Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

But ironically, this person holds the position of deputy mayor of Shanghai, controlling the financial lifeline. His wealth is so immense that even a fly landing on his sleeve would burp in satisfaction.

"The Asia-Pacific Daily?" Zhou Xiao was taken aback. He had never subscribed to this newspaper, yet it felt strangely familiar. He leaned closer to examine the small print below the masthead: Asia-Pacific News Agency.

—Yahui News Agency?

A thought flashed through my mind: Isn't this the fictional intelligence network in that spy game?

Could it be... that this parallel universe has actually quietly merged with that game?

The more I think about it, the more fascinating it becomes.

This world is gradually revealing its sharper and more unpredictable cards.

Just as I closed the newspaper, a system notification pierced my eardrums like an ice pick: "Check-in task activated: Silently eliminate the traitor Chen Mingfu. Rewards to be unlocked."

To eliminate Chen Mingfu?

This man deserved to die. But to act was not as rash as simply drawing a knife and slashing—one had to wait for the wind direction, time the rhythm, and time it precisely to the moment he gasped for breath.

And this press conference... might just be the scabbard that God himself handed over.

The newspaper was still warm in her hand when Feng Manna pushed open the door and entered, her high heels clicking crisply on the floor: "Director Zhou, the Special Higher Police just issued an urgent order to transfer our Special Operations Headquarters to assist in the defense of Chen Mingfu's press conference."

"Oh?" Zhou Xiao looked up. "What's their background?"

Feng Manna spoke rapidly: "The intercepted coded message indicates that the Military Intelligence Bureau planned to infiltrate the area and eliminate him on the spot. The Special Higher Police couldn't figure out their hand and specifically requested our cooperation in setting up defenses."

"You want us to be your assistants?" Zhou Xiao raised an eyebrow, his tone nonchalant. "Logically, this kind of work should be left to the Special Higher Police or the Military Police as backup. We still have several connections with the underground Communist Party and the Military Intelligence Bureau; where would we find the manpower to do bodyguard work?"

"That's what I said back too." Feng Manna's lips curled up, making no attempt to hide her disdain. "But Aoki Takeshi slammed his fist on the table—saying that Chen Mingfu was not only the deputy in Shanghai, but also the 'pro-Japanese ambassador,' a prestigious title that couldn't be compromised in the slightest."

"They even specifically emphasized that we've been fighting the Military Intelligence Bureau and the underground Communist Party for years, and we know exactly how they set traps and how they close them down, so we have to send elite troops over to keep an eye on things!"

"At this press conference, the Special Higher Police, the Military Police, 76, and our Special Operations Headquarters... all four groups are present, and no one can get away."

Zhou Xiao nodded slightly: "Then let Chen Shen go?"

Feng Manna shook her head, her eyes burning: "Third Brother, this time I want to bring people from the intelligence department. If we can really catch the Kuomintang's tail, we might be able to follow the clues and uncover the whole black thread—the big fish is hiding under this commotion."

"Alright." Zhou Xiao stood up, tossing his coat over his shoulder. "I'll go with you. Let's see if those tough nuts in the Military Intelligence Bureau dare to carve a bloody path through mountains of knives and seas of fire!"

"That's great!" Feng Manna responded crisply, turned around and left, her skirt drawing a dashing arc.

For Zhou Xiao, this was no security mission; it was as if fate itself had placed Chen Mingfu's life on his fingertips.

Why turn away prey that's delivered to your door?

The system had just issued a sign-in order to "eliminate Chen Mingfu" when it turned around and stuffed him into the other party's protection circle—this wasn't a test; it was shoving someone's head into his arms!

The press conference is scheduled for 9:00 AM tomorrow at the City Hall. It's already past 7:30, leaving only an hour for setup.

But how could a special agent who constantly walks the line between life and death not have a few handy "iron tools" hidden in his pocket?

Feng Manna insisted on sending people from the intelligence department, not only to defend the area, but also to gamble on a "big fish" scheme—she sensed the impending storm, which is why she was moving faster than anyone else.

Half an hour later, she and Zhou Xiao led the most elite six-person team from the intelligence department and drove silently toward the municipal building.

To facilitate their coordination, both of them wore simple casual clothes, gray suits, and dark scarves, blending seamlessly into the morning flow of office workers.

At 8:00 a.m. sharp, the city hall was already under heavy security.

This press conference was treated as a public relations exercise by both the Wang Jingwei regime and the Japanese invaders—Chen Mingfu's "pro-Japanese image" had to be polished to a shine and held firmly in their hands.

This person is a staunch traitor, who repeatedly...

"The security arrangements this time are watertight. Even if the Kuomintang agents had wings, they wouldn't be able to get even a step closer to Vice Mayor Chen."

"I don't see it that way." Zhou Xiao's gaze darkened, and he gestured with his chin towards the old gray-walled, red-roofed building diagonally opposite the municipal building. "If the Military Intelligence Bureau had a sharpshooter lying in ambush on that sixth-floor east-facing window—high enough, with a wide field of vision, and a firing arc directly over the center of the podium—how could you possibly stop him?"

"Furthermore, I just walked around the site. The outer perimeter was heavily guarded, but what about inside? The elevator shafts, the electrical room, the ventilation ducts... I didn't see a single person in uniform. What if they've already established themselves inside the building? Are you still guarding the main gate?"

"Also, I suggest replacing Vice Mayor Chen's close bodyguards with trusted members of our own people. A fortress is most easily collapsed from within; if a knife is hidden in your sleeve, even the thickest bulletproof vest is useless."

