Not just Gao Jie, everyone else was furious at this moment too, only Gao Jie was the first to cry out. All eyes turned to Zhang Yang. If everything Zhang Yang said was true, then Zhou Yichen was truly despicable; he didn't deserve to be the Student Union President.

"See for yourselves!"

Zhang Yang pushed the documents in his hand toward Gao Jie, who immediately snatched them up and began to read closely.

Within these papers was a detailed accounting of every cent of the Student Union's funds, complete with copies of all receipts and explanations, even including restaurant invoices.

Moreover, Zhou Yichen's signature was on them.

"It's real, all of it is real!"

After reading carefully, Gao Jie angrily slapped the documents onto the table. Ye Zhan, next to him, picked up the file and slowly examined it.

Once finished, Ye Zhan passed it to the person beside him.

Everyone took a turn reviewing the papers. Those not aligned with Zhou Yichen's faction showed clear anger, while the department heads loyal to Zhou Yichen merely glanced a few times before lowering their heads. Some of the items implicated them directly; things had happened to them based on these records.

Finally, the file reached Zhou Yichen’s hands.

Every single note, every word on it, made his heart jump violently. He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to possess such comprehensive and extensive evidence.

These were indeed all his recent expenditures within the Student Union.

Zhou Yichen’s face gradually turned pale. Some things he had done very discreetly, like the dining expenses at Kaixuan Tower. He had arranged for the transactions to be recorded under office equipment purchases. But Zhang Yang hadn't just obtained the invoices; he had acquired Zhou Yichen's personal sign-out sheet from Kaixuan Tower.

He had no idea how Zhang Yang managed to obtain these items.

But he understood the consequences if this information were exposed. The position of Student Union President, he realized with chilling certainty, might slip through his fingers.

Some matters are like that. You can do whatever you want, and even if others find out, you might not care. But once it’s laid bare, you’re finished.

To use a saying popular in later times: all unspoken rules thrive in darkness.

Zhou Yichen opened his mouth several times, but no words emerged. He didn't know what to say.

This was a situation even he had never encountered. The usually sharp-witted man was now panicked, utterly lost on how to proceed.

"President Zhou, I won't ask you about the missing twenty thousand in the accounts right now. I believe you might have forgotten how that money originated, and what I said back then!"

Zhang Yang spoke slowly once more. Zhou Yichen shuddered violently, turning back to cast a horrified glance at Ouyang Yu, the Finance Minister. Ouyang Yu kept his head down, avoiding everyone's gaze.

Zhang Yang even knew about the twenty thousand missing from the accounts. That money had been temporarily diverted from the Student Union account; he had planned to return it later. Only he and Ouyang Yu knew about this matter.

Now that Zhang Yang had brought it up, it could only mean one thing: Ouyang Yu had betrayed him and leaked everything.

At this moment, he felt no resentment toward Zhang Yang, but a deep hatred for Ouyang Yu had ignited. Although Ouyang Yu wasn't his man, he had promised him significant benefits to win him over, even swearing to use his connections after graduation to help him secure a position at the university—a goal that held immense appeal for many students.

Despite these assurances, Ouyang Yu had betrayed him, which was intolerable.

"Gu Cheng, go and bring the others in," Zhang Yang said calmly, still seated. Gu Cheng nodded behind him and promptly left the meeting room.

Many eyes were now fixed on Zhang Yang. His appearance today, and the relentless exposure of Zhou Yichen's misconduct, had already surprised them. Now, it seemed Zhang Yang wasn't finished; there was more to come.

Everyone began to ponder Zhang Yang’s preceding words.

What had Zhang Yang said to Zhou Yichen regarding the origin of that money and what words had followed?

They were quite clear on how the money originated: it was sponsorship Zhang Yang had secured from the Third College. Many hadn't believed it possible at first, later regarding it as a miracle.

As for what he had said afterward, they truly had no distinct memory.

Moments later, Wang Guohua was the first to look up, staring at Zhang Yang with shock, tinged with a degree of fear.

In any setting, there are always a few sharp minds. Wang Guohua grasped the implication of Zhang Yang's statement and understood his meaning. It was precisely this realization that brought forth his expression.

In that instant, Wang Guohua felt a genuine fear of Zhang Yang.

He finally understood that Zhang Yang, who usually appeared unassuming and unremarkable, was terrifyingly capable. When dealing with an opponent, he could make them fall into a trap without realizing it, never knowing how they were defeated.

Such a person, as an enemy, was the most frightening. His own past petty schemes now seemed trivial; if he truly tried to contend with Zhang Yang, Zhang Yang could crush him with a mere flick of his finger.

Poor him, he had once fantasized about a three-way balance of power, only to discover now how utterly naive he had been.

Wang Guohua was astute enough to figure it out, but the others weren't foolish either. By now, many had grasped the hidden meaning in Zhang Yang's words, their expressions mirroring Wang Guohua's.

All gazes converged upon Zhang Yang.

Zhou Yichen was also watching Zhang Yang, having understood his meaning much earlier.

