The Fog of Ownership and the Black Hole

The legal transaction, driven by a top-tier legal team and a massive flow of funds, was swift, precise, sterile, and left virtually no trace, like a surgical incision.

The weighty agreement, which carried half a lifetime of Richard Walton's hard work and endless humiliation, began its meticulously planned execution process, as precise as Switzerland watch, once the signature and seal were affixed.

The funds were transferred from an anonymous trust in the Cayman Islands, through several offshore transit accounts, and ultimately into a secret account designated by the Walton Family, also located in a tax haven in the Caribbean Sea.

The amount was the figure agreed upon in the agreement—cold, precise, enough to ensure the Walton Family would never be poor again, but it also completely severed their last, substantial ties with the NLG Empire.

However, the transfer of power requires far more thought than the flow of funds. While outsiders (including astute observers on Wall Street and bewildered employees within NLG) believed that the financial backer behind this massive acquisition was either the enigmatic Lin Feng or his cold-faced assistant K, the true ownership of the shares slipped into a carefully constructed fog.

The ultimate beneficiary of the agreement is a Chinese man named "Chen Jianguo".

The name is so ordinary it's almost boring. Public records show that Chen Jianguo, 52 years old, was born in Taiwan and came to the United States on a skilled worker visa 20 years ago. He currently holds a United States. green card and lives in a predominantly Asian middle-class community in San Jose, California. His professional record is simple:

For the first ten years, I worked as a warehouse manager at a small to medium-sized electronic component distribution company. I left the company due to layoffs. For the next ten years, I worked odd jobs intermittently. My tax records show that my income was meager and unstable. I have no criminal record, a moderate credit score, no significant debt, and no significant assets.

His social media presence was virtually nonexistent, and his neighbors described him as a "quiet, solitary, and seemingly unsociable elderly Asian man." Like countless other ordinary Chinese immigrants who drifted through America, struggling to make a living, and were ultimately swallowed up by the times, he was unremarkable and inconspicuous.

He is a "suicide squad" member. He has legal long-term residency in the US, an extremely clean and simple background, virtually no social connections, no complicated vested interests, and... absolute loyalty.

When K's legal team filed documents regarding the change of control with the NLG board of directors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), submitting materials related to "Chen Jianguo," it even sparked brief doubts.

The lawyers and officials in charge of the audit repeatedly checked the documents, trying to find a connection between this suddenly emerging billionaire (who at least held a controlling stake in NLG) and the recent turmoil in Seattle, but to no avail. The documents were complete, the identity was legal, and the source of funds (at least on the surface) was clear.

Ultimately, all doubts were dispelled by standard explanations such as "low-profile long-term family investors" and "asset allocation through offshore trust structures." In this country where capital flows freely, it is not unusual for an invisible tycoon to hold assets through complex structures.

The real power, of course, was not in Chen Jianguo's hands. A fully irrevocable power of attorney had already been signed in another secret room.

"Chen Jianguo" authorized "Lin Feng" as his sole representative to handle all matters related to NLG's equity, including but not limited to voting, management, and disposal. The terms of this power of attorney are almost like a "contract of servitude," but legally impeccable.

Therefore, the day after the legal filing was completed, all members of the NLG Group's board of directors and core executives received an email from the representative of the new controlling shareholder, "Mr. Chen Jianguo." The email was extremely brief, without any pleasantries or descriptions of the future blueprint, only a cold and hard instruction:

"Effective immediately, Mr. K is hereby appointed as the Interim CEO of Northwest Logistics Group, responsible for the overall operation and management of the company. This appointment is effective immediately."

The signature reads "Chen Jianguo (Authorized Representative: K)".

There was no welcome, no anticipation, only an unquestionable appointment. The transfer of power was completed in a brutally simple manner.

When K first stepped into the top floor of the NLG headquarters building as CEO—that enormous office that once belonged to Richard Walton and offered a panoramic view of the entire Seattle harbor—it was exactly nine o'clock in the morning.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, a white shirt, and no tie. His steps were steady, and his face showed no air of arrogance at taking on new power, only an almost indifferent calm.

Behind him were two team members who had been transferred from "Blood Spear" and were now dressed in black suits, serving as temporary assistants and bodyguards.

The office had been cleared out beforehand. Walton's personal belongings, family photos, golf trophies, cigar boxes, and even his beloved huge solid wood desk had all been removed.

The room was almost too empty, with only the gleaming dark wooden floors, the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and the hazy, misty harbor view outside. A faint, musty smell of fine leather and cigar smoke lingered in the air, but it was quickly dissipated by the fresh air being brought in by the ventilation system.

K didn't linger in the empty center of the office. He walked straight to the window, stood quietly for a few minutes, and glanced down at the ant-like flow of cars below, the giant ships docked in the port, and the container yards that were faintly visible on NLG's docks in the distance.

His gaze was deep, devoid of emotion, more like he was confirming coordinates on a map, assessing a newly captured territory.

Then, he turned to one of his temporary assistants and said, "Notify the CFO, the head of internal audit, the senior vice president of operations, and the procurement manager to meet in the small conference room in thirty minutes."

