High-Altitude Worker, Unfortunately a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role - Chapter 38

The hashtag #PangChaoAcquitted soared to the top of the trending topics within an hour, igniting widespread outrage across the internet.

Hahaha, the whole company is rotten to the core, and you’re telling me the chairman is innocent?

Who believes that? I certainly don’t!

Pang Chao, go die!

Just a random thought: if Star Yue Media collapses, will Pang Chao have to pay massive breach-of-contract fees to the artists?

The reality was precisely the opposite. Star Yue Media had always signed exploitative contracts.

If an artist was abandoned by the company due to their own scandals, they would owe exorbitant compensation. But if Star Yue Media collapsed, the contracts would automatically terminate, and Pang Chao wouldn’t have to pay a single cent.

Even the most explosive news fades from public attention. A week later, the online clamor against Pang Chao gradually subsided.

In an unnoticed corner, Pang Chao registered a new company, taking over the few remaining operations of the defunct Star Yue Media.

The new company was forced to operate out of a dilapidated old office building.

As Pang Chao entered, he tripped over a sunken patch in the worn carpet.

“Filthy!” he spat disdainfully, his sagging jowls trembling.

He straightened his still-immaculate custom-tailored suit and glanced at Pang Yunfei, who stood beside him.

“Son, I had you keep an eye on Zhao Ke at school. How’s that going?”

Pang Yunfei had inherited none of his father’s short, stout build; he was tall and slender.

Hearing Pang Chao’s question, he flinched involuntarily, then bowed deeply, his posture radiating utmost respect. “Father, she’s been very well-behaved. She hasn’t left the school grounds for two whole weeks.”

“Hmph.” Pang Chao’s cloudy eyes betrayed undisguised contempt. “Soon, she’ll come begging for mercy.”

“Yes, Father!” Pang Yunfei replied eagerly, his eyes filled with reverence and awe for Pang Chao, like a desperate believer praying to Jesus—a sight so unnerving it made onlookers shudder.

Zhao Ke’s ivory tower-like tranquility lasted barely over a week. On an ordinary Wednesday morning, her Live Stream Room was suddenly overrun by trolls and paid commenters from unknown sources.

Zhao Ke, die!

Blacklisted celebrities, get out of the entertainment industry!

Zhao Ke is responsible for Xiao Zhelan’s worsening depression!

Xiao Zhelan was an early artist at Star Yue Media. Four or five years ago, she had publicly announced her return to family life and rarely appeared in the public eye since.

As Star Yue Media’s myriad misdeeds were exposed, even attempts to suppress the news couldn’t prevent the mention of victims like Xiao Zhelan, who had already faded from public attention.

Xiao Zhelan’s husband posted online, claiming that Zhao Ke’s impulsive actions had forced his wife to relive painful memories, exacerbating her depression and even leading to suicidal tendencies.

“Is exposing darkness worth disregarding others’ lives?”

“Zhao Ke, did you even ask these victims if they wanted their stories made public?”

“Zhao Ke, you’re just playing the hero! Now that Xiao Zhelan’s condition has worsened, can you take responsibility?”

Zhao Ke glanced coldly at the camera. Though the sudden barrage of criticism inevitably quickened her pulse, her rational mind quickly suppressed her nerves. She realized someone was orchestrating a coordinated smear campaign against her.

Remaining unfazed, Zhao Ke continued attending classes and studying as usual. She believed that if she remained calm, the mastermind behind the attacks would eventually reveal themselves.

The Production Team couldn’t stand by any longer and bypassed Zhao Ke to contact Liu Tiande directly.

Liu Tiande shuttled between the company and the school with a grim expression. Despite the company’s massive investment in counterattacks over two full days, the Live Stream Room remained in chaos.

In Zhao Ke’s Super Topic, major fan accounts organized their followers into disciplined anti-smear campaigns.

Don’t panic, everyone! Trust Keke!

Post using the following format. Let’s work together to bury the trolls’ comments!

Important! Report procedure: …

Wang Ran and Li Minjing volunteered to contact Xiao Zhelan directly to understand the situation.

But without exception, Feng Jiang, Xiao Zhelan’s husband, refused, claiming her condition was too poor for visitors.

Everyone was fighting back fiercely, except Zhao Ke, who sat in the classroom as if nothing had happened.

Studying English.

Why is this English so hard? Zhao Ke despaired.

