Wang Qiqi didn't look up after hearing John hang up the phone. "Get any news?" The company had been running as usual these past few days. A new receptionist had arrived, and due to the discovery of a minor issue, operations had reverted to correcting data, pushing back the timeline for the next test run.

From Fatty's observation of Sam, he appeared anxious, occasionally muttering things like, "It worked fine before, why is it giving trouble now?" Although Sam hadn't said anything else, it suggested he was becoming suspicious. While programming glitches are normal during execution, it also indicated that the delay couldn't last indefinitely.

John nodded. "Got the intel. Coming over to your place for dinner tonight." Now that they had the other side's information, the next step was figuring out how to resolve the situation.

Wang Qiqi hummed, thinking that while discussing matters required a suitable location, why did it always have to be at her place? That certain person was truly detestable.

After the previous hot pot incident, John no longer stubbornly insisted on using chopsticks. He knew he'd eat much less that way. John, however, was quite adept with a spoon, and to everyone's surprise, he even managed to wield two spoons simultaneously.

Fatty watched him wield the twin spoons to scoop food from the pot. "I knew about the old lady with twin guns, but I never thought I'd see the handsome guy with twin spoons today." What annoyed Fatty was that John’s scooping speed was anything but slow.

Though John couldn't understand Fatty's Chinese remark, he still caught the mockery. "You have two chopsticks, I have two spoons; it’s the same principle." Even if his table manners were a bit rough, so what? As long as he could eat delicious food, that was enough. "Richard’s company has issued a gag order, but my friend managed to hear that even at work, they're just idling, playing games and taking on small side jobs. They’re only staying because someone high up is willing to pay overtime. Apparently, the company's big project this time is being handled by Richard and his newly hired team in a secret location. Richard only occasionally shows up at the office to mislead competitors."

"A newly hired team? He really knows how to brag," Fatty almost burst out laughing. "His company is in such shambles that no one is willing to invest, yet he has the money to fund a new project?" Fatty didn't believe Richard had the capital for new development. It was because the man was far too flamboyant during his heyday—constantly swapping luxury houses and sports cars, and cycling through girlfriends one after another. "I recall Richard’s past girlfriends were either models or B-list starlets. Why this time..." If the information they gathered didn't align with their previous suspicions, Fatty would have thought they had wronged the man.

"He hasn't had a girlfriend in a long time. Rumor has it he's been frequenting gay bars lately, so that's a possibility, or perhaps he's doing this deliberately to seduce Sam." John wasn't entirely sure why Richard had changed so drastically, but that wasn't the key point. "If he doesn't mention a newly hired team, how many people do you think are left in his company? The capable ones have already left. The incompetent ones are just coasting, but once they realize he has no prospects, the rest will flee too. If all his staff are gone, and he suddenly presents a piece of software, won't outsiders suspect plagiarism?" Although presenting it now would also invite speculation, at least he still had the company structure and subordinates, making it harder for people to openly accuse him outright.

"John, how do you plan to handle this?" Now that they knew who was behind the sabotage, Han Tao was focused on resolving the issue. They couldn't just keep dragging it out; otherwise, they'd constantly live in suspense. There was no principle of guarding against thieves a thousand days a year.

"Should we catch him while Sam is making the move, or wait until they meet up?" From the company's security perspective, John favored immediate action to avoid unforeseen complications. However, he worried that Sam might not implicate Richard. If Richard wasn't caught, he might resurface later to cause more trouble. "My thought is to move in when they meet." That way, they could apprehend both individuals.

Fatty agreed. "I second John's suggestion."

Both men turned their gaze to Han Tao for his decision. "I think, why don't we let them think they successfully stole our assets and let them run it..."

Before Han Tao could finish his sentence, Fatty panicked and quickly interrupted. "TAO, what nonsense are you talking up? Letting them 'steal' it and then run it? Do you realize that even if Richard is high on drugs, he isn't a complete idiot?" Fatty didn't believe Richard had lost all his skill; even a starved camel is larger than a horse.

