Beneath the Surface: The 'Attention-Seeking' Operation and the 'Demon-Revealing' Plan

That night, as the city lights began to glow.

"Yuxi, long time no see! I really didn't expect to run into you here—what a pleasant surprise." Jack Young and Rachel Luo strolled along the Bund, a spot so packed with people it's basically a must-visit for anyone new to Shanghai. Under the night lights, the river flowed east, the sound of water soft and endless—a vibe all its own.

"Master, today really is full of surprises!" Rachel Luo had switched back to her gentle main persona. As they walked, her smile never faded. Rachel wasn't bad-looking; she just didn't stand out in a martial arts world filled with jaw-dropping beauties. Honestly, even an international top model—bare-faced—would turn into the ugly duckling next to Princess Flower Shifter. So, if you ranked CEOs across the globe by looks, Rachel Luo would definitely be near the top.

Now, her face was glowing in the brilliant lights near the Bund—a radiance only true excitement from deep inside could bring out.

Jack Young was in a great mood too. After chatting with Rachel Luo about what they'd both been up to since they last met, he couldn't help but ask, "Yuxi, how did you end up as CEO of Tianding Group?"

"Well..." Rachel Luo blushed a little, looking shy. "My dad is the chairman of Tianding Group."

So it's nepotism!

But wait, that can't be right. Tianding Group isn't a completely private family business, and she's so young. There's no way just having connections could get her the CEO seat. Jack Young was suspicious, so he asked more.

Rachel Luo, hearing this, dialed down her smile and said seriously, "Honestly, I feel it's strange too. I was working at the group as a deputy GM in a subsidiary. This time, they suddenly promoted me from deputy GM to CEO of the headquarters. That's a huge leap, and I can't help feeling uneasy. Something just doesn't feel right."

Jack Young nodded, "So that's why you're so cautious and don't speak much?"

"Exactly."

Hmm, my top disciple's not bad—she hasn't lost her head over this sudden good fortune. But this whole sudden CEO thing is definitely fishy. After thinking it over, Jack Young asked, "That Zhu Ming, Director Zhu—how did he manage to jump three levels up to become a director? No matter how talented a Chosen One is, you can't just rocket up the ranks solo in a big organization. As for me, well, Eternal Night was a fresh start, plus a whole lot of luck and timing—nobody else could really pull that off."

Rachel Luo nodded, "About Zhu Ming, I started watching him as soon as I took office. His rise is legendary—he started making waves in August and shot up the ranks at rocket speed. From what I know, my predecessor personally pushed his promotion, no matter how much resistance there was below. When I took over, the previous CEO even gave me special instructions to keep him in a key position."

"The previous CEO? That's an important person—who is it?"

"My dad."

Uh... well, Jack Young had even started thinking about using threats or bribes to get the truth out, but now he could only give up with a sigh.

"Your dad..." Jack Young frowned, suddenly thinking of another question. "Yuxi, does your dad know you're a Chosen One now?" He was so careful with those words that he used internal energy to transmit his voice—forty years of cultivation, might as well show off a little high-level trick.

Rachel Luo instinctively glanced around, then whispered, "He knows."

"Yeah." Jack Young wasn't surprised. Rachel Luo had been gone from Earth for ages, and when she came back, she was injured and had to be hospitalized. No way her family wouldn't notice something that major. You can hide things from outsiders, but not your own folks—if her dad didn't know, that'd be the real mystery.

Still, her unusual promotion is just weird—especially since it looks so much like Zhu Ming's rapid rise.

"Yuxi, would you be willing to leave Shanghai?" Jack Young thought for a moment before inviting her: "Come with me to Hong Kong. Eternal Night Holdings Group may be a new force, but everyone there is truly one of us. If things get rough, we can at least protect our own—or at the very least, hold out for a while."

Rachel Luo could tell from Jack Young's expression that he was serious, so her face grew a little tense. "Master, does this mean... the 'wind' is really coming?"

