On the surface, the case seemed to be winding down, but Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing did not let their guard down. Despite the fall of the criminal organization, the city's calm appeared to have returned. However, an unsettling feeling lingered. No matter how they looked at it, there was one undeniable fact: the criminal organization had been destroyed, but its network and influence still existed. Recently, through cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, they had discovered a more hidden presence—the Dark Web.
The Dark Web was a virtual world far removed from the surveillance of the regular internet, filled with illegal transactions, black-market activities, and various untraceable criminal deeds. Although the police had been monitoring the Dark Web for some time, it was a world of extreme complexity, full of loopholes and blind spots. Criminal activities in this pitch-black virtual space were ever-present, and what worried them the most was a transaction that could potentially bring catastrophic consequences.
A typical police station didn't usually deal with such complex cyber crimes, but Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing stumbled upon an incredibly dangerous piece of information in a relatively small Dark Web transaction lead—someone was using the Dark Web to acquire a viral sample capable of triggering a large-scale pandemic.
This discovery immediately put them on high alert. The spread of such a virus could cause societal panic, and the source and transmission path of the virus would likely be impossible to trace. If the virus sample were to circulate widely, the consequences would be unimaginable. They realized that this was not just an ordinary black-market deal; it posed a significant global security threat.
"We must follow this lead and find the buyer as soon as possible," Lu Chenzhou said with an unwavering tone. As the case progressed, they became more aware of the urgency of this battle.
Su Wanqing nodded. She opened her computer and quickly connected to the police's Dark Web surveillance platform. Almost all transactions on the Dark Web were difficult to monitor and track by conventional means. However, the police had a specialized decryption system capable of catching even the smallest clues.
Through technical means, they tracked down a transaction account named "Phoenix." The account was active and suspiciously high-priced, especially when purchasing biological weapons and virus samples, with significant amounts of cryptocurrency being exchanged. Based on the system's in-depth analysis, Su Wanqing suspected that this account was not just a personal one but was tied to a well-established organization.
"'Phoenix,'" she murmured as she read the name. "This isn't just an ordinary transaction account. It's likely an agent, with a much larger network behind it."
Lu Chenzhou furrowed his brow, realizing the gravity of the situation. Behind the virus trade and biological weapons was often a black market at the national level, along with illicit biological research. They needed to respond to this threat quickly.
"We need to get into this Dark Web world," Su Wanqing said, pushing aside the documents on the table. "Not just track transaction records—we need to directly contact this buyer."
"You have a plan?" Lu Chenzhou asked.
"I already have a way to access the deeper layers of the Dark Web, and I can disguise my identity to communicate with the buyer," she said while operating her computer. "However, we need to ensure that we're not being tracked."
Lu Chenzhou nodded. Although he had doubts, he knew this battle was no longer confined to the real world. The intersection of the virtual and physical worlds was making everything far more complicated and dangerous.
The two of them immediately set to work. During the identity disguise process, Su Wanqing created a virtual persona named "Black Rose" and linked it to global black-market transaction records. This allowed her to gain the trust of the buyer based on her credibility in the black market. Meanwhile, Lu Chenzhou used technical methods to establish a virtual "cover station" within the Dark Web to prevent any tracking programs.
Several days later, Su Wanqing successfully made the first contact with "Phoenix." The transaction involved the purchase of a virus sample called "Apocalypse-9." The virus was described as highly contagious and capable of triggering a global pandemic in a short time. The payment was to be made using deep encryption cryptocurrency transactions, ensuring it could not be traced.
Through multiple communications and negotiations with "Phoenix," Su Wanqing gradually extracted some key information. She began to suspect that this buyer was not just an ordinary black-market merchant, but a member of an underground organization in a specific country, possibly even connected to the criminal organization they had previously dismantled.
Lu Chenzhou continued to refine their tracking plan, analyzing all possible exits. The structure of the Dark Web was highly intricate, and once information entered the network, it was almost impossible to delete or trace. They realized that if they didn't act quickly, the virus might rapidly flow into the market after the transaction and even enter unknown laboratories, leading to an uncontrollable disaster.
During this process, Su Wanqing narrowly avoided exposing her identity several times. However, using her rich experience and calm demeanor, she managed to avoid detection by tracking programs every time. Her negotiations with "Phoenix" became increasingly intense, with the buyer continuously proposing more demanding conditions, yet she skillfully responded without giving any signs of breaking her cover.
Finally, after several rounds of intense negotiations, they reached a preliminary agreement. Su Wanqing and "Phoenix" agreed to complete the virus sample transaction at a specified time and location. Although it seemed like a simple business deal, she knew there was a massive conspiracy hidden behind it. Every contact and step forward could be a signal that the criminal organization was closing in on them.
However, just as she was preparing to take the final step, the complexity of the Dark Web world became fully apparent. At the moment the transaction was about to be completed, both her and Lu Chenzhou's computer screens suddenly flickered, followed by an encrypted email. The content of the email was a single line: "You've entered the game, and we're ready to welcome you."
Lu Chenzhou looked at the words in the email, his expression grim. "They've found us."
"We need to speed up," Su Wanqing said, taking a deep breath and her eyes steady. She knew that the real battle in the virtual world was just beginning.
As they delved deeper into the Dark Web, the boundary between the virtual and the real world became increasingly blurred. With every step, they seemed to be engaged in a battle with an invisible enemy—a battle without gunfire. And the shadow of the virus had already begun to silently loom over them.