Chapter 20: The Web of Deception

In the sprawling empire of the Phoenix Group, Li Yang's meteoric rise had not gone unnoticed, especially by the younger siblings of Red Phoenix: Lin Wei and Lin Fei. While Li Yang's official position was elevated, the brothers remained influential in many of the group's key decisions. Aware of this impediment to his complete dominance, Li Yang devised a plan to discredit them both.

Lin Wei, the elder of the two, was known for his international trade networks and had a crucial deal in the pipeline with European manufacturers. This deal was set to be one of Phoenix Group's most significant international ventures. Li Yang, through a series of anonymous tip-offs to regulatory bodies and using contacts within rival corporations, managed to unearth a minor yet overlooked paperwork discrepancy in Lin Wei's deal. It might have been a mere oversight, but with the current stringent international trading regulations, this error was painted as a grave blunder. The European partners, spooked by potential legal ramifications, pulled out of the deal, causing significant embarrassment and financial strain on the Phoenix Group. Lin Wei, once the shining star of international trade in the conglomerate, was now under internal scrutiny.

Lin Fei, the younger and more tech-savvy brother, was at the forefront of Phoenix Group's digital transformation projects. His recent endeavor was a massive digital upgrade across the group's subsidiaries. Li Yang, aware of Lin Fei's slight overconfidence in technology, used it to his advantage. Through a highly skilled hacker, he introduced subtle bugs into the software that Lin Fei's team was about to deploy. The software rollout turned into a disaster, with systems crashing and data leaks threatening the company's sensitive information. The recovery from such a digital fiasco was costly, both in terms of finances and reputation.

In the boardroom, whispers turned into vociferous discussions about the competence of the brothers. Some argued that these were mere mistakes, while others saw them as glaring examples of incompetence. Red Phoenix, caught between her loyalty to her brothers and the future of her group, was in a precarious position.

Li Yang, seeing his plan unfold perfectly, offered his assistance to rectify the problems caused by the brothers. His gestures were seen as magnanimous by the board, further elevating his status within the group. With the brothers' influence diminished, he was now the de facto decision-maker in many of the group's critical areas.

However, this victory came at a cost. The once harmonious corridors of the Phoenix Group now echoed with mistrust and suspicion. And amidst this, Li Yang sat, his throne built on a foundation of treachery and deception, pondering his next move.