Chapter Three Hundred and Eight: Bai Jing Chen Nuo spoke in English. Cha Wang seemed not to understand what Chen Nuo said. A fierce glare flashed in his eyes as he suddenly let out a growl, and his knife came slashing down! The strike was both precise and ruthless! Then, Cha Wang struck emptiness. To be accurate, as the knife fell, Cha Wang suddenly felt his hand empty. When he looked down, his right hand held nothing. When he looked up again, the knife was already in his opponent’s hand. Chen Nuo held the blade between two fingers, as if professionally examining it. He lifted the knife, glanced along the blade, and remarked, "Nice knife." Then, with an expression that seemed almost regretful, he shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don’t like using knives. Here, you can have it back." After speaking, he casually returned the knife. He gaped, staring at the knife that had been returned to its owner. He hadn’t seen the other person’s move at all! He didn’t see how the knife had been returned to him, let alone how it had been taken away—in fact, he hadn’t seen a thing! "#%*&...*&...￥&%...#@!!!" Cha Wang shouted furiously. Chen Nuo frowned, scratching his head. "This is a problem... I don’t speak Thai." Alright, Chen Yanluo had many experiences in his previous life. He had been to many countries, accomplished many great things, and learned many languages. But as luck would have it, he didn’t know Thai. However, it didn’t matter if he couldn’t understand. By observing Cha Wang’s seemingly fierce but ultimately shifty eyes, Chen Nuo could roughly guess what the other was trying to convey. All bluster and no substance. It was probably along the lines of "Just who the hell are you!" or something similar. Indeed, Cha Wang was merely bluffing. Although he held the knife, looking at the smiling youth in front of him, who seemed so harmless, Cha Wang could feel his own heartbeat accelerating, those intense signals of danger surging wave after wave within him. The knife he had wielded for so many years felt utterly useless, as he couldn’t muster the courage to strike again. To be able to silently bypass his subordinates guarding outside, and then to infiltrate his sealed underground stronghold without a sound—well, when Cha Wang first saw someone in his room, his initial reaction was: a thief! Most likely someone had bought off my subordinates, or there was a mole among them who let the intruder in... But now, he no longer thought so! Cha Wang kept retreating step by step. Pretending to move slowly back two steps, he suddenly sped up! First, he kicked the bedroom door shut, and then he turned and ran! He didn’t run towards the entrance but instead immediately dashed to his desk. With a swift move, he pulled out a handgun hidden underneath. With the gun in hand, Cha Wang felt a sliver of confidence, aiming the barrel at the bedroom door. The bedroom door was slowly pushed open, and Chen Nuo walked out, looking at Cha Wang and smiling again. "Nice gun." The gun was indeed nice. Like many mafia dons around the world, Cha Wang’s gun had gold and silver patterns inlaid on the grip for decoration. Cha Wang didn’t hesitate and pulled the trigger directly at Chen Nuo! A crisp sound followed, but Cha Wang heard no gunshot as he expected. The moment his finger pulled the trigger, the handgun fell apart. This custom-made, gold-decorated weapon, which had cost him thousands of US dollars, instantly disintegrated in his hands into a pile of parts! Cha Wang was stunned for a second. Without hesitation, he fiercely threw the remaining gun handle at Chen Nuo while slapping his hand on the desk, vaulting up and heading toward the main door. In mid-air, Cha Wang didn’t forget to hurl his knife towards Chen Nuo! Chen Nuo, keeping his composure, simply tilted his head slightly. The tip of the knife grazed past his ear before sticking into the door. But Cha Wang had already reached the door! He was about to slam into it headfirst. According to Cha Wang’s estimation of his own strength, this rush should allow him to shatter the door and burst through it. Yet, unexpectedly, something happened! Just as he was about to hit the door, at some unknown moment, a fuzzy, gray, unremarkable mass appeared in front of it! A Gray Cat was squatting at the doorway, seemingly lazily lifting its head, licking its paw while looking at him indifferently... Cha Wang felt like he hadn’t hit a wooden door but had rammed into an invisible city wall. His head was still about a centimeter away from