171: Chapter 171 Scope and Objectives

At five in the afternoon, Lin Ning stood in the hotel staff lounge, taking one last look in the mirror. He wore a white shirt, a black vest, and a neatly tied bowtie. His hair was parted in a seventy-thirty split, his eyebrows were groomed slightly thinner, and a thin layer of powder had been applied to his face. That sharp, rebellious edge he usually couldn't hide was forcibly suppressed by more than half.

The person in the mirror looked as strange as if he were someone else entirely.

He took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Seven investigators were already lined up in the corridor, waiting. No one spoke; they were each checking their trays, towels, and ear-mounted walkie-talkies. Occasionally, their gazes would meet before quickly pulling away.

Liu Zhao walked over from the opposite direction. As they brushed shoulders, his voice was so soft only the two of them could hear: "Don't be nervous. If anything happens, find me."

Lin Ning nodded slightly without making a sound.

Captain Zhou stood before the group, his gaze sweeping over everyone before he raised his wrist to check his watch. "Half an hour until we enter. Remember—your eyes are cameras, and your ears are voice recorders. If you find anything unusual, report it immediately. No unauthorized actions allowed."

His gaze lingered on Lin Ning's face for a moment longer before slowly moving away.

Lin Ning followed the team into the banquet hall. Only half the lights were on, leaving the hall in semi-darkness. Genuine waiters bustled back and forth, setting tables, testing audio, and checking cutlery. Their steps were hurried, yet they didn't make a single unnecessary sound.

Holding a stack of napkins, he lowered his head to adjust a tablecloth, while his gaze calmly spread out across the room.

It took him only ten seconds to scan the entire venue. The light and dark colors were clear at a glance, more than twice as fast as his teammates' surveillance checks.

Service staff—Green.

Hotel manager—Green.

Audio engineer—Green.

...

He walked as he observed, his steps steady and his eyes never stopping.

Suddenly, his footsteps paused slightly.

In a corner, a person in gray work clothes and a baseball cap was adjusting the lighting. Their head was down, and their face was obscured. However, above their head, a line of text floated clearly: Pale Red [Li Xiaoshuai, Lighting Technician].

Lin Ning's heart skipped a beat, but his feet didn't hesitate for a second, acting as if he hadn't noticed anything. Did this person have a criminal record, or were they an accomplice planning to cause trouble tonight?

The former was more likely. He'd note it down for now.

There was no time for deep thought; he had to scan all the staff members before the banquet began.

Six o'clock sharp.

The lights in the hall suddenly brightened, music began to flow, and the banquet hall instantly came to life. Guests began to enter one after another.

Officials, businessmen, scholars, foreign experts...

Suits and leather shoes, swaying skirts, clinking champagne glasses, and smiling small talk—it was a scene of peace and harmony.

Lin Ning carried his tray, weaving calmly through the crowd. His gaze was like a silent scanner, passing over the entire venue one by one:

A certain Chinese Director—Pale Gold.

German Technical Director—Pale Gold.

French Project Manager—Green.

Norwegian Representative—Pale Gold.

Chinese Academician—Bright Gold.

Chinese Diplomatic Personnel—Pale Gold.

French Diplomatic Counselor—Deep Red.

Lin Ning's eyelids lowered slightly as he calmly looked away.

The rumors were true; foreign embassies never lacked people with multiple identities. But this person's status was sensitive; they wouldn't personally step onto the field to cause sabotage.

Marked. Wait and see.

He continued walking and observing. After a while, he found that aside from that counselor, everyone else was Gold, Green, or Yellow—at most, Pale Red.

Lin Ning frowned slightly. What Chen Zhi wanted him to find was definitely not small fry. Even if they hadn't made a move yet, they should at least be starting at Solid Red.

He was no longer the impatient newcomer who had just stepped onto the battlefield. His steps remained steady, his smile unchanged. He bowed at the right moments to refill wine or collect glasses, his movements as standard as a real waiter's.

