19: Chapter 19 Fan Frenzy, Citywide Cover

Northern suburbs of Jianghai City, abandoned industrial zone.

4:00 AM.

The air carried a damp smell of rust.

Qin Feng stood at the door of the safe house's somewhat moldy bathroom, holding a newly unwrapped towel. His usually calm face was now filled with disgust.

Just moments ago, he had tried to take a shower to wash off the smell of gunpowder from the night.

As it turned out, the water flowing from the tap was colder than the water in the sewers outside; the shock was so sharp it nearly sent his skull flying.

"I can't stay in this place anymore."

Qin Feng tossed the towel onto the rack with a hint of irritation, turned around, and looked at the few people huddled on the sofa catching up on sleep.

Alice opened her eyes instantly.

In those azure eyes, her alertness was as sharp as a blade.

She looked at Qin Feng's faintly displeased face, her mind racing.

He can't stay here?

Is he implying that this place has been exposed?

Or is this an extremely subtle tactical command, meaning we should take the initiative to stir up the muddy waters outside?

"What's wrong?"

Alice flipped herself up, her hand instinctively reaching for her lower back (where a swiped fruit knife was hidden). Her voice was low, carrying a sense of tense efficiency.

"No hot water."

Qin Feng pulled at the collar of his windbreaker and pulled his baseball cap back down, covering most of his face. "As a robber with professional integrity, maintaining personal hygiene is a basic quality. Not having a hot shower will affect my criminal state of mind."

Alice: "..."

Pei Ji: "..."

Su Tang: "Brother is so refined! I love it, I love it!"

Alice took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stampede of absurdity in her heart.

Is this a quirk of a top-tier criminal?

Because the shower water isn't hot enough, he wants to risk a city-wide manhunt to move bases?

This reason... it's capricious to the extreme, and arrogant to the extreme!

"Let's go."

Qin Feng ignored their colorful expressions and kicked open the bolt of the warehouse door. "We'll stop by the city to get some breakfast. I'm hungry."

...

The streets in the early morning weren't as deserted as one might imagine.

Jianghai City was destined to be sleepless tonight.

Although the sirens had quieted down a bit, that tense atmosphere still loomed over the city.

Qin Feng led the three of them, specifically choosing small alleys without streetlights.

It had to be said that the [Perfect Escape Route Map] provided by the system was indeed useful, always allowing them to precisely avoid the temporary checkpoints set up by the police.

But while the system could avoid the police, it couldn't avoid the citizens out for an early morning stroll.

In front of a breakfast stall that had just set up shop.

Qin Feng stopped in his tracks.

The rich aroma of soy milk and fried dough sticks hooked his soul like a lure.

"Boss, four fried dough sticks and four bowls of soy milk, to go."

Qin Feng lowered his voice, trying his best to look like an internet-addicted youth who had just finished an all-nighter rather than a wanted criminal.

"Sure thing! That'll be twenty-four yuan total!"

The boss was busy frying dough sticks and didn't even look up.

Qin Feng was about to reach for the change in his pocket.

Beside him, several young men who hadn't fully woken up and were crouching on the curb scrolling through their phones suddenly snapped their heads up as if their tails had been stepped on.

One of them, a yellow-haired youth, stared with eyes as wide as copper bells.

He looked at the "wuling hongguang leap" image going viral across the internet on his phone screen, then looked at the man in the black windbreaker and baseball cap standing before him.

Especially those eyes.

Even though they were half-covered by the brim of the hat, that indifferent, profound gaze that seemed to see through everything was exactly the same as in the live stream!

"Holy... crap?"

The yellow-haired youth sucked in a breath of cold air, nearly spilling his soy milk on his crotch.

He nudged his companion hard with his elbow, his voice cracking with over-excitement: "Look! Look who that is! Am I still dreaming? Is that Brother Feng?!"

Several companions followed his gaze.

In the dim yellow light of the streetlamps, several pairs of eyes instantly erupted with a light like hungry wolves seeing meat.

Qin Feng: "..."

I was careless.

I didn't expect these kinds of 'spirited youths' to be wandering around in the middle of the night.

He grabbed the fried dough sticks handed over by the boss and turned to leave.

"Brother Feng! Don't go!"

"It really is the Fierce Bandit Brother! In the flesh! He's real!"

