RT Chapter 118

Chapter 118: The Real Culprit

Thanks to Shao Chengxi’s decisive lockdown, news of the pheromone imbalance incident was tightly controlled.

The entire Shao family worked together to deal with it, and the situation was eventually quelled without any negative publicity leaking out.

But those in the know were aware that if it hadn’t been for Shu Lin’s efforts in turning the tide with his own pheromones, the Shao family would probably have been in a state of utter chaos.

Just as Shao Chengxi was working intensely to collect evidence of Wu Xun’s involvement, Assistant Cheng came to his office one day to report that Minister of Finance Lin Zhengyang wanted to see him.

Shao Chengxi sat behind the large desk in the Ministry of Defense, his slender fingers rhythmically tapping twice on the solid wood surface. His voice was cold and stern: “Let him in.”

Soon, Assistant Cheng led Lin Zhengyang in.

Lin Zhengyang was an S-class Omega with a refined and handsome appearance and a mature and steady manner. Since taking office, his reputation had been good.

Today, he was dressed in a well-tailored black suit, exuding an air of nobility.

Under Assistant Cheng’s guidance, he calmly stepped forward, shook hands with Shao Chengxi, and greeted him politely, his every move revealing the composure of a veteran politician.

Shao Chengxi didn’t get up to greet him. After a formal reception, he gestured for him to sit down.

In the past, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance were parallel functional departments, with no superior or subordinate relationship.

But now, the Ministry of Defense was half a level higher than other departments, and Shao Chengxi’s current position was slightly higher than Lin Zhengyang’s.

Therefore, it was understandable that Shao Chengxi treated him with the etiquette of a superior to a subordinate.

After taking a seat, Shao Chengxi didn’t take the initiative to speak, but sat silently.

Lin Zhengyang felt the coldness of the ice-type pheromones and pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.

Behind the lenses, his gaze was clear and gentle.

He took the initiative to break the silence, saying:

“Minister Shao, please forgive my intrusion.”

“The situation is urgent, and there is something I must explain in person.”

“The accident at the Pheromone Medical Center was not caused by Vice President Wu Xun. He was framed.”

“Oh?” Shao Chengxi sneered, his eyes sharp. “If it wasn’t him, then who could it be?”

He slowly stood up, his hands propped on the desk, and the Alpha’s oppressive pheromones spread silently throughout the room. “Since Minister Lin has come in person to be a lobbyist, you should give me a clear explanation.”

Lin Zhengyang’s expression didn’t change. He simply straightened his cuffs:

“I can only tell you that there is someone else behind this matter. He framed Vice President Wu Xun in order to provoke a conflict between you and him, so that he can benefit from it. I hope you can see through his scheme.”

Shao Chengxi glanced at him and scoffed:

“What relationship do I have with him that is worth provoking?”

“After all, I’ve already been stabbed in the back by him in the Pei Yuan matter.”

“What do you say, Minister Lin?”

He deliberately emphasized the three words “Minister Lin,” his tone laced with sarcasm.

Lin Zhengyang’s face twitched slightly.

After all, it was well known that he had snatched the position of Minister of Finance from the Shao family.

After Shao Chengxi finished speaking, he paced to the window, his back to Lin Zhengyang.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting mottled shadows on his cold, handsome profile.

Lin Zhengyang turned his head to look at him, unable to fathom what he was thinking.

Pressing his lips together, Lin Zhengyang said unhurriedly:

“Minister Shao, times change. We all know that the world of power and influence is constantly changing, and there are many things that can’t be helped.”

“From each other’s perspective, the outcome of every matter has its own rationality. It’s not a matter of black and white, friend or foe.”

“I think, the logic behind this is self-evident to people like you and me who are caught in the vortex of politics.”

“Before coming here, Vice President Wu Xun specifically asked me to bring you a message.”

“He said that he hopes we can let bygones be bygones, work together again, and not be used by the real culprit to do something that will hurt those close to us and gladden our enemies.”

As he finished speaking, Shao Chengxi slowly turned around, his eyes as sharp as an eagle’s:

“That’s good. To show your sincerity in letting bygones be bygones, tell me directly, who is the real culprit?”

Lin Zhengyang met Shao Chengxi’s gaze for a moment, then shook his head slightly:

“I’m sorry, Minister Shao, we have our own difficulties, and we can’t say it directly. But please believe me, the real culprit is not…”

“Hehe!” Shao Chengxi sneered, interrupting him, “You know the real culprit, but you refuse to tell me. Your understanding of sincerity is really special, Minister Lin.”

Lin Zhengyang had already sensed his anger, but he just pursed his lips and remained silent.

Shao Chengxi returned to his seat, looked directly at Lin Zhengyang across from him, and said in a firm voice:

“Go back and tell Wu Xun that I won’t waste my breath with him. I only want results.”

“Either I will hold him accountable for this matter, or I will find the real culprit.”

“Either way, I won’t lose out. This is also self-evident.”

“Humph, even if he didn’t do it, it wouldn’t be wrong to use the existing evidence to bring him down.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand to dismiss the guest. “Since Minister Lin is not sincere, please leave.”

From Lin Zhengyang’s words, Shao Chengxi immediately deduced that even if Wu Xun hadn’t caused the incident, he had known about the inside story of that day’s accident beforehand.

But he had been sitting idly by, watching the Shao family sink into the mire.

If it hadn’t been for Shu Lin intervening to prevent the deterioration of the accident and ultimately turning the crisis into safety, how could Wu Xun have sent Lin Zhengyang to seek peace with him now?

He was probably watching the fire from the other side of the river, waiting for an opportunity to get a big piece of the Shao family.

But Wu Xun never expected that, in the end, he would be plotted against.

In that case, why shouldn’t Shao Chengxi use the plan against the planner?

Even if Wu Xun wasn’t the real culprit, what harm would it do to the Shao family to take the opportunity to get rid of him?

As for the real culprit, don’t even think about escaping.

He would find him sooner or later.

The atmosphere in the office instantly dropped to freezing point.

Being asked to leave, Lin Zhengyang sat stiffly in place, raising his eyes slightly to confront Shao Chengxi.

As one of the few S-class Omegas in politics, he was still somewhat intimidated by the powerful S-class Alpha in front of him.

However, Shao Chengxi was very gentlemanly and didn’t use his pheromones to suppress him.

He only used his ice-type pheromones to convey his dissatisfaction and anger.

Lin Zhengyang knew that he was now in a dilemma.

If he couldn’t give Shao Chengxi a satisfactory answer, Wu Xun and he would probably become scapegoats for the real culprit behind the scenes.

But if they revealed the real culprit, they might not have a good ending either.

Alas, they were all old foxes, so there was no need to tell ghost stories here.

After hesitating for a while, Lin Zhengyang still got up to say goodbye.

What to do next, he would have to go back and discuss it with Vice President Wu Xun before deciding.

Back in the car, Lin Zhengyang looked up at the towering building of the Ministry of Defense, his eyes deep behind his glasses.

“Minister Lin, why don’t we make an issue of Minister Shao’s hidden marriage?” the confidant asked in a low voice, “Once the fact that his Omega is a US-class is announced, it will be enough to cause a national sensation.”

Hearing this, Lin Zhengyang turned to look at his confidant, a meaningful smile curling on his lips:

“Then let me ask you, if that’s the case, why hasn’t Pei Yuan, who is now in prison, revealed this secret to this day?”

The confidant was stunned.

That’s right, the Pei family couldn’t possibly not know this secret of the Shao family.