the actual door when he was forcefully repelled by some invisible force! THUMP! Cha Wang flew back several steps, landing hard on the sofa. A large bump quickly formed on his forehead, and his vision swam. Cha Wang couldn’t even struggle to stand up at first and instead rolled off the sofa, falling to the floor. Chen Nuo approached, lightly nudging Cha Wang with his foot. Cha Wang tried hard to focus, his head still dizzy. It took him three attempts, using both hands to push off the ground, to finally sit up with difficulty. "..." Chen Nuo glanced at the Gray Cat, speechless. "Did you use too much force?" The Gray Cat looked innocent. "MEOW..." He’s just too weak... Well, Chen Nuo sighed. Is Cha Wang a weakling? Uh, this question depended on who you compared him with. Compared to ordinary people, this guy could be considered half a superhero. This guy was an Ability User from the Body Technique Department. And he was of the more common type within the Body Technique Department; his physical fitness, speed, strength, agility, endurance, resistance, healing ability, and so on, were all comprehensively enhanced. Such abilities seemed quite comprehensive—but another meaning of comprehensive is: mediocre. If put in Marvel’s Avengers, this guy’s template would probably be similar to Captain America. Of course, without Captain America’s BUG aura, where no matter how strong the opponent, he could still hold his own for a bit. (Captain America could fight Red Skull, who was so much weaker, to a near mutual destruction, yet he could also withstand several rounds against the big boss Thanos, which is simply outrageous.) In terms of absolute power, Cha Wang’s strength was, broadly speaking, about the same as the first Ability User Chen Nuo encountered after his rebirth. That investigator from the Abyss Organization was desperately investigating the cause of the Gold Digger Yao Weishan’s death. After following the trail, he eventually traced it to Chen Nuo... And then, he came knocking on the door, effectively offering up his head, and was taken out by Chen Yanluo. Cha Wang took a few seconds to regain consciousness. Just as he was trying to struggle up again, Chen Nuo had already stepped on him, pushing him down. The sole of his shoe was pressing on Cha Wang’s head. Cha Wang was clearly in a panic, shouting loudly something in a tone that was no longer as commanding as at the beginning, noticeably with a hint of pleading, "...*&#￥&...*&...*&" Chen Nuo curled his lips, shook his head, and said calmly in English, "Alright, Cha Wang, stop pretending you only speak Thai. You understand English." Cha Wang still looked at Chen Nuo with a blank expression. Chen Nuo laughed, raising the black USB stick with the Octopus Monster logo. "The Octopus Monster website doesn’t have a Thai language option. Are you telling me you usually log in to the Octopus Monster website using a dictionary to translate it word by word?" A look of resignation quickly appeared in Cha Wang’s eyes... After a second of silence, the guy finally said in a low voice, "May I ask who exactly are you, and why are you my enemy?" He spoke in English, and his pronunciation was surprisingly standard. "You see, I quite like your current attitude," Chen Nuo said with a satisfied smile, retracting the foot that had been on Cha Wang’s head. Cha Wang gave Chen Nuo a glance, sensing that this man wouldn’t step on him again. He then got up from the ground, his face tense and fearful, backed up two steps, and shrank next to the sofa. "Who exactly are you?" "Someone like you," Chen Nuo said with a light smile, gesturing with his hand. "I also have an account on the Octopus Monster website. You should understand what I mean by that." "Understood," Cha Wang nodded—given the strength the other person had just shown, he was clearly an Ability User. Moreover, he was an Ability User much stronger than himself. "Then it’s very simple. I have a task that I need you to do for me," Chen Nuo said with a smile, having already walked over and sat down on the sofa. The Gray Cat immediately ran over, jumped onto Chen Nuo’s knee, then lay down comfortably, squinting its eyes. Chen Nuo gently scratched the Gray Cat’s back a couple of times, then picked up the cat and tossed it to the side. "MEOW!" The Gray Cat voiced its discontent but obediently crawled over and lay at Chen Nuo’s feet. Chen Nuo took an envelope from his pocket and tossed it onto the table, lifting his chin slightly to gesture to Cha Wang. Cha Wang took a deep breath and