172: 172. The Spy Appears

In the afternoon, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the library windows.

Lu Feng packed up his things and left the library, his mind still replaying what he had seen in the dream space.

He walked calmly, along the edge of the sports field, towards the bustling auditorium not far away.

There, preparations were in full swing for the upcoming "Jiangcheng University International Forum on New Energy and Materials Science and Technology."

Beside the scaffolding, student union members busily moved materials and debugged equipment, the air thick with the unique tension and excitement of a major event in preparation.

Lu Feng's gaze casually swept over the scene; just as he was about to leave, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure standing downstairs at the International Academic Apartment building.

It was Senior Lin Wanqiu.

Today, she was wearing a tasteful light-colored dress, her long hair tied up, looking capable and fresh. She kept glancing towards the apartment entrance, seemingly waiting for someone.

Seeing Lu Feng, Lin Wanqiu smiled and waved at him.

Lu Feng paused, changed direction, and walked over.

"Senior Lin Wanqiu, are you busy?" Lu Feng asked.

Lin Wanqiu sighed slightly in relief and explained, "Yes, I'm waiting for the academic exchange group from Eagleland. They arrived early, and the university assigned me to host them. Later, I need to take them to visit a few key laboratories first, to familiarize them with the environment."

She added with a hint of embarrassment, "My English is pretty fluent, so I got roped into it."

Lu Feng's heart stirred, but he calmly inquired, "An Eagleland delegation? Who is leading them?"

"It's a professor named Mike."

Lin Wanqiu recalled the information: "He's from a top university in Eagleland, looks cultured and very scholarly. Oh, and he has a researcher named Julie with him; she also seems very professional."

Her tone was natural, clearly unaware of any abnormality.

Lu Feng smiled with interest, finally something to add a bit of fun to his calm university life.

Spies... good at data theft... tsk tsk tsk, what kind of unforgettable experience should he give them?

Lu Feng said casually, "By the way, I'm free this afternoon, and my English is decent. How about I accompany you? I can also help you with some of the translation work."

Lin Wanqiu's eyes lit up. She was feeling a bit pressured facing a group of foreign scholars alone, and Lu Feng's suggestion was a godsend. She quickly thanked him, "That would be great! Junior Lu Feng, thank you so much!"

Just then, the glass doors of the academic apartment slid open, and a team of seven or eight foreign scholars walked out.

The middle-aged man leading them, about fifty years old, wore gold-rimmed glasses and had impeccably combed hair, a gentle and standard smile on his face—it was Professor Mike.

Beside him was a woman of about thirty, dressed in a sharp suit and black-rimmed glasses, who was Researcher Julie. She held a tablet computer and her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings.

Lin Wanqiu and Lu Feng immediately went to greet them.

"My apologies, I just took a nap, so I'm a bit late," Professor Mike explained with a smile, his words polite, a standard academic pleasantry.

Lin Wanqiu then fluently introduced herself and Lu Feng in English.

On the way to the laboratory, Professor Mike adjusted his glasses and casually asked, "I heard that the laboratory has achieved remarkable results not long after its establishment, truly formidable young talent. I wonder what the main research directions are..."

Lin Wanqiu was a bit troubled; normal conversation was fine, but she didn't know some professional terms at all. Just as she stammered, not knowing what to do, Lu Feng took over.

He responded calmly, eloquently discussing the laboratory's founding background, general research directions, and even some non-core academic concepts. The depth and breadth he displayed in his words were completely unlike an ordinary undergraduate, but rather like a researcher who had been immersed in the field for many years.

A hint of surprise flashed in Professor Mike's eyes, and he couldn't help but look at this young student with new respect, his tone in conversation becoming a bit more serious.

Julie, standing nearby, also frequently looked at Lu Feng, her gaze behind her glasses carrying scrutiny and curiosity. She interjected at opportune moments, asking more specific and technical questions, trying to steer the conversation towards more core areas.

Lu Feng found it amusing, but maintained the appearance of an eager student, skillfully avoiding the important points and finally saying casually, "For specific achievements and data, it will be clearer when Professor Qin and the university leaders introduce them to you in detail at the laboratory."

Lin Wanqiu, listening nearby, also cast surprised and admiring glances at Lu Feng, whispering, "I didn't realize you were so knowledgeable!"

"Just making it up," Lu Feng laughed.

The group arrived in front of the Future Energy Laboratory building, where university leaders and Chief Scientist Qin Tian were already waiting at the entrance, alongside academic delegations from several other countries.

Qin Tian saw Lu Feng, their gazes briefly met, and he subtly nodded slightly, revealing a barely perceptible respect.

Lu Feng returned a calm look.

Led by the university leaders and Qin Tian, everyone began to tour the laboratory.

Cleanrooms, testing centers, pilot lines... various advanced equipment and the rigorous atmosphere made scholars from various countries nod frequently.

Qin Tian was responsible for the main explanation, introducing some public, patented, or soon-to-be-published achievements, his words cautious and watertight.

Lu Feng's attention, however, remained subtly fixed on Mike and Julie.

He noticed that their questions were exceptionally tricky, often attempting to bypass public information and touch upon process details or undisclosed key parameters.

Mike was responsible for attracting primary attention with high-level academic discussions, while Julie focused more on equipment models, layout, and even seemingly insignificant operational procedures.

Halfway through the tour, as they passed by a laboratory marked "Materials and Data Analysis Lab," Julie suddenly clutched her stomach, a slightly uncomfortable expression on her face.

She quietly asked Lin Wanqiu in English, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom. Where is it, please?"

Lin Wanqiu kindly pointed in a direction, and the other party temporarily left the group.

Lu Feng's eyes narrowed slightly, watching Julie's retreating figure, a playful curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

Julie did not go to the restroom.

Using the layout map she had memorized beforehand, she swiftly circled to the corridor outside the restricted laboratory.

After looking left and right and confirming no one was present, she quickly approached the laboratory's observation window, her finger seemingly casually brushing the button on her chest.

That was a high-performance miniature camera.

She adjusted the angle, trying to photograph the high-precision equipment inside and any documents that might be on the workbench through the observation window.

Just as she was fully engrossed in the theft, she didn't notice that in the shadows of the corridor corner, Lu Feng was quietly watching her.

"Enter Dream."

Lu Feng silently chanted, his consciousness like an invisible ripple, instantly locking onto Julie.

Julie, who was focused on adjusting the angle, only felt the surrounding light subtly twist and flicker, as if the voltage was unstable.

She instinctively blinked, and when she opened her eyes again, she was horrified to find that her surroundings had changed!

Just a moment ago, she could vaguely hear the distant conversations and footsteps of the tour group, but now they had vanished without a trace.

The corridor fell into a deathly silence, and the lights turned stark white, as if the entire world was left with only her.

Inside the laboratory's observation window, the previously clear view of the equipment also became blurry, as if covered by a thick fog.

An inexplicable chill crept up her spine.

"Ah? Is... is anyone there?"

She tentatively called out in a low voice; her voice echoed in the empty, eerie corridor, but received no response.

Julie was filled with doubt and alarm, wondering what had happened.