Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 308 The Intersection of an Idol Singer and a Psychopathic Killer
Looking at the man in the silver-gray suit, Xu Hao cursed under his breath:
"Damn it, Zhuo Feng is such a show-off, acting all high and mighty!"

"At the last meeting, you specifically criticized me for my improper attire, saying it affected the organization's image, which made me buy a new suit this time. Bah! If it weren't for Station Chief Feng's sake, I would have beaten you up long ago!"

With a slight thought, Fang Cheng successfully extracted information about the young man from Xu Hao's memories.

This man, named Zhuo Feng, was an 8th-level cadre. He was a "parachuted" officer transferred from headquarters to replace the deceased Ghost and take control of the intelligence department.

He is said to be extremely talented, especially skilled in intelligence analysis and tracking, and is one of the best among the younger generation within the organization, highly valued by the higher-ups.

But precisely because of this, Zhuo Feng is extremely arrogant and has always looked down on others, and he has a rather disdainful attitude towards the local cadres of the Dongdu branch.

Xu Hao had previously complained about this guy who wasn't on his side and was always looking for trouble and finding fault with him; he was referring to this person.

Hearing Xu Hao's "bold words," Fang Cheng, after understanding the situation, couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly.

With your mediocre skills, you think you can take down an 8th-level cadre? You'd probably get crushed by a single finger.

Ma Biao's smile remained unchanged, but a barely perceptible hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He looked at Zhuo Feng and said lazily:
"Hey, isn't this Captain Zhuo? Quite the boaster. Looks like Captain Zhuo is absolutely certain of victory this time?"

Zhuo Feng snorted coldly, ignoring Ma Biao's teasing, and swept his gaze across the crowd with a hint of impatience:

"What time is it? You're still chatting here. The meeting is about to start, so everyone better be alert."

Upon hearing this, the previously noisy discussion immediately subsided, and everyone took their seats.

After finishing his reprimand, Zhuo Feng turned and walked to the front row of the conference table.

Xu Hao stared at Zhuo Feng's retreating figure, cursing under his breath.

The meeting room quickly quieted down, and the number of people whispering decreased significantly.

Fang Cheng keenly noticed that when Zhuo Feng's gaze occasionally swept over Ma Biao's side, a hint of hostility would appear in his eyes.

Ma Biao, however, acted as if he hadn't seen anything, continuing to hang out with Xu Hao, puffing on cigarettes, looking completely nonchalant.

After that, the meeting room door was opened several more times, and several people walked in one after another.

Two of them in particular attracted everyone's attention.

A man dressed in a black combat suit, with an exceptionally lean and agile physique.

His face was hidden in the shadow of his hat brim, making it difficult to see clearly, but the aura he exuded was not to be ignored.

Fang Cheng learned from Xu Hao's memories that this person's code name was "Poison Scorpion." He was also an 8th-level cadre and a well-known assassination expert within the organization. He was skilled in using various poisons and bizarre assassination techniques. He had a withdrawn and eccentric personality and rarely communicated with others.

It is said that during one mission, he single-handedly infiltrated the heavily guarded headquarters of an enemy force, silently killed their leader, and then escaped unscathed, thus gaining great fame.

The other person was an ordinary-looking, unremarkable middle-aged man, but the cold, rotten aura emanating from him made Xu Hao feel very uncomfortable.

This person's name is Chen Rui. He is a level 7 cadre who has recently joined the organization. He is said to like keeping hunting dogs and is good at tracking enemies, but other details are unknown.

Time passed by, and more and more people attended the meeting, until almost twenty people had arrived.

Everyone was waiting for Station Chief Feng, who was to chair the meeting, to arrive.

Through Xu Hao's perspective, Fang Cheng gained a comprehensive understanding of the Noah Organization's personnel composition and related circumstances in Dongdu.

Just as everyone was getting impatient and the chatter gradually grew louder again.

Suddenly, a slightly obsequious voice, accompanied by footsteps, came in.

"This is it, Minister Luo. Everyone is here. Please come in..."

The heavy, half-open door to the conference room was pushed open completely from the outside.

A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who looked refined, walked in with a big smile on his face.

"Feng the Skinflint has finally decided to show his face..."

Upon seeing this person appear, Xu Hao couldn't help but mentally complain.

Fang Cheng immediately learned that this middle-aged man was the head of the Dongdu branch, a level 9 cadre, Station Chief Feng.

When Xu Hao's gaze fell upon another person behind Station Chief Feng, he felt a slight pang in his heart.

He was a man with a crew cut who was not tall, but whose imposing presence was like a javelin standing upright.

He was around forty years old, with a resolute face and sharp eyes, exuding an air of authority even without anger.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, his hands behind his back, and his steps were steady and powerful.

Each step he took seemed to carry immense weight, making the air in the entire conference room feel heavier.

