My whole family is involved in diplomacy, so you dare to flex your muscles?

The moment Gu Yun said, "Book the earliest flight to Geneva," Li Ang almost spat out the mouthful of braised beef noodles he had just slurped up.

He quickly put his chopsticks on the bowl, not even bothering to wipe his mouth, and pulled out his phone so that the screen was practically sparking.

"Brother Gu, the earliest flight is at 1:40 AM, from Heathrow to Geneva. There's also a private jet that can take off in two hours, but the air rights need to be coordinated with Switzerland on the spot."

"Use a private jet," Counselor Xu Jianping immediately replied, his expression solemn. "I'll coordinate through the embassy. These Swiss locals are very slippery; at this point, it's all about who's faster. A second later, the goods might be up in the air."

Dean Ma Weihan suddenly stood up, and the movement was so big that the remaining noodle soup in the bowl spilled out.

"I'll go with you!" The old man's bloodshot eyes revealed a fierce determination.

Gu Yun stopped and turned to look at him: "Dean Ma, we need you more to handle the accounting in London."

"I know what you're trying to say," Ma Weihan waved his hand to interrupt him. "The British Museum opening a catalog is unprecedented in a century. But if those Swiss artifacts really do disappear, it's like watching national treasures being repackaged and laundered right under our noses! This old man can't sit still!"

Gu Yun did not reply immediately, but looked calmly at the old man who had dedicated his life to the pursuit of cultural relics.

He understood Ma Weihan all too well. The pursuit of cultural relics is not an ordinary commercial lawsuit; behind every fragment of scroll and every piece of porcelain lies the nerve of a century of national humiliation. Now that they have finally caught the thief by the tail, and the fox is about to cut off its tail to survive, anyone would be furious.

But Gu Yun knew even better that now was not the time to act impulsively.

"Your staying in London is the biggest deterrent to them." Gu Yun's tone was gentle, but it revealed an undeniable determination. "Even if the British Museum opens its doors, they will definitely use professional issues such as 'academic disputes' and 'dating' to stall and drag things out. Without your presence to keep things under control, they would dare to point at Tang Dynasty scriptures and insist that they are Song Dynasty imitations."

Gu Yun picked up his suit jacket from the back of the chair, unfolded it, and put it on. His eyes instantly turned as cold as knives: "You go through their accounts in London, and I'll go to Switzerland to block their freezers. We'll use a two-pronged approach, and neither of us will escape."

Li Ang muttered under his breath, "Brother Gu is using a double-door policy, checking household registrations with his left hand and collecting water meters with his right. They've even scattered my ashes."

Ma Weihan's frustration dissipated considerably after Gu Yun's nonsensical remark. He knew Gu Yun was right; even if he went to Switzerland, he would only be able to watch helplessly. Professional matters should be left to professionals.

"Stop your nonsense, kid." Ma Weihan pointed at Li Ang and instructed, "When you get to Geneva, don't just carry bags and hand over documents. Keep a close eye on Director Gu. Those old money families, big lawyers, and offshore trusts over there are all ruthless and won't act until they see results. They're not to be trifled with."

"Don't worry about me." Li Ang patted his chest loudly. "I've now evolved to the next level. I know how to scheme with just a glance from Brother Gu, and I know how to draw my sword when Brother Gu serves tea."

Gu Yun glanced at him: "Save your nonsense for the plane. The car is waiting outside."

……

In the early hours of the morning in London, the cold rain was like needles.

A private jet broke through the clouds over the British Isles and headed straight for the Alps.

Inside the cabin, Gu Yun didn't rest. He leaned back in his leather seat, flipping through the first encrypted briefing that the Swiss embassy had just sent back.

On the shores of Lake Geneva lies Saint-Pierre Private Storage Company, hailed as the "ultimate safe deposit box" for Europe's old money and reclusive billionaires. Its client list is more secretive than the passwords of Swiss banks, and its security level rivals that of a national treasury.

The three batches of Eastern documents that were requested for emergency transfer were cleverly packaged by the other party as "paper art assets".

"Brother Gu, I know this trick like the back of my hand." Li Ang looked at the documents and sneered, "A high-end financial version of 'floor cleaning machine.' They stuff dirty stuff into a trust, then dump it into a shell company in Liechtenstein, then find a shady appraisal agency to do an insurance valuation, give it a wash, and it transforms into a spotless 'legal art asset.' These old money guys really know how to play the game."

"Have you found out who's behind the transfer application?" Gu Yun didn't even look up, turning to the last page of the briefing.

"Found it." Li Ang pushed up his glasses, his eyes full of disdain. "Through several shell companies, you can trace them all back to the Ashburn family trust. They are an old aristocratic family in the British House of Lords. Their ancestors not only invested in Stein's expeditions, but also had members who served as trustees of the British Museum."

"It was no coincidence after all." Gu Yun closed the file, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "Holden's resignation statement terrified these rats hiding in the gutter. They knew all along that what they had was shady, and they usually acted more respectable than anyone else, but once they found out we were going to expose them, they ran faster than anyone else."

Gu Yun looked out the porthole at the pitch-black night sky.

Fear drives action. And action leaves a trace.

This is the opportunity he's been waiting for.

At 7:00 a.m., the plane landed at Geneva Airport.

As soon as they exited the passageway, Zhou Qiming, the cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland, was already waiting outside with his convoy. Compared to Gu Yun's composure, Counselor Zhou's expression was clearly not good.

"Director Gu, we've run into a snag." As soon as he got into the car, Zhou Qiming wiped the sweat from his brow. "Saint-Pierre Storage Company has just given us a formal reply. They admitted to receiving the transfer application, but cited the 'Swiss secrecy law,' refusing to acknowledge the presence of Chinese cultural relics inside, and even more so, refusing to temporarily freeze the transfer. They said that without a Swiss court's injunction, no one can stop a client from disposing of their private property."

Li Ang immediately exploded: "Then go to court and apply for an injunction!"

Zhou Qiming smiled wryly: "It's a vicious cycle. We want to apply for an injunction, but the court requires a specific list and photos of the items in question; however, the warehousing company refuses to let us see the list on the grounds of privacy; without the list, the court will not accept the case."

"You've played this closed loop pretty smoothly, haven't you? You're just a disgusting person, aren't you?" Li Ang laughed angrily.

Gu Yun's expression remained unchanged; he simply asked, "When will the transfer begin?"

"Ten o'clock in the morning. Three temperature-controlled armed escort vehicles have been scheduled to enter the site." Zhou Qiming looked at his watch and rubbed his hands anxiously.

Gu Yun raised her wrist. 7:20.

There are still two hours and forty minutes until the national treasure is completely exonerated.

"Contact the UNESCO office in Geneva." Gu Yun leaned back in his chair and issued the instructions methodically, "Have them immediately send a letter of concern to Saint-Pierre Company on the grounds of 'high risk of cross-border money laundering of cultural heritage'."

Zhou Qiming paused for a moment, then said, "Director Gu, isn't the term 'money laundering' too strong?"

"When dealing with thugs, if you talk to them politely, they'll just think you're easy to bully." Gu Yun turned his head, looking out the window at the clean and tidy streets of Geneva. "What do the Swiss care about most? Not justice, but their reputation for 'absolute safety.' Tell them that once this batch of filthy goods bearing the blood debts of the British Empire's plunder leaves their door, Saint Pierre Company will be written into the diplomatic white paper jointly issued by China and many other countries as a 'core node in the transnational cultural relic disposal chain.'"

Gu Yun's tone was as calm as if he were discussing the weather, but the murderous intent in his words made the temperature inside the car drop by two degrees.

"Li Ang, prepare the media contingency plan."

"Okay, Brother Gu, how do we write the press release?"

"Just write: On the eve of the British Museum's audit, a mysterious British nobleman transferred stolen goods overnight, and a top Swiss storage institution is suspected of becoming an accomplice in the sale of stolen goods." Gu Yun's lips curled into a cold smile. "Keep it in your hands for now. I want them to know that we not only brought knives, but also the world's loudest megaphone."

At 8:15, the Hongqi convoy came to a smooth stop outside the gate of the Saint-Pierre Warehouse Company.

This is an unassuming, almost boring, gray fortress-like building with no conspicuous signs and very few windows.

Gu Yun pushed open the car door, stepped out with his long legs, and slowly buttoned up his suit jacket.

Upon seeing this, the security personnel behind the gate immediately became alert and blocked the glass door, saying, "Sorry, visitors without an appointment are not allowed to enter."

Zhou Qiming stepped forward and handed over the diplomatic note. The security guard glanced at the bright red national emblem on it, his expression changed, and he quickly used his walkie-talkie to call his superior.

Less than five minutes later, a middle-aged man in a bespoke dark gray suit, his hair meticulously combed, strode out. He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes carrying the arrogance and wariness characteristic of Swiss financial elites.

"Director Gu, I've long admired your name. I'm Bernard, the chief legal counsel of Saint-Pierre Company." He didn't extend his hand, but simply nodded slightly. "We highly respect your government's concerns, but please understand that Switzerland is a neutral country. The cornerstone of our business is absolute client privacy. Without a local court injunction, we will never bow to any foreign government and disclose our clients' asset information."

These remarks were barbed and veiled, using "neutrality" and "law" as their strongest shields.

Gu Yun looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Mr. Bernard, I think you've misunderstood something." Gu Yun put his hands in his pockets, looking down at the other man with a condescending gaze. "I'm not standing here today to ask you to cooperate with an investigation."

Bernard frowned.

Gu Yun leaned slightly forward, her voice low but each word piercing: "Three batches of Eastern documents, transferred at 10:00 AM sharp. The applicant is the Ashburn family trust, and the destination is a shell foundation in Liechtenstein. You think you've kept your books spotless, but guess what will happen if I send this route map, along with the name of your warehousing company, directly to the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and global anti-money laundering monitoring organizations?"

Bernard's expression finally changed, a crack appearing in his previously arrogant demeanor: "Director Gu, this is baseless commercial defamation!"

"Whether it's defamation or not, the market will tell." Gu Yun glanced at his watch. "It's 8:30 now. You can continue to stick to your nonsense about 'absolute privacy.' At 10:01, the Chinese side, together with representatives from multiple victimized countries, will begin a global live broadcast."

Gu Yun stared into his eyes and delivered the fatal blow: "You're in the business of hiding things for the world's rich. If the whole world knew that your so-called most secure 'freezer' was leaking, and that it was leaking bloody political filth... do you think those Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern tycoons, and Wall Street moguls wouldn't rush to move their assets out of your place tomorrow night?"

Bernard's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

He knew all too well the weight of Gu Yun's words. In their line of work, once their reputation was associated with "political sanctions" or "transnational money laundering investigations," it was a catastrophe!

Li Ang chimed in at the opportune moment, waving his phone: "Friendly reminder, Professor Wilson, a leading figure in history at the University of London, just tweeted ten minutes ago. He said that any organization that assists in the transfer of old British coins of unknown origin will be considered a sinner against history. That tweet has already been retweeted over 100,000 times, Mr. Bernard."

Bernard's psychological defenses completely collapsed. He had thought he was only facing a few diplomats who would only protest, but he didn't expect them to play by the rules at all and directly hold a knife to their business lifeline.

"I...I need to report to the board immediately." Bernard's voice trembled slightly.

"Please proceed." Gu Yun gestured for him to proceed, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "By the way, I'd like to remind your board that there's still one hour and twenty minutes until ten o'clock. The Chinese side's patience, like this Geneva morning, has its limits."

Bernard turned and rushed into the building almost as if fleeing.

Zhou Qiming watched in stunned silence. This series of unsportsmanlike moves had turned a diplomatic game into a gangster negotiation, yet it had the other side completely under its thumb.

Nine thirty-five.

Bernard reappeared at the gate, his face three shades paler than before, and he held a document stamped with an official seal in his hand.

"Director Gu..." Bernard took a deep breath, his tone softening completely. "The company's board of directors has made an emergency decision. Based on an assessment of extremely high reputational risk, we have decided to postpone today's three batches of asset transfer applications."

Zhou Qiming breathed a long sigh of relief, and Li Ang almost applauded on the spot.

However, Gu Yun didn't even glance at the document.

"Delay? Mr. Bernard, are you testing my intelligence?" Gu Yun sneered. "You want to smuggle it out again in the middle of the night after we've just left? I'm not asking for a delay, I'm asking for it to be sealed up on the spot."

Gu Yun stated his conditions, enunciating each word clearly: "Before UNESCO observers and Chinese experts arrive to verify the contents, these three batches of goods must not be opened, moved, or have any packaging numbers altered. If even one piece of paper is missing, I will hold your Saint-Pierre Company accountable."

Bernard gritted his teeth, still making a last-ditch effort: "Director Gu, this has completely crossed our bottom line. We can't explain this to our clients..."

"That's your problem, not mine," Gu Yun coldly interrupted him.

Nine fifty-eight.

Under complete psychological pressure, Saint-Pierre Warehousing Company officially issued a legally binding "Temporary Seizure Commitment Letter".

When Li Ang received the documents, he grinned so wide his back teeth were showing, and said in a low voice, "Brother Gu, awesome! This door is completely blocked!"

Gu Yun took the document and was about to check the signatures and dates on it.

Just then, Zhou Qiming's phone suddenly rang urgently. He answered the phone, listened for a few words, and his expression changed drastically.

"Director Gu, the situation has changed!" Zhou Qiming reported urgently, covering the microphone. "We just received news that the Ashburn family's chief legal team has arrived in Geneva and is on their way. They'll be here in ten minutes at most! They're extremely arrogant, demanding that the storage company immediately lift the seizure order and threatening to sue us in the International Court of Justice for illegally interfering with legitimate private property!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ang's smile vanished instantly, and he cursed inwardly, "These old British foxes reacted quickly! The main culprit has come knocking on our door!"

Gu Yun didn't even raise an eyebrow. He slowly folded the sealed commitment letter and handed it to Li Ang behind him.

Then, he turned around and calmly looked at the several black Mercedes cars speeding towards him in the distance.

"You've come at the perfect time." Gu Yun's lips curled into a cold yet expectant smile.

Li Ang was taken aback: "Perfect?"

"If they don't come, we'll have to go through all the trouble of confronting them in London." Gu Yun straightened his cuffs, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a hunt. "Since they've come to us willingly, let's settle this score right here on the shores of Lake Geneva today. Saves us the trouble."