308: Chapter 308 The Intersection of an Idol Singer and a Murderer

Looking at the man in the silver-gray suit, Xu Hao cursed grumblingly in his heart:

"Damn it, Zhuo Feng, that poser, acting so high and mighty!"

"At the last meeting, he even singled me out and criticized my improper attire, saying it ruined the organization's image. Because of that, I had to go out of my way to buy a suit to wear this time. Ptui! If it weren't out of respect for Station Chief Feng, I would have beaten him up long ago!"

With a slight nudge of his mind, Fang Cheng successfully retrieved information about this young man from Xu Hao's thoughts and memories.

This man was named Zhuo Feng, a Level 8 cadre. Just like the newly arrived Station Chief Feng, he was a "paratrooper" transferred from the headquarters.

It was said that he was extremely talented, especially in intelligence analysis and tracking, and was a standout among the younger generation within the organization, highly valued by the upper echelon.

But precisely because of this, he was extremely arrogant and always looked down on others, holding a certain disdain for the local cadres of the Dongdu Branch.

Hearing Xu Hao's "bold words" and understanding the situation, the corner of Fang Cheng's mouth twitched slightly.

With your amateurish skills, you want to beat up a Level 8 cadre? You'd probably be crushed to death with a single finger.

The smile on Ma Biao's Face remained unchanged, but an imperceptible coldness flashed through his eyes. He looked at Zhuo Feng and said lazily:

"Oh, if it isn't Captain Zhuo. You talk big. It seems Captain Zhuo is absolutely certain of success for this operation?"

Zhuo Feng snorted coldly, ignoring Ma Biao's teasing. His gaze swept over the crowd, carrying a hint of impatience:

"What time do you think it is, still in the mood to chat here? The meeting is about to start. Everyone, snap out of it."

Hearing this, the originally noisy chatter of the crowd instantly quieted down, and everyone sat down in their respective seats.

Having finished his scolding, Zhuo Feng turned and walked toward the front row of the conference table.

Xu Hao glared at Zhuo Feng's back, cursing grumblingly in his heart once again.

The meeting room quickly became quiet, and the whispering among the crowd visibly decreased.

Fang Cheng keenly noticed that when Zhuo Feng's gaze occasionally swept past Ma Biao, a trace of hostility would flicker in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Ma Biao acted as if he hadn't seen it, still putting his arm around Xu Hao's shoulder, puffing out smoke with a carefree and slouchy demeanor.

After that, the door of the meeting room was pushed open a few more times, and several people walked in one after another.

One of them particularly attracted everyone's attention; he wore a black combat suit and looked exceptionally lean and formidable.

His Face was hidden in the shadow of his cap's brim, making it hard to see clearly, but the cold Aura radiating from him was like a lurking venomous snake, making Xu Hao feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Fang Cheng learned from Xu Hao's memory that this person's code name was "Scorpion," also a Level 8 cadre. He was a well-known assassination expert within the organization, skilled in using various poisons and bizarre assassination techniques. He had an aloof and eccentric personality, rarely communicating with others.

It was said that during a mission, he had once single-handedly infiltrated the heavily guarded headquarters of a hostile faction, quietly eliminated their leader, and then retreated unscathed, which made him highly famous.

As time ticked away, more and more people joined the meeting, with about twenty-odd people eventually arriving.

Everyone was waiting for Station Chief Feng, who was hosting the meeting, to arrive.

Through Xu Hao's perspective, Fang Cheng took in the entire personnel structure and related details of the Noah Organization in Dongdu.

Just as everyone was getting a bit impatient and the chatter began to grow louder again,

Suddenly, a slightly flattering voice, accompanied by a flurry of footsteps, drifted in from outside.

"Right here, Minister Luo. Everyone has arrived, please come in..."

The heavy, half-open door of the meeting room was pushed fully open from the outside.

A gentle-looking middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses walked in with a Face full of smiles.

"Skinflint Feng finally decided to show his Face..."

Seeing this person appear, Xu Hao couldn't help but complain in his heart.

Fang Cheng immediately realized that this middle-aged man was the newly appointed head of the Dongdu Branch, a Level 9 cadre, Station Chief Feng.

However, when he saw the other person behind Station Chief Feng through Xu Hao's eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

It was a crew-cut man who was not particularly tall, but whose Aura stood straight like a javelin, making him exceptionally prominent.

He was about forty years old, with a resolute Face and sharp eyes, exuding an air of authority without even being angry.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, his hands clasped behind his back, his steps steady and powerful.

Each step he took seemed to carry immense weight, making the air in the entire meeting room grow a bit heavier.

The originally noisy room instantly fell dead silent the moment the crew-cut man appeared.

Everyone's eyes, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, locked onto him in unison.

An invisible pressure permeated the air, several times more intense than before.

Fang Cheng's mind also tensed slightly.

What a powerful Aura!

