Originally translated from the Thai language.

The atmosphere in the boardroom plummeted, becoming as frigid as the first gale of winter. Even the building’s state-of-the-art climate control seemed to falter as Lu Rong’s voice rang out, shattering the budding euphoria like glass.

"Mr. Gawin, in your capacity as the CEO of Wonder Package..." Lu Rong looked up, the gaze through his spectacles brimming with a disdain he could no longer suppress. "I cannot help but wonder if the 'weight' of your reputation is truly substantial enough to anchor a global venture of this magnitude?"

It was a surgical strike—words crafted with lethal elegance to erode his opponent’s dignity before the entire board.

"I have a dossier confirming that your experience in executive management... spans less than five years," Lu Rong emphasized every syllable with agonizing slowness, his eyes scanning the table for allies. "And more importantly, that experience was garnered within a 'medium-sized' firm in Thailand. I must ask: do you truly grasp the concept of 'Global Scale'?"

He deliberately weaponized both the size of the business and Gawin’s nationality, as if dragging a scalpel across Gawin’s perceived vulnerabilities under the harsh glare of the spotlight.

"This hydrogen project is the hope of this entire region. To entrust its future to a 'novice' still finding his feet on the international political chessboard—is that a risk CK Group should truly bear?" Lu Rong leaned forward, his predatory eyes boring into Gawin’s. "Or is this merely the baseless fantasy of a man who wishes to play at the big table... by buying his way in?"

A violent ripple of doubt surged through the room. Several executives shifted their gaze, their newfound faith in Gawin beginning to splinter under the old fox’s manipulation.

Gawin narrowed his eyes slightly. Amidst the emotional storm, he remained as still as a mirrored lake. Beside him, Tum could almost taste the metallic tang of the scheme emanating from Lu Rong. It was a murky, ashen aura, poised to incinerate everything in its path. Tum subtly tapped the inner seam of his sleeve—a coded signal known only to the two of them: 'Target has exposed his jugular.'

Gawin received the message in a heartbeat. With an almost imperceptible nod, he let a smile spread across his lips—a smile so unwavering it was haunting.

"I appreciate your candor, Mr. CFO," Gawin spoke in a resonant, authoritative baritone that crushed the rising murmurs into silence. "It is vital that we reach a clear understanding... before I assume my role as a 'Major Investor' in earnest."

He struck the words Major Investor with deliberate force, a sharp reminder of exactly who had brought the capital to salvage their faltering crisis.

"I admit without shame that my tenure may not be as storied as yours, Mr. CFO," Gawin paused, his gaze challenging Lu Rong directly. "But I am certain that I possess something far more vital than mere longevity... and that is the perspective to see the failures that those perched atop their ivory towers for too long have chosen to overlook."

The tension peaked as Gawin took a measured step forward, his voice dropping to a low, lethal register.

"But if the CFO is so concerned with managerial experience... I believe you should be far more concerned with how the 'extensive experience' of certain executives in this room has managed to lead CK Group into its current financial peril."

Lu Rong recoiled, his face draining of color as if his mask had been torn away in a public square. The flicker of panic in his eyes lasted only a fraction of a second, but it was enough to confirm that Gawin wasn't merely bluffing; he was flaying the skin from a festering wound that Lu Rong had spent a lifetime concealing behind a curtain of phantom numbers.