Shu Xiaomeng, Liu Xiaoyan, and their group of six best friends sat at a nearby table, eating and chatting. Their conversation revolved entirely around pop diva Luo Yan. These girls had been fans of Luo Yan since middle school; their phone ringtones and alarm clocks were all set to her songs. Clearly, they were die-hard fans of Luo Yan. On the surface, there seemed to be nothing wrong with them going to the 20th-anniversary concert as a group.
Ye Qi quickly searched for Luo Yan's information and whispered to his teammates, "This pop diva has over 80 million fans. Judging from online reviews, she not only sings well but is also very talented, having written many popular songs. She's also very humble and gentle. Her status in the music industry is almost unmatched. Several well-known singers in the current music scene are her students, and these individuals will also be special guests at this concert."
Shao Qingge raised an eyebrow and said, "Could it be that a murder case like Hearts 9's happened in the entertainment industry?"
Remember the Hearts 9 entertainment industry murder case? It exposed the complex interpersonal relationships within the entertainment circle, opening everyone's eyes to the world. Three days later, at the Sun City concert, with so many music stars in attendance, everyone felt that something was going to happen.
Xiao Lou suddenly thought of a question, looked at everyone, and said in a low voice, " Luo Yan is a famous singer in this world. Most of the people who go to her concert should be natives of Card World. Will there be any ' outsiders ' going?"
Old Mo said, "Not necessarily. Many ' outsiders ' decide to stay and live in this world. If they are interested in music, going to a concert is not a burden for them. Compared to the concerts of top singers in our real world, Luo Yan's concert tickets are nothing."
Shao Qingge agreed: "That's right. I remember that in real life, the official price of a VIP seat at a celebrity concert is more than 2,000 yuan, which is equivalent to 200,000 gold coins. But for Luo Yan's concert, the official price of a VIP ticket is only 50,000 yuan, and the scalped tickets that are being resold at a high price are only 200,000 yuan, which is about a quarter of the price in real life."
In other words, in this world, you can buy a VIP ticket to the goddess's concert for 500 yuan, while a regular ticket might cost 200 yuan.
The low price might attract a large number of Challengers to the concert.
Upon hearing this, Ye Qi couldn't help but sigh, "That's really cheap. 500 yuan is just the price of a meal with friends. I didn't know about the concert. If I had known earlier, I would have bought a ticket to go see it too."
Liu Qiao said, "If you're not in a rush to pass the test, such a low ticket price is indeed very attractive."
There must be many Challengers with this "join the fun" mentality, especially young people who love music. The low ticket price, the hype of a 20th-anniversary concert, and the presence of several special guests from the music industry might just tempt any free-spirited Challenger to buy a ticket and go see it...
Xiao Lou asked, "By the way, what day of the week is the concert?"
Shao Qingge said, "Tuesday."
This is strange. Concerts are usually held on weekends, which is convenient for students and working professionals. Why is it on a Tuesday this time? Xiao Lou thought about it carefully and suddenly realized a key point: "On weekends, all Challengers will be forced to enter the Weekly Secret Chamber."
Yu Hanjiang frowned slightly: "If the concert is held on the weekend, Challengers will have to do their Weekly Routine and won't be able to go. But if it's on Tuesday, most Challengers will be free. Is this arrangement a coincidence? Or is it deliberately designed to lure Challengers into the concert venue?"
At this point, everything is just speculation, and there is no evidence whatsoever.
However, everyone felt uneasy. Especially after returning to the carriage after breakfast, Xiao Lou casually asked a few unfamiliar young passengers about the concert. He discovered that a third of the young people in the carriage were there to see the concert.
Luo Yan's influence in this world is absolutely at the level of a superstar.
At noon, the train stopped at a station along the way, and many people got off. Yu Hanjiang and Xiao Lou went to the train attendant to buy tickets, and they managed to get eight sleeper tickets. Everyone took their luggage and went to the sleeper car to rest.
Yu Hanjiang whispered to his teammates, "Everyone, pay close attention to the passengers around you. If you notice anything amiss, immediately tell me and Xiao Lou. It would be best if nothing happens on this trip, but if there is a case, we might have to assist in solving it again."
The replacement tickets were scattered in different carriages. The teammates found their own beds and went to sleep, observing the surrounding passengers as instructed by Yu Hanjiang.
The rest of the journey went smoothly without any unexpected incidents. The 72-hour journey was unusually peaceful. Apart from the appearance of Shu Xiaomeng's group of six best friends, which made everyone a little nervous, no other acquaintances or suspicious persons were found on the train.
After a long wait, the train finally arrived at the station.
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang deliberately followed Shu Xiaomeng and her group off the bus. Upon reaching the exit, they saw no one to pick them up, so the six girls hailed two taxis and headed to the hotel. Once the taxis disappeared from sight, Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang stopped following and also hailed two taxis to the New Century Hotel, which Mr. Tang had booked.
This hotel is located by the sea and is a five-star sea-view hotel.
