30: Chapter 30: The Prelude to the Storm, The Gathering Before the Storm

Binjiang No. 1 Courtyard, safe house.

The air was filled with the scent of braised beef instant noodles.

Qin Feng slumped on the sofa, holding the wine glass he used for posturing, which was half-filled with iced cola.

He looked out the floor-to-ceiling window.

There was the CBD of Jianghai City, neon lights flickering like a steel forest built of money and desire.

In his mind, the system that had been playing dead for a long time suddenly "came back to life."

"Ding!"

The sound was crisp, even carrying a bit of an echo.

[Congratulations, Host! The plot of Volume One, "Hidden Dragon," has concluded successfully!]

[Current Shock Value: 580 million (off the charts)]

[System Evaluation: SSS-rank (You are a natural-born criminal... oh no, actor)]

[Distributing phase milestone gift pack...]

[Ding! Gift pack received: God-level Magic Hands (Grandmaster Version), Void Hacker (Limited-time Card ×3), Versatile Voice Actor (Permanent Passive).]

Qin Feng took a sip of cola and burped.

These rewards are something else.

Magic Hands for stealing and swapping, Voice Actor for disguise, and Hacker for field control.

This isn't a setup for acting; this is clearly the rhythm for becoming Kaitou Kid.

"Don't give me that fluff."

Qin Feng rolled his eyes internally. "Just tell me, where's the next scene? Back to that crappy internet cafe? Or scaring interns at some bank again?"

The system was silent for three seconds.

Then, that emotionless mechanical voice became strangely high-pitched.

[Volume One Finale Mission Issued: Prelude to the Carnival.]

[Mission Objective: Jianghai City International Convention and Exhibition Center.]

[Mission Content: Under world-class security, steal the $300 million blue diamond necklace—the "heart of the ocean."]

[Additional Condition: The entire process... live-streamed across the whole internet.]

"Pfft—!!!"

The cola Qin Feng had just sipped sprayed right out.

It splattered all over the holographic map in front of him.

"Cough, cough... Are you freaking crazy?!"

Qin Feng didn't even bother wiping his mouth, nearly jumping off the sofa.

The International Convention and Exhibition Center?

heart of the ocean?

That's the grand finale exhibit of the ongoing "World Top Jewelry Exhibition"!

They say the security level rivals the Louvre. The bulletproof glass case alone can withstand a rocket launcher, and it's surrounded by an infrared laser array that could slice a person into sashimi with the slightest touch.

Not to mention the condition of live-streaming it to the whole internet.

Is the system worried he won't die fast enough, so it wants the whole world to watch him get turned into a sieve?

"I'm not going! Not even if you kill me!"

Qin Feng slammed the glass onto the table. "Risking my life for that little appearance fee? I love money, but I value my life more! I want to terminate the contract! I want to go home!"

[Ding! Breach of contract tendency detected in the host.]

[Penalty for Mission Failure: Confiscation of all illegal gains (including cash exchanged from 580 million Shock Value) and mandatory implantation of a "Square Dancing Auntie" personality, leading dances in the city center for three hours daily.]

Qin Feng froze.

Confiscate the money?

And do square dancing?

The image of wearing a red-and-green floral jacket and performing a yangko dance with a fan under the public gaze instantly flooded his mind.

Social death.

This was a torture more terrifying than death.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, the distorted expression on his face instantly vanishing.

He looked up, his peach blossom eyes now filled with a heart-pounding calm and depth.

"Interesting."

Qin Feng set down the glass, his fingertips lightly rubbing the rim, creating a soft friction sound.

"The heart of the ocean, huh..."

"Since we're playing, let's go big."

Beside him, Alice, who was cleaning her gun, suddenly looked up, her eyes instantly becoming feverish.

"Boss, is the target confirmed?"

Pei Ji, huddled in the corner with a bag of potato chips, trembled at these words, spilling chips all over the floor.

Su Tang excitedly pulled out a small mirror to touch up her makeup. "Are we finally making a move? I'm going to wear that haute couture gown I prepared for the red carpet!"

Qin Feng didn't say a word.

He simply walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the convention center in the distance that resembled a giant flying saucer.

But in his heart, he was screaming wildly:

Mommy! I want to go home! Can I return these crazy teammates for a refund?!

...

