r18novel Chapter 165 I traveled all that way across the ocean just to watch a play? ? ?
Chapter 165 I traveled all that way across the ocean just to watch a play? ? ?
The next morning, Lu Mingfei had just had a brief meeting with Chu Zihang and Fingel in the living room of the suite when the doorbell rang.
His dutiful secretary (though Lao Lu never officially admitted it, she certainly did a lot of work) relayed the message via internal phone:
"Director Lu, the guide sent by the Sheqi Eight Families has arrived."
"Enter."
The door opened, and the secretary stepped aside.
When they saw who walked in, Lu Mingfei and the other two were somewhat surprised.
Leading the group was none other than Genji Chisei, one of the heads of the Snake Clan, who had engaged in a murky conversation with them in the top-floor conference room of Genji Heavy Industries yesterday!
Lu Mingfei had seen this person's information: a graduate of Kassel College, the head of the Yuan family, and currently the director of the Japanese executive bureau.
According to sources from secret channels, this kid seems to be the next head of the Snake Clan, and they all call him Young Master in private.
He was an A-grade mixed-race, but Lu Mingfei had only one word after meeting him: disbelief!
This guy's strength is a level above that of an A-grade hybrid.
Could it be an S-class?
Lu Mingfei wasn't quite sure; he didn't seem to have fought against an S-class hybrid yet, but even if he was strong, he couldn't be stronger than our Boss Xia, right?
Today he changed out of his serious black kimono and into a well-tailored dark gray casual suit with a crisp white shirt underneath. He wasn't wearing a tie, and while he looked less imposing in the meeting room yesterday, he exuded a more capable and…
Well, I must say, he is quite handsome and dashing.
That calm and composed demeanor that comes with experience, coupled with his already outstanding features and slightly melancholic eyes, is indeed quite attractive to the opposite sex (and even some of the same sex).
Among the people following him were, as expected, Ryuji Saeki, who had picked him up at the airport yesterday, and two other executive bureau members who looked equally capable and had sharp eyes.
Three men and one woman.
This lineup shows how important it is.
"Lu Jun, Chu Jun, Fingel Jun, we meet again."
Yuan Zhisheng nodded slightly, his tone less formulaic than the old men in the conference room yesterday, but still maintaining a just-right distance.
"After discussions within the family, and considering the importance of this event and your respective identities, I will personally serve as your guide and liaison during your stay in Japan."
Countless thoughts flashed through Lu Mingfei's mind in an instant.
Tachibana Masamune played his hand... interestingly.
Sending the head of the family to accompany them personally is the highest honor imaginable, leaving no room for complaint and fully demonstrating their "respect" and "importance".
On the other hand, being personally watched by Genjiro also means that their every move will be under the direct surveillance of the highest levels of the Snake Clan.
Any investigation that is to be conducted covertly will become exponentially more difficult.
This is both the highest level of protection and a silent warning.
On Japanese soil, everything must be done within the sight of the Snake-Headed Eight Families.
It seems that Lao Lu's current status and strength have indeed put considerable pressure on the Snake Clan, forcing them to put their biggest bargaining chip on the front stage.
Lu Mingfei's mind raced, but he immediately put on a warm (even a little too warm) smile and stepped forward: "Oh!"
Source master!
Why is this so embarrassing?
You're so busy with work, yet you still personally came to be our guide. How can we possibly accept that!
As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at his reflection in the glass window next to him—an ordinary casual jacket, an unremarkable hairstyle, and even some unkempt tufts of hair because he had just gotten up.
Compared to the patriarch of the Yuan family, who looked as if he had just stepped off a fashion magazine cover...
Another thing is that this guy looks a bit too handsome. Standing next to him, our team leader Lu seems particularly plain and unassuming, like one of his entourage.
Despite his inner turmoil, Lu Mingfei maintained his smile and extended his hand:
"Then... I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Yuan. I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration."
Genji also extended his hand and shook hands with him politely.