The Aura emanating from this crew-cut man was far beyond what those previous cadres could compare to.

It was not sharp and exposed like Zhuo Feng's, nor was it cold and insidious like Scorpion's.

It was a purer, deeper strength, like an abyss held in check.

Yet even so, it still exuded a heart-stopping sense of oppression.

Wearing his glasses, Station Chief Feng put on a humble smile, bowed slightly, and made a gesturing "after you" motion to the crew-cut man.

"Minister Luo! Your presence here at our Dongdu Branch to guide our work truly brings immense honor to our entire branch. We are deeply privileged!"

"We have been eagerly anticipating this day and night, and finally, you are here. Please, take the seat of honor!"

As he spoke, he immediately turned to everyone in the meeting room, his voice rising a few notches with an unquestionable urgency:

"What are you all standing there for? Stand up quickly and welcome Minister Luo with the warmest applause!"

Before his words even finished, Station Chief Feng himself was the first to clap vigorously.

"After a brief moment of daze, thunderous applause instantly erupted in the meeting room."

Everyone stood up from their seats, their Faces carrying either genuine or feigned excitement, their eyes burning as they gazed at the crew-cut man.

"Minister Luo?"

Xu Hao was shocked.

For Station Chief Feng, a Level 9 branch head and the top leader of Dongdu, to flatter someone so subserviently and address him as "Minister..."

That person had to be at least a big shot at the board of directors level!

Like many others present, he felt curious and awed by the identity of this "high envoy" who had parachuted in from the headquarters.

One must know that to the elite members of the Noah Organization, those above Level 10 were high and mighty leaders, elusive figures whose beginnings and ends could never be seen.

They practically belonged to another mysterious world.

No wonder the meeting had been delayed for so long; they were actually waiting for this truly important figure.

The crew-cut man known as "Minister Luo" nodded expressionlessly, his deep gaze sweeping slowly across the room like something tangible.

When his gaze passed over Xu Hao and Ma Biao, it seemed to pause slightly for a fleeting instant.

Fang Cheng's mind suddenly tensed!

"Was he discovered?"

Impossible!

The "one-way projection" of consciousness was a connection purely on the spiritual level, extremely concealed. Even the possessed person themselves couldn't detect it, let alone an outsider.

With a powerhouse of Minister Luo's level, he might sense a slight abnormality in Xu Hao's mental state, but it was absolutely impossible for him to directly perceive Fang Cheng's existence.

Sure enough, Minister Luo's gaze only lingered on Xu Hao for less than half a second before shifting away as if nothing had happened.

It seemed to be just a casual glance, and he didn't discover anything amiss.

Fang Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a trace of vigilance arose in him.

This person's spiritual perception was terrifyingly sharp. If he ever became an enemy in the future, Fang Cheng would have to be even more cautious.

Moreover, for some reason, Fang Cheng felt a strange sense of familiarity from Minister Luo's Face and Aura, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn't recall it at the moment.

Perhaps it was just an illusion...

For the time being, Fang Cheng suppressed the doubts in his heart and continued to observe through Xu Hao's perspective.

Like an attentive waiter, Station Chief Feng carefully guided Minister Luo to the seat of honor at the very head of the conference table, while he himself sat down slightly bowed in a guest seat next to the head seat.

He cleared his throat, adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, and with a smile on his Face, began his formulaic opening remarks.

The main content was nothing more than thanking Minister Luo for taking precious time out of his busy schedule to personally come and guide them.

Then, he went all out to praise Minister Luo's wisdom and martial prowess, as well as his meticulous care for the Dongdu Branch, claiming this would surely point the way forward for the branch's future work, and so on.

Fang Cheng listened with utter boredom, while Xu Hao cursed Station Chief Feng's ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart.

"Damn it, Skinflint Feng only knows how to do this superficial crap. Can't he just spit it out? I'm still waiting to go back and play cards..."

After finally waiting for Station Chief Feng's opening remarks, which were filled with words of praise, to end, they finally got down to business.

"Everyone."

Station Chief Feng looked around the room, his tone turning serious. "The main purpose of calling everyone here today is something I'm sure you all already know in your hearts."

He paused, deliberately casting his gaze toward Zhuo Feng, a smile of approval appearing on his Face.

"Regarding the target of our operation and the latest related intelligence, I would like to invite Captain Zhuo Feng of our Intelligence Department to brief everyone in detail."

"Captain Zhuo and the team he leads can be said to have worked day and night, racking their brains and putting in tremendous effort for this operation to grasp this valuable intelligence. We should give them a round of applause!"

A few scattered, polite claps echoed in the meeting room, far less enthusiastic than the welcome for Minister Luo earlier.

Ma Biao even blew an exaggerated whistle, drawing looks from quite a few people.

Zhuo Feng stood up amidst the slightly awkward atmosphere, yet his Face carried an undisguisable smugness and pride.

