Chapter 100 All's Fair in War – He Took the Bait
DC?
Disease Conqueror?
This device covered over 12,000 disease symptoms, 300 million intelligent modules, and could treat all common and rare diseases?
A wave of intense unease wrapped around his heart like creeping vines, making it hard to breathe.
Because these specifications were remarkably similar to the FD—the result of four years of painstaking research by Harrison Group's three core laboratories.
Today, Matthew had beaten them to the punch with an identical product.
A terrible premonition settled in his gut.
At that moment, Charlie burst into the office, with Vice President Eric close behind, both looking deeply unsettled.
Nicholas's voice was ice-cold.
"Immediately! Right now! Call an emergency meeting with all department heads!"
Meanwhile, the Moore Group's launch event continued in full swing, with technical staff demonstrating diagnostic results and treatment protocols to reporters. The precision was remarkably high, leaving everyone speechless.
The reporters practically wanted to take home a device on the spot.
DC's launch was an unprecedented success for two reasons: first, Matthew's self-vindication press conference had captured global attention with sky-high engagement; second, DC's capabilities had stunned the medical community, positioning it to become the new focal point of global smart healthcare.
At the top floor of Moore Group headquarters, in the CEO's office.
Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city's bustling skyline, yet couldn't dispel the oppressive atmosphere inside.
Emma clenched her fists until her fingertips turned white.
She stared at the unperturbed man behind the desk, her voice carrying barely detectable tremors:
"Matthew, DC's data... why is it so similar to Harrison Group's FD? Did you obtain this data from Harrison Group?"
Matthew's long fingers drummed rhythmically against the smooth desktop, creating a steady tapping sound.
Then he smiled.
That smile carried a hint of wickedness, a touch of cynical amusement, yet also conveyed absolute confidence in his strategic mastery.
"Emma, business competition has always been about strategic deception!"
He leaned back casually in his executive chair, his posture relaxed.
"Of course, Moore Group has considerable capabilities too. Following normal procedures, we could have developed such a high-quality product in another year or two."
He paused, his tone light yet cutting:
"I simply... accelerated the timeline a bit."
Emma sucked in a sharp breath, feeling as if a boulder had settled on her chest, making breathing difficult.
She blurted out: "This way, Harrison Group will collapse!"
The words were barely out when she froze, wondering why she was worrying about Nicholas.
Matthew's smile faded slightly, though his gaze remained sharp.
"Harrison Group won't collapse." His voice was calm yet carried unquestionable certainty. "Nicholas is far stronger than you imagine."
He rose and walked slowly toward Emma, his towering figure creating an invisible sense of pressure.
"Emma, you two are finished. In just a few days, we'll be leaving for Lumaria. Nicholas is no longer your responsibility, and he certainly doesn't need your pity."
His voice dropped lower, becoming almost hypnotic.
Emma fell silent!
After a long moment, she spoke with difficulty, her voice barely audible: "Matthew... is there still room for negotiation? Could you halt DC's market release?"
She looked up at Matthew, her eyes holding a plea she didn't even recognize herself.
Even as she asked, she felt foolish—like a naive child trying to change a business empire's set course with a few words.
She knew that asking this now was essentially demanding that Moore Group slap itself in the face.
But she asked anyway.
Matthew studied her with deep, unreadable eyes, his expression complex.
He reached out to touch her cheek, but Emma instinctively pulled away.
His hand froze mid-air, then he withdrew it nonchalantly.
"Emma." His voice took on a cold edge.
"Think about that lost child. Think about Nicholas's leniency toward the killer. Think about his cold indifference toward you these past three years."
Each of Matthew's words was like a poisoned blade, stabbing mercilessly into her heart.
"He doesn't deserve your pleading—not even a single word!"
Emma's body shuddered violently, her face turning deathly pale. Her throat felt blocked, unable to produce a single sound.
Her chest ached with suffocating pain.
"I need to go!" She turned away awkwardly, fleeing the office in what could only be described as retreat.
Matthew's mask of indifference crumbled instantly, replaced by an almost twisted satisfaction.
He walked to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a shot of bourbon, the amber liquid refracting mesmerizing colors in the crystal glass.
He had deliberately delayed the press conference, waiting for DC's production and testing to be completely finished.
Now Nicholas was experiencing the darkest moment of his life.
If he chose to launch the functionally identical FD in three days, the plagiarism accusations would destroy Nicholas's standing in the medical field forever.
If he didn't launch, Harrison Group's four years of dedicated work would be utterly wasted.
Either outcome would trap Harrison Group in a dead end!
This was the consequence of challenging him!
Matthew tilted his head back and drained the glass in one go.
The burning liquid slid down his throat, bringing a searing rush of pleasure, his eyes gleaming with undisguised desire for control.
Absolutely satisfying!
...
The Harrison Group conference room was freezing with tension.
"Three days! Just three bloody days!" The marketing director's voice cracked.
"Our product launch is in three days! Now Moore Group's DC has basically ground our faces into the dirt! If we launch as planned, we'll be blatantly plagiarizing and the internet will tear us apart!"
"But if we don't launch..."
Another executive's voice was strained. "Four years of blood, sweat, and tears from thousands of researchers—all for nothing!"
The conference room fell deadly silent.
The technical director pushed through the door, his face ashen, holding a tablet with glaring data comparisons on the screen.
"Mr. Harrison, everyone, Moore Group's DC contains core data that's identical to ours."
He paused, his voice dropping even lower.
"It's essentially copy-paste. But they've also added enhancements—several new technical features that were just prototypes in our labs, things we hadn't implemented yet. They've... innovated on our work."
Someone's pen hit the floor.
The atmosphere reached absolute zero.
Vice President Eric, a mild-mannered man with gold-rimmed glasses, now had eyes sharp enough to pierce through steel behind those lenses.
"How could our data possibly have leaked?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried crushing weight. "Only three people have master-level access to the security tokens. Mr. Harrison, myself, and the technical director."
Nicholas's head snapped up, pupils contracting.
Security tokens! His heart lurched.
He remembered that at the manor, he had personally handed that security token to Emma, specifically instructing her to keep it safe. It had remained with her for a full day and night!
Nicholas's face turned iron gray, his entire aura suddenly glacial.
Without a word, he shot to his feet, his chair rolling backward with a sharp scraping sound.
He strode from the room without looking back, leaving behind a roomful of bewildered executives and an increasingly oppressive atmosphere.
Nicholas knew exactly who the thief was!