"Mom, I've made it! I've met my idol!"

The young men couldn't care less about breakfast anymore; each one was like they'd been injected with chicken blood, howling as they rushed forward.

That posture was more affectionate than meeting their own fathers.

Pei Ji shivered in fear, instinctively wanting to cover his head and crouch: "It's over, it's over! The public is going to report us! There goes the five thousand yuan!"

However.

The next second.

Pei Ji was dumbfounded.

He saw the yellow-haired youth rush in front of Qin Feng, but instead of pulling out a phone to call the police, he performed a perfect sliding kneel, skidding right to Qin Feng's feet.

Then he pulled a crumpled notebook and a pen from his jacket.

Holding them high with both hands, his eyes were fanatical.

"Brother! Give me an autograph! Just sign this page! I'm going to take it back and frame it!"

"Brother Feng! I'm your ten-year veteran fan... wait, I'm your die-hard fan from tonight! That gutter drift was too cool! Can you teach me?"

"Me too! Brother Feng! I want to roll with you! I want to be the God of Racing who drives a wuling hongguang!"

Qin Feng looked at the star-struck youths before him, his lips twitching slightly.

What's the situation here?

Are the morals of today's youth just following their favorite faces?

I'm a robber, hey!

Even if it's an act, in this setting, I'm a vicious thug! It's one thing not to call the police, but you want an autograph?

"Stop messing around."

Qin Feng's voice was cold. "The police are nearby."

"Police?"

When the yellow-haired youth heard those words, instead of being afraid, he got even more excited.

He looked around and indeed saw a patrol car with flashing lights slowly approaching from the intersection not far away.

"Brother Feng, don't you worry!"

The yellow-haired youth stood up abruptly and thumped his chest, his thin chest making a thumping sound. "Since we've met, it's fate! For tonight's big show, us brothers definitely have to back you up!"

"Back me up?" Qin Feng was stunned.

Before he could react to what these people were going to do.

He saw the yellow-haired youth pull a bunch of masks out of his backpack.

The kind of clown masks with a weird smile.

Ever since Qin Feng started his broadcast, these masks had sold out at the night market stalls in Jianghai City, becoming the trendiest fashion item of the night.

"Brothers! Put them on!"

The yellow-haired youth roared, distributing the masks to his companions.

The young men nimbly snapped on the masks, then looked at each other and let out a burst of strange laughter.

"Brother Feng! You go first! We'll cover you!"

After saying that.

The yellow-haired youth, wearing the mask, suddenly sprinted toward the patrol car at the intersection, waving his arms and screaming at the top of his lungs:

"Come and get me! I'm Qin Feng! I'm Joker! Hahaha! Sucker!"

The other companions also had a great understanding.

Wearing their masks, they scattered in four different directions—North, South, East, and West—each doing their best to imitate Qin Feng's arrogant laughter.

"Coppers! Come chase me!"

"Blehh! Can't catch me, can't catch me!"

"The wuling hongguang is here! Who dares to challenge me!"

This scene.

Left the two officers in the patrol car completely bewildered.

"Old Zhang... what... what's going on?"

The young officer looked at the "clowns" running all over the street, not even knowing how to hold his walkie-talkie. "How did so many suspects suddenly pop up? Which one is real?"

"How the hell should I know!"

The veteran officer was also dazed, his scalp tingling as he watched the masked figures sprinting. "These little brats... they're intentionally messing with us! Chase them! Just grab one first!"

The sirens blared.

The patrol car roared as it charged toward the yellow-haired youth who was running the most enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, the real Qin Feng was standing in the shadows of the breakfast stall, watching this farce while holding four fried dough sticks that were gradually getting cold.

"Is... is this the legendary city-wide cover?"

Pei Ji was slack-jawed, his glasses nearly sliding to the tip of his nose. "Are fans these days really this hardcore? They're not even afraid of administrative detention just to follow a star?"

Su Tang stood beside him with a proud face: "Of course! Brother's personal charm is invincible! This is what the people want!"

Alice watched this scene, but her gaze became more solemn than ever before.

"No."

She murmured softly, her voice carrying a hint of fear. "This isn't just cover."

"This is the collapse of belief and the establishment of a chaotic order."

"In just one night, he has turned the youth of this city into his believers... This man is ten thousand times more terrifying than I imagined!"

