Chapter 1456 Underground Intelligence Trading Center

Morning light streamed through the old-fashioned window frames.

All night without incident.

Lin Naoko's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The moment she regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was the soft blanket covering her tightly.

And... the empty space next to me.

She subconsciously reached out and touched the chair next to her; it was already ice-cold.

Luo Feng had already left sometime earlier.

She sat up, the blanket slipping off her shoulders.

A long-lost feeling of refreshment spread throughout my body, as if every cell had received a full rest.

She was stunned for a moment before realizing that she had slept so soundly and peacefully last night, without even a single dream.

Since entering this industry, Shen has been on edge all year round, and she hasn't experienced this sense of peace and tranquility, sleeping soundly through the night, for a long time.

Was it because...she was in his arms?
Thinking back to last night when I was so scared that I threw myself into his arms, and then pretended to be asleep, feeling his clumsy pats and the way he carefully covered me with a blanket...

Lin Naoko's lips couldn't help but curl upwards, a sweet and mischievous smile blooming on her face, her eyes brimming with laughter.

"What are you giggling about?"

A familiar voice, tinged with laughter, suddenly came from the doorway.

Lin Naizi was startled and looked up sharply. She saw Luo Feng leaning against the door frame, holding a large tray with a variety of breakfast items on it. He was looking at her with a half-smile.

Caught red-handed, Lin Naoko's face quickly flushed slightly, then she rolled her eyes at him to hide her embarrassment.

"Who's grinning like that! When did you leave? Where did you go?"

She deliberately asked in a fierce tone, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the tray in his hands.

The aromas of soy milk, fried dough sticks, xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and shrimp dumplings and siu mai from her favorite Hong Kong-style tea restaurant wafted over.

Luo Feng walked in carrying a tray, placed it on a corner of the fairly clean workbench, shrugged, and joked in a relaxed tone.

"What else could we do? Of course, we'd prepare a loving breakfast for our hardworking Miss Lin."

"Try it, how's your cooking?"

"Cut~"

Upon hearing this, Lin Naozi walked to the tray, stretched out her slender fingers, and pointed at each of them, mercilessly exposing his lies.

"Old Li's soy milk and fried dough sticks at the alley entrance still have the same packaging."

"The signature flavor of the Hangzhou-style steamed buns at the end of this street."

"And this—"

She picked up the delicate shrimp dumpling box. "Jin Yue Hong Kong Style Tea, it would take at least twenty minutes to drive there even without traffic, right? President Luo, you get up really early, and you're so thoughtful."

Being exposed on the spot, Luo Feng showed no embarrassment whatsoever; instead, he smiled even more freely.

"The process doesn't matter, the result is what matters. As long as the thought is there, that's enough. Go wash up and eat while it's hot."

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Lin Naizi couldn't help but laugh, and turned to walk towards the small restroom inside.

After she quickly washed up, Luo Feng had already set out breakfast and poured her some soy milk.

"Eat quickly, and I'll take you somewhere after you finish." Luo Feng handed her a pair of chopsticks.

Lin Naoko took the chopsticks, picked up a glistening shrimp dumpling, and asked curiously, "Where are we going?"

Luo Feng took a bite of the fried dough stick and smiled mysteriously: "It's a secret for now. You'll find out when we get there."

"Still keeping it a secret?" Lin Naizi raised an eyebrow, her curiosity completely piqued. "Why are you keeping me in suspense? Are you investigating clues? Or is it about the wooden box? Or... did you discover traces of those people from last night?"

She bombarded him with questions, her eyes fixed on Luo Feng, trying to find some clue on his face.

Luo Feng, however, simply sipped his soy milk slowly and deliberately, keeping his mouth shut.

"What's the rush? It's not like I'm selling you."

"Eat quickly, it won't taste good when it gets cold."

Seeing how tight-lipped he was, Lin Naoko felt like a kitten was scratching at her heart.

While eating her delicious breakfast, she would occasionally glance at Luo Feng, her mind racing as she considered various possibilities.

The more mysterious he was, the more she wanted to know.

This usually calm and rational intelligence expert was now itching to eat a simple secret, so much so that he couldn't even taste the shrimp dumplings he was eating.

The sunlight was perfect, illuminating the fine dust particles in the air through the windows, and the studio was filled with the aroma of breakfast and a subtly relaxed atmosphere.

After finishing breakfast, Luo Feng neatly cleaned up the trash and gestured with his chin towards Lin Naizi.

"Let's go."

Filled with curiosity, Lin Naoko followed him into the car.

The car made several turns and didn't head towards the bustling commercial area. Instead, it drove into the entrance of a parking lot that looked a bit old.

After parking the car, Luo Feng led her to a special elevator that required a card swipe and pressed the button for the second basement level.

The elevator doors opened, and what appeared before us was not a parking lot, but the entrance to a brightly lit, bustling underground shopping mall.

A huge "Huimin Wholesale Market" sign hangs above, looking rather unremarkable.

Lin Naoko looked around and saw people pushing shopping carts and carrying woven bags coming and going, just like ordinary people buying daily necessities.

She was somewhat taken aback, and turned to look at Luo Feng, asking with her eyes.

Did you bring me here to buy things?

Luo Feng caught her gaze, simply smiled mysteriously, offered no explanation, and walked straight toward the entrance.

Lin Naoko followed with some skepticism.

Sure enough, at the entrance gate, they were stopped by two burly men in security uniforms with sharp eyes and strong builds.

"Please show your pass," one of them said expressionlessly in a low voice.

Luo Feng seemed to have been prepared, pulling a black card from the inner pocket of his wallet.

The card was made of a special material and had no text on it, only a thin silver magnetic strip containing a built-in chip. The security guard took the card and swiped it on a small handheld device, which lit up with a green light.

