Though severely questioned regarding safety, the saying in China holds that "nothing is as serious as death," so before news broke of anyone actually dying from drinking Dynasty Immeasurable, many people paid no mind to the statements issued by the six major liquor companies; they continued to use what they used, and drink what they drank.

The market was ravenous, with product orders already backlogged until the following spring. The situation of being unable to meet demand would persist for a long time, meaning the six companies' declaration had not shaken the foundation of Dynasty Immeasurable.

But a massive dike can collapse from an ant's nest. The downfall of the giant Sanzhu Oral Liquid only came about because a minor incident was mishandled. Therefore, without a heightened sense of vigilance for potential crises, this incident would undoubtedly escalate into a major catastrophe.

Just as the Central Investigation Bureau was brewing its next move against Dynasty Immeasurable, Wang Zhuo’s iron-fisted counterattack began!

First, a response statement to the six companies' declaration appeared almost simultaneously in bestselling newspapers across hundreds of cities nationwide. Then, within two days, came the joint endorsement from a hundred liquor companies, this time with an even wider and broader reach.

Concurrently, various soft articles flooded the internet, alongside a barrage of interviews, expert debunking sessions, and consumer surveys. What was the Central Investigation Bureau compared to Wang Zhuo, a master of hype? They weren't even in the same weight class!

If the hype-driven Wang Zhuo was a Marine armed with an assault rifle, then the comrades at the Central Investigation Bureau were three-year-olds armed with slingshots. Furthermore, one side was operating in the open while the other was in the shadows; Wang Zhuo could go all out in his maneuvering, but the Central Investigation Bureau’s use of clandestine methods severely limited their operational capacity.

The declaration by the six companies became the foundation stone for a new wave of promotion for Dynasty Immeasurable, leading to the leader specifically overseeing the matter within the Central Investigation Bureau being severely reprimanded by his superiors. He couldn't grasp how an action intended to strike at Dynasty Immeasurable had instead built momentum for them. He failed to realize that hype requires capturing attention as its basis—a "showdown" is necessary to make things truly exciting; many marketing campaigns are effectively self-inflicted wounds!

If one person yells in the street, they only attract the notice of passersby; if two people start an open quarrel, it makes an audience stop and watch. This principle sounds simple, yet in real life, very few people can apply this logic broadly.

When the six liquor companies were positioned against all others in the industry, the backlash finally arrived. Sales stalled, products were returned, and brand reputation suffered. A string of distressed phone calls flooded into the capital.

"Boss," one lamented, "I've ended up in this wretched state specifically because I was working for you. I really can't hold out any longer; you need to come up with a plan quickly!"

This was a war without smoke, involving only a collection of fake experts, media outlets eager for chaos, and consultants trying to earn a living. In truth, those aware of the inner workings understood this was a clash of titans, irrelevant to ordinary folk.

Consequently, departments like Quality Inspection and Supervision made no move, allowing the two sides to spar from a distance. If the mastermind behind suppressing Dynasty Immeasurable truly held something damning against them, they would have produced it already and wouldn't resort to such ignoble tactics. If the six liquor companies lacked backing from powerful figures, they wouldn't have dared to oppose Dynasty Immeasurable either—thus, neither side was one these minor departments could afford to get involved with; they chose simply to sit back and watch the tigers fight.

The Central Investigation Bureau had intended to use a strategy of slow erosion to gradually undermine Dynasty Immeasurable, planning to cease operations once their goal was achieved. Instead, they met such a fierce retaliation that every piece they put on the board was utterly decimated.

The six liquor companies, with nearly ten billion in annual output, transformed into a hotbed of unsalable liquor in just over half a month, with the two listed companies seeing their stock prices plummet.

The losses far exceeded the expectations of the leaders who planned this minor crackdown!

Subsequent measures were countered in kind. Experts brought in were reported, their academic standing questioned, leading to ruined reputations. "Victim consumers" brought forward for interviews were subjected to doxxing, revealing backgrounds as medical touts and professional hearing attendees, forcing them into sudden disappearances...

They continued this back-and-forth struggle, and as they did, September arrived in a blink.

Wang Zhuo was now a junior in college, able to regard himself as a senior student, and he met more enthusiastic underclassmen and charming underclasswomen at the orientation assembly.

His roommate, Li Guangran, had finally started his internship, and a new roommate had yet to be assigned. The old leave, the new arrive; the school itself was an iron structure, while the students were a flowing stream.

During military training, Wang Zhuo accepted an invitation to demonstrate prone shooting, instantly capturing the hearts of countless swooning junior girls. Various gossip about him spread across campus, especially any "exclusive" revelations posted on the school’s BOC electronic bulletin board, which were always banned and deleted by administrators the moment they appeared, adding an extra layer of mystery to his identity.

On this particular day, the school loudspeaker system announced a disciplinary decision during the morning broadcast: Zhou Huaian, a third-year student in the School of Stomatology, was officially censured and given a demerit.

The reason cited was disrupting normal teaching order? Wang Zhuo chuckled and pulled out his phone to call the fellow, asking what the situation was.

"Jing, don't even mention it!" Zhou Huaian cursed good-naturedly, "It was all Geng Bin's stupid idea. Ask him!"

Wang Zhuo laughed heartily, "I can't be bothered to find him; just tell me directly."

