Miss Beautiful C.E.O and her system

"What?! When?" Gu Yi blurted, her questions coming in a rapid stream. "How do you know the Qin family was behind it?"

"You think it's a coincidence that I suffered an accident that nearly killed me?" Ling Qingyu responded flatly. "I'd assume everyone already knows my accident has darker reasons. How is it that you don't?"

"It's not that I don't know," Gu Yi replied sharply. "Shouldn't the culprit be the Tiger Gang, the one your Spirit Fox eradicated? Don't think I'm unaware of why you focused on them so ruthlessly."

Gu Yi had her sources. She knew how Ling Qingyu had boldly attacked the Tiger Gang's enterprises, using Spirit Fox as a military tool to crush their power base. While the operation was conducted under the guise of justice, there were clearly vested interests at play.

That said, compared to the hypocritical politicians and business figures she had encountered, Ling Qingyu at least kept her word and carried herself with far more integrity. Her actions had brought tangible benefits to society and stability to the region—regardless of whatever conspiracies she harbored.

For Gu Yi, Ling Qingyu's rise in status was a net positive for Province N and her daughter's interests. Moreover, Spirit Fox had consistently performed above expectations, even in their unofficial capacity.

"I never intended to hide it from you in the first place," Ling Qingyu said, shaking her head.

"Then how does the Qin family connect to the Tiger Gang?" Gu Yi asked, staring intently. "One operates at the very bottom of the social ladder, and the other stands at the top of the pyramid. They couldn't possibly be linked."

"If you approach this purely through logic, I can't fault you," Ling Qingyu admitted. "But the truth is darker than it seems. From the beginning, I suspected someone was pulling strings behind the scenes. The enemy was shrouded in darkness, which was one of my main motivations for founding Spirit Fox—to protect myself and my loved ones when I had no idea who the true adversaries were."

Gu Yi sat quietly, mulling over the revelation. Ling Qingyu's reasoning behind forming a private special operations team contained elements of truth, but as Gu Yi considered it further, the outcome felt inevitable. Ling Qingyu's ideals would naturally lead her down this path. It was merely a matter of time.

"Fine," Gu Yi said at last. "But you still haven't explained how you suspect there's a hidden hand—and why you're so certain it's the Qin family."

"Everyone has secrets. I'll refrain from divulging everything," Ling Qingyu replied. "But think about it. I had no enmity with the gang, yet I was targeted. It's clear to anyone with sense: there were many suspects, but none had the motive to go that far."

Gu Yi's eyelids twitched. She realized the "secret" Ling Qingyu mentioned likely referred to the unsolved death of the Tiger Gang leader's son. The case had been ignored by law enforcement, and few cared about his demise. In fact, many celebrated his death in silence.

Still, Gu Yi's gaze remained fixed on Ling Qingyu, understanding the implications behind her cryptic words. No one here was a fool. Ling Qingyu had subtly hinted at her findings: the dead man had likely revealed crucial details before his demise. There was no need for further confirmation about the existence of a hidden mastermind.

"So, what did you discover during your raid on the Tiger Gang's final stronghold?" Gu Yi's eyes narrowed.

"As expected of someone with a ministerial position," Ling Qingyu remarked, clicking her tongue. "The gang leader, knowing his fate was sealed, directed his hatred toward the true culprit who caused the conflict between us.

"When our operatives found him, he had been tortured beyond recognition, but we managed to extract critical information—details directly tied to my accident. Combining his testimony with our investigations, the evidence points squarely to the Qin family in the capital."

Leaning back in her recliner, Gu Yi processed the information. The sequence of events aligned with her deductions. Ling Qingyu wasn't lying—though her account carefully omitted certain details.

"ortured beyond repair, Gu Yi thought grimly. In all likelihood, the man's death had been orchestrated by Ling Qingyu herself. Even if not, she had likely ensured he wouldn't survive long enough to cause complications.

Not that Gu Yi would blame her. The world was rarely black and white, except in extreme cases. If someone had done the same to her, she would have responded in kind.

Good deeds bring good karma, Gu Yi mused, but she knew this philosophy belonged only to the virtuous, not to those who inflicted harm.

"But something doesn't add up," Gu Yi said finally. "Why would the Qin family target someone…" She hesitated.

"Like me, who poses no threat and is insignificant in their eyes," Ling Qingyu finished for her.

"Ahem… That's your interpretation, not mine," Gu Yi retorted, raising her hand in mock protest.

"The assassination was likely a mistake from their perspective," Ling Qingyu continued, ignoring Gu Yi's playful tone. "They wanted to kill my half-sister. But instead of 'they,' it's more accurate to say 'he.'"

Ling Qingyu suspected only one member of the Qin family had orchestrated the attempt on her life. Yet, did it matter whether her revenge targeted the entire family?

Without the Qin family's immense backing, would that man have dared to plan such atrocities? Was she merely the first victim of his hubris?

Born into privilege and wielding inherited power without earning it, many of these individuals grew into self-proclaimed gods, seeing others as tools rather than human beings.

