He quickly scaled the iron gate, clumsily mbered over it, and after a bit of struggle, jumped down on the other side. Ignoring the dirt now smudged on his clothes, he dashed straight into the factory.


    As he entered, a nagging worry lingered in his mind: what if Li Yalin or his associates showed up unexpectedly? He called out, “Mr. Li, are you there? I came to check on you. If you’re here, please don’t take this the wrong way!”


    While shouting, he made his way further into the factory.


    Inside the factory, he noticed that the equipment had been partially dismantled, as if the work had been abruptly halted. There was no one in sight, and everything seemed eerily quiet.


    He nced around, puzzled: “Where could that guy have gone? Did he take a break, or has he just vanished?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Charlie Wade and Li Yalin had just witnessed him climbing over the gate and entering. Charlie turned to Li Yalin and asked, “Inspector Li, what do you think he’ll do next?”


    Li Yalin replied, “Since he can’t reach me, he’s likely toe here daily. If he realizes I might not return, he might consider reiming this business.”


    Charlie nodded thoughtfully. “In that case, the situation seems quite unpredictable. It might be best to call him directly and say you have an emergency in China that requires your immediate attention. Let him know it could take a month or two, but assure him you’ll be back before that deadline.”


    Afterward, Charlie suggested, “You should adjust your tone to convey a sense of urgency. Make him feel like you’re in serious trouble and may not return for a while.”


    “Alright,” Li Yalin agreed. “Make sure to get him to restart production by tomorrow.”


    With that, Li Yalin promptly turned on his phone to call the factory director.


    At that moment, the factory director was in the factory, deep in thought about Li Yalin’s disappearance. When he received the call, his heart sank. He looked around nervously, fearing Li Yalin might emerge from the shadows.


    Seeing no one around, he picked up the phone and greeted, “Hey, Boss Li, why was your phone off when I tried to reach you earlier?”


    Li Yalin replied, “I had to rush back to China for some urgent matters. There’s no direct flight from Casanca, so I had to connect through Cairo. I justnded. What’s on your mind?”


    The factory manager felt a bit let down but noticed an anxious tone in Li Yalin’s voice. He quickly inquired, “Mr. Li, why are you returning before the factory starts construction? When can we expect your partner’s funds to arrive?”<fn46f1> Readplete version only at FιndＮovel</fn46f1>


    Li Yalin snapped back, “Why the rush? Our contract is clear: I just need to settle your bnce within two months. You don’t need to fret about when the factory upgrades will happen.”


    The factory manager quickly rified, “You misunderstood, Mr. Li. I’m not pressuring you. I’m concerned for you. Those workers have taken your money and gone on vacation. If you can’t start work in two months, they’ll be out of a job and won’t wait around. You can’t keep paying their wages indefinitely. When you finally finish the renovations and are ready to work, finding skilledbor will take time. Don’t you agree?”


    Li Yalin responded, “Got it, but don’t worry about my issues. I might not return for a month, and I’ll ept any losses by then. Rest assured, I’ll pay you the final amount before the contract ends.”


    Without waiting for a reply, Li Yalin abruptly said, “I have other matters to attend to; I’ll talk to youter.”


    With that, he hung up the phone.


    The factory manager’s mind raced. He muttered to himself, “He might not be back for a month. Could he be in serious trouble? He left without canceling the contract or asking for the $100,000 back, which means he still has some hope. But from his tone, it seems he’s really in a bind. If he can’t pay the bnce, he’ll likelye back seeking the $100,000.”


    He then nced at the equipment around him and eximed, “Who cares? The factory is sitting idle, and the workers have already been paid. I’ll call them back to work! If Mr. Li can’t get the money together in two months and tries to get a refund from me, I’ll oust him! If I can hold out, I won’t give him the $100,000. If he insists on taking me to court, I’ll just wait for the ruling and return the $100,000 after losing. Even then, I’ll still have gained $100,000 for nothing! The crucial part is I can start operations right now, and he’s already covered the workers’ wages. I’ve wasted enough resources over the past month or so, but I might just earn another $100,000! I must be incredibly lucky!”


    With that thought in mind, he rushed out with excitement, clumsily scaled the wall again, and once in his car, he didn’t drive off. Instead, he forcefully unlocked the chain lock on the door and immediately called his foreman, instructing, “Tell everyone to end their vacation and return to work right away!”


    The foreman, surprised, asked, “Boss, didn’t you give us paid leave?”


    “Forget the sry!” the factory manager shouted angrily. “You think you can just take the money and not work? Do you really believe that’s eptable? Hurry up and get to work, or you’ll have to return every cent of the advance I paid you!”