Chapter 221: Clearing His Own Name
This was Infinity Ventures Corporation's home turf. William understood perfectly that making any rash moves in this setting would only provide ammunition for his enemies, and could even be exploited by opportunists to ignite a corporate war between the two companies.
Without hesitation, he swiftly moved through the crowd to Richard's position in the back, lowering his voice: "Come with me."
"What are you trying to pull now?" Richard was completely focused on Isabella onstage, ready to intervene at any moment. Interrupted by William, his voice carried obvious irritation and wariness. "Don't cause trouble at a time like this."
"Cause trouble?" William's brow furrowed, his gaze sharp as a blade. "You think I'm as bored as you? Look up—ten o'clock direction, the man in the gray jacket."
He gestured toward the suspicious figure with his chin.
"I've been sitting here for half the session, and that guy has been the one stirring things up multiple times. He always manages to throw in some inflammatory comment at the most critical moments, then immediately melts back into the crowd. This isn't normal—it's like he's working from a pre-written script."
Before he finished speaking, alarm bells went off in both men's minds simultaneously.
A terrifying theory emerged: there was a mole inside the company, and they hadn't just leaked news of Crystaphene's theft—they might even have detailed knowledge of the press conference agenda and crisis management plans.
The problem was far worse than they'd imagined.
Onstage, Isabella was desperately trying to calm the nearly out-of-control reporters, her voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor from her extreme efforts at self-control.
"Since you claim 'Crystaphene' is extremely lightweight, why does the sample in your hand appear so heavy?" One reporter had caught that moment of stiffness when Isabella lifted the "rock candy," his question sharp as a needle.
Skeptical voices erupted again.
"There's no time to explain," William grabbed Richard's sleeve, speaking rapidly. "Right now, we need to work together. Catch that man, and your press conference might still be salvageable."
Richard's gaze flew between Isabella onstage and William, and though every fiber of his being resisted, logic told him William was right. With a cold expression, he gave a decisive nod.
The man mixed in with the reporters was clearly supremely confident in his strategy of hiding in the crowd, completely unaware of the approaching danger.
The next second, two tall figures pounced like panthers from both sides simultaneously.
One precisely covered his mouth while the other used a swift restraining technique to pin his arms behind his back, suppressing all his struggles without alerting any nearby reporters.
The entire process was lightning-fast and silent.
William and Richard, one on each side, practically carried him into a nearby empty office.
The moment the door locked behind them, the panic in the man's eyes was quickly replaced by professional wariness. He studied Richard, glanced at William, then spoke first, trying to seize control:
"I'm a reporter from Southwind Finance News, with official press credentials. Just because I asked a few pointed questions, Infinity Ventures Corporation is going to use violent methods to restrict my personal freedom?"
"Save it," Richard's voice was ice-cold. "Why you're here—explain yourself clearly, and we can pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, we'll discuss this with lawyers."
Faced with the threat, the man stubbornly stood his ground, acting completely unafraid: "I don't know what you're talking about! What right do you have to detain me? I'm calling the police!"
He protested with righteous indignation—if they hadn't witnessed his behavior firsthand, they might almost have been fooled by his innocent act.
Just then, William keenly caught a detail: when this man confronted Richard, his body would unconsciously lean slightly to one side, and beyond wariness, his eyes held a trace of familiar fear.
He knew Richard, and was very likely an insider at Infinity Ventures Corporation.
Understanding dawned on William. He decisively stepped forward to stand beside Richard, taking control of the interrogation. Rather than harsh questioning, he revealed a knowing smile.
"You'd better think this through carefully. The R&D cost for a single piece of 'Crystaphene' is conservatively estimated at over a million dollars—that already constitutes grand theft. Add in stealing Infinity Ventures Corporation's core trade secrets, and with multiple charges combined..."
William paced leisurely, as if helping him calculate: "How long do you think you'll be inside? Five years? Ten years? The goods probably haven't reached your hands yet, have they? Who were you planning to sell to? Is it worth ruining your entire life so someone else can get rich? Does that math work out?"
The man's face instantly paled several shades, but he continued to tough it out: "What evidence do you have? I told you, I'm just a reporter—I can't understand a word of your nonsense!"
"Evidence?" William's smile deepened, his gaze mockingly locking onto the suspect. "Of course we have evidence. Otherwise, why would we single you out from hundreds of people? We've already pulled the lab's backup surveillance footage."
He deliberately paused, observing the man's reaction, then delivered the fatal blow with measured calm:
"Who exactly broke into the laboratory, and who figured out how to crack the safe? After stealing the goods, who were you planning to hand them over to? You really can't say a single word?"
William bent down, staring down at him from his superior height, his voice like a devil's whisper: "The surveillance footage is crystal clear. You think you disguised yourself well, but certain unconscious habits can't fool anyone. For instance, when you get nervous, your right pinky finger twitches involuntarily."
Richard, listening nearby, immediately frowned with suspicion as he looked toward William.
This was far too suspicious.
William knew an alleged stranger's nervous habits like the back of his hand—it was almost like following a pre-rehearsed script! Could it be... this entire scenario was William's own production, designed to play the hero saving the damsel in front of Isabella?
Richard's gaze turned cold.
"Impossible!" The restrained man suddenly lost emotional control, struggling frantically and shrieking: "I already cut the main surveillance power! How could you possibly have found anything?!"
The moment those words hit the air, everything froze.
He'd just confessed to being the thief with his own mouth.
"Excellent," William straightened up, his smile vanishing and replaced by cold hardness. "Now, tell us where the goods are. With security this tight, you shouldn't have had a chance to get them out yet."
The series of psychological pressure and precise deception completely shattered the man's mental defenses.
"I... I just wanted to make some extra money..." He seemed drained of all strength, collapsing. "If I tell you, you... you have to promise not to pursue charges against me!"
William nodded, his tone sincere: "Of course. I'm William, he's Richard—you know our positions. My word carries weight."
The man completely abandoned resistance, his voice defeated: "The goods... I hid them in the soil of the third flower bed on the left side of the company entrance. I was planning to wait until the press conference ended, then slip them out in the chaos."
He'd never imagined his plan would be destroyed by these two seemingly adversarial men working together.
William immediately used his phone to notify the security chief. Within minutes, word came back—the Crystaphene sample had been found intact.
The man breathed a sigh of relief, looking at both men: "Now you can let me go, right?"
William, in full view, unlocked his phone and slowly pressed three digits—911.
The man instantly collapsed, his eyes blazing with fury: "What are you doing?! You just promised not to pursue charges!"
William shrugged, looking completely innocent: "That's right—Mr. Spencer and I personally will absolutely not pursue charges against you. But unfortunately, the ones who'll be pursuing charges now are the police."
After handing the man over to the police who'd arrived on the scene, only Richard and William remained in the office.
Richard's expression was extremely complex. He avoided William's gaze, awkwardly forcing words through gritted teeth: "...Thank you."
William gave a light snort, returning to his characteristic mocking tone: "Don't misunderstand—I just didn't want to be splashed with dirty water. You and your Infinity Ventures Corporation don't have that kind of pull with me."