Handong: Sha Li wants political achievements? I'll shut down the entire province.

"This...this is impossible!" Li Dakang suddenly jumped up from the leather sofa.

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead and trickled down his cheeks.

Handing over the city's main transportation artery to a private conglomerate? And having absolute operating and toll collection rights for the next fifty years?

Within the system, this is considered stepping on the highest line of the high-voltage line!

"Master Yan, you're not just building a factory, you're trying to expose the provincial party committee's corruption!"

Li Dakang's voice trembled, and he waved his hands wildly in the air as if trying to grasp at some straw.

"Secretary Sha will absolutely not approve it, and the provincial standing committee will definitely not pass it either!"

Yan Qingfeng remained silent.

His eyes suddenly turned cold, and his previously languid posture instantly became serious, like a beast eyeing its prey.

A palpable sense of oppression spread throughout the spacious office.

Li Dakang felt that even breathing had become difficult, and it felt like a huge rock was pressing on his chest.

"Secretary Li, do you think that building a factory in Lingxiao is just about constructing a few workshops and hiring a few thousand workers?"

Yan Qingfeng stood up and walked step by step to Li Dakang.

The handmade leather shoes trod silently on the Persian carpet, yet they sent shivers down Li Dakang's spine.

"Once solid-state batteries are mass-produced, they will be a massive black hole in terms of throughput."

He turned and walked to the holographic sand table, pointing to the few glaring red lines.

"What I want to build is a fully enclosed, driverless, intelligent logistics network."

"Tens of thousands of driverless heavy trucks will run on these highways 24 hours a day, without sleep or rest."

Yan Qingfeng stared into Li Dakang's eyes, his tone icy, leaving no room for negotiation.

"You want me to hand over this level of vital logistics lifeline to your system's tollbooths to manually lift the barriers?"

"Or are you suggesting that the local road administration officials who check for overloading and extort money keep stopping my driverless car and issuing tickets every day?"

Li Dakang opened his mouth, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't make a sound.

He spent half his life working at the grassroots level, so he knows all too well what those checkpoints and obstacles are all about.

"Lingxiao's efficiency leaves no room for even the slightest impurity from within the system."

Yan Qingfeng sneered, put his hands in his pockets, and turned to walk back to the boss's chair.

"If you want this trillion-dollar GDP, Jingzhou has to completely give way to me."

Li Dakang gripped his briefcase tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white and cracking.

"But... Mr. Yan, the issue of highway toll rights is too big. As a municipal party secretary, I really can't cover it all up."

He looked at Yan Qingfeng almost pleadingly, lowering his posture to the lowest possible level.

"If those people in the province knew I sold the road, they could drown me with their spittle."

"Could you change your terms? Ask for two more plots of land, and a ten-year tax exemption—I'll do everything I can to make it happen for you!"

"If you don't have the guts, don't take on a job you're not qualified for."

Zhou Yuan, who had been standing by watching the show, scoffed.

He walked to his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a red-headed document marked "Top Secret".

Zhou Yuan walked back to the sofa and casually tossed it aside.

The document slammed onto the coffee table and slid right under Li Dakang's nose.

"Secretary Li, open your eyes and see clearly. Don't treat Jingzhou like a hot commodity."

The folder unfolded, revealing a draft agreement inside, stamped with the red seal of the Lincheng Municipal Party Committee.

Yan Qingfeng picked up his coffee cup, his tone casual, yet it cut into Li Dakang's heart like a knife.

"Last night, the Party Secretary of Lincheng was waiting downstairs in this building."

"He's more decisive than you. He delivered the entire highway network within Lincheng to your doorstep."

Yan Qingfeng took a sip of coffee, his eyes filled with amusement.

"Jingzhou is unwilling, so be it. My super factory will be located in Lincheng tomorrow."

He put down the cup, the glass base tapping against the table with a crisp sound.

"At that time, Jingzhou won't even get a sip of soup from this trillion-dollar pie."

"Just stay and tend to your few run-down highways, and slowly climb the corporate ladder and make your fortune."

Lincheng!

These two words struck Li Dakang like a heavy hammer blow to the back of the head.

Jingzhou and Lincheng have always been bitter rivals, and in recent years they have almost fought tooth and nail to be number one in the province.

If Lin Cheng were to swallow this enormous pie, Li Dakang would never be able to hold his head high in Handong for the rest of his life!

This is a nuclear-level achievement that could completely change the economic landscape of Handong!

If he succeeds, not only the provincial party committee, but even the capital city will have to look up to him.

But if he messes things up and sells the highway franchise without authorization, Sha Ruijin could really skin him alive.

He could even picture Sha Ruijin slamming his fist on the table and cursing during a Standing Committee meeting.

To cede Jingzhou's expressway network for fifty years is simply an unequal treaty that humiliates and destroys the country!

Li Dakang's chest heaved violently, his breathing heavy like that of an old ox pulling a millstone.

It felt like two groups of people were fighting fiercely in his mind, making his temples throb.

To gamble or not to gamble?

If you don't gamble, you'll just watch Lincheng take off and become a complete joke.

If you take the gamble, even if you're shattered to pieces, you still have a chance to reach that unattainable cloud.

Yan Qingfeng didn't have time to watch him struggle.

He picked up the purple clay teapot on the coffee table and slowly poured himself a cup of tea.

In the customs of the capital, this is called serving tea to guests.

"Zhou Yuan," Yan Qingfeng said calmly, without even glancing at Li Dakang.

"Here!" Zhou Yuan immediately stood up straight and gestured to Li Dakang with a mischievous grin.

"Give a message to Lincheng and tell them that the signing ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow morning."

Yan Qingfeng blew away the foam on the tea, without even lifting his eyelids.

"Secretary Li, please take care and don't see me off."

As Zhou Yuan's hand was about to touch the doorknob, Li Dakang's eyes turned completely red.

He bit his lip so hard it bled.

A strong, metallic taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, stimulating his tense nerves.

He can't leave! If he steps out of this door today, Li Dakang's political career will be over!

Screw the high-voltage lines!

If we just dump that trillion-dollar GDP onto Sha Ruijin's desk, who would dare touch him?

As long as the political achievements are great enough, even the biggest hole can be plugged!

"Bang!"

Li Dakang suddenly swung his arm and slammed his hand heavily on the mahogany desk.

The loud noise echoed through the spacious office.

He raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Yan Qingfeng, like a gambler who had lost everything.

"Alright! Master Yan, I, Li Dakang, accept your terms!"

"Give me three days, and I'll handle the Standing Committee meeting; I'll handle Sha Ruijin!"

"But this phenomenal achievement must be attributed to me, Li Dakang, alone!"