John began to grasp the intention behind TAO's idea. "You mean we give them the wrong program? But that's not right either. Even if Sam can't tell anything is amiss, Richard will notice." John understood Sam's capabilities—not exactly brilliant, but the crucial point was whether they could deceive Richard.

"What if I have a way to make the program trigger a thirty-day delay?" When John told him what had happened, Han Tao had been thinking about how to counter Richard. A few days ago, Qiqi had mentioned that to defeat the enemy, they must be utterly crushed; otherwise, he’d be like an unkillable cockroach, causing endless trouble. To prevent future disasters, it was better to resolve the issue in one decisive strike. "Once Richard gets our program, he certainly won't just deploy it as is, right? He’ll definitely modify it. And the countdown starts the moment he opens it, causing the program to self-destruct. When Richard is fully prepared to launch, he’ll face widespread system failure. What else can he do but suffer in silence? And his reputation will be utterly ruined. Forget about funding. What will happen to him then..."

Fatty jumped up excitedly. "Exactly! That move is brilliant!"

John paused, recalling that he knew Han Tao possessed this programming skill from their old company, where Tao had created it accidentally. Han Tao had always kept the method a secret, but John had tested it once—the effect was absolutely perfect. "How did I not think of that? TAO, we're counting on you for this."

Wang Qiqi sat quietly on the side, continuously blanching vegetables. This was a matter for the men to decide, and Han Tao needed to demonstrate his capabilities in front of John. Naturally, Wang Qiqi wouldn't steal her man's spotlight at a time like this.

"Then can we resume our retesting? Also, there are always people in the office—how can Sam make his move?" Fatty asked, concerned. Generally, Sam would never be the last to leave. Otherwise, if anything went wrong, he would be easily suspected. Finding an opportunity would be difficult, and Fatty didn't want this matter to drag on.

"I have a way for that," John thought. Preventing them from stealing their program was difficult, but making them steal something was no small feat. "If this test run succeeds, the company will hold a celebration." Although it would cost a lot of money, it would be worth it. "Once this is settled, financing moves to the front burner. We aim to complete it by the end of the month." Moving the company to a new location involved a lot of overhead, and the lease here expired at the end of March, so time was tight.

When Fatty heard John's plan, he realized it was a flawless opportunity—unlikely to arouse suspicion while simultaneously clearing the way for Sam to act.

Han Tao announced the news in person the very next day, immediately drawing cheers from everyone present. "Will there be an event after dinner?"

"There will be," John thought, realizing this was the crux of the matter. "After dinner, we're going clubbing. Attendance is mandatory. If your alcohol tolerance is low, it doesn't matter; we aren't working the next day."

John’s proposal was met with unanimous applause. "If we're going clubbing, bring your partners if you have them." John was quite pleased. The current investors were holding back a bit, waiting for the results of their second large-scale test. Once the results were excellent, John knew the situation would develop in his favor. Thinking of this, he smiled genuinely happily.

Likewise, Sam was smiling broadly. He had been worrying about how to extract the program after a successful test. He never expected the opportunity to arrive so easily. Thinking of the reward his beloved would give him upon success, Sam couldn't stop grinning.

Fatty looked at that happy smile and grinned just as widely, thinking, Laugh now, laugh hard. The happier you are now, the more tragically you will die later.

The company's second large-scale test was scrutinized not just by investors but also by other IT firms keenly awaiting the outcome. When the program ran stably and Han Tao announced the results were excellent, even though everyone had prepared themselves, hearing the good news made everyone ecstatic. John leaned against the doorframe of his office, seeing everyone looking at him. "I know, I know. I've already booked the restaurant and the bar. Everyone must show up."

"No skipping! TAO, last time you claimed you had to handle work and didn't drink; you can't miss this one. And TOM..." John began calling people out one by one, insisting they drink to their hearts' content this time. "This test finally passed. The company’s future will only get brighter."

Of course, John didn't overlook Sam. "You can't skip drinking either. I know you'll have a little."

John certainly had no intention of getting the man completely plastered; otherwise, the plan wouldn't work. But he had to get Sam drunk enough—that degree was tricky to gauge, yet John was determined to accomplish it no matter how difficult. RS