"Have them bring all financial statements for the past three years, audit reports, budget vs. actual comparison analysis, a list of major procurement contracts and their execution status, and detailed files on all contracts or expenditures exceeding $500,000."

His voice was steady, without rising in pitch, but it carried an undeniable penetrating power. He deliberately emphasized the words "all" and "details."

The assistant immediately wrote it down and turned to go out to relay the instructions.

K then said to another assistant, "Contact Mr. Howard James of McKinsey-Holt firm to confirm that he and his team can move in this afternoon."

Provide them with a separate office area, equipped with the highest level of internal network access and access control. Tell them that I need a preliminary, directional assessment, and time is tight.

"McKinsey-Holt" is not the world-renowned management consulting firm, but a small boutique firm with a small following in New York and Chicago, specializing in corporate crisis audits, fraud investigations, and compliance reviews.

Known for their sharp, uncompromising style, willingness to offend, and ability to dig up the deepest stains, they charge extremely high fees. K secured their availability through special channels before the acquisition agreement was even signed.

The instructions were concise and clear, and the assistant once again accepted the order and left.

K was the only one left in the office. He walked to the center of the empty office and looked around. Sunlight struggled to penetrate the clouds, casting blurry windowpane shadows on the polished floor.

This place was once the nerve center of a commercial empire, issuing orders, processing funds, and affecting the livelihoods of countless people. Now, it is empty, waiting for a new owner to fill in the new rules.

K's face was expressionless. He didn't need luxurious decorations to demonstrate his authority, nor did he need nostalgic objects to connect with the past. What he needed was a clean, efficient, and completely controlled command center. And the first step was to thoroughly understand the extent of the corruption within this newly acquired empire.

Thirty minutes later, in the small conference room.

The four executives named—the CFO, a pale-faced middle-aged man wearing thick Glasses; the head of internal audit, a woman who appeared cautious; the senior vice president of operations, a burly man with shifty eyes; and the purchasing manager, a bald man with a professional smile and shrewd eyes—were already sitting nervously at the conference table with thick stacks of documents.

K entered the conference room on time, and without exchanging pleasantries, sat down in the head seat. His gaze, like a cold searchlight, slowly swept across the faces of the four people.

"Everyone, time is limited, let's get started." K cut to the chase, his voice crystal clear in the quiet conference room, "The company has undergone a change of control, and its future direction needs to be based on the clearest and most realistic understanding of the current situation. Before finding a permanent CFO, I need to immediately understand the company's financial and operational health."

He paused, then looked at the CFO and the head of internal audit. "I've reviewed the summaries of your annual reports, quarterly reports, and management statements. Now, I need to see all the supporting documentation, accounting entries, and bank statements, especially those involving large, unusual, or related-party transactions. All of the past three years."

The CFO's forehead began to sweat, and the head of internal audit unconsciously twirled the edge of the document between his fingers.

K's gaze shifted to the Senior Vice President of Operations and the Head of Procurement: "I need a detailed deviation analysis report for all projects with an operational cost structure and budget-to-actual deviations exceeding 10%."

Regarding procurement, all contracts exceeding one million US dollars in the past three years, as well as all details of transactions with the top twenty suppliers by transaction volume, price comparisons, and decision-making process records.

The purchasing manager's smile looked somewhat stiff.

"I know this will take time," K said, his tone still calm but carrying an invisible pressure. "So, starting this afternoon, the McKinsey-Holt team will be moving in to assist you with a comprehensive review and verification. They will report directly to me. You need to fully cooperate and provide all the information and access permissions they require."

The name "McKinsey-Holt" sent a chill down the spines of the four people present, like an iceberg thrown into water. They had certainly heard of the firm's infamous reputation.

"Mr. K. K..." the CFO began with difficulty, "The accounts from the past few years... are very large, and there are some historical issues that may require time to clarify due to system updates and personnel changes..."

"That's precisely why we need the assistance of an external professional team." K interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Only by clarifying history can we move forward with a lighter burden. I don't want any 'historical issues' to become stumbling blocks to future development. Everyone, please make this your highest priority. Meeting adjourned."

The meeting lasted less than ten minutes from start to finish. There was no discussion, no questioning, only clear instructions and chilling pressure. The four executives left the meeting room with varying expressions, a sense of foreboding hanging over them.

The McKinsey-Holt team arrived on time that afternoon. The head Howard James, was an old man in his sixties with silver hair, a serious face, and sharp, eagle-like eyes. He was accompanied by six equally capable-looking auditors and data experts.

Instead of using NLG's audit department, they moved directly into another large, unused conference room on the same floor, arranged by K, and quickly converted it into a temporary operations room. Multiple high-performance workstations, encrypted network lines, high-speed scanners, and paper shredders (for processing temporary drafts) were quickly set up.

Howard and K held a half-hour closed-door meeting. K didn't give a specific direction for the investigation, only saying a few words: "Thorough. In-depth. Any anomalies." He also added a meaningful suggestion, "Focus on areas related to 'inefficiency,' 'strategic partnerships,' and 'necessary costs.'"

