On February 8, employees of ZongMu Technology received a stark notification that the company would terminate power supply and seal off the premises after 18:00. The notice urged them to remove their personal belongings or initiate the resignation process by that deadline. Just two weeks prior, founder Tang Rui had addressed a company-wide meeting, assuring staff that he would pursue mergers and acquisitions to address the issue of unpaid salaries. However, employees instead faced frozen accounts, halted social security contributions, and unpaid wages. Adding to their woes, Tang Rui disappeared, amidst rumors that he had fled to the United States.
