Chapter 192
"Yesterday, the Land Planning Department suddenly informed us that this plot is entangled in a century-old family ownership dispute. All approval processes have been frozen indefinitely."
Margaret's gaze fell on the location circled in red pen on the map.
That spot was the core point of the entire power grid plan.
"Land ownership dispute?" she asked.
"Just an excuse," Frank Gray's tone conveyed helplessness. "The official handling this is named Salim Tavirin. Our people tried to arrange meetings with him but were rejected three days in a row. Our inside source says Shimazu Group from Takune had him fishing on their private yacht all last week."
Shimazu Group. The old Takune conglomerate that had lost the bid to Margaret New Energy Group.
"They're trying to kill us at the first step," a young man from the technical team couldn't help saying.
Margaret remained silent, her finger tapping lightly on the frozen land parcel on the map.
This tactic was all too familiar—one of the most common and dirtiest moves in business competition.
"Activate the backup plan. Have the geological survey team reassess area B-3. We'll pursue both options simultaneously."
Her composure acted like a shot of adrenaline, easing the tense atmosphere in the meeting room.
However, their opponents clearly had no intention of giving them any breathing room.
The next day, Saint Lorran's highest-circulation morning paper, The Voice of Saint Lorran, published a shocking front-page headline:
#Foreign Capital's Greed Is Strangling Our Last Sanctuary!#
Beneath the massive headline was a high-resolution photograph.
At the edge of a mangrove wetland, several newly sprouted saplings had been uprooted, lying forlornly in the mud.
Next to it was an image of a supposedly "leaked internal" environmental assessment report, marked in bright red font stating that Margaret New Energy Group would completely destroy the last habitat of Saint Lorran's unique species, the "Blue Feathered Kingfisher."
The article was written with dramatic flair, portraying Margaret's group as an ecological butcher willing to sacrifice anything for profit.
"Damn it!"
Frank slammed the newspaper onto the table, his face flushed with anger. "Our people haven't even entered that area yet! This photo is clearly staged! And this damned Blue Feathered Kingfisher—our environmental assessment team checked—this bird's main habitat is in a national park three hundred miles away!"
The office phones began ringing frantically with inquiries from media and the domestic headquarters.
Margaret picked up the newspaper and examined it carefully, analyzing everything from the layout to the word choice.
"What's the name of the reporter who wrote this?" she asked.
"Joel Tavirog, an unscrupulous journalist known for writing whatever he's paid to write," a local employee answered.
"Find all articles he's published in the past three years, especially those related to Shimazu Group," Margaret folded the newspaper and set it aside. "Also, contact Professor Adrian Sorevan, the ornithologist at Saint Lorran University."
Her instructions were clear and calm.
But public opinion escalated faster than she had anticipated.
That afternoon, a crowd began gathering outside their small office building.
Initially, there were only twenty or thirty environmentalists holding signs and shouting "Save the Blue Feathered Kingfisher."
Soon, however, the crowd snowballed.
Many uninformed local residents were incited to join, mixed with some local troublemakers.
"Get out of Saint Lorran!"
"Eco-killer!"
Placards were raised high, angry chants merging into a cacophony of noise.
Local police arrived in several vehicles but remained at a distance, showing no intention of maintaining order.
The situation was spiraling out of control.
"Ms. Kennedy! There are professional agitators in the crowd! They've started throwing things!" Frank burst into the office, his forehead covered in sweat.
A stone hit Margaret's office window with a dull thud, creating spiderweb-like cracks in the glass.
A video call request from home popped up—it was Rex.
"Ms. Kennedy! Please don't go outside! I just saw the news—it's practically a riot! Contact the local embassy immediately and let's withdraw! We can abandon the project! Money can be earned again, but life is irreplaceable!" Rex's voice was nearly breaking.
Margaret walked to the window and quietly observed the angry crowd below.
She spotted the vociferous leader at the front—Joel Tavirog, the author of the newspaper article.
She noticed people wearing Shimazu Group work uniforms discreetly distributing bottled water to others in the crowd.
She also saw ordinary citizens with genuine concern and anger on their faces, deceived by the propaganda.
This wasn't a simple protest.
It was a carefully orchestrated hunt.
Her silence nearly drove Rex to breakdown on the other end of the line.
"Say something, Ms. Kennedy! You're not thinking of going down to reason with them, are you? That would be like talking to a brick wall—it won't accomplish anything!"
Margaret turned around, ignoring Rex's wailing.
"Frank."
"Yes!"
"Gather all our geological survey reports, hydrological analysis data, and original ecological assessment records. Format them into the simplest, most understandable charts."
"Huh?" Frank couldn't follow her thinking.
"Tell the technical team to prepare a high-powered projector and sound equipment," Margaret's gaze swept across everyone in the room. "Also, buy me a traditional Saint Lorran outfit—something in subtle colors."
Everyone froze.
"Ms. Kennedy... what are you planning to do?" Frank stammered.
"Teach them the rules again."
---
At the same time, in the Neville Group president's office.
Rex placed urgent intelligence reports on Richard's desk, showing photos of the riot in Saint Lorran.
Richard's gaze fell on one close-up image.
He picked up the internal phone on his desk.
"Connect me to the Southeast Asia regional director of the Neville Group Risk Control Department."
The call was quickly connected.
"It's me," Richard's voice betrayed no emotion. "What's the name of Shimazu Group's representative in Saint Lorran?"
"It's... Yuichi Tanaka, Mr. Neville."
"I want all his information. Family, preferences, weaknesses—everything," Richard paused, then added, "Including his daughter waiting for a heart transplant at Shinagawa City University Hospital."
---
Nightfall.
Margaret had changed into a white linen dress in the local style.
"Ms. Kennedy, are you really going out there?" Frank's voice was tense, clutching a wrench for protection.
"Open the door," Margaret's tone was completely steady.
The door opened a crack, and the clamor from outside immediately flooded in.
Frank and several male colleagues formed a human wall, shielding her.
Margaret stood in the doorway, between light and shadow.
Almost simultaneously, a powerful beam of light projected from a second-floor window onto the white wall of the building opposite, creating a massive temporary screen.