He then carefully examined Luo Feng and Lin Naizi behind him before stepping aside and gesturing for them to proceed.

After passing through the turnstile, the scene before my eyes changed dramatically!

The ordinary scene of daily life outside was like a mask being torn off, revealing a core that made even the well-informed Lin Naoko's eyes widen slightly.

The space here is enormous and brightly lit, but the shelves are not stocked with everyday goods; instead, they are filled with enclosed or semi-open cubicles and counters.

A tense yet excited atmosphere filled the air.

Various shouts and bargaining sounds rose and fell, intertwining together.

"Global Technology's Quarterly Report Preview Next Week! Insider Information, Guaranteed Authentic!"

"In-depth analysis of a certain bank's policy trends! Buy now while supplies last!"

"Rumors of a scandal involving the heir to the Li Group confirmed! High-resolution photos included!"

"Liquor Fund Portfolio Adjustment Roadmap for Next Week! You'll Regret Missing It!"

"Inside the Mergers and Acquisitions of Overseas Mining Giants! Exclusive Source!"

This is not an underground supermarket at all, but a massive and blatantly open underground intelligence trading market!
They're not selling products, but all sorts of information and secrets, from financial insider information to celebrity gossip, covering almost everything.

Lin Naoko looked at the bustling and bizarre scene before her, which resembled an information market, and couldn't hide her astonishment.

She had been in the intelligence business for many years, operating her own system, always conducting transactions and information integration through high-end, clandestine channels. This was the first time she had witnessed something like this firsthand…

Such a down-to-earth yet unscrupulous intelligence marketplace.

Seeing her surprised expression, Luo Feng seemed to find it amusing. He leaned closer and chuckled softly, "How about that? Didn't expect that, did you? You, such a high-ranking intelligence officer, known for your excellent information network, didn't even know that such a treasure trove was hidden beneath this city?"

Lin Naoko withdrew her gaze, regaining her usual aloof demeanor. She raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disdain.

"I have my own channels and principles."

"This kind of information selling, which is a mixed bag and difficult to distinguish between true and false, is inefficient, extremely risky, and its credibility is highly questionable."

"I never participate, nor do I care to know."

She paused, glanced around at the vendors who were spitting as they tried to sell their information, and added, "Most of the people trading here are speculators and laymen looking for bargains."

"Things of real value don't appear at stalls with clearly marked prices."

"Yo yo yo!"

Luo Feng smiled noncommittally, "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish."

"Sometimes, the most inconspicuous places may hold unexpected clues. Come on, I'll take you to meet someone who might offer us some different perspectives."

As he spoke, he led Lin Naoko through the noisy crowd with practiced ease, heading deeper into the market.

Luo Feng, with Lin Naizi by his side, nimbly weaved through the bustling crowd.

He seemed quite familiar with the area, avoiding the vendors who came up to him with their exclusive scoops, and headed straight for a corner of the market.

The further you go in, the more upscale the surrounding stalls seem to become. They are no longer open and shouting, but rather small booths with partitions or curtains that slightly obscure the area. The transactions also seem more private, with most people talking in hushed tones.

Finally, they stopped in an inconspicuous corner deep inside the market.

There is a small cubicle here, with no sign, only a simple wooden sign with a crooked "卦" (gua, meaning divination) character written on it in red ink.

Inside the cubicle sat an old man dressed in an old Tang suit and wearing round sunglasses, leisurely fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

On the small table in front of him were a fortune-telling container and several yellowed old books, making him look like a fortune teller, completely out of place in the atmosphere of selling modern information.

"Old Qian, business is here." Luo Feng tapped the edge of the partition with his finger.

The man known as Old Man Qian slowly raised his head, his eyes behind his sunglasses seeming to sized up Luo Feng, then glanced at the elegant Lin Naizi beside him, a cryptic smile appearing on his face, his voice hoarse.

"Hey, it's a rare visitor."

"Young Luo, what do you want to find out this time? Let me make this clear first: here's the rule: prices depend on the information, payment is required before delivery, and we do not offer credit."

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Lin Naoko for a few more seconds, and the speed at which he waved his palm-leaf fan slowed slightly.

Lin Naoko was also sizing up the strange old man.

She noticed that this seemingly charlatan old man had a keen insight in his eyes that contradicted his appearance.

Moreover, Luo Feng brought her here specifically to find this person, which was definitely not just for fortune telling.

Luo Feng didn't beat around the bush, leaning forward slightly and lowering his voice:
"I'd like to ask you about a box."

"Box?"

Old Qian paused in his fanning, and his brows, hidden behind his sunglasses, seemed to twitch.

"There are so many kinds of boxes in this world: jewelry boxes, mooncake boxes, urns... Which kind are you talking about?"

"A wooden box, made of a special material, with cloud and star patterns on it, and also with a... deadly little mechanism."

Luo Feng's description was rather vague, but he mentioned the key points.

Old Qian was silent for a moment, as if he was recalling something.

After a while, he spoke slowly, his voice lowered so that only the three of them could hear him.

"Tsk, the thing you're talking about... sounds like a hot potato. You're not the only one asking about it lately."

Luo Feng and Lin Naizi exchanged a glance, and both felt a chill run down their spines.

"Has anyone else inquired about this?" Luo Feng immediately pressed.

Old Qian chuckled twice, then rubbed two fingers together, making an internationally recognized gesture.

"Rules, rules."

"Information doesn't come for free."

Without saying a word, Luo Feng took out a small stack of cash that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and placed it on the table.

Old Man Qian didn't even glance at the thickness of the stack of money. He simply covered it with his palm-leaf fan, and the money disappeared beneath the fan with astonishing speed.

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