Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 453 is not a kind soul, and might even be a pervert.

"See that? That's the entrance to the black market. They sell everything there, as long as you can afford the price."

Yuan Datou pointed to the neon signs on the roadside and dutifully introduced them to the new customers behind him.

"You can view the goods on the information board inside, then contact each other anonymously online, and once the agreement is reached, the goods will be shipped directly offline by express delivery."

"Although it's a bit troublesome, the advantage is that there's no one to supervise it, and you can find many things here that can't be done in the real world."

"Of course, there are also many scammers in the market. You need to be careful. If you get scammed, you'll have nowhere to seek justice."

The three newcomers nodded repeatedly, like chickens pecking at rice.

At this moment, they were so stunned by the sight of this fantastic city that they were speechless, and their previous impetuousness had vanished without a trace.

Fang Cheng also glanced in the direction Yuan Datou was pointing.

Isn't this similar to online shopping?

Speaking of which, the development of the Internet is still in its infancy.

If one does not recognize the fundamental nature of this world where strength reigns supreme.

I could seize the opportunity to start my own business and try setting up an e-commerce company.

Just as everyone was speaking, the eternally dark sky above them suddenly lit up without warning.

A beam of green light descended from the sky.

At the source of the light, it seemed as if an enormous eyeball was slowly opening from the depths of the clouds.

That cold, emotionless gaze swept across the city below like a searchlight, causing many people on the street to instinctively shrink back.

Yuan Shikai's expression changed slightly. He quickly lowered his voice and warned solemnly:
"Also, remember this: don't make a move in Night City."

"Although this is a lawless area with no police or strict laws, swindling, cheating, and fighting are commonplace..."

"But if you dare to kill, set fires, or cause destruction here, and are spotted by that 'all-seeing eye' overhead, you'll be immediately blacklisted, and it will be troublesome for you to enter the city next time."

He smacked his lips and concluded:
"For people like us who want to make a living in the city, the most important thing is to follow the rules and be an honest person."

"Of course... if you're strong enough, then that's another story."

Yuan Datou then added a sentence, while glancing at Fang Cheng with awe.

This big shot was composed from the moment he entered the city, and didn't even blink at the sights around him that would leave any newcomer speechless.

He is clearly a person who is used to big events.

Yuan Shikai saw this and immediately and cleverly steered the conversation back to the main topic.

"Boss, we're almost there. The Bridge of Helplessness is one of the most important landmarks here. Many people come to Night City specifically for it."

As he continued to lead the way, he enthusiastically introduced the place:

"Whether it's buying and selling information or posting mission requests, the Naihe Bridge has the best reputation, so its business is the most booming. We need to get there quickly to avoid long queues."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and asked:
"Do you know of any other places like Night City?"

Upon hearing this question, Yuan Shikai pondered for a moment, then shook his head:
"Boss, I've never heard of another place like this."

Seeing that Fang Cheng seemed very interested, he patiently explained:
“The area where Night City is located is very special; it’s different from what we usually call secret realms or the inner world.”

"According to those elders, this city has existed for thousands of years and has been passed down from generation to generation. Except for the absence of the sun, moon and stars, it is almost another real world."

"The underworld in our folk tales is very likely what this place refers to."

"As you can see, people with special abilities from all over the world can meet here and conduct various transactions."

He pointed to the passersby of different skin colors and attire around him.

“For example, the area we are standing on right now is the East Asian region. Further west, there are the desert region and the European region, with completely different architectural styles.”

"Therefore, even if there are other similar places, their scale and heritage are absolutely no match for this one."

The streets were bustling with people, and bizarre and fantastical sights constantly assaulted the senses.

As they were talking, Fang Cheng and the others had already passed through several chaotic yet bustling streets, and finally stopped in front of an extremely impressive building.

It was a magnificent building that perfectly blended the styles of ancient palaces and modern skyscrapers.

The main building is a giant glass curtain wall building with hundreds of floors, soaring into the sky.

The exterior is covered with layers of double eaves and brackets, and a white marble archway stands at the entrance.

In the center of the archway, six large golden characters are carved in a vigorous and elegant style:

[The Bridge of Helplessness Agency]

"Boss, it's divided into several areas inside. The one directly in front of the gate is the intelligence trading area, the one on the left is the mission commissioning area, and the one on the right is the asset notary office."

Yuan Datou pointed to the bustling gate and introduced it familiarly:

"You are not registered with the Household Registration Department. I will get you a temporary number first."

He quickly operated a machine similar to a self-service ticket machine at the entrance, took out a number plate, and handed it to Fang Cheng.

Then he nodded and bowed, saying:
"Boss, a few of my clients need to go to the mission area, so I won't bother you any longer. Please continue with your work."

