Chapter 47 - 18 Blackmail_2

Zhou Qingfeng fell silent for a moment, then replied in a low voice, "Hmm... I would prefer this matter to be handled discreetly without any leaks." "Of course, for wealthy people, secrecy is synonymous with protecting their wealth and status." Kelly realized that a ’ransom call’ must involve some dark secrets, but she quickly agreed, "Give me the opposite party’s phone number, I’ll have someone check it out." Zhou Qingfeng was a bit helpless: "The number is a virtual internet number, it might not be easy to trace." "No problem, professionals do professional things. Internet service providers, telecom companies, government officials, there are always ways to trace it. What can’t be done with technical means can be easily resolved with money and power. As I said, in the face of wealth, I’m willing to do anything for you. Give me the number and the call time, leave the rest to me." Zhou Qingfeng quickly reported the ransom number and call time but did not provide the call recording. Kelly didn’t ask further questions. She noted down the information simply and said, "Alright, I’ll get back to you soon, keep the phone accessible. Relax, this is a small matter." ----------------- After hanging up the phone, Zhou Qingfeng let out a long breath, feeling much relieved, and whispered to himself, "Damn, it feels good to have money." His mind was roiling with dread and fury, "I don’t know which bastard wants to extort me, but I’m going to make sure that guy suffers." A few minutes later, his phone screen lit up, Kelly sent a text message: "Someone named ’Gray Shark’ will contact you." "Gray Shark?" Zhou Qingfeng almost exclaimed aloud when he saw the name. An image of a disheveled oddball instantly surfaced in his mind—the guy who always hid in the dark basement. The nickname ’Gray Shark’ might sound ferocious, but in reality, he was born with polio, leaving him frail and weak. Unable to move freely, the guy had to rely on an electric wheelchair for mobility, and his daily needs were entirely taken care of by his sixty-year-old mother. Gray Shark’s world was completely confined to that small basement, surrounded by radio equipment and computers. He made a living by trading information and data in the gray market, earning quite a bit of money. Being extremely distrustful of the banking system, he never accepted any form of bank transfer and had invested all his savings early into Bitcoin. When the apocalypse struck, social order collapsed, and virtual currencies turned worthless overnight, causing Gray Shark to lose everything. To survive, Gray Shark had to leave his basement, maneuvering through the chaotic city black market in his electric wheelchair, purchasing food and medicine for himself and his aging mother. While he was a dominant figure online, calling the shots, in reality, he was timid, light-sensitive, and even had a stutter, making him almost a zero in social skills. During his tumultuous times in the apocalypse, Zhou Qingfeng had clashed with Gray Shark a few times. Though disabled, the guy’s mind worked exceptionally fast, putting Zhou Qingfeng at a disadvantage several times. However, they had also cooperated for about a year or two, developing both hostility and a subtle understanding. Yet, fate was unkind to Gray Shark. His mother was tragically killed in a robbery while out to buy supplies. Having lost his only support, Gray Shark’s life fell into utter despair. As society continued to disintegrate, he could no longer venture outside by himself or rely on his mother’s care, eventually starving to death in that dark basement. "Unexpectedly, I get to connect with that guy before the apocalypse." Zhou Qingfeng had to be extremely vigilant. Because the Gray Shark hiding in the basement wasn’t someone easy to deal with, adept with extensive communication and hacking equipment, and a vast network of contacts, the guy had considerable power. But... Zhou Qingfeng didn’t have time for detours with him. Time was pressing; he needed to solve the problem quickly, not play cat and mouse over the phone. When a call with no number displayed came through to Zhou Qingfeng’s phone, he glanced at the screen, his lips curling into a cold smile. Upon answering, a mechanical synthesized voice came through, asking coldly, "Is this Victor?" Zhou Qingfeng didn’t hesitate, greeting directly, "Good afternoon, Mr. Porter." He deliberately drew out his tone, savoring the other party’s shock, "This is Victor." The other end of the line fell dead silent, utterly quiet. A few seconds later, the call was disconnected. Listening to the "beep-beep" sound from the phone, Zhou Qingfeng couldn’t help but burst into laughter, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He patiently continued to wait. Half a minute later, the phone vibrated, and a message popped up on the screen, the tone harsh and urgent: "Bastard, who are you?" Zhou Qingfeng unhurriedly replied, "I’m your friend, seeking your help for a paid service." He had revealed Gray Shark’s identity to establish a deterrent balance. Without mutual deterrence, the Gray Shark hiding in the basement would be as untouchable as a king cloaked in darkness, making communication difficult. This would obviously be detrimental to the confidential things he was about to entrust Gray Shark with. "I have no friends." Gray Shark’s reply was still filled with hostility, each word carrying a sharp edge, "Don’t try to threaten me, or you’ll regret any provocation." Seeing this message, Zhou Qingfeng couldn’t help but chuckle. His fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard: "Don’t be too tense, I currently mean no harm." After sending that, he added another line: "Say hello to your mother for me. I imagine Auntie Nasa might be baking your favorite honey cake right now. One of these days, I might drop by the apartment on Sunset Street to visit you."