"You don't even need to respect that vote. Since you disagreed, you should just put an end to this nonsense," Adisorn stated with a patronizing tone, attempting to lecture the CEO.
Gawin crossed his arms, tilting his head as if trying to read Adisorn's mind. "Mr. Adisorn... do you know that your brilliance is actually quite terrifying?" Gawin began with a faint smirk.
Adisorn's brow furrowed in confusion. "Terrifying how?"
Gawin rolled his eyes thoughtfully before nodding slowly. "It’s terrifying because your competence makes you believe you don't need anyone. You carry everything alone, perhaps forgetting that humans were designed to rely on one another. Having us bother you like this doesn't mean you're getting weaker. It means you are valuable enough that we refuse to leave you behind."
Adisorn went still. The words felt like a physical strike against the fortress he had spent a lifetime building. He looked away, hiding his flickering confusion.
"The game you've set may be complex and destructive," Gawin continued, his tone turning calm and level. "But don't forget... there are people who can read your game too. So, from now on... please be careful."
Adisorn's gaze turned cold again. "The person who can read my game... is that you?" He stared deep into Gawin's eyes, harboring a fair amount of disdain for the younger man's confidence. "Under that smiling face, I suppose you’re full of schemes."
Gawin raised an eyebrow and let out a soft laugh. "I’m not that hard to read. I simply express what I think; there's nothing complicated about it." His smirk widened slightly. "Therefore... even if someone in the team dislikes you, as long as we are a team, we will always respect each other's decisions, no matter which path you choose."
Adisorn was left speechless.
Gawin placed his laptop on the coffee table and lay down, pulling the blanket up. "I told you, the vote was 4 to 1..." He looked at Adisorn. "Goodnight. If I snore, just turn a deaf ear to it."
He closed his eyes abruptly, leaving Adisorn sitting in the silence of his own confusion. Eventually, Adisorn sighed in exasperation and retreated to his bedroom. At the door, he paused to look back at the figure in the dim light.
A team... even without liking each other? Impossible.
He remained skeptical. How could this soft CEO read his moves, let alone stand against the ruthless sharks of CK Group? Yet, within Gawin's playful smile, Adisorn sensed a lurking danger one that even he might find difficult to handle in the future.
The morning sun streamed through the expansive windows, casting a golden glow over a chaotic Shanghai skyline that felt strangely small from this height. Gawin adjusted his tie one last time before stepping into the conference room, with Tum trailing closely behind.
Zhang Wei, Wen Jie, and Meiling were already in their seats. Gawin offered a thin smile and a polite bow. As his eyes met Tum’s, he caught a subtle signal a slight nod. Tum’s gaze flickered toward Meiling, who was radiating a turbulent, murky blue aura whenever she looked at Wen Jie.
"Good morning, everyone," Gawin greeted with a professional smile, taking his place before the projector. "As you know, Away Logistics will be joining us tomorrow to discuss the Sandbox implementation in Thailand. Today, I want us to align our proposals so we have a unified front before the negotiations."
Gawin pressed the remote, and an energy roadmap appeared on the screen. "Currently, oil energy is facing unpredictable external variables, directly impacting production costs. This is CK Group's window of opportunity. Our Hydrogen Project will establish trust and security for the continent and eventually, the world."
He switched the slide to a diagram of the Hydrogen Valley. "Hydrogen Valley will be the backbone of sustainable energy, moving from theory to reality from Pudong to Thailand using Away Logistics' Sandbox as our launchpad. Tomorrow’s agenda is critical; we must be meticulous in our planning."
Zhang Wei nodded, his eyes reflecting genuine admiration for Gawin’s decisive vision. Meanwhile, Wen Jie stole a glance at Meiling, his eyes deep and unreadable, harboring a concealed agenda.
A map of the Asia-Pacific region swept across the screen, a glowing line connecting Pudong to the Indochinese Peninsula.
"I call this: The Hydrogen Silk Road," Gawin’s voice was low but commanded the room.
"We will utilize Away Logistics Thailand as our Hydrogen Hub, integrating Chairman Zhang Wei’s AI and Blockchain technology to calculate carbon credits and perform real-time logistics optimization. This will be the definitive proof of commercial hydrogen viability." Gawin paused, scanning the faces in the room. "I’d like to hear your thoughts."
Silence filled the room. Meiling narrowed her eyes at Wen Jie. She sensed something foul ever since learning of his secret meeting with Adisorn. If she let him dictate the pace, she would eventually be backed into a corner. She needed to deliver results now.
"I propose the 'Exclusive Energy Sovereignty' plan," Meiling stated, sitting upright. Her sharp gaze commanded attention. "We grant Away Logistics the exclusive rights to operate the primary hydrogen refueling network within this Sandbox."
She cut a glance at the stoic Wen Jie. "In exchange for managing the stations, their entire fleet must switch to our hydrogen system exclusively for a ten-year term."
Wen Jie let out a mocking laugh, his eyes challenging her intellect. "Ms. Meiling... isn't that just surrendering too much leverage? How is our investment protected if we lose bargaining power at the downstream?"
Meiling smirked. "It’s a 'soft' stranglehold. By making them co-stakeholders in the infrastructure, Away Logistics can never pivot to a competitor. The more they expand, the higher CK Group’s energy sales climb."
Gawin nodded, watching the two rivals clash.
Zhang Wei tapped the screen’s cost-structure graph with his pen. "Operationally, this is sound. Granting SEA management rights to Away Logistics reduces our on-site labor costs by 22% and shifts our risk toward a long-term supply contract. I can secure the transparency via a Blockchain Smart Contract layer... but, Ms. Meiling, I need the Break-Even figures. If Away fails to hit their fleet expansion targets in the first three years, what is our contingency for cash flow? And does this exclusivity cover third-party resale pricing?"
Gawin found himself nodding at Zhang Wei’s surgical precision.
"Break-even is calculated at a minimum capacity of 65%," Meiling explained smoothly, prepared for the query. "If usage falls below that, the contract triggers a Take-or-Pay clause. Regarding pricing, we will utilize a Price Index formula pegged to global market rates."
Zhang Wei nodded in approval. "Good. In tomorrow’s negotiation, emphasize the Carbon Credits they’ll gain. It’ll make that ten-year commitment an easier pill to swallow and bolster their ESG profile for the stock market."
"Understood," Meiling replied.
Gawin turned his attention to Wen Jie. He had expected a fiercer counter-attack.
Why is he holding back?
"Any other thoughts? Mr. Wen Jie?"
"I agree with Chairman Zhang Wei," Wen Jie replied with a thin, seemingly friendly smile. "I was initially concerned about control, but with a technological layer of oversight... I have no reason to object."
Tum’s brow furrowed. The aura surrounding Wen Jie wasn't friendly at all. Despite the smile, he looked like a sheathed blade ready to draw blood. Meiling felt the same chill. Instinct told her that Wen Jie’s retreat wasn't out of fear he was simply waiting for her to walk into the trap he had dug.
"Then it is settled," Gawin concluded. "See you all tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Meeting adjourned."
The room emptied in a heavy, unnatural silence. Meiling remained, staring at Wen Jie’s empty chair. The scent of danger lingered in the air. She knew it well... tomorrow would be the real war.