Originally translated from the Thai language.
Morning sunlight gilded the glass facade of the CK Group headquarters, turning the skyscraper into a shimmering pillar of steel that loomed defiantly over the metropolis. A sleek black luxury sedan glided to a halt at the entrance. All around, people moved like a frantic swarm of bees, CK Group employees marching through the doors with brisk, disciplined energy.
Adisorn, in his persona as
AP Markrim
, stepped out of the car with a grace that arrested every gaze in the vicinity.
Dressed in a midnight-navy suit tailored to his lean, commanding silhouette, he stood with his back impeccably straight. His polished black oxfords clicked against the floor as he entered the airy, white-and-blue atrium a space so vast it made the crowds appear like mere ants.
He strode directly toward the reception desk. Heads turned in unison; the office air seemed to still as onlookers were struck by a level of handsomeness that felt almost ethereal, as if he didn't belong to the mundane world.
“I am AP Markrim from ZX Capital. I have an appointment with Dr. Li Ming,” he said, his voice a smooth, resonant baritone. The receptionist froze, her breath hitching for a fraction of a second.
“I… one moment, please,” she stammered, her eyes wide and sparkling. She reached for the internal line, still visibly dazed by the celestial features of the man before her. “Mr. AP Markrim has arrived… Yes, understood.” She murmured into the receiver before hanging up. “Please wait a moment. Mr. Lewis is coming down to escort you.”
Shortly after, Lewis, the chairman’s assistant, appeared and led him to the glass elevator. They ascended toward the summit of the tower, the sprawling cityscape of Shanghai shrinking beneath their feet amidst a layer of white mist clinging to the skyline.
The elevator doors slid open. Adisorn walked into a wide hall where Rosé stood waiting before the massive wooden doors of the private briefing room. She pulled them open, and Adisorn stepped through, the rhythmic
thud... thud...
of his footsteps echoing his composed demeanor.
At the head of the long table sat Li Ming, an elder with silver-streaked hair and a stern face. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, caught the morning light. Adisorn stopped at a respectful distance, leveled his breathing, and bowed.
“Good morning. I am AP Markrim from ZX Capital.”
Li Ming narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the young man with a probing gaze.
“Please… Mr. Markrim.” He gestured to the seat across from him. Adisorn placed his leather briefcase behind him and sat.
“A global fund known by the moniker ‘Success Hunter’ pays me a visit on the very day I am surrounded by a flock of vultures,” Li Ming remarked, his tone a challenge. Behind him, the majestic Huangpu River stretched out toward the horizon.
Adisorn offered a calm, measured smile. “ZX Capital may be a hunter of success, but we are also an ally ready to offer support especially as a storm begins to brew at the heart of the CK Group.”
“Then you must already know the nature of the storm we face,” Li Ming said, leaning back with cold composure. Adisorn nodded politely.
“CK Group is more than capable of weathering any storm for a long time to come; your potential for growth remains undeniable. The only... minor nuisance... lies within the current financial structure. A matter ZX would be pleased to assist you with.”
Dr. Li Ming’s lip curled into a faint smile. “And is ZX Capital approaching me as a philanthropist?”
Adisorn’s smile remained steady. “ZX is no philanthropist. We are investors ready to exchange opportunities with you on terms that are entirely fair.”
Li Ming stared deep into Adisorn’s eyes before murmuring, “Heh. You truly are the premier negotiator they say you are. Quite the silver tongue.”