When will I finally prove that my predecessor’s study abroad experience wasn’t fabricated?

Friday, the third day of Zhao Ke’s nationwide online backlash.

After studying until her eyes blurred, Zhao Ke followed Liu Yurong to the cafeteria for lunch, chewing her food like wax.

Suddenly, the crowd stirred.

A slender figure moved against the flow of students, heading straight toward Zhao Ke.

Passing classmates noticed the boy’s figure, their expressions immediately lighting up with excitement as they began whispering among themselves.

“He’s not from the international department. Look at his uniform. Why would he come to our regular cafeteria?”

“Wait, doesn’t he look familiar? That’s Pang Yunfei, Chairman Pang Chao’s son from Star Yue Media—the one who’s been all over the news lately.”

“Oh, him? So he’s a total rich kid, right?”

“Exactly! Didn’t you hear? Pang Yunfei kept a low profile during his first year of high school, but he’s been showing off ever since. He’s all about posing and partying—a textbook profligate young master!”

Zhao Ke watched the face that bore a faint resemblance to Pang Chao approach her. She spoke first, “If Chairman Pang thinks he can silence me by hiring online trolls, he’s being incredibly naive.”

Pang Yunfei’s demeanor was completely different from how he acted in front of his father. He was arrogant, overbearing, and looked down his nose at her. “You’re just a minor celebrity. How dare you presume to understand my father’s intentions? I’ve received his decree to bring you before him.”

Decree?

Instead of simply saying, “My dad wants to see you,” Pang Yunfei had to phrase it in such an elaborate way, leaving Zhao Ke momentarily stunned.

This Pang Yunfei… his words and mannerisms made their relationship seem less like father and son and more like… a fervent devotee of Chinese father-son/ruler-subject literature.

Zhao Ke even had a hunch that beneath Pang Yunfei’s arrogant facade lay a deep-seated admiration for his father.

She shook her head, dismissing these strange thoughts. “Fine. I’m right here. Tell him to come find me.”

“How dare you!” Pang Yunfei, enraged by Zhao Ke’s nonchalant attitude, roared in the cafeteria, completely disregarding his image and drawing curious glances from nearby students.

“My father, a man of immense importance, would never waste his time on a lowly worm like you! Come with me to see him right now!”

Zhao Ke’s lips twitched, further confirming her suspicion that this wealthy young master harbored an unhealthy obsession with his father.

The surrounding students whispered among themselves: “Did his dad getting arrested mess with his head? Why is he acting like he’s in a drama?”

“Who knows? He’s probably lost it.”

“Hey, did you hear the rumor? Last year, Pang Yunfei had this really domineering girlfriend. When they broke up, she ended up dropping out of school.”

Zhao Ke had no intention of voluntarily meeting Pang Chao, but Pang Yunfei, brimming with the arrogance of a young master, completely disregarded school rules and summoned over a dozen bodyguards to surround her.

Zhao Ke: This kind of over-the-top display… I’ve only ever seen it in those CEO-chasing-his-wife romance novels.

This young master’s tastes are truly diverse.

Chairman Pang’s new office was even less luxurious than Manager Kong Jianshan’s previous one. As Zhao Ke stepped into the room—its walls yellowed and reeking of mold—she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Over ten days of imprisonment hadn’t slimmed Pang Chao down much; he still looked like a gluttonous gourmand. Only the skin on his face had sagged slightly, giving him a somewhat sinister appearance.

“Father, I’ve brought her.”

Pang Yunfei bowed slightly across the mahogany desk, his posture obsequiously respectful.

Zhao Ke watched, thinking this son seemed to hold even less status than Pang Chao’s straight-backed assistant.

Pang Chao turned to Zhao Ke, his gaze radiating undisguised contempt. “Let’s cut to the chase. A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though Star Yue Media has collapsed, now that I’m out, you, Zhao Ke, can forget about ever working in the entertainment industry again.”

Zhao Ke’s heart sank. Pang Chao was blatantly flaunting his power, backed by the Gu Family. He could not only clear his name but also completely blacklist her.

But she refused to be intimidated.

Zhao Ke lifted her chin. “If it’s really as simple as you make it sound, Chairman Pang, why did you even bother calling me here?”