Like seasoned hunters, the audit team, after receiving general area instructions, began their efficient and silent hunt. They accessed NLG's financial system (SAP), procurement system, contract management system, and even the emails and communication records of some senior executives (after obtaining super-authorization from K). The data flowed like a torrent, being filtered, cleaned, and cross-checked by their programs and models.

The first 24 hours were a period of silent data absorption. NLG employees felt an invisible pressure seeing the external auditors with serious expressions, hardly chatting with anyone, and only constantly demanding various original documents and permissions. The atmosphere was particularly heavy in the finance, procurement, and some operations departments.

Forty-eight hours later, initial anomalies began to emerge. Discussions within the audit team became hushed and urgent.

Seventy-two hours later, Howard personally delivered the first brief, highly confidential "summary of preliminary findings" to K's office.

K sat behind the makeshift, simply furnished desk, the streetlights already twinkling outside the window. He opened the five-page summary, filled with charts, arrows, and red annotations.

The report contained no sentimental language, only cold, hard numbers and facts:

1. Procurement premium black hole: Over the past three years, NLG has consistently and systematically paid higher unit prices than the publicly disclosed market average price during the same period to four specific fuel suppliers and five parts suppliers (based on comparisons with third-party commodity trading platforms and industry procurement databases), with premiums ranging from 15% to 35%.

This alone is estimated to result in additional expenditures exceeding $45 million over three years. A thorough examination of the equity structures of these four suppliers reveals indirect connections to a relative of a former NLG executive and a shareholder.

2. Questionable Marketing and Consulting Fees: Multiple fees, totaling over US$22 million, were paid to several obscure small consulting firms under the guise of "brand promotion," "strategic consulting," and "crisis public relations."

The contract descriptions were vague, the acceptance criteria for deliverables were missing, and the companies receiving payments were all registered in offshore havens, making the actual controllers a mystery. The timing of some payments highly overlapped with key milestones in NLG's stock price or periods of regulatory inquiry.

3. Suspicion of misappropriation of company funds by senior executives: Several former senior executives (including those who have left the company) and their associates are suspected of embezzling company funds through reimbursement, issuing false invoices, and having NLG pay for their personal expenses (high-end clubs, luxury goods, overseas travel, etc.), with the initial amount involved exceeding US$8 million. Some of the consumption records completely overlap with the company's claimed "customer maintenance" activities in terms of time and location, but there is no corresponding evidence of customer participation.

4. Out-of-control project costs: Several major IT upgrades and warehouse automation projects ultimately exceeded the initial budget by 100% to 250%, with arbitrary change processes and the majority of the overruns flowing to subcontractors of the same general contractor. This general contractor had a close personal relationship with NLG's vice president of procurement.

5. Traces of Fund Misappropriation: Several large sums of money were discovered to have been transferred out under the guise of "prepayment for goods" or "project deposit," and then flowed back to a subsidiary of NLG through a complex process within a short period of time. However, there was no substantial progress on the goods or projects corresponding to the original purpose. This raises suspicions of "money laundering" or "short-term lending to cover up cash flow."

This is only a preliminary and incomplete finding. At the end of the report, Howard noted in bold. "The above problems may only be the tip of the iceberg. Systemic internal control failures and highly concealed channels for transferring benefits may exist. A thorough legal audit and personnel inquiries are recommended."

K slowly closed the report. The main light in the office wasn't on; only the dim glow of the desk lamp illuminated the documents in front of him and his expressionless face. The city lights outside the window were reflected in his dark pupils, flickering on and off.

The silence lasted for almost a minute.

Then, K picked up the secure satellite phone on the table and dialed Lin Feng's number.

The call was answered quickly.

"Boss." K's voice was calm and steady.

"Hmm." Lin Feng's voice came through the receiver; the background was very quiet.

"The preliminary audit report is out," K said succinctly. "It's pretty much what we expected. Procurement, expenses, projects, and related-party transactions—four major bleeding points. Preliminary estimates suggest that abnormal losses over the past three years range from $80 million to $120 million. This doesn't even include losses caused by management inefficiencies and flawed decision-making."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Lin Feng's emotionless voice came through. "Quite a few parasites."

"Yes," K confirmed. "Moreover, some of the holes were dug very deep, and while the methods weren't particularly sophisticated, they were consistent and systematic. It seems that Walton either couldn't control it in his later years, or... he turned a blind eye."

"It doesn't matter." Lin Feng's voice was indifferent. "Finding the Rat hole is a good thing. It means that what we bought wasn't all junk; at least there was some profit that the Rat would want."

K understood what the boss meant. A company capable of breeding such large-scale corruption must have a decent cash flow and profit base. Only by eliminating these parasites could its true value emerge.

"Next," Lin Feng asked, "What are your plans?"

K's gaze fell on the alarming red markings on the report, his eyes cold.

"The Rat hole has been found," he said slowly, a chilling undertone in his voice. "We can begin the cleanup."