned that the relevant departments were going to investigate her that day, he immediately published the news in the newspaper. The headline was something like "Liu Xiaoqing Illegally Evades Taxes," and instantly, the whole country was in an uproar.

In the end, there was insufficient evidence to prove her innocence.

So, who do you think is to blame for this?

If their reputation is ruined, would they be happy? It also makes the relevant departments seem incompetent—reporting something with absolutely no clues but ultimately finding nothing…

Therefore, any news that violates the law is actually a delayed report.

Even the disciplinary inspection commission, before making an arrest, will conduct a covert investigation to gather sufficient evidence against the person before taking action. And even if the news reports the next day that an official has been taken away by the disciplinary commission…

Just remember this: when it comes to public affairs, if it makes the news, it's definitely not baseless.

This principle is almost 100% accurate.

Of course, this assumes the media outlet is a credible official media outlet, and in terms of credibility, it can only be said that the *Southern Metropolis Daily* doesn't quite qualify.

It needs to be at the daily report level.

"Teacher Qin, please rest assured, even if we encounter Liu Xiaoqing herself later, we will not conduct any interviews. Today, our task is simply to record the meticulousness and attentiveness of all the staff during the investigation, their warm and precise enforcement of the law, and the accuracy and precision achieved through multi-departmental collaboration. Nothing else will be done. We will only record, without speaking."

"..."\

Li Mu's summary was spot on... it was clearly a compliment, but it sounded incredibly pleasant, leaving Qin Liyan momentarily speechless.

Those who are qualified to pass the civil service exam are already highly competitive, having been selected through a rigorous, highly competitive process.

But at this moment, Qin Liyan felt like a greenhorn compared to the others.

Look how beautifully you speak, it's like singing.

The investigation was thorough, the law enforcement was compassionate, and the cooperation was precise…

Wow, just this one sentence is enough to warrant a speech on the spirit of learning, isn't it?

He nodded as he thought about it:

"Yes, we certainly believe in your abilities. If anything happens, just let me know."

"clear."\

Then, not long after the car started moving, Li Mu suddenly paused:

"Isn't this...the Asian Games Village?"

"Yes, Reporter Li came here?"

"...I've been here before. Wasn't the Olympics held here too?"

"Right there. The main stadium is already in the planning stages."

After pointing in one direction, Qin Liyan turned right at the intersection and then pointed to the office building ahead:

"Xiaoqing Industrial Group is located here."

Li Mu glanced at the signboard of the office building: Anli Garden.

Then, a group of vehicles, including two minibuses, arrived at the office building entrance.

The office building wasn't very large, with four floors in total. Li Mu estimated that each floor was around one or two thousand square meters.

perhaps.\

It was already past rush hour, but there were still people coming and going from the office building. Seeing this, everyone couldn't help but look on, curious about what was going on.

But no one explained to the passersby that after everyone, including Li Mu, got off the bus, the group headed straight into the office building.

Meanwhile, Li Mu and Sui Kuan were taking photos outside the group.

And you know what... at first glance, it looks like a leadership team on an inspection tour.

Upon entering the office building, Li Mu glanced at the floor plan and realized... these four floors all belonged to Liu Xiaoqing's industrial group.

No wonder there weren't many people.

Next, the queue began to split into different groups. With some bewildered staff at the front desk, some people took the stairs, while others took the elevator.

The clatter of footsteps seemed to echo even more in the empty space.

Li Mu and Sui Kuan followed Zhang Kun and Qin Liyan into the elevator, and no one spoke. Furthermore, in Li Mu's observation, everyone's expression was calm.

It was as if they were already used to this kind of scene.

Soon, the elevator arrived at the top floor, the fourth floor. As Zhang Kun stepped out of the elevator, he said:

"Xiao Qin, take these two reporters with you."

"clear."\

Then, with Qin Liyan deliberately lagging behind, Li Mu and Sui Kuan watched as the two groups of people in the elevator walked into the various offices.

At the same time, a voice sounded in my ear:

"Check! Everyone stop what you're doing and remove your hands from the table."

The voice wasn't aggressive; it was more like issuing a notice, not the angry roar of "FBI, open the door, hands up!" that Li Mu had imagined.

There was an unusual quietness about it.

Then, after Qin Liyan saw the people in the first office gradually enter, he said:

"Let's go take a look at that room."

Li Mu looked up at the room's sign: Finance Office.

Following Qin Liyan inside, Li Mu saw several people in uniforms standing in the room, while the women in ordinary clothes looked bewildered.