Jianghai City Police Headquarters, Special Operations Task Force.

The conference room lights were a deathly pale, hitting everyone's faces and highlighting their oiliness and exhaustion.

Xie Qingshang sat in the primary seat.

On the table before him lay a massive architectural blueprint.

Jianghai City International Convention and Exhibition Center.

*Snap.*

Xie Qingshang unwrapped a piece of 99% dark chocolate and popped it into his mouth without even a flinch.

That bitterness allowed him to maintain absolute clarity.

"Right here."

Xie Qingshang's finger tapped heavily on the red circle in the center of the blueprint.

"The jewelry exhibition in three days, the grand finale piece, the 'heart of the ocean'."

"This is the highest security exhibition in all of Asia, and it's a stage that someone with Qin Feng's performative personality absolutely cannot refuse."

Zhao Shanhe sat beside him, rotating two iron baoding balls in his hand with a clacking sound.

"Consultant Xie, are you sure?"

Zhao Shanhe's brow furrowed, the flesh on his face twitching. "That kid is arrogant, but he's no fool. The convention center is a death trap! Once inside, he'll be like a turtle in a jar. Would he dare come?"

"He will come."

Xie Qingshang pushed up his glasses, a cold light flashing across the lenses.

"For a man who treats crime as art, the more desperate the situation, the more excited he becomes."

"And..."

Xie Qingshang pulled a photo from the pile of documents.

It was the Joker playing card Qin Feng had left at the top of the TV Tower.

"He is provoking us."

"He's waiting for us to lay out an inescapable net, only to tear it to shreds right in front of our faces."

"Director Zhao."

Xie Qingshang stood up abruptly, the hem of his trench coat whipping up a breeze.

"This time, I will make sure he has no way to escape."

"Send out the orders: activate the 'Skynet' system, mobilize the SWAT corps, and surround the convention center like an iron barrel! Don't even let a fly through!"

"Also..."

Xie Qingshang turned around to face the group of solemn-faced officers behind him.

"Keep a close eye on that 'arms dealer' operating in the black market."

"The fish is about to take the bait."

...

West District of Jianghai City, underground black market.

This was a small, dilapidated shop with a sign that read "Old Wang's Hardware Store."

Under the dim lights, various metal parts were scattered across the floor, and the air was filled with the smell of engine oil and rust.

Alice was dressed in a black tight-fitting leather suit and a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes.

She leaned against the counter, playing with an imaginary screw in her hand.

"The usual rules."

Alice's voice was very low, with a raspiness that only an insider would recognize. "Is the stuff I wanted ready?"

Behind the counter.

A burly man in a greasy tank top with a full beard was looking down, grinding a wrench.

If Zhao Shanhe were here, his jaw would surely drop.

Isn't this freaking Lei Meng, the deputy captain of the SWAT detachment, known as the "Human Bulldozer"?

Lei Meng didn't even lift his eyelids, his hands never stopping.

"This is a big deal."

Lei Meng spoke in a gruff voice, his acting slightly exaggerated. "Things have been tight lately, the cops are checking everything. Those items you want... they're hard to get."

"Money is no object."

Alice pulled an anonymous bank card from her bosom and slapped it onto the table with a loud snap.

"I want the kind of 'fireworks' that can liven up the whole venue."

"And a 'jammer' that can block signals."

"Ideally... two more handy 'pieces'."

Lei Meng's hand paused for a moment.

He cursed in his head: This woman really has some nerve! She wants real pieces? Does she think this is Afghanistan?

But to catch a big fish, he had to keep acting.

"Fine."

Lei Meng dragged a heavy black bag from under the counter and slammed it onto the surface.

"Here's the goods you wanted."

"But let me give you a fair warning: once you walk out that door, I don't know you, and you don't know me."

A cold sneer curled at the corner of Alice's mouth.

She unzipped the bag and took a look.

Flashbangs (training use), smoke grenades (drill use), signal jammer (decommissioned police model, containing a tracking chip).

And two well-crafted Glock... model guns.

But in Alice's eyes, this was top-tier weaponry.

"Thanks."

Alice picked up the bag, its weight giving her an immense sense of security.

She turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

Not until her figure vanished at the mouth of the alley...

...did Lei Meng breathe a long sigh of relief and pull a miniature communicator from his ear.

