Lin Yu left the Magic Boar Bar holding a black business card.

"It seems there are benefits to acting a bit more like an expert, it saves a lot of trouble."

If his superb acting skills hadn't intimidated Shark Shock, he probably would have had to waste more time haggling with another middleman.

But now, it seemed he could directly contact the employer.

This black business card looked very thin and lightweight, and its material wasn't paper.

It seemed like something between plastic and metal. When a finger pressed against it, text and symbols would float up on the pure black card surface.

It was a string of communication ID numbers and a cool logo resembling a ring of thorns, scrolling past continuously.

In Lin Yu's understanding, this thing was less like a business card and more like a tiny display screen.

Anyone who could hand out this kind of thing as a "business card" was definitely someone either extremely wealthy or of high status.

Of course, if they weren't a major figure of wealth or status, they also couldn't possibly offer such a high reward.

Holding the black card, Lin Yu walked into a dark alley next to the bar and thought for a moment.

"Although I got the contact information, how do I actually make contact..."

He didn't have a phone or any other communication device from this world.

Lin Yu thought for a bit, then pulled out his own phone—that is, the [Cyber Ghost's Electronic Coffin].

A gift from his senior, Shen Bingmiao.

Looking at this transparent slab, a whimsical idea popped into Lin Yu's head.

"Should I try dialing the number on it directly with this thing?"

Thinking this, Lin Yu switched it to his phone mode, unlocked it, opened the call interface, and dialed the long string of ID numbers.

When he pressed the call button...

Unexpectedly, yet somewhat expectedly, it actually connected!

"Beep... beep..."

The sound of the call connecting rang out, and soon after, the call was answered.

The voice from the other end sounded quite young, with a tone of disbelief.

"You are... here to take the commission?"

"Your methods are impressive. I can't even see your number or information on my end."

Lin Yu was also curious and spoke in a lowered voice.

"How do you know I'm here to take the commission?"

The other side let out a burst of laughter.

"Hahahaha, because this phone and communication ID were newly registered specifically for communications related to accepting commissions."

"Anyway... I acknowledge you. Just this communication method alone makes you worthy of being brought into the team."

Lin Yu keenly caught the other party's wording: "Team?"

"Team, yes. Infiltrating the headquarters of the three major corporations to assassinate an A-2 level target—do you really think an outsider can do that single-handedly?" Although the other's tone was still relaxed, it inevitably carried a hint of arrogance. "Don't overestimate yourself. Even if you're a somebody in Gray Three Streets, you have no idea just how terrifying the three major corporations are on Sleepless City's turf!"

Lin Yu pondered: "Fine, I don't mind cooperating with others either. But the reward..."

"50,000 is the base salary. There will be a bonus after success, depending on your contribution. At least another 50,000, maybe up to three or four times that at most," the voice on the phone said nonchalantly. "You should have seen the logo on my card."

"That ring of thorns? What does it mean?"

Lin Yu asked in return.

The person on the phone fell silent.

After a long while, the other spoke again.

"Are you from Sleepless City? This is the emblem of the Peerage Nobility. You don't recognize it?"

Lin Yu said very sincerely: "I really am not."

The voice on the other end of the phone quickened its breathing for a moment, then quickly calmed down, saying in a deep voice: "Alright, to think I recruited a stowaway from the Great Wasteland... But for a Great Wastelander to be able to block my communication detection, that's even more remarkable."

"Anyway, you just need to know that I am a great, important figure—I can afford any reward, no matter how high, because I am a master of Sleepless City, a king of Sleepless City... although not the only king, which I find annoying. But talents like you should work for me. It's the most cost-effective, understand?"

Lin Yu listened to the voice on the phone, not yet voicing any opinion, when Old Zheng's muttering sounded first in Lin Yu's ear.

"A bit of NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) tendency there."

"Could also just be plain old aristocratic arrogance, because in this world there really are citizen classes, and the upper-class people naturally have even less need to hide it."

Lin Yu responded to Old Zheng in his mind.

After all, "Peerage Nobility" referred to the five great noble families of Sleepless City.

Mercury, Autumn, Sleepless Sky, Sorenson, Saint-Land.

The five great noble families and the three major corporations jointly ruled Sleepless City—but actually, the five great noble families *were* the three major corporations, and the three major corporations *were* the five great noble families.

If this employer came from one of the five great noble families, then the payment for this job was indeed guaranteed.

Of course...

For Lin Yu, the money of Sleepless City didn't hold much meaning.

It was just better than nothing.

But in response to the other's words, Lin Yu still spoke up, sounding eager and ready for action.

"Understood. Then... where should I go to meet you? Who is my mission target?"

"Are you in Gray Three Streets?"

"Yes."

"That's perfect. I don't know if you're close to the Magic Boar Bar—go to the Magic Boar Bar, find Private Room 17. Someone there will receive you and tell you what to do."

Hearing this, Lin Yu looked at the Magic Boar Bar sign at the alley entrance and fell silent.

"Alright, it's indeed not far. I'll be there soon."

...

Inside the Magic Boar Bar, in Private Room No. 1, Shock, who had already woken up, was eating his leftover meal.

Opposite Shark Shock, a muscular man in a tank top spoke with confusion: "Boss, I don't understand... why did you just hand over the hidden commission details and even give him the card directly just because he called out your name?"

"It doesn't follow the rules. You didn't even test his skills. How do you know if he's a tough character? The employer behind this commission has significant power. If he messes it up... both we and the middlemen will be in trouble!"

Shark Shock looked at the dark-skinned muscular man and put down his bowl and chopsticks.

"You're wary of that employer?"

The muscular man nodded: "Of course, Boss Shock. Black Snake hinted to us... that employer is likely a noble, and very likely... from one of the five great noble families!"

Shark Shock said in a deep voice: "I know that, of course. And for the same reason, you should also be wary of *him*!"

"You know I served as a bodyguard for a duke in the inner city for a while, so I still have some connections... Today, a colleague reminded me that a guy from one of the five great noble families came to the outer city's edge, apparently looking to pick up some commissions for fun!"

"And he's a direct lineage descendant, not some side-branch nobody!"

The muscular man was horrified: "What?! Then... can we be sure it's that guy?"

Shark Shock tapped his own temple, and his left eye emitted an eerie blue light.

"I used this military-grade 'Scanning Lens' to match his face against the database. No corresponding data came up—so this guy is either a goddamn alien, or..."

"His data confidentiality level is fucking sky-high!"

"That's why I hurriedly gave him the card—the less time such a person spends in our establishment, the better!"