CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 114 – SHADOWS STIR BENEATH THE SUMMIT

The wind blew crisp over the mountain plateau where the Apex Council’s summit had been established. Lin Feng stood at the balcony of the main lodge, the sunrise casting long shadows across the modernist wooden structure behind him. It was the third morning of the summit, and though publicly the atmosphere remained one of reform and collaboration, he could feel something shift—subtle, but insistent.

It wasn’t intuition. It was the new skill: Crisis Perception.

Like a low-frequency hum in the background of his mind, it vibrated when threats drew near. It did not give details. It did not name culprits. It only told him danger is forming—and Lin Feng trusted it completely.

He turned as Wen Xinya approached, already dressed sharply in a deep blue pantsuit. Her brows were knit with tension.

"There’s noise from the second-tier founders," she said. "A few of them met privately last night. I have no confirmation yet, but some seem to be floating the idea of formal voting power reforms—against you."

"Let them talk," Lin Feng said coolly. "They mistake visibility for leverage. Cassandra’s soft influence may have weakened, but the structure she left behind is still polluting their judgment."

Wen Xinya lowered her voice. "What about Keller?"

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes. "Still hiding behind charm and plausible deniability. But the hum is stronger around him."

That was how he had begun to think of it—the hum. The system’s Crisis Perception didn’t operate like surveillance or spying. It responded to intentions. Manipulation, betrayal, sabotage—it registered only when plans had been made and decisions had crossed a threshold. And Keller was already generating a near-constant hum whenever Lin was near.

"Time to bait the fox out," Lin said.

Wen Xinya blinked. "How?"

Lin Feng walked back inside. "By making a move so calculated that only someone with hidden ambitions will try to stop it."

The Council chamber that afternoon had a different energy. Lin had summoned all tiers of the Apex Council: founding tech leaders, rising civic entrepreneurs, cultural influencers, AI specialists, education reformers. Over 130 of them filled the space, facing a minimalist stage where Lin now stood.

"I want to talk about legacy immunity," Lin began.

A quiet murmur swept the room. The term referred to a clause in the Council charter—originally pushed by Spectron’s early allies—which prevented current members from being prosecuted or audited by Council mechanisms for any actions before joining.

It had always been controversial. And now Lin Feng wanted it gone.

He tapped a control, displaying documents behind him—contracts, meeting transcripts, financial flow maps. "This immunity has shielded individuals who contributed to systemic stagnation, information manipulation, and worse. If we claim moral authority, we can’t be held hostage by a clause designed to protect the past."

Some of the older members visibly stiffened. Others exchanged quick glances.

"I propose we strike it entirely," Lin said. "Effective immediately."

Silence.

Then: a single, deliberate clap. Keller.

He stood slowly, dressed in a conservative charcoal suit, hands relaxed at his sides. His face wore that disarming calmness—smiling, but not too much.

"Well said, Lin Feng," Keller began. "You’re right—legacy immunity is outdated. But I would suggest a different framing. Rather than abolish it immediately, let’s discuss setting up an investigative transition board. One that can—"

The hum surged.

Lin didn’t need further confirmation. It wasn’t the suggestion itself—on the surface, it was moderate, rational. But the Crisis Perception responded to intention, not tone. Keller’s move wasn’t about reform.

It was about delaying accountability. Shielding someone—or several people—long enough to destroy evidence, shift assets, or disappear.

Lin Feng smiled faintly.

"Thank you, Keller. I’ll take that under advisement," he said evenly, then turned to the council. "But this won’t be a drawn-out debate. A vote will be held tomorrow. No committees. No delays. Let the Council show its will."

Keller didn’t flinch, but the corners of his mouth tightened.

Later that evening, Lin met privately with Jian Xue.

"You’ve been keeping an eye on second-tier founder clusters," he said. "What’s the current temperature?"

Jian Xue handed him a tablet. "They’re fracturing. Some are drifting toward Keller’s moderation camp. Others want stronger integration into the Apex Circle’s voting system and funding flows."

"Anyone talking about forming a new bloc?" Lin asked.

She hesitated. "Yes. Quietly. Five mid-tier influencers are trying to gather support for a ’Founders Autonomy Network.’"

That got Lin’s attention.

"Who’s backing them?"

She showed him the names. Two of them had previously received funding from Cassandra’s cultural sub-alliance. One had recently met Keller at a private dinner.

Lin Feng leaned back.

"They’re not the threat by themselves. But they’re tools. This is about division. Someone wants to create enough narrative chaos that the Apex Council begins turning inward."

"And by the time they realize," Jian said quietly, "it’s too late."

Lin tapped the table. "Get Cheng Yue and Riya Malhotra. I want a media shift starting tomorrow morning. Feature founders who actively supported the immunity repeal. Make them symbols of courage. Let the rest feel the heat."

"And if the autonomy group keeps rising?"

Lin smiled. "Then we give them enough rope to hang themselves—with Keller holding the other end."

By dawn, controlled media segments began surfacing across independent social channels and neutral tech platforms. Headlines like:

"The Reckoning Within: Founders Who Said No to Immunity"

"Building Real Meritocracy – Voices from Within the Apex Summit"

"New Founders, New Standards: The Council’s Moral Pivot"

Riya coordinated short-form videos, while Cheng Yue’s press team pushed long-format interviews.

The result? Narrative dominance.

Keller didn’t show public resistance. He was too smart. But he withdrew from all side interviews that day. A contained retreat.

Which made Lin Feng more certain than ever: Keller hadn’t expected the Apex Circle to pivot that fast. He’d counted on institutional paralysis.

That night, Crisis Perception flared.

Lin woke suddenly, not from a sound, but the sharp sting

of danger awareness—different from usual. Acute. Immediate.

He got up. Within three minutes, Wen Xinya was at his door. She didn’t wait for permission to speak.

"Data breach attempt on the main vote tally system," she said. "Only partial access. Blocked before any core files were altered."

"Who tried it?"

"Routed through five proxies, but one endpoint was traced back to a device Keller used two days ago."

Lin’s jaw tightened.

It was sloppy. Keller wasn’t the type to leave digital fingerprints unless he wanted to send a message.

This wasn’t sabotage.

It was a provocation.

He checked the time. 3:42 a.m.

Lin Feng gave Wen Xinya a look of grim focus. "Call the Council. Emergency session. No exemptions."

By 4:15 a.m., the chamber was active—though subdued and tense. Keller arrived last, as expected. He wore a loose sweater and dark slacks, his expression calm but not friendly.

Lin stood.

"There was a breach attempt," he said without preamble. "Traced to an endpoint connected to Keller."

A wave of murmurs broke out. Keller held up his hand.

"I did access the system once," he said. "Legally. I had a clerical request to audit data permissions. My team may have left a port open unintentionally."

Crisis Perception spiked again.

"I’ll take that as your formal statement," Lin said. "For now, I’ll respond with mine."

He tapped the screen. A list of reform items appeared—title: Structural Realignment Phase II.

"This vote will happen tonight. We’re not just abolishing immunity—we’re restructuring the voting weight system. Any Council member found to be actively interfering with data integrity during internal votes will be suspended indefinitely. No exceptions."

Keller didn’t respond immediately. But his smile vanished.

Good, Lin thought. Let him feel the pressure now.

This wasn’t just a contest of minds anymore. It was a contest of control.

And Lin Feng wasn’t playing defense anymore.