The room, which had been somewhat noisy, fell completely silent the moment the crew-cut man appeared.

All eyes were drawn to him like iron filings attracted by a magnet.

An invisible pressure filled the air, several times stronger than before.

Fang Cheng's mind also tightened slightly.

What a strong aura!
The aura emanating from this crew-cut man was far superior to that of the previous cadres.

It is neither as sharp and outspoken as Zhuo Feng, nor as sinister and treacherous as Du Xie.

Rather, it is a purer, deeper kind of power, like an abyss that is held back.

Even so, it still exudes a chilling sense of oppression.

Station Chief Feng, wearing glasses, wore a humble smile and bowed slightly, gesturing for the crew-cut man to proceed.

"Minister Luo! Your presence and guidance to the Dongdu branch is a great honor for us all!"

"We've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon, and we're so glad you've finally arrived! Please take a seat!"

As he spoke, he immediately turned to the people in the conference room, raised his voice slightly, and urged them:
"What are you all standing there for? Quickly stand up and give Minister Luo a warm round of applause!"

Before he finished speaking, Station Chief Feng himself started clapping enthusiastically.

After a brief moment of surprise, thunderous applause erupted in the conference room.

Everyone stood up from their seats, their faces showing genuine or feigned excitement, their eyes fixed intently on the crew-cut man.

"Minister Luo?"

Xu Hao was startled.

The fact that Station Chief Feng, a level 9 branch manager and the top leader of Dongdu, would fawn over him and address him as "Minister" is astonishing.

That means they must be at least a big shot at the board level!
Like many others present, he was filled with curiosity and awe at the identity of this "imperial envoy" who had been parachuted in from headquarters.

It's important to understand that for elite members of the Noah Organization, those at level 10 and above are high-ranking leaders, figures whose presence is rarely seen.

It almost belongs to another mysterious world.

No wonder the meeting was delayed for so long; it turns out they were waiting for this truly important figure.

The crew-cut man, referred to as "Minister Luo," nodded expressionlessly, his deep gaze sweeping slowly across the room as if it were tangible.

When his gaze swept over Xu Hao and Ma Biao, he seemed to pause for a fleeting moment.

Fang Cheng's mind suddenly tensed up!
Discovered?

impossible!
The "one-way projection" of consciousness is a purely spiritual connection, extremely hidden, and even the possessed person cannot detect it, let alone outsiders.

Even a powerful figure like Minister Luo might be able to sense the slight abnormality in Xu Hao's mental state, but he could never directly perceive Fang Cheng's presence. Sure enough, Minister Luo's gaze lingered on Xu Hao for less than half a second before casually looking away.

It seemed like just a casual glance, and no clues were found.

Fang Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a sense of vigilance arose within him.

This person's mental perception is frighteningly sharp; if we become his enemy in the future, we must be even more cautious.

Moreover, for some reason, Fang Cheng felt that Minister Luo's face and aura had a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it.

Perhaps it's just my imagination...

Fang Cheng temporarily suppressed his doubts and continued to observe from Xu Hao's perspective.

Station Chief Feng, like a courteous waiter, carefully led Minister Luo to the head seat at the very top of the conference table, while he himself bowed and sat down in a guest seat next to the head seat.

He cleared his throat, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and with a smile on his face, began his formulaic opening remarks.

The main point was simply to thank Minister Luo for taking precious time out of his busy schedule to personally provide guidance.

Then they went to great lengths to praise Minister Luo's wisdom and talent, as well as his great care for the East Capital Branch, saying that this would surely point the way for the future work of the East Capital Branch, and so on.

Fang Cheng listened with utter boredom, while Xu Hao cursed Station Chief Feng's ancestors for eighteen generations in his mind.

"Damn it, all Feng the Skinflint does is spout this nonsense. Can't he just spit it out? I'm waiting to get back to my card game..."

After a long and arduous wait, Station Chief Feng's effusive and complimentary opening remarks finally came to an end, and the main topic was finally introduced.

"Everyone."

Station Chief Feng surveyed the room, his tone becoming serious:

"I'm sure you all know the main purpose of gathering everyone here today."

He paused, then deliberately looked at Zhuo Feng, a smile of approval on his face.

"Regarding the objectives of this operation and the latest relevant intelligence, please let Captain Zhuo Feng from our intelligence department give us a detailed briefing."

"Captain Zhuo and his team worked day and night, sparing no effort, to obtain this valuable intelligence. We should applaud and encourage them!"

A few scattered, polite responses rang out in the meeting room, far less enthusiastic than when Minister Luo was welcomed earlier.

Ma Biao even let out an exaggerated whistle, drawing the attention of many people.

Zhuo Feng stood up amidst a slightly awkward atmosphere, but his face was filled with undisguised smugness and arrogance.

