453: Chapter 453 is not a kind soul, and may also be a pervert.

"See that? That's the black market entrance. They sell everything inside, as long as you can afford the price."

Yuan Datou pointed at the neon signboard by the roadside, dutifully introducing it to the few new clients behind him.

"You can browse the goods on the information board inside, then make anonymous contact online. Once terms are agreed upon, they will deliver it offline directly via courier."

"Although it's a bit troublesome, the advantage is that there's no supervision. Many things that cannot see the light of day in reality can be found here."

"Of course, there are also many scammers in the market, so you need to keep your eyes peeled. If you get scammed, there's nowhere to go to reason things out."

Those three newcomers nodded repeatedly like chicks pecking at rice.

By this moment, they were already too shocked by the sights of this fantasy city to speak, and their previous reckless drive had vanished without a trace.

Fang Cheng also glanced in the direction of Yuan Datou's finger.

Isn't this pretty much the same as online shopping?

Come to think of it, the development of the internet right now was in its ascendance.

If not for realizing the essence of this world where strength is supreme—

He could have seized the trend to start a business and set up an e-commerce company to try it out.

Just as everyone was talking, the eternally dim vault of heaven above their heads lit up without warning.

A beam of green light descended from the sky.

And at the source of the light, it was as if an incomparably huge eyeball was slowly opening from the depths of the clouds.

That cold gaze, devoid of any emotion, swept across the city below like a searchlight, causing many people on the street to subconsciously shrink their necks.

Yuan Datou's expression changed slightly, and he quickly lowered his voice, warning with a serious expression:

"Also, all of you remember this: don't casually start fights in Night City."

"Although this is a lawless zone with no police and no strict laws, where scams, brawls, and fights are commonplace..."

"But as long as you dare to commit murder, arson, or sabotage here and get targeted by that 'Clairvoyant' above, you will immediately be blacklisted, and it will be troublesome to enter the city next time."

He smacked his lips and summarized:

"For people like us who want to make a living in the city, the most important thing is to follow the rules and be honest folks..."

"Of course... if you are strong enough, that's another story."

Yuan Datou then added another sentence, while glancing at Fang Cheng with awe.

This big shot had maintained a calm demeanor ever since entering the city, not even lifting an eyelid at the surrounding sights that were enough to leave newcomers dumbfounded.

He was clearly a figure accustomed to big scenes.

Seeing this, Yuan Datou cleverly steered the topic back to business.

"Big shot, we're almost there. Naihe Bridge is one of the most important landmarks around here, and many people come to Night City specifically for it."

As he continued to lead the way, he enthusiastically introduced:

"Whether it's buying and selling intelligence or issuing task commissions, Naihe Bridge has the best reputation, so its business is also the most booming. We need to hurry over so there aren't too many people in line."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and asked:

"Do you know of any other places like Night City?"

Hearing this question, Yuan Datou thought for a moment and shook his head:

"Big shot, I really haven't heard of a second place that's the same as this one."

Seeing that Fang Cheng seemed very interested, he patiently explained:

"The territory where Night City is located is very special. It's different from the Secret Realm and Inner World we usually talk about."

"According to those older Seniors, this city has existed for thousands of years, a Legacy passed down generation after generation. Except for lacking sun, moon, and stars, it's practically another real world."

"What the underworld in our folklore talks about is very likely this place."

"Look, ability users from various countries around the world can be met here, conducting all sorts of transactions."

He reached out and pointed at passersby with different skin colors and attires around them.

"For example, the area right beneath our feet is the East Asia District. Walking further west, there is also the Desert District and the Europa District, and the architectural styles are completely different."

"Therefore, even if there really are other similar places, their scale and foundation can definitely not compare to here."

The streets were bustling with crowds, and the bizarre and grotesque sights constantly impacted their vision.

In the time it took to speak, Fang Cheng and the others had already passed through several chaotic yet bustling streets, finally stopping in front of an extremely imposing building.

That was a magnificent building that perfectly achieved a Fusion of ancient palace and modern skyscraper styles.

The main body was a giant glass curtain wall skyscraper over a hundred floors high, piercing straight into the clouds.

Yet the exterior was wrapped in layers of overlapping eaves and bracket sets, and a white marble memorial archway stood at the entrance.

Right in the middle of the archway, six large golden characters were inscribed in a vigorous, Dragon-flying and Phoenix-dancing cursive script:

[Naihe Bridge Agency]

"Big shot, the inside is divided into several zones. Directly facing the main door is the Intelligence Trading Zone, on the left is the Task Commission Zone, and on the right is the Asset Notary Office."

Yuan Datou pointed at the bustling entrance and introduced familiarly:

"Since you haven't registered with the Household Registry Department, I'll help you get a temporary number first."

He quickly operated a device similar to a self-service ticket dispenser at the door, retrieved a number tag, and handed it to Fang Cheng.

Then he bowed and scraped, saying:

"Big shot, a few of my clients need to go to the task zone, so I won't disturb your business. Please go ahead with what you need to do."