Zhou Huaian reluctantly recounted the whole story. It turned out he had prepared two sets of military training uniforms from the start of the year. He found a second-year female student, and the two deliberately dressed in uniform, engaging in affectionate behavior on the lawn next to the training grounds. When the drill instructor walked over and sternly ordered them back into formation, this fellow cheekily said to the instructor, "Sorry, sir, we're juniors and seniors; we aren't in training."

Many freshmen had endured the painful ordeal of harsh training by their instructors during their first year of university, so Zhou Huaian used this trick to get back at this year's instructor for past grievances.

The drill instructor was only in his early twenties. In the army, he could use a web belt to discipline a few troublemakers, but at school, he was utterly helpless against such absurd behavior. The instructor reluctantly returned to drill the others, leaving the pair to cause mischief nearby.

"Then the dean of students showed up, and I was done for!" Zhou Huaian said with a wry smile.

Wang Zhuo was speechless at the guy's antics and asked curiously, "Why were you the only one who got a demerit?" "Because I didn't have anyone backing me," Zhou Huaian explained glumly. "That girl is the sister-in-law—the younger sister of the Deputy Director of the Department of Genetics." Nowadays, everyone needed connections for everything... Just as Wang Zhuo was about to speak, his phone vibrated; an incoming call from another number.

"I need to take this call; I'll hang up now," Wang Zhuo quickly told Zhou Huaian. "Let's grab dinner tonight; Geng Bin is treating this time!" The call was from Siyuan. As soon as she connected, she exclaimed excitedly, "Instructor Wang, I found the person who was spying on you!" "You found them?" Wang Zhuo's spirits lifted. "Tell me quickly, what's the situation?" "It was a female student named Xu Chu. I'll send you her photo," Siyuan said cheerfully, sounding as if she had stumbled upon something entertaining.

"Xu Chu? A girl?" Wang Zhuo was rather surprised. Was this another admirer?

The photo transferred quickly. Wang Zhuo glanced at it and nearly jumped out of his skin, because this girl was severely overweight, her body looking as if encased in several layers of fat rings, stacked one upon another!

Disgusting! He was about to say something while trying to suppress a laugh when he heard Siyuan erupting in hearty laughter on the other end of the line.

"You must be pulling my leg," Wang Zhuo said, already sensing something was amiss.

Siyuan replied slyly, "Just teasing you. I'll send you another one; this is the real Xu Chu." Another photo was sent. Wang Zhuo paused; the "original template" of the girl in the photo was quite good, but the flaws were also obvious. How to put it—if you removed the mustache, she would probably be a great beauty.

"Why is it a bareheaded ID photo? Did you dig it out of the student archives?" "Yes, but here's the actual story," Siyuan said, her laughter subsiding, and she began to explain: "The fat girl just now is named Li Mengru. Isn't that a nice name? She has a boyfriend named Hu Zhiyuan. The one using the campus surveillance system to watch you was Hu Zhiyuan. And the reason he was monitoring you was to pursue Xu Chu. Xu Chu and Li Mengru are roommates, practically best friends!"

"This relationship is a bit messy..." Wang Zhuo commented wryly.

"It's not messy. Xu Chu has a secret crush on you. Hu Zhiyuan is using your profile and information to get close to her. They appear to be inseparable friends on the surface, but in reality, Hu Zhiyuan is trying to use you and Li Mengru as stepping stones to win Xu Chu's affection."

Wang Zhuo felt a deep sense of futility: "What kind of mess is this..."

Siyuan laughed, "That’s the whole situation. For the first few days of school, I haven't done anything else but figure out their relationships for you. Now the mission is complete, and I'm washing my hands of the rest!" Wang Zhuo nodded with a bitter smile, "Alright, thanks for your hard work. I'll find time later to reward you properly." Siyuan obediently hummed in assent and said, "I'll hang up now. You should receive Hu Zhiyuan's photo shortly." Not long after, Hu Zhiyuan's photo arrived. He was a fair-skinned, clean-cut handsome young man, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking refined and scholarly, of average height. Based on his appearance, he probably had good luck with women.

"He's quite presentable. To chase after a 'mustached girl,' he first has to date a chubby one?" Wang Zhuo stared at the photo speechlessly, genuinely unable to judge the man's actions.

Just then, his phone vibrated again, showing an image sent by Siyuan. Wang Zhuo burst out laughing when he saw it: Siyuan had actually used computer programming to draw a topological map, marking the relationships between Wang Zhuo, Xu Chu, Li Mengru, and Hu Zhiyuan, and also attaching brief family backgrounds for the three others.

After reviewing this image, Wang Zhuo finally understood. It turned out Xu Chu's grandfather was the Director of the Jiangzhou City Medical Administration Bureau—a highly coveted position of real authority. Hu Zhiyuan, however, came from the ordinary family of laid-off workers in a small city. No wonder he was so devoted to the chubby girl; he was trying to follow the path of marrying up, hoping to skip twenty years of struggle!

"Damn it," Wang Zhuo muttered, shaking his head with disdain. "I don't mind you wanting to be a 'phoenix man,' but if you want to use me as a stepping stone, you'll have to pay a price." He typed Hu Zhiyuan's number into his phone, ready to hit send, when a thought suddenly struck him, and he turned his gaze back to Xu Chu's mustache.