activa-t Chapter 316 Action Plan
Chapter 316 Action Plan
The heavy alloy door emitted a clicking sound, similar to the engagement of metal mechanisms.
Calling it a door is not quite accurate; it's practically a steel block almost half a meter thick.
It took two staff members pulling it together to slowly open, emitting an extremely dull sound.
This is the deepest storage room beneath the castle, and also the place where the items to be auctioned at Christie's tonight are kept.
Bai Li followed Zhou Chengjing all the way here, passing through countless checkpoints before finally arriving.
Every checkpoint here is guarded by heavily armed soldiers, making it so heavily fortified that it is almost impossible for anyone to break through.
The moment the door was opened, a scent mixed with rust-preventing oil and ancient wood filled the air.
Bai Li stepped into it.
The treasure vault is extremely spacious, with rare and priceless treasures neatly displayed under bright white lighting.
Bai Li immediately spotted the Spring and Autumn Lotus Crane Square Pot that she had just "bought".
Seeing it up close is clearly more impressive than seeing it from across the booth.
The teapot is decorated with auspicious clouds, powerful dragon patterns, and white cranes spreading their wings as if about to take flight. Every detail is exquisite and lifelike.
Even though the pot is covered with patina, it does not detract from its beauty. On the contrary, these traces of history add a layer of profound historical vicissitudes to it.
It stood there quietly inside the huge glass case.
Tranquil, serene, solemn.
Bai Li had never quite understood why so many people were obsessed with antiques.
Some die-hard collectors are even willing to travel overseas and spend all their wealth to "bring back" scrap metal.
Now, she finally understood some things.
True treasures seem to possess a kind of "spiritual energy," giving people a strange sense of peace.
Looking at these heirlooms that have traversed a thousand years of dust and countless hardships, and are now finally being carefully protected, Bai Li's restlessness was almost completely dispelled.
In the face of the ever-flowing river of time, any problem seems insignificant.
Bai Li was so engrossed in watching that she almost forgot about her business.
It wasn't until she snapped out of her daze that she realized Zhou Chengjing had been standing silently behind her, patiently waiting.
After their eyes met, Zhou Chengjing slowly asked, "Do you like it?"
Bai Li glanced at Zhou Chengjing warily.
I like it, but that's all; I have no other thoughts.
She wouldn't dare to actually keep something of this caliber for herself.
To avoid misunderstanding this seemingly upright but actually unorthodox and extreme man, Bai Li simply denied it: "I don't like it."
My gaze swept over the other precious items on display in the warehouse, and I silently bid farewell.
Although she took these photos, they actually have nothing to do with her.
All of them are Zhou Gongzi's "spoils of war".
"What do you plan to do with these?" Bai Li asked.
Zhou Chengjing answered without hesitation.
"It will all be donated."
Sure enough.
Given Zhou Chengjing's political background, he would not keep these hot potatoes to himself.
to be honest.
Today's auction can only be held in this high seas.
If this happened in China, it wouldn't just be Choi Sung-cheol, the cult leader, who was unlucky; everyone tonight would be in jail.
Thinking of Cui Shengzhe, Bai Li straightened up and went straight to the point: "How is that guy surnamed Cui doing?"
Zhou Chengjing threw out such a big bait to lure Cui Shengzhe out.
She didn't believe that the man surnamed Cui could escape Monte Carlo Island under the machinations of Zhou Chengjing, that terrifying man.
"Why do you ask that?" Zhou Chengjing raised an eyebrow, asking a question instead of answering, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "What have you guessed? Why don't you tell me? If you can guess my plan for tonight, there's a big prize."
Bai Li was too lazy to play guessing games with Zhou Chengjing anymore.
But since there was a "big prize," she didn't hold back.
"You orchestrated this auction tonight, didn't you?" Bai Li's eyes were sharp, and her tone was certain.
Zhou Chengjing's face remained expressionless as he gestured for her to continue: "Go on."
"This so-called high seas auction is not protected by law, which makes it convenient for you to do your thing."
"Although Monte Carlo Island is an unclaimed island, judging from its 'ecosystem,' it is home to a powerful and influential group of celebrities."
"I suspect there is at least one, or several, alliances of interest here."
"To hold an auction here, it is essential to obtain the approval and support of the island's elite."
"How many of those so-called celebrities are your people?"
"This island has probably been thoroughly infiltrated by your forces long ago."
"The auction is just a pretext; the real purpose is to lure the snakes out and catch them all in one fell swoop."
