One Finger Breaks Thunder

The clearing operation for The Vanishing Bus will begin tonight, ahead of schedule!

Shen Bingyue's words struck Qin Feng like a thunderclap, instantly jolting him awake from his lazy slumber.

He flipped over and sat up, no-nonsense. "Send me the address, I'll be there immediately."

Donghai City Center, 56th floor of the Global Financial Tower.

Shen Bingyue's voice carried an unprecedented sense of urgency.

"I'll wait for you on the first floor of the building."

After hanging up, Qin Feng quickly got dressed, stuffed the M-7 handgun and spare magazines into his backpack, confirmed his readiness, and pushed the door open.

Half an hour later, downstairs from the Global Financial Tower.

Qin Feng looked up at the steel behemoth that pierced the clouds, marveling inwardly.

Who would have thought that the landmark building in Donghai City's most prosperous commercial district would be a branch base for the Special Cases Department.

Truly, the greatest minds hide in plain sight.

"Qin Feng."

Shen Bingyue's voice came from behind him.

He turned to look. Tonight, she had changed out of her usual combat uniform, wearing a well-tailored black women's suit. Her silver hair was tied into a high ponytail with a simple black string, giving her an aura of a capable, ice-queen CEO.

The only thing unchanged were her eyes, as cold and clear as ice.

"Let's go." Without much explanation, she took out a special magnetic card and inserted it into a discreet card reader for a dedicated elevator in the building.

The elevator door opened, and a soft blue beam of light scanned Qin Feng's entire body from the doorframe. Immediately, a mechanical synthesized voice announced, "Authenticating... Collaborator, authorization level LV.3, authentication passed. Welcome."

The interior of the elevator was much larger than it appeared from the outside. As the elevator descended rapidly, Qin Feng felt a slight sense of weightlessness.

"Ding--"

The doors slid open silently, revealing the world within.

"Whoa." Even Qin Feng, who had seen his fair share of grand scenes, was stunned by the sight before him.

It was a massive underground dome.

The floor was polished black obsidian, as smooth as a mirror, etched with complex and mysterious silver rune formations that glowed and flowed at a visible pace.

The ceiling soared dozens of meters high, from which hung a colossal holographic projection screen, displaying a real-time map of abnormal energy distribution throughout Donghai City.

Rows of faintly glowing crystals were embedded in the walls, pulsing rhythmically like the breath of a giant beast.

Most striking was the spiraling, suspended staircase in the center of the hall. Electric sparks flashed along the banister, and with each step taken, blue light strips illuminated, a perfect fusion of technology and mystery.

"First time here?"

Seeing Qin Feng's slightly dazed expression, Shen Bingyue's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

"Shocked?"

"It's alright."

Qin Feng quickly regained his composure, cleared his throat, and feigned nonchalance.

"Just a little more advanced than I imagined."

"A little?"

"Each of these rune floor tiles outside is worth a house, and the entire base's defensive formation was personally blessed by Master Zhang of Longhu Mountain."

"And you say it's 'just a little'?"

"What can I say? People who've seen the world are just that calm."

Qin Feng said this with a straight face, talking nonsense.

"The village committee back home is already getting holographic projectors."

Shen Bingyue gave him a look that said she couldn't be bothered, and led him towards another internal elevator. "Follow me, Director Wang and the others are waiting."

The two took the elevator to the operational conference area on the eighteenth floor.

Along the corridor walls hung black and white photographs of past heroes of the Special Cases Department.

Beneath each photo was a line of small text, recording their names and achievements.

"These are the seniors who sacrificed their lives to protect ordinary people."

"Every year, new faces are added here."

Shen Bingyue's voice grew low and solemn.

Qin Feng's gaze swept over the photos, and the flippancy on his face subsided.

Some were very young, even younger than him.

Some had resolute eyes, as if they had no regrets even until death.

His heart tightened, and he instantly understood the gravity of this job.

"We're here."

Shen Bingyue pushed open a heavy alloy door.