The illusion of an impregnable fortress was exposed by his three sentences, revealing several cracks.

Watanabe Ichiro, a bead of sweat on his forehead, nodded repeatedly: "Director Zhou, the Empire is truly fortunate to have such a meticulous and capable person as you! I will immediately transfer replacements, and they will all be in place within an hour!"

Zhou Xiao simply nodded: "It's my duty."

In fact, his increased defenses were not truly to protect Chen Mingfu, but rather to nip the bloodshed in the bud.

He hoped that the Kuomintang agents would see this scene from afar, become frightened, and quietly back down—after all, if they really started fighting, Chen Mingfu might not die, but they would most likely perish here, and even their bodies would be difficult to transport out.

Good intentions are not obvious.

At 8:30 a.m., reporters from various newspapers and news agencies began to enter the venue.

Each person had to go through three checks: verification of press credentials, body search, and bag inspection. Even the nib of a pen had to be pried open to check for hidden grooves.

Zhou Xiao, dressed in a dark gray jacket, strolled among the crowd, his eyes like probes, scrutinizing every face, every hand, and the tightness of every backpack strap.

Feng Manna walked towards him and asked in a low voice, "Third Brother, is there any sign of anything happening?"

Zhou Xiao shook his head: "All is calm."

With such tight security, the Military Intelligence Bureau might have to back down.

Feng Manna didn't reply, but simply pursed her lips and turned to leave.

She knew perfectly well that the calmer the surface, the more likely there were undercurrents. Only when they couldn't hold back any longer and made their move could she follow the clues and catch the big fish hidden beneath.

Zhou Xiao's gaze swept across the front row of reporters, then suddenly stopped—two familiar figures came into view!

The man on the left wore a well-pressed suit and shiny leather shoes. He had an old-fashioned camera slung over his shoulder and a bulging canvas bag hanging from his waist. His press badge gleamed brightly on his chest. The woman on the right wore a plain white shirt and slim-fitting trousers. She had a neat figure, bright eyes and brows. Her eyelashes cast trembling shadows in the morning light, and her skin had a cool, jade-like luster. She looked like a thin blade that had not yet been drawn from its sheath.

Xiao Tu, Lu Wangshu.

The two of them were acting like news reporters.

Lu Wangshu, in particular, possessed a clean and sharp edge that was even more vivid than the spy game models Zhou Xiao had played before.

The Military Intelligence Bureau wants to kill Chen Mingfu?

Could it really be the two of them?

That's not right—they were underground Communist Party members.

But Zhou Xiao's heart skipped a beat: This world is really getting interesting.

Others just thought they were ordinary reporters from Ya Hui News Agency, but Zhou Xiao knew the truth—the game before his transmigration had etched their identities, code names, resumes, and even habitual little gestures into his mind.

God's-eye view, no kidding.

Xiao Tu, codenamed "Wasp," is outwardly the deputy director of the Ya Hui News Agency and a favorite of the Japanese consul general; in secret, he is a key member of the Xingrong Gang and an underground agent of the Communist Party, specializing in tackling tough challenges in Shanghai.

Lu Wangshu, codenamed "Nightingale," is Xiao Tu's partner and Ya Hui's most sought-after female reporter. She smiles gently during interviews, but can sew intelligence into the folds of her skirt as soon as she turns around.

These weren't ordinary reporters; they were clearly two sharp knives hidden among the piles of newspapers.

Just as Zhou Xiao was keeping an eye on them, Xiao Tu unconsciously tapped his fingertip on the bag strap, and Lu Wangshu's ear muscles tensed slightly—her professional alertness was already at its peak.

"Someone is watching us," she whispered.

"Don't look back, sit tight." Xiao Tu didn't even lift his eyelids as he reached out to straighten the crooked chain of her press pass.

The two lowered their heads and sat down, like two drops of water merging into a pond.

Zhou Xiao watched their retreating figures, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth—unexpected as it may be, he wanted to see what new moves they could come up with in this game.

Reporters filed in, and the venue gradually filled up.

The press conference was deliberately held indoors, intended to dispel any thoughts of long-range sniping. However, a tension still hung in the air—everyone had received a secret report: the Military Intelligence Bureau was definitely going to make a move tonight.

At exactly nine o'clock, the bronze door was pushed open.

Chen Mingfu slowly walked onto the stage, his suit collar impeccably clean. His eyes, behind his gold-rimmed glasses, swept across the entire audience, a smile on his face but not in his eyes.

"Thank you to all our media colleagues for taking the time to attend... This press conference aims to convey our determination to revitalize Shanghai's financial ambitions..."

The opening remarks, as usual, were full of grand plans and confidence.

The reporters below the stage each performed their duties: some snapped photos, some took notes rapidly, some whispered to each other to check the time... Xiao Tu and Lu Wangshu were also among them, their movements natural and flawless.

Zhou Xiao and Feng Manna and the others were scattered in the corner, their eyes like a net, not letting their guard down.

Half an hour later, Chen Mingfu stopped talking, tapped his fingers lightly on the podium, and said with a beaming smile, "Alright, now, please feel free to ask questions."

Before the words were even finished, a slender hand in the front row was already raised high.

"Madam, please."

Lu Wangshu abruptly stood up, her gaze sweeping over the densely packed shorthand notes in her notebook. She then straightened her back and asked in a clear voice, "Mayor Chen, I am Lu Wangshu, a reporter from Asia News Agency. The financial system of Shanghai—especially the banking sector—is currently experiencing severe turmoil. What concrete measures will you take to stabilize the situation?"