"After all, even the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood wouldn't dare send anyone to investigate, let alone pursue the matter, if a cult leader were to disappear here."
"They are also afraid of breaking the rules of the island."
Zhou Chengjing listened quietly.
Hearing this, he smiled faintly, a hint of appreciation appearing in his eyes as he looked at Bai Li: "It sounds reasonable. But why should I go to such lengths? After all, Cui Shengzhe and I have no grudge against each other."
Bai Li pondered for a moment.
indeed.
Zhou Chengjing could do that, but it seems unnecessary.
Although the Brotherhood of Holy Blood was the predecessor of the Underwater organization, he had no need to risk being targeted by the Brotherhood of Holy Blood because of the Underwater organization.
The Brotherhood of Holy Blood is not just about Choi Sung-cheol.
According to Zhou Chengjing's description, this organization had a large number of members, a long history, great influence, and was extremely harmful.
So besides Choi Sung-cheol, there must be other management members and many supporters.
Making a blood feud with him would have endless consequences and would also be troublesome for Zhou Chengjing.
Zhou Chengjing lacked sufficient motivation.
Inside the treasure vault, the incandescent lights shone as brightly as day, illuminating everything with exceptional clarity. There was virtually no dark corner untouched by the light, leaving no shadow whatsoever, as if all darkness had nowhere to hide.
The lights also made Zhou Chengjing's expression even clearer.
Although Zhou Chengjing always gives people a very gentle feeling, if you pay close attention to the details of your interactions with him, you can feel the invisible aura around him and the chilling sense of oppression emanating from his depths.
Bai Li guessed that Zhou Chengjing must have studied psychology.
Even without formal training, they are undoubtedly natural-born experts.
In this respect, he is a natural master.
He is extremely good at disguising himself, knows how to get along comfortably with people, and is also very good at manipulating people's hearts.
If you're not careful when talking to him, you'll easily get caught up in his rhythm.
Just like before, Zhou Chengjing neither admitted nor denied it, but instead led her to think more deeply.
If it were an ordinary person, they might have already been captivated by Zhou Chengjing and drawn into his mind.
But Bai Li is no ordinary person.
She has used up all the [Intelligence] attribute points given by the Wheel of Myriad Forms, and her thinking ability is far more flexible than that of ordinary people.
Bai Li was confident that her line of thinking was correct.
Tonight's auction is definitely a blow specifically aimed at Choi Sung-cheol and the Brotherhood of Blood.
Just because Zhou Chengjing didn't have enough motives doesn't mean others didn't.
As is well known, cults are called cults because they are not orthodox, governed religious churches, and their proselytizing methods are usually very extreme.
For example, they could directly create "infiltration files" containing incriminating evidence against government officials or businesspeople, which could then be used for long-term blackmail.
If you can pay money to avoid trouble, that's considered a good situation.
Even worse, some families resort to brainwashing and physical restrictions on their members in order to completely control the family.
Therefore, once a cult develops into one with armed forces, capital, and political power, there will naturally be those whose interests are harmed who are willing to unite to fight against it.
Given the size of the Blood Brotherhood in the underworld, they are bound to have countless enemies.
The forces on Monte Carlo Island are complex and intertwined, and there are certainly those who want to eliminate it as soon as possible.
Zhou Chengjing was definitely one of the participants.
Although he did not have sufficient motivation, it does not mean that he had no motivation at all.
Although the Brotherhood of Holy Blood had no direct personal grudge against him.
Therefore, going into the water was his goal.
Eradicating such a dark organization as the "underwater" from the country is a great achievement for both the nation and its people!
Ultimately, Zhou Chengjing was after a promising career.
After briefly explaining her previous assessment, Bai Li added, "...Arthur, Max, and Luc are your allies in this operation. They wouldn't have appeared on the island with you for no reason, would I be right, Senior Brother Zhou?"
Zhou Chengjing clapped his hands: "Brilliant!"
Bai Li's keen insight exceeded his expectations; she guessed almost exactly what was going on.
“That’s right.” Zhou Chengjing’s smile faded. “The underground organization, and its origin—the Brotherhood of Holy Blood—are connected with many foreign forces and even some corrupt elements in the government, posing a great threat.”
"It is difficult to eradicate it completely using conventional methods, so special methods must be used."
Zhou Chengjing took out a cell phone, turned it on, and handed it to Bai Li.
On the screen is a real-time monitoring feed.
The location in the image appears to be a highly guarded interrogation room.
The four walls were completely black, and the lights were a stark white.
