NOVPUBChapter 52: Chapter 51: The Underground Team
Chapter 52 -51: The Underground Team
“Kid, you’re making me almost believe there’s another world out there somewhere,” Old Gao couldn’t help but laugh, “Alright, I’ll try my best to secure the funding. But there are procedures to follow, and it’ll take at least half a month at minimum.”
“So you didn’t fully believe me before!”
“In our line of work, it’s normal to be cautious and retain some doubt,” Gao Wei switched back to his usual steady tone, “Besides, as I’ve said, whether I believe it or not isn’t important. The crucial thing is to obtain evidence.”
“I agree, which is why I have another special request that I hope you’ll approve,” Zhang Zhiyuan took the opportunity to say.
“What’s the matter, you sound so formal?” Gao Wei paused slightly, “It doesn’t have anything to do with funding, does it?”
“You know me so well. I hope to apply for one million… US dollars!”
“Cough… cough cough…” A bout of coughing suddenly came from the other end of the phone, “Seven million? Do you think our department is a bank?”
“Here’s the thing…” Zhang Zhiyuan briefly explained Zhou Zhi’s situation, “Until Wayne James becomes evidence, he is the only person we can contact who has been to Paradise. Seven million is a lot, but compared to the value of this lead, it’s actually very reasonable. If Paradise invites new players, the price to get in won’t stay at this amount.”
“That’s easy for you to say, but have you thought about under what category the funding would fall? It’s not easy to release seven million.”
“I have an idea,” Zhang Zhiyuan had anticipated Old Gao’s response, “Wayne James has a bounty within INTERPOL, so as long as we catch him, we can apply for the international reward and then distribute it under the guise of a bonus. This way, it won’t cause trouble for the finance department, and the process is completely legitimate.”
With that said, Gao Wei could only sigh deeply, “The young people these days are getting bolder and bolder. Alright, go ahead as you plan.”
“Yes, thank you for your support!” Zhang Zhiyuan quickly responded.
Stepping out of the bathroom, he found some paper and pen, wrote Zhou Zhi a farewell note, and then silently left the room.
What he needed to do now was to rush back to Capital City’s Beifu as quickly as possible to prepare for the new round of Paradise game.
…
On the outskirts of City L, inside an abandoned warehouse.
The moment Ailuodi walked through the door, she could catch faint glances. Whenever she looked at them, they would instantly shift their eyes away, pretending they hadn’t been peeking.
But as soon as she turned her back, that feeling of being watched would sweep over her again.
“Enough!” she couldn’t help it and shouted, “If you want to look, then look, why sneak around!”
The crowd couldn’t help but shrink back.
It was Xi Er who stepped forward with a smile, “It’s because our little Ailuodi is an Angel! Alright, the boss has spoken. What do you want to see?”
With those words, the atmosphere in the warehouse instantly livened up.
“I want to see the wings!”
“Can you take me for a flight?”
“Me too!”
Ailuodi glared at them fiercely, “Didn’t I already show you the other day! Both the wings and flying require energy, and I can’t just waste it on this, so forget it!”
“Aww…” A wave of disappointment echoed from all around.
Ailuodi, somewhat helplessly holding her forehead, felt exasperated. Ever since she had soared into the sky with Blan, the entire base’s atmosphere had completely changed. Everyone was either giggling at her from time to time or staring at her all day long, as if flowers would bloom on her face.
“They’re just excited,” Blan patted her shoulder, “Before everyone thought you were just talking big, but who wouldn’t get excited upon realizing that an ‘Angel’ really exists and is actually part of their own team?”
“Yeah, you have no idea, the internet has been blowing up lately, all discussing the explosion at the Aideng Hotel!” Another brown-haired girl with braided pigtails chimed in, “No gunpowder, no open flames, a whole wall was blasted down, some even say it was hit by a meteor!”
“Frey, I asked you to keep an eye on the surveillance, have you been just watching the forum drama all this time?”
“Hehe,” the latter stuck out her tongue and then drew her head back.
The operational team of Blan and Duck Pears, the driver and logistician Xi Er, the hacker Frey… as well as the mechanic Coalball, the manager Qing, and the chef Kaka, were the very ones who together with her, formed the current team. Their ages ranged from eighteen to twenty-five, some were drifters, some came from gangs, but now they followed her, not for money, status, or the thrill of it, but simply because they believed the world needed to change and were willing to fight for it.
Despite their various shortcomings, they were all trustworthy companions to Ailuodi.
“But there’s one thing I don’t understand,” Blan suddenly said, “You’re clearly an Angel, so why did you name your team ‘Skeleton Hand’?”
“Indeed,” Xi Er nodded in agreement, “I used to think the name was pretty cool, but it really doesn’t fit with the boss’s identity.”
“Because the things we do are destined to never see the light of day,” Ailuodi said without evasion, “And this name serves as a reminder to all of us that we are always operating on the edge of darkness and law… and even death.”
In the past, she had joined many organizations, but the more she saw, the more she realized one thing: organizations bound by interests always have their limits. And the larger the organization, the greater these binds become, so much so that many altruists who initially aimed to do good eventually became slaves to profit.
Not to mention those organizations that were charlatans under the guise of doing good from the very start.
So, she made a daring attempt.
That was to build an organization herself, a team that would fight for their convictions.
Skeleton Hand was the first result of that attempt.
And their first target was Wayne James, who had ties with the local drug lord.
“Whoosh…” Blan let out a whistle, “So you had that kind of realization back then… worthy of being the boss.”
“Of course, do I even need your words!” Qing looked at her fondly, “I’ve seen with my own eyes how Ailuodi has come this far.”
“By the way, did you find out who the men in black suits that broke into the hotel that day were, Frey?” Ailuodi shifted topics.
“No, it’s strange, they’re not police, and they’re not gangsters,” Frey waved her hand, “I can’t even figure out where they emerged from. None of them were detained afterward. I must say, the police in City L are just a bunch of useless freeloading wastes!”
This caused Ailuodi to feel a vague unease inside.
Clearly, someone was searching the city for Janet, and a transnational criminal didn’t seem to have the kind of reach to prompt such a response.
“Speaking of which, what do we do with that guy? We’ve been holding him for two days already, keeping him here is always a risk,” Xi Er referred to Wayne James.
“If you ask me, just put a burlap sack over his head, drop him off in the woods in the northern suburbs, then make an anonymous call to the police. Whether the cops or those black suits find him first, it’s none of our concern,” Coalball suggested.
“But clearly the men in black suits are Janet’s people, wouldn’t it be a wasted effort if they found him?”
“Right now, keeping ourselves safe is more important than anything!”
“Enough, stop arguing, let me think,” Ailuodi raised her hand to stop the dispute on both sides, and just then, her phone suddenly rang.
And the ringtone was a tune she had never heard before.
She frowned and pulled out her phone, only to see a black and red theater mask appear on the screen.
