Chapter Sixteen: The Shadow Project

The basement of the Jiangcheng office building was dim and cold, filled with an eerie silence that sent chills down one's spine. Lin Feng stood before the captured operative known as Black Shadow, his gaze sharp as a blade. The man, bound tightly to a chair, was bruised and battered from head to toe—a consequence of the brutal battle that had taken place in the northern suburbs the night before. Though he was physically broken, his eyes still held a flicker of defiance, refusing to fully submit.

Lin Feng let out a cold chuckle, flipping through a stack of documents seized from the Black Dragon Manor. His tone was calm but carried an undeniable weight of authority. "Speak," he ordered, holding up one of the files. "What other secrets does the Shadow Consortium have?"

Black Shadow panted heavily, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Lin Feng," he rasped, voice hoarse from exhaustion, "do you really think you've won just because you captured me? The Shadow Consortium's roots run deep—I am merely an executor of orders, nothing more."

Lin Feng's expression remained impassive, but his patience was wearing thin. With a sudden movement, he stepped forward and pressed his foot down hard onto Black Shadow's leg. A sharp cry of pain tore from the man's throat, his defiance wavering. Trembling, he gasped, "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

After taking a deep, shaky breath, he continued, "The true mastermind behind the Shadow Consortium is not me. He goes by the codename 'Phantom.' He is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Three years ago, when your family was destroyed, it was him who gave the order. I was simply following the plan."

Lin Feng's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Phantom?" he echoed. "Where is he?"

Black Shadow shook his head. "I've never met him in person," he admitted. "He operates exclusively through the dark web, issuing orders from the shadows. Even I don't know what he looks like."

Lin Feng frowned, his fingers tightening around the documents in his hand. Without warning, he struck Black Shadow hard on the shoulder. The captive coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body trembling from the impact. Struggling to steady his breathing, he continued, "All I know is that he holds a secret meeting every quarter, always overseas. The next one is scheduled for next month."

Lin Feng's lips curled into a smirk. "Next month, huh?" he murmured, an icy gleam flashing in his eyes. "That means you're useless to me now." He turned to his subordinate, a bespectacled man standing nearby. "Lock him up. Keep him alive—I want to dig out every last secret about this Phantom."

The bespectacled man nodded silently and dragged the battered prisoner away. Lin Feng turned on his heel and ascended the stairs, stepping out of the cold, dark basement and into the warm, well-lit expanse of his top-floor office.

As he entered, Lin Xue'er immediately approached, her expression filled with concern. "Brother," she called softly, "what did Black Shadow reveal?"

Lin Feng sank into his leather chair and lit a cigarette, exhaling a stream of smoke before responding, "He gave us a bigger target—someone called Phantom. The real mastermind behind what happened three years ago."

Lin Xue'er's eyes glistened with emotion, her hands clenching into fists. "Then what do we do now?" she asked, her voice unsteady.

Lin Feng flicked the ash from his cigarette, his expression unreadable. "We wait," he said simply. "Next month, we'll pull him out of the shadows." He rose from his chair and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the sprawling cityscape of Jiangcheng. His gaze darkened as he muttered under his breath, "Phantom, you've been hiding for three years. This time, I will make sure you have nowhere left to run."

Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He answered it, and his subordinate's voice came through the receiver. "Boss, Black Shadow's remaining men are still active in Jiangcheng. They seem to be planning a rescue mission."

A smirk played at the corner of Lin Feng's lips. "A rescue mission?" he mused. "Then let's make sure they never get the chance."

After ending the call, he turned to Lin Xue'er. "Stay here today," he instructed. "I have some trash to clean up."

Lin Xue'er nodded, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes rather than fear.

Lin Feng grabbed his coat and drove toward the location his subordinate had provided—an abandoned warehouse in the western outskirts of Jiangcheng. Upon arrival, his subordinate was already waiting outside.

"Boss," the man reported, "there are more than twenty of them inside, armed and ready. They're discussing their next move."

Lin Feng's eyes glinted dangerously. "Only twenty?" he scoffed. "That's barely a warm-up."

Without hesitation, he strode toward the warehouse, his every step exuding an aura of deadly confidence.

Inside, more than twenty men dressed in black were gathered around a makeshift table, their expressions tense as they discussed their plan to rescue their leader. The moment Lin Feng stepped inside, the air grew heavy with tension.

A bald man at the head of the group stood up, his eyes narrowing. "Lin Feng?" he spat. "You really have the guts to walk in here alone?"

Lin Feng smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. "If I didn't, how else would I send you all to hell?"

The bald man snarled and raised his hand. "Get him!" he ordered.

The black-clad men surged forward, weapons drawn. Lin Feng moved like a shadow, weaving through their attacks with fluid precision. His fists and feet struck like lightning, each blow landing with deadly accuracy. Within moments, several men were sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.

The bald man roared in frustration and swung a knife at Lin Feng. In a blur of motion, Lin Feng caught his wrist and twisted it sharply, the sickening crack of bone echoing through the warehouse. The man collapsed to his knees, howling in agony. Lin Feng followed up with a brutal kick to his chest, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.

As the dust settled, Lin Feng glanced around the warehouse. The remaining men were either too injured or too terrified to move. He clapped the dust off his hands and turned to his subordinate. "Round them up," he ordered. "I want to know how many more of them are still out there."

The subordinate nodded and set to work.

Lin Feng stepped outside, taking in the cool night air. This was only the beginning. The hunt for Phantom had officially begun.