"Shit, this smells so bad." He covered his nose.The night air in the abandoned industrial area of the northern sector felt so thick, carrying the foul odor of organic waste mixed with the pungent, musty stench of chemical waste residue from the old textile factory.The darkness in that place appeared thick, illuminated only by the faint reflection of a broken streetlamp flickering in the distance, creating long shadows resembling terrifying monsters across the cracked expanse of asphalt.In the corner of that vast and deserted public waste disposal area, a black sedan car was parked with the engine running, its headlights turned off to disguise its presence from the sight of anyone passing by on the main highway.Inside the car, Miller felt his heart beating wildly as if it were about to burst out of his chest cavity. Cold sweat poured heavily, wetting his forehead and neck, making his crumpled work shirt stick wetly to the skin of his back. He constantly glanced toward the rearview

"Has the transfer letter for the foundation's asset management rights under Erin Chase's name been officially signed by the Ministry of Finance this morning, Victor?"Derek West's voice glided calmly yet firmly, slicing through the silence of his spacious office as he stood by the glass wall gazing at the bustling city traffic from the height of the hundredth floor.Victor, standing at rigid attention beside the executive desk, immediately nodded without hesitation. "It is completely settled, Mr. West. The ministry and state curators have ratified the entire asset transfer without any legal objections, ensuring Miss Erin now holds full control over the social foundation," Victor answered straightforwardly.Derek grunted softly, sipping the remaining coffee in his cup before turning around to face his right-hand man. "Good. Ensure there are no lingering loose ends that can be tied back to the Chase family's shell companies in the future.""All digital and physical traces have been thor

"Are all personnel in the eastern sector taking up perfect combat positions without a single flaw, Victor?"Derek West's voice glided heavy and cold, slicing through the night's silence inside his magnificent private office. The man's sharp gaze was fixed straight onto the main monitor screen displaying a digital map of the old port area.Several red dots blinked slowly on the screen.Each dot represented a member position of Alexandre Vance's syndicate.Meanwhile, the blue dots surrounding them showed the troops Derek West had prepared to seal off all exit routes.Victor, standing at rigid attention in a jet-black suit by the side of the desk, immediately nodded obediently."They took up positions two hours ago, Mr. West. Our special tactical team tightly surrounds all escape routes around the port warehouse. No access remains for them to exit the perimeter."Derek grunted softly.His large hand picked up a cup of black coffee from atop the shiny black marble desk. The bitter aroma o

"Your decoy server has just successfully harvested their primary encryption handshake, Mr. West."Victor’s fingers moved across the secondary tactical pad on the desk, displaying a glowing red data packet pulsing softly against the dark interface. The unauthorized probe from the hidden underground facility had completely walked right into Derek’s digital trap, unknowingly handing over the exact cryptographic signature of their master server.Derek did not shift his gaze away from the glass of aged whiskey in his hand. The amber liquid caught the faint illumination of the monitor, reflecting a face completely devoid of surprise. He had anticipated this exact maneuver from the moment the first riddle arrived. Shadows playing at the national level always overestimated their own anonymity, mistaking the vastness of the digital world for an invisible cloak."They think they are the hunters whispering in the dark, Victor," Derek said, his voice low and steady as he set the glass down on the

The night in the downtown area crept slowly, wrapping the wet asphalt streets in neon lights reflecting among the puddles of remaining rain.Derek walked leisurely down the sidewalk of the commercial district, which was beginning to loosen from the fatigue of after-work hours. There was no expensive, formal tailored suit usually attached to his body, no flashy branded watch, and most importantly, no Victor trailing behind with his tactical tablet. He only wore a simple black bomber jacket, dark trousers, and casual leather shoes that muffled every step he took. To anyone crossing paths with him, he was just an ordinary man enjoying the night breeze after a long day.He turned into a somewhat hidden street corner behind the shade of an old maple tree, finding a small independent coffee shop radiating a warm orange glow from behind its glass windows. The rich aroma of roasted coffee beans immediately greeted him as he pushed open the wooden door of the cafe. The atmosphere inside was qu