Chapter Twenty-three: The Night Before the Counterattack

The night was deep over Jiangcheng's towering office buildings. The cityscape shimmered with distant lights, but within the dimly lit office, the atmosphere was tense. Lin Feng sat in his leather chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the polished wooden desk. The assassination attempt in East City had failed, confirming the Shadow Consortium's desperation. Yet, the true mastermind—the elusive figure known as Black Shadow—remained a mystery. His whereabouts were still unknown, his motives hidden beneath layers of deception.

Lin Feng exhaled a long breath, then lit a cigarette. The smoke curled lazily upward, dissolving into the dimness of the room. His mind replayed the events of the past few days: the deadly traps, the relentless pursuit, the explosions at the Chamber of Commerce building, and the hired killers in East City. Each encounter had brought him to the edge of danger, yet at the same time, they had pushed him closer to the truth. Every attack, every failed attempt to eliminate him, was a clue—a crack in the enemy's armor.

The door creaked open, and his trusted strategist, a man known simply as Glasses, stepped in, holding a freshly printed report. His expression was grave, but there was a flicker of victory in his eyes.

"Boss," Glasses said, placing the report on the desk, "we got a confession. One of the assassins we captured in East City cracked under pressure. He admitted that Black Shadow issued the kill order through the dark web. But here's the problem—they've never met him in person. They receive temporary directives, execute them, and vanish."

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes. "That means he's being extremely cautious. He's protecting his identity even from his own men." He took another drag from his cigarette before exhaling slowly. "Did he say anything else?"

Glasses nodded. "Yes. The dark web channel will issue new instructions tomorrow."

Lin Feng's lips curled into a smirk. "Tomorrow, huh? Then we wait."

He rose from his chair and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the sprawling city below. The neon lights painted the streets in a soft glow, but his mind was already in the battlefield of the coming night. His younger sister, Lin Xue'er, approached cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Brother… Black Shadow never shows himself. What if…" She hesitated, unwilling to voice the fear in her heart.

Lin Feng finished her sentence for her. "What if he's given up?" He shook his head. "No, he hasn't. If anything, he's more desperate than ever. The closer I get, the more reckless he'll become." His voice carried a quiet confidence, an unshakable certainty that sent a wave of reassurance through her.

At that moment, his phone rang, breaking the silence. He picked it up, and the urgent voice of Li Tianhao came through the receiver.

"Mr. Lin! Someone tried to break into my house this afternoon! My security team stopped them, but they were definitely from the Shadow Consortium!"

Lin Feng chuckled coldly. "So, they're finally losing patience." His voice carried a touch of amusement, as if he had expected this all along. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Thanks to your warning, I increased security just in time," Li Tianhao admitted, still shaken. "But what do we do now?"

Lin Feng's tone remained calm, almost casual. "Stay put and keep your security tight. Tomorrow, I'll make my move."

Hanging up the call, he turned to Glasses. "Prepare everything. Tomorrow, we'll intercept the dark web transmission. I want to know exactly what Black Shadow's next step is."

Dawn.

Inside the high-tech surveillance room of the office building, multiple screens cast a dim blue glow across the darkened space. Lin Feng and Glasses stood behind the team of technicians as they worked their magic, fingers flying across keyboards. Data flashed across the monitors, and finally, the awaited message from the dark web channel appeared:

'All operatives assemble. Target: Lin Feng. Location: Abandoned factory, North Suburbs. Time: 8:00 PM tonight.'

Lin Feng smirked, his fingers lightly tracing the edges of the monitor. "An abandoned factory? How predictable."

Glasses adjusted his spectacles, his expression serious. "Boss, should we strike first?"

Lin Feng nodded. "We'll set up an ambush. Tonight, we end this."

He turned to his sister. "Xue'er, don't leave the house today. I'll be back tonight."

She hesitated for a moment, searching his face for any sign of uncertainty. But there was none—only unwavering confidence. She nodded, her trust in him absolute. "Be careful."

Lin Feng wasted no time assembling his elite team—the deadly and elusive Night Blades. The conference room became a war room, a place where strategies were laid bare, and victory was planned. He spread out a map of the abandoned factory, his eyes scanning every possible entrance, exit, and blind spot.

"Black Shadow thinks he has the upper hand," Lin Feng said, his voice steady. "He's wrong. We go in two hours early and set up the perfect trap. No one leaves that factory alive unless I say so."

One of his lieutenants, a seasoned fighter with years of experience in urban warfare, nodded. "I'll take a team and start setting up now. We'll be in position before they arrive."

Lin Feng clapped a hand on the man's shoulder. "Good. Make sure they don't see it coming."

As the final preparations were made, Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, a quiet anticipation settling over him.

Tonight, he would finally force Black Shadow out of hiding.

Tonight, the hunter would become the hunted.

Lin Xue'er stood near the doorway, watching him. Her concern had not faded, but she knew better than to voice it. Instead, she asked softly, "Are you sure you'll win?"

Lin Feng turned to her with a calm, knowing smile. "Yes. This time, they have nowhere to run."

The city continued its daily rhythm, unaware that by nightfall, the underworld would tremble. The trap was set. The battlefield was chosen. And Lin Feng was ready to face his enemy in a battle that would decide everything.