Origin Paradise!

"Finally, there is the inevitability. Monitoring consumes power and inevitably relies on related devices, most of which are located in high corners."

Jiang He summarized the four elements of surveillance, and with theoretical guidance, he could evade detection to the greatest extent possible.

Not long after, a news article appeared before my eyes.

"...The International Maritime Trade Exchange Conference will be held tonight at 9 PM at the Xuanbin Hotel. The Executive Director of the Mexico New Bay Group has been invited to attend..."

Jiang He flipped through the list of attendees. He didn't know much about the New Bay Group, only that this behemoth was currently the largest gang organization in Mexico, with a private armed force of up to 100,000 at its peak. It controlled the largest port city in the central region and was famous in the underworld.

A moment later, a photo was identified as that of the middle-aged man posing with Rhine's identity.

"Rodlev, former professor of weapons systems and applications engineering, has a similar field of expertise to Rhein-Augustus."

Jiang He got up and left. The first part of the main quest was inextricably linked to the other party, the only difference being the degree of involvement.

……

Shanghai, Ningde Road.

Xuanbin Hotel is located on the street. The building's style on the ground floor is similar to that of an ancient Western church. From the top, you can see the river flowing eastward. Several rows of searchlights shine from the bottom up onto the exterior walls, making them look magnificent.

Jiang He arrived at Xuanbin Hotel by taxi. He was expressionless when he got out of the car and took out his money. He had changed his gray jacket into a rented black suit. He made a special trip to avoid being kicked out. The price was that the money in his wallet was halved.

Upon reaching the door, the waiter, a handsome young man, took a few steps forward as a gesture of goodwill and greeted them with a polite smile:

"Sir, the hotel has been booked out by the Xinwan Group today. The employer requires that an invitation be presented for entry."

Jiang He patted her pocket and said frankly, "I forgot to bring it."

The waiter said apologetically, "I'm sorry, sir, without an invitation, I cannot let you in. It is my duty, and I hope you can understand."

Jiang He said thoughtfully, "If I force my way in, will you lose your job?"

The waiter's face stiffened. "Please don't say such dangerous things. Security will be here soon, and I also work out regularly. You can call a friend and have them come down to pick you up."

Jiang He nodded and initiated hypnosis. "The problem is with me. Can you point me in the right direction, like a fire escape?"

Ying Shisheng pondered for a moment, glanced around, and said in a low voice, "There is an iron gate next to the trash can at the back of the street. That area is not under my jurisdiction. After you go there, you will see a green sign. It is a safe evacuation passage. The iron gate is not usually locked."

After saying that, the young waiter returned to his original position, acting as if he hadn't spoken at all. Trying to get in without an invitation was definitely suspicious. Even so, he didn't want to cause trouble, since the hotel's monthly salary was barely enough to make ends meet in Shanghai.

Jiang He understood. "I found it myself."

"Many thanks."

Chapter 32 The Death of Rodelev

The back street of Xuanbin Hotel.

Jiang He yanked open the iron gate. The staircase was not far from the passage in front of him. He casually unleashed a burst of powerful force, breaking the lock with tremendous force, leaving himself an escape route.

Entering the staircase directly, the environment is quite dark. The fifth and sixth floors of the hotel are almost completely connected, serving as venues for important events.

Jiang He stopped in front of a door. This time it wasn't a problem with the lock. There was a square detection device installed on the wall next to it. He would have to swipe his card to get in, and as expected, the special access card required was registered with the holder's name. Each swipe would leave a security record.

"The most convenient option is to have the waiter inform Rodelev, but this Russian is not trustworthy for the time being. Rhine has gone from a weapons expert to a death row inmate; something must have happened."

Jiang He reflected on himself and realized that he lacked many common skills. He should take comprehensive courses if he had the opportunity, not just in the application and cracking of electronic devices. In fact, he couldn't even drive a car, and he couldn't guarantee a hit with a pistol from 30 meters away.

"But that doesn't mean we're at a dead end right now."

Jiang He raised her palm, took out her phone to illuminate the area, and used the black gemstone ring as a mirror to hypnotize herself. Based on the neurological regulation mechanism, pigment cells will cause pigment to merge and change between different pigment cell layers under nerve stimulation, so as to achieve a variety of changes in body color. Simply put, it is like a chameleon. However, darkening is extremely dangerous, depending on the degree and time. Once the irreversible boundary is crossed, only healing drugs can be used.

Time passed slowly, and someone's emotions rose and fell, constantly stimulating their nerves, gradually merging with the shadows.

At one point, he pounded on the door, making a loud, rattling noise.

A dozen seconds later, the door was flung open, and two security guards in black suits came out, carrying flashlights and checking around.

"What the hell is that noise?"

"Let's go upstairs and take a look."

Jiang He walked through the gate, and her repeated attempts at hypnosis caused her energy level to drop rapidly.