"Falcon reporting."

"The bait has been swallowed."

"The tracking chip is activated. The signal source... is moving toward Binjiang No. 1 Courtyard."

Command Center.

Xie Qingshang watched the blinking red dot on the screen, the smile on his face growing wider and wider.

"Got you."

...

Meanwhile.

Binjiang No. 1 Courtyard.

Qin Feng was holding his phone, scrolling through Douyin.

Top of the trending list: #Qin Feng Issues Challenge, Targeting the heart of the ocean#

Who the hell posted this?

When did I ever issue a challenge?

Qin Feng clicked on the topic and found a post by an ID named "Joker Fan Club President."

The content was extremely inflammatory, depicting Qin Feng as a lone hero about to steal the heart of the ocean to declare war on a decadent world.

The comment section was exploding.

"Wow! Brother is so cool! Is this the rhythm of a heist of the century?"

"I've already bought my plane ticket! I'm going to Jianghai City tomorrow! I want to be there to support Brother Feng!"

"Don't push, person above! I'm going too! I want to be a hostage! Brother Feng, kidnap me!"

"I heard several big influencers with tens of millions of followers are going to live-stream from the scene, saying they want to catch Qin Feng to ride the wave of his popularity!"

"And that international thief 'Black Spider' has reportedly spoken out too, wanting to compete with Qin Feng to see whose hands are faster!"

Qin Feng's head was buzzing as he read.

Good grief.

Police, SWAT, influencers, fans, real thieves.

This isn't going to steal something.

This is freaking going to a temple fair!

*Ding-dong.*

The doorbell rang.

Alice walked in carrying the black bag, her face carrying the scent of gunpowder as if she had just crawled out of a trench.

"Boss."

Alice tossed the bag onto the table with a dull thud.

"The gear is sorted."

"The seller was a bit suspicious, but the goods he gave... are top-notch."

Alice pulled out the so-called "jammer" from the bag, her eyes fanatical.

"With this, I can paralyze the police communication network for at least five minutes."

Qin Feng glanced at the "jammer" that was still blinking with a faint red light.

A system prompt instantly popped up:

[Police-grade GPS tracker detected (Model X-900).]

[Spend 100 Shock Value points for reverse shielding and deception?]

Qin Feng: ...

You call this top-notch goods?

Sister, they've literally stuck a GPS on your forehead, and you still think you got a good deal?

"No need to shield it."

Qin Feng suddenly laughed.

He reached out and picked up the jammer, weighing it in his hand.

Since Xie Qingshang wants to play with tracking...

...then let's play to his heart's content.

"Alice."

Qin Feng turned around, his voice low and carrying the confidence of someone who had everything under control.

"Install this thing on Pei Ji's crappy wuling hongguang."

Pei Ji, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, suddenly looked up. "Huh? Why install it on my car? Will it explode?"

"No."

Qin Feng walked to the holographic map and drew a circle with his finger in another direction of Jianghai City.

It was the direction completely opposite to the convention center.

The abandoned Jianghai Shipyard.

"Tomorrow night, Pei Ji, you drive and take this thing for a spin over there."

"As for us..."

Qin Feng's gaze swept over everyone.

Su Tang had already changed into that backless red evening gown and was practicing her walk in front of the mirror.

Alice was stuffing those two model guns into her thigh holsters.

This was a team that looked unreliable no matter how you viewed it.

But it was precisely this group of people who were going to tear a hole in the sky of Jianghai City.

"We are going to attend the banquet."

Qin Feng walked to Su Tang's side and gentlemanly offered his arm.

"Miss Su, I wonder if I might have the honor of being your partner?"

Su Tang's face instantly turned red to the roots of her ears, her eyes full of little stars.

"Yes, yes, yes! Definitely!"

She grabbed Qin Feng's arm, practically sticking herself to him.

Qin Feng's mouth twitched slightly as he suppressed the urge to pull his arm back.

He looked out the window.

The night grew deeper; a storm was brewing.

That glowing convention center was like a massive stage, waiting for the protagonist to make his entrance.

Xie Qingshang.

Since you want to watch a show...

...then I'll perform one for you... a grand play you'll never forget for the rest of your life.

"All units, take note."

Qin Feng straightened his non-existent bowtie, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp at that moment.

"The curtain..."

"...is rising."