NFBE Chapter 434 Celebration Banquet
Chapter 434 Celebration Banquet
When Wang Xinyi was taken to prison by the police, Pei Luonan turned off the last surveillance screen in the command center.
The distorted expression on Wang Xinyi's face when she was escorted was still lingering in his mind. Gu Fanxing gently placed the warmth of his hand on the back of his hand, giving his nerves, which had been tense for a long time, an excuse to relax.
"It's time to get everyone together." Her voice was nasal, and her eyes swept across the clue map covered with red circles on the wall - those evidences pieced together by countless people with sweat and thrills, now became medals to defeat the darkness.
Three days later in the evening, the Pei family's private club was brightly lit.
Under the crystal chandelier, Gu Fanxing repeatedly adjusted the arrangement of flowers on the buffet table. The pale pink roses and dark purple irises were arranged in an orderly manner, but it still couldn't hide the nervousness in her fingertips.
"Will this location block the cold buffet area?" She turned and asked Pei Luonan who was checking the audio equipment.
Pei Luonan held her slightly cold hand, and gently stroked the wound on the back of her hand with his thumb: "Don't worry, Ken and the others have checked the process three times."
Before he finished speaking, the sound of orderly footsteps was heard outside the door, and the first group of guests arrived.
Ken, dressed in a navy blue suit, walked in with his technical team. Each of them had a brooch in the shape of a miniature camera pinned on their chest - the same device they used when they invaded Wang Xinyi's manor for surveillance.
"Boss Pei, we've upgraded the security system for the celebration banquet to the highest level." The young technician pushed his glasses. "There will definitely be no accidents this time."
Xiao Fangfei appeared elegantly in six-centimeter high heels. The slit of her burgundy dress vaguely revealed the marks of her calf injury from the last competition.
When she handed a bouquet of white lilies to Gu Fanxing, the pearl bracelet on her wrist clinked gently: "I chose it specially. The flower language is pure friendship." When she turned around, she nodded to the corner - there stood several plainclothes police elites, who were the key force assisting in the arrest operation.
Ling Jiuer jumped and pushed open the revolving door, followed by Kong Haoyu and Du Fei.
The three of them pushed a cart decorated with ribbons, piled high with steaming champagne towers. "I know you're busy, so I'll take charge of the atmosphere for the whole place!"
The girl's energetic voice brightened up the entire hall, startling the tiny specks of light from the crystal chandelier.
Du Fei carefully held the shaking champagne glass, but his eyes were always glued to Ling Jiuer's excited back, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised a gentle arc.
When Ling Jiuer stood on tiptoe to hang the ribbon but couldn't reach it, he naturally raised his hand to take the tape from her hand. Their fingertips touched inadvertently, and the tips of their ears turned red at the same time.
Shi Yunchen arrived at the scene with two metal lockboxes, which he opened to reveal sophisticated electronic equipment. "These are evidence-collecting instruments that were scrapped during the operation. I modified them into commemorative ornaments."
He handed one of the devices made into a desk lamp to Gu Fanxing, "Each person's name is engraved on the base."
Pei Luochuan and Lu Wei appeared carrying a huge cake with the words "Justice will never be absent" written on the cream in chocolate.
"Brother, this was custom-made by Lu Wei and a Michelin three-star chef!"
When Pei Luochuan opened the lid, a rich aroma of vanilla mixed with fruit filled the air.
As the door opened again, more than 20 security personnel in black combat uniforms filed in.
They took off their tactical masks, revealing faces that were either young or resolute - some even had Band-Aids on their foreheads, which were "scars" deliberately created during the "fake raid" in the old city.
The leading captain saluted Pei Luonan and said, "Boss Pei, that night you asked us to set off fireworks in the demolition area, and Wang Xinyi's spies really fell for it!"
Chief Wang of the police station came in with several detectives. He shook Pei Luonan's hand vigorously: "Xiao Pei, this time thanks to your cooperation!"
The young police officers behind him held commemorative badges in the shape of evidence bags, with the words "Joint Operation Commemoration" printed in gold foil.
As everyone gathered around the long table covered with a golden tablecloth, Pei Luonan raised a crystal glass filled with red wine.
