50: Chapter 4 The Top of the Glazed Pagoda

The banquet hall at the top of the Glazed Tower was like a crystal palace suspended in the clouds. Outside the 360-degree wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, the breathtakingly brilliant night view of Mirror City spread out, as if the prosperity of the entire world were beneath one's feet. Inside the hall, the air was filled with the rustle of fine clothes, the clinking of glasses, and a mixture of high-end perfume, aged wine, and the cold scent of power. Everyone here wore a meticulously crafted mask, and behind every smile, a calculation might be hidden.

Lin Feng, in the identity of "Lin Shuo" and holding the electronic invitation given by Luo Hao, passed through security several times stricter than the salon's—including a system capable of subcutaneous scanning. Thanks to the interference micro-currents Ling Yue had pre-implanted in his watch and the nearly seamless biometric disguise layer forged by Grey's team, he stepped into this core area without incident.

>> Social Engineering Analysis Plugin running at full power. Environmental Threat Level: High. Multiple hidden surveillance signal sources detected. Marking high-priority targets: Head of Mirror Guard (suspected), Universal Group Core Director...

He quickly scanned the room. Luo Hao was surrounded by a group of people, chatting and laughing. Seeing Lin Feng enter, he raised his glass in greeting from afar, a hint of hard-to-detect expectation in his eyes. Lin Feng nodded slightly in response and did not approach immediately. Instead, like a true investor, he relaxed and took a glass of champagne, seemingly strolling casually while actually using the enhanced perception of "Source" to capture fragments of flowing information.

"...The quarterly assessment report for 'Prophet,' the data isn't optimistic..."

"...There are quite a few complaints within the family regarding some of Young Master Luo's 'innovative' investments..."

"...I heard 'Mirror' has been tracking a few tough nuts recently, making quite a stir..."

The information was cluttered, but it pieced together a general picture: Universal Group was not a monolith, Luo Hao's position was delicate, the "Prophet" system might have some issues, and the "Mirror Guard" was indeed active.

Soon, he noticed a middle-aged woman in a dark purple gown with a cold aura—Madam Li. She was talking to several people who looked like government officials, but her eyes were sharp, scanning the room from time to time like a leopard patrolling its territory. According to Grey's intelligence, she was likely one of the actual heads of the Mirror Guard.

>> Target: Madam Li. Micro-expression analysis: Highly vigilant, strong desire for control, extremely high sensitivity to things deviating from the norm.

Lin Feng was wary and deliberately kept his distance from her. However, trouble often comes uninvited.

A pot-bellied man claiming to be the CEO of an energy company approached, warmly trying to get close: "Mr. Lin is truly young and promising! What fields has 'Bian Capital' been focusing on lately? Any interest in looking at our new energy projects?" His words were enthusiastic, but >> Voice Stress Analysis showed his speech was hyperbolic, clearly intended to test Lin Feng's financial background.

Lin Feng maintained a distant but polite smile, using a set of standard rhetoric prepared by Grey about "long-term value investment" and "technical barriers" to brush him off. He revealed no substantive information while maintaining an air of mystery. Similar probes followed one after another over the next half hour. He was like dancing on the edge of a knife, relying on the analytical power of "Source" and his cram-studied knowledge to defuse them one by one, gradually solidifying his image as someone with a "deep background and unique vision" in the minds of some.

The opportunity appeared midway through the dinner. Luo Hao finally seemed to break free from the crowd and walked toward Lin Feng with a glass in hand. Just as he was about to speak, Madam Li appeared beside them like a ghost at the right moment.

"Young Master Luo, won't you introduce me to this young talent?" Madam Li's smile was proper, but her eyes scraped across Lin Feng's face like a scalpel.

"Madam Li," Luo Hao's smile remained unchanged, but his tone cooled slightly, "This is Lin Shuo, a partner at Bian Capital, who has great insights into cutting-edge technology. Mr. Lin, this is Madam Li, our group's security consultant." He specifically emphasized the words "security consultant."