He first bowed deeply to Minister Luo, who was in the main seat, with utmost respect, in a very humble manner to show his deference.

Then, he walked to the podium at the other end of the conference room and fiddled with the playback equipment for a while.

The projection screen behind him lit up at the right moment, displaying a half-body photo of a young man.

The man in the photo looks to be in his early twenties, with a handsome and refined appearance, striking eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and slightly thin lips, exuding a natural melancholy air.

Beneath a head of slightly messy, black, tousled hair, her eyes were clear and deep, as if they contained endless starlight.

He's a classic handsome man, the kind that would easily make young girls scream.

Zhuo Feng faced the crowd, cleared his throat, and began his intelligence briefing:

"Gentlemen, after our intelligence department's tireless investigation day and night, we have finally locked onto the target of this operation—the true identity of that mysterious expert who has caused the organization considerable trouble recently."

"This person is named Cheng Jiashu, is 25 years old, and works as an idol singer."

The moment Fang Cheng saw this photo, a weight lifted from his heart.

Although the person in the photo bore some resemblance to his former self in temperament, he didn't recognize him at all.

It seems that Xu Hao hadn't been deceiving me before; the Noah Organization's target was indeed someone else.

Zhuo Feng continued his explanation:

"Cheng Jiashu was originally a member of the popular male idol group 'Smiling Boys' in Xia Kingdom, serving as the lead vocalist and visual center."

"Six months ago, I chose to go solo due to differences in philosophy with my agency."

"Currently, his personal development is progressing well, and he has a large number of young female fans. He enjoys great popularity and generates a lot of buzz in emerging online communities."

As Zhuo Feng said this, a contemptuous smile appeared on his lips.

"Of course, such a glamorous superficial identity is not worth mentioning to us."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming slightly more forceful:

"What's important is his true background, family history, and some secrets we obtained through special channels."

"Cheng Jiashu was born into a once-prosperous family that had fallen into decline, the Cheng family of Dongdu."

"The Cheng family was once a prominent family in the previous dynasty and the early Republic of China. Several big figures in the family had a great influence in the political and business circles and wielded great power in their respective regions."

"Although times have changed and the Cheng family is no longer as glorious as it once was, even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse. In Dongdu and even the whole Xia Kingdom, it still retains some connections and influence that should not be underestimated."

"What deserves our attention even more is that Cheng Jiashu's mother comes from the Shen family, a top family in the Jiangnan region."

"The Shen family has a history of hundreds of years, with a profound foundation and a complex network of influence. Its influence extends to the political, business, and military circles, making it a behemoth that we must treat with utmost care."

"Although Cheng Jiashu's parents died in an accident more than a decade ago, the marriage alliance between the Cheng family and the Shen family, as well as the potential connections that may exist, is still an important external factor that we must take into account in this operation."

"Therefore, we must try our best to control the impact of our actions and avoid causing any unforeseen complications or unnecessary trouble."

As Zhuo Feng finished speaking, a low gasp and whispers filled the conference room.

Clearly, the name "Shen Family" held considerable intimidation for many present.

Minister Luo crossed his arms, his face remaining expressionless, seemingly not particularly concerned about the so-called "Shen family".

Station Chief Feng glanced furtively at Minister Luo, and seeing that the bigwig remained as steady as a mountain, he coughed lightly and took the initiative to ask:
"Captain Zhuo, since Cheng Jiashu is an idol star, he must have a lot of activities, right? What are his interpersonal relationships like? Is there any easy way to break through his defenses?"

In his view, no matter how powerful or wealthy aristocratic families are, they are at most minor troubles worth paying attention to in the face of the absolute strength of the Noah Organization.

Zhuo Feng cleared his throat and continued:

"According to the intelligence we have, Cheng Jiashu's interpersonal relationships are relatively simple, and it can even be said that he is somewhat reclusive."

"He suffered an accident when he was young, in which his parents and sister died at the same time. This was a huge blow to him, and he became taciturn and did not like to interact with others."

"I have a distant relationship with other relatives in the family, and we hardly have any contact with them."

"Currently, the person he is closest to is his agent, a middle-aged woman named Zhang Hui, known in the industry as 'Sister Zhang,' who has been with him since he entered the entertainment industry in his teens."

Zhuo Feng glanced at the expressionless Minister Luo, seemingly feeling that this intelligence was not enough to attract the big boss's real attention.

Then the tone shifted again, and the voice suddenly rose a few decibels:

"Of course, these are all just appearances. His innocent and harmless appearance is just a disguise to deceive the world."

"Through the meticulous investigation and analysis of key clues by our intelligence personnel, I am over 90% certain that—"

"This glamorous idol singer is very likely the serial killer codenamed 'Smiling Devil' who has committed several bloody crimes in Dongdu City in the past two years!"

(End of this chapter)