Chapter Three: What Thirty Million Cannot Buy

“The terms are real, and so is the bait. Gu Wanqing needs a project outside her conglomerate that can push the industry toward open standards. You're both a test subject and a weapon.” “Should I accept?” “Commercially, yes. Personally, it's dangerous.” Her gaze did not move. “Once you learn that failure pays, you'll begin chasing failure. You did the same when spending trust produced growth.” The observation cut more precisely than Liang's humiliation. Jiming did not mention the system. “Would you sign?” “First, I'd write down what cannot be sold.” On the back of a napkin they listed three things: no sale of raw client data, no technical backdoors, and no team member used as a bargaining chip. Jiming pressed Claim.