The following morning, Jinhai Entertainment was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
Employees moved through the corridors as usual, but conversations stopped whenever someone important walked by.
The rumor about Li Chen joining Eastern Star Entertainment had spread throughout the industry overnight.
Some believed it.
Others didn't.
But everyone was talking about it.
And that was exactly what Li Chen wanted.
Inside Studio Three.
Xiaoyu placed her phone on the table.
"It's everywhere."
Yara looked over.
"Again?"
"Again."
Yueyin picked up the phone.
Several headlines appeared on the screen.
"Is Li Chen Leaving Jinhai?"
"Eastern Star Preparing Major Offer?"
"Three Rising Stars Could Change Companies?"
Yara laughed.
"They really swallowed the bait."
Wanqing remained quiet.
She was looking at Li Chen.
"You expected this."
Li Chen nodded.
"Yes."
"But there's something else."
He turned his laptop around.
On the screen was a list of names.
Employees.
Assistants.
Managers.
Executives.
Everyone who had access to information about his team.
Xiaoyu frowned.
"How did you get this?"
"Access records."
She blinked.
"You checked the company's internal system?"
"Not exactly."
Li Chen pointed toward another window.
"Every time information about us leaks, the timing is almost identical."
He opened several files.
"The article about the concert appeared twenty-three minutes after the information was discussed internally."
"The rumor about the contract appeared eighteen minutes after the board meeting."
"And yesterday's Eastern Star story appeared..."
He paused.
"Fourteen minutes after Xiaoyu made the fake phone call."
Silence.
Yara leaned forward.
"So whoever leaked it was inside the building."
"Exactly."
Yueyin looked at the names.
"Can you identify them?"
"Not yet."
Wanqing spoke calmly.
"Then this isn't the real trap."
Li Chen smiled.
"Correct."
He closed the laptop.
"This was only the first test."
Three Hours Later
Jinhai Entertainment.
Third Floor.
Marketing Department.
A young employee named Chen Wei sat at his desk.
His hands were shaking slightly.
His phone vibrated.
He glanced around before answering.
"Hello?"
A familiar voice spoke.
"Did you get confirmation?"
Chen Wei lowered his voice.
"Yes."
"They're really negotiating with Eastern Star."
A pause.
"Good."
"Keep watching Li Chen."
"We need his next move."
Chen Wei hesitated.
"There's something strange."
"What?"
"He seems to know we're watching."
Silence.
Then the voice answered.
"Impossible."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Chen Wei swallowed.
"Then why did he suddenly start hiding his schedule?"
Another pause.
"Don't worry."
"Just continue."
The call ended.
Chen Wei slowly put his phone away.
He looked around.
Nobody had noticed.
Or so he thought.
Across the building—
Li Chen watched the security footage.
Not directly.
Through a monitor connected to the security office.
Beside him stood Xiaoyu.
"You found him?"
Li Chen nodded.
"Maybe."
She looked at the screen.
Chen Wei.
A junior employee.
No executive position.
No obvious connection to Zhou Kang.
Xiaoyu frowned.
"Are you sure?"
"No."
"Then why him?"
Li Chen pointed toward the time stamp.
"He accessed the marketing database exactly thirteen minutes before the Eastern Star rumor appeared."
Xiaoyu's eyes widened.
"That's..."
"Not enough evidence."
Li Chen finished the sentence.
"Which is why we need more."
That afternoon—
Li Chen made another move.
He intentionally changed the meeting schedule.
Normally, the entire team received their weekly schedule every Friday.
This time—
he created three different versions.
Three different schedules.
Three different fake plans.
Only three people received each version.
Xiaoyu looked at him skeptically.
"You really think the leak will expose itself?"
"It already has."
"What?"
Li Chen smiled.
"I gave one version to the marketing department."
"Another to management."
"And the third..."
He looked toward the door.
"...to Chen Wei."
Xiaoyu understood immediately.
"You're testing which information appears in the media."
"Exactly."
The first fake rumor appeared at 4:20 PM.
"Li Chen Planning Private Meeting With International Label."
Xiaoyu checked her phone.
"That's version one."
Li Chen nodded.
They waited.
Nothing else happened.
Thirty minutes passed.
