Chapter 13: Dark Web Pursuit

The top-floor office of a Jiangcheng skyscraper was dimly lit, the night's glow filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lin Feng sat in his leather chair, fingers rhythmically tapping against the wooden desk. The aftermath of the fiery destruction of the Dark Nest was still unfolding, and the sudden contraction of the Shadow Syndicate hinted at an impending counterstrike. The words "Dark Web" and "Shadow Directive," as mentioned by Viper, had become his next crucial targets.

He lit a cigarette, the smoke curling upward as his deep-set eyes reflected an unfathomable intensity.

On the sofa nearby, Lin Xue'er cradled a warm cup of tea in her hands. Her voice was soft but carried a hint of concern. "Brother, you haven't rested properly in days. Shouldn't you try to sleep for a while?"

Lin Feng exhaled a ring of smoke, his voice calm but firm. "I can't afford to sleep. Not until the Shadow Syndicate is eradicated." He stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the sprawling lights of Jiangcheng. A storm was brewing in his mind. Shadow, how much longer can you keep hiding?

Just then, the door swung open. Glasses, one of his top intelligence operatives, walked in hastily, clutching a laptop. His voice carried urgency. "Boss, we've made progress! Our tech team managed to locate the 'Shadow Directive' channel on the Dark Web. But the encryption is incredibly advanced—it'll take time to crack it." He flipped open the laptop, revealing lines of complex code scrolling rapidly.

Lin Feng leaned in, his gaze sharp. "How long?"

Glasses adjusted his frame and hesitated. "At least a day—unless we can obtain the password Viper mentioned."

Lin Feng let out a cold chuckle. "Then we'll just have to ask him again."

Descending into the underground chamber, Lin Feng and Glasses stepped into a dimly lit room where Viper was still bound to a metal chair. His complexion was pale, exhaustion and fear evident in his bloodshot eyes. The moment he saw Lin Feng, a flicker of terror flashed across his face.

Lin Feng's voice was devoid of warmth. "The password. Now."

Viper clenched his teeth. "I told you, I don't know! Zhang Kun is dead—the password died with him!"

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes, then suddenly stomped down on Viper's leg. A sharp crack echoed through the room as Viper let out a strangled cry. His body trembled violently.

"I swear, I don't know!" he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… but I do know that the channel posts new directives every Friday. And today is Friday!"

Lin Feng glanced at his watch. It was past midnight—Friday had just begun.

"Every Friday?" Lin Feng smirked coldly. "Then we wait." He turned to Glasses. "Make sure we're ready. First thing in the morning, I want full surveillance on that channel. I need to know Shadow's next move."

Glasses nodded firmly. "Understood!"

Back in his office, Lin Feng settled into his chair. Lin Xue'er approached him once more. "Brother, did you find Shadow?"

"Not yet," Lin Feng murmured. "But soon." His voice carried a dangerous edge. "Xue'er, get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."

She hesitated but eventually nodded, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Friday morning.

The technical operations room was alive with tension. Lin Feng, Glasses, and a team of specialists sat before multiple computer screens, their eyes locked onto the encrypted Dark Web channel. Fingers flew across keyboards as algorithms raced against time, decrypting data bit by bit.

Suddenly, one of the analysts cried out, "Boss! We've got movement!"

On the screen, a new encrypted message appeared in the Shadow Directive channel. Within moments, the team had cracked its contents:

"All units withdraw. Relocate to South Suburb Base. Lin Feng is now a critical threat. Viper is compromised. Execute cleanup immediately."

Lin Feng's fingers tightened into fists. South Suburb Base? Cleanup? He sneered. "So, they're finally getting nervous."

Glasses analyzed the data. "Boss, the South Suburb is an abandoned mining area. The terrain is rugged—an easy place to hide."

Lin Feng's smirk turned ice-cold. "Hide?" He shook his head. "No. This time, I'm making sure they have nowhere to run."

He turned to his team. "Deploy surveillance at the South Suburb immediately. I want their every move tracked."

Glasses nodded and rushed out to relay the orders.

Lin Feng grabbed his coat, his eyes gleaming with a lethal determination. Shadow, this time… you will have nowhere left to hide.

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ChatGPT 说:Chapter 13: Tracking the Dark Web

The top-floor office of a skyscraper in Jiangcheng was bathed in the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The night outside was silent, but inside, tension simmered. Lin Feng sat in his black leather chair, fingers rhythmically tapping against the polished wooden desk. The aftermath of the fiery destruction of the Dark Nest was still rippling through the underworld, but instead of retreating completely, the Shadow Syndicate had merely contracted its operations. That contraction, however, only confirmed what Lin Feng had suspected—they were preparing to strike back.

