Shadow Heir II: Dark Glory - Chapter 24
From the very beginning, establishing a commercial bank had been one of Linmu Insurance’s major strategic goals.
But over the past two years, the state has tightened financial regulations to prevent systemic risk. The criteria for bank approval were ruthlessly strict. Despite its ambition, Linmu Insurance had been powerless—its application always stalled, never receiving the necessary authorization from the capital.
And now, in the middle of this chaotic board meeting… Mu Qianyu pulled out that priceless, long-sought-after banking license.
The meeting room fell utterly silent.
But a few directors were now looking at Mu Qianyu with astonishment in their eyes—bordering on disbelief.
She spoke evenly. “The Linmu Bank headquarters will be established in Linzhou. The first branch will open in Ninghai.”
He Yiheng, the board secretary, took a sharp breath. Shock flickered in his eyes.
He hadn’t known anything about this. But he understood clearly: for Linmu Bank to get approved, the preparatory work must have been colossal.
Mu Qianyu had to have started planning this at least a year or two ago!
All the groundwork was ready. All she needed was control of the company. Then, everything would fall into place.
“Now,” He Yiheng continued, “let’s vote on Ms. Mu Qianyu as the new Chairperson of the Board. All in favor, please—”
He didn’t even finish before a dozen directors had already raised their hands.
“I vote yes.”
“So do I.”
Six more hands went up immediately after.
The vote crossed the two-thirds threshold.
A total reversal of fate.
Watching the scene unfold, He Yiheng announced, “Congratulations to Ms. Mu Qianyu, the new Chairperson of Linmu Insurance Group!”
He’d thought today would be a long, drawn-out battle. He never imagined it would go down this smoothly.
Applause rang out.
But Su Wuji raised a hand and casually pointed at Zhuo Chengqi.
Smiling, he asked, “Hey. What about you?”
Zhuo Chengqi’s face was dark as iron. “I abstain.”
“No, that won’t do.” Su Wuji still wore that pleasant smile. “You have to pick a side. Otherwise, I’ll be really worried you’ll start tripping Qianyu up later.”
“I hold five percent of the shares,” Zhuo Chengqi said coldly. “And the board won’t just echo one voice. If the new Chairperson proves incompetent, I’ll speak up as needed.” He narrowed his eyes. “What? Are you gonna resort to violence now?”
He said it with a calm expression, but inwardly he was sweating bullets—especially thinking of that hulking bodyguard with fists like steel cauldrons.
Su Wuji’s smile widened. “The thing is, you’re not exactly squeaky clean yourself.”
Zhuo Chengqi sneered. “Trying to sling mud at me now? Think the other board members will let you?”
But none of the directors—even those usually close to him—spoke up in his defense.
Everyone in this room had skeletons in their closets. They had no idea what exactly Mu Qianyu and this young man held in their hands—but the way the two of them worked in perfect tandem was deeply unsettling.
Like facing a force that couldn’t be defeated.
Only a fool would keep pushing back.
The silence in the room was suffocating. Zhuo Chengqi’s face turned ashen.
“Zhuo Chengqi,” Su Wuji said, “I suggest you think hard. While your five percent stake still holds some value… sell.”
His voice cooled. “Otherwise, by tomorrow, you might be crying with regret.”
Zhuo Chengqi’s expression didn’t change. “I’ve been clean inside Linmu. If you want to smear me, at least get your story straight.”
“I don’t know what you’ve done inside Linmu,” Su Wuji replied casually.
Zhuo Chengqi slammed a hand on the table. “Then why the hell are you running your mouth?”
But Su Wuji only looked amused. “I don’t. But I do know about your company, Zhuo Shi Real Estate. You remember how you acquired that land back in the day?”
Zhuo Chengqi’s face twisted. “Still with the mudslinging?”
“You changed the land’s zoning,” Su Wuji said evenly. “Bought it cheap as industrial land, then had it rezoned as commercial and residential.”
He shook his head, a glimmer of mockery in his eyes. “And just yesterday, the official who oversaw that deal was taken in for questioning by the disciplinary commission. Still hasn’t been released.”
