Lifting a Rock Only to Drop It on One's Own Feet

"Please, President Chang, arrange an introduction for us to meet Chairman Yang. Sorry to trouble you," Li Inde said very politely.

Chang Sheng replied, "I will call Chairman Yang to report and see if he is available."

"That's fine, that's fine. Sorry for the trouble," Li Inde said with a smile.

Chang Sheng called Yang Chen, reported the situation here in detail, and asked for instructions on whether he wanted to meet these academicians.

Yang Chen smiled and said, "They are here for the so-called 'X Component,' aren't they? Just have the research team demonstrate the process for them. I am currently writing a script, so I won't meet with them."

"Ah? A group of academicians? Other people can't even get a meeting with them if they want to, and you really don't want to see them?" Chang Sheng said in great surprise.

Chang Sheng was entirely right. It was by no means easy for ordinary people to secure a meeting with an academician of Li Inde's caliber.

Yet now, a whole group of academicians was requesting an audience, and Yang Chen actually had no desire to see them.

"I've reached a crucial plot point in my script and don't have time to see them right now. They just want to know what the X Component is, so just show them how it's done. By the way, they shouldn't get a free show; after watching, have them record a video explaining what the X Component is and whether it harms the heart or nerves," Yang Chen instructed.

Chang Sheng replied, "Understood, I know what to do."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Chen continued writing his script.

Around four o'clock, police departments across various regions began taking action.

The Binhai Sub-bureau in Hecheng City issued an official announcement:

"Douyin blogger 'Fashion Hot Mom,' real name Wang XX, accepted 3,000 yuan from South Korea's GRM Company to post a video spreading rumors and smearing the 'X Component' of Sihai Slimming Pills, claiming it damages the heart and nerves. Wang XX has confessed to her illegal activities and has now been placed under administrative detention. The case is undergoing further investigation."

The HP District Sub-bureau in Haicheng subsequently issued its announcement as well:

"Weibo user 'Fashion Tips & Tricks,' real name Li XX, accepted 20,000 yuan from South Korea's GRM Company to publish an article titled 'Mysterious Ingredients in Sihai Slimming Pills Damage Heart and Nerves.' Li XX admitted that she had no evidence whatsoever to prove the content of the article and merely posted the Weibo for money. Currently, Li XX has been placed under administrative detention, and further investigation is underway to determine whether criminal liability will be pursued."

...

The announcements from the police nationwide quickly surged to the trending search lists on major platforms, and South Korea's GRM was also pushed to the trending topics. Furious netizens flooded the comment sections of GRM's Weibo and Douyin accounts with attacks, frightening the GRM account administrator into hastily disabling comment permissions across all platforms.

Li Enhui, the President of GRM's Kingdom of Dragon branch, panicked and hurriedly called Group President Park Jung-gook.

"Hello, Chairman, a major crisis has broken out. I don't know how, but the police throughout the entire Kingdom of Dragon are helping the Sihai Group, and all the bloggers we hired have been arrested. This method has always worked flawlessly in the past; I have no idea how it turned out like this this time," Li Enhui said frantically.

Park Jung-gook immediately snapped, "Sibal! Then what use is it to call me? Hurry up and think of a remedy! Go talk to the Chairman of the Sihai Group. As long as you can persuade them not to pursue the matter, a big issue can be reduced to a small one, and a small one to nothing. I don't care what methods you use; you must persuade him not to press charges. Do you understand clearly?"

"Alright... Chairman, I understand..." Li Enhui said with utter helplessness.

This strategy had clearly been proposed by Park Jung-gook himself, yet now that trouble arose, he expected Li Enhui to clean up the mess. It was completely unreasonable.

As Li Enhui was pondering countermeasures, her assistant rushed in frantically.

"Director Li, it's terrible! The Sihai Health Douyin account has released a video. Twelve academicians from the Dragon Academy of Sciences jointly explained what the X Component is and proved that this ingredient only functions to promote ultra-strong metabolism and has absolutely no effect on the heart or nerves. We're finished; we might be facing a lawsuit," the assistant reported.

Li Enhui quickly opened Sihai Health's Douyin and clicked on the pinned video to watch.