From what Ling Qingyu knew of Ling Yunxiang's fate, coupled with information from Miss System, there was a high probability—over 70 percent—that the man responsible was a so-called "child of destiny," a protagonist archetype in a sadomasochistic plotline.

Despite repeatedly pressing Miss System for confirmation after extracting the truth from the dying man, she had been met with silence. Nevertheless, Ling Qingyu was confident in her assessment.

Initially, she had only intended to disrupt the Qin family's operations and weaken their dominance. Now, however, her goal was clear: vengeance.
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Only by thoroughly dismantling the Qin family could Ling Qingyu find peace and avenge her predecessor.

Compared with Stallion Lin Fan, the female version's male leads were much more frightening to cater to most women's fantasies of conquering— cold, ruthless, and devil— but only submitted to the protagonist in love. Hehe, Ling Qingyu shook away the nonsensical thought.

"Wait. The Qin family made a mistake?" Gu Yi raised an eyebrow. "Girl, forgive my bluntness, but for a family of their stature, they never tolerate even the slightest errors."

"True, for their true adversaries," Ling Qingyu replied calmly. "But what if I told you this was a crime fueled entirely by the emotions of the murderer? What if, in his eyes, I was just an ant that could be crushed at any time?"

Ling Qingyu elaborated further, recounting the twisted circumstances that led to her replacing her sister as the target. Gu Yi's eyelids twitched as she processed the story. Silently, she lit a metaphorical candle for her unlucky daughter-in-law.

It turned out the assassin was an admirer of Ling Yunxiang. He had already been contemplating retirement and, in his warped sense of loyalty, diverted the hatred onto another target to save his "goddess." After completing the job, he planned to disappear with his payment—only to realize he had overestimated his ability to evade the Tiger Gang.

Enraged by his son's death, the Tiger Gang leader hunted the assassin down, dragging him back to Province N. From there, events spiraled into the chaos Gu Yi was already familiar with.

"Still… why kill Ling Yunxiang in the first place?" Gu Yi asked, her skepticism evident.

"You can never fully understand the minds of lunatics," Ling Qingyu sneered. She alone grasped the warped logic of those "protagonists." To them, the world revolved around their whims, feeding their arrogance.

Ling Qingyu continued, her voice laced with mockery: "Besides, if you dig deeper, I guarantee this wasn't his first time. Such calculated cold-bloodedness… such casual cruelty. Even I would have to bow my head.

"And when it comes to his 'off-with-your-head' style, do you really need any further reasons for his actions?"

Gu Yi was momentarily speechless at Ling Qingyu's bluntness but found herself silently agreeing. The Qin family's domineering ways had harmed countless lives, innocent or not. It wasn't far-fetched to imagine Ling Yunxiang being targeted simply for offending the heir's sensibilities.

Yet, a problem lingered. Ling Qingyu had asked for Gu Yi's assistance, but mounting an attack against the Qin family was no small feat. Even with her resources, Gu Yi knew she lacked the power to take on such a monolithic force directly.

Regret bubbled up as she recalled her hasty promise to help. She cursed herself inwardly, wishing she could take back her words. However, her sense of responsibility—both to Ling Qingyu and to her daughter-in-law—kept her in check.

Like Ling Qingyu, Gu Yi harbored deep resentment toward the Qin family. Despite their pristine public image, she knew all too well the darkness lurking beneath their polished veneer.

Sensing Gu Yi's internal conflict, Ling Qingyu chuckled softly. "Don't overthink it, Mom. That's a battle for the future. Who knows what's to come? I'm not the same person I was months ago. Surely, you're not underestimating me, are you?"

Gu Yi snapped out of her thoughts, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Of course not. From the very beginning, I knew you weren't a simple character. You've never disappointed me. How I wish you were my daughter."

"Well," Ling Qingyu teased, "I'm going to be your daughter soon enough."

Both women laughed, their minds harboring their own private thoughts.

"For now, the Qin family has no idea about my true intentions," Ling Qingyu said. "But the fight isn't over. I've hurt their business just as they've hurt mine. Let them think this all started with Ling Yunxiang."

"As long as your actions remain within the realm of business, you have my full support," Gu Yi assured her. "Proceed with confidence. I'll handle the official channels for you."

"No, Mom," Ling Qingyu said firmly. "Let them come. I'll call on you if I truly need your help, but for now, let me fight my own battles. Watching their schemes unfold is half the fun—I won't be bored, at least."

"You're a lunatic, little girl," Gu Yi said, shaking her head.

"Likewise, Minister Gu. To each their own."

"To each their own," Gu Yi agreed, clinking her tea cup against Ling Qingyu's.

As the minutes of silence passed, Gu Yi sighed. "You've made too many enemies, dear."

"And I intend to crush them, one by one," Ling Qingyu said with a smirk. "Call it fate, pushing me to climb the ladder. I'm powerless to resist."

Gu Yi rolled her eyes at the dramatic declaration, barely resisting the urge to spit out her tea. "Too much, girl. Too pretentious."