Pang Chao’s brow furrowed, deeply displeased by Zhao Ke’s defiant attitude even in the face of ruin. Malice surged within him. “Kneel and beg for mercy, and perhaps I’ll spare you. You’re still young—you wouldn’t want to ruin your career now, would you?”

Zhao Ke scoffed, her shoulders drawing back in a relaxed posture. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Chairman Pang. That kind of line might work on naive trainees, but it’s far too childish for me.”

She stepped forward, bracing her hands on the edge of the desk and lowering her gaze to meet Pang Chao’s. Her striking features and intense gaze made her resemble a predator poised to strike.

The bodyguard tensed, shifting forward two small steps.

Zhao Ke ignored him, her sharp eyes piercing Pang Chao’s face.

“Your threats are nothing more than an attempt to force me into submission. You want me to announce our renewed partnership online, completely whitewashing your reputation and paving the way for your comeback, isn’t that right?”

After Zhao Ke finished speaking, Pang Chao remained silent for nearly half a minute. When he finally spoke again, his tone had lost some of its earlier arrogance. “You managed to drag Kong Jianshan and his cronies down with you. You’re indeed more formidable than I thought.”

Having hit a wall, Pang Chao, a veteran of corporate power plays for decades, immediately recognized that Zhao Ke was someone who responded to persuasion, not coercion. His expression shifted as if he were changing masks, and he instantly adopted a new approach.

“So, will you agree? We could make a fortune together.”

Pang Chao spread his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture.

Standing to one side, Pang Yunfei’s eyes flickered with resentment. As his father’s son, he had worked tirelessly for years to earn his father’s praise, yet Zhao Ke, with just a few words, had sparked the chairman’s interest in a collaboration.

Why her?

Zhao Ke burst into laughter, her gaze sweeping over Pang Chao with undisguised contempt. “Don’t be ridiculous, Chairman Pang. Partnering with you would be no different from repeating Star Yue Media’s downfall. There are no airtight walls in this world. Do you really think your backers will keep cleaning up your messes forever?”

Her sharp, eagle-like eyes pierced through the layers of malice in Pang Chao’s heart.

“You insolent wretch!” Pang Chao roared, slamming his fist on the table.

“The fact that I walked out of the police station unscathed proves my innocence!”

Zhao Ke remained silent, her steady gaze fixed on Pang Chao.

The chairman felt as if thorns were digging into his back. Panic and fury churned within him, erupting like a volcanic eruption.

“Get out! And remember this, Zhao Ke: this is your last appearance in the entertainment industry. You’ll never see the camera again. Just wait until you’re blacklisted!”

Zhao Ke, ever adaptable, turned and strode toward the door.

Pang Chao, his face flushed crimson, remained seated, making no attempt to stop her.

Pang Yunfei, acting on his own initiative, chased after her.

“Stop right there!” he shouted.

Zhao Ke halted and turned to face him.

“My father offered you a collaboration—a privilege you dare refuse! You…”

Before he could finish, Zhao Ke abruptly cut him off.

Frowning, Zhao Ke regarded Pang Yunfei with a probing gaze.

“Why do you worship him so much?”

Even though Zhao Ke was an orphan, she had seen enough to know that Pang Yunfei’s behavior and words seemed to transcend the boundaries of a normal father-son relationship.

“I…”

Pang Yunfei froze, his face draining of color.

“I am… I am subservient to my father.”

As if trapped in a nightmare, Pang Yunfei stood rigid, unresponsive to Zhao Ke’s words. He muttered to himself, his words unintelligible.

Zhao Ke frowned deeply.

But when her phone lit up with a call from Wang Ran, she had no choice but to leave.

“Sister Coco, are you okay? Did that old geezer hit you?” Wang Ran and Li Minjing were anxiously waiting downstairs. They rushed over as soon as Zhao Ke emerged.

Liu Tiande had gone to the company to discuss strategies, but no resolution had been reached.

Dawn Entertainment was too complacent, lacking even a comprehensive response plan.

Zhao Ke shook her head and chuckled. “Don’t be ridiculous. ‘Old geezer’? You’re quite the wordsmith.”

She pulled her phone from the hidden pocket of her school uniform and discreetly turned off the recording.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t captured any crucial information.

After a moment’s thought, Zhao Ke sent a message to Liu Yurong.

AAA High-Altitude Installer Master Zhao: What was the name of Pang Yunfei’s girlfriend who dropped out of school? Shen Yu?