Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 190; Executive meeting 7

"Honestly?" Shuyin shrugged, the gesture elegant and casual. "I want to build my own business interests. The executive advisor position gives me credibility in business circles, valuable connections across industries, and access to resources that would take years to develop independently. I’ll use those advantages to develop my own ventures, completely separate from Lu Group operations, I should emphasize. I won’t interfere with your business strategies, won’t try to take control of divisions, won’t compete directly with company interests or poach your best people."

She paused, her expression becoming more serious.

"But I will maintain oversight. I will attend board meetings and actually participate in them. I will review financial reports and strategic plans with the same access as any other executive. Not to control them or redirect them, but to ensure that nothing any of you do threatens my position or my interests. Think of me as insurance. I’m here to make sure we all stay honest enough with each other not to destroy everything we’ve built."

"Mutually assured destruction," Lu Cheng said quietly, recognition clear in his tone. He’d built an empire partly on understanding this principle.

"Exactly," Shuyin confirmed with an approving nod. "We’re all holding weapons that could destroy each other. Nuclear options, if you will. So the smart play, the only rational play, is to put the weapons down and work together instead of engaging in warfare that leaves everyone in ruins."

Director Chen cleared his throat, the sound harsh in the quiet room. His voice emerged hoarse, as if his throat had gone dry. "And if we refuse? If we vote right now to remove you despite your threats?"

Shuyin’s smile was serene, beautiful, and absolutely terrifying in its complete lack of anger or frustration. She looked like someone was discussing the weather.

"Then I walk out of this building immediately," she said calmly. "I go directly to the nearest police station and hand over everything I know, with documentation, recordings, and detailed testimony. The company will be gutted by investigations from multiple government agencies simultaneously. Half of you will be arrested within a week. The other half will be tied up in legal battles for years, spending your personal fortunes on defense attorneys. Lu Group’s stock will crater, possibly becoming worthless. Thousands of innocent employees will lose their jobs and retirement savings. And I’ll start over somewhere else with a completely clean slate, no connections to the wreckage, and a reputation as someone who cannot be crossed without catastrophic consequences."

She tilted her head, her expression thoughtful.

"But that’s the nuclear option I just mentioned. Nobody really wins in that scenario. It’s purely destructive with no benefits for anyone. So I’m hoping you’ll all be smart enough to choose cooperation instead. Mutual benefit rather than mutual destruction."

The silence stretched longer this time, becoming uncomfortable. People avoided looking at each other, lost in their own desperate calculations.

And then, slowly, with the inevitability of someone making a decision they hated but couldn’t avoid, Lu Cheng nodded once.

"All in favor of accepting Miss Lin Shuyin’s appointment as Special Executive Advisor to the President," he said formally, his voice flat and expressionless, "with full board access and appropriate executive privileges?"

One by one, hands rose around the table.

Not enthusiastically. Not happily. Some people raised their hands reluctantly, as if lifting enormous weights. Others did so with resignation written across their faces. A few managed to maintain neutral expressions through sheer force of will.

But raised nonetheless.

Because they didn’t have a choice. Not really. The illusion of choice existed, but the reality was stark: cooperate or be destroyed.

"Motion carries unanimously," Lu Cheng said flatly. "Welcome to the executive team, Miss Lin. I hope you understand what you’ve just walked into."

"I understand perfectly, Chief Lu," Shuyin replied, standing with fluid grace. "The question is whether you understand what you’ve just agreed to."

Her three enforcers immediately moved to flank her, Tank and Blade positioning themselves slightly behind and to either side while Razor remained closer, ready to intercept any threat. Their presence added another layer of intimidation to the moment.

"If there’s nothing else requiring my immediate attention," Shuyin said pleasantly, "I have work to attend to. The Chen family company acquisition needs finalizing, and I have a shareholder meeting to prepare for tomorrow morning. I’m sure you all understand how important it is to make strong first impressions."

She moved toward the door with confident strides, then paused dramatically, looking back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and one more thing," she added, as if it had just occurred to her. "My people, Tank, Blade, and Razor, will be starting their director-level positions tomorrow morning. I trust you’ll all extend them the same professional courtesy and respect you’ve just promised me. Because their success is my success, their positions strengthen my position, and we’ve already established how invested you all are in keeping me happy and secure."

The threat was wrapped in velvet but unmistakable to everyone in the room. Interfere with her people, and you interfere with her. And interfering with her would trigger the nuclear option.

Then she was gone, the door closing behind her with a soft click that somehow sounded final, leaving a boardroom full of some of the most powerful people in the city, people who’d built fortunes and crushed competitors, sitting in stunned silence, collectively realizing they’d just been completely and thoroughly outmaneuvered by someone they’d dismissed as irrelevant.

Lu Zeyan sat very still, staring at the closed door. His hands rested flat on the table in front of him, and he seemed unable to process what had just happened.

The woman he’d once controlled so easily, manipulated so thoroughly, and dismissed so completely, she’d just reduced his father and the entire board to compliant servants through nothing but knowledge and the credible threat of using it.

His father’s hand landed on his shoulder, heavy with disappointment and barely suppressed anger.

"We’ll discuss your judgment later," Lu Cheng said quietly, his voice cold enough to freeze water.