Late at night, inside the dimly lit safehouse, the air felt thick with tension. The black metal box sat on the table, its smooth surface reflecting the warm glow of the old ceiling lamp. Su Man wiped the sweat from her forehead, glancing at Li Chuan and Shen Qiu.
"Finally, we got it." Shen Qiu exhaled sharply, removing his protective gloves. "But next problem is, how to open this thing?"
Li Chuan didn't answer immediately. His fingers brushed over the box's cold surface, eyes narrowing. The metal felt unnaturally solid—no visible seams, no keyhole, nothing that suggested an entry point. Only at the center, there was an intricate engraving, like some kind of organization emblem.
"Electronic lock?" Su Man rapped her knuckles against the metal, listening for any hollow echo.
Shen Qiu frowned. "If normal electronic lock, I can hack in five minutes. But this one... even no sign of an opening. That means the locking system is not outside."
Li Chuan stayed silent for a moment before murmuring, "Maybe... it's biological."
Without hesitation, he pressed his finger against the emblem.
Nothing happened.
Shen Qiu chuckled. "Aiyo, looks like it don't recognize your fingerprint."
Li Chuan's gaze darkened, but instead of being discouraged, he used his knuckles to tap different spots on the box, listening carefully to the subtle vibrations. Finally, he stopped, his brows furrowing.
"Inside got separate compartment. Not solid."
Su Man sighed. "So after all this, still must find a way to open it?"
Suddenly, Shen Qiu's eyes lit up. "Wait. I got something." He pulled out a portable scanner from his backpack, set it beside the box, and powered it on. The device hummed softly as it ran a detailed scan of the metal composition and locking mechanism.
After a few minutes, the results appeared on the screen.
"Locking system detected: dual authentication. Requires specific biological data + passcode input."
Su Man raised an eyebrow. "So it really needs some kind of biometric ID. But what? Fingerprint? Retina scan? DNA?"
Li Chuan's expression was unreadable. "Most likely… it needs Li Feng's."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Shen Qiu clicked his tongue. "Eh, you saying… only Li Feng can open this thing?"
Li Chuan nodded slowly. "He's one of 'Ye Xun's' key members. His clearance level is high enough. If this black box was meant for him, then it's likely encoded with his biological data as the key."
Su Man groaned. "But that fella already ran away! Where to find his fingerprint or DNA?"
Li Chuan's fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, deep in thought. "Maybe… we don't have to find him directly. Maybe we make him come to us."
Half an hour later, they were gathered around an old city map spread across the table. Shen Qiu traced his finger along a specific location.
"This place—this is where 'Ye Xun' last operated. If Li Feng still pulling the strings, confirm he got way to contact his people."
Su Man frowned. "So we gonna go straight inside? Abit dangerous leh."
Li Chuan gave a small smirk. "But also the best way."
Shen Qiu nodded. "If we fake some info, make 'Ye Xun' think another party hijacked their black box, confirm they panic. Maybe even make Li Feng come out himself."
Su Man narrowed her eyes. "And you got plan, is it?"
Li Chuan leaned back, eyes glinting. "Of course."
By the next evening, the rumor had already started spreading through certain underground channels in Kuala Lumpur. The information was simple but effective:
"Black Box intercepted. Buyer unknown. Transaction failed. Last seen in Penang."
Li Chuan and Shen Qiu carefully leaked the data through multiple sources—fake online chatter, burner phone calls, and even a staged conversation at a well-known underworld bar in Johor Bahru.
By the time the news reached 'Ye Xun's' network, the effect was immediate. Within a few hours, their contacts confirmed that multiple operatives were being mobilized.
Su Man checked the messages on her burner phone. "They taking the bait. But Li Feng leh?"
Li Chuan's lips curled into a small smile. "He won't show his face so fast. But he will send someone to check."
Shen Qiu stretched his arms. "So what next, we sit here and wait for angpow ah?"
Li Chuan chuckled. "No need wait. We prepare to meet our 'guest' first."
That night, at a small motel near Petaling Street, Li Chuan and Su Man sat in the dimly lit room, watching a live feed from a hidden camera.
On screen, a man in a grey suit stepped into the alley behind a Chinese medicinal shop.
Shen Qiu whistled. "Wah, I recognize this fella. Liu An. He one of 'Ye Xun's' finance people. But why send him instead of hitmen?"
Su Man's eyes narrowed. "Maybe Li Feng also testing the waters."
Li Chuan remained quiet, fingers tapping the table. "Then let's give him a good reason to come out."
He reached into his bag and pulled out a small glass vial. Inside was a single strand of hair—one they had picked up from a past encounter with Li Feng.
"If this DNA is enough… we might just be able to open that box before he even realizes it's missing."
But as he turned to Shen Qiu, ready to discuss their next step, something on the live feed caught his eye.
A second figure stepped into the alley.
Dressed in black, face mostly obscured.
And when he turned slightly towards the camera—
Li Chuan's heart skipped a beat.
It was Li Feng.