"It's an honor, Madam Li." Lin Feng bowed slightly, alarms blaring in his mind. >> Physiological Index Monitoring: Madam Li's heart rate was steady while questioning, but the duration of her gaze was abnormally long, with characteristics of an evaluative scan.

"Mr. Lin is too kind." Madam Li gently swirled her glass, "Bian Capital... forgive my ignorance, but it doesn't seem very active in international capital markets? I wonder where your main investment focus lies?" The question seemed ordinary, but it struck directly at the weakest link of Lin Feng's disguise—his shallow roots.

>> Crisis Response Plan generating... Option 1: Vague response (High Risk). Option 2: Throw out a prepared smokescreen project (Medium Risk). Option 3: Reverse guidance, shift focus (High Risk, High Reward).

Lin Feng chose Option 3. He showed a slightly regretful smile: "Madam Li is well-informed. We are indeed quite low-key, preferring deep incubation over chasing trends. Currently, our focus is on some areas that might be considered... 'taboo.' For example, the ethical boundaries of Consciousness Uploading, or how to define the 'personality' rights of Strong AI." The two topics he threw out were both at the technological forefront and extremely sensitive, enough to spark controversy and shift her excessive questioning away from the source of his capital.

Sure enough, Madam Li's eyebrows twitched slightly, and even Luo Hao showed a more interested expression.

"Oh? 'Personality' rights?" Madam Li pressed, "Mr. Lin, don't you think discussing 'personality' at the tool level is premature? Wouldn't that blur the line between creator and created?"

A debate on AI ethics quietly unfolded in a corner of the magnificent banquet hall. Lin Feng cited classics and combined them with some marginal viewpoints from the confidential materials provided by Grey, speaking eloquently. He both demonstrated his "depth" and kept the conversation firmly controlled at an abstract and safe philosophical level. Madam Li tried several times to pull the topic back to more practical directions that might expose his identity, but Lin Feng skillfully blocked her with grander theoretical frameworks.

>> Target Madam Li's emotional fluctuations: Slight frustration and stronger curiosity appearing. Threat level to host remains high, but direct aggression has not yet increased.

The debate attracted a few people truly interested in technical ethics. Luo Hao listened with great interest from the side, occasionally interjecting with viewpoints that surprisingly resonated with Lin Feng's. Lin Feng realized that this heir seemed to have an internal drive to break existing rules.

Just then, the main lights of the banquet hall dimmed, and a spotlight hit the podium at the front. A senior director of Universal Group took the stage and began a routine charitable speech. The crowd's attention was drawn away.

Lin Feng breathed a small sigh of relief, feeling his back soaked with cold sweat. This confrontation with Madam Li was more mentally taxing than he had anticipated.

Luo Hao took the opportunity to lean in close to Lin Feng and whispered, "Brilliant. It's rare for Madam Li not to get the upper hand in a debate. It seems I didn't misjudge you." He paused, his voice even lower, "When the ball starts in a moment, find an opportunity, and I'll take you somewhere 'fun.' There are more 'substantial' things to see there."

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat, knowing this was likely the chance to access secrets related to the "Prophet" system. He nodded nonchalantly: "It would be an honor."

However, in the chaotic gap as the lighting shifted and the crowd began moving toward the dance floor, Lin Feng, with his enhanced vision, keenly noticed a figure flash past on a circular corridor on the second floor. The person was wearing a waiter's uniform, but their movements and posture were extremely similar to the Mirror Guard operatives he had encountered in the lab and seen in Grey's files! Moreover, the direction the person was heading was exactly toward the private elevator bank leading to the higher-clearance areas that Luo Hao had just hinted at!

>> Alert: Potential threat target movement detected coinciding with key information points. Risk coefficient rising sharply!

A coincidence? Or had their plan already been exposed? Had the Mirror Guard entered the target area ahead of time?

Lin Feng's heart sank. In Luo Hao's so-called "fun place," what was waiting for him? A shortcut to core secrets, or a meticulously laid trap? He glanced at the seemingly relaxed Luo Hao beside him. What true intentions were hidden behind this heir's smile?

The beautiful movements of the banquet had only just begun, while the hidden killing intent had already quietly bared its fangs.

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