The winter morning had its own charm.
A tender orange tint painted the sparse clouds across the sky; the first light of dawn sprinkled down, blending with the delicate scent of dew in the air, fresh and natural. Mist hovered over the river surface, creating layers of delicate ripples. Occasionally, the clear chirping of birds mingled with the noise of the New Year celebration.
The successive failures of Yu Qin and Croney had silenced the various forces tacitly.
Even the confident team from Baisheng Group had to now reconsider Lin Chuan’s capabilities.
Big Tiger had considered the possibility of Croney failing.
But he would never have imagined Croney being captured by Lin Chuan, rendering him utterly defenseless.
Under his multimillion bounty, Croney was an ace among the employed assassins—a flat pebble tossed onto the Han River in Anling, creating a splash and nothing more.
In Morgan Group, Lucas was now the sole backbone in the Southeast Asia region.
The two sisters from Yu Clan had both been compromised in Anling.
Lucas, alone and overloaded, could hardly manage the strenuous workload anymore, having no leisure as before, he had to push himself out of the wheelchair despite his knee injuries.
What about AW?
It seemed like they had withdrawn.
With Karl captured, they couldn’t find a Hacker to match Lin Chuan.
The three forces each had their calculations, oddly calm.
It was supposed to be a peaceful New Year’s holiday.
But Lin Chuan wasn’t idle.
His enemies not striking didn’t mean they wouldn’t in the future.
Thus, instead of enjoying the New Year’s holiday in relaxation, Lin Chuan started to get busy.
Yes.
Represented by Elder Zhong, the Han River police had contacted INTERPOL, Zhao Haiping.
Zhao Haiping took it very seriously and dispatched two capable officers to return to Anling to join Anling Police and Lin Chuan to investigate the case comprehensively.
"Chairman, INTERPOL has arrived,"
On his way out,
Zhang Xinxin meticulously adjusted his suit and, looking up with a slight worry, said,
"The more police forces involved in a case, and the broader the scope, the more it speaks to the seriousness of the situation."
Lin Chuan ruffled her hair, comforting her, "Don’t worry, this time, it’s me who wants to cooperate with INTERPOL. You know I prefer to be passive, but I can take the initiative too."
Little Landlady blushed, "What passive and active? At this time, and you still talk nonsense."
"I’m going to take the initiative this time."
Lin Chuan winked, pinching Little Landlady’s cheek playfully.
In winter, her delicate face wasn’t roughened by the cold; it remained soft, carrying a gentle warmth.
Little Landlady caught Lin Chuan’s hand, rubbing her cheek against it a few times, "Safety first, that Croney assassin really scared me."
Lin Chuan thought for a moment, then whispered closely to Little Landlady’s ear, "Let me tell you a secret, I am actually the top assassin in the world. So, any assassin that comes my way is just delivering themselves."
Little Landlady paused, "Chairman, you’re bragging again!"
"I’m serious!" Lin Chuan said earnestly.
Little Landlady scoffed at Lin Chuan, smiling, "Then tell me, what missions have you carried out? Who have you hunted?"
Lin Chuan touched his nose, embarrassed, "I haven’t actually taken any jobs yet."
Little Landlady laughed, "Alright, you should get going, don’t keep Sister Qianqian and the two officers waiting."
"Alright, wait for me to come home."
Lin Chuan pinched the Little Landlady’s cheek again, walked out of the house cheerfully.
Shortly after descending the stairs,
Shen Qianqian’s car arrived.
"You’re practically my personal driver now," Lin Chuan jested as he settled into the passenger seat.
Shen Qianqian responded helplessly, "Well, it’s because the cases involving you are enormously troubling."
It was hard to imagine how a web novel writer could be entangled in giant cases, each pointing to colossal entities within the Dark World, frightening enough to scare anyone to death.
"These are just minor issues."
Lin Chuan’s face was relaxed as he spoke, making facing giants such as Morgan, Baisheng, and AW seem like mundane trifles.
Dressed in her police uniform, Shen Qianqian’s clean, pretty face turned towards Lin Chuan, studying him for a good while.
"What are you looking at?"
Lin Chuan smiled.
Shen Qianqian chuckled softly, "Just seeing how far your bragging will fly."
In her eyes, this was typical of Lin Chuan.
Even emergent, extremely dangerous matters sounded reassuring when he articulated them, due to his comforting strength.
Shen Qianqian knew it was his confidence.
But to those unfamiliar with him, it might seem like arrogance.
"Problems slowing down brings solutions, people slowing down brings peace, and that’s not bragging," Lin Chuan spoke casually, with a smile.
Shen Qianqian glanced askance at Lin Chuan, "Why do you sound so old-fashioned?"
"Last year was 2024, now it’s 2025, I’ve aged a year, so my speech has to reflect my age," Lin Chuan joked.
Shen Qianqian rolled her eyes at Lin Chuan, at a loss for words, then pressed the accelerator, took hold of the steering wheel, and drove towards the police station.
The winter sun was bright, but the wind still carried a chilling bleakness.
The fierce howling of the wind sounded outside the window.
The noise of the tires rubbing against the ground echoed inside the car.
While driving, Shen Qianqian brought up the important matter, "Comrade Lin Chuan, this time, the International Police have sent two officers, Li Tong and Qin Yun, both elite."
Lin Chuan nodded, "Understood."
"You should pay serious attention. Qin Yun is younger. Li Tong is very capable, and Elder Zheng specifically asked me to be more courteous towards Officer Li Tong," Shen Qianqian said earnestly.
"My great endeavor is hopeful now!"
Lin Chuan laughed heartily.
