Wang Qiqi didn't lift her head after hearing JOHN hang up the phone. "Get any information?" The company had been operating as usual these past few days. A new receptionist had arrived, and due to the discovery of a minor issue, the company operations had reverted to correcting data, causing another delay in the testing schedule.

From Fatty's observations of Sam, he appeared quite anxious, sometimes muttering things like, "It worked fine when I did it before; why is it causing problems now?" Although he didn't say anything else, it indicated that Sam was likely becoming suspicious. However, encountering issues during programming execution was normal, but it also meant they couldn't keep dragging this out.

JOHN nodded. "Got the intel. I'll come over to your place for dinner tonight." Since they had secured the necessary information from the other side, the next step was figuring out how to resolve the situation.

Wang Qiqi made a soft sound, thinking that while discussing matters required a specific location, why did it always have to be her place? Someone was truly detestable.

Having learned from the previous hotpot experience, JOHN no longer insisted on using chopsticks; he knew he would eat significantly less that way. On the other hand, using a spoon was something JOHN excelled at, and to everyone's surprise, the man even managed to wield two spoons simultaneously.

Fatty watched the man brandishing two spoons while scooping food from the pot. "I've heard of the 'Old Lady with Two Guns' before, but I never expected to see a 'Handsome Guy with Two Spoons' in action." What annoyed Fatty was that the speed at which JOHN scooped up food was not slow at all.

Although JOHN didn't understand Fatty’s Chinese remark, it didn't stop him from detecting the mockery. "You have two chopsticks; I have two spoons. It’s the same principle." Even if his table manners were somewhat unseemly, so what? As long as he could eat good food, that was all that mattered. "Although Richard's company has issued a gag order, my friend found out that their employees are mostly just idling around, playing games, or taking on small, minor contracts. It's only because someone high up is willing to pay overtime that they are staying. Apparently, the company's major 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 was nearly dying of laughter. "His company is already in such a sorry state 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 just that when Richard was successful, he had been overly ostentatious—constantly swapping luxury homes and sports cars, and cycling through girlfriends one after another. "I recall Richard’s previous girlfriends were either models or second-tier starlets. How come this time..." If the information gathered didn't align with their earlier suspicions, Fatty would have suspected they had wronged someone.

"He hasn't had a girlfriend in a long time. Rumor has it he frequents gay bars now, so that's a possibility, or perhaps he's doing this intentionally to seduce Sam." JOHN wasn't entirely clear on why Richard had changed so drastically, but that wasn't the crucial point. "If he doesn't mention a new team, how many people do you think are left in his company? The competent ones have already left. Those who aren't capable are naturally just marking time, but once everyone realizes he has no prospects, the rest will flee too. If all his staff is gone, and he suddenly presents a program, won't the outside world become suspicious?" Although presenting it now would also invite speculation, at least he still had a company structure and subordinates; people couldn't openly accuse him of plagiarism, could they?

"JOHN, how do you plan to resolve this?" Now that they knew who was behind the sabotage, Han Tao was focused on how to handle the problem. They couldn't keep postponing it; otherwise, they would remain constantly anxious. There was no principle of guarding against a thief for a thousand days.

"Should we catch him in the act while Sam is stealing, or wait until they meet up?" From a company security standpoint, JOHN preferred to act immediately to avoid any last-minute complications. However, he worried that Sam might not implicate Richard. If Richard wasn't caught, he might pop up to cause trouble again later. "My idea is to make a move when they meet." That way, they could catch both of them.

Fatty thought the same way. "I agree with JOHN's suggestion."

The two men turned their gazes toward Han Tao, awaiting his decision. "I think, why don't we let them think they successfully stole our thing, and then run it..."

Before Han Tao could finish speaking, Fatty became agitated and swiftly cut him off. "TAO, what nonsense are you talking about? Let them 'steal' it and run it? Do you realize that even if Richard is heavily dosed on drugs, he's not a complete idiot?" Fatty didn't believe Richard had completely lost his edge; a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.