Stand to one side.

Inside, staff were reviewing various documents.

One of the older brothers asked:

"Who is in charge of this office? Raise your hand."

Li Mu directly raised the digital camera.

After taking a few photos, the older man had already instructed the people in the finance office to open the safe.

Qin Liyan patted Li Mu on the shoulder, indicating that he could leave.

The three of them had barely stepped outside when he pointed ahead:

"Over there, the general manager's office, let's go there."

"good."\

He strode quickly to the double doors, and as soon as he stepped inside, Li Mu heard a voice:

"Economic Investigation Division, Yanjing Public Security Bureau. My surname is Zhu, you can call me Captain Zhu. Now, we need to review the following documents, Manager Jing, please cooperate with our work."

Li Mu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a middle-aged man sitting in an office chair who looked visibly bewildered.

So he raised his camera again.

After two sharp, cracking sounds, Manager Jing turned around, saw Li Mu, and his first reaction was to spread his five fingers and shout:

"Who authorized you to film this?"

"Manager Jing, please cooperate with our work."

Captain Zhu interrupted him.

So Li Mu continued taking pictures.

But... with a reporter's intuition, he could sense that the other person had suddenly become nervous.

This time, however, he didn't spread his arms to block the camera's view. Instead, he obediently bent down, opened drawers and cabinets, and took out stacks of documents.

To be honest, the office is quite luxuriously decorated.

Solid wood floors, a boss's chair, a large boss's desk... you can tell at a glance that this is the office of a successful person.

In particular, Manager Jing was dressed in a suit and tie, exuding a remarkable air.

Coincidentally, everyone in the room was wearing a uniform.

Manager Jing's suit was clearly the best in terms of style and workmanship. Yet, at this moment, facing the other people in suits and uniforms, Li Mu had a feeling… that they were nothing more than chickens and ducks waiting to be slaughtered.

Or rather, to Manager Jing, these staff members were like the Black and White Impermanence, and he was the little devil beneath them.

No matter how powerful they were in life, here they are nothing more than lambs to the slaughter...

His limbs were somewhat stiff.

As one document after another was taken out, suddenly, a voice sounded from behind:

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Everyone, including Li Mu, turned their heads away.

Liu Xiaoqing!

Liu Xiaoqing, the undisputed leading lady of the film and television industry, stood at the doorway, dressed in a well-fitting thick dress, with an elegant hairstyle, exuding an intellectual and powerful aura, her eyes filled with doubt.

Logically, Li Mu should have immediately turned the camera around and started filming her.

Even though...her reputation among journalists has never been very good.

Some say she's too arrogant, that she insulted reporters, left them waiting in the rain for hours without paying them any attention, and finally walked away.

Or if they don't want to be interviewed, their staff or bodyguards will simply grab the camera...

And so on and so forth.

Her reputation among journalists has never been great.

But... sometimes the relationship between entertainment reporters and celebrities is quite a love-hate one, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them her simps.

No matter how she treats reporters, as long as there's news, they still have to follow her around like glue.

But at this moment, when he saw this rumored top female celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry, Li Mu's eyes were unusually calm.

He only lingered on her for a second longer than necessary.

Liu Xiaoqing, too, saw Li Mu.

Or perhaps it was her actress's sensitivity that allowed her to spot the cameras in Li Mu and Sui Kuan's hands at a glance.

Furthermore, judging from their incongruous attire... Liu Xiaoqing immediately realized that these two were definitely not staff members, but most likely reporters.

So, instinctively, countless excuses for refusing interviews popped into her head.

But……\

She racked her brains, but she never expected that Li Mu's gaze would only linger on her for a second longer before he turned his head away as if she were a complete stranger.

The camera in his hand was never even pointed at her.

As if they didn't know each other.

？\

Liu Xiaoqing was taken aback.

But the very next second, the middle-aged man in the room, who was holding the documents and was also her brother-in-law, whose full name was "Jing An," said:

"It's none of your business; they need to see some contracts."

As he spoke, Li Mu raised his camera again and pointed it at him.

Jing'an's face was now very pale, and he was even staring intently at Liu Xiaoqing.

Without him saying a word, everyone understood the meaning in his eyes:

"This is none of your business, get out of here."

Did Liu Xiaoqing understand?

Of course I understand.

But she still had doubts:

"What contract?"

At that moment, someone behind her spoke up:

"It's nothing, you go about your business."

"..."\