...

At the same time.

Jianghai City Police Headquarters, Command Center.

Zhao Mountains and Rivers watched the surveillance footage sent back from several intersections on the big screen, his blood pressure instantly skyrocketing to 280.

In the footage.

It wasn't just the northern suburbs.

The pedestrian street in the city center, the plaza in the south district, the park in the west district... everywhere, there were young people in clown masks running wild.

Some were imitating Qin Feng's dance moves, some were flipping off the cameras, and some were even cosplaying a wuling hongguang drift.

The entire Jianghai City seemed to have turned into a massive mental asylum overnight.

Everyone was Joker.

Everyone was Qin Feng.

"Bastards! Bastards!"

Zhao Shanhe slammed the table so hard it thundered, the teacup in his hand shattering into dust. "Is this the city-wide lockdown you talked about? Is this the ironclad encirclement you promised?"

"Now the streets are full of Qin Fengs! Which one do you want me to catch? Who?!"

"Director..."

The Technical Section Chief was sweating profusely, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "Public opinion online has also spiraled out of control! Everyone is spamming things like 'Everyone is a Villain' and 'Tonight We Are All Joker'... Should we shut down the network?"

"Shut down my ass!"

Zhao Shanhe roared. "The more we block it, the messier it gets! These people are just looking for a place to go wild!"

In the corner.

Criminal psychology consultant Xie Qingshang pushed up his rimless glasses.

He looked at the ridiculous and frenzied smiling masks on the screen, a deep sense of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

"The law does not punish the masses."

Xie Qingshang said softly, his tone carrying a hint of respect for his opponent. "He is not only a tactical master but also a master of manipulating hearts."

"He has turned himself into a symbol."

"As long as this symbol remains, Qin Feng can never be caught."

"Because... everyone can be Qin Feng."

...

On the internet.

Under the official Weibo of "simulated crime," the comment section had completely fallen.

Director Wei Guanqi posted a tearful statement:

[Solemn Statement: This program is only a legal awareness exercise! All plots are scripted arrangements! Please remain rational, citizens! Do not imitate! And definitely do not obstruct police enforcement! Whoever wears a mask to cause trouble again will face the consequences, dear friends!]

However.

The comments below were a sea of joy.

"Director, are you getting anxious? Are you anxious?"

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening! Brother Qin Feng is innocent! He's been framed!"

"What exercise? I clearly saw the light! It's the light that breaks the darkness!"

"Hahaha! I just wore a mask downstairs to buy cigarettes and was chased through two streets by three officers. It was so thrilling! I feel like I've reached the peak of my life!"

"Brother upstairs, how's the food in the station? If it's okay, I might go play too."

"Qin Feng: I just want to earn an appearance fee. Netizens: No! You must be king!"

...

Chaos is the best camouflage.

Under the cover of this city-wide carnival.

Qin Feng and his group had silently passed through the most dangerous blockade zones.

An hour later.

In the bicycle shed of an old residential area in the city center.

Qin Feng took off his windbreaker, revealing the white T-shirt underneath, and then casually pulled a yellow delivery driver uniform from a clothesline and put it on.

The size was just right.

He swiped a yellow helmet from nearby and snapped it onto his head, hiding his handsome face completely.

"Pei Ji."

Qin Feng straddled an electric scooter that still had its keys in it, turning his head to look at the still-dazed Pei Ji and Su Tang. "You two are too big as targets. We split up."

"Huh? Brother, you're leaving us?" Pei Ji panicked.

"Bringing you along is a burden."

Qin Feng's tone was flat but brooked no argument. "Wait for me under the TV Tower. Remember, blend into the crowd and don't show your faces."

After saying that.

He twisted the throttle.

The electric scooter made a soft "whirring" sound, carrying this "Godfather of Desperados" who had just played the entire city's police force for fools as he smoothly merged into the busy morning rush hour traffic.

On the delivery box behind him was an order slip torn from another bike.

The destination on it was written clearly:

[Jianghai City Radio and TV Tower, Top Floor Revolving Restaurant.]

Qin Feng rode the bike, facing the first rays of the morning sun, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He wouldn't get to eat that burger.

But the grand finale was about to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen."

Qin Feng whispered softly into the wind.

"Please don't blink."