As a partner, with Zhao Xuming also going to Los Angeles, saying he was completely unaware of this matter would be unreasonable.

If Longyu Group knew about this but didn’t intervene or stop it, instead tacitly allowing and enabling it, then combined with Longyu Group’s previous discrimination against FV team, the nature of this matter changed completely!

No wonder netizens were furiously calling Longyu Group traitors and national betrayers.

Zhao Xuming hastily checked the source of this news and discovered it came from a foreign media outlet, allegedly from an anonymous tip with a series of photos as evidence: two data balance designers from Pointing Finger Company entering and exiting FRY’s training facility, discussing tactics with FRY’s coach and providing training guidance.

These photos weren’t particularly clear, seemingly taken secretly, but people still identified these two data balance designers as internal employees of Pointing Finger Company.

As for who made the anonymous report, many suspected it was insiders from Pointing Finger Company or FRY team, but this scope was too broad to pinpoint.

The motivation was easy to explain—such explosive exclusive reporting meant popularity and traffic, selling related materials to media could earn a large sum of money. Even lower-level employees of Pointing Finger Company or FRY could have this motivation to secretly photograph.

Currently, Pointing Finger Company had initiated emergency PR.

Their first reaction was denial, firmly claiming this was impossible; but after the second wave of revelations released numerous photos, Pointing Finger Company couldn’t continue denying and could only state “this matter is under investigation, the official stance on tournaments is absolutely fair and impartial, if any employee’s personal actions contradict the official position, they will be dealt with severely immediately.”

Pointing Finger Company’s response was clearly shirking responsibility, implying that even if such things happened, it was entirely these two data balance designers’ personal behavior—they coached FRY team for extra money, unrelated to Pointing Finger Company headquarters.

This was an unavoidable measure. They’d previously never wanted to admit it, but with photos released, further denial would be too weak.

But this explanation clearly couldn’t calm netizens’ anger. Even forums in Europe and America were harshly criticizing Pointing Finger Company’s professionalism.

Even if these two data balance designers acted on their own to help FRY team, Pointing Finger Company couldn’t escape responsibility—it showed major management problems.

Moreover, most netizens believed Pointing Finger Company must have been behind this, and these two data balance designers were likely scapegoats.

Of course, the most laughable point was that even with ioi’s official data balance designers helping FRY team, they still got 3:0’d in finals!

Official staff personally intervening and still getting demolished—this whole situation was like a joke.

Thus, current public opinion pressure was extremely unfavorable for both Pointing Finger Company and Longyu Group!

Various news kept breaking one after another, overwhelming them. Longyu Group’s PR department had been looking for Zhao Xuming, but he’d been unreachable for over ten hours on the plane.

Longyu Group’s PR department was obviously under tremendous pressure.

Currently, Longyu Group’s PR didn’t have many options. Although sometimes ignoring issues could resolve some problems, this incident clearly couldn’t be solved through silence.

Because no one knew how long this public opinion storm would last. If Longyu Group didn’t proactively respond, they’d lose control of the narrative. Netizens seeing Longyu Group playing dead, with their anger having no outlet, might dig up even more explosive material.

The bigger the situation grew, the harder PR would become.

But responding now offered no way to shift blame.

Because the discrimination against FV team was indeed Zhao Xuming’s doing, and he even participated in assigning data balance designers to FRY team.

In other words, the online criticism actually understated things.

Not speaking up meant guilty conscience; taking responsibility meant self-destruction; shifting blame meant how to explain to Pointing Finger Company?

Zhao Xuming leaned back, feeling helpless and at a loss.

He’d thought returning home would finally end this ioi World Finals nightmare, but apparently, it was just beginning!

After closing his eyes for a long while, Zhao Xuming finally sighed heavily: “Return to the company, emergency meeting.”

He calculated privately that he’d need to use all his persuasive abilities to cover this up with upper management, and if not handled carefully, he might suffer consequences too.

Just then, his business car entered Shanghai’s bustling districts.

Zhao Xuming suddenly noticed—the roadside billboards were actually massive ads for Moyu Internet Café!

Then he saw more ads for Moyu Internet Café, Moyu Delivery, Headwind Logistics, Sloth Apartments… Nearly all of Tenda Group’s physical industries had ads!

