webnovelvip Chapter 186 Zhou Lixing, the young master of the imperial dynasty, makes his appearance, his eyes fi
Chapter 186 Zhou Lixing, the young master of the imperial dynasty, makes his appearance, his eyes fi
The headquarters building of Dynasty Entertainment in Beijing's CBD.
The air on the top floor was so cold it felt like it had solidified; the chill emanating from the central air conditioning vents carried a metallic, chilling quality.
Zhao Jianguo stood in front of his desk, his neck hunched. This tycoon, who usually swaggered around in the entertainment industry, now resembled a schoolboy who had made a mistake, not daring to even breathe loudly. His gaze was fixed on the ground, and he didn't even dare to look up at the swivel chair opposite him.
"How much did it drop?"
A cold, emotionless voice came from the shadows.
"Young Master Zhou... Young Master Zhou."
Zhao Jianguo swallowed hard, his voice trembling violently.
"By the close of trading today, the market value of the Dynasty had shrunk by 12%. After Lin Zhou was exposed, all of our core film and television stocks fell. Those shareholders are all cursing us, saying that we are short-sighted, letting go of such a god-like figure and insisting on offending him."
"Shortsighted?"
The swivel chair slowly turned around.
Zhou Lixing's pale, almost sickly face was exposed to the light.
He was young, wearing a well-tailored handmade suit, and the blood-red gemstone button on the cuff gleamed eerily under the light.
Compared to Zhao Jianguo's rough and tumble demeanor, Zhou Lixing possessed a more refined ruthlessness brought back from Wall Street.
He didn't look at Zhao Jianguo, but stared at a coin between his fingers, letting it nimbly flutter between them.
"Uncle Zhao, you're getting old."
Zhou Lixing spoke calmly.
"The tactics you used to employ—buying online trolls, fabricating dirt, and hiring people to smear you—are as cheap as street vendor goods in the face of the capital market. Who is Lin Zhou? He's a variable who can produce high-quality content. You either need to recruit him or uproot him before he grows into a towering tree."
"But you did the opposite; instead of pulling it out, you used it as fertilizer."
Cold sweat instantly poured down Zhao Jianguo's forehead, soaking his expensive suit.
"Young Master, I... I never expected this kid to be so cunning. He really was just a good-for-nothing who only knew how to live off women!"
"waste?"
Zhou Lixing finally raised his eyes.
What kind of eyes were those?
His expression was sinister and cold; when his pupils slightly contracted, he resembled a venomous snake eyeing its prey, exuding a chilling, neurotic quality.
"There is no such thing as absolute waste in this world, only assets in the wrong place. Lin Zhou's rise may seem strange to you, but in my opinion, it is simply the result of Starry Sky Media's precise manipulation behind the scenes."
He gripped the coin tightly, and a deathly silence fell over the surroundings.
"Uncle Zhao, you can go and rest now. I'll arrange for someone else to take over the position of vice president of the Imperial Dynasty. As for the hundreds of millions you've embezzled over the years, I'll spare you from prison out of consideration for your past relationship with my father. Go to the finance department tomorrow to settle your accounts and get out of Beijing."
"Young Master! You can't do this! I'm a hero!"
Zhao Jianguo looked up in alarm.
"roll."
Zhou Lixing didn't even glance at him, only uttering a single word.
Two bodyguards, dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, who had been guarding the door, walked in silently and dragged the limp Zhao Jianguo out like a chicken.
The faint sound of Zhao Jianguo begging for mercy could be heard in the corridor, but it was immediately cut off by the thick soundproof door.
The office returned to tranquility.
Zhou Lixing stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the dazzling city below.
His gaze finally settled on the logo of the Starry Sky Media building in the distance.
Starry Sky Media…
Zhou Lixing pulled a photo out of his suit pocket; it was a picture of Lin Zhou and Su Qingge embracing on stage last night.
His fingers gently stroked Su Qingge's cheek in the photo, his eyes revealing a twisted possessiveness.
"Qingge, Qingge, back then you were willing to lower yourself to get a marriage certificate with this scumbag, but you wouldn't even give me a second glance. And now? You think you can turn your company around just by winning a singing competition with him?"
He suddenly squeezed his wrist, crumpling the photo into an ugly ball.
Zhou Lixing is abnormal, and this abnormality stems from his extreme pursuit of order and control.
In his view, a woman like Su Qingge should be the most perfect collectible of Dynasty Entertainment, a top symbol under the operation of capital.
And Lin Zhou?
It was nothing more than a flea that suddenly barged onto the chessboard and disrupted his plans.
"Young Master, the investigation is complete."
An assistant-like person walked in silently, carrying a thick document in his hand.
"Starry Sky Media has been making quick moves lately. Leveraging Lin Zhou's popularity, they've secured the distribution and promotion contracts for three S-level big-budget productions. Moreover, Su Qingge is secretly contacting several venture capital firms, seemingly hoping to raise funds through Lin Zhou's personal brand and completely break free from our blockade."
"Financing?"
Zhou Lixing sat back down at his desk, a cruel smile curving his lips.
"In this industry, without my approval, Zhou Lixing, who would dare to invest in Starry Sky? Go and inform those investment banks that anyone who dares to accept Su Qingge's bid is going against Dynasty. Also, contact those short-selling institutions in the industry and prepare some 'material' about Starry Sky Media's financial fraud."
"Young Master, financial fraud? We have no evidence."
The assistant hesitated for a moment.
"evidence?"
Zhou Lixing laughed sinisterly, as if he had heard a joke.
"In the capital market, as long as people believe it, it's the truth. The moment the stock price plummets, Su Qingge won't be able to explain herself even if she had a hundred mouths. I'll make her kneel back and beg me to help her up."
As he spoke, he turned on the monitor in front of him.
On the screen, Lin Zhou's "Versailles" speech from the "Masked Singer" show was being replayed.
Lin Zhou's face, which had a touch of roguishness and a touch of indifference, was particularly glaring in Zhou Lixing's eyes.
In particular, the phrase "Leaving others a way out is also a virtue" seemed to be jumping around on Zhou Lixing's face repeatedly.
"Genius? All-rounder?"
Zhou Lixing stared into Lin Zhou's eyes and squeezed out a few cold words through clenched teeth.
"Lin Zhou, you can code, direct, and sing. But I want to see if your frail body can withstand the crushing force of a dynasty like the Imperial Dynasty."
"The world of vanity and fortune doesn't need gods, it only needs obedient tools."
He reached out and turned off the screen, as if all the light around him was being absorbed into those sinister eyes.
The landline on my desk rang; it was the old man from the Zhou family calling.
"Lixing, the Lin Zhou incident has blown up too much and damaged our image."
On the phone, the aged voice sounded dissatisfied.
"Don't worry, Grandpa."
When Zhou Lixing answered the phone, the gloom on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a gentle and refined expression, and his tone became extremely humble.
"He's just a lucky flea. I've already made arrangements. Since he wants to play the hero, I'll make sure he and his Starry Sky Media go down to the bottom of the sea. I'll give him a big gift at the awards ceremony in a few days."
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Lixing disappeared back into the shadows.
He casually picked up the remote control on the table and pressed the pause button.
The camera paused on the moment when Lin Zhou was holding Su Qingge, smiling most brightly.
"In this industry, without capital to back you up, you are nothing."
Zhou Lixing narrowed his eyes, his gaze surging with a frenzied malice.
"A mere actress and a washed-up diva dare to challenge me?"