With that, he led the three newlyweds to the left.

Fang Cheng thanked him and walked into the spacious and bright service hall alone.

The hall was noisy, yet orderly.

Clerks in uniforms were handling business in an orderly manner behind each window, and the call number information was constantly scrolling on the electronic screen.

Everything was just like a real bank.

Most regular customers queue at the windows, while a dedicated VIP lane is set up on one side of the lobby.

Fang Cheng saw a short, stout man being led by a voluptuous female employee towards the private elevator leading to the upstairs private room.

He scanned the crowd and noticed that most of the people who came here had a faint mist on their faces.

Facial features are not clearly visible; one can only roughly distinguish between men and women, young and old, and tall and short, fat and thin.

However, a few people did not have fogged faces and showed their true faces.

Of course, it's also possible that it involved a disguise using special methods similar to those employed by Bai Ling.

Yuan Shikai had already explained this on the way.

This masking effect is a built-in feature of Night City, designed to protect personal privacy. It can be activated simply by thinking about it upon entering.

Fang Cheng couldn't help but think of his own inner world, where he could also veil the faces of those he summoned with mist to conceal their true appearance.

The two do have some similarities.

He then walked to the intelligence trading area, found the window with the shortest queue, and waited quietly.

About half an hour later, all the people at the front of the line finished their business and left.

Fang Cheng then stepped forward.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

Behind the window, a bespectacled, seemingly capable female clerk asked without looking up.

"I would like to inquire about information related to the 'Chen Family Curse Case in Tiannan Province'."

Fang Cheng said calmly.

"OK, just a second."

The clerk quickly tapped a few keys on a uniquely shaped computer keyboard in front of him, then looked up shortly after:
"We found it. There are two relevant documents: the original file and a revised version compiled and analyzed by our professionals."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng then asked:

"I'd like to know who has purchased this intelligence?"

The female clerk glanced at him and refused decisively:
"I'm sorry, sir, according to Article 3 of the Customer Privacy Protection Regulations, it is explicitly prohibited to disclose any customer information, so we are not authorized to disclose the purchase records of other customers to you."

This formulaic answer was within Fang Cheng's expectations. After thinking for a moment, he said:
"Alright, I'll buy the condensed version of the intelligence."

"can."

The clerk skillfully resumed the process, and after a moment, announced a price:
"Based on its rarity, difficulty of acquisition, and level of detail, this intelligence is rated B+ and is priced at 1050 credits."

"I'm new here and don't have any credits."

"Then you can also use real currency to pay."

The clerk seemed to be used to this, picked up the calculator next to him, pressed a few keys, and then turned the display screen towards Fang Cheng.

“按照今日1：983的官方汇率，折合103万2150元，另外需加收50%的渠道手续费，总计154万8225元。”

She spoke quickly and clearly, clearly having repeated this line countless times.

"So expensive? The handling fee alone is over 500,000?" Even Fang Cheng, with his calm and composed nature, couldn't help but be taken aback by the price.

This is practically robbery.

"Sir, all transactions involving real-world currencies need to be processed through multiple anonymous channels to ensure the absolute security of the funds. This involves costs for hiring professionals, hedging risks, and maintaining these channels."

The clerk's expression was matter-of-fact:

"We guarantee that every step of the transaction cannot be tracked by any real-world institution, so you can buy with confidence and get your money's worth."

"Of course, considering that this is your first time doing business, I can apply for a 10% discount for you."

Fang Cheng stood by the window, his mind racing with calculations.

It sounds so nice, but it's really just money laundering.

More than a million yuan—I could afford to spend that much, but I still felt like I'd been ripped off.

After all, intelligence isn't a physical commodity that disappears once it's sold to someone.

The Bridge of Helplessness could easily sell the same information repeatedly, profiting from both the upstream and downstream sellers. This level of ruthlessness is even more vicious than operating a money printing machine.

Fang Cheng felt that spending so much money just to buy information was no different from being a sucker.

More importantly, even if they make eloquent claims, transferring money with real currency carries the risk of revealing their identity.

I don't have a professional accounting team to handle these messes.

If someone is determined to investigate, they might just find themselves on the receiving end.

As for that credit coin, it seems it won't be something you can acquire in a short time.

Seeing that Fang Cheng remained silent, the female clerk showed a hint of impatience and urged him:

"Sir, are you still processing your application? There are other people in line behind you."

Looking at her blurry face, Fang Cheng suddenly felt a stirring in his heart.

Then, leaning slightly forward, he asked in a very sincere tone:
"Miss, do you think... I'm handsome?"

"what?"