Walking to the center of the banquet hall, he found a group of foreigners chatting and laughing cheerfully.

Lin Ning walked past slowly with his tray, his gaze seemingly sweeping over them at random:

[Peter Schmidt, German Engineer] — Pale Red.

[Jean Dupont, French Legal Counsel] — Pale Red.

[Klaus Muller, German Technician] — Pale Red.

[Marie Laurent, French Translator] — Pale Red.

Four Pale Reds.

Lin Ning's fingertips clenched slightly under the tray, but his breathing remained steady.

His gaze shifted to the staff members who were clearly on his side.

[Zhang Xiaohai, Legal Counsel] — Pale Red.

[Wang Chen, Security Technician] — Pale Red.

Lin Ning calmly walked back to the prep area and took a deep breath while taking the opportunity to pour some champagne.

It was as if he had returned to that technology conference, with the entire hall filled with a multicolored 'light show'.

In front of these 'high-level talents' who were naturally unscrupulous, the first level of his Golden Finger's ability seemed only capable of acting as background lighting and a warning system.

Therefore, he couldn't stop upgrading his Psychic Power. If his Psychic Power were sufficient, he could just 'look' at each of their pasts one by one, and he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of this undercover investigation.

He set down the wine bottle and looked up at the brilliantly lit hall. Those Pale Red figures were chatting naturally, their behavior perfect, showing no signs of anything abnormal.

No rush. It's only just begun.

In his mind, he silently counted the list of twenty-seven foreign individuals. Their photos, names, and positions were etched into his memory.

1, 2, 3... 15, 16... 20.

He stopped. He counted again. Still twenty.

Seven were missing.

Lin Ning frowned, carrying his tray back to the prep area, his gaze accurately finding Liu Zhao. When their eyes met, Lin Ning gave a coded hand signal: a downward palm cut followed by three fingers held together.

Liu Zhao gave an imperceptible nod. A moment later, he passed by with a tray, his voice kept extremely low: "Captain Zhou knows. They haven't arrived yet. Keep watching."

Lin Ning didn't respond and walked back into the crowd. He already had a faint premonition—those seven who hadn't arrived would likely be the main event tonight.

Speeches by the guests of honor, toasts, applause, and laughter. The banquet reached its climax.

Lin Ning was like a precisely operating machine, serving wine, clearing plates, smiling, and making way, but his gaze never truly relaxed.

He repeatedly scanned those Pale Reds, but their colors showed no sign of deepening.

Eight o'clock sharp.

The banquet hall doors were pushed open again. Seven people walked in—five men and two women, all foreign, in well-fitted suits and with standard smiles.

Lin Ning stood not far away with his tray, his pupils suddenly constricting.

[Roland Becker, German Project Manager] — Deep Red.

[Hans Krauser, French Senior Consultant] — Deep Red.

[Viktor Anderson, French Technical Expert] — Deep Red.

[Eva Novak, German Legal Counsel] — Deep Red.

Four Deep Reds.

Lin Ning quickly withdrew his gaze and slowly retreated into the shadows of the prep area. Leaning against the wall, his Psychic Power quietly spread out to monitor the surroundings. No one noticed him, and everyone was quite far away.

He pressed his earpiece, his voice extremely low and his speech rapid: "Four people who just entered: Roland, Hans, Viktor, Eva. Focus on them."

There was silence in the earpiece.

Two seconds later, Captain Zhou's deep voice sounded: "Received. All personnel, focus your surveillance on them."

Lin Ning tapped his earpiece twice to indicate he understood.

When he stepped out of the shadows again, he had reverted to being that inconspicuous waiter. This time, he no longer scanned in broad sweeps. His naked eyes, combined with his Psychic Power, were death-locked onto the targets.

Eight-thirty in the evening.

Lin Ning moved silently through the crowd with his tray. Each time his gaze rested on those four people, it was only for a split second, never lingering.