"It cannot be used as a regular skill. It requires at least half an hour to adjust and simulate the environment. In terms of energy consumption, it is extremely cost-effective. However, this time it is like a little black murderer in a detective comic."

Reaching the end of the corridor, Jiang He followed several guests into the restroom. When they came out and entered the venue, the lively scene was a stark contrast to what they had seen before.

Guests flocked to the venue, and toasts were exchanged.

Even upon entering, one could immediately spot the focal point of the event: the executive director of the Mexican New Bay Group was surrounded by a group of people, including the chairman of Anping Island Shipping Group.

"He's basically my boss's boss's boss."

Jiang He took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and struck up a conversation with a young man in a formal suit who was constantly greeting and seeing off customers.

"Friend, it's been a long time."

The young man turned around without any surprise or hesitation. His eyes lit up with joy, and he said happily, "Good brother, I really didn't expect you to come. It's been so long since we last saw each other."

The two shook hands, then clinked glasses.

Jiang He took a sip of the alcoholic sparkling water; it tasted slightly sour, but he couldn't tell if it was good or bad.

The young man smiled and said, "I wonder where your father is. I should go and offer him a toast."

"Whatever he does, I'll never get any good opportunities anyway," Jiang He retorted. "That Mexican guy is famous, but does he really deserve so many people surrounding him?"

The young man said nonchalantly, "Don't listen to what outsiders say about New Bay Group. In the end, it's still a gang. This group of thugs is not a legitimate business, but their cash flow is just too huge. All industries have been struggling this past year, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. Besides, it's still uncertain whether this guy can even go back."

The two talked incessantly. Jiang He finished his champagne and took the opportunity to leave. He roughly understood the background: the executive director had been ousted from the New Bay Group and fled to Shanghai for refuge. He was preparing to join forces with several shipping giants to transport Russian arms back to his homeland and turn the tide of the war.

As for Rodlev, he is the executive director's partner, but rumors have repeatedly delayed the delivery of research results, and the relationship between the two has reached a freezing point.

Among the crowd was Rodlev, who had a thick beard, a rugged face, and cheeks flushed red from the freezing cold. He also had an amazing capacity for alcohol.

Jiang He deliberately walked past the other person, but unfortunately there was no reaction, which surprised him slightly.

……

Half an hour later, Rodlev finished off several bottles of liquor and staggered to the restroom. As the Russian man looked up from the sink, a cold gun barrel was pressed against the back of his head.

"Give me the stuff back."

Rodlev seemed to sober up from the fright. He raised his hands and hurriedly said, "Calm down, please calm down, my friend. I suggest you just tell me what you lost. I don't want to die in confusion. Besides, I don't know you at all, that's for sure."

Jiang He frowned, took out a photo, and placed it on the sink.

"Hey, I remember the location in the photo, but the group photo should be me and that guy Rhine!" Rodlev said incredulously.

“I am Rhein Augustus.”

"Impossible, Rhine came with me."

Jiang He put the pistol back into his pouch, but Rodlev showed no intention of making a move despite the opportunity.

"If you don't believe me, I can take you out to find him."

The two returned to the venue, and Rodlev called over a blond young man in his late twenties, who then took out a photo of them together from his wallet in his inner pocket.

The two photos have the same background, but the people in them are completely different.

The blond youth said, puzzled, "This joke isn't funny."

"Rhine is a doctoral student at Moscow State University. He only arrived in Shanghai a few days ago, as clearly stated on the university's official website," said Rodlev.

The group borrowed laptops from the waiters, logged onto the website, and found Rhine's information and photos clearly displayed.

Jiang He pondered. He was certainly not Rhine. This identity came from the death row inmate he had killed on the island. Now that it deviated from the actual situation, objectively speaking, it was more likely that there was a problem on his side.

The main quest is to retrieve the mailed letter, and the key question is undoubtedly who it was addressed to.

The atmosphere became somber.

Suddenly, Jiang He leaped sideways at lightning speed, instinctively feeling a sense of crisis.

The next instant, the windows of the venue shattered, and Rodlev was shot between the eyebrows, most of his head was blown off, and he fell backward into a pool of blood and died. The blond youth saw this and quickly hid under the dining table.

A woman screamed as guests fled to a blind spot behind a wall. Just then, a second bullet struck. In the nick of time, the executive director's bodyguard pushed him, and the bullet barely shattered his shoulder.

"Hide!"

"There's a sniper!"

"I knew the documentary was fake!"

The scene was chaotic. Jiang He retreated as quickly as possible along the same route. The shooting incident was bound to attract an investigation. Once his monocle was removed, his true identity would be exposed, which would put him in a very passive position in the current player ecosystem.

Chapter 33 Temporary Countermeasures Team

A shooting occurred at the Xuanbin Hotel on Ningde Road in Shanghai.

From the moment the emergency call was received, the relevant departments immediately contacted the hotel front desk, the duty manager, and the management, and obtained the organizer's personal information and contact details from the embassy for questioning.