"Maybe it will, maybe it won't." Jack Young looked at the crowds along the Bund, then opened his special vision. In the faint golden light, he actually spotted a Chosen One on the Bund—a young woman with a DSLR, snapping photos like any tourist, except for a black boundary mark on her left shoulder.

Just a glance and you see a Chosen One—and with Zhu Ming and Rachel Luo, the Chosen One density in Shanghai is higher than Jack Young's ever seen.

"I hope everything stays peaceful, but I can't guarantee it. You never know when trouble might blow in from somewhere." The woman with the camera looked normal, so Jack Young closed his special vision and patted Rachel Luo's shoulder. "Yuxi, I don't know how big or strong that wind will be, but you should come too. We'll stick together and support each other—way better than going solo."

"Well..." Jack Young's words really struck a chord with Rachel Luo. Planning for setbacks before celebrating victory is what all successful people do. Rachel had already made it to deputy GM, so she wasn't just anyone. No matter how she thought about it, leaving the unsettling Tianding Group and joining her trusted master Jack Young seemed like the smart move. But Rachel didn't agree right away: "Master, I need to talk to my dad first. I grew up without a mom, and my dad raised me alone. He's really attached to the group, so I have to convince him first—I can't just leave him behind."

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"Of course." Jack Young totally understood how she felt. At times like this, you have to think about your family—it's just part of being an adult.

"Here, take this—it's a protective talisman and also a highly encrypted communicator." Jack Young handed her a core talisman, just like the one he gave Xiao Geng. But for Rachel Luo, he could safely explain all its features: "This talisman can detect electronic bugs—if there's a bug nearby, it'll alert you. It also has an electronic jamming function to help avoid being tracked. And if you're in danger, just use the call button and I'll come right away."

Rachel Luo took the talisman. The topic had made her serious, but now she suddenly brightened up—like she'd just gotten ten years younger—and nodded hard. "Okay!"

Ding-dong! Jack Young's phone rang—a message had come in. But this ringtone was one he'd set up specially; it was just a tiny bit different from a normal ringtone, so no regular person would notice. This tone meant a highly encrypted channel, which meant Bobby Brooks had big news to report.

He opened his phone—it was a photo. In the picture was that red-haired soprano, with a detailed profile attached. Jack Young had asked Bobby Brooks to keep tabs on her, and he didn't expect results this fast.

"Phaffis Zade? Knew she was trouble. Stage name 'Masuo,' internationally famous soprano—turns out that part's legit! One of Old Zade's biological kids, but her inheritance rank is... forty-nine?" Seeing that number, Jack Young frowned. Deborah Zade's rank is sixteen, so Phaffis is way behind her? He didn't know much about either woman, but his gut said Phaffis was definitely no pushover. Deborah couldn't possibly be way stronger than Phaffis.

Of course, that's all Zade family business. Old Zade can set the order of heirs however he wants—none of my concern. But having two Zade heirs show up in Shanghai? It's like having two Gold Saints stationed in the same palace.

No matter how you look at it, it's weird.

"Anyway, be careful. I..." Jack Young rubbed his forehead and gave a wry smile. "I've been having some issues lately—never know when I might turn into a total dummy. So don't put too much faith in the talisman." Rationality won't stay sealed forever; memories always bubble up in the end.

Meanwhile, in a secret room, there were two men.

Jack Young knew both men well—one was Zhu Ming, the other was an old acquaintance from the Pacific world: Xu Peng!

It hadn't been long, but Xu Peng's presence was even heavier now—he barely cracked a smile, and his face was colder and harder than Uncle Chao's, making people uncomfortable just looking at him. Across from him, Zhu Ming wore the same expression, cigar in hand, taking a deep drag. The sizzling sound and red glow made him look like a lion about to go berserk.

Whoosh—Zhu Ming blew smoke right in Xu Peng's face and said coldly, "No. I don't agree."

Looks like they'd just finished some kind of negotiation.

