I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

In the deep night, Zhou Ming's mansion stood out among the brightly lit villas in an upscale residential complex in the north of the city. Li Wei and Zhang Wanqing approached the mansion quietly, their steps light and cautious, trying to avoid making any noise. The mansion's exterior was luxurious and imposing. A high-end sedan was parked in front of the door, its headlights flickering faintly in the night.

Li Wei and Zhang Wanqing exchanged a glance and nodded, signaling the other to prepare for action. They quietly walked around to the back door of the mansion and found it ajar, as if someone had just entered or exited. Li Wei signaled Zhang Wanqing to stay outside the door, while he quietly pushed open the door and entered the mansion. The interior of the mansion was luxuriously decorated, and the marble floor reflected the light, making it appear particularly bright. Li Wei moved forward cautiously, his pistol loaded, ready to respond to any emergency at any time.

After Li Wei entered the mansion, the first thing he saw was a spacious living room. Several famous paintings hung on the walls, and the sofa and coffee table were all made of top-quality leather and solid wood. He quickly glanced around and confirmed that no one was in the living room before continuing inside.

He walked through the living room and into a hallway flanked by doors to several rooms. Li Wei gently pushed open the doors and examined each one. The first room was a study, its shelves filled with books and documents, and a computer screen displaying complex financial statements. A quick glance revealed that these reports involved large amounts of money transfers and complex financial operations, clearly linked to Shadow's criminal activities.

He continued forward and came to the second room. It was a bedroom. The quilt on the bed was dishevelled, clearly someone had just rested here. Li Wei noticed a cell phone on the bedside table. He quickly picked it up and found a missed call from an unfamiliar number. He immediately realized that this might be the contact information of "Shadow".

Li Wei was about to continue his inspection when he heard footsteps downstairs. His heartbeat quickened, and he quickly hid behind the bedroom door, holding his breath. The footsteps drew closer, and Li Wei nervously gripped his pistol, ready to respond at any moment.

The footsteps stopped at the living room door. Li Wei saw a figure slowly walking into the living room through the crack in the door. The figure was wearing a black windbreaker and a black hat, and his face was unclear. After entering the living room, he quickly looked around, as if to confirm whether anyone was following him.

Li Wei knew this person was most likely the Shadow. He had to be careful not to let him notice his presence. He quietly peeked out from behind the bedroom door and continued to observe.

The figure stood in the middle of the living room, pulled a remote from his pocket, and pressed a button. Suddenly, a hidden door appeared in the living room wall and slowly opened, revealing a dark room. The figure quickly walked into the dark room, and the door slowly closed behind him.

Li Wei knew this was an important discovery. He had to notify Zhang Wanqing immediately and then quietly follow the man to see what he was doing in the darkroom. He quickly returned to the living room, turned on his phone, and sent a message to Zhang Wanqing: "A suspicious person has been found entering the darkroom. I'll follow him, and you stay outside the door."

Li Wei quietly walked to the hidden door, gently pushed it open, and entered the darkroom. The darkroom was dimly lit, and the surroundings were filled with various electronic devices and computers. In the center of the darkroom, there was a huge screen displaying financial transaction data and communication records from around the world.

The figure stood in front of the screen, operating the computer intently, as if carrying out an important task. Li Wei quietly approached, hid behind a computer, and continued to observe.

Suddenly, the figure seemed to notice something, turned around abruptly, and looked directly in the direction where Li Wei was hiding. Li Wei's heartbeat instantly accelerated, and he knew that he might have been discovered. He quickly raised his gun and pointed it at the figure. "Don't move, police!"

The figure froze for a moment, then slowly raised his hand, a helpless smile on his face. "It seems you finally found me."

Li Wei nervously stepped forward and pressed his gun against the back of his head. "Are you 'Shadow'?"

The figure nodded. "Yes, I am 'Shadow'. But you know what? I'm just a pawn. The real mastermind is still in the dark."

Li Wei's heartbeat quickened, knowing this was an important breakthrough. He quickly handcuffed the figure, then pulled a pair of headphones from his pocket and put them on his own ears. "Wanqing, I've caught 'Shadow', come quickly."

Zhang Wanqing quickly rushed to the darkroom and saw the cuffed figure. A hint of surprise crossed her face. "Are you 'Shadow'?"

Shadow nodded.

Li Wei and Zhang Wanqing exchanged a glance, realizing that this "shadow" might not be what they imagined. They had to continue questioning to find the real mastermind behind the scenes.

"Do you know who is behind this?" Li Wei's voice was calm and firm.

The figure was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke. "I know some clues, but you must ensure my safety."

Li Wei nodded. "As long as you cooperate, we will do our best to protect your safety."

The figure took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "The mastermind behind this is a man named 'Black Hand,' who controls the entire criminal network. I'm just an executor, and all the orders come from him."

Li Wei's heartbeat quickened. He knew this was a major breakthrough. He quickly recorded the figure's words while remaining alert. "Can you provide more information about the 'black hand'?"

The figure nodded. "I know some of his transaction records and contact information. I can provide them to you, but you must ensure my safety."

Li Wei knew this was a rare opportunity. He quickly contacted his colleagues outside and arranged for protection for the figure. At the same time, he continued to record the information provided by the figure, ensuring that no detail was missed.

"I don't know the real name of 'Black Hand', but he often trades in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city. He has a special communication device to contact his men." The figure's voice trembled, and his eyes were full of fear.

Li Wei's heartbeat quickened. He knew this was a major breakthrough. He quickly recorded the figure's words while remaining calm. "Can you take us to that abandoned factory?"

The figure nodded. "I can take you there, but you must ensure my safety."

Li Wei and Zhang Wanqing exchanged a glance. They knew that this operation had made significant progress, but their mission wasn't over yet. They needed to use this information to find the "black hand" as quickly as possible and completely destroy this criminal network.