A song from Chengdu revived a closed-down pub.

The reception room remained quiet for a long time.

Finally, Sun Zheng said, "Okay, I agree, but you must guarantee that you can help me settle this matter, including Su Fan and the tax issues."

"Don't worry, Mr. Sun. Now that I've taken your shares, I will do my best."

"Mr. Honda, what are your plans next?"

Honda Yuji said unhurriedly, "Didn't he put all his eggs in one basket with NetEase Cloud Music? What makes a platform rise so quickly? It's traffic, reputation, and user trust. But these three things come quickly and collapse just as quickly."

"You're planning to do something with this?"

"Think about it, if something shady suddenly comes out on NetEase Cloud Music, like copyright infringement, content moderation going out of control, or user data leaks... do you think, with the authorities cracking down so strictly right now, they might just take the opportunity to investigate NetEase Cloud Music as well?"

Sun Zheng gasped: "Are you trying to frame me?"

"The word 'framing' is too offensive. We're just helping that platform expose its true colors. When the time comes, we won't even need to lift a finger; someone else will take care of it for us."

Sun Zheng felt a chill run down his spine.

He had to admit that this move was insidious and vicious.

Sun Zheng said with some concern, "But now platforms all have review mechanisms, so this method is unlikely to be effective."

Honda Yuji said unhurriedly, "Mr. Sun, there is an old Chinese saying: 'A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men.'"

"Are you trying to bribe someone on the inside? That would be illegal if it got exposed."

"Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. Besides, even if it is exposed, it is due to their poor management."

Sun Zheng thought for a moment and said, "I need to think about it and I'll get back to you later."

……

Sun Zheng returned to his office, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

He lit a cigarette and began mentally calculating the cost of the transaction.

"Even if Honda Yuji's wicked plan succeeds, and NetEase Cloud Music is investigated, leaving Su Fan overwhelmed and unable to care for himself, then what?"

"What did I gain? The shares have already been sold, which is a real loss. And did Su Fan's two demands on him just vanish into thin air?"

"No, definitely not. Besides, that old Taoist's influence is undeniable, and the investigation from above is still looming. Even if the Yi Yun platform collapses, Su Fan himself won't. People will demand everything they owe him, not a penny less."

"In other words, the deal is done. He sold his shares, but he didn't reduce his debts at all. His only gain was distracting Su Fan. What kind of bailout is that?"

"This is assuming it works out. What if it doesn't? What if I get implicated? Then I'll have to pay back Su Fan's debts, take the blame for the authorities, and give away the shares for nothing..."

Thinking of this, Sun Zheng felt a chill run down his spine.

"Yuji Honda's move, from beginning to end, has never helped me solve the problem at all."

"The so-called solution is just to temporarily divert Su Fan's attention and buy me some breathing room."

"But what's the price? It's shares, leverage, and a ticking time bomb."

"To put it bluntly, Honda Yuji took advantage of my predicament to snatch up Beifeng's shares without any investment, and also dragged me onto a pirate ship. It doesn't matter where the ship is headed, what matters is that once it capsizes, I, Sun Zheng, will definitely be the one who drowns."

"What a helpful gesture."

Sun Zheng sat in his office until the wee hours of the morning, his ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts.

As dawn broke, he made a decision: "Instead of struggling in a dead end on both sides, I should choose a way to survive."

He picked up his phone and dialed Su Fan's number directly.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Su Fan's lazy voice came from the other end: "Hello, who is this?"

"My name is Sun Zheng, President Su. I'd like to meet with you."

"There's no need. I won't change my previous conditions," Su Fan refused directly.

"We can discuss the terms when we meet. Right now, I have something more important that I want to tell you in person."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Su Fan said, "Okay, give me the address."

……

The two met.

Sun Zheng didn't beat around the bush. After sitting down, he told Honda Yuji's entire plan, from demanding shares to framing NetEase Cloud Music, in detail.

Su Fan asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"

Sun Zheng gave a wry smile and said self-deprecatingly, "Although I'm not a good person, I won't let foreign capital take control of my company step by step, and then have to take the blame when problems arise. Besides, I don't want to become a lackey of a small business."

Su Fan glanced at him twice and said calmly, "President Sun, you should be glad that you still have your bottom line."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just that people still need to have a bottom line."

After saying that, Su Fan put down his teacup and got up to leave.

Sun Zheng quickly stopped him: "President Su, what about... your previous request..."

"My two demands will not change. You know that targeting you is only one aspect. This matter also involves the person in charge behind you."

Sun Zheng couldn't help but say, "But even so, it doesn't bother him at all."

"Who said I was going to touch him? I just want to break down your so-called circle."

Sun Zheng stood there, stunned, his mind going blank. He finally understood Su Fan's intention.

If Sun Zheng compromises, it means Jiang Xiangdong has compromised.

Back at that dinner table, Su Fan, in front of everyone, asked Jiang Xiangdong to urge Sun Zheng to pay the debt on his behalf.

That seemingly joking remark was made in front of the entire industry.

All the entertainment companies in Kyoto are watching this.

Whether Sun Zheng retreats or not is Jiang Xiangdong's attitude.

Once he steps down, and the news gets out, everyone will understand one thing: even Jiang Xiangdong can't protect his own people.

The unity that this circle is so proud of has never relied on loyalty or friendship, but rather on the idea that sticking together is useful.

Once the consensus becomes that sticking together is useless, this seemingly solid network will loosen on its own.

To put it another way, if a second Su Fan were to appear in the future, these people would never unite as they have this time to stand up and suppress him.

Because everyone will first consider what benefits they gained from forming a group last time.

Su Fan's target was never just Sun Zheng.

What Su Fan wants to tear down is this wall.

As he was leaving, Su Fan said, "By the way, Mr. Sun, are you interested in getting involved in other sectors?"

Sun Zheng asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing, just a casual question. We can talk about it another time."

After saying that, Su Fan left without looking back, leaving Sun Zheng standing there dumbfounded.