Then—
another headline appeared.
"Li Chen Preparing Secret Overseas Expansion?"
Xiaoyu's eyes widened.
"Version two."
Li Chen leaned back.
"Interesting."
Yueyin, who had been listening quietly, asked:
"And the third?"
Li Chen looked at the clock.
Nothing.
One hour.
Two.
Three.
Still nothing.
Yara leaned against the wall.
"Maybe your theory is wrong."
Li Chen shook his head.
"No."
"Then why hasn't it appeared?"
"Because..."
Li Chen looked at the door.
"...he knows we're watching."
8:47 PM.
The third rumor finally appeared.
"Li Chen May Abandon Domestic Market for International Career."
Silence.
Everyone stared at the screen.
Yara slowly smiled.
"Got him."
Li Chen nodded.
"The third version."
Xiaoyu immediately opened the employee access records.
Her finger stopped.
There was only one name.
Chen Wei.
But Li Chen didn't smile.
Instead—
his expression became serious.
"Don't arrest him."
Xiaoyu looked confused.
"What?"
"Don't confront him."
"Why?"
Li Chen stood.
"Because he's not the one we're after."
The room went silent.
Yueyin frowned.
"Then who?"
Li Chen looked at the screen.
"Someone above him."
Wanqing immediately understood.
"He's only a messenger."
"Exactly."
Li Chen picked up his jacket.
"Chen Wei has been leaking information."
"But someone has been giving him instructions."
Yara crossed her arms.
"So we're following the chain."
Li Chen nodded.
"Tonight."
10:15 PM
Chen Wei left the building.
He looked around carefully.
Then walked toward the underground parking garage.
His phone rang.
He answered.
"Hello?"
The same voice from before.
"Come to the old warehouse."
"Now."
Chen Wei hesitated.
"Why?"
"We need to discuss Li Chen."
The call ended.
Chen Wei looked nervous.
Then entered his car.
He didn't notice the black vehicle parked three spaces away.
Inside it—
Li Chen sat silently.
Xiaoyu was in the passenger seat.
Yara and Wanqing sat in the back.
Yueyin wasn't there.
She had been deliberately kept out of it.
This was business.
Dangerous business.
Li Chen watched Chen Wei's car leave.
"Follow him."
The driver nodded.
The vehicle slowly started moving.
Twenty minutes later—
Chen Wei arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
He stepped out of his car.
Looked around.
Then entered.
A few seconds later—
another car arrived.
A man stepped out.
Li Chen's eyes narrowed.
He recognized him.
Not a random employee.
Not a low-level manager.
Someone much more important.
Someone who had attended the board meeting yesterday.
Someone who had access to almost everything.
Xiaoyu whispered:
"Who is that?"
Li Chen didn't answer immediately.
He watched the man enter the warehouse.
Then—
he smiled.
"We found the door."
Yara leaned forward.
"And what's behind it?"
Li Chen opened his car door.
"A connection to Zhou Kang."
He stepped out.
"But we're not going inside yet."
Everyone looked at him.
"Why?"
Li Chen looked toward the warehouse.
"Because I want to know..."
"...how far the chain goes."
Inside the warehouse—
Chen Wei nervously approached the executive.
"Sir..."
The man turned.
"Did you bring the information?"
Chen Wei nodded.
"Yes."
"Good."
The executive reached for the folder.
But before he could open it—
a voice echoed from the darkness.
"Interesting."
Both men froze.
Li Chen stepped into the light.
Hands in his pockets.
Calm.
Confident.
And smiling.
"You've been very busy."
The executive's face went pale.
Chen Wei took a step backward.
"Mr. Li..."
Li Chen looked directly at the executive.
"I've been wondering..."
"Who exactly is giving Zhou Kang all my information?"
Silence.
The executive stared at him.
Then slowly—
he smiled.
"You really are troublesome."
Li Chen's expression didn't change.
"Thank you."
The man looked around.
"You came alone?"
Li Chen smiled.
"No."
From the darkness behind him—
Yara cracked her knuckles.
Wanqing stepped forward.
And Xiaoyu quietly closed the warehouse door.
The executive's smile disappeared.
Li Chen took another step forward.
"Now..."
"Let's talk."
End of Chapter 33