carefully picked up the envelope, pulling out two photos from inside. One was of Li Qingshan’s son, Lv Shaojie. The other was of that "Brother Fang." The photo of Brother Fang was obviously an old one from many years ago; in the picture, Brother Fang should have been a strong middle-aged man in his prime. But that didn’t matter. Li Qingshan had someone technically alter the photo, aging Brother Fang’s face. After looking at the photos, Cha Wang turned his head to stare at Chen Nuo, frowning. "What’s this?" "The young man in the first photo has disappeared in Bangkok; he was kidnapped. I need you to help me investigate." "Find the person? Or find the ones who kidnapped him?" Cha Wang’s tone regained some composure. Since he’s asking me to do something, at least my life shouldn’t be in danger today. "If you can find the person directly, that would be best," Chen Nuo smiled. "But it’s probably not that simple. Find the person, the kidnappers, or any valuable clues. Mr. Cha Wang, you’re a notable figure in the Underground World of Bangkok. You control far more of this city’s unseen, shady dealings than the police department does." Alright, Cha Wang nodded. This kind of task wasn’t particularly novel... Cha Wang, an Underground World boss, had helped others with similar issues before. "The older guy in the second photo, I highly suspect he may be the mastermind behind the kidnapping of the young man in the first photo. So, I hope you can check if this person is in Bangkok or, at least, if anyone has seen him recently." Cha Wang thought for a moment. "You know, Bangkok is a very big city with lots of foreign tourists... and these are two Asians. It won’t be easy to find two people of East Asian descent..." "I said," Chen Nuo replied calmly, "if not the person, then any valuable clues will do." "What if... no clues can be found?" Cha Wang asked, frowning. "Then I’ll kill you." Chen Nuo spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. There was a flicker of anger in his eyes as he said in a low voice, "That’s—that’s not fair! I didn’t kidnap the guy..." "But you are the most prominent figure in the Bangkok Underground World. Who else would I ask if not you?" Chen Nuo said with a smile. "I’ll give you two days. If you don’t produce results by then, I’ll go to the second-ranked boss in the Bangkok Underground World. I’ll have him help find the person, and if he can give me any valuable clues, I’ll help him take you out." Alright, even without him saying a word, Chen Nuo could be sure of one thing: this guy was certainly cursing inwardly. Cha Wang’s eyes darted around, and he suddenly asked, "Then, if I help you find the person, or if I can dig up any valuable clues... what’s in it for me?" "The benefit is I might not kill you," Chen Nuo replied indifferently. Alright, Cha Wang’s eyes were cursing again. After stating all this, Chen Nuo stood up and glanced at the clock on the wall. "You have forty-eight hours! Remember. In forty-eight hours, I will come to find you, and by then I hope you can tell me something that satisfies me." After pondering for a moment, Chen Nuo looked at Cha Wang and smiled. "Of course, you could also refuse to help me. You could gather your people, bring more gunmen, and set up an ambush here. When I come next time, you can try to take me down." Cha Wang immediately shook his head. "I wouldn’t dare... You’re an Ability User. I’m not an ordinary person; I know very well that Ability Users aren’t something ordinary people can deal with. I would never risk my life on such a crazy thing." Chen Nuo nodded. "Then... see you in two days." After speaking, Chen Nuo stood up, waited for the Gray Cat to jump onto his shoulder, then turned and pulled open the door to leave, even thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Once Chen Nuo was out and the door closed, it was as if Cha Wang deflated entirely, suddenly slumping to the ground. After taking a few deep breaths, a furious look appeared in his eyes. He then went over, grabbed the phone, and dialed a few numbers. "It’s me! Get all the men you can call! Immediately! Right away! I want to see everyone as soon as possible!!" Cha Wang turned his head and saw Chen Nuo had actually come back! Cha Wang’s face froze instantly. He swallowed hard, glanced at the phone in his hand, and hurriedly explained, "I—I was summoning people, thinking of mobilizing them to help with your matter...not..." Chen Nuo smiled. "It’s fine, it’s fine, carry on." Having said that, he gave a sheepish smile and pointed