Film and Television: My Cheat Code is AI

Back in 2003, discos were incredibly popular, the heart of nightlife for young people to release their hormones and seek thrills. By 2026, however, they've long since faded into obscurity, becoming "retro venues" for middle-aged and elderly people to relive old memories. Who among the real young people still goes to discos?

But coincidentally, at the very beginning of the 21st century, disco was the most popular thing.

Firebird Disco, in a private room.

The dimly lit red velvet sofa trembled slightly from the deafening subwoofer, while the cheap laser lights on the walls spun listlessly, shattering the dim light into fragments of flickering light and shadow. Zhang Yang stood ramrod straight behind Zhao Fei, the CEO of Haida Trading Co., Ltd., like a sword yet to be drawn.

Zhao Fei leaned back lazily on the sofa, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, and casually waved his hand, his tone carrying an unquestionable air: "Yangzi, sit down."

Zhang Yang didn't move, but said in a low voice, "Brother Fei, I think I'll stay standing."

"Hey, we're brothers, no need to be so polite." Zhao Fei put a cigarette in his mouth, glanced at him, and chuckled. "Just sit down when I tell you to."

Zhang Yang then sat down on the edge of the sofa, his buttocks only touching half of it, his back still ramrod straight.

Seeing this, Zhao Fei gestured with his chin towards the door. The two "King Kongs" guarding the door immediately understood, opened the door and went out, instantly shutting out the noise that had rushed in from outside. The private room became much quieter, with only the muffled sound of the subwoofer coming up from the floor, as if through a layer of water.

Zhao Fei lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled smoke that swirled in the laser lights. He squinted and suddenly said, "Yangzi, you've been with me for over a year now. Today, I want to tell you something from the bottom of my heart."

Zhang Yang turned his head, his gaze calm: "Brother Fei, you speak."

"I don't know if I can even get to the other side." Zhao Fei's voice deepened. He pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and pushed it in front of Zhang Yang. "You must remember this address. If... I mean if I don't make it, go to this place. Take your passport, take your money, and leave. Don't come back."

Zhang Yang frowned: "Brother Fei, why are you saying this..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Fei reached out and stopped him. The red glow of his cigarette glowed in the darkness, illuminating his angular face: "Yangzi, you've been with me for over a year, so you naturally know what I do. I have quite a few gangs under me, but none of them are truly on my side. You are my brother, a brother even closer than a blood brother."

He paused, flicking the ash from his cigarette onto the ground: "If you hadn't shot and killed a policeman back then, I wouldn't have dared to take you in. But you shot to save me. I, Zhao Fei, will remember this for the rest of my life."

Zhang Yang lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and said in a muffled voice, "Brother Fei, you were the one who gave me money back then, so my mother didn't suffer too much in her final days. I have to repay this kindness."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Zhao Fei waved his hand, as if trying to dispel these heavy emotions, and his tone returned to its usual casualness. "Liu Yi and Wu Jun'er are going to meet downstairs. Go down and keep an eye on them."

He suddenly chuckled, a hint of smugness in his voice: "This Huang Si'er, he's got some skills, managing to drag a cop into this mess. You know, these cops, all that sanctimonious act, aren't they just charging this much?"

Zhang Yang raised his eyes and asked calmly, "Brother Fei, is there anything I can do?"

Zhao Fei stood up and patted him on the shoulder: "You just keep an eye out downstairs, and keep an eye on the girls while you're at it. Look at you, always looking like a monk. I pay you so much salary, not for you to save, but for you to spend."

As he spoke, he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and casually tossed it onto Zhang Yang's lap: "Go out and spend some money, don't be so tense all the time."

Zhang Yang picked up the wad of cash, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips: "Then thank you, Brother Fei."

As I emerged from the private room, the door closed behind me.

The warm smile on Zhang Yang's face vanished bit by bit, as if it had been peeled off. He looked down at the thick wad of banknotes in his hand, at least ten thousand yuan.

Without saying a word, he folded the money and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he walked to the edge of the second-floor corridor steps, leaned on the railing, and looked down at the dance floor below.

The dance floor was packed with people, laser lights shone wildly, and dry ice swirled on the floor. Men and women swayed to deafening disco music, some drinking and playing drinking games in booths, others dancing intimately on the dance floor. No one noticed the silent man in the second-floor corridor.

Zhang Yang's gaze swept across the crowd.

Before my eyes, a semi-transparent panel silently appeared at the edge of my field of vision.

There were three plainclothes officers in the corner.

Zhang Yang's gaze subtly shifted over. In the corner on the right side of the dance floor, there were indeed three people who looked no different from the other guests, but something about them was off.

Behind Liu Yi were three plainclothes officers. One was wearing a denim jacket, one a tank top, and the other a short-haired policewoman.

His gaze shifted to Liu Yi's location. Liu Yi was sitting at the bar, a beer in front of him, seemingly waiting for someone. Not far behind him, in a booth, a man with a buzz cut and wearing jeans was chatting with his "friend," but Zhang Yang could tell at a glance that the man's eyes never truly left Liu Yi.

A woman in a sundress was drinking and laughing with a man nearby, their movements exaggerated, and their laughter could be heard from a distance. But Zhang Yang noticed that every time she turned her head, her eyes were glancing in Liu Yi's direction out of the corner of her eye.

There was also a short-haired woman, wearing a dark coat, sitting alone on a high stool in the corner, with a barely touched drink in front of her. Her posture was very steady, her back straight, which was out of place among the other customers who were drinking and staggering around.

Zhang Yang watched all this expressionlessly, silently chanting in his mind, "Doubao, analyze the traces left by these people."

The words on the panel flickered.

[Connection failed...]

Analyzing gait... Analyzing movement...

The man in the jeans walked with a firm stride and a stable center of gravity, suggesting a military background.

Zhang Yang stared at the information analyzed on the panel, his gaze darkening, but he said nothing.

Just then, a person walked in through the entrance of the disco.

A policeman in uniform.

Zhang Yang's pupils contracted slightly.

The policeman walked straight to the bar, showed his badge, and began questioning the women working there. One by one, the women put down their glasses and impatiently pulled out their ID cards.

Liu Yi's gaze immediately locked onto the policeman.

Zhang Yang noticed that the three plainclothes officers behind Liu Yi were also drawn to the sudden arrival of the police, and the previously subtle encirclement between them loosened slightly at that moment.

Just then, Zhang Yang's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and saw two words flashing on the screen—Brother Fei.

Zhang Yang answered the phone: "Hello, Brother Fei."

Zhao Fei's voice came through the receiver, sounding somewhat lazy: "Yangzi, tell Liu Yi to leave. He's getting in the way."

"Okay, Fei-ge."

Zhang Yang hung up the phone and dialed Liu Yi's number directly.

"Hey, Brother Zhang," Liu Yi said in a low voice.

"Liu Yi, let's retreat."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Yi put his glass on the bar without saying a word, stood up, and walked towards the door without looking back.

Zhang Yang watched Liu Yi's figure disappear into the night outside the door.

Then, his gaze returned to the dance floor.

Wu Jun has arrived.

Zhang Yang watched as Wu Jun walked in through the side door, followed by two people. His gaze swept past Wu Jun and landed on the two people beside him—one of them looked strangely familiar to him.

Zhang Yang leaned against the railing, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He didn't say anything, he just watched.