178: Chapter 178 The Fish Takes the Bait

By the lakeside of Imperial Capital University, at an outdoor cafe.

The afternoon sun was bright, piercing through the shade of the trees to cast mottled light and shadows. A copy of 'Das Kapital' lay open before Chen Muyang, but his attention was not on the book. He sat there with an upright posture. He had been coming here for three days, appearing in this exact spot on time every day. He was waiting.

The fish he was waiting for finally appeared.

Anna was dressed in sportswear, her hair in a neat high ponytail, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead. Having finished her run, she headed straight for the cafe. She sat down at the table next to Chen Muyang and ordered a glass of ice water. She turned her head 'casually,' her gaze landing on Chen Muyang. A look of 'surprise' appeared on her face as she stood up and walked toward him.

“Junior Chen, what a coincidence.” Anna's voice carried a Swedish accent, perfectly sweet.

Chen Muyang looked up, a hint of surprise 'flashing' in his eyes, and then he stood up.

“Senior Anna,” he responded politely.

Anna sat down with a friendly smile. “What have you been busy with lately? You don't look very well.”

Chen Muyang's brow furrowed slightly, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table as he glanced at his phone screen from time to time. He let out a sigh.

“Family matters, they're troublesome,” he lowered his voice.

A sharp glint flashed in Anna's eyes. Instead of asking directly, she skillfully steered the conversation toward the pressures of being an heir to a family business. Her words were full of understanding.

“Behind the glamour of wealthy families, there are hardships that outsiders don't see.” Anna slowed her pace, as if she could relate. “Especially for someone like you, who has just started to stand out on campus and carries the identity of the future heir to the Huihuang Group, the pressure must be even greater.”

Chen Muyang gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

“You're right, Senior. Recently, my father has been pushing an epoch-making biological project, and we have a lot of disagreements.” He lowered his voice further. “He's too aggressive and has ignored some potential safety risks.”

The look in Anna's eyes deepened. She asked with concern, “What project? It sounds very impressive.”

Chen Muyang waved his hand, striking a posture as if he were hesitating to speak.

“Let's not mention it. However, Senior, did you see the press conference for Huihuang Pictures and Xingyao Entertainment?” He changed the subject, his face 'deliberately' showing a sense of pride.

Anna nodded. “Of course, it was spectacular. Both the holographic technology and the biotechnology were breathtaking. Especially the biotechnology; it feels like it will change the world.”

Chen Muyang 'casually' glanced at his phone, his brow tightening again.

Anna caught his change in mood. She continued to show concern, like a true friend worrying for him. She said softly, “Junior, if you have any troubles, you can talk to me. Maybe I can help; after all, I've had some contact with cutting-edge research in Sweden.”

Chen Muyang hesitated for a moment before finally being 'persuaded.' He lowered his voice again. “It's that 'Life No. 1' project. My father has invested too much, but there has always been a controversy internally regarding its safety. Especially the cell binding rate; there's a data model that has remained unstable.”

The sharp glint flashed in Anna's eyes again. Her face remained full of concern as her voice grew even softer. “If the data is unstable, then the consequences...”

Chen Muyang's face turned 'heavy,' and he did not respond.

A few days later, the Imperial Capital University Student Union held a business elite cocktail party. Chen Muyang was surrounded by several classmates from the finance department and had a few too many drinks. Taking advantage of the alcohol, he swayed slightly and 'accidentally' ran into Anna in a corner.

“Junior Chen, you've had too much to drink.” Anna stepped forward to support him.

Chen Muyang looked at her 'hazily,' a hint of grievance in his eyes.

“Senior Anna... you're still the one who cares about me.” His voice was slurred, thick with the effects of alcohol.

Anna helped him sit down on a sofa and handed him a glass of water. She skillfully brought the conversation back to 'Life No. 1'.

“Junior, about the safety of 'Life No. 1' you mentioned last time, what exactly is the problem?” Anna asked softly, her tone carrying just the right amount of concern.

Chen Muyang 'slipped up under the influence,' lowering his voice and leaning forward.

“The cell binding rate... if that data model shows rejection, the consequences would be unimaginable. My father... he's been blinded by success and won't listen to anything.” He covered his forehead 'in pain'.”

A flash of joy that was hard to detect crossed Anna's eyes. She knew she had completely found the breakthrough.

She sent the intelligence back to Prometheus Company. The high-level executives were delighted. They needed hard evidence. Anna received instructions that she must obtain that data model. She sought out Chen Muyang once more.

“Junior, I have a relative who works in a biological laboratory at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; perhaps he can help.” Anna's tone was sincere. “I could privately ask him to anonymously analyze the data to see how serious the problem really is. That way, you'll have more confidence when you communicate with Uncle Chen.”

Chen Muyang 'struggled' intensely. He 'hesitated' for a long time before finally being 'persuaded'.”

“The data is in my father's encrypted server, but I know a background maintenance port that's open for a limited three-minute window.” His voice was hoarse, carrying the tension of 'taking a desperate risk'.”

“Two days from now, in the library's independent study room, I'll risk downloading the data. Help me keep watch so nobody finds out,” he instructed.

Anna nodded, knowing the fish had completely taken the bait.

Two days later, in the library's independent study room.

On Chen Muyang's laptop screen, code scrolled rapidly as the progress bar moved slowly forward. The firewall alarm 'beeped' incessantly. His fingers tapped on the keyboard, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He was staging a tense 'hacker intrusion'.”

“Almost there...” he muttered to himself.

Finally, an encrypted file was downloaded to the desktop. He quickly copied it onto a USB flash drive. Just as the drive was pulled out, Anna's phone rang. It was a companion she had arranged to create a commotion outside, drawing the administrator away.

“I'll go check it out.” Anna stood up.

In a blind spot of the hallway surveillance, she used a miniature device to copy the entire contents of the USB drive within three seconds. She returned to the study room. Chen Muyang was nervously tucking the USB drive into his pocket as if nothing had happened.

That night, inside the study of the Courtyard House.

Chen Fan and Chen Muyang stood side by side, and on the screen before them was the surveillance footage. The entire process of Anna successfully transmitting the data back to the Prometheus headquarters was recorded in full.

Immediately after, intercepted intelligence showed that the board of directors of Prometheus Company had held an emergency meeting. They decided to immediately terminate all unrelated projects. Thirty billion USD was mobilized to fully produce a special medicine targeting the fatal flaw of 'Life No. 1'.”

Prometheus Company's global production lines began to shift, and a massive capital chain was mobilized. All of it flooded toward the grave they had dug with their own hands. Chen Muyang's clenched fist relaxed.

Chen Fan turned off the surveillance screen, and the study returned to silence. He patted his son's shoulder, a cold satisfaction on his face.

“The fish is already in the net,” he said calmly.

“Next, it's time to haul the net in.”

He turned his gaze out the window. The night was deep, but it could not hide the impending thunder. A counterattack against the international pharmaceutical giant had only just begun.

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