With that, he led the three newcomers toward the left.

Fang Cheng expressed his thanks and walked alone into the spacious and bright service hall.

The hall was noisy with voices yet orderly.

Clerks in uniforms handled business methodically behind various windows, and the electronic screens continuously scrolled with call-number information.

Everything looked remarkably like a bank in reality.

Most ordinary clients lined up in front of the windows, while a dedicated VIP channel was set up on one side of the hall.

Fang Cheng saw a short, stout man, guided by a curvaceous and beautiful female clerk, walking straight toward the exclusive elevator leading to the private rooms upstairs.

Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he found that the faces of the people who came here were basically shrouded in a layer of faint mist.

Their facial features and countenances could not be seen clearly; he could only roughly distinguish gender, age, and height or weight.

But there were also a few people whose faces lacked mist, showing themselves with their true appearances.

Of course, that might also be a disguise achieved through special means similar to Bailing's.

Earlier on the road, Yuan Datou had explained this.

This masking effect was a built-in feature of Night City. To protect personal privacy, it could be activated just by a thought upon entering.

Fang Cheng couldn't help associating it with his own Inner Scene World, which could similarly cast a mist over the faces of summoned people to conceal their true appearances.

The two actually shared quite a few similarities.

He then walked to the Intelligence Trading Zone, found a window with the fewest people in line, and waited quietly.

After about half an hour, the people lined up in front had all finished their business and left.

Fang Cheng immediately stepped forward.

"Hello, what kind of business do you need to process?"

Behind the window, a capable-looking female clerk wearing glasses asked without raising her head.

"I'd like to inquire about relevant intelligence regarding the 'Tiannan Province Chen Family Curse Case'."

Fang Cheng said in a calm voice.

"Alright, please wait a moment."

The clerk rapidly typed a few times on a uniquely shaped computer keyboard in front of her, and soon raised her head:

"Found it. There are currently two copies of relevant intelligence: one is the original dossier, and the other is an edited version organized and analyzed by our professionals."

Hearing this, Fang Cheng continued to ask:

"I want to know, who has purchased this intelligence?"

The female clerk glanced at him and refused decisively:

"Sorry sir, according to Clause 3 of the 'Customer Privacy Protection Regulations', leaking any customer information is strictly prohibited, so we have no right to disclose other customers' purchase records to you."

This formulaic answer was within Fang Cheng's expectations. After thinking for a moment, he said:

"Very well, I'll buy the edited version of the intelligence."

"Understood."

The clerk operated expertly again, and after a moment quoted a price:

"Combining rarity, acquisition difficulty, and data detail level, this intelligence has a Rank evaluation of B+, and is priced at 1050 credit coins."

"I just arrived; I don't have credit coins."

"You can also pay using real-world currency."

The clerk seemed long accustomed to this, picked up the calculator at hand and pressed it a few times, then turned the display screen toward Fang Cheng.

"According to today's official exchange rate of 1:983, that amounts to 1,032,150 yuan. Additionally, a 50% channel service fee is required, bringing the total to 1,548,225 yuan."

Her speaking speed was fast and her articulation clear; clearly, this speech had been repeated countless times.

"So expensive? The service fee alone is over 500,000?"

Even with Fang Cheng's steady Heart-Nature, he couldn't help being startled by this price.

This was practically robbery.

"Sir, all real-world currency transactions need to be processed through multiple anonymous channels to ensure the absolute safety of the source of funds. The hiring of professionals, risk hedging, and channel maintenance involved all require costs."

The clerk's expression was a matter of course:

"We guarantee that every link of the transaction cannot be tracked by any institution in the real world, allowing you to buy with peace of mind and get your money's worth."

"Of course, considering that you are conducting business for the first time, I can apply for a 10% discount for you."

Standing in front of the window, Fang Cheng calculated rapidly in his heart.

It sounded so nice, but it was actually just money laundering.

Over a million—although he could afford to take it out, he truly had the feeling of being heavily fleeced.

After all, intelligence wasn't a physical commodity; once sold to one person, it didn't disappear.

Naihe Bridge could completely sell the exact same piece of information repeatedly, taking from both the buyer and the seller. This black-hearted degree was even harsher than running a printing press for banknotes.

Spending so much money just to buy a piece of intelligence, Fang Cheng felt it was no different from being a sucker.

More importantly, transferring through real-world currency, no matter how eloquently they spun it, still carried the risk of exposing his identity.

He didn't have a professional team of accountants to deal with these loose ends.

If someone with ulterior motives went to investigate, they might just trace it back to him.

As for those credit coins, it didn't look like something that could be obtained in a short time.

Seeing that Fang Cheng remained silent for a long time, a trace of impatience appeared on the female clerk's face as she urged:

"Sir, are you still processing this? There are still people lining up behind you."

Looking at her blurry face, Fang Cheng's heart suddenly stirred.

Afterwards, he leaned his body slightly forward and asked in a very sincere tone:

"Young Miss, do you think... I'm handsome?"