Inside was a spacious conference room. Five or six people were already seated around the central round table, each exuding different energy fluctuations.

Seated in the main seat was a middle-aged man. He was burly with a stern face. His eyes, when opened and closed, held an imposing aura that commanded respect without anger, like a dormant volcano.

"Director Wang." Shen Bingyue nodded to him.

"Xiao Shen, this is..."

Before Wang Jianguo could finish speaking, a slightly sharp voice rang out, filled with undisguised mockery.

"Yo, so this is the legendary 'Vigorous God of Essential Balm' who climbed his way up with Vigorous God of Essential Balm and Virgin Boy Urine?"

Qin Feng followed the sound and looked. The speaker was a tall young man with an arrogant expression.

He was wearing a custom black combat uniform, with golden lightning patterns embroidered on the chest and cuffs. Tiny arcs of electricity crackled around him intermittently.

"Lei Yun, watch your words."

Wang Jianguo frowned and reprimanded him.

"Director Wang, I'm just curious."

Lei Yun stood up, crossed his arms, and looked down at Qin Feng.

"I heard that Brother Tianliang of the Gao Family in Shanghai City is humble and powerful. He prepared for half a year for a spot in this operation. And yet, he was replaced by some 'unorthodox outsider' of unknown origin. I just want to ask, is that fair to our colleagues who have diligently cultivated?"

His words seemed to be standing up for Gao Tianliang, but in reality, he was inciting the others and questioning Qin Feng's qualifications.

A suppressed chuckle rippled through the conference room, and several pairs of eyes, eager for the show, fell on Qin Feng.

Qin Feng, however, remained unfazed. He even smiled.

He tilted his head, looking at Lei Yun as if he were an ignorant child, and spoke slowly.

"Oh? So it's a family member who failed to use connections trying to cause trouble. What's wrong, is your Brother Tianliang a 'glass heart'? Did it shatter just because someone else took his spot?"

Lei Yun's face instantly turned ashen.

Qin Feng continued to twist the knife, "If your psychological fortitude is this poor, you shouldn't be in this line of work. Go home and practice the 'Glass Heart Restoration Technique' well. It's safe, and you won't have to worry about dragging your teammates down."

"You're asking for death!" Lei Yun roared, the lightning around him surging.

"Don't get excited, young man. Don't have such a fiery temper."

Qin Feng spread his hands, looking innocent.

"Jealousy makes people unrecognizable. Look at you, your face is almost as red as a monkey's backside."

"Pfft—" Someone in the corner finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Lei Yun's face turned a shade of liver-red, a mix of anger and shame.

He had intended to crush Qin Feng with his words and background, but instead, he was completely outmatched by the other's sharp tongue, falling completely on the defensive.

"All talk and no action!"

Lei Yun was completely enraged, the arcs of electricity around him becoming incredibly violent.

"I'd like to see just how capable you are, Vigorous God of Essential Balm who can only talk a big game!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he abruptly raised his right hand. A purple lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket instantly took shape, its violent energy illuminating the entire conference room as bright as day!

The other team members' expressions changed, and they retreated, ready to watch the show.

Wang Jianguo was about to step in to stop them, but Shen Bingyue held his hand.

She also wanted to see for herself just how far this guy's strength went.

Qin Feng looked at the violent lightning bolt approaching him, his expression still calm and composed.

He slowly stood up and patted the non-existent dust off his clothes.

"Are you sure you want to make a move here?"

Qin Feng gestured to the surrounding precision instruments that were emitting faint light.

"These things don't look cheap. What if you accidentally electrocute them and break them? Will your family fortune be enough to cover the damages?"

Lei Yun froze, the lightning in his hand pausing slightly.

"But it's okay."

Qin Feng smiled, a hint of amusement and provocation in his grin.

"Since you're so eager to experience the truth of the legend for yourself, I'll reluctantly cooperate."

"But..."

"Let's set a stake first. The loser has to kneel on the ground and bark like a dog three times in front of everyone. What do you say, dare you bet?"