Upon returning to the base, Lin Li acted with lightning speed. With a wave of his hand, he immediately summoned the think tank of the Starry Alliance. He slumped into a chair, propped his feet up on the desk, and said with a nonchalant air, "Everyone, put your heads together and figure out how to flush this mysterious organization out. Don't hold anything back—whatever tricks you’ve got, use them now."
The members of the think tank scrambled into action. After a flurry of discussion, they discovered that the Dark Star organization had been showing unusual, almost obsessive activity around an abandoned factory in the west of the city. Everyone agreed that this was likely where the mysterious organization and Dark Star were making contact.
Lin Li’s eyes widened, and he slammed his hand on the table in excitement. "Ha! Just when I was feeling sleepy, someone hands me a pillow! I’ll lead the team myself. We’re going to pay them a visit tonight."
The night fell like a heavy black shroud. Lin Li and his team crept into the abandoned factory like ghosts. The place was unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional "squeak" of a rat, which sounded like a symphony of horror playing just for them.
As they cautiously searched, a team member suddenly gasped, "Boss Lin, something’s not right here!"
The group crowded around to see strange symbols etched into the floor, alongside some tattered documents. Lin Li squinted at the markings, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. "Good grief, why do these look like the runes we saw in the ruins? Could this mysterious organization be linked to them?" A sense of foreboding slithered through him like a snake.
They continued their search like treasure hunters, and sure enough, they found a phone in a corner that looked as ancient as an artifact. Lin Li’s eyes lit up as if he’d found gold; he grabbed it and pried it open. It contained several encrypted messages. Lin Li shouted at the System, "Hey System, hurry up and decrypt these messages! Don't drag your feet!" The System responded immediately, and within moments, the content was laid bare. Lin Li was so furious he nearly smashed the phone. "The nerve! 'Plan in progress,' they say. Calling our Starry Alliance a stumbling block that needs to be removed. Meeting place: the abandoned pier on the outskirts of town tomorrow. Oh, you little rats, daring to come after me? Just wait until I deal with you tomorrow!"
The next day, Lin Li brought the elite of the Starry Alliance—a force as imposing as a pack of tigers descending from the mountains—and arrived at the abandoned pier well ahead of time. They hid in the shadows like ninjas, eyes peeled, waiting for their prey to take the bait.
Before long, a ship so dilapidated it looked ready to fall apart drifted slowly toward the dock like a frail old man stumbling along. A group of men in black disembarked, including one figure who stood out from the rest like a crane in a flock of chickens—a tall, mountain-like man wearing a mask. Lin Li mused, "That must be the boss of Dark Star. Look at him, putting on quite the show."
"Did you bring the goods?" the Masked Person asked. His voice was cold enough to freeze the air around them.
At that moment, a black car zoomed in from another direction. The door clicked open, and a middle-aged man in a suit stepped out, carrying a black briefcase. He wore a fake smile. "Of course I brought it. But have you got the money ready?"
The Masked Person waved his hand impatiently. His men lifted several large crates and threw them open, revealing piles of cold, hard cash. The middle-aged man nodded in satisfaction and handed over the black briefcase.
Just as they were focused on the transaction, Lin Li and his men lunged out with a roar like hungry wolves. Lin Li bellowed, "Hold it right there! Your shady dealings end today!"
The Masked Person froze for a split second, then let out a maniacal laugh. "Hahaha! Lin Li, you’ve truly come here seeking your own death! Since you're here, don't think you're walking out of this pier alive!"
Lin Li sneered with disdain. "We'll see about who’s dying! Why don't you tell me what kind of dirty deal you're making with this mysterious organization? Don't think you can keep it from me!"
The Masked Person gave a cold snort, looking triumphant. "I don't mind telling you, since you aren't leaving here today anyway. We’re collaborating on a drug that can control the human mind. Once we succeed, the whole of Jiangcheng will bow to us. By then, we’ll be the kings of this city!"