Zhuo Chengqi froze.
The anger that had just flared on his face suddenly collapsed—like a flame deprived of oxygen.
Mu Qianyu turned to glance at Su Wuji. Her eyes, startled at first, softened into admiration.
Clearly, Su Wuji’s performance today had far exceeded even her expectations.
How had he uncovered so many leads—before the storm even broke?
“Of course,” Su Wuji added casually, “it’s been years. Maybe the guy forgot. Maybe he won’t name names. As long as I don’t report you myself… for now, you’re safe.”
Zhuo Chengqi didn’t look relieved.
He jabbed a trembling finger at Su Wuji. “You… what the hell do you want?”
Everyone in this room was a businessperson. They knew how this game worked. With Su Wuji clearly holding all the cards, now was the perfect time to force a fire sale—to pressure Zhuo Chengqi into selling his stake at a dirt-cheap price.
But Su Wuji said nothing about the shares.
He was smiling… yet his words sent ice down everyone’s spine.
“I want you to rot in prison.”
Rot in prison.
It sounded like a blood feud—like he and Zhuo Chengqi had some deep, irreconcilable hatred.
Mu Qianyu didn’t know what was going on. But her instincts made her sober up fast. The smile vanished from her face, replaced by quiet solemnity.
“Zhuo Chengqi,” Su Wuji said, eyes cold and sharp. “Do you remember what kind of favor you used to bribe that official back then?”
He stared straight at him.
“I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t just money.”
Not just money?
Everyone in the room felt the answer hanging in the air—unsaid, but unmistakable.
Women.
Su Wuji’s gaze narrowed. His voice dropped, laced with chill.
“You bought two girls for him. One was twelve. The other, thirteen. You really are scum.”
The room’s atmosphere turned grim.
Several directors looked at Zhuo Chengqi with open disgust.
Mu Qianyu clenched her fists.
She couldn’t help but recall how, just a few days ago, Su Wuji had thrown six drug traffickers into the river—all in under an hour.
If Su Wuji said this now… she knew it had to be true.
“You’re lying!” Zhuo Chengqi shouted. “I’d never do something like that! The police never came for me! You have no proof—just empty accusations!”
But the confidence was gone. His shirt was soaked through with sweat.
“Right,” Su Wuji said mildly. “The police don’t know. Yet.”
Everyone blinked, surprised.
They’d assumed this was the setup for a price squeeze.
It was unsavory—but in business, fair play rarely mattered. Blackmail him, force him to sell his shares at rock-bottom prices. Everyone had expected that move.
Everyone… except Mu Qianyu.
She knew Su Wuji too well.
Money was never the most important thing to him.
“I’m not going to the police,” Su Wuji said, voice as cold as wind through dead leaves. “Because I don’t need to.”
Zhuo Chengqi’s fists clenched. “Then what the hell do you want?”
“Because,” Su Wuji said softly, almost with pity, “you’ve already been marked by the Silver Moon.”
Silver Moon?
The room went still. Eyes narrowed in confusion. No one had ever heard of it.
“I’ll educate you,” Su Wuji said, in an almost casual way. “Silver Moon is headquartered in Northern Europe. They’re a radical organization dedicated to hunting down child traffickers.”
His voice chilled further.
“And when I say radical, I mean this—Silver Moon’s assassins are global. To make an example, they believe both buyer and seller are equally guilty. If one person commits the crime… the whole family dies.”
The whole family.
Zhuo Chengqi slammed the table and forced a snarl. “You’re just trying to scare me! They can’t go around killing people like that! What, are they above the law now?!”
Su Wuji looked at him like he was an idiot. “Here’s a free tip: if Silver Moon makes a move, there won’t be any evidence. It’ll look like a freak accident. No one will ever know.”
That was the final straw.
Whatever resistance Zhuo Chengqi had been holding onto collapsed in an instant.
His lips turned pale.
Then, with a thud, he fell back and sat limply on the floor.
