After listening to Sheng Lan Kui's account, Lin Yu more or less understood.

This guy’s contact with the mastermind was probably similar to his—communications had been exchanged, but they had never met in person.

From that brief conversation, Lin Yu could draw almost the same conclusion as Sheng Lan Kui: the other party was a noble of Peerage Nobility with a very distinctive personality.

However, Sheng Lan Kui did provide some new, useful information.

He did not recognize the person, and he could not even imagine who the person might be.

In other words… this Peerage noble, despite having a distinctive personality, had never crossed paths with Sheng Lan Kui.

And in Sleepless City, the so-called “top circle” made up of only five Peerage Nobility families was hardly large.

This made Lin Yu somewhat suspicious…

“Could it be the same kind of marginal figure as the ‘Your Excellency’ behind Zhu Rong, or perhaps even a member of Your Excellency’s organization?”

But Lin Yu immediately discarded that guess.

Because “Your Excellency” clearly did not know who was behind the C-77 commission either—in other words, this commission could have been issued by a marginal member among the Peerage Nobility, but it definitely did not mean that they stood firmly on the same side as “Your Excellency.”

“Intriguing indeed.”

Lin Yu could not help but murmur.

As the information he gathered from his investigations accumulated, the entanglements and whirlpools at the very top of Sleepless City were becoming clearer.

Yet the issuer of this C-77 commission remained mysterious!

Their identity and purpose were still far from clear.

Although the information he had now was enough for Lin Yu to set up a plan that would guarantee completing the assassination commission and escaping unscathed, that feeling of being used and kept in the dark…

Still made Lin Yu feel uneasy.

At that moment, Sheng Lan Kui’s voice interrupted Lin Yu’s thoughts again.

“So… will you report this to the Sleepless Night Family Head?”

Sheng Lan Kui asked cautiously.

Lin Yu looked at Sheng Lan Kui and shook his head, “Why should I tell her?”

“Wasn’t it the Sleepless Night Family Head who sent you? Are you planning to hide this from her?!”

Sheng Lan Kui exclaimed in shock.

“I never said that,” Lin Yu replied with a smile, “That’s just your assumption.”

Sheng Lan Kui was stunned, “Then why are you asking about this?”

“You owe me a favor, and I don’t owe you one… As for why I’m asking, and for whom, you can guess for yourself,” Lin Yu said, walking toward the study door and opening it, “But I can do you one favor and rule out one wrong option—I’m not here for Huo Le either.”

With that, Lin Yu pushed open the study door and walked out, leaving Sheng Lan Kui standing there, dumbfounded.

After watching Lin Yu leave, Sheng Lan Kui sank into deep thought.

“If not for the Family Head, and not for Huo Le, then for what?”

“Does Furbollo have other backers in Sleepless City?!”

“And if not for the Sleepless Night Family, why is he so concerned about the C-77 commission?”

“Could it be a personal grudge against Alt Mercury, or… is he coveting the power of the God of Life?!”

Sheng Lan Kui could not find answers despite turning it over repeatedly.

Only one vague impression surfaced because of Lin Yu’s involvement…

“This C-77 commission… seems more complicated than I imagined.”

“Could I have accidentally stepped into some scheme laid by others?”

While Sheng Lan Kui was pondering, he suddenly saw Lin Yu return.

“Oh, right. Since I already helped you eliminate one wrong option—could you give me one piece of intelligence in return?”

“I need to investigate someone’s information—although I could have checked at the Sleepless Night Estate, since I’m already here…”

“Why not help me out while you’re at it?”

……

Lin Yu left the Sheng Lan residence again.

Although the household steward begged him to stay the night, Lin Yu insisted on leaving.

Night had deepened; even in Sleepless City, a city that never truly slept, and though the neon lights still flashed, the atmosphere had quieted considerably.

There were noticeably fewer pedestrians and vehicles on the streets, most seeming to head home after the night’s revelry.

Lin Yu did not call the Sleepless Night Estate’s driver; he chose to walk the streets himself.

Partly, Lin Yu planned to walk to think and sort out his thoughts—the information he had received tonight was simply too abundant and scattered, and Sleepless City’s situation was complicated, so he needed to organize everything properly.

Partly, Lin Yu needed some solitude.

In the surveillance-saturated Inner City of Sleepless City, riding in a vehicle owned by the Sleepless Night Family would naturally be conspicuous.

Besides, the Furbollo identity already drew attention; even walking discreetly required work. He had even used Corner of the Gloomy to speed his way and had finally found the best route without surveillance…

The route’s destination was a luxurious high-end hotel—just one block away from Wan Jin Tian Zuo, invested by the Universal General Chamber of Commerce, named “White Jade Pavilion in the Sky.”

When Lin Yu arrived, he no longer hid his identity and reappeared directly as Furbollo.

If anyone had been tracking him during this time, they would have seen Furbollo suddenly vanish into an alley near the Sheng Lan residence…

And then, about an hour later, reappear in the lobby of the White Jade Pavilion in the Sky.

“A city-view VIP suite, please.”

Lin Yu strode to the front desk with practiced ease and paid using Golden Vouchers.

At this level of hotel, guests who were lavish spenders and paid with Golden Vouchers naturally did not need to register their identity.

Besides, the hotel’s recognition systems probably knew Fu Luo’s face, but they deliberately chose not to ask questions.

Lin Yu received the room card and went to the top floor with practiced familiarity.

After entering the room, Lin Yu immediately turned off the lights, then ran the bathroom tap until the bathtub filled.

Standing in the bathroom, Lin Yu changed Fu Luo’s face back into his own slightly altered May May appearance.

Then, Lin Yu activated Corner of the Gloomy once more and silently crossed the room to the balcony.

The instant he deactivated Corner of the Gloomy, Lin Yu vaulted out over the balcony.

“Hannah.”

Lin Yu whispered, and the little octopus perched on his shoulder replied at once.

“Ribbit! Roger, Director!”

After so long working together, Hannah and Lin Yu had developed tacit understanding.

Optical camouflage instantly cloaked Lin Yu’s entire body, ensuring he would not be picked up by high-altitude cameras or the occasional passing drone.

This White Jade Pavilion in the Sky deserved its “in the sky” name—the building easily rose more than a hundred meters, and the top floor’s scenic balcony jutted out like a bridge reaching for the heavens.

Lin Yu dangled his body hundreds of meters above the ground and felt the night wind wash over him.

The distant sounds of passing vehicles drifted up from below; that hollow echo and the pull of gravity reminded Lin Yu—he was suspended a hundred meters in the air.

Lin Yu slowly exhaled.

“Phew… Even though I know my body strength and coordination can keep up, actually sitting up is a different matter.”

He could feel his adrenaline surging.

The next moment, Lin Yu released his grip and plunged downward!