"Being able to serve as an international police and achieving results marks you as a capable person, but the more capable you are, the harder it is to get along with them, maybe they won’t even need your cooperation and can handle cases directly," Shen Qianqian gave a precautionary warning.
Lin Chuan’s mindset was excellent: "Then wouldn’t I be happy to have more leisure time?"
During their conversation, the police station appeared in their sight.
Lin Chuan’s meeting with Li Tong and Qin Yun was arranged in a secluded office, inconspicuous and very confidential.
Shen Qianqian led Lin Chuan, who sat inside the office.
Soon after.
Two detectives handling international cases, personally accompanied by Zhang Biao and Hu Daqiang, appeared before Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan stood up to greet them.
Zhang Biao warmly introduced both parties.
"Hello, Comrade Lin Chuan." Li Tong and Qin Yun each shook hands with Lin Chuan.
"Hello, Officer Li, Officer Qin," Lin Chuan responded with a smile.
Qin Yun wore plain clothes and a jacket, with a crew cut, a clean and crisp face, full of vigor, and appeared about the same age as Lin Chuan, evidently young and promising.
"Comrade Lin Chuan, speaking of which, I have witnessed your ’combat’ before."
As everyone took their seats, Qin Yun first broke the silence.
Everyone there, including Lin Chuan, was slightly startled.
Lin Chuan was somewhat curious, "What does Officer Qin mean?"
"Do you remember a cyber attack launched by Morgan Group on ’International Forum-Underworld’?" Qin Yun asked with a friendly smile, striking up a conversation with Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan raised his eyebrows, "I remember. I didn’t expect Officer Qin to pay attention to that matter."
Qin Yun nodded slightly and smiled, "At that time, I was in charge of investigating ’addictive drugs’ cases in Southeast Asia, clueless, your counterattack online and the consequent unraveling opened up the ’addictive drugs’ case; otherwise, I’d still be pulling my hair out now."
Everyone exchanged smiles.
Shen Qianqian was slightly startled, not expecting that Qin Yun had heard about Lin Chuan and also had such a subtle connection.
She had been worried that these capable people might look down on Lin Chuan.
Now she could breathe a bit easier.
Qin Yun then said, "Because of that incident, I’ve been regularly following ’International Forum-Underworld’. I’ve subscribed to both ’Hacker Kingdom’ and ’Black Ice’."
"Thank you," Lin Chuan replied with a knowing smile.
At that moment, Director Zhang Biao timely joked, "In that case, our meeting today is like a gathering of book friends."
Zhang Biao, Hu Daqiang, and Shen Qianqian in attendance were all loyal readers of Lin Chuan’s work.
Qin Yun laughed heartily, "Comrade Lin Chuan must have thoroughly investigated crimes, which is why the cases you write touch people deeply."
Lin Chuan quickly waved his hand, modestly saying, "I’ve only studied superficially, not deeply researched."
Their simple conversation warmed up the atmosphere.
Next, they moved on to the main topic.
Zhang Biao and Hu Daqiang were busy with work and, after establishing an initial impression, went to deal with the cases involving Croney, Yu Qin, and others.
In the office, only Lin Chuan, Shen Qianqian, Li Tong, and Qin Yun remained.
Shen Qianqian took on the role of ’moderator’.
"Both of you, previously Yu Qin and Croney successively attacked Lin Chuan, involving huge motives behind. It’s certain that behind Yu Qin is the Morgan Group; as for Croney, this English Assassin King, he took on a multi-million US Dollar bounty to capture Lin Chuan alive; as for the employer and the forces behind him, further investigation is needed."
Shen Qianqian finished speaking, her gaze landing on Li Tong and Qin Yun.
Qin Yun remained silent, looking towards Li Tong.
Clearly, this time, the primary responsibility was on Li Tong.
Lin Chuan also glanced at Li Tong.
This mid-thirties woman, with short hair, clean and tidy, her skin not pale but having a tanned roughness, still evident even in winter.
She didn’t sit as upright as Qin Yun but rather more relaxed.
A capable face, with thin, slightly upward-curving eyebrows and a pair of deep, sharp eyes underneath, lips tightly closed, exuding a formidable aura. Continue your adventure with empire
At this moment.
Li Tong looked up at Lin Chuan with penetrating eyes, as if trying to see through him.
She spoke, "Comrade Lin Chuan, rather than the employer behind them, I’m more interested in knowing how you managed to track the movements of Yu Qin and Croney, and implemented actions?"
Lin Chuan was inwardly surprised.
This Li Tong gave him a feeling of being both decisive and meticulously detailed.
Her capability was indeed strong.
Lin Chuan pondered for a moment: "Yu Qin’s actions were under my control; as for Croney, it was purely coincidental."
"Could you elaborate?" Li Tong asked, her expression unchanged.
"Of course," Lin Chuan said casually.
He then accounted his hacking into Lucas’s computer and the rough process of arranging the ’agent’.
Li Tong raised an eyebrow, "You just mentioned that you had placed an agent beside Yu Qin?"
Lin Chuan waved his hand, smiling, "Not exactly an agent, just that I had predicted her moves in advance and arranged for people she wanted to use to relay some information."
Li Tong was slightly silent: "What about Croney?"
"Corney was just by chance," Lin Chuan said, looking towards Shen Qianqian.
Shen Qianqian immediately understood and recounted the interaction between Lin Chuan and Croney.
Li Tong rarely nodded, "Comrade Lin Chuan, you are a very cautious person."
"Too many enemies," Lin Chuan said with a light smile.
"So, regarding who hired Croney, I assume with your hacking skills, you would have some idea?" Li Tong asked further.
Lin Chuan pondered briefly, "Baisheng Group."

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