Chapter 20: A Crack in the Chain
The morning air was crisp, but tension still hung over the Ruihua factory like mist.
Chen Rui stood by the warehouse, inspecting a fresh delivery of steel rods. Quality checks were already underway. Everything passed. On time. No disruptions.
"So far, so good," murmured Li Wei, clipboard in hand. "Zhao Peng's crew hasn't blocked this shipment."
Chen Rui smiled faintly.
"Because this didn't come from them."
Li Wei's head snapped up.
"Wait… this isn't from the usual suppliers?"
Chen Rui nodded.
"This came from a small factory three provinces over. Independently owned. They're not part of Zhao Peng's circle — at least, not yet."
"But won't Zhao try to drag them in?"
"He already did." Chen Rui flipped his notebook open and pointed at some scribbled figures. "He promised them bigger orders… if they cut ties with us. But I called the owner personally. I didn't just promise orders. I offered collaboration."
Li Wei looked stunned.
"What kind of collaboration?"
"We help him streamline his workshop using the methods we're applying here — the 5S layout, basic maintenance systems, and a clearer invoice system. He gets more efficient, and we get better parts, faster. Win-win."
"You mean you're teaching them what you just learned?"
"Not teaching. Sharing. We rise together."
Meanwhile — at Zhao Peng's Office
"What do you mean the parts were delivered?!" Zhao slammed the phone down, glaring at his assistant.
The assistant fumbled.
"Ruihua got them from an independent. Someone not on our list."
"Impossible. Every decent supplier in this province is under our umbrella."
"This one isn't."
Zhao Peng stared out the window.
He could feel it — control slipping.
"Find out who this supplier is. And if they won't play by our rules… make sure they understand the cost."
Back at Ruihua – A Quiet Celebration
The team had just completed the factory's first full production run of 200 motorcycles using their own locally sourced parts.
No failures. No defects.
Even Chen Zhong, the ever-cautious father, couldn't hide his pride.
"I thought you were rushing too fast," he admitted. "But this… this feels solid."
Chen Rui nodded.
"This is just the beginning. We'll keep the factory lean. Agile. We won't get tangled in dependency again."
At the back of the workshop, Li Wei stood over a small table. He'd brought dumplings. Handmade.
"Free lunch for everyone!" he declared, beaming.
Someone laughed.
"This guy's always thinking about food."
Chen Rui patted his shoulder.
"Let him cook. One day, people will line up for blocks just to eat his noodles."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION – Supply Chain Achievement Unlocked]
✅ New Title: Independent Chainbreaker
✅ Reputation: +20 (Local Supplier Network)
✅ Passive Bonus: +5% Production Efficiency
As the team celebrated, a quiet alert popped up on Chen Rui's internal system window:
Threat Level Escalation Detected
Rival Alliance Stability: ↓
Supply Chain Attacks: Likely
But Chen Rui wasn't worried.
He had cracked the chain.
Now it was time to rebuild it stronger — link by link, on his terms.