JOHN began to understand TAO's underlying plan. "You mean we give him the wrong program? But that doesn't quite work either. Even if Sam can't spot anything, Richard certainly will." JOHN knew Sam wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but the key was managing to deceive Richard.

"What if I have a way to make the program delay its activation for thirty days?" After hearing JOHN's report, Han Tao had been contemplating how to counter Richard. A few days ago, Qiqi mentioned that to truly defeat the opponent, they needed to crush them completely, otherwise, like an unkillable cockroach, they would keep reappearing, causing endless trouble. To prevent endless future problems, it was better to resolve everything in one decisive strike. "After Richard gets our program, he definitely won't just deploy it as is, right? He'll certainly modify it. And the program starts its countdown from the moment he reopens it, then automatically vanishes. When Richard is fully prepared and ready to launch, he discovers a massive system failure. What can he do besides swallow the loss? Moreover, his reputation will be completely ruined, and forget about financing. What will happen to him then..."

Fatty immediately jumped up. "Exactly, exactly! This trick is brilliant!"

JOHN paused to consider. He knew TAO possessed the skill to create this program; it was something TAO had accidentally developed at their old company. Han Tao had always kept the method secret, but JOHN had tested it once, and the effect was undeniable. "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 time for the men to take charge. Han Tao needed to demonstrate his capability in front of JOHN, and Wang Qiqi certainly wasn't going to overshadow her man's moment of glory.

"Then can we start our re-testing? Oh, and there are always people in the company. How will Sam make his move?" Fatty asked, concerned. Generally, Sam wouldn't be the last to leave. Otherwise, if anything happened, he would be easily suspected, making the opportunity hard to seize. Fatty didn't want this matter to drag on indefinitely.

"I have a way for that," JOHN thought. Preventing the theft of their program was difficult, but making the target steal something wasn't a small task either. "If this test succeeds, the company will have a celebration." Although it would cost a lot, the money would be worth it. "Once this issue is resolved, financing moves up the agenda; we aim to complete it by the end of the month." Moving the company to a new location involves many tasks, and the rent here expires at the end of March, so the timeline is tight.

When Fatty heard JOHN's plan, he realized it was a perfect, unsuspected opportunity to create the necessary space for Sam to act.

The very next day, Han Tao publicly announced the news, immediately eliciting cheers from everyone present. "Will there be activities after the meal?"

"There will be," JOHN thought, recognizing this as the crucial part. "After dinner, we're going drinking. Attendance is mandatory. If your alcohol tolerance is low, it doesn't matter; we're not working the next day."

JOHN's proposal was met with unanimous applause. "If we're going to a bar, those with partners, bring them along." JOHN was quite pleased. Currently, the investors were holding back their funds, waiting specifically for the results of their second large-scale test. Once the results were excellent, JOHN knew things would move in his favor. Thinking of this, he smiled genuinely happily.

Sam, too, was smiling widely. He had been worried about how to get the program out after the test succeeded. He hadn't expected the opportunity to present itself so conveniently. The thought of the reward he would receive from his beloved upon success made Sam grin so broadly his face ached.

Fatty watched the man's delighted smile and smiled just as widely, thinking, Laugh, laugh all you want. The happier you smile now, the more miserably you will die later.

The company's second large-scale test was a matter of concern not only for the investors but also for many IT firms. When the program ran stably and Han Tao announced the excellent operational results, although everyone had been prepared, hearing the good news still brought immense joy. JOHN leaned against the doorframe of the office, seeing everyone looking at him. "I know, I know. I've already booked the dining spot and the bar. Everyone must attend."

"You can't skip it! TAO, last time you claimed you had business and didn't drink; you can't miss this one. And TOM..." JOHN named people one by one, telling them they absolutely had to drink their fill this time. "This test finally passed. The company's future prospects will only get better from here on."

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

JOHN certainly didn't intend to get the man completely drunk; otherwise, the plan couldn't proceed. But he had to make sure the man was drunk enough. It was a tricky balance to strike, but JOHN was determined to accomplish it, no matter how difficult it seemed. RS