"Ah?"

Hearing this, the female clerk was directly stunned, looking at him with the gaze of someone looking at a lunatic:

"Your face is shrouded in mist, how would I know if you're handsome or not?"

"Oh."

Fang Cheng's eyes, however, suddenly brightened.

He then glanced around the surroundings and the ceiling without leaving a trace, failing to find any monitoring devices resembling security cameras.

Right now his face was covered in mist, making his appearance indistinct anyway.

Even if the controller of Night City or that "Clairvoyant" in the sky could break through the illusion and see his true face, there was still a layer of protective light flame on his body surface.

You must know that after entering Night City, although this layer of light flame was deliberately restrained, it still enveloped his entire body.

According to past experience, it seemed it could also play a role in isolating probing gazes.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's gaze swept across the bustling crowd in the hall once again.

Among those who could come to such a place to trade, how many were good characters?

And Naihe Bridge, which operated this kind of grey business, made a fortune from it, playing the rule of "eating people without spitting out their bones" to the extreme.

A bold thought couldn't help popping up.

Since they were in a grey zone that didn't speak of good and evil, only of interests, nobody here was a good person anyway.

Why should he honestly abide by the rules set by others?

Rather than spending his own money, it would be better to simply "borrow" some to spend.

Only, he knew nothing about what credit coins actually were; how was he supposed to borrow them?

Perhaps... he could be more direct and make a move on Naihe Bridge...

Anyway, Night City had no police. Once the intelligence was in hand, he would log off immediately, and nobody would be able to find him.

Fang Cheng withdrew his inspecting gaze and looked back at the female clerk inside the window.

Although that gaze was calm, it made the female clerk shudder for no reason.

Remembering the other party's question just now about whether he was handsome, alarm bells rang loudly in her heart instantly.

Could this guy be a pervert wanting to commit assault?

Just as the atmosphere was turning somewhat eerie, a familiar voice suddenly sounded nearby.

"Big shot, have you finished your business?"

Hearing the sound, Fang Cheng turned his head to look.

He saw that Yuan Datou had finished his business at some point and was hurrying over with a beaming smile.

Seeing that Fang Cheng was still standing in front of the window with a somewhat troubled look on his face, while the female clerk inside the window wore a look of vigilance,

as a slick operator, he immediately guessed seven or eight parts of it.

This big shot was here for the first time, and was probably stuck at the payment stage.

However, this was also an exceptional opportunity to show goodwill.

Thoughts spun rapidly in his mind, and the fawning smile on Yuan Datou's face grew even brighter as he probed:

"Big shot, did you run into a little trouble with the payment?"

"If you don't mind, why don't I advance this small amount of money for you first?"

Saying that, without waiting for Fang Cheng's response, he extremely cleverly pulled a black card from his bosom and handed it into the window.

"Young Miss, this is my friend; please swipe my card."

After this interruption, Fang Cheng's thought of taking a desperate risk was instantly dispelled.

Looking at the proactive chubby man in front of him, he couldn't help feeling a bit amused.

This fellow's name was Yuan Datou, and today he really acted the part of a "sucker" for him.

"Alright, sir."

Once paid, the clerk's attitude made an immediate 180-degree turn, becoming warm and considerate as she carefully instructed:

"Sir, there are three ways to deliver the intelligence."

"The first is on-site memory transmission, which has the fastest efficiency and allows you to receive the data immediately, but it requires a certain foundation in mental ability."

"The second is mailing it to your designated real-world address. If you are worried about leaking personal information, you can choose to have it deposited into a locker at a station or shopping mall."

"The third is generating an encrypted cloud drive link and password, which you can download anytime, anywhere, and burn immediately after use—it is the safest."

Memory transmission?

Fang Cheng pondered slightly.

This option was ruled out first.

Although the efficiency sounded indeed fast, he didn't know the other party's specific operational method.

Anything involving the mental plane is better handled with caution; after all, he harbored too many secrets on himself.

Although Naihe Bridge claimed to have a good reputation and valued customer privacy, people's hearts are unpredictable—who knew if there might be any trickery.

As for mailing, it required waiting, with too many variables, making it similarly insufficiently secure.

"Let's go with the third one."

After consideration, Fang Cheng made his choice.

"Alright."

The clerk operated rapidly.

Soon, a string of complex character passwords was displayed on the screen in front of the window.

"Please note it down. This password will only be displayed for thirty seconds and will be burned upon reading."

Fang Cheng concentrated and memorized the password, watching it completely disappear from the screen after the countdown ended.

"Transaction complete. Welcome next time."

The clerk handed out a receipt printed with the transaction number from under the window.

Fang Cheng took the receipt without looking at it much, turned around, and saw Yuan Datou waiting patiently behind him.

Yuan Datou immediately greeted him with a piled-up smile:

"Big shot, is everything settled?"

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and walked out of the service hall together with Yuan Datou.

The three new clients he brought had long been unable to hold back after finishing their business, dispersing separately to explore this city that never sleeps. (End of chapter)