Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 162 Southward Expedition to Conquer Cities: The Twilight of Capital

The interrogation room in the detention center had no windows, and the light from the incandescent bulbs was a stark white.

Lu Haiming sat in the interrogation chair, his wrists fixed in the iron rings of the barrier.

His prison uniform looked baggy, and his hair had turned a third of white in just a few days. His once meticulously combed slicked-back hair was now messily plastered to his scalp.

Liang Qinian sat behind the interrogation table and opened the thick case file.

Next to him was a young police officer who was taking notes.

"Li Fuquan's confession, along with the original forensic report, confirmed the fact that the document was forged back then."

Liang Qinian didn't look up, but his voice was clear in the room: "Wang, the comprador, was arrested last night on the Yunnan border. He confessed to the whole process of how you instructed him to stage a car accident in 1995 to murder Chen Jianguo. The murder weapon, the chassis fragment of that truck from back then, was found in an abandoned warehouse in Tianjin Port. We extracted Chen Jianguo's blood DNA from it."

Liang Qinian closed the file and looked at Lu Haiming.

"Lu Haiming, you're out of cards."

Lu Haiming looked down at the age spots on the back of his hand.

He neither refuted nor flew into a rage.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally raised his head, his chapped lips moving slightly.

"I didn't lose to the police."

Lu Haiming's voice was hoarse and dry. "I lost to that brat. He's ruthless than me. He even dared to gamble with his own reputation."

"Confess."

Liang Qinian picked up his pen.

For the next three hours, Lu Haiming mechanically recounted the crimes committed twenty years ago.

From kickbacks for shoddy materials to the flow of funds for hiring murderers, and later to laundering identities and transferring benefits through various connections.

Every word sealed his fate for the rest of his life.

After the interrogation ended, Lu Haiming pressed his fingerprint on a thirty-page transcript.

The red ink remained on my fingertips.

"Officer Liang."

Before being taken away, Lu Haiming stopped and asked, "How will Chen Yan handle my cinema chain?"

Liang Qinian was organizing the documents.

"That's a business matter, not my concern. But I can tell you, the Southern Cinema Alliance collapsed this morning."

Lu Haiming closed his eyes and was escorted out of the interrogation room by the prison guards.

……

Guangzhou, Zhujiang New Town, Wanda Pictures Southern Headquarters Building.

Zhao Donglai's office was in a mess.

The crystal ashtray was broken on the floor, and several documents were scattered on the carpet.

He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling streets below, holding his cell phone which was on a call.

"Withdraw investment? Mr. Liu, we've been cooperating for five years, and now you're withdrawing your investment just because of this little rumor?"

Zhao Donglai's voice rose, tinged with a hint of unease.

The voice on the other end of the phone was cold.

"Mr. Zhao, this isn't just a rumor. Chen Yan turned the press conference into a trial. The internet is flooded with condemnation of the Southern Cinema Line. You've colluded with Lu Haiming to smear the martyrs' families and protect a murderer. This morning, 37 Wanda Cinemas in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dongguan experienced a massive wave of ticket refunds; even the windows at the ticket counters were smashed. Headquarters has issued a document to thoroughly investigate the accounts of the Southern region. I can't protect you."

The call was cut off.

Zhao Donglai smashed his phone against the bulletproof glass.

The phone screen shattered and slipped to the ground.

The door was pushed open, and the secretary walked in hurriedly, carrying a stack of reports.

"Mr. Zhao, representatives from Jinyi Cinemas and Dadi Cinemas just sent a letter announcing their withdrawal from the 'market support agreement.' They have reinstated the screenings of 'Broken Bridge' and issued a public apology, shifting all the blame onto us."

The secretary didn't dare to look up at him when she spoke.

Zhao Donglai turned around, his face ashen.

Where is Chen Yan's acquisition team?

"At the White Swan Hotel. Su Wan is personally leading the team."

The secretary swallowed hard. "This morning she met with the owners of over two hundred independent cinemas in the south. The acquisition price she offered was 30% lower than what we had previously promised."