At this moment, his face was contorted with terror, sweat constantly beading on his forehead. The sweat streamed down his face and neck, soaking his shirt and dripping onto the floor.

His hands trembled slightly, an abnormality starkly visible as they rested on the table.

Smack!

The door opened again. Gu Cheng entered first, followed by several other people. Seeing these individuals, Zhou Yichen's body instantly went slack.

He didn't recognize all the new arrivals, but recognizing just one was enough.

Following Gu Cheng in was Zhang Darong, the Deputy Secretary of the School Disciplinary Committee. The presence of the Disciplinary Committee personnel in the Student Union meeting room, coupled with Zhang Yang's earlier words, meant Zhou Yichen would have to be an absolute fool not to understand the situation.

Yet, at this moment, he wished desperately he could be a fool, rather than face what was coming.

"Student Zhou Yichen, comrades from the Third College have reported to us that the sponsorship funds they provided to our school's Student Union involve issues of misappropriation, improper use of public funds, and numerous accounting irregularities. We hope you will cooperate with our work and assist in the investigation," Zhang Darong stated. Though this Deputy Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee did not sound overly stern, his words made it abundantly clear to everyone: Zhou Yichen was finished.

Once the School Disciplinary Committee intervened, the nature of the issue fundamentally shifted. It was no longer an internal Student Union affair; it had escalated to the level of embezzlement and corruption. If things went badly, Zhou Yichen could be expelled or even face imprisonment.

No further explanation was needed; everyone now understood the meaning behind Zhang Yang's words.

He had once instructed Gu Cheng to relay a message: no one should covet this sponsorship money he had secured. Not only was it supervised by people from the Third College, but it was also monitored by the school administration. If anyone dared to lay a hand on it, he wouldn't hesitate to bring the matter directly to the school authorities, ensuring the Disciplinary Committee’s immediate involvement.

Now, Zhang Yang's words had materialized. Zhou Yichen had targeted that money, and the School Disciplinary Committee was indeed present in the Student Union.

The Disciplinary Committee oversees cadres. Although the Student Union President was a student, he was still considered a school cadre, giving the Committee jurisdiction.

What Zhang Darong had just said was essentially equivalent to detention pending investigation; since Zhang Yang had already produced all the evidence, Zhou Yichen would largely be expected to confess the details.

To eliminate him completely, ensuring he could never recover—this was Zhang Yang's method.

The way people looked at Zhang Yang now was entirely different from before. They all carried a shade of fear. The powerful Zhou Yichen had fallen so abruptly and completely, letting them fully grasp the terrifying scope of Zhang Yang's influence.

Zhou Yichen remained motionless. Zhang Darong signaled to the people beside him, instructing them to escort Zhou Yichen away forcefully.

"I'll confess! I'll be honest!"

As the two men approached Zhou Yichen, he shouted in a panic, his face contorted by fear.

Even with his little tricks, Zhou Yichen was ultimately just a student, unseasoned in such confrontations. It wasn't just him; even seasoned officials often lost their composure in situations like this.

Zhang Darong shook his head, ordered Zhou Yichen to be taken away, glanced around the Student Union meeting room, and then followed them out.

Once their party departed, Gu Cheng returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.

But only he understood the intense excitement churning within him.

Zhang Yang had predicted that Zhou Yichen wouldn't last long, and his prediction proved stunningly accurate. In just over ten days, Zhang Yang had brought Zhou Yichen down, completely and irrevocably.

Zhou Yichen's glorious tenure as president had been extraordinarily brief.

Amidst the excitement, Gu Cheng felt a surge of exhilaration.

The Student Union was about to undergo a seismic shift. Zhang Yang had explicitly stated he would not take the presidency; that position was designated for Xiao Bin.

This was also something Zhang Yang had foretold, a prediction that no one believed then, but which was now becoming reality.

Xiao Bin would be the President, and he, Gu Cheng, was already earmarked as the new Minister of External Relations.

This was Zhang Yang's internal decision alone, but Gu Cheng knew that once Zhang Yang made a decision, no one could overturn it. Zhang Yang might not be physically present in the Student Union, but he was the single most influential figure.

To put it without exaggeration: Zhang Yang was the Student Union's Emperor Emeritus.

And the series of maneuvers Zhang Yang executed filled Gu Cheng with profound admiration. He felt that this was how a man should be—calculating, orchestrating from afar, making others think they were gaining an advantage, only to realize the executioner's blade was already at their throat.

This was true manhood.

Xiao Bin was also thrilled. He knew very well that the seat vacated by Zhou Yichen would soon be his.

Being elected Student Union President was something he had never dared to dream of before. The fact that such an impossible dream was about to materialize filled him with an unimaginable sense of elation.

Of course, he understood perfectly who was responsible for this turn of events. Even though Zhang Yang wasn't in the Student Union, Xiao Bin was certain that he would unconditionally execute any command Zhang Yang issued in the future.

…………

The eighth update, eight chapters completed—Xiao Yu delivered! (To be continued)