บท 124: The Puppet Master's Wrath

In a secluded mansion nestled among rolling hills, a man stood in his opulent study, his steely gaze fixed on a wall of monitors. Each screen flickered with news feeds from across China, all centered on one explosive story - the death of Minister Song and the swirling rumors of government involvement.

The man's weathered face, a map of decades spent in the shadows of power, was set in a mask of tightly controlled fury. This was no ordinary individual, but the founder and mastermind behind an organization that had, until now, operated with impunity in the murky waters of international espionage and political manipulation.

His assistant, a sharp-eyed woman named Li Jing, stood nearby, tablet in hand. "Sir," she began, her voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air, "I have the latest updates on the Shanghai situation."

The man turned, his piercing eyes locking onto Li. "Proceed."