Two terms had surfaced in his investigation: the Dark Web and the Shadow Directive. Viper had mentioned them before he was captured, and Lin Feng knew they were critical to his next move.

He lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as smoke curled around him. His sharp, hawk-like eyes stared into the night. Shadow, how long do you think you can keep hiding?

On the sofa nearby, Lin Xue'er sat with a cup of hot tea in her delicate hands. The faint aroma of jasmine filled the air, but her heart was restless. She had been watching her brother tirelessly pursue his enemies, barely eating, barely resting.

"Brother, you haven't slept properly in days," she said gently. "Why don't you take a break, even if it's just for a few hours?"

Lin Feng exhaled a ring of smoke, his expression calm but unwavering. "I don't have time for sleep. Not until the Shadow Syndicate is completely eradicated."

He stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the sprawling metropolis of Jiangcheng. The city was alive, its streets filled with people going about their lives, completely unaware of the war raging in the shadows. Soon, this war will end.

The office door swung open. A thin man with glasses rushed in, a laptop tucked under his arm. His voice was filled with urgency.

"Boss! We've got progress!" Glasses, one of Lin Feng's top intelligence operatives, quickly placed the laptop on the desk and opened it. "Our tech team managed to locate the Shadow Directive channel on the Dark Web. But the encryption is incredibly advanced—it'll take time to crack."

The laptop screen flickered with lines of complex code, shifting and rearranging in real time. The Dark Web was a treacherous place, full of encrypted communications, illegal dealings, and untraceable footprints. Even finding the Shadow Directive was a massive breakthrough, but breaking its encryption was another challenge entirely.

Lin Feng's gaze was razor-sharp as he studied the screen. "How long?"

Glasses adjusted his frames and hesitated. "At least a full day—unless we get the password Viper mentioned."

Lin Feng smirked coldly. "Then we'll just have to ask him again."

Descending into the underground chamber, Lin Feng and Glasses stepped into a dimly lit interrogation room. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and fear. Viper, still bound to a metal chair, looked up as they entered. His face was pale, his body weak from hours of captivity. But the moment his bloodshot eyes met Lin Feng's, a flicker of terror passed through them.

Lin Feng didn't waste time. His voice was sharp and devoid of emotion. "The password. Now."

Viper clenched his jaw. "I told you—I don't know! Zhang Kun was the only one who had it, and he's dead!"

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes. Then, without warning, he stepped forward and drove his heel down onto Viper's leg. A sickening crack echoed through the room as Viper let out a strangled cry, his body jerking violently in pain.

"I swear! I don't know!" Viper gasped, his voice barely a whisper. "But… but I do know that the channel posts new directives every Friday. And today is Friday!"

Lin Feng glanced at his watch. It was already past midnight. Friday had begun.

"Every Friday?" Lin Feng's smirk deepened. "Then we wait."

He turned to Glasses. "Make sure we're ready. First thing in the morning, I want full surveillance on that channel. I need to know what Shadow's next move is."

Glasses gave a sharp nod. "Understood!"

Friday morning.

The technical operations room was alive with tension. Lin Feng, Glasses, and a team of cyber specialists sat before multiple computer screens, their gazes fixed on the encrypted Dark Web channel. The room hummed with the quiet clicking of keyboards as algorithms worked relentlessly to decrypt the latest messages.

A red notification blinked on the screen.

"Boss! We've got movement!" one of the analysts called out.

On the main monitor, a new encrypted message appeared in the Shadow Directive channel. Within minutes, the tech team cracked its contents. The message read:

"All units withdraw. Relocate to South Suburb Base. Lin Feng is now a critical threat. Viper is compromised. Execute cleanup immediately."

Lin Feng's fingers curled into a fist.

South Suburb Base? Cleanup?

His lips curled into a cold smile. "So, they're finally panicking."

Glasses analyzed the data, adjusting his glasses. "Boss, the South Suburb is a massive abandoned mining area. The terrain is rough, full of underground tunnels and collapsed structures. If they're relocating there, they must think it's the perfect hiding spot."

Lin Feng's smirk didn't fade. "Hide?" He shook his head. "No. This time, I'm making sure they have nowhere to run."

He turned to his team. "Deploy surveillance drones immediately. I want eyes on every entrance, every exit. Get our best men ready. I want their movements tracked in real-time."

Glasses nodded and rushed out to relay the orders.

Lin Feng took a deep breath, picking up his coat. His expression was calm, but his eyes burned with determination.

Shadow, you think you can disappear again? Not this time. This time, I'll make sure you're dragged into the light.

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