Official appointment letters rippled through the departments of CK Group. The message was clear: ZX Capital had been appointed as the sole financial advisor and transaction manager for the merger between KCC and CLS, effective immediately.
Gawin scanned the document with a cunning smile before handing it back to Tum. "Finally... it's officially our time."
Across the hall in the finance wing, Lu Rong gripped the letter so hard the paper nearly disintegrated. His face flushed from a deep crimson to a sickly pale green. His absolute power as CFO was being openly challenged by this interloper, ZX Capital. Worst of all, he was powerless to override the Chairman's direct mandate.
Li Ming stood staring at the horizon for a long time before turning back to Adisorn, who sat composed in the leather chair opposite him.
"You are likely aware of everything that transpired in the boardroom," the Chairman said, his face a mask of stern gravity. "This condition will be the ultimate trial of ZX Capital's worth."
Adisorn interlaced his fingers, his eyes as deep and still as an unruffled lake. "Fourteen days... a daring wager. Even for global M&A giants, such a timeframe is considered near-impossible."
Li Ming let out a dry, guttural laugh as he sank into his chair. "It is precisely because it is impossible that I must place it in the hands of someone exceptional like you." He leaned in closer, his gaze burning with resolve. "The stakes are these: if you complete the merger within two weeks..." He slammed a contract onto the desk. "CK Group will sever all financial ties with VCC. We will refinance our entire debt through ZX Capital immediately."
Adisorn narrowed his eyes. He had anticipated this, but hearing it made the weight of the task real.
"That means..." Adisorn began.
"It means I will use the Hydrogen Technology Patents—the very future of this empire—as collateral for your loan instead," Li Ming declared, his voice heavy with conviction. "I refuse to let VCC use their debt-to-equity trap to hijack my life's work. I would rather an outsider like you hold the keys to these patents than let the vipers on my own board get their fangs into them."
Silence blanketed the room. Adisorn knew this was a high-stakes trade.
"They are trying to unseat me," Li Ming added. "You remember what you said the first day we met? That ZX would back me until the Hydrogen project succeeded. Now, you must honor those words. There is only one answer: success."
Adisorn's lips curled into a smirk. He stood, adjusting his dark brown suit jacket and offering a slight, respectful bow.
"For the next fourteen days... I will see to it that everything is handled with absolute precision. We will succeed."
Li Ming nodded slowly. "Remember... I cannot lose this project. If you succeed, the single board seat you requested? I will give you three. That is my bond." He placed a document for three common share board seats in front of Adisorn.
"I have never learned how to spell 'defeat,' Chairman," Adisorn replied, his gaze sharp. "Let us see if ZX can deliver exactly what your heart desires."
The door to the M&A war room swung open. Adisorn was met by the focused stares of two men and one woman—the elite Chinese professionals Chatchawin had handpicked: the best legal, audit, and valuation minds in the region.
Adisorn stopped at the head of the conference table. "Thank you all for joining this task force. We have 14 days to finish the mission."
"I am A.P. Markrim, lead M&A Transaction Manager," he stated, locking eyes with each of them.
A tall man with thin-rimmed glasses stood. "I am Mao Jiarui, Legal Specialist." The veteran lawyer bowed politely.
Next, a slender woman with radiant, intelligent eyes stood with a confident smile. "I am Sun Jingyi, Auditor."
Finally, a stout man in a brown short-sleeved shirt with a round, friendly face stood up. "Jiang Dongfang, Asset Valuation Specialist," he announced, raising a determined fist.
Adisorn nodded. "Now that we are assembled, let the mission begin. Jiarui... you are responsible for Legal Due Diligence. Scrutinize every bank loan KCC has, every vendor contract, and specifically look for any environmental litigation. I want zero errors."
"Jingyi... Financial Due Diligence. Dig into the last three years of cash flow. Find every significant leak and verify every ledger entry before the final consolidation into CLS."
"Dongfang... Operational Due Diligence. Value the machinery and the land for both plants. I need to know what is a viable asset and what is dead weight. Separate the gold from the scrap so the merger is lean and profitable."
Adisorn leaned his weight onto the table, his gaze intense. "I repeat: we have 14 days. Every ounce of your strength must go into this. We do not hit the brakes until we cross the finish line."
"Begin!"
The room erupted into the rhythmic clatter of keyboards. Jiarui opened the Virtual Data Room (VDR) to pull the contracts. Jingyi began highlighting the profit and loss statements with surgical speed. Dongfang rolled out the factory blueprints, already reaching for his phone to coordinate the field survey teams.