The candlelight flickered behind him, illuminating the panoramic photo projected on the wall. “This glass of wine is for everyone who holds a torch in the darkness.”
He glanced at the bloodshot eyes of Ken's team, the electric shock scars on Shi Yunchen's sleeves, and the worn combat boots of the police officers. "From intelligence gathering to the final arrest, every step we took was full of risks."
"But every step was worth it!" Chief Wang's voice was filled with the distinctly military tone. He looked at the young officer beside him. "Xiao Li and the others have been analyzing surveillance footage for 72 hours straight. Their eyes are swollen."
"If we're talking about hard work, it has to go to Boss Pei's technical team!"
An inspector raised his glass and said, "If you hadn't cracked Wang Xinyi's quantum encryption communication, we wouldn't have been able to obtain the key evidence." Ken's team burst into laughter when they heard this. Someone held up their phone to show the lock screen - it was a selfie of them eating instant noodles in the computer room, with the note "Coolest overtime photo."
When Gu Fanxing stood up, she rang the silver bell on the plate. The crisp sound made everyone quiet down. "I want to say something from my heart."
Her gaze swept across the audience. "I used to think that fighting darkness was a one-man battle. But now I know that true light is a torch held together by countless hands."
She raised the juice, her eyes determined: "Thank you for making me understand that courage is not about being fearless, but choosing to move forward side by side even when afraid."
Before she finished speaking, Ling Jiuer suddenly turned on the flashlight on her cell phone. Kong Haoyu and Du Fei immediately followed suit, and the banquet hall instantly turned into a sea of glittering stars.
The band played light jazz music at the right time, and the atmosphere was completely boiling.
In front of the buffet counter, programmers from the technical team surrounded Shi Yunchen to ask for advice on equipment modification techniques, while Pei Luochuan was pestering Ken to learn hacking techniques...
Kong Haoyu walked towards Xiao Fangfei with two glasses of champagne in his hands. He lowered his voice deliberately with a smile and said, "Miss Xiao, with this outfit tonight, I'm afraid you're going to charm half of the banquet hall, right?"
Xiao Fangfei raised her eyebrows and took the wine glass: "What, Mr. Kong, are you trying to compete with me in charm?" When the two clinked their glasses, the bubbles in the glasses reflected the smiles in each other's eyes.
Suddenly, Kong Haoyu shouted loudly: "Be careful!" Xiao Fangfei almost bumped into the waiter when she turned around. Kong Haoyu quickly grabbed her waist, which caused a burst of whistles from the surroundings.
Du Fei was pulled to the center of the dance floor by Ling Jiuer, and the girl's hair swayed with the music, brushing against his cheek.
"Hey, you stepped on my foot!" Ling Jiuer pretended to be angry, but couldn't hide the upturned corners of her mouth.
Du Fei knocked over the decorative flower stand next to him as he retreated in a panic. Amid the laughter of the crowd, he blushed and held Ling Jiuer in his arms. Ling Jiuer poked her head out of his arms and made faces at the onlookers. Du Fei looked at her lively appearance and couldn't help but laugh along.
Someone suggested playing "Pass the Flower", and the atmosphere in the banquet hall reached a climax.
When the plush toy fell into Pei Luonan's hands, he kissed Gu Fanxing on the forehead at the urging of the crowd, causing cheers. In the corner, Xiao Fangfei and Kong Haoyu were talking in low voices, occasionally glancing at each other before shyly looking away.
Du Fei quietly put a candy into Ling Jiuer's palm. The girl held the candy in her mouth and smiled sweetly at him. The air seemed to be filled with the scent of honey.
As the night deepened, brilliant fireworks suddenly burst into life in the club garden.
Shi Yunchen quietly placed the adjusted commemorative table lamp in the corner, and the densely packed names on the base flickered in the light and shadow.
Kong Haoyu naturally put his arm around Xiao Fangfei's shoulders and pointed to the sky to show her the brightest cluster of fireworks.
Du Fei carefully tacked Ling Jiuer's hair that was messed up by the wind, and their shadows got closer and closer in the moonlight.
This celebration banquet is not only a cheer for victory, but also the most moving medal written by countless light chasers with their blood and friendship.