After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

Wu Zhiyuan's office was quiet.

Wu Zhiyuan's face turned deathly pale as he stared intently at Guo Xiaojun, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the approval form he had just signed on the table. The still-wet ink was particularly glaring.

Wu Zhiyuan's hand holding the Parker pen began to tremble. The nib touched the table and made a soft "tap-tap" sound, which was particularly clear in the room.

He walked right into a trap that had been prepared for him.

Wu Zhiyuan took a deep breath, forced an awkward smile from his stiff face, and slowed his speech as he said to Guo Xiaojun, "Minister Guo, inventory is a good thing, of course I support it. But is it that urgent? Or was it an 'instruction by phone' from Director Chen?"

Wu Zhiyuan emphasized the last four words.

"As the executive deputy commander-in-chief, how come I haven't received a single tip about such a large-scale operation? This is a matter of great importance. I think we should wait until Director Chen returns tomorrow and report to him in person."

If he can just get through tonight, he'll have a chance to salvage the situation.

Guo Xiaojun stared at Wu Zhiyuan expressionlessly, and only spoke after he finished speaking.

"Director Chen has returned."

Guo Xiaojun's voice was calm, but Wu Zhiyuan's heart sank.

"Director Chen is currently in his office, waiting for you to go to the site together." Guo Xiaojun took half a step forward, his eyes sharp. "The director said that project safety is of utmost importance, especially this kind of special approval that bypasses the system, which carries a high risk. Therefore, it is necessary for you, as the supervisor, to personally confirm and sign off on it. That's the rule."

Wu Zhiyuan knew he had no way out.

Go to the warehouse, that's all.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that saying anything now would be useless; the only way was to act quickly.

Wu Zhiyuan abruptly picked up the signed approval form from the table, gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white. He stood up, walked around the desk, and said to Guo Xiaojun, "Inventory checks are fine. But the suppliers are under even greater financial pressure. We can't let internal inventory checks delay our partners' business and damage the reputation of the Jinshuiwan project."

"I'll go to the finance department first and complete the payment process. You'll be there shortly after."

After saying that, Wu Zhiyuan stopped looking at Guo Xiaojun, grabbed the documents, and strode out of the office, heading straight for the finance department at the end of the corridor.

He needed to act quickly. As long as he could pay the money and make the matter a fait accompli before the inventory results came out, there would still be a chance.

In the corridor, several employees looked at Deputy Commander Wu with surprise as he walked quickly with documents in his hand and his face was flushed.

Wu Zhiyuan ignored him, holding his head high and taking quick, steady steps.

He got closer and closer to the finance department, and the heavy wooden door was right in front of him.

Wu Zhiyuan's heart pounded, and he raised one hand, ready to push the door open.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the door panel—

With a creak.

The door was pulled open from the inside.

Chen Pingfang stood at the door, looking at him calmly, as if he had been waiting for a long time. Behind him was the head of the finance department, who also had a serious expression.

The two stood facing each other at the doorway.

Wu Zhiyuan stopped, his raised hand hovering in mid-air, his expression frozen.

The employees passing by stopped in their tracks, sensing that something was wrong.

"Deputy Commander Wu, are you in such a hurry to make payment?"

Chen Pingfang's tone was very calm.

He glanced at the documents clutched tightly in Wu Zhiyuan's hand and continued, "Perfect timing. I also have a few questions about this emergency fund of tens of millions. Now, all the members of the command team are in the conference room. Let's go over there together and clarify things in front of everyone."

Chen Ping paused for a moment, then smiled.

"That way, we can avoid trouble later, don't you think?"

Chen Ping didn't touch the document; he simply turned to the side, facing the direction of the conference room, and gestured for the other party to proceed.

Wu Zhiyuan had no choice but to go along.

Wu Zhiyuan was taken to the conference room.

When he pushed open the heavy conference room door, he saw that all the middle and senior-level cadres of the command headquarters were sitting very upright on both sides of the conference table.

The scene was very quiet.

Dozens of eyes immediately focused on Wu Zhiyuan, who had been invited in by Chen Pingfang. Their eyes held confusion, curiosity, and a hint of nervousness.

Everyone realized that something was about to happen.

Chen Ping walked to the head seat and slowly sat down, placing his hands on the table with his hands crossed. His gaze calmly swept across the room, finally settling on Wu Zhiyuan, whose face had turned somewhat ashen.

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Deputy Commander Wu, this paper approval form that bypasses the OA system is signed by you."

Chen Ping picked up a copy of a document from the table and waved it gently.

"According to our emergency channel management regulations, paper-based approval is initiated, and the approver must bear full responsibility for the authenticity and compliance of the materials. Now I'm asking you," Chen Pingfang's eyes sharpened, "did you personally verify the quantity and specifications of this batch of special steel worth ten million yuan?"

Under the watchful eyes of dozens of people, Wu Zhiyuan forced his back to straighten, which was about to give way, took a deep breath, and answered with all his might, "Of course! You can trust me to handle things! This afternoon, I went to the warehouse myself and saw with my own eyes that the special steel was piled up like a small mountain! I also watched the warehouse manager fill out the receiving slip, there's absolutely no problem!"

His voice echoed in the conference room.

"very good."

Chen Ping nodded, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

He didn't ask any further questions, but calmly turned the laptop in front of him and then pressed the switch on the projector in front of him.

hum-

The large screen at the front of the conference room lit up.

A surveillance video appeared on the screen. The timestamp in the upper right corner of the screen clearly showed that it was the time this afternoon when Wu Zhiyuan claimed to have been to the warehouse.

In the footage, the camera is pointed directly at the designated area that should have been filled with special steel.

However, there was nothing there.

Only a few fallen leaves twirled on the cement ground.

The entire conference room fell silent instantly.

Everyone's eyes were first fixed on the empty ground on the screen, and then slowly shifted to Wu Zhiyuan's pale face.

Wu Zhiyuan stared at the screen, then everything went black, and all the strength drained from his body. He slumped down, leaning heavily against the back of his chair, his forehead covered in cold sweat that slid down his cheeks.

His earlier assurances have become a joke in the face of irrefutable evidence.

The expressions on the faces of the other cadres in the meeting room quickly changed from shock to disdain and sudden realization.

Chen Ping reached out and turned off the projector.

The conference room returned to darkness. Only Wu Zhiyuan's heavy breathing could be heard, sounding particularly clear in the silence.

His political life came to an end at this moment.