Unlike the mountain scenery of Moon City, Sun City is a seaside city with coconut trees everywhere. Many people are walking barefoot on the beach in their swimsuits, some are lying on the beach sunbathing, many children are squatting down to collect seashells, and some young people are surfing.
The people here live such a leisurely life.
Ye Qi has loved the sea since childhood. Sitting in the taxi, looking at the azure sea outside the window...
Standing on the pristine white sand, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Sunshine, sand, sea—this city's scenery feels much more beautiful than Moon City!"
Shao Qingge joked, "How about we move our family here? I still have a lot of money in my account, so I can buy a sea-view villa here to live in."
Ye Qi hurriedly waved his hand: "No need to trouble yourself, it's more important to get back as soon as possible. Everything in this world feels unreal to me, like a dream. People's lives are so beautiful that it's hard to believe."
The beautiful beach was spotless, unlike some tourist attractions where the sand is often filthy from visitors. The seawater here was crystal clear, as if it had been washed clean, and everyone wore smiles, seemingly carefree and without a care in the world.
If there really is a heaven, this is probably what they call "heaven"?
But for some reason, looking at the identical smiles on the faces of the people playing on the beach, Ye Qi felt a chill run down his spine.
The car arrived at the hotel quickly.
Tang Ci had booked rooms for them in advance: four double rooms. Liu Qiao and Qu Wanyue, two girls, shared one room; Ye Qi and CEO Shao shared one room; Lao Mo and Long Sen shared one room; and Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang shared the remaining room.
After completing the formalities, everyone took the elevator to the 17th floor and put down their luggage.
The room was large and clean, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering unobstructed views of the nearby sea. There was also a large bathtub that could comfortably accommodate two adults. As expected of a five-star hotel, the decor was luxurious, and the price must have been quite high.
Xiao Lou was about to send Tang Ci a message to say thank you when Tang Ci proactively sent her a message: "Seventh floor restaurant, let's eat first, I'll treat you to a welcome dinner."
Xiao Lou led everyone to the restaurant on the seventh floor.
Following the waiter into the VIP room, I immediately saw Tang Ci sitting in a wheelchair.
The man looked very young, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt that was spotless.
A thin blanket covered his legs. He had delicate features and a sickly pale face, but he did not have the "weakness" of a patient. Instead, his gaze was calm, and he exuded a powerful aura just by sitting there, making him someone not to be underestimated.
Upon seeing Xiao Lou, he nodded politely and said, "You've arrived?"
Xiao Lou smiled at him and introduced him to his teammates: "This is Tang Ci, the director of the Intelligence Bureau. As for my teammates, Mr. Tang should already know them very well, so there's no need for introductions, right?"
Tang Ci said, "Yes, everyone, please have a seat."
Apart from Shao Qingge, who had met Tang Ci before, Ye Qi, Liu Qiao, and the others were meeting this legendary director of the Intelligence Bureau for the first time. They were very curious, but faced with his cold gaze, they didn't dare to be too presumptuous and could only sit quietly around the round table.
Yu Hanjiang asked directly, "Where's my brother?"
Tang Ci said, "He's run into some trouble and can't get away. Don't worry, Hua Ying will go to meet him."
Xiao Lou asked in confusion, "Then Mr. Old Gui?"
" Old Gui has a dinner engagement tonight and can't make it, so I'll be hosting everyone and we can discuss our upcoming plans. You must be hungry after such a long train ride, let's eat and chat." Tang Ci pressed the service bell and whispered, "Room 3, the food is ready."
A sumptuous meal was served quickly.
Garlic prawns, spicy crabs, steamed lobsters, clam and tofu soup, abalone, and various shellfish, mantis shrimp, stir-fried razor clams... This table full of seafood made everyone, who were starving, drool.
Tang Ci explained, " Sun City is famous for its seafood. I wonder if everyone can get used to it?"
Ye Qi nodded hurriedly: "I can eat it! We eat beef and lamb every day in Moon City, and we haven't had seafood in a long time."
Shao Qingge smiled and said, "Mr. Tang, you've gone to so much trouble."
Tang Ci said, "Don't be shy, eat your fill first."
With his words, everyone began to eat heartily without any hesitation. Tang Ci, however, did not peel the shrimp and crabs, but instead sipped a bowl of fresh clam soup slowly, saying that he had already eaten and was not very hungry.
After the seafood on the table was completely cleared away, Xiao Lou asked, "Mr. Tang, is your plan to merge the teams now?"
Tang Ci said calmly, "Ninth Brother said that after we meet up, we should do one or two Weekly Routine missions to get to know each other. Otherwise, if we go directly to the S-level secret chamber, we won't have any chemistry and we might end up dragging each other down."
Xiao Lou also agreed with the decision: "Indeed, we are completely unfamiliar with the four of you cards. Doing a Weekly Routine will help us get to know each other better and make it easier to coordinate in the S-level secret chamber. I just don't know what type of secret chamber this week's Weekly Routine will be?"
