## Chapter Eleven:
Lin Feng ended the call with Mei Lin, but the silence of the safe apartment brought no comfort, only amplifying the weight of the decision he had just made. Risking Jiang Yu's information, focusing on Li Wei and Zhang Hao... it felt like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss, with a storm brewing on the horizon. The one-week deadline imposed by his grandfather hung like a sword over his head, while Chu Fan's subtle movements and infiltration into his grandfather's circle of trust seemed like shadows dancing at the edge of his vision, threatening to pounce at any moment.
He felt a faint headache throbbing behind his eyes, a physical manifestation of the immense psychological pressure he was rigidly suppressing. He ignored it, just as he ignored the sudden chill that momentarily ran down his fingertips. No time for weakness. Staying defensive, waiting for evidence to come to him, was no longer a luxury he could afford. It was time for a counterattack, even if it meant setting the entire forest ablaze in the hope that his enemies would burn with him.
He stood up and walked towards the large glass window, contemplating the city lights that seemed distant and unreal. This new world, with its harsh rules and complex conspiracies, was forcing him to change. The sarcasm that had been his shield was beginning to crack, revealing a colder, harsher resolve beneath. He was no longer just a survivor trying to change his fate, but a player forced into a dangerous game where a single mistake could mean annihilation.
A faint, intermittent beep from another encrypted communication device broke his train of thought. It was Zhao Fu.
"Sir," Zhao Fu began without preamble, his voice calm as usual but carrying an uncharacteristic note of caution. "We detected unusual activity near one of the secure communication points I use to contact my sources within the Lin Group. Nothing direct, just a car parked for longer than usual, and someone intermittently using a wireless frequency scanner. It might be nothing, but it's a pattern we haven't seen before."
Lin Feng felt his hair stand on end. Were they this close? Was his grandfather's or Chu Fan's network more efficient than he expected? "Were you followed?"
"I don't believe so, sir. I changed my location immediately and followed evasion protocols. But this means they might suspect the existence of a leak or external help for you. Their level of caution is rising."
"Continue with extreme caution, Zhao Fu. Don't risk anything. Your safety is paramount." Lin Feng hung up, feeling the circle of danger tightening around him. He had barely caught his breath when another call came in, this time from Mei Lin.
"Lin Feng," her voice was tense and excited at the same time. "I managed to bypass some protections related to Li Wei's accounts. The data is fragmented and protected by complex encryption layers, but there's something very strange. Access logs for some sensitive files over the past few months... have been systematically and professionally deleted. Not just a normal deletion, but repeated wiping of traces. This goes beyond covering up simple financial fraud. Something bigger and darker is being hidden here."
"Can you recover anything?" Lin Feng asked, his heart pounding hard.
"I'm working on it, but it's like assembling a jigsaw puzzle in the dark knowing someone is watching you. Any strong attempt to recover deleted data might trigger internal alarms on their end. I have to be extremely careful."
"Do what you can, Mei Lin. But don't be reckless." Before he could end the call, a sharp, low-frequency alarm sounded from the apartment's security system. Not an external alarm, but an internal one indicating a digital intrusion attempt.
Lin Feng jumped to the main control panel. The screen displayed complex graphs showing a sophisticated cyberattack targeting the apartment's main firewall. It wasn't a random attack; it was targeted and persistent, using advanced techniques to try and find a vulnerability. The attack lasted exactly thirty seconds, then stopped abruptly, as if the attacker had suddenly withdrawn their hand or decided to retreat.
Lin Feng felt cold sweat bead on his forehead. This wasn't an amateur attempt. This was professional work. Were they testing his defenses? Or were they about to breach and retreated for some reason? The feeling that his safe haven had been violated, even if only digitally, was deeply unsettling. He no longer felt safe anywhere.
While he was still staring at the screen, another call came in on a temporary encrypted channel he had set up specifically for communicating with Lin Hao.
"Feng! Feng, can you hear me?" Lin Hao's voice trembled with panic.
"I hear you, Hao. Calm down. What happened?" Lin Feng tried to keep his voice calm, though his nerves were stretched to the limit.
"It's... it's Grandfather and Chu Fan! They were just talking in Grandfather's study. The door was slightly ajar, and I heard... I heard Chu Fan say something about the 'need to take decisive action' and 'ensure he doesn't cause further embarrassment to the family'. Then my father asked me strange questions about where I've been lately and if I'd contacted you. I'm scared, Feng! I think they suspect me! What should I do?"
Lin Feng saw an opportunity amidst the danger. Lin Hao's fear was real, and it could be used. "Calm down, Hao. Don't show any panic. Act completely normal. You haven't done anything wrong, have you? You're just worried about your cousin."
"B... but..."
"Listen to me, Hao," Lin Feng interrupted, his tone becoming more serious, a mixture of feigned sympathy and subtle pressure. "You're in a unique position now. You can help me, and help yourself too. This Chu Fan... do you really think he cares about the family's interests? Or is he using Grandfather's anger to achieve his own goals? Think about it, if he gets rid of me, who's next in his way? Do you think he'll care about you or your father? You hear and see things I can't access. I need to know exactly what they're planning. Any details about the 'decisive actions' Chu Fan mentioned. Any names, any places, any timings. This information could save me... and it could protect you too in the future."
Lin Hao fell silent for a moment, processing the words. "Do... do you think he might hurt me?"
"I don't know, Hao," Lin Feng said with apparent sincerity. "But power corrupts. And Chu Fan seeks power. Be careful, keep your eyes and ears open. And remember, don't trust anyone but me right now."
"O... okay, Feng. I'll try. I'll be careful." Lin Hao ended the call, leaving Lin Feng feeling a coldness spread within him. He had used his cousin's fear, pushed him to be his spy, risking his safety. Was it right? Probably not. Was it necessary? Absolutely.
In this world, Lin Feng thought with bitter irony, there was no room for perfect morals. You were either the hunter setting traps, or the prey falling into them. And he had decided which role he would play.
At that very moment, an urgent red light flashed on one of the encrypted communication devices. A short text message from Zhao Fu, consisting of only three words, but enough to freeze the blood in his veins:
"Specialist team. Incoming now."