Chapter 542: 惊鸿楼

The sky was gradually brightening.

A drunkard, who had spent the night lying by the casino entrance, finally opened his bleary eyes and staggered away, clutching a liquor bottle. A rickshaw, which had been waiting all night for a fare, finally picked up its "customer" and creaked away towards the end of the road. Several gamblers emerged grumbling from the casino, disappearing without a backward glance into the dim light of dawn.

"Finally, a shift change..."

Inside the rickshaw, a police officer, disguised as a gambler, finally let down his guard. He slumped back exhausted in his seat, yawning as he watched the rising sun.

"Staring at dice and cards all night long makes my eyes blur.""Be content," scoffed the officer pedaling the rickshaw with effort. "At least you were inside the casino. I was out on the street enduring the cold wind all night!""Sigh, when will this end..."

The rickshaw driver remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Do you really think there are Twilight Society members in the casino?""How would I know? All I know is the trail went cold on this street. After the higher-ups sent people to search the area, they said this casino might be problematic.""Problematic in what way?""Something about its origins, it seems? This casino changed hands half a year ago, and it was around that time that rumors of Twilight Society activities started gradually surfacing in the city... And do you know who bought this place from the Beidou Corporation back then?""Who?""The Golden Assembly Envoy!""What? You mean the higher-ups suspect the Golden Assembly Envoy is a member of the Twilight Society?""I'd guess they've been suspicious for a while now; otherwise, where would so many Eighth-Tier individuals come from? They're just not certain yet, and it's always wise to be cautious... On the other hand, Mu Chunsheng, the chairman of the Beidou Corporation, immediately distanced himself from the Golden Assembly Envoy after those important figures came knocking. He claimed the envoy had forced him to sell these properties and that he's now willing to hand them over to the Fleeting Life Painting as a gesture of goodwill...""Heh heh heh, that old fox changes his tune quickly... And it's true, a Golden Assembly Envoy who knows when they'll return isn't as important as the big figures from the Fleeting Life Painting. After all, this is the Mortal Realm." The pedaling officer sneered, seemingly well-acquainted with the nature of these corporations."Speaking of which, we've been watching the casino for so long, and there's still no activity, nor have we seen any suspicious people coming or going... Could their judgment be wrong?""Hard to say. Anyway, I think they're not too sure themselves; otherwise, why haven't they taken action yet?""Let's just keep watching for now... If this really is their base, they'll show their hand sooner or later. It's just a matter of who loses patience first."

As they departed, a ray of morning sun swept across the dim street. The ancient and desolate theater was bathed in a pale golden light. At that moment, a figure slowly emerged from behind the railing on the second floor.

Chen Ling yawned casually, as if just waking up, while squinting and scanning the area below. Although the police officers who had been on watch last night were gradually leaving, new ones were constantly filling in. Chen Ling stood on the second floor for a while and soon discovered several new surveillance points. Their vigilance towards the casino had not slackened in the slightest with the arrival of daylight. Chen Ling didn't linger long behind the railing; he merely felt the morning breeze for a moment before turning to leave. The area was now teeming with undercover police. If he spied openly for too long, they would eventually grow suspicious. For Chen Ling, a couple of minutes was already sufficient.

As Chen Ling descended the stairs, he saw Kong Baosheng diligently sweeping the ground floor with a broom. Every visible surface was spotless, suggesting he had started cleaning as early as three or four in the morning. Hearing Chen Ling come down, Kong Baosheng stopped his work and respectfully asked:

"Mr. Lin, would you like breakfast?"Chen Ling's eyebrows lifted slightly, and after he hummed in affirmation, Kong Baosheng put down the broom and turned to busy himself in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, a steaming bowl of osmanthus black rice porridge was placed before Chen Ling. Golden osmanthus petals floated on the dark purple porridge; it was neither too thick nor too thin. A gentle stir released a faint, fragrant aroma."You made this?" Chen Ling asked, a little surprised."Yes, I started cooking it right after I woke up and kept it warm in the pot, just waiting for you to get up," Kong Baosheng scratched his head. "I wasn't sure about your preference, so I added a little more sugar than usual... Please try it."Chen Ling took a spoonful. The first taste was the fragrance of osmanthus, followed by sweetness. Unlike the Aurora Realm, where people preferred savory foods, the Mortal Realm seemed to favor sweet tastes; the streets were filled with various dessert shops and snacks. In Aurora City, it would be rare to even see a cake shop or a vendor selling tanghulu. Fortunately, Chen Ling didn't mind sweet things; in fact, he found the porridge quite delicious. He nodded and said:"Excellent cooking."

Upon hearing this, Kong Baosheng's somewhat nervous face finally relaxed, and a smile appeared. Since last night, Kong Baosheng had been filled with unease and worry, afraid he wouldn't be able to serve the new Mr. Lin well. After all, he had accepted a hundred thousand silver notes, and if Mr. Lin ended up dissatisfied, Kong Baosheng would feel terribly guilty, let alone whether he'd be asked for a refund. It now seemed that Mr. Lin was not difficult to get along with, which brought a hint of joy to Kong Baosheng. Taking the opportunity, he proactively asked:"Sir, is there anything you'd like for lunch?""You decide."

Chen Ling lowered his head and continued to eat his porridge, while Kong Baosheng went back to tidying up the theater. The theater had been abandoned for a long time, so some things could have been left untouched, but with a new owner, it was certainly going to reopen, and everything necessary had to be in place. Kong Baosheng rummaged through a pile of items and pulled out a dusty plaque from the very bottom. Only then did he remember something, and he turned to ask:"Mr. Lin, have you decided on a name for the theater?""A name?"Chen Ling paused, then realized that the theater would also need a sign. Although he hadn't bought it with the intention of genuinely operating it, letting it remain abandoned without any long-term activity after purchasing it would certainly arouse suspicion. Since he needed to maintain a disguise, it had to be a convincing one... Even if no one would actually come to watch performances, the superficial work still had to be done. Chen Ling, too lazy to come up with a name, asked directly:"What was this theater called before?"Kong Baosheng brushed the dust off the plaque, struggled to lift it, and turned it towards Chen Ling. Several elegant, ancient-style gilded characters were carved onto it."Jinghong," Kong Baosheng said. "It used to be called Jinghong Tower."Chen Ling waved his hand dismissively,"Then keep it."