The Hongqiao Transportation Hub was like a colossal, ceaselessly operating precision machine.
The flow of people was the surging blood within this machine, converging from all directions, then flowing along clear arteries to every corner of the city. The air was a mix of various dialects, the sound of luggage wheels scraping the ground, and the constantly looping announcements for arrivals and ticket checks, forming a noisy yet efficient symphony unique to the modern metropolis.
Lu Zhe, amidst it all, was like a pebble polished by a stream – smooth on the outside, tranquil at its core. His pace was neither fast nor slow, perfectly blending into the rhythm of the crowd, yet he always found the most reasonable gaps in the most congested areas, passing through with ease. His body, enhanced by the system, made his perception of the surrounding environment extremely acute; the crowd was no longer chaotic obstacles but rather sets of data with clearly predictable movement trajectories.
He didn't rush to find the car, but instead found an empty seat in the terminal's waiting area. He took out his phone from his backpack and opened an encrypted email he had just received. The sender's address was a string of random, irregular characters, and the subject was "Your Private Asset Certification Documents."
He opened the attachment, which contained over a dozen meticulously crafted PDF files.
Tax payment certificates for ten million in funds, a legitimate gift contract from an offshore trust fund, the purchase invoice for an aston martin db11, a full insurance policy, and the application records for a Shanghai A license plate... Every detail in all the documents was flawless, perfect enough to withstand the most rigorous scrutiny from any institution in the world.
The system's modus operandi, like his own, was low-key, thorough, and left no hidden dangers.
Lu Zhe confirmed everything one by one, then casually deleted the email completely. Only then did he get up and, guided by the signs, walked towards the P1 parking garage.
From the bustling arrival hall, through a long connecting passage, and then down an elevator, the surrounding soundscape quickly receded like a tide. When the elevator doors opened on B2, he was met by a cool, dry air unique to underground structures, carrying faint scents of concrete and tire rubber.
Above, rows of white energy-saving fluorescent tubes illuminated the entire parking garage brightly, and the light reflected a soft glow on the clean epoxy floor. In the vast space, there was only the occasional engine sound of a passing vehicle, or the infinitely amplified sound of a distant door closing, making it feel expansive and silent.
Lu Zhe pulled his suitcase, its wheels making a soft "rumbling" sound on the ground, a sound clearly amplified in the empty environment, becoming the only background noise at that moment.
He looked at the clear zone markers on the pillars and unhurriedly walked towards Zone C.
C05, a white Tesla, quietly charging.
C06, a Buick minivan covered in a thin layer of dust.
Then, C07.
In that instant, Lu Zhe's footsteps halted.
Even in the eyes of someone with no concept of the automotive industry, the car before him could easily be called a work of art.
It was quietly parked in the center of the space, its flowing body lines like the elegant, crouched posture of a leopard before a hunt, full of power and dynamism. It wasn't a dazzling, ostentatious bright color, but a deep purple that was incredibly difficult to describe in words. Under the cool white lights of the parking garage, the car's paint surface seemed to contain an entire vast starry sky, with countless tiny, sparkling particles reflecting shifting glimmers from different angles, sometimes leaning blue, sometimes tinged with gold, mysterious and noble.
An Aston Martin DB11.
The elegant gentleman of British supercars, a perfect fusion of power and beauty.
Lu Zhe stood still, silently admiring it for nearly a minute. He didn't have the same fervor and excitement as his peers when seeing a luxury car; it was more like being in an art gallery, facing a perfect sculpture. Deep within him was a pure appreciation for this piece of industrial art.
He took out the envelope from a hidden compartment in his backpack; it felt slightly heavy. Opening it, a delicate car key lay inside. The key's body was wrapped in metal and leather, and the aston martin winged emblem at the top gleamed under the light. Besides that, there were a series of documents like the vehicle's driving license and registration certificate, all placed in a custom leather sleeve.
He walked to the driver's side and gently pressed the unlock button on the key.
"Beep."
A crisp electronic sound rang out, the hidden door handle slowly popped out, and soft ambient lighting illuminated the interior, like an elegant welcoming ceremony.
Lu Zhe opened the car door, and a unique scent, a blend of high-grade leather, solid wood, and metal, wafted out. This scent wasn't pungent; instead, it carried a reassuring quality unique to luxury goods.
He placed his suitcase in the back of the car, then settled into the driver's seat.
The moment the car door closed, the last trace of external noise was completely shut out. The entire world seemed to be left with just him and this precise mechanical creation.
The seats offered excellent support, the soft Nappa leather perfectly conforming to his body. He stretched out his hand, his fingertips gliding over the cool metal trim on the center console, touching the hand-stitched white seams, and feeling the precise damping of each knob. Every detail inside the car silently spoke the true meaning of "luxury."
It wasn't ostentatious accumulation, but an ultimate pursuit of materials, craftsmanship, and design.
Lu Zhe placed the key in its designated spot, his gaze falling on the red, glass-textured start button in the center of the steering wheel.
He took a deep breath and pressed it.
"Vroom—ROAR!"
The sleeping beast instantly awoke.
A deep, powerful roar emanated from the rear of the car; the unique growl of the V8 twin-turbo engine, refined by a precise exhaust system, became a heart-accelerating symphony. The entire car body vibrated slightly, full of vitality.
This sound wasn't noisy, yet it was filled with an unparalleled presence.
Lu Zhe's hands gently gripped the steering wheel. At that moment, an indescribable sense of unity between man and machine arose. "Master-level driving skills" integrated into his entire being like an instinct. He didn't need to read any instructions; he already knew everything about this car—its power, its steering, its limits.
He pressed the brake, shifted into D, and lightly touched the accelerator.
This performance beast, with over five hundred horsepower, was as docile as a kitten under his foot. The car smoothly glided out of the parking space without the slightest jolt.
He drove the starry purple DB11 slowly through the empty parking garage, like performing an ancient ritual. The tires rolled over the ground, making only a very faint "shush" sound.
Approaching the exit, the automatic barrier lifted. He didn't slow down, effortlessly driving onto the spiral ramp leading to the surface at an incredibly smooth angle. On the narrow bends, the car's posture was as stable as if on flat ground.
As the front of the car broke through the shadows of the underground garage and was once again bathed in the afternoon sun, Lu Zhe squinted slightly to adjust to the momentary change in light.
He opened the navigation, setting the destination—Fuhua University.
Then, he merged into traffic and drove onto the elevated highway leading to the city center.
Outside the car window was the bustling city skyline of the Magic City. Inside the car window was his own quiet and luxurious world.
He gripped the steering wheel, feeling the rhythmic pulse transmitted by the engine, looking at the endlessly stretching road ahead, and calmly posed a question in his mind to the entity that had just changed his life.
"System, you call this... a beginner's gift package?"