In the video, Li Inde and other academicians excitedly shared how they had witnessed firsthand Sihai Health researchers using onions, corn, garlic, apples, sweet potatoes, milk, and vitamins to synthesize 'Polymerized Onion Extract'—which possesses ultra-strong metabolic capabilities—through a series of complex chemical reactions. 'Polymerized Onion Extract' has functions such as enhancing metabolism and lowering blood lipids and cholesterol, which is why Sihai Slimming Pills can effectively promote weight loss and treat mild fatty liver and other conditions.

In less than ten minutes after its release, the video had already surpassed ten thousand comments.

"With so many academicians stepping forward to testify, I can finally rest easy. Good thing I didn't agree to a refund, otherwise I might not have been able to snatch a box."

"GRM is truly disgusting. When they couldn't compete fairly, they resorted to such tactics. This whole day has given me quite a scare. From now on, nobody should buy any products from this brand; let them get kicked out of the Kingdom of Dragon early."

"Please, Sihai Group, do not let them off. You must seize this opportunity to drive GRM out of the Kingdom of Dragon. Also, please stock more slimming pills; I still want to buy some more to send to my parents."

...

Looking at the uniform demands in the comment section for Sihai Group to drive GRM out of the Kingdom of Dragon, Li Enhui felt a deep sense of panic.

After a moment of thought, Li Enhui immediately instructed her assistant to book a flight to Jiangcheng for the next morning.

With the personal testimonies of twelve academicians, the media outlets also felt bold and confident enough to report on the matter.

*Healthcare Times*: "Sihai Slimming Pills spark a weight-loss wave. According to user feedback, this weight-loss medication is truly as advertised: not only does it help lose weight, but it can also treat mild fatty liver, gastroenteritis, and dredge blood vessels. The 'X Component' it contains had its mysterious veil lifted today under the verification of 12 academicians from the Dragon Academy of Sciences. It turns out this ingredient is 'Polymerized Onion Extract,' synthesized using onions and other ingredients combined with vitamins. 'Polymerized Onion Extract' did not naturally exist before; it requires synthesis through a series of complex chemical reactions. Who knows if it might become the next artemisinin, bringing another Nobel Prize to the Kingdom of Dragon? And the person who invented 'Polymerized Onion Extract' turns out to be Yang Chen, the new chairman of Sihai Group. Under his leadership, Sihai Group is highly likely to resolve its debt crisis."

*Economic Times*: "Sihai Group, mired in a debt crisis, has finally welcomed a glimmer of hope. The newly launched slimming pills by Sihai Health have ignited the weight-loss market. A thousand boxes put on shelves every day are snapped up in seconds; the medicine is currently in extremely high demand. Competitors bribed internet trolls in an attempt to smear the Sihai Slimming Pills, but backed by the testimony of 12 Dragon Academy of Sciences academicians, the rumors collapsed on their own accord. Such a miraculous weight-loss pill actually came from the hands of Sihai Group's new chairman, Yang Chen. No wonder the city government dared to entrust a Sihai Group burdened with three trillion in debt to his management. Yang Chen's first strike wiped out the Changhui Group, and his second strike detonated the weight-loss market. Who knows what kind of major feat he will pull off with his next move? Let us wait and see!"

...

With national-level media outlets vying to report on the Sihai Slimming Pills, consumers no longer harbored any doubts, desiring only that Sihai Health would release more stock for them to grab.

How ironic for South Korea's GRM Company: originally intending to plot against and harm the Sihai Slimming Pills, they not only lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet, but they also provoked intense nationalistic sentiment among consumers. Coupled with the endorsement of the twelve academicians, consumers now placed absolute trust in the Sihai Slimming Pills.

Yang Chen concluded his day's work and called Chen Xi in to tidy up and prepare to leave for the day.

The Six Beauties rushed in excitedly.

"Chairman Yang, you're on the news, and all of them are national-level media outlets! Chairman Yang, you've gone viral," Chen Xi said happily.

"I'm truly happy for you, yet feeling sorry for myself. I studied diligently through twenty years of schooling, yet I can't compare to a vocational school graduate like you," Huang Wei said with a smile.

Zhao Jing asked, "Chairman Yang, we are dying to know how you managed to research the slimming pills. Please share your secret with us."

The others also nodded eagerly, looking at Yang Chen with hopeful expressions.

"I'll tell you when the opportunity arises. Let's go, off work, I'll take you out for late-night snacks," Yang Chen replied with a smile.

Yang Chen led the Six Beauties down the elevator to the lobby on the first floor. Just as they stepped out of the elevator, they saw Chang Sheng waiting there accompanied by the twelve academicians.