The King of Urban Mercenaries
Chapter 355 - 355 355 Borrowing Gu's Sword to Eliminate the Traitor Fang Part 3

355: Chapter 355: Borrowing Gu’s Sword to Eliminate the Traitor Fang (Part 3) 355: Chapter 355: Borrowing Gu’s Sword to Eliminate the Traitor Fang (Part 3) Zhonghai City Council, Gu Lanzi’s leadership office.

As Fang Zhentao left, Gu Lanzi, who had been sitting upright and tense as if facing a great enemy, seemed like a deflated ball, leaning back on the sofa.

What seemed like a casual conversation was, to Gu Lanzi who was in the midst of it, a situation of enormous psychological pressure.

Though it was just a seemingly tactful refusal, after all, everyone involved was a person of status.

Some things did not need to be stated too directly, nor was there a need to be too blunt.

In short, both Gu Lanzi and Fang Zhentao were well aware that the relationship between the two had completely soured.

This time, Fang Zhentao’s personal visit was to finalize the support fund, even going so far as to prematurely inform Gu Lanzi of his intention to acquire Mu Group—clearly showing how much he valued the support fund.

Yet, Gu Lanzi, appearing tactful but resolutely, refused Fang Zhentao.

Regardless of the reasons Gu Lanzi had for refusing Fang Zhentao, the face-off between her and Fang Zhentao had become an established fact.

Originally, according to Gu Lanzi’s plan, she had not intended to confront Fang Zhentao so prematurely.

After all, the Fang Family was wealthy and powerful, and Fang Zhentao was the Family Head, while she was a deputy leader in charge of economic affairs, destined to interact with the Fang Family in the future.

Now, having tactfully refused Fang Zhentao was akin to indirectly souring the relationship with the Fang Family, which was extremely unfavorable for her future work.

However, Gu Lanzi did it anyway.

Not just because Fang Wenxi, impetuous as he was, had lost Meishilin to Lin Fei.

More so, this incident inspired Gu Lanzi to conduct private investigations into Fangxing Group and even the entire Fang Family, and she discovered some problems unknown to the public.

The business world is like a battlefield, and behind every successful consortium, there inevitably are issues of one sort or another.

As a deputy leader in charge of economic affairs, Gu Lanzi was not unaware of this.

However, Fang Zhentao’s rather urgent attitude regarding the support fund had heightened Gu Lanzi’s alertness.

Initially, when Fang Wenxi lost Meishilin to Lin Fei and Fang Zhentao called to mention expediting the support fund, Gu Lanzi had already become somewhat cautious.

And this time, the fact that Fang Zhentao personally came over, even disclosing his intention to acquire Mu Group, a rather secretive business plan, made Gu Lanzi think deeply.

As a situation-wary woman, especially as a deputy leader in charge of economic affairs in Zhonghai, if Gu Lanzi were not meticulous, how could she maintain her position as a deputy leader?

Regarding Fangxing Group and even the entire Fang Family, Gu Lanzi had already conducted a thorough investigation when she took the lead in setting up the key enterprise support fund.

Although Fang Wenxi, acting on impulse, had lost Meishilin, which was in hand, to Lin Fei, Gu Lanzi was well aware that for the Fang Family, losing Meishilin was far from debilitating.

Yet, Fang Zhentao was very eager to secure the support fund.

The most intuitive feeling it gave Gu Lanzi was that the Fang Family was running out of money!

If the company was operating well, why would there be a shortage of funds?

Even if they wanted to undertake large-scale mergers and acquisitions to promote their own development, they obviously should not be in a hurry, as this is not something that can be accomplished in a day or two—impatience won’t help.

Based on Gu Lanzi’s consideration, it wasn’t so much that Fang Wenxi losing Meishilin caused the Fang Family to lose the possibility of receiving the support fund.

Rather, it was Fang Zhentao’s impatience that propelled Gu Lanzi to decide against lending the support fund to the Fang Family!

Rejecting Fang Zhentao and refusing the Fang Family indeed sowed seeds of potential problems for Gu Lanzi’s future work.

However, as the key business support fund was initiated by Gu Lanzi, should any issue arise with the Fang Family or any mishap with the support fund, Gu Lanzi would inevitably be the first to be affected!

Throughout her career, up to her position as a deputy leader of Zhonghai, Gu Lanzi was not someone who shied away from problems.

However, with no entanglements of interest and even a slight suspicion of issues within the Fang Family, she clearly had no need to tie herself to the same battlefront as the Fang Family.

Of course, more importantly, the amount involved in the support fund was enormous.

Gu Lanzi had to ensure foolproof conditions before she would lend out the support fund.

This wasn’t just for her own responsibility but also for that of the taxpayers.

…

In the afternoon, close to the end of the workday, finally calming her emotions, Gu Lanzi remembered that she had promised her dear daughter in the morning that she would come home early to cook dinner for her.

Just as she was preparing to pack up and leave, her secretary knocked and entered.

“Leader, Officer Chen Qi from the criminal police says she has important information to report and would like to see you now, she’s in the reception hall on the first floor.

What do you think?”

“I don’t recall having any dealings with the criminal police, and if she really has information to report, tell her she can go see Deputy Leader Zhang.

I remember telling you how to handle these matters before; I don’t want to have to repeat myself next time.”

Gu Lanzi had lost count of how many times people had knocked on her door under the guise of reporting important information to seek favors or help.

If it were the economic departments, perhaps she might have been interested in meeting, considering she was in charge of economics.

For other departments, Gu Lanzi obviously wasn’t interested.

“I had told Officer Chen Qi before that if she had any issues, she could report to Deputy Leader Zhang.

But, but Officer Chen insisted on seeing you and said that she is a friend of Vice Minister Lin from the Mu Group, and it was Vice Minister Lin who tasked her with, with bringing you a gift.”

Bang!

The moment the secretary finished speaking, Gu Lanzi slapped her hand onto the table.

Raised in a good family and maintaining integrity in her official career, Gu Lanzi had always detested the culture of accepting gifts and bribes.

Now, the suggestion from her secretary that someone wanted to give her a gift infuriated her, and she immediately rose from her seat.

“I don’t care who introduced her, you should know that I—You just said she was introduced by whom?!”

“Mu, Vice Minister Lin from Mu Group, that Officer Chen said, said—”

“Ask her to come here.”

“Yes.”

The secretary, as if pardoned, bowed and quickly turned to leave.

Shortly afterward, tasked — in fact, pressured — by Lin Fei, Chen Qi, carrying documents received from Lin Fei and slightly nervous, entered Gu Lanzi’s office.

“Leader Gu, I am—”

“Is it really that bastard Lin Fei who sent you?!”

Before Chen Qi could finish speaking, the intensely indignant Gu Lanzi immediately lashed out with her voice…