He first bowed deeply and respectfully to Minister Luo in the seat of honor, lowering his posture completely to show respect.

Only then did he walk to the podium at the other end of the meeting room and fiddle with the playback equipment.

The projection screen behind him lit up at the right moment, displaying a bust photo of a young man.

The man in the photo appeared to be in his twenties, with a handsome and delicate Face, sharp eyebrows, starry eyes, a high-bridged nose, and slightly thin lips, carrying a natural touch of melancholy.

Under his slightly messy, short black hair, his eyes were clear and deep, as if containing endless starlight.

He was a textbook handsome man, and the type that could easily make young girls scream.

Facing the crowd, Zhuo Feng cleared his throat and began his intelligence briefing:

"Everyone, after day and night of unremitting investigation by our Intelligence Department, we have finally locked onto the target of this operation—the real identity of the mysterious expert who has caused no small amount of trouble for the organization recently."

"This person is named Cheng Jiashu, twenty-five years old, and his profession is an idol singer."

The moment Fang Cheng saw this photo, the stone hanging in his heart finally settled.

Although the person in the photo was somewhat similar in temperament to his former self, he did not know him at all.

It seemed Xu Hao had not lied to him before; the target of the Noah Organization was indeed someone else.

Zhuo Feng continued his explanation:

"Cheng Jiashu was originally a member of Xia Country's popular male idol group 'Smiling Boys', serving as the lead vocalist and visual."

"Half a year ago, due to a clash of philosophies with his management agency, he chose to go solo."

"Currently, his solo career is progressing well, and he has a massive fanbase of young females, possessing extremely high popularity and buzz in emerging online communities."

Speaking up to this point, a contemptuous curve formed at the corner of Zhuo Feng's mouth.

"Of course, this glamorous surface identity is not worth mentioning to us."

He shifted the topic, his tone growing slightly heavier:

"What is important is his true background, family history, and some secrets we have obtained through special channels."

"Cheng Jiashu comes from a declined prominent family, the Dongdu Cheng Family."

"During the previous dynasty and the early Republic period, the Cheng Family was also a highly famous and prestigious clan. Several prominent figures who could summon the wind and rain in both political and business circles emerged from the family, wielding absolute power in their region."

"Although times have changed and the Cheng Family is no longer as glorious as it once was, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. In Dongdu and even the entire Xia Country, they still retain some connections and influence that cannot be underestimated."

"What is even more worthy of our attention is that Cheng Jiashu's mother comes from the top prominent family in the Jiangnan region—the Shen Family."

"The Shen Family, with a Legacy spanning hundreds of years, has deep roots and deeply entrenched power. Its influence spreads across the Three Realms of politics, business, and the military, making it a behemoth we must treat with caution."

"Although Cheng Jiashu's parents passed away in an accident over a decade ago, the marital alliance between the Cheng and Shen families, as well as potential connections that might exist, are still important external factors we must consider for this operation."

"Therefore, our operation must control its impact as much as possible to avoid complications and unnecessary trouble."

As Zhuo Feng said this, a low gasp and whispering echoed in the meeting room.

Obviously, the name of the "Shen Family" carried considerable deterrent power for many present.

Minister Luo folded his arms, his Face still expressionless, seemingly not caring much about the so-called "Shen Family."

Station Chief Feng stole a glance at Minister Luo. Seeing that this big shot was as steady as Mount Tai, he cleared his throat and took the initiative to ask:

"Captain Zhuo, since this Cheng Jiashu is an idol star, he must have many daily activities, right? How are his interpersonal relationships? Is there any Breakthrough point that makes him easy to target?"

In his view, whatever prominent families there were, in the Face of the Noah Organization's absolute strength, they were at most minor troubles worthy of slight attention.

"According to the intelligence we have, Cheng Jiashu's interpersonal relationships are relatively simple, and he can even be described as somewhat reclusive."

"He suffered an accident in his childhood, where his parents and younger sister unfortunately perished at the same time. This was a huge blow to him, and since then, his personality became taciturn, and he disliked socializing with others."

"His relationships with other relatives in the family are also relatively distant, with almost no contact."

"Currently, the person closest to him is only his manager, a middle-aged woman named Zhang Hui, known in the industry as 'Sister Zhang'. She has been guiding him ever since he entered the entertainment industry in his teens."

Zhuo Feng glanced at the expressionless Minister Luo, feeling as though the weight of this intelligence was not yet enough to attract the real attention of this big shot.

Thus, he shifted the topic once again, his voice suddenly rising a few pitches:

"Of course, these are all just appearances. His innocent and harmless look is merely a disguise used to deceive the world."

"Through the meticulous investigation of our intelligence personnel and the analysis of key linked clues, I am over ninety percent certain that—"

"This glamorous idol singer is highly likely the serial psychopathic killer code-named 'Smiling Demon' who has committed several bloody crimes in Dongdu City over the past two years!"