Chapter 295 No matter what method you use, I want results!

"Jiang Jing is currently in the Imperial Capital." Lee Ji-yeon spoke quickly, but her thoughts were clear. "He arrived the day before yesterday and yesterday received the conferment of Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The ceremony was of an extremely high standard, personally presented by that elder."

"This afternoon, he accepted an exclusive interview with the CCTV Finance Channel, and the host was a woman named Yan Shuyao..."

"Back in Rong City, his women... the situation is basically stable, with no abnormalities."

She reported Jiang Jing's recent itinerary and the observations she had made in great detail, demonstrating an extremely strong capacity for information gathering and memory.

"Academician... Hmph, China is certainly willing to invest heavily." Lee Hyun-ki gave a soft huff on the other end of the line, his tone unreadable.

But he immediately became serious. "This superficial intelligence is of little value. What about the core issues I care about? The brain control system, the neural sensing technology—are there any clues?"

"The plan must be accelerated; the group's desire for those two technologies far exceeds your imagination!"

"I have been observing very carefully." Lee Ji-yeon bit her delicate lower lip, a look of distress and frustration appearing on her face.

"But... Jiang Jing does not seem to have the habit of compiling technical data into written documents at all."

"Taking advantage of cleaning and tidying up, I have checked almost every place in his study and bedroom where things could be hidden, and I even managed to briefly access the electronic devices he uses frequently, but found nothing."

"In this manor, there seems to be no paper documents or devices storing the core technology at all."

Lee Ji-yeon's tone was filled with frustration: "Those technologies seem like... seem like they only exist in his brain."

"Idiot!" Lee Hyun-ki's voice carried a hint of anger. "How could such cutting-edge, complex technology possibly rely entirely on memory?"

"Even if the core principles are in his head, there must be supplementary calculations and design data!"

"He must be using a highly secretive storage method that we don't know about!"

"Or, he hasn't kept these things with him at all, but has handed them over to China's most core classified agency!"

He paused, his tone carrying an unquestionable command: "I don't care what method he uses; don't forget your mission, and don't forget that your younger brother's future is still in the hands of the group!"

"We must obtain those technologies. If soft tactics don't work, then use hard ones! Temptation, extracting information, infiltration... no matter what means you use, I want results!"

The hand Lee Ji-yeon used to hold the phone trembled slightly, her fingernails almost digging into her palm.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm: "I... I understand. I will find another way."

"Hurry up! The longer China has these technologies, the smaller our advantage becomes!" Lee Hyun-ki emphasized this last point before coldly hanging up the phone.

Listening to the busy signal from the phone, Lee Ji-yeon leaned helplessly against the cold wall and slowly slid down to the floor.

Her heart was filled with secret resentment and helplessness.

Why wouldn't Jiang Jing put the technology out in the open?

Even just a single clue would be enough!

That way, she would at least know where to start.

Now, this feeling of having nowhere to start made her feel tormented.

Her thoughts drifted involuntarily back to Lee Hyun-ki's last sentence— "No matter what means you use..."

Does it really have to come to that?

If she really threw herself at him... would he accept?

After accepting, would she be able to extract the core technology from him?

At the thought of potentially having to submit to that big lecher who seemed to never refuse a beautiful woman, Lee Ji-yeon's heart became a tangled mess.

She just sat there in the cold corner, hugging her knees and spacing out, not even noticing when someone approached.

"Ji-yeon? Why are you sitting here alone? Is something bothering you?" A gentle female voice sounded behind her, filled with concern.

Lee Ji-yeon snapped back to reality, quickly concealing all the outward emotions on her face. When she turned her head, she had already put on her trademark smile.

The person who had arrived was Li Xue.

"Sister Xue," Lee Ji-yeon stood up and gently patted the dust off her clothes, her tone soft. "It's nothing, just... just a bit homesick, so I came out to get some air."

She hid her emotions well, as if the person who had been secretly talking to someone and struggling internally just moments ago wasn't her.

Li Xue looked at her; her intuition told her that Lee Ji-yeon's state just now wasn't right, and it certainly wasn't as simple as just being homesick.

The complex expression she had caught on her face, which hadn't yet completely faded, raised a sliver of doubt in Li Xue's heart.

However, looking at Lee Ji-yeon's gentle, obedient, and harmless appearance right now, she couldn't figure out what could possibly be wrong.

Perhaps... she was really overthinking it?

After all, for a girl alone in a foreign land who didn't speak the language very well, it was normal to have some homesickness.

Li Xue shook her head, temporarily suppressing that sliver of doubt, and said gently: "It's cold outside, hurry back. If there's anything you need help with, you can tell us anytime."

"Mm, thank you for your concern, Sister Xue, I'll go back now." Lee Ji-yeon nodded obediently and followed Li Xue back, turning back into that quiet, well-behaved, and dutiful maid.

However, deep in her lowered eyes, a hint of imperceptible anxiety and determination flashed quietly.

There wasn't much time left.

She had to make a decision as soon as possible.

...South Korea, the top floor of the Yixing Group headquarters, inside an extremely luxurious office.

Lee Hyun-ki hung up the call with Lee Ji-yeon, a trace of dissatisfaction and restlessness on his face, and turned to the elder sitting behind the massive desk, who radiated authority without even being angry.

The highest authority of the Yixing Group, his father—Lee Xinhai.

"Father, it seems that woman is still by Jiang Jing's side and has yet to make any substantive progress; she hasn't even touched the edge of the core technology." Lee Hyun-ki's tone was filled with displeasure.

Lee Xinhai slowly put down the cigar in his hand.

He was nearly seventy years old, his hair combed meticulously, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, as if they could pierce through people's hearts.

He glanced indifferently at his ambitious third son, his voice steady and devoid of emotion:

"Calm down, Hyun-ki. Having no progress is a very normal thing."

"If Jiang Jing's technology were so easy to obtain, he wouldn't have achieved such a high status and level of importance in China."

He picked up the crystal wine glass on the table, gently swirling the amber liquid inside, and continued: "Lee Ji-yeon is merely a chess piece we have placed."

"If this piece succeeds, naturally that is for the best; it can save us a lot of trouble."

"However, we cannot pin all our hopes on one woman."

He paused, using an authentic Chinese proverb to enlighten his son: "There is an old Chinese saying, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.' You must understand this principle."

Upon hearing this, Lee Hyun-ki immediately reined in the restlessness on his face and respectfully lowered his head: "Yes, Father, I have learned my lesson."