The Weekly Routine is randomly generated each time, potentially choosing from hearts, spade, diamonds, and plum blossom. However, Shao Qingge's bug king card can only be used in the spade or plum blossom secret chamber. This means that if this week's Weekly Secret Chamber isn't spade or plum blossom, Tang Ci's legs still won't be healed.
Seeing Xiao Lou's thoughts, Tang Ci calmly said, "My wheelchair can also be brought into the Weekly Secret Chamber. I can still walk with the help of the wheelchair. I have already tested this, so even if I randomly get hearts and diamonds, I don't need to worry."
Xiao Lou breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, " The Weekly Routine doesn't start until Saturday. Let's get to know each other better over the remaining days. Then we can cancel the contract book and all sign in to his book when Ninth Brother comes back?"
Tang Ci said, "Ninth Brother means you should be the team leader, and the four of us will terminate our contract and sign with you."
Xiao Lou was taken aback: "Ninth Brother really said that?"
Tang Ci nodded: "Yes, he"
I hope you and Yu Hanjiang will lead the team this time. Besides, it doesn't matter where we sign in; as long as we're all on the same contract book, we're a team.
There's really no need to dwell on this. Since Lu Jiuchuan trusts them so much, Xiao Lou didn't refuse any longer and said, "Alright, we're going to Luo Yan's concert tonight. Mr. Tang, have you received any news about Hunter?"
Tang Ci shook his head: "Their operation this time was covert. Not to mention me, even Ninth Brother couldn't find out the organization's specific target. Ninth Brother only knew that a large number of Hunters suddenly arrived in Sun City, so he sent us an alert. Mr. Old Gui is using his connections to investigate, and I've also used my intelligence network. At present, the most likely place to be in trouble is the concert."
He opened his laptop and pulled up a data table.
This is a floor plan of Luo Yan's concert venue.
The huge stadium, capable of holding nearly 100,000 spectators, was completely sold out. Each seat was marked in red and blue. Xiao Lou asked, puzzled, "What do the different colors mean?"
A sharp glint flashed in Tang Ci's eyes as he slowly said, "Blue tickets are for the indigenous people, and red tickets are for the Challengers."
Upon hearing this, Yu Hanjiang frowned and pointed to the distribution map on the screen, saying, "You mean to say that all the tickets for these red seats have been bought by Challengers? Why are they so concentrated? According to the distribution map, sections A, B, E, and F are all occupied by natives, while sections C and D are all occupied by Challengers. Aren't the concert tickets supposed to go on sale at the same time?"
Tang Ci explained, "I hacked into the official ticketing system and found that they had set up an internal program. Although the tickets for this concert were released at the same time for everyone to buy at the same time, the internal program categorized the seats. When buying tickets, you need to register your ID card. Once it is found that the ticket buyer's ID card is from outside, other areas will be automatically locked, and you can only buy tickets for C and D sections."
Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang exchanged a glance, a chill running down their spines at the same time.
Is the ID card used to lock ticket purchases? Is this forcing Challenger passengers to sit in sections C and D?
Xiao Lou asked incredulously, "A massive concert with 100,000 people, secretly concentrating Challengers in a certain area by categorizing and selling tickets in secret—what are they trying to do?"
Tang Ci said, "That's what I'm also wondering about."
In fact, if Tang Ci hadn't been a top hacker who could break into the official website's ticketing system and discover this secret, no one would have thought that concert tickets could be purchased by region based on ID card.
The Challenger and Indigenous people who managed to buy tickets probably had no idea that there would be a problem with their seats. With 100,000 tickets released at once and sold out in 5 minutes, those who managed to get tickets just felt lucky; who cared whether their seats were in section A or section C?
Ye Qi whispered, "If it was Hunter who did it, wouldn't they have planted a bomb in Sector C and Sector D?"
Tang Ci shook his head: "In the main city, explosives and guns are controlled items and cannot be used. Many of our cards will also be banned. Besides, there are security checks at such a large concert, so it's impossible to plant bombs."
Ye Qi blushed and said, "I was just guessing. Otherwise, why would they concentrate the Challengers in one area?"
Yu Hanjiang frowned.
Hunter harbors intense hatred for these Challengers, but surely they wouldn't blow up the concert venue by gathering tens of thousands of Challengers together, including a large number of indigenous people? What kind of conspiracy is behind this?
Seeing that it was already 6:30, Yu Hanjiang stood up and said, " Xiao Lou and I will go to the concert venue ourselves."
Tang Ci looked at him: "Where did you buy your tickets?"
Shao Qingge said with a smile, "I bought two scalped tickets online at a high price. They're both in Section A, and they're adjacent seats."
Shao Qingge originally wanted to buy a few more tickets, but the concert was about to start, and there were very few scalped tickets online. It was already difficult to get two tickets. He sent the e-ticket redemption code to Yu Hanjiang's mobile phone: "You can just use the ticket collection code to pick up the tickets at the entrance."
Tang Ci looked at the two of them and said, "Be careful, you two."
******