The Green Mirage

Mei Ling, Zhi Fang, and Luo Jian believed themselves untouchable. They were not just criminals; they were the architects of the future.

At an international summit in Singapore, Mei Ling stood before the world, unveiling her grand eco-friendly initiative. Her vision promised carbon neutrality, revolutionary renewable energy, and a cleaner world for future generations. Western investors, desperate for sustainable solutions, applauded her as the leader of a new green era. Money poured in, partnerships were formed, and Mei Ling smiled for the cameras.

But behind the polished speeches and perfect presentations, illegal deforestation spread like wildfire. Factories dumped toxins into rivers, entire ecosystems were destroyed to fuel her green revolution. The world believed in the future she sold them, never realizing they were funding their destruction.

Zhi Fang ensured economic dependency. He manipulated trade deals and financial policies, making it impossible for developing nations to refuse the Nine Dragons' assistance. Loans with hidden clauses, contracts with unbreakable terms—every investment led to further control.

Luo Jian ensured obedience. His AI-driven surveillance kept activists in check, ensuring no whistleblower could expose the truth. Protests were crushed before they could begin, and dissenting voices were erased from history.

Together, they were the new emperors of an invisible empire.

—

Beijing – World Summit on Sustainability. Mei Ling stood at the center of the grand stage, bathed in camera flashes and applause. The air was thick with admiration, every pair of eyes fixed on her as if she were humanity’s greatest hope. She had spent years crafting this moment. Not just the initiative she was unveiling—but herself. The world’s most powerful woman. A visionary. A savior. The stage behind her displayed a massive digital banner:

THE GREEN AGE: A NEW DAWN FOR HUMANITY.

She let the words linger in the air before speaking, allowing anticipation to build. Then, in a voice both calm and commanding, she began.

“The future belongs to those who dare to change it.”

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause. Politicians. Investors. Environmental activists. All of them believed. That was her true power. Not wealth. Not technology.

Belief.

—

As the audience hung on her every word, Mei Ling moved gracefully across the stage, presenting dazzling statistics and projections.

Carbon neutrality by 2040. Renewable energy expansion across three continents. A commitment to reforestation efforts. The numbers were perfect. The promises were undeniable. The lies were flawless. Because behind the illusion of salvation, Entire forests had already been reduced to ash.

Vast rainforests burned to make way for her so-called “eco-friendly” developments. Mining operations ripped through the earth, extracting rare minerals needed for clean energy storage. Rivers ran black with industrial waste, while governments looked the other way. Yet, the world did not want to see the truth. They wanted a savior. So she gave them one.

—

The Nine Dragons' Empire of Deception

In the private lounges away from the cameras, where the real deals were made, the investors were not funding progress.

They were fueling an empire. The Nine Dragons' empire. Money poured in under the banner of environmental reform, but it did not go toward saving the planet. It went toward power. It went toward control.

Mei Ling smiled as she shook hands with world leaders and corporate giants. Each contract signed meant another piece of the world fell into their grasp. And none of them even knew it.

—

As the summit concluded and the cameras shut off, Mei Ling stepped onto the balcony of her private suite, staring out at the neon skyline of Beijing.

For a moment, she allowed herself to breathe.

She knew the truth.

One day, the illusion would shatter.

The world would see the damage, the destruction, the inescapable consequences.

And when that day came…

She just had to make sure she was standing on the winning side. Her reflection in the glass smiled back at her. But for the first time, she wondered— How much longer could she believe in the lie?

—

Singapore – The World Economic Forum. Mei Ling stood before the cameras, delivering a speech about a sustainable future. Zhi Fang, however, had no interest in speeches. He knew where true power lay. Not in words. Not in promises. In numbers. The real game wasn’t about military strength or political alliances. It was about economic dependency. And today, another country would fall into his chains.

While Mei Ling dazzled the audience with her vision, Zhi Fang sat in a private suite above the conference hall. Around him, finance ministers, corporate heads, and trade representatives leaned in as they reviewed the contracts before them.

Zhi Fang calmly. “A necessary partnership. A future built on stability.”

The loans were disguised as aid. The investments came with hidden terms. The debt agreements ensured permanent dependence. Once a country accepted the Nine Dragons’ money, They would never be free of it.

One president hesitated. He read the fine print. He saw the trap. And for a moment, he believed he could resist. He declined. Firmly. Publicly. Zhi Fang barely reacted. He simply adjusted his cufflinks and moved on to his next appointment. Because he knew what would happen next.

Within hours— The country’s stock market collapsed. Foreign investors pulled out. Trade came to a halt.

Within days, Supply chains broke down. Supermarkets ran empty. The nation was in chaos. And then, just as planned, the president’s advisors came knocking at Zhi Fang’s door. Advisor whispering, desperate.

“He wants to renegotiate.”

Zhi Fang smiled. He welcomed the president back to the table. And this time, There was no hesitation.

As the president signed the contract with a shaking hand, Zhi Fang poured himself a drink.

Control had been restored. Without a single threat. Without a single soldier. Without a single bullet. Just numbers. And numbers never lie.

Jakarta – Luo Jian’s Surveillance Fortress. Luo Jian wasn’t in the room. But he didn’t need to be. From his digital throne, he watched. His empire was not built on territory or military strength. It was built on information. He saw everything. Heard everything. And more importantly, he controlled everything.

The Journalist Who Knew Too Much

Somewhere across the city, an environmental journalist sat in a dimly lit apartment, typing furiously. His name was Arman Wijaya. And he was about to publish an article that would expose Mei Ling’s lies. The forests burned behind her green energy projects. The rivers ran black from corporate waste. The supply chains were funded by the same industries she claimed to fight. He had proof. Documents. Satellite images. Confidential records. It was supposed to be the story of the century. Instead, It never happened.

—

Before the article was published, Arman’s accounts were wiped clean. His bank froze his assets. His email login failed. His press credentials were revoked. Then his passport was flagged. Travel restricted. Blacklisted from airlines.

A ghost with no identity.

Then the phone rang. A voice with no name whispered something his family would never forget. The line went dead.

And so did the story.

—

Mei Ling, Zhi Fang, and Luo Jian didn’t just build the future. They ensured no one could challenge it. Luo Jian leaned back in his chair, watching as the journalist’s name vanished from existence.

No protests. No resistance. No leaks. The story had never been written.

And Arman Wijaya?

He would never write again.

—

Across the city, in that dimly lit apartment, Arman stared at his blank computer screen. Every file was gone. Every account locked.

He was still alive.

But only because Luo Jian allowed it. He closed his laptop, hands trembling. He would never tell this story. He would never tell any story again. Because now he understood— The Nine Dragons did not kill their enemies.

They erased them.