The conference room felt colder than usual.
It was early — far too early for the board of LJ Group to be gathered, yet every director sat rigidly at the long oval table, their faces a mix of concern, suspicion, and something sharper: doubt.
Joon-hyuk stood at the head of the table, hands resting lightly against the polished surface, posture straight, expression unreadable. The harsh lights overhead cast a faint shadow beneath his eyes — not from lack of sleep, but from the weight of the situation.
The engineers finished their technical report, voices slightly trembling.
"CEO Lee… nearly twenty percent of the battery shipment sent to the UK distributor show signs of internal compromise," one senior engineer said, sweat beading on his forehead. "There are cells that appear restructured, almost like they were tampered with after assembly."
Another engineer cleared his throat. "This isn't a manufacturing defect. Sir… someone interfered with them."
Murmurs spread around the table.