"30% less? Are those business owners crazy? Would they sell to her?"

Zhao Donglai gritted his teeth.

"We have no choice but to sell."

The secretary lowered her head. "Su Wan has made it clear that Yanying Culture holds the exclusive digital keys to all high-scoring commercial films from Europe and Hollywood for the next three years. Whoever doesn't sign will lose access to the films. Moreover... she has also filed a formal complaint with the Economic Crime Investigation Department regarding tax evasion by several cinemas. Now those owners are lining up at the White Swan Hotel waiting for her to sign."

Zhao Donglai staggered backward and fell into the leather swivel chair.

He knew that the vote bank in the south had changed hands.

……

The presidential suite at the White Swan Hotel has been temporarily converted into a signing center.

Su Wan sat behind a large mahogany desk, dressed in a black business suit, her hair neatly tied back.

In front of her was a thick stack of acquisition contracts.

Across from me sat the owner of Dongguan's largest independent cinema, sweating profusely, his hand trembling as he held the pen.

"Mr. Su, could you raise the price a bit more? If it's 30% lower, I won't even be able to recoup the cost of the equipment."

The boss pleaded.

Su Wan opened another document without looking at him.

"Mr. Wang, you underreported four million yuan in box office revenue for your three cinemas in Dongguan last year. If this amount were handed over to the tax bureau, the fines and late fees would be enough to put you in jail for three years. My purchase price of 70% of the market value is to cover your family's airfare for emigration."

She pushed the contract forward and handed over a pen for signing.

"Please consider it. There are over forty business owners waiting in line outside."

Looking at Su Wan's expressionless face, Boss Wang knew there was no room for negotiation.

He gritted his teeth, signed his name on the contract, and stamped it with the company seal.

Su Wan took back the contract and handed it to the legal staff next to her for review.

"Next."

Su Wan picked up the black coffee on the table and took a sip.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Su Wan did not leave her seat.

She used this method to secure 312 independent cinemas in the south.

On this day, Yanying Cinema Circuit, a commercial empire spanning the north and south of China and completely independent of the five major traditional cinema circuits, was officially formed.

8 PM.

BJ, Headquarters of Yanying Culture.

Chen Yan stood in front of a huge map of China in his office.

The map shows a dense array of red flags planted from Harbin to Guangzhou.

Those are the 520 digital cinemas under the Yan Cinema Circuit.

Lin Shufen sat on the sofa, a slender cigarette between her fingers.

"520 cinemas, accounting for 35 percent of the screens nationwide."

Lin Shufen flicked her cigarette ash into the ashtray. [Edited] "Chen Yan, you're now the owner of the biggest cinema chain in the country. This afternoon, someone from the five major cinema chains tried to reach out to you through my connections to discuss things."

Chen Yan turned around and sat down at his desk.

"Negotiations? Their film projectors are about to become scrap metal. Tell them, Yanying's digital keys are not for sale. If they want to live, they'll follow my rules. I decide the scheduling, and I'll split the profits 60/60, they 40/40."

Lin Shufen smiled.

"Your appetite is even bigger than Lu Haiming's back then."

She stubbed out her cigarette. "But I like it. This is the interest earned on the money we brought back from Europe. According to the agreement, I own 20% of the theater chain."

Chen Yan took out a shareholding confirmation document from the drawer and pushed it in front of Lin Shufen.

"It's all done. Also, you're now in complete control of Jinghai Film & Television. I need a clean distribution channel."

Lin Shufen signed her name and put the document away.

"Chen Yan, Lu Haiming is in jail, and the theater chain is complete. Your game is over. Now, are you planning to take a break, or go ring the bell on NASDAQ?"

Chen Yan looked out the window at the dazzling night view of Beijing.

Neon lights refracted light spots on the glass.

"rest?"

Chen Yan picked up the lighter on the table and lit a cigarette.

"Lu Haiming is just a contractor. The real money to leech off others is still at the card table."

Chen Yan exhaled a puff of smoke, which blurred his expression.

"My movie has only just begun."