In the dead of night within the CK Group headquarters, the lights from the M&A office burned as bright as a lighthouse in a waveless sea. Adisorn stood motionless before a massive glass wall that had been transformed into a gargantuan blueprint for conquest. Lines from a whiteboard marker intertwined across the surface like a complex spiderweb.
He crossed out the name KCC and drew a decisive line toward the CLS flag. "Seven days left..." Adisorn whispered to the void. His sharp gaze reflected the neon sprawl of Shanghai, a city that seemed to crouch at his feet. Yet, amidst the approaching triumph, a hollow loneliness began to gnaw at his heart.
A notification chimed from an old phone he kept hidden in the deepest recess of his desk drawer. Adisorn hesitated before retrieving it.
"I miss you. Are you doing okay? I'm worried about you..."
As his eyes scanned the message, the icy fortress in his gaze crumbled. His cold eyes shimmered like the surface of water disturbed by a gentle breeze. The tenderness he had buried so deep rose to greet his true self.
He remained frozen for a long time, his thumb tracing the screen with the reverence one gives to a priceless relic, before slowly typing a vulnerable reply.
'I'm sorry for making you worry. I'm doing fine. I hope you are well, too... Always love you.'
He hit send and immediately powered off the device, severing his connection to the world of dreams and returning to the battlefield of cold interests.
Adisorn drew a deep breath. Longing became the fuel that healed his fatigue. He could not lose this war... because at the finish line, someone was waiting for his return.
D-7: The Great Molt (นับถอยหลัง 7 วันสู่การผลัดใบ)
In the legal department, the atmosphere resembled a war room in the heat of combat. Neon lights glared down at stacks of transfer-of-rights documents piled so high they obscured the horizon. The synchronized roar of copiers and shredders sounded like machine-gun fire on a battlefield that knew no truce.
Jia Rui sat buried under the paperwork. His usually stoic face was etched with exhaustion. His thick glasses slid down to the bridge of his nose as his fingers blurred across the keyboard at light speed. He was drafting the dissolution papers for KCC's legal entity.
"I've sent out the notices to all creditors," Jia Rui reported without looking away from the screen. "Normally, we'd have to wait 30 days for objections. But thanks to the Chairman's influence... nearly all the banks have already signed their non-objection letters."
"And the assets?" Adisorn asked, arms crossed as he watched the characters on the screen flow like a river.
"In the process of migration..." Jia Rui sipped cold, bitter coffee to stay tethered to reality. "Land deeds, factory buildings, manufacturing licenses, down to the sales contracts... everything is being funneled into CLS."
He slapped a heavy stack of papers. "And these are the 500 vendor contracts."
Adisorn rolled up his shirt sleeves with calm precision, his gaze fixed on the documents like a general reviewing a tactical map. "Ensure there are no loopholes, Jia Rui. Meanwhile, I'll deploy the negotiation team to shadow all 500 vendors. Make them understand... and make them sign, immediately."
"Then only the final step remains," Adisorn calculated the remaining time. "Liquidating KCC and finalizing the merger registration."
Jia Rui nodded. "Once the transfer documents are complete, it's mission accomplished."
Adisorn leaned against the desk, his gaze as cold as a glacial stream watching the deadline tick down. "I'll leave it in your hands."
D-6: The Financial Alchemist (นับถอยหลัง 6 วัน)
Jing Yi from Financial Analysis sat before her monitor with a gaunt face, the light casting shadows under her eyes that looked like a panda's mask from days without sleep.
"Mr. Markrim, the adjusted consolidated financial statements are complete," Jing Yi said as she sensed Adisorn's presence.
"The old debts between KCC and CLS, along with internal transactions, have been wiped clean. The books are as spotless as they can possibly be," she reported tonelessly.
"What about the Pro Forma statements?"
"Right here..." Jing Yi opened a new window. "I've overhauled the financial structure to inflate the brand value. When investors see these post-merger profit jumps, they'll swarm to us like moths to a flame."
Adisorn nodded slowly, satisfied. "Excellent. Ensure all accounting loose ends are tied."
D-5: The Architecture of Displacement (นับถอยหลัง 5 วัน)
A massive organizational chart spread across the touchscreen in the meeting room. Dong Fang, the operations specialist, was busy striking out redundant positions.
"Over 40% of the KCC workforce will be terminated," Dong Fang stated. "CLS is replacing nearly all manual labor with AI and Automation."
Adisorn narrowed his eyes. "That will spark rumors that we're abandoning workers on the day of the merger. CK Group will become a public pariah—branded as inhumane. It'll lead to a massive dispute."
Dong Fang offered a cold, cunning smile. "I've prepared a 'Smile and Part' strategy." He handed Adisorn the plan.
"An Early Retirement program with severance pay double the legal requirement," Dong Fang explained. "Additionally, we're establishing a Career Transition Center. Those who sign a non-litigation agreement and a gag order get a final 'special bonus.'"
"I see. That should cushion the blow significantly," Adisorn murmured.
"Precisely. We maintain CLS's reputation as a top-tier employer even as we sever ties. As for the union leaders looking to protest... I've assigned a legal team to shadow them for 'special case' negotiations."
Adisorn nodded with satisfaction. "Good... see to it."