His hands were dry and steady, bearing the calluses typical of someone who practices swordsmanship.
"The duty lies."
Yuan Zhisheng's gaze calmly swept over Lu Mingfei, then looked at Chu Zihang and Fingel behind him.
"So, where do you all intend to begin your investigation into the case?"
Chu Zihang remained expressionless, while Fingel winked and mouthed to Lu Mingfei, "Handsome guide, junior brother, you're under pressure."
Lu Mingfei secretly rolled his eyes, withdrew his hand, and smiled at Yuan Zhisheng:
"Since Mr. Yuan has personally come, we should naturally follow his lead. Wherever you think it's most appropriate to start, that's where we'll begin. After all, you know the situation here best, don't you?"
He deftly kicked the ball back, giving Genjiro a meaningful look at the same time.
The game has changed players, but the rules remain the same.
Now, both the guide and those who need guidance know that this investigation is destined to be anything but peaceful.
Lu Mingfei was determined not to let this guy's appearance overshadow his position as team leader...
At the very least, we can't lose in terms of momentum!
Over the next few days, Genjiro, the "top guide," did indeed perform his duties diligently, leading Lu Mingfei and the other two to "handle" several so-called mixed-race-related incidents.
It's nothing more than traces of Deadpool activity appearing in some peripheral area, or some small gang using low-level Word of Power to fight for territory.
The action was swift and the solution was swift. Genji even personally demonstrated his strength. The whole process was like a meticulously choreographed exercise, perfect and efficient, but devoid of any soul.
Lu Mingfei's smile became increasingly formulaic, and his impatience grew like a balloon being inflated.
He finally understood that Genjiro was determined to lead them on a roundabout way, using these trivial cases to fob them off.
The real core.
The clues to that transnational mixed-race trafficking case were tightly sealed behind an invisible barrier.
On the morning of the fourth day, when Yuan Zhisheng appeared on time again at the hotel suite door, ready to "guide" them to the next "mission location," Lu Mingfei yawned widely, rubbed his messy hair, and struck a lazy pose:
"Ah, Mr. Yuan, I'm so sorry. I've probably been having some trouble adjusting to the new environment these past few days, and I haven't been getting enough rest. I feel dizzy and lightheaded. You guys are busy today, I won't go. I'll catch up on some sleep at the hotel."
Yuan Zhisheng's deep gaze lingered on his face for two seconds, as if trying to discern whether it was the truth or an excuse.
Lu Mingfei, on the other hand, had an expression that said, "I am weak, but I am strong."
“Since Mr. Lu is not feeling well, he should naturally rest well.” Yuan Zhisheng nodded, not insisting. “I will arrange for people to be stationed near the hotel to ensure Mr. Lu’s safety.”
"Oh dear, that would be too much trouble for you."
Lu Mingfei spoke politely, but inwardly he sneered: "So what if you're monitoring me? Why make it sound so nice?"
In the end, Chu Zihang (driven by the instinct to gather more intelligence) and Finger (purely because they felt that following the Executive Bureau would provide food, drink, and entertainment) set off with Genji's convoy.
As he watched them leave, the weariness on Lu Mingfei's face vanished instantly.
He returned to his room, pulled back a corner of the curtains, and glanced down at the street below.
Several seemingly ordinary pedestrians, but whose positions and angles of view were far too "professional," came into view.
Further away, there appeared to be more than one black sedan quietly parked in an inconspicuous corner.
"That's quite a show of force."
Lu Mingfei muttered to himself.
He was well aware of why he was receiving "special attention."
On the one hand, his current identity is that of a high-ranking member of the Chinese special task force, and his strength is unpredictable. The Eight Families of Sheqi would not allow such a dangerous element to run rampant on their territory.
On the other hand, and most importantly.
If something really happens to him in Japan, even if it's just an "accidental" disappearance or attack, the Snake-Headed Eight Family will be implicated, and they won't be able to clