Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

A muffled "bang" was heard.

The door to VIP meeting room number one slammed shut. Thomas, along with his terrified legal team, fled the National Development and Reform Commission building like stray dogs.

The floor was covered with white scraps of paper swirling in the cold air from the air conditioner.

Zhao Ruihu stood there, his eyes twitching violently.

He looked at the young man sitting in the main seat, slowly pouring himself water, and an uncontrollable surge of joy welled up inside him.

This kid... is doomed.

This joint venture project, worth hundreds of billions, not only affects the future budget allocation of the High-Tech Department, but also involves the interests of more than a dozen large and small groups in Beijing. How many people are hoping to "get a share" from this project? How many mouths are waiting to be fed?

Now, everything has been torn to shreds by Liu Ming's actions.

"Director Liu, do you know what you've done?"

Zhao Ruihu suppressed a smile and put on a pained expression. "That's the M Group! By driving them away, you've not only destroyed our country's only hope for cooperation in EUV light sources, but you've also burned the hard work of so many veteran comrades in this building to ashes!"

Liu Ming blew on the tea leaves floating on the rim of her cup and glanced at him indifferently.

"If Deputy Director Zhao feels bad about it, he can chase after them now, kneel down and stick those scraps of paper back together. It might not be too late."

"you!"

Zhao Ruihu was speechless, his face turning red. He snorted coldly, "Fine! I'll see if you, Director Liu, can still be so tough after the ministry holds you accountable!"

After saying that, he turned and strode out of the conference room. He had to hurry and report to the bigwigs whose sources of income had been cut off; this fire had to be burned even brighter.

Less than half an hour.

The red secure internal phone in Liu Ming's office rang incessantly, like a death knell.

"Ring ring—!"

Chen Momo stood in front of the table, holding a stack of documents, staring at the constantly beeping red telephone, her face pale.

"Director... this is the fifth one already. The assistant director from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission just called, and his tone was very unpleasant. He said that you would bear historical responsibility for unilaterally interrupting national-level negotiations."

"Historical responsibility?"

Liu Ming smiled. He picked up the microphone and, without even a pleasantry, pressed the speakerphone button.

"Hello, is this Comrade Liu Ming?"

A deep, authoritative voice with a heavy official tone came from the other end of the phone.

"I'm Sun Degang from the Fourth Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce. I heard you kicked out the representatives of M Group? Comrade Liu, attracting investment is not child's play! Foreign companies have concerns and make demands; this is normal business negotiation. Your simplistic and crude approach is damaging the favorable investment environment for foreign companies that we have cultivated over the years!"

These words sounded very respectable. But Liu Ming knew very well that Director Sun's wife owned a shell company that acted as an agent for M Group in purchasing.

Once the project fails, his wife's annual income of tens of millions will also stop.

"Director Sun."

Liu Ming leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound.

"Attracting foreign investment is no child's play. Therefore, I cannot risk the core interests of the country to play child's play with foreigners."

"That supplementary agreement requires the Chinese side to relinquish control over the technology and to postpone profit sharing indefinitely. Director Sun, if this is what you call 'normal business negotiation,' then I suggest you check the Qing Dynasty legal code to see if there is such an article in it."

"You...you're just being unreasonable!" Sun Degang gasped, his voice rising abruptly, "Let me tell you, not only is the Ministry of Commerce paying attention to this, but higher-ups are also asking about it! If you don't take immediate remedial measures, you can't afford the consequences!"

"beep."

Liu Ming didn't say a word more and hung up the phone immediately.

Chen Momo watched from the side, her heart pounding with fear.

This is a big shot from the Ministry of Commerce! He was just taken down like that?

Before she could even catch her breath, the phone rang again.

This time, the caller ID display shows a higher priority level.

—Executive Vice Minister of a certain department.

"Liu Ming, you're too young." As soon as the call connected, the other party adopted the tone of a wise elder. "Serving as an official in Yancheng is about getting along with the crowd and making money through harmony. Your actions have not only damaged the reputation of foreign capital but also chilled the hearts of our own comrades."

"Comrade Vice Minister."

Liu Ming's gaze gradually turned cold. The fierce and ruthless aura he had developed on the battlefield sent a chill down the spine of the other person, even through the telephone line.

"I don't understand 'blending in with the world.' I only know that when it comes to national interests, we will not yield an inch. As for some comrades feeling disheartened..."

Liu Ming sneered, "That's because they've never truly cared about this country."

"You've gone too far!"

"beep."

The call was disconnected again.

The entire afternoon.

Liu Ming's office was like the eye of a storm. From department heads and bureau chiefs of ministries to some retired leaders who still had connections everywhere, and even a few spokespeople from Yancheng's top second-generation elite circles.

They used threats, bribes, or the pretense of "considering the bigger picture" to try to force Liu Ming to back down and bring M Group back.

But Liu Ming was like a rock in a latrine, both smelly and hard.

No matter how prestigious the title the other party wields, no matter what kind of attitude they display, he only has one thing to say:

"If the agreement isn't changed, then get out. Whoever wants to sign it can sign it themselves."

It was almost time to get off work in the evening.

Throughout the National Development and Reform Commission building, the news that "the newly appointed director of the High Technology Department has gone mad and single-handedly challenged half of the officialdom in Yancheng" has been spreading like wildfire.

Everyone thought Liu Ming was doomed.

This blatant act of overturning the system and cutting off people's livelihoods is undoubtedly a self-inflicted wound in officialdom. Even with Old Lin backing him up, he absolutely cannot withstand the combined backlash from so many interest groups.

On the other side of the building, in the deputy director's office.

Zhao Ruihu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of red wine, looking at the endless stream of car lights below, his smile almost reaching his ears.

"idiot."

He swirled the wine in his glass, the crimson liquid forming an alluring arc on the glass.

"I originally thought you were some kind of formidable character. I never expected you to be just a hothead who acts recklessly out of pure enthusiasm."

"We offended the Ministry of Commerce, we offended the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and we even cut off the financial lifeline of those veteran comrades."

Zhao Ruihu took a sip of red wine, his eyes gleaming with a cruel yet triumphant light.

He knew there was no need for him to intervene. Those powerful figures whose interests had been threatened by Liu Ming would be piling impeachment reports onto the council's desks first thing tomorrow morning.

In the unfathomable depths of Yancheng, a dragon that doesn't know the rules is destined to be torn apart by the tangled piranhas, leaving not even bone fragments.

"Liu Ming, Liu Ming, your death is near."