After multiple verifications confirmed the authenticity of the case, the assessment office labeled it a Level 3 security incident and reported it through direct channels.

Normally, reporting to a higher level without proper authorization is considered a serious error. However, since a year ago, the relevant regulations have undergone significant changes and are now categorized into different levels based on the scope of impact, casualties, and nature of the incident. Once an incident is classified, an "interaction consultant" is required to participate in the investigation. These consultants are ostensibly from Good Order Company.

Five minutes after the incident, the review was approved, authority was granted, a temporary countermeasures team was established, the analysis room's suggestions were heard, and the person in charge ordered an area to be sealed off with a radius based on the distance the vehicle could travel at normal speed within seven minutes.

The area's monitoring is integrated into the analysis room's command system.

Personnel at each intersection and traffic facility security checkpoint are directly contacted by the countermeasures team.

Densely populated areas within the region should be evacuated immediately.

……

Inside an unremarkable old six-story building.

Hundreds of professionals were working non-stop, with electronic lights everywhere. In the center, a large screen over ten meters high displayed intensive live monitoring. Three unkempt math geniuses were drawing remotely, while their assistants kept turning around to pass messages. Their task was simply to find all possible escape routes.

With the arrival of the new era, players participating in remote missions caused major accidents, so a large number of personnel were added to the Bureau of Order as unofficial staff, and there are always enough countermeasure teams on standby around the clock.

Level 3 security incidents typically involve heavy weapons and low-to-mid-level players; sniper rifles fall under the category of heavy weapons.

At the command post, An Jing faced a series of documents, his wrist moving constantly as he signed each one. He was around forty years old, with a resolute face and a short buzz cut that gave him an exceptionally sharp and capable air.

In fact, this is not the only incident in Shanghai right now. With a population of over 20 million, there are already three Origin game missions detected, and they are all ongoing.

In such cases, as long as public safety is not endangered or significant property damage is not caused, the Bureau of Order generally adopts a tacit and wait-and-see attitude. After all, the supernatural is becoming increasingly rampant, and it is better to guide than to block; simply suppressing it clearly lacks flexibility.

Ensuring principles while guiding and regulating, and recognizing and utilizing extraordinary abilities to enhance comprehensive strength, is one of the main policies of the Order Bureau.

Inside the six-story building, all the seats in the rows were occupied by retired assassins who had chosen to join or accept recruitment.

"He didn't walk on the tracks; this kid's got some skills."

"A sniper kill from 400 meters in the air—judging by skill alone, he's above average, but I guess he's not very old."

"How dare he use a sniper rifle in Shanghai, especially in a public place?"

"If you ask me, he should just drive a tank. A level two event can mobilize the computing power of the Sky Eye, and we can just send a dragon scale from the sky at him, while I can still have a midnight snack..."

A group of people discussed the murderer's escape route, splitting into several groups. The math group provided a general framework, and they only needed to further refine it based on their experience.

Not far away, a young man carrying a bow and arrow closed his eyes to rest. He was the leader of the C group of the Operations Department, codenamed "East C". There were ten Heavenly Stems in each of the five major regions of the Great Xia. The group leaders of each region were of equal rank and there was no distinction between strong and weak. The changes caused by the game were very large.

But generally speaking, the central region is the headquarters' jurisdiction, and the team leaders are generally more capable than those in the branch regions.

Upon hearing the words spoken by the retired assassins, Dong Bing suddenly opened his eyes and said coldly, "No one is allowed to discuss the Candle Dragon Project casually."

"Isn't it already open to all major organizations by default?"

"They can find out, but that doesn't mean you or I can violate the regulations."

The retired assassin sneered at the mention of "Dragon Scales," saying that only by joining the Bureau of Order could one understand the weight of the Great Xia, whose massive manpower and resources were enough to produce terrifying results.

As an internal deterrent, the surface documents of Project Candle Dragon had already been issued and tested in actual combat. The results of the first phase were based on the concept of space-based weapons. In the initial stage, the power of this weapon was not satisfactory, and its effective range was even less than that of a missile. However, it made up for the "disadvantage" of atomic weapons having too large a scale of destruction.

Combining extraordinary power, the new space-based weapon can now achieve rapid and precise strikes, with a damage range limited to a radius of ten meters, and is equipped with an "extraordinary spearhead" that is extremely penetrating.

To date, the first phase of the project, named "Dragon Scales," has completely covered several major cities. In the event of an extraordinary loss of control, the Bureau of Order will immediately eliminate the source of the chaos once it is successfully located.

However, due to the high cost, support is only permitted after a Level 2 security incident response fails.

……

The incident occurred half an hour ago.

Through the concerted efforts of specialized teams including the mathematics team, the assassin team, and the exploration team, the location of the shooting perpetrator was pinpointed to a factory.

"Boss An, there are underground sewage pipes in the factory that lead to the river. The target is likely preparing to evacuate by water."