The female clerk was stunned upon hearing this, and looked at him as if he were crazy:
"Your face is covered by a fog, how am I supposed to know if you're handsome or not?"

"Oh."

Fang Cheng's eyes suddenly lit up.

They then discreetly looked around and at the ceiling, but found no surveillance devices resembling cameras.

My face is covered by fog, so I can't see my features clearly.

Even if the ruler of Night City or the "all-seeing eye" in the sky could break through the illusion and see the true face, there was still a layer of protective light on their bodies.

It should be noted that after entering the City of Night, although the layer of light and flame was deliberately concealed, it still enveloped the entire body.

Based on past experience, it also seems to serve to block the line of sight for investigation.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's gaze swept over the crowd coming and going in the hall once again.

How many of those who come to trade in places like this are good people?

The Naihe Bridge, which operates this shady business, makes a fortune from it, taking the "eat people without spitting out bones" rule to the extreme.

A bold idea suddenly popped into my head.

Since we're in a gray area where good and evil don't matter and only interests matter, none of us are good people.

Why should we still obediently follow the rules set by others?
Instead of spending your own money, why not just "borrow" some to spend first?

However, I have no idea what credit coins are, so how do I borrow them?

Perhaps... we could be more direct and attack the Bridge of Helplessness...

Since there are no police in Night City, once you get the information, you immediately go offline, and no one can find you.

Fang Cheng withdrew his inspection gaze and looked back at the female clerk at the window.

Although his gaze was calm, it sent a chill down the female clerk's spine for no apparent reason.

She recalled the question the other person had just asked, "Am I handsome?" and alarm bells immediately went off in her head.

Could this guy be a pervert trying to rape someone?
Just as the atmosphere was becoming a little strange, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from the side.

"Boss, have you finished your business?"

Fang Cheng heard the sound and turned to look.

Yuan Datou, having finished his business at some point, was now approaching with a broad smile.

He saw that Fang Cheng was still standing in front of the window, looking somewhat troubled, while the female clerk inside the window looked wary.

As a shrewd person, I immediately guessed seven or eight parts of it.

This is the first time this big shot has come here; he's probably stuck at the payment stage.

However, this is also an excellent opportunity to show goodwill.

Thoughts raced through his mind, and Yuan Shikai's fawning smile deepened. He then tentatively asked:

"Hey bro, are you having some minor issues with payment?"

"If you don't mind, let me cover this small amount for you first?"

Before Fang Cheng could respond, he cleverly pulled a black card from his pocket and handed it through the window.

"Miss, this is my friend. Please swipe my card."

This interruption instantly dispelled Fang Cheng's idea of ​​taking a risk.

Looking at the proactive fat man in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a little amused.

This guy's name is Yuan Datou, and today he really got himself ripped off.

"Okay, sir."

After payment, the clerk's attitude immediately did a complete 180-degree turn, becoming warm and considerate, and carefully explained:

"Sir, there are three ways to deliver intelligence."

"The first method is on-site memory transfer, which is the fastest and allows you to receive the data immediately, but it requires a certain level of mental ability."

"The second option is to mail it to your designated physical address. If you are worried about leaking your personal information, you can choose to have it placed in a locker at a station or shopping mall."

"The third option is to generate an encrypted cloud drive link and password, which you can download anytime, anywhere, and then destroy after use, making it the safest option."

Memory transfer?

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment.

This option was ruled out first.

While the efficiency does sound fast, I don't know the specifics of how they operate.

It's best to be cautious about anything involving the spiritual realm, after all, you harbor too many secrets within yourself.

Although Naihe Bridge claims to have a good reputation and values ​​customer privacy, you can't judge a book by its cover, and who knows if there might be some shady dealings involved.

As for mailing, we still need to wait; there are too many variables, so it's not reliable enough.

"The third one, I guess."

After careful consideration, Fang Cheng made his choice.

"Ok."

The clerk processed the request quickly.

Soon, a complex string of characters appeared on the screen in front of the window.

"Please write this down. This password will only be displayed for thirty seconds and will be destroyed after reading."

Fang Cheng focused intently on memorizing the password, watching it disappear completely from the screen after the countdown ended.

"Transaction complete. Welcome to visit us again."

The clerk handed out a receipt with a transaction number printed on it from below the window.

Fang Cheng took the receipt, but didn't look at it much. He turned around and saw Yuan Datou waiting patiently behind him.

Yuan Shikai immediately came forward, his face beaming with smiles:
"Boss, is everything taken care of?"

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and walked out of the service hall with Yuan Datou.

The three new clients he brought couldn't contain themselves after finishing their business and went off to explore the city that never sleeps.

(End of this chapter)