The evil dragon has been released from prison; it will only kill, not save!

A development loan of 2.2 billion.

An annual contract worth 600 million.

Who oversees the approval process for renewing these collaborations?

"The development loan is with our bank's provincial branch, and the logistics contract is with Haofan Supply Chain Management Company's business department. I'm in charge of coordinating both."

"Okay, don't move yet. I'll give you a signal before you move."

"clear."

Qin Hao hung up the phone.

Two billion plus six hundred million.

The Zhou family's interests are much more deeply intertwined within the Haofan system than Zhuang Mingyuan's.

This knife is sharper than the one used against Zhuang Mingyuan last time.

But we can't rush it.

The Zhou family isn't like Zhuang Mingyuan, a local tycoon. The Jinling Group has deep roots in the provincial capital, so they need to be strategic when they make moves.

Deal with Helian Yuan first.

Then deal with the Zhou family.

Qin Hao got into the car and drove towards Yunxiwu.

Today, it's time to interrogate that two-faced, treacherous White Wolf Chairman.

……

The underground secret chamber of Yunqiwu.

Helian Yuan was imprisoned for a day and a night.

No one hit him, no one interrogated him, and no one even said a word to him.

There was only one incandescent light bulb, an iron chair, and four cement walls.

When Qin Hao pushed open the door to the secret room, Helian Yuan was leaning back in an iron chair with his eyes closed.

He opened his eyes when he heard footsteps.

"Qin...Master."

Hoarseness.

Qin Hao moved a chair and sat opposite him, crossing his legs.

"Helian Yuan, guess why I invited you here?"

Helian Yuan licked his dry, chapped lips.

"This subordinate is unaware—"

"You don't know?" Qin Hao chuckled. "You've spoken with the people from the Heavenly Fiend Alliance a total of seven times."

Helian Yuan's body stiffened.

"The Heavenly Fiend Alliance infiltrated Longhai to carry out the autumn hunt, and you were the contact. They obtained my whereabouts and the White Lotus Sect's internal deployment through you—where Cold Crow was being held, how many guards were on duty, and the patrol schedule. You were the one who relayed all of this information."

Helian Yuan's fingers began to tremble.

"Master, I—"

"The day before yesterday, people from the Falcon Pavilion sneaked into Cloud Dwelling to silence us. They knew the exact location of Cold Crow in the interrogation room. This information was known only to you and Fang Jiuming."

Qin Hao paused for a moment.

"Fang Jiuming risked his life to protect people, and what about you? What were you doing that night?"

Sweat beaded on Helian Yuan's forehead.

"Master! I was forced into this! The people from the Heavenly Fiend Alliance threatened me—saying that if I didn't cooperate, they would expose everything the White Wolf Society had done in the past—"

"So you betrayed your master for personal gain?"

"I wasn't a seller! I just... I only provided some irrelevant information—"

"The position of the raven is considered insignificant?"

Helian Yuan opened his mouth, then closed it.

Qin Hao took out a needle case from his pocket.

The moment Helian Yuan saw the box, he sprang up from his chair—but the iron chains kept him firmly locked to the chair.

"No! Master! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Qin Hao placed the needle case on his lap but did not open it.

Who is the person in charge of the Heavenly Fiend Alliance in Longhai?

"His surname is Meng, and his name is Meng Xiaotian! He's a hall master in the Heavenly Fiend Alliance!"

Where is he?

"I don't know where he is now—before, he was always the one who contacted me first, using a disposable number—"

"Who gave the order for the autumn hunt?"

Helian Yuan swallowed hard.

"Meng Xiaotian said... the order came from the provincial headquarters, and the leader of the Tian Sha Alliance personally gave his approval."

"What is the name of the leader of the Heavenly Fiend Alliance?"

"I don't know! I really don't know! Meng Xiaotian only told me one thing—the alliance leader has connections with the military, and no one dares to offend him."

military.

It's pointing there again.

"The Eagle Falcon Pavilion came to silence the Crow—was this order also given to you by Meng Xiaotian?"