towards the safe in the bedroom. "That... I came in a hurry this time and didn’t bring much cash. I left in a rush earlier and forgot to take it." Watching this unfamiliar young man walk into the bedroom, empty out the tens of thousands of US dollars from his safe, and then leave with a smile, closing the main door behind him... Cha Wang’s hand holding the phone was frozen stiff... Thinking it over, Cha Wang hesitated for a moment, then swiftly walked out of the room and into the underground corridor outside, eyeing the large iron door at the end. He strode over and opened the iron door. Outside, his group of bodyguards were sitting on benches, bragging and chatting. Hearing the iron door open, they all stood up at once, looking respectfully at Cha Wang. Cha Wang’s expression was grim. "Did you... see anything just now?" "Huh?" One subordinate widened his eyes, looking puzzled. "Just now, did anyone come through here..." As Cha Wang spoke, seeing the expressions of his subordinates, he suddenly felt deflated and waved his hand. "Never mind, it’s nothing." He closed the door and walked back to his office. Looking at the narrow underground corridor, he glanced left and right... It was supposed to be sealed. 「Walking on the streets of Bangkok, the Gray Cat sat on Chen Nuo’s shoulder.」 "You’re being a bit too unreasonable with this guy. MEOW~" Chen Nuo’s tone was firm and justified. "Why should I be reasonable with a member of the Underground World? People in the Underground World are never reasonable with others, so why should I be reasonable with him?" "...I guess you’re right," the Gray Cat considered. "Aren’t you worried he won’t help and will instead mess up your plans?" "Not worried at all." Chen Nuo smiled. He was confident about this. In his past life, Chen Nuo had dealt with this Cha Wang. This fellow... well... Hmm, he was actually quite afraid of death. When it came to life and death, this fellow was never the type to take risks. "So what do we do now?" "Hmm, two options," Chen Nuo said with a smile. "The first option: we could wander around the streets of Bangkok. We might just get incredibly lucky and run into that Brother Fang on the street. Of course, the chance is very slim..." The Gray Cat sighed. "Stop there, I choose the second option." "The second option: go back to sleep and wait for news." 「King George Island.」 The closest island to Antarctica, and the logistics assembly base most chosen by travelers from all over the world before they embarked on their expedition to Antarctica. Next to a valley on the south side of the island, a camp was being set up. In the sky, a transport helicopter was slowly descending. The roar of the propellers and engines was nearly deafening. The gale from the propellers was so strong it felt like it could flatten people, making it hard to stand straight. Only when the helicopter finally stabilized and the propellers gradually ceased did two people standing not far away slowly walk towards it. For more chapters visıt 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝·𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚·𝔫𝔢𝔱 Vanel followed half a step behind his companion, who was the man with the hawk-nosed profile. One behind the other, they approached the helicopter’s rear cargo door. The descending cargo door had already been lowered. Inside, several heavily armed personnel in tactical gear surrounded an elderly white woman with silver hair. When the hawk-nosed man saw her, a peculiar look flashed in his eyes, but he smiled and walked over. As the old lady shakily descended from the helicopter cabin, the hawk-nosed man had already gone over and supported her. "I must say, I’m surprised—learning that you were coming here, I was just overjoyed, esteemed Madam." The elderly woman shrank her head, as if she could barely withstand the cold wind here. She tightened the old-looking coat she was wearing and gathered the frayed scarf around her neck a little more before raising her head to glance at the hawk-nosed man. "A surprise, you say? I think you’re afraid I’m here to cause you trouble, aren’t you?" The hawk-nosed man laughed. "How could that be possible? I am well aware that you have always supported our action team." The old woman pursed her lips, then her gaze fell on the burly, bear-like man standing beside the cabin. Narrowing her eyes as if studying him with her faded vision for a while, she smiled. "So you are Vanel, child?" Vanel took a deep breath. "Yes, respected madam, I am Vanel." "The sole survivor of that mission in Brazil. What a pity, you lost so many of your subordinates there." The elderly woman appeared quite amiable toward Vanel, her tone even carrying a hint of sympathy. Vanel, with a solemn expression, considered for a moment. "The operation I led incurred tremendous losses for the company, I..." "Don’t be like that, my child. Everyone has their failures from time to time. And besides, you passed the company’s internal review, didn’t you? It was just an accident; you faced a situation you couldn’t contend with. If you ask me, the person who decided to send you on that mission should be the one under review. Oh, sorry, my child, I am not implying that your capabilities are inadequate. Rather... it’s assigning a task of excessive difficulty to someone whose abilities are insufficient to complete it. That is the real dereliction of duty to the company." Vanel hesitated for a moment. "No, respected madam, it’s my abilities that have failed the company..." "Stop calling me ’respected madam’," the old woman said with a twist of her mouth, then slowly continued, "This form of address makes me sound like a decrepit old woman who can barely walk—though, that does seem to be the reality. What’s more, my damned husband has been dead for many years, and I do not like being constantly referred to as someone’s wife, as if after all these years since he’s gone, I still have to carry his label on me." Vanel was startled. Damn, this old lady has quite the mouth on her, huh? "Then what should I call you?" "Bai Jing. Call me Ms. Baijing. I’ve always liked this name from before I was married." Vanel took a deep breath and nodded, his tone carrying added respect. "Yes, Ms. Baijing." "Very good, child, I like you. I hope you can bring some impressive results for the company with this Antarctica mission." The old woman smiled. "Now I need to discuss some matters with this big-nosed little bastard, please give us some private space." What else could Vanel say? He could only obediently step aside and watch as the hawk-nosed man helped the old lady walk slowly towards the largest insulated shelter in the camp. Upon entering, the motion-sensor light turned on. The hawk-nosed man closed the door behind him. With the heating system on, the temperature inside was much warmer. The old lady, Bai Jing, seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief. She lightly raised her arm, and the hawk-nosed man quickly let go of the arm he was supporting. Bai Jing took off her bulky, heavy coat and then sat down behind a table inside. The hawk-nosed man quickly brought her a steaming cup of coffee. "It seems you’re living quite well here, having access to fine Cuban coffee," the old woman sighed comfortably. "Evidently, funding is not an issue." The hawk-nosed man smiled. After taking a sip of coffee, Bai Jing’s face turned serious. "I’ve reviewed the invitation list you submitted for this operation... How did you persuade that little bastard, the Wizard? I heard he took a big hit from someone this year and is hiding, licking his wounds. According to our analysis, it was probably the Star Sky Empress who did it. That woman has been sweeping through Europe for the past two months, hunting down members of the Cultivator Association. The Wizard has been hiding like a rat." The hawk-nosed man smiled. "I gave the Wizard a little hint..." "...Alright then." Bai Jing frowned, a grave expression on her aged face. "You may give a little hint, but remember not to leak actual intelligence." "And on the list, I see you’ve added... Captain? The Captain from The Abyss organization?" "Yes, I’ve considered this candidate. His abilities are water-based. We’re on a mission in Antarctica, and as you know, Antarctica is covered in ice—solid water. His abilities here give him a home-field advantage, so to speak." Bai Jing thought for a moment. "Fine, he’s just an insignificant pawn. If you think he’s useful, then use him." Saying this, Bai Jing reviewed the operational plan brought by the hawk-nosed man again, going through it in her mind afterward. "No major issues. The supplies you need will be delivered here soon." Only after speaking did Bai Jing seem to suddenly remember something. "Oh yes, one more thing, it just came to mind." "What is it?" asked the hawk-nosed man. "That fellow we saw earlier... Vanel." With a nonchalant tone, Bai Jing stated, "Find an opportunity to kill him during this mission." The hawk-nosed man frowned. "Why?" Bai Jing gave him a faint look. "I don’t little fellow."