Xu Peng didn't get angry—or maybe his face was already so grim it couldn't get any worse. "It's not up to you to disagree. Orders from above, soldiers execute. There's no room for bargaining."

Wham! Zhu Ming slammed his palm on the table—so hard that cracks appeared in the solid rosewood. He glared at Xu Peng, roaring furiously: "Screw you! This damned plan, this bullshit operation—am I just some puppet on a string, or a clown for the crowd? What the hell are those guys upstairs thinking, messing with me like this!"

Faced with Zhu Ming's outburst, Xu Peng just sneered. "Really? Then tell me, besides being a crowd-pleaser, what other value do you have? You agreed to the Trendsetter Plan yourself—otherwise, why would you get to party in this glamorous world? How'd you go from a nobody to a somebody? Your current status, your identity—it's all just set dressing for the plan. You're a puppet, nothing more."

"Bastard—!" Xu Peng's words hit hard. Zhu Ming's anger exploded and he was about to jump up, but Xu Peng was quicker; with a flash, he had a gun to Zhu Ming's head. His eyes were full of contempt: "Trying to play tough, huh? Kid, I don't care why you think you're so hot—maybe because you've killed someone? Big deal. I've killed way more people than you can imagine. And I'm just the messenger. Next, I have to go see Old Luo at Tianding Group. If you don't like it, here—talk to the top yourself!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and shoved it in Zhu Ming's face.

With a gun to his head, Zhu Ming looked shocked and angry. But he glanced at the walkie-talkie and hesitated.

He hesitated, but before he could decide, the walkie-talkie crackled to life: "Hey, hey, Zhu~ Ming~ kun~, you there? Give us a sign. And Xu Peng, don't bully the kid too much."

It was a young man's voice—deep, relaxed, teasing, but with a creepy undertone, like a napping viper. It sent chills down your spine. Hearing it, Zhu Ming's face darkened even more. Xu Peng put away the gun and stepped back, and Zhu Ming picked up the walkie-talkie. Both men were suddenly very obedient: "I'm here."

Zhu Ming's mind flashed back to someone—he'd rarely met this person in person, but there was no doubt: this was his "big boss," the one who really gave the orders.

"Zhu~ Ming~ kun~, Xu Peng should've already explained things. Let's talk details. For example, your next main mission—let's call it Operation Crowd-Pleaser, okay? 'Trendsetter Plan' sounds too fancy, makes me uncomfortable." The guy on the other end spoke as casually as if he were chatting about the weather.

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But Zhu Ming didn't dare slack off: "Sir, about the Crowd-Pleaser operation, I think..." He still wanted to argue his case.

"Hmm? Zhu Ming-kun, do you have doubts about Operation Crowd-Pleaser? You think it's pointless?" The simple question, delivered in a laid-back tone, still carried a strange pressure.

Zhu Ming took a deep breath, steadied himself, and mustered up his courage: "Yes, I have doubts about whether this operation will work. Sir, I get your idea—the so-called 'Trendsetter Plan' is to guide the Chosen Ones' thinking, get them on our side. But... but just posting articles and pictures on the Global Observation Agency's forum—will that really do anything? Will those PR people really make a difference?" He'd said a lot—might as well go all in.

"Heh, Zhu Ming-kun, you're thinking carefully. But tell me—why wouldn't this kind of hype work?" The man on the other end said slowly, "Let me ask you: these so-called Chosen Ones, what kind of people are they, mostly?"

"Uh..." Zhu Ming paused, then answered, "Ordinary people..."

"Losers! Male losers, female losers, all losers. There are only a few successful people; losers are the mainstream of the world. However big their share of the population, that's how big their share is among Chosen Ones. Sure, some of them have transformed after training in the other world—like you. But the loser mentality doesn't change so easily—also like you. Now, when facing a crowd of losers, do you think official documents work better, or do stories like a wish-fulfillment webnovel work better? We're just making you the protagonist of a wish-fulfillment story."