The person handcuffed to the interrogation chair was none other than Choi Sung-cheol, the cult leader who had left the interrogation midway through.
He was a completely different person at this moment compared to when he was at the auction.
His white suit was now wrinkled.
It was stained with some unknown black stains, which stood out starkly against the white fabric.
The surveillance footage is very clear.
Choi Sung-cheol's expression was also clearly visible.
The saintly, compassionate expression on his face had vanished, replaced by livid anger and a hint of barely concealed... panic.
"Useless! You're all a bunch of useless trash!"
"Just you wait, all of you just wait! You won't get away with this!"
"The church will not let you get away with this!"
……
Heart-wrenching curses kept coming from the phone.
The insults were extremely vulgar, mixed with obscene English and Korean.
Choi Sung-cheol was strapped tightly to the interrogation chair, unable to move his hands or feet, and could only scream menacingly.
No one caused him any real harm; he only made himself more and more miserable.
He even started inexplicably smashing his head against the handcuffs until they bled before he stopped.
Then he tilted his head back and burst into wild laughter.
This state clearly indicates that he has just been captured and has not yet resigned himself to his fate.
He simply couldn't accept that he had been arrested.
Only the "god" himself knows how painful it is to suddenly fall from grace after being revered by his followers.
He's alright, but he's not far from going insane.
Bai Li frowned in disgust and held her phone far away as she looked at it.
This scene offended her eyes.
Zhou Chengjing said calmly, “While you were bidding, Interpol’s special operations team had already located all of his strongholds on Monte Carlo Island and his trusted confidants.”
"Just as he stormed off in anger after losing the auction and was trying to leave Monte Carlo Island, the operation was launched on the edge of international waters."
Bai Li returned the phone to Zhou Chengjing, her mind racing.
Interpol?
Even Interpol has been mobilized...
The Brotherhood of the Holy Blood has indeed incurred the wrath of many.
The forces and countries involved in this crackdown are probably far more than one.
"What will he do next?" Bai Li asked.
"He will be taken to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he will face trial on charges including crimes against humanity, war crimes, and large-scale organized crime," Zhou Chengjing said coldly.
Bai Li clicked her tongue twice.
Multiple crimes are punished together, and each one is an unforgivable offense.
They're definitely not going to survive.
Choi Sung-cheol should be grateful that he was born in a civilized era. Compared to the families and innocent people he harmed, he was far too "lucky" to have ended his life.
"What about the rest of the Brotherhood of Holy Blood?" Bai Li continued to ask.
This operation is so large that it cannot end with just capturing one leader.
"With his capture, the Holy Blood Brotherhood's core network in the Far East has been uprooted. Before dawn, none of the 'big fish' on the list and their core members will escape. As for the undercover agents..." Zhou Chengjing paused, his voice echoing slightly in the empty warehouse, "losing financial support and political asylum, they naturally crumbled."
Although he spoke simply, only two short sentences, he gave a general outline of his actions.
But Bai Li could guess that the price to be paid behind this operation was probably far more complicated than he had described.
One can get a glimpse of this simply by looking at the precious auction items in the treasure vault.
They were merely props to lure out Choi Sung-cheol; they were just one part of the plan.
It's easy to imagine how terrifying the cost of the entire operation would be.
This cannot be sustained by any single force.
Even a century-old prestigious family like Zhou Chengjing's couldn't do it.
Bai Li suddenly realized that she had underestimated the scale and far-reaching implications of the operation.
This was not achieved in just a few months; the noose around the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood had probably been tightening quietly a year or even several years earlier.
But going into the water was just one unexpected step in the process.
Big Head is the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood.
Going into the water is just one small part of it.
Now, Zhou Chengjing had answered almost all of her questions, leaving only one point that still puzzled her.
"So," Bai Li looked directly at Zhou Chengjing, "what exactly is the reason that you dragged me into this mess?"
The unpleasant feeling of being kept in the dark and being used has not completely dissipated.
"The intelligence about the underwater mission came from you, and you have the right to know its outcome." Zhou Chengjing met her gaze without any guilt. "I brought you into this game not to use you or to use you as a pawn."
"Believe it or not, this is just my personal opinion." Zhou Chengjing's gaze was earnest, his words carrying a rare sincerity. "You are intelligent enough, understanding enough, qualified to touch the truth of this world... you are someone worthy of entrusting your life to—"
Zhou Chengjing paused for a moment, and the air seemed to freeze.
He continued, "...friend."
Bai Li immediately summoned Xiao Hao: "How much favorability do you have with Zhou Chengjing?"