?Reading on mobile phone From Qin Feng’s expression, Wu Dong sensed that he must have something to say. Otherwise, given all the peers and government officials present, even the most spirited young man should have shown some restraint. Moreover, with Mei Hui standing right beside him, how could he allow him to speak out awkwardly in such a public setting? As for Mei Hui, she not only showed no signs of criticism but actually displayed clear support. Wu Dong’s heart skipped a beat—having been exposed so quickly before Qin Feng, he hadn’t even thought of it. Typically, every time he carried out actions targeting Qin Group, he operated behind the scenes and remained unnoticed. After years of navigating the official world, Wu Dong had always been confident in his personal demeanor and conduct. Now, however, he felt as though stripped bare, standing completely exposed before his opponent—this created significant psychological pressure. Of course, he wasn't going to be easily defeated that way. In front of everyone, he maintained his composed and graceful demeanor, smiling and saying, "Qin Director is so direct and to the point—your attitude truly inspires me. Since you've made it clear that you're not interested in the government's established direction, I'd like to ask: which industry are you particularly interested in?" "Being a businessman, I'm always open to legitimate, profitable ventures," Qin Feng replied with composure and confidence. "I never considered myself a purely commercial figure, yet I still believe that businessmen should focus on pure commercial activities—rather than see their business districts turned into chaos, where they're forced to remain silent, merely following the lead of those who lack vision and ambition." The officials grew increasingly stern, while Wu Dong alone managed to keep a calm and steady expression. This wasn't due to any exceptional personal refinement on his part, but rather because he lacked confidence—he didn't want others to infer anything from the subtle shifts in his demeanor. Unaware of it, this would actually deepen the betrayal. Joy, anger, sorrow, and delight are fundamental emotional and facial expressions every normal person possesses—the more they conceal them, the more significant the issue becomes. The merchants, too, grew dissatisfied. As Qin Feng put it, they had all become complicit in the downfall, and all of them were soft-spoken and lacking in resolve. "It seems we've become unwelcome now," Mei Hui suggested. "Let's go. We don't want to become the target of everyone's criticism at this point." Qin Feng readily agreed, and before any of the self-proclaimed elite began to berate them, the two of them gracefully turned and walked away. Only after they had stepped out the main doors did the others, led by Huang, speak up. "How can young people be so arrogant? To question the government's decisions—this is simply unacceptable. Wu Secretary, don't take these people too seriously; their standards are simply too low." "Exactly. What was supposed to be a harmonious evening gathering has turned into a chaotic mess simply because of these two." "The Qin Group is simply a pariah in our plain city's business circle. I suggest that in our future competition with them, we never give them the benefit of the doubt." "Agreed. I wonder how long the Qin Group can keep its pride—soon, I'm certain, they'll have to shut down completely." Wu Dong suddenly felt that "public sentiment" was a valuable asset. Since these people were so openly boastful about their loyalty, why not leverage that? With just Wu Chaozhi, Chen Jinzhong, and Li Changgui working together, it would be difficult to defeat the Qin Group. With their support, the effort would surely be much more efficient. He noted down the individuals who were most vocal, intending to invite them separately to discuss specific plans. On the way back, Mei Hui, sitting in the passenger seat, said, "Xiaofeng, now you've really alienated both the business and political circles in Plain City. We'll have to remain vigilant—otherwise, those people will surely overwhelm us." Qin Dashi shrugged carelessly and said, "It's nothing serious. After all, those people are just minor players, making up petty schemes behind the scenes. If pressed hard enough, we can simply relocate our company to another city—there will surely be others eager to take it over." That was certainly true; with Qin Group's current reputation in the Chinese nation, once a relocation decision was made, numerous cities would surely vie for it. Then, a video emerged showing fake paint being poured into high-end paint buckets, with a staff member from the specialty store openly admitting that they could continuously fill premium-branded packaging at a price just one-third of the genuine product's. Upon seeing this news, Qin Feng and Mei Hui reached a unanimous conclusion: this was Lü Dong's first major blow against the Qin group, and even larger actions were certain to follow. The company immediately launched a counteroffensive: any product sold by any of the Qin Group's affiliated building materials specialty stores could be verified by the Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau, with a guarantee of either a full refund or a tenfold compensation for any false claims. Meanwhile, numerous material manufacturers issued official statements confirming that every item sold in the specialty stores, as well as the inventory, had been procured through legitimate channels, backed by clear records. Nevertheless, the specialty stores still suffered significant impacts, with their sales volumes experiencing a sharp decline—this was the most evident sign. Since it was known that certain individuals were working behind the scenes to create trouble, the company's CEO, Mei Hui, remained exceptionally composed. This composure instilled great confidence in the mid-level managers, enabling them to handle the crisis with calmness and clarity. The second area affected was pharmaceutical manufacturing. Qin Group's major achievement in the pharmaceutical sector was its high-quality traditional Chinese medicine products, among which one particular product—long associated with the label of containing carcinogenic substances—saw renewed turmoil. Traditional Chinese medicine, by nature, emphasizes individualized treatment; ancient medical theory has long held that "all medicines have three parts toxicity," meaning that proper treatment yields positive outcomes, while incorrect treatment may harm the body. It is not uncommon in recent years for pharmaceutical companies to face attacks that focus specifically on the properties of a single ingredient, thereby undermining their credibility. Soon thereafter, these individuals generated another explosive news item: Qin Group's purported energy-efficient and environmentally friendly engine actually did not exist, and its claimed partnership with the world's leading automotive manufacturer was entirely unfounded. After the rumor emerged, the most immediate reaction was a sharp decline in stock prices, which dropped to the daily trading limit within just a few hours. The senior management of Qin Group did not issue any official statements to dispel the rumor, and employees were instructed to carry on with their regular duties; those who gathered in groups to discuss the issue or showed excessive anxiety were strictly disciplined. The next day, as the stock market opened, Qin Group's stock prices continued to fall rapidly, prompting shareholders to sell off their holdings, thus significantly undermining the already sluggish market performance.