I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

After leaving the motel, the three of them drove back to Li Wei's home. This seemingly ordinary two-story building had become their secret base. It was their temporary safe haven and the place where they planned their counterattack.

Zhang Wanqing sat on the sofa, clutching a cup of hot tea, trying to warm herself both physically and emotionally. Her heartbeat gradually calmed, but the tension within her remained undiminished. Still feeling weak, she leaned against the back of the sofa.

Fu Siyuan stood by the window, frowning, thinking about how to turn this crisis into an opportunity to fight back. He knew they needed a plan, a plan that could defeat the Blackstone Group and all the dark forces behind it in one fell swoop.

Li Wei was busy in the kitchen, preparing a simple dinner for the three of them. His technique was expert, and every movement revealed the calmness and precision cultivated from his past police career.

Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan and Li Wei sat around the table in the living room with a city map spread out in front of them. Various documents and photos were scattered on the table. These were the evidence they had collected about the Blackstone Group.

A whiteboard hung on the wall, densely covered with a list of Blackstone Group members and their web of relationships. Li Wei's eyes swept across the whiteboard, searching for a breakthrough. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, making a crisp sound that echoed the anxiety in his heart.

In the living room, a chandelier cast a soft glow, illuminating the whiteboard on the wall and the tense atmosphere around them. Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan sat at the table, their eyes fixed on Li Wei, who stood in front of the whiteboard, a marker in hand.

On the whiteboard was a complex web of photos and lines, marking the core members of Blackstone Group and the connections between them. Li Wei's fingers wandered over the web, his eyes firm and sharp, as if he could see through the secrets behind the photos.

"Here," Li Wei pointed to a name on the whiteboard, "is the financial director of Blackstone Group. He's responsible for all fund flows. If we can trace his account, we can expose their money laundering network."

Zhang Wanqing stared at the name on the whiteboard, her brows slightly furrowed. She asked softly, "Is there any way we can get close to him? He'll definitely be very careful."

Li Wei nodded, his eyes turned to another mark: "We can go through this informant, he is the personal assistant of the financial director, and he knows the internal situation very well."

Fu Siyuan's eyes moved between the photos and lines on the whiteboard. He proposed his own idea: "We can try to set up a fake art auction to lure them into investing, and then catch them all in the process of the transaction."

Li Wei and Zhang Wanqing exchanged glances; they both saw the potential of this plan. Li Wei's voice tinged with excitement: "That's a good idea! We can leverage your media resources to create a sensational piece of news and draw their attention."

Zhang Wanqing's voice was filled with urgency. "I can publish a message in the media saying that a mysterious collector is willing to sell a batch of precious cultural relics, and the price is very attractive."

Fu Siyuan added: "At the same time, we need to ensure the cooperation of the police. Once they take the bait, we can catch them at the scene of the transaction."

"This depends on me. I have some teammates in the police force who I think are reliable. We must hit the target with one strike and not give them any chance to fight back." Li Wei's voice was low and firm.

The three began to discuss countermeasures. They knew that this plan had to be carefully designed without any omissions. Their goal was to defeat the Blackstone Group and all the dark forces behind it and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

The three began to discuss every detail of the plan in detail, from how to create fake news to how to deploy police forces at the transaction site. Every link was repeatedly scrutinized.

Zhang Wanqing sat at her computer and began writing a press release: "Exclusive News: A mysterious collector plans to sell a batch of precious cultural relics..." She began by describing in detail the historical value and artistic beauty of these artifacts, as well as their scarcity in the market. Her words were full of allure, enough to make any collector's heart flutter.

Secondly, she wrote that the price of these cultural relics was very attractive, the lowest price ever paid for cultural relics. The mysterious collector kept the price so low because he wanted to "give the sword to a hero," allowing the value of the cultural relics to be realized in the hands of those who appreciate them.

This fake news had to be compelling enough to attract Blackstone's attention. Zhang Wanqing knew that once released, it would spread like wildfire through the antique and art market. She carefully hinted in her article that the sale of these artifacts was a secret operation, known only to a few insiders. This sense of mystery was precisely the key to luring Blackstone into the trap.

She reviewed the press release to make sure no details were missed, then pressed send. She then contacted her friends in other media outlets and asked them to forward it. The press release quickly spread across major media platforms, attracting widespread attention and discussion.

Meanwhile, Fu Siyuan sat at his computer, creating a fake art auction website that would serve as the centerpiece of their plan. He meticulously designed the site's interface to appear professional and high-end enough to fool Blackstone. He listed a series of fictitious artworks, each accompanied by beautiful images and detailed descriptions. He also set up a virtual chat system to communicate with potential buyers.

Fu Siyuan knew that the website had to be realistic enough to lure the Blackstone Group into the trap. He even left some clues on the website, suggesting that there were unknown secrets behind the sale of these cultural relics.

He looked at his work with satisfaction, and then began to spread the news on the dark web, attracting those who were interested in illegal antiquities transactions. After that, many buyers began to contact him, and he knew that sooner or later, someone from the Blackstone Group would show up.

Li Wei, meanwhile, met with his trusted former colleagues at an abandoned factory to discuss the upcoming operation. He explained the plan in detail, including the roles they would play. He emphasized the importance of confidentiality, emphasizing that any leak could lead to the failure of the entire plan. This would be a dangerous game.

Li Wei made detailed arrangements to ensure that every corner of the transaction site was monitored by his own people. He also prepared some fake buyers, these police officers would disguise themselves as art collectors and participate in the auction so that they could take action at the critical moment.

He stood up, looked around at his former colleagues, and said, "Thank you, brothers! I knew you were all fighting for justice!"

On the other side of the city, in the offices of Blackstone Group, a group of men in suits were sitting around a conference table, their faces filled with greed and cunning, discussing the news they had just received.

"Are the cultural relics in the hands of this mysterious collector really that valuable?" one of them asked, with greed flashing in his eyes.

The other man nodded, his voice tinged with excitement. “I’ve already sent someone to investigate. If the news is true, this will be a great opportunity for us.”

They began to discuss how to operate and how to ensure that they could obtain these cultural relics safely. They knew that such transactions always came with risks.