Zhu Ming fell silent. He'd known from the start that the so-called 'Trendsetter Plan' was just using him as a gimmick. Before the Global Observation Agency launched the Chosen Ones forum, they couldn't run the plan. But once the forum opened, it became the perfect medium.

Not every Chosen One instantly becomes a big shot. Most of them barely have any superpowers. Even if they do, plenty have no clue how to turn those powers into money or status. His job? To shout to the world: "I'm just a regular Chosen One, but look at me now—living the dream!"

First, you grab the attention of the Chosen Ones, then you put on the air of a generous hero, like Timely Rain Song Jiang from Water Margin, gathering all sorts of talented folks under your wing. You pull together those desperate Chosen Ones who crave success but have nowhere to go.

That’s exactly how Song Jiang did it back in the day—this is the core of the 'Trendsetter Plan.'

"But sir, what’s the point of recruiting Chosen Ones this way? The ones with real skills or patience won’t join the circus, and the ones who do probably aren’t much to write home about." Zhu Ming’s words cut to the chase—among the masses, you get all sorts, but the ones drawn in by this hype are bound to have their flaws. If they didn’t, why would they be obsessed with someone else’s fantasy stories?

"You’re right, but it doesn’t matter." The voice on the other end was completely unconcerned. "As long as they’re Chosen Ones, I’ll take them all—no matter how odd or useless. Their value isn’t in their abilities. Shoot a couple rounds, swing a sword, toss a fireball—no matter how strong, those skills aren’t exactly widespread. How long could they last against an army? Zhu Ming, the real value is in the words ‘Chosen One’ themselves, and the fact that they can cross over. That’s what matters."

"Uh…" Zhu Ming wanted to say more, but the other side wasn’t going to let him get a word in.

The voice on the other end suddenly turned cold. From a lazy, smooth-talking snake, he became a venomous beast ready to strike, his tone sharp and businesslike: "Since April 2014, crime rates nationwide have risen. Plane crashes are more frequent, violent attacks have surged. Remember the 'Entertainment Tycoon Massacre'? These incidents are only going to get more common. Recently, drug trafficking was rampant, and when we finally caught the culprit, he was just a regular Chosen One. Using his storage ability, he smuggled drugs across borders with ease—customs and security checks meant nothing to him. And if he can move drugs today, he can move viruses or nukes tomorrow! Zhu Ming, our country is facing unprecedented security threats. Peace is hanging by a thread. Now that you’ve ‘joined up,’ you should understand."

‘Joined up’—that word carried all sorts of implications. It was as if every Chosen One who hadn’t surrendered was some kind of traitor or rebel. Zhu Ming felt a chill run down his spine, genuinely unsettled. "Yes, I understand."

"Zhu Ming, it’s just like running a little online shop on Taobao—write some posts, upload some pics, toss out a few friendly ‘dears,’ and add a bit of hype. Mission accomplished. Is there an easier job than this? Is there a boss more humane than me? If you keep dragging your feet, I’ll have to give you a hard time!" The voice switched back to its earlier, laid-back style, almost like he had split personalities.

"I… I get it." Hype could mean a lot of things. That shadowy guy always hanging around Zhu Ming was in charge of finding hype and cooking up publicity schemes—including this marriage! But: "Can you not post Qi Xi’s photo on the Chosen Ones’ forum? At least don’t put her face front and center!"

"Zhu Ming, what are you talking about? Weddings are romantic—everyone’s here for the beautiful bride, aren’t they? If we don’t show her photo, should we post mine?" The voice instantly turned cold again. "Anyway, two things must be done. First, use the wedding event for maximum hype, ASAP. The topic ‘Live: Grassroots Chosen One Wrecks Rich Guy’s Wedding’ must keep trending—it’s the best material we’ve got. Second, Tianding Group must win the bid for the construction land. No one else can get it."

Faced with that cold voice, Zhu Ming’s breath quickened, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded in resignation, "Yes, I understand. I’ll get it done."

