“Do you have the Ghost Net’s web address?”
Just as Han Ying was about to walk down the stairs, she suddenly turned back and asked the man behind her.
The Ghost Net was actually a dark web—a network where people posted or accepted jobs that ordinary people couldn’t do, couldn’t think of doing, or didn’t dare to do. In the country, it was known as the Ghost Net, while abroad, it had a different name.
“I have it!”The shop owner had been in this line of work for more than ten years. He understood the rules: don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask. So although he couldn’t help scanning Han Ying again with curiosity, he didn’t voice the questions in his heart.
“How much?”Han Ying hadn’t had high expectations, but she didn’t expect the boss to really know it. If he did, then money was no problem.
“This much.”
With a mysterious smile, the boss first raised his right hand showing a two, then crossed both index fingers into the shape of a ten. If he hadn’t done the last gesture, she would’ve thought it meant 20,000. After all, it was just a URL.
Though it felt a bit expensive, she didn’t bargain. Getting the address from anywhere else would cost her time—and trouble.
She didn’t have that much cash in her backpack, but that wasn’t a problem. She could take money out from her space rune.
She reached into her backpack, retrieving twenty bundles of cash in three separate motions.
Placing the money on the table, she looked at the owner.
He nodded, then walked into another room. He came out carrying a briefcase. Judging from the shape, it held a laptop.
Seeing her puzzled expression, the owner smiled and said,
“Pretty girl, since you’re so straightforward, I’ll tell you something for free.”
“A normal computer can’t access the Ghost Net. The web address itself is worthless— even if I wrote it down for you, you couldn’t use it. That 200,000 isn’t for the URL. It’s for this computer. A no-IP laptop.”
“When the Ghost Net is online, unless someone is one of the world’s top hackers, they can’t trace any IP. And the moment you disconnect, the IP disappears instantly. Even the top hackers can’t track it.”
“That’s the charm of the Ghost Net. So feel free to use it. But remember—never plug in an Ethernet cable. Only use Wi-Fi. And if you don’t want to leave traces, even the power cable must not be plugged in while you’re online. Remember that!”
Hearing this, Han Ying felt relieved. In her previous life, she had heard about the Ghost Net and this shop from people at the resettlement points during the apocalypse. But she didn’t know these details.
If everything he said was true, then this 200,000 yuan laptop was absolutely worth it.
“Then can you give me a spare battery for the laptop? I’ll pay extra.”
If she couldn’t plug in the power while using it, having a spare battery would be extremely convenient.
“Uh… I really don’t have that. To be honest, this is the only one of its kind I’ve got left. Who knows when I’ll get another.”
The owner scratched his head. He didn’t tell her he sold it only because he found her pleasing to the eye; otherwise, he would’ve been reluctant to part with his last one.
“Then forget it.”
If there wasn’t one, she couldn’t force it.
With the laptop and her backpack, Han Ying left the barbershop directly.
Back at the spot where she got off earlier, she saw the taxi driver sipping a watermelon juice. She said nothing and just got in the car.
“A bit hot, haha… Pretty lady, heading back to the same place?” the driver asked awkwardly, putting his drink down.
“Mm.”She nodded.
Thirty minutes later, Han Ying returned to where her own car was parked. She unlocked the door, got inside, and opened her backpack. From one of the bags, she took out an ID card and a phone.
Then she zipped the bags shut and placed both the backpack and the laptop case onto the back seat. The moment they touched the back seat, both items disappeared into her space. The car’s front windshield was clear—if there were surveillance cameras she didn’t know about, better safe than sorry.
She glanced at the ID information.The name was Xia Jing, age 23, from the neighboring Southern Province.
After memorizing the general details, she turned on the phone. It had no unnecessary apps—only popular ones like WeChat, QQ, Douyin, and some major shopping apps.
All registered with this identity and corresponding phone number.
These would help her do all kinds of things—stockpile supplies, rent apartments, and more.
A normal fake ID cost only a few hundred yuan. But one complete set like this cost over 20,000. The reason was simple: except for the photo, all the information was real, usable for registering accounts everywhere.
After memorizing everything, Han Ying went to several banks and deposited money into the accounts.
Then she visited a real estate agency—she needed to rent a place.
“Hello, are you here to rent, buy, or look for a job?”The staff greeted her warmly.
“I want to rent.”
“Alright, please come with me.”
They led her to a seat and handed her a form. “Please write down what kind of house you want to rent.”
After inputting her requirements into the computer, the staff member smiled.
“What a coincidence—there’s actually a property that meets all your criteria. Would you like us to arrange a viewing?”
“No need. Just tell me the details. If it’s suitable, I’ll rent it directly.”
Her requirements were simple. She knew there wouldn’t be many matches. Since there was one that matched, she didn’t want to waste time.
“Alright. The house is located on the mountainside at the edge of Changfu Village—a self-built three-story house, each floor about 130 square meters. There’s also an almost 100-square-meter front yard. The house has its own well, and there’s a spring on the back mountain. However, the owner has some conditions…”
He finished explaining, then looked at her.
“What conditions?”
Han Ying was very satisfied with the house so far. As long as the conditions weren’t unreasonable, she would take it immediately.