Chapter 2141: 2144: Meiqiao Is Convinced by Deception in Warfare

In an instant, the charming Wenren Meiqiao froze, staring at Shen Qiang blankly, "Are you serious?"Shen Qiang laughed, "I'm not joking at all. Just smile once, and I'll hand that person over to you immediately. I won't go back on my word."

Wenren Meiqiao looked at Shen Qiang thoughtfully and said, "You sly guy, do you have a plan?"

Shen Qiang laughed, "Meiqiao, you look exceptionally beautiful when you smile, so just smile once, and I guarantee I'll keep my promise."

Upon hearing this, Wenren Meiqiao chuckled, her eyes curving into a smile, "You mischievous fellow, there are urgent matters to attend to, yet here you are, spouting nonsense without a care. I've smiled, now hand that bastard over to me."

Shen Qiang laughed confidently, "As you wish, I'll hand over the real culprit to you right away."

"Where? Who is he?" Wenren Meiqiao asked.

Shen Qiang chuckled and said to Wenren Meiqiao's assistant, who was peeking in from the side, "You, take notes."

"Oh, okay." The female assistant replied upon entering.

Wenren Meiqiao asked in surprise, "Shen Qiang, what are you really up to?"

"The real deal."

Shen Qiang smiled and calmly said, "Gather your people, conduct comprehensive surveillance on Zhai Zhijie, monitor all his external contacts."

"What's next? Just wait? I only have twenty-four hours," Wenren Meiqiao frowned.

Shen Qiang laughed and said, "Listen to me: after that, send the Dragon Group to find him, and ask him to assist in an investigation about viral infection. Throw some real intel at him, make him feel like we've got a lot on him, and could arrest him any moment."

The assistant recording notes paused for a moment, then said, "Advisor Shen, are you serious? Isn't this startling the snake in the grass?"

Shen Qiang laughed, "Exactly, startling the snake in the grass."

The assistant was bewildered.

But hearing these words, Wenren Meiqiao's eyes lit up instantly.

"Startling the snake in the grass! I get it! You want to bluff Zhai Zhijie!"

Shen Qiang laughed, "In warfare, deception is unavoidable. A good strategist attacks one's plans, then alliances, then troops, lastly cities. The Dragon Group has limited time for us; if we wait for hard evidence before confronting him, it'll be too late."

"They say, 'A guilty conscience needs no accuser,' so first try extracting a confession from him. If that doesn't work, throw some bait his way, telling him that people he's clashed with have been poisoned, subtly implying that we think he's responsible."

"Then what?" the assistant asked curiously.

Shen Qiang laughed, "Then, tell him he can't leave the country and must keep communication open for the investigation. That's when your people can walk away."

The assistant said in surprise, "I don't get it."

Shen Qiang smiled at Wenren Meiqiao, "Do you understand?"

Wenren Meiqiao looked seriously at Shen Qiang, "Startling the snake in the grass, Zhai Zhijie is the cover for that guy's hideout. We bluff Zhai Zhijie, and the actual culprit will pop out on his own!"

Shen Qiang chuckled, "You half-understand. The critical part lies in Zhai Zhijie; he's the CEO of the Golden Radiance Consortium, experienced in business but not in crime."

"So what?" Wenren Meiqiao frowned.

Shen Qiang chuckled, "He's a high-profile CEO in the eyes of others, he's proud of himself. If he gets arrested for a crime, he loses everything, so he's nervous because it's not his field of expertise. In anxiety, what do you think he'd do?"

The assistant's eyes lit up, "He'd flee, proving his guilt."

Shen Qiang laughed, shaking his head helplessly, "You underestimate Zhai Zhijie. He's not a professional criminal, but his insight surpasses most, especially from years in business circles. He won't make rash decisions like fleeing that he can't explain."

"Then, what's the point of startling the snake in the grass?" the assistant questioned.

Shen Qiang sighed helplessly, "Truly smart individuals, when faced with unfamiliar problems, immediately seek professional help."

"But this is a crime," Shen Qiang raised an eyebrow, "Without absolute necessity, fewer people knowing is better, meaning he won't casually tell others. So, there's only one person he trusts with this matter."

"His accomplice!" Shen Qiang calmly raised an eyebrow, asking and answering himself, as Wenren Meiqiao's eyes shone brightly beside him, "It's his only trustworthy person in this matter, so right after our people leave, he'll call the person who helped him do all this."

"Phone numbers, emails, communication apps, whatever they use, our people will find him immediately. As for capturing him, that's not something I need to worry about."

Upon hearing this, the assistant's eyes widened, excitedly looking at Wenren Meiqiao, "General, Advisor Shen's plan sounds very feasible!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Notify all relevant personnel, we meet in the small conference room in three minutes," Wenren Meiqiao's eyes sparkled.

"Okay, I'll go notify them right away." The assistant nodded, then turned and enthusiastically left Wenren Meiqiao's office.

Once the door closed, Wenren Meiqiao looked at Shen Qiang with surprise, "I'm starting to suspect you might be a criminal; otherwise, how could you think of such a peculiar way to solve a problem."

Shen Qiang chuckled, "What's strange about that? In the world, any problem can be solved with calm thinking; blind surveillance can never guarantee useful information."

"Relying on that hands-on guy to panic and reveal himself is risky; he could escape or hide indefinitely. The best moment to catch him is when Zhai Zhijie informs him of the police investigation."

Wenren Meiqiao smiled charmingly, "That makes sense. Listening to you, it sounds simple, but before you said it, I was at a loss. I must admit, you're wicked, but genuinely smart enough to instill envy."

Shen Qiang smiled calmly, "Thank you for the compliment, but you should assign tasks now. Solving this problem matters more than anything."