"Good boy! Zhu Ming, since you’re being so obedient, maybe I’ll reward you." The person’s voice was casual, but carried a devilish undertone. "Guess why I want that construction land?"

"Uh… I have no idea, sir."

"Heh, let me give you a hint—what’s the biggest headache when it comes to Chosen Ones?"

"It’s…" Zhu Ming’s mind raced. What do the higher-ups really fear about Chosen Ones? Their power? No, power is just a tool. Their ambition? That’s a weakness, easy to exploit—just like they’re doing with him. So what’s the real problem…? Suddenly, Zhu Ming shivered, a chill running through him. "Could it be…"

"Oh ho, Zhu Ming, you really are sharp! That’s right, I’ll let you in on the secret—this plan is called ‘Expose Demons!’"

Beep—the call was cut off. The other side had said all they needed. Zhu Ming knew he had no choice but to obey. The message was so shocking, he actually started to tremble.

What is that man really up to?!

At the same time, in a perfectly ordinary-looking café on the outskirts of Shanghai, a man pressed the comm button with a beep. He was thin, pale, and fairly handsome, with a permanent curve to his lips—like he was always smiling, or maybe that was just the way his face was, like a mask he never took off. The longer you looked, the creepier that smile became. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and was the scientist who had searched for alien remains in Jiping City. Since his real name was unknown, let’s just call him ‘Cobra’ for now.

Right now, he was the commander of this special operation.

Sitting across from him was Deborah Zade.

"Sorry, sorry, kept the lady waiting. I get chatty sometimes. Where were we again?"

"Cooperation." Deborah felt uneasy in front of this man but kept up appearances. "I can compete with Eternal Night for the building land and transfer it to you for free. I know this has to be made public, and since you’re from a secret government department, you can’t be too high-profile. So let me handle it."

"Land? Oh, don’t worry about it, that’s just a side thing—I was just messing with the kid. My ‘Demon-Exposing Mirror’ system can be set up anywhere, so the location doesn’t matter." Cobra pushed up his glasses, his eyes gleaming with a madness that outshone Deborah’s. "If I’m working with a Zade family heiress, I shouldn’t be so petty, right? I hear the Zade family’s the earliest, deepest researchers of the ‘Unknowable Phenomena.’ Come on, show me something juicy!"

Deborah looked at the man in front of her, emotions swirling inside. The moment he mentioned 'Unknowable Phenomena,' she realized just how powerful his intel was. Facing this unpredictable man, she felt like she was being completely outplayed—and it rattled her. But she’d come this far, so there was no turning back. She pulled out a storage device. "Alright, let me show you something you’ve definitely never seen before."

"Oh?" Cobra took the device and plugged it into his decoder laptop. He stared at the screen—first his face was neutral, then surprised, then intrigued. He shook his head and sighed, "Impressive, impressive! The Zade family never disappoints. You, Miss Zade, are quite the powerhouse. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Alright, I see your sincerity. Now let me show you something you’ve definitely never seen before!"

"What is it?"

Cobra pulled out a ring-shaped device, about the size of Nezha’s golden hoop from Chinese mythology, but with a futuristic sci-fi look—circuit-board patterns glowing softly across its surface.

"What’s this…?" Deborah stared at the ring, confused. Cobra set his laptop on the table, suspended the ring like a magnifying glass above the screen, and beckoned her over. "Come on, take a look." With a swish, the ring’s center formed a light membrane, and when Deborah peered through, she saw a six-pointed star on what was supposed to be a 404 error page!

It was the homepage of the Global Observation Agency!

"Let’s see what the big-shot Chosen Ones are chatting about…" Cobra propped his elbows on the table like a middle schooler, mumbling as he watched the screen. "So, Miss Zade, I hear you’re planning to help Zhu Ming out big time—how exactly are you going to help him?"

Deborah was still in shock—the ring had completely blown her mind. She took several seconds to recover, then flashed a charming smile. "I lied to him."

That was the best answer she could come up with after careful thought.

"Well done! That’s exactly the kind of woman I like!"