Helian Yuan shook his head frantically: "I know nothing about what happened that day! I only told Meng Xiaotian the location where Han Ya was being held—I didn't know they would send people to kill him—"

"You didn't know? You gave out your location, didn't you know they'd come to silence you?"

Helian Yuan was speechless.

Qin Hao stood up.

"Helian Yuan, according to the White Lotus Sect's rules, those who betray the sect and collude with the enemy—"

"Master, spare my life!" Helian Yuan lunged forward from his chair, the iron chains rattling. "I'm willing to atone for my sins! I'll confess every detail of how Meng Xiaotian contacted me—the time, the method, the content! I also know about the Heavenly Fiend Alliance's two supply depots in Longhai!"

Qin Hao looked down at him.

"Are you still of any use to me?"

"Yes! Yes!" Helian Yuan was covered in sweat. "Meng Xiaotian spoke to me on the phone three days ago—he said that after the autumn hunt failed, the higher-ups were very dissatisfied and might take action in a different way. He mentioned a word... 'uproot'."

Cut off the roots.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure... but he said cutting off the roots is more effective than beheading. He told me to stay in hiding and wait for new instructions."

Qin Hao remained silent for a few seconds.

Cut off the roots.

Instead of killing Qin Hao himself, they severed his foundation—his family, business, and connections.

Or... the chain of evidence.

USB flash drive, Uncle Three, Ji Changlin.

Where are the supplies stored?

Helian Yuan provided two addresses.

Qin Hao remembered it and turned to leave.

"Master! I...can I survive?"

Qin Hao didn't even turn his head.

"Let's see how much of what you confess is true."

He walked out of the secret room and closed the door behind him.

In the corridor, Fang Jiuming stood against the wall.

"Did you hear everything?"

"I heard you." Fang Jiuming's face was very ugly. "That bastard... should have been killed long ago."

"Keep him alive for now. We'll send someone to check the two supply depots he mentioned today. If they're true, he might live a few more days."

"Yes."

Qin Hao went upstairs.

"Sever the roots".

He took out his phone and sent a message to Wei Shiyue:

Starting today, security at the old residence, Peninsula Garden, the hospital, and the Lin Group will be upgraded to level one. Everyone connected to me—Lin Chutang, Shen Youchu, Yu Lingxiao, Qin Ruoqing, and my third uncle—will be placed under 24-hour protection.

Another message was sent to Jiang Qingqian:

[Expedite the data processing for Minghui Communications; I need a complete communication log and customer list within three days. Also, move the USB drive and backup hard drive to a new location—I'll discuss the location in person tonight.]

After sending the message, Qin Hao walked out of Yunqiwu.

The sunlight fell on my face, feeling warm and cozy.

But he knew in his heart that the storm was yet to come.

He got into the car and dialed Gu Zhaoning's number.

"Your people will move into Yunxiwu this afternoon. Fang Jiuming will meet them at the door."

"it is good."

"There's one more thing—do you have complete evidence regarding the financial dealings between Jinling Group and Yinfeng Hall?"

"I have the transfer records, timestamps, and account information. But if we take legal action, they'll say it was normal business dealings."

"Not through the law."

There was a moment of silence on Gu Zhaoning's end.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Don't worry about it, just make a backup of the evidence. Within three days, the Zhou family will take the initiative to withdraw that lawyer's letter and will even come to you on their knees to apologize."

Gu Zhaoning chuckled softly.

"Then I'll wait for your good news."

Qin Hao hung up the phone.

Two hundred meters after the car left Yunxiwu, my phone rang again.

Lin Chutang.

"Qin Hao, are you coming back for lunch?"

"Return."

"What would you like to eat?"

I'll eat whatever you make.

"Then I'll ask Auntie to cook a couple more dishes. Oh, by the way—" Lin Chutang paused for a moment, "Someone came to the company to see me this morning, saying he was your friend."

Qin Hao tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Who?"

"Zhou Ziheng".