099 Conspiracy

Lin Qi had absolutely no interest in their commercial dealings, but upon hearing the words "Dragon Rise Group is definitely finished," he found himself unable to resist listening in.

It turned out Song Qingzhu planned to acquire a parcel of land along Jianshe Street for real estate development.

The land spanned nearly a hundred mu, at first glance unremarkable, with scant supporting infrastructure nearby.

Yet Song Qingzhu possessed insider information that a key elementary school was slated for construction in the vicinity.

Once completed, the land's value would double overnight!

With twenty billion yuan in funds assembled, Song Qingzhu was determined to secure this plot.

Jin Yang Group and Dragon Rise Group were both enterprises valued at over a hundred billion, yet this figure represented all assets under their control rather than cash reserves alone. Raising twenty billion thus required Song Qingzhu to exhaust every resource, scour the globe for capital, and even take out substantial bank loans.

"The director of the Education Bureau is my old acquaintance; he only revealed this to me personally..." Sitting in the rear seat of the car, Song Qingzhu spoke while discreetly watching Lin Qi to confirm he was eavesdropping, then continued, "Lately we've been locked in a bitter struggle with Dragon Rise Group, committing nearly all our funds to the cause. Once we claim this land and the municipal authorities announce the elementary school project, we'll immediately resell it at a premium. Twenty billion will become forty billion. With such ample capital, defeating Dragon Rise Group will be a straightforward matter..."

By then Dragon Rise Group would be destitute, facing Jin Yang Group's relentless assault, leaving them with no power to retaliate.

Devouring their entire portfolio of projects and production lines would be inevitable.

Song Qingzhu recounted her scheme with evident satisfaction, clearly convinced that the downfall of Dragon Rise Group was all but assured.

"We're here," Lin Qi suddenly pulled over.

"See you tomorrow," Song Qingzhu stepped out of the car, still on the phone, walking toward the villa.

Lin Qi drove away.

In the villa, Zhou the secretary waited.

"President Song, how did it go?" Zhou the secretary approached at once.

"Everything is prepared; we need only a catalyst," Song Qingzhu said gravely. "As long as Lin Qi passes this intelligence to Tang Long and Tang Long takes the bait, Dragon Rise Group will be finished!"

"Will we even be able to deceive Tang Long? He's a cunning old fox..." Zhou the secretary said with concern.

"It should be no problem; this is the news Lin Qi relayed," Song Qingzhu declared confidently. "Tang Long will undoubtedly investigate thoroughly, but soon he will discover that every word Lin Qi spoke is true. I did indeed mortgage numerous factories to obtain the twenty billion loan, which further confirms my claims..."

Saying this, Song Qingzhu exhaled a long breath, "As long as Tang Long takes the bait, he too will mortgage many assets to acquire that land with funds exceeding twenty billion! By then he will learn the land is worthless and that the elementary school announcement is fabricated. Yet he will be running on empty, besieged by both internal and external crises—not only with a zero balance but deeply in debt to the banks—so it will be the ideal moment for us to strike..."

Zhou the secretary said excitedly, "Finally we will see Dragon Rise Group collapse!"

Meanwhile.

Lin Qi returned home.

He was alone in the house. Since Luo Feifei became deputy manager, overtime had become routine.

Lin Qi sat motionless on the sofa.

He was indeed considering whether to tell Tang Long about this news.

Technically, he had no business meddling in such commercial affairs.

As he had once said: Tang Long's rise was his ability; his fall was his fate.

Regardless of how the two groups had clashed before, Lin Qi had turned a blind eye to it.

Yet this time Song Qingzhu clearly intended to annihilate Dragon Rise Group entirely!

If the plan succeeded, Tang Long would not only lose all his current assets but also incur a mountain of external debts and loans.

Should he remain indifferent?

Lin Qi picked up his phone several times but set it down again.

To be honest, Song Qingzhu had been good to him, helping him on multiple occasions.

Song Qingzhu trusted him so deeply as to confide such an important commercial secret right in front of him.

What was he doing—a spy? An infiltrator?

Moreover, after repeated tests, Song Qingzhu was almost certainly not from "that side."

Betraying her would be heartless.

Besides, was Tang Long so fragile? He was a commercial genius favored by his father!

No matter what problems arose, Tang Long believed he could handle them properly.

In the worst case, even if Tang Long found himself stripped bare, he still had many capable subordinates who had achieved remarkable success in various places. Assisting him to rise again would be effortless.

Very well, that was the plan; he would not inform him.

If Dragon Rise Group truly collapsed, it could also serve as a lesson for Tang Long. The business world was inherently fraught with peril, a path where one could ascend to glory overnight or descend to beggary in a single night.

Could he help this time and not the next?

"Tang Long, it is up to you..."

Lin Qi silently prayed in his heart.