The CK Group cafeteria was a storm of clashing aromas and the incessant buzz of corporate gossip. Tum stood frozen in the center of the hall, looking like a startled fawn that had accidentally wandered into a pride of lions. His social skills—especially around groups of sharp-tongued women—were practically non-existent. The mere thought of "blending in" to extract secrets from a circle of intensely gossiping employees felt more daunting than a complex data encryption.
Just as he was about to retreat, a gentle tap on his back accompanied by a subtle, elegant fragrance made him stop in his tracks.
"Follow me..." Rosé whispered smoothly. She instantly shifted into "charming socialite" mode the second they reached a table of female employees.
"Hi girls! We have a special guest from Thailand who wanted to join the circle today," Rosé beamed, her radiant smile acting as a shield as she pulled Tum forward.
Every eye at the table snapped to Tum. Sweet, predatory smiles were directed at the handsome Thai man—the personal secretary of the intriguing new Director, Gawin. "Please, Mr. Secretary! Our table always has room for a handsome face," one invited with a giggle. Tum's ears turned a bright shade of crimson as he gave a stiff nod and sat down obediently.
Rosé began with light chatter about traveling in Thailand to dissolve their defenses. "I'm dying to go back; the country is just so beautiful."
"If Ms. Mu or any of you go... please let me know. I would be honored to take care of you," Tum added, his genuine politeness making the women swoon and twist their hair in delight.
"Oh my... saying things like that makes us want to book a flight today!"
Once the atmosphere was sufficiently "ripe," Rosé threw a stone into the pond. "But wait... I recall Yong Chang went to work there, didn't he? Why didn't you girls ask him to be your guide?"
The temperature at the table plummeted instantly. One employee curled her lip and shook her head. "Don't even mention that man. He's absolute trash. No one here could stand him."
"It's true. He loved throwing his weight around with the junior staff and was famous for 'borrowing' everyone else's work," another added with a biting tone. "And most of all... he looked down on us women. He always said a woman would never make it into management."
Tum listened in silence. Through his specialized vision, he saw murky, jagged waves of grey and muddy green erupting from the group as soon as that name was mentioned. He seized the moment to ask naturally, "And his assignment in Thailand... what exactly was he sent there to do?"
"Supposedly to find investment partners for CK Group," one woman leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He went under the authority of Manager Ye from Procurement... who is Director Feng's right-hand man."
Tum's eyebrows shot up. This information was confusing. Why would Director Feng's own man be backstabbing his peers?
Rosé, reading the game perfectly, followed up. "Wow... if he's that close to Director Feng, he must be on the fast track to the Board of Directors soon."
Suddenly, the employee who seemed to know the deepest secrets looked left and right cautiously. She lowered her voice until it was a ghost of a whisper meant only for their ears. "I'll tell you something... Yong Chang is a cobra. Everyone thinks he's Feng's man, but in reality, he's a spy sent by Director Chen—the man who is inseparable from Fan Mingzhi."
A heavy silence fell over the table. Tum and Rosé locked eyes, feeling the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle snap into place with a terrifying click.
Everything was clear. Yong Chang was never working for Director Feng. He was a pawn of Fan Mingzhi, planted to hollow out Feng's department from the inside out, while simultaneously spreading his venom to Thailand for a much darker objective.
"Oh wow... that is so complicated!" Rosé feigned shock, covering her mouth with her hand. But inside, both she and Tum were reeling. The web of dark power stretching across the CK empire was far more tangled—and lethal—than they had ever imagined.