These ads all had the same minimalist style—a solid color background with just a logo or store image, distinctly different from other flashy street advertisements.

But this extremely simple design projected confidence.

The space costs were the same, yet other companies crammed their ads with beautiful backgrounds, celebrity endorsers, product photos, and slogans, afraid of wasting advertising space.

Tenda’s ads were completely opposite, compressing necessary information to extremes, omitting whenever possible. Many ordinary people who didn’t know these businesses probably couldn’t tell what industry these ads were for.

But this highlighted strong confidence—believing that no matter how simple the ads, they’d achieve excellent results. Completely different from those gaudy displays, highlighting uniqueness.

Zhao Xuming’s face darkened instantly.

Outrageous!

Somehow, it felt like Mr. Pei was deliberately attacking him.

And most absurdly, Shanghai hardly had any of Tenda’s physical businesses!

Moyu Delivery, Moyu Internet Café, Headwind Logistics, Tuoguan Fitness, Sloth Apartments… Many of these didn’t even have physical locations in Shanghai, yet the ads kept running!

Zhao Xuming’s face turned ashen with anger, pulling down the business car’s rear sun visors to block out the streets full of Tenda advertisements.

“Drive faster!”

…

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles.

The World Finals had concluded successfully, with all teams having departed.

But for Pointing Finger Company, this wasn’t the end—the storm of public opinion was just beginning.

In his high-end apartment, Eric sipped coffee while overlooking Los Angeles cityscape.

Those data balance designer photos were naturally arranged and anonymously provided to media by Eric.

Actually, before submitting these photos, Eric had some hesitation. Once this news broke, there’d be no turning back—the resulting storm would seriously damage Pointing Finger Company and even Dayak Group’s reputation.

But after careful consideration, Eric made his decision.

Without this final killing blow, there was no guarantee Kretian would be replaced by Pointing Finger Company’s upper management!

Objectively speaking, this ioi World Finals was decent enough. Setting aside results, at least it gained recognition and popularity, bringing positive influence to ioi.

Although FV team winning made Dayak Group and Pointing Finger Company executives very unhappy, FV’s championship wasn’t Kretian’s fault.

Moreover, taking another perspective, FV’s championship brought publicity that objectively benefited ioi’s Chinese server promotion.

So, weighing pros and cons, most executives might believe Kretian’s series of measures were effective, and he could continue as head of Greater China region.

Even if individual executives were dissatisfied with Kretian’s performance, they probably lacked sufficient grounds to remove him from this position.

This was unacceptable to Eric.

Opportunities were fleeting. If he couldn’t seize this one, who knew when the next would come.

So Eric still exposed this news, delivering Kretian’s fatal blow!

Assigning two data balance designers to help FRY develop tactics was entirely Kretian’s idea—naturally, he should take the fall.

Now, Dayak Group and Pointing Finger Company executives were holding emergency meetings to discuss countermeasures. But regardless of their discussions, this incident was already certain—someone had to step forward and take responsibility, otherwise public anger couldn’t be appeased.

Just scapegoating two data balance designers probably wouldn’t satisfy public anger.

Pushing Kretian out as the scapegoat would be the likely outcome.

Eric took this opportunity to submit all his previous research materials on Tenda and GOG from his time in Jingzhou, deeply analyzing the pros and cons of this ioi qualifier and World Finals.

Most of it was substantive content, but with some personal agenda mixed in, hinting that Kretian’s strategy couldn’t fundamentally change ioi’s disadvantaged position against GOG.

To turn the tide, they needed him in charge!

Eric was very confident because after Kretian’s departure, no one was more suitable than him.

Whether Kretian and others might suspect him…

It didn’t matter. Even with suspicion, there was no evidence.

Eric had been laying low for this moment.

Just then, his phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, Eric’s lips curled slightly as he answered.

“Alright.”

“I’ll head over immediately.”

Eric adjusted his suit and tie in the mirror, revealing a confident smile.

“Mr. Pei, just wait—I’ll be back soon!”

“This time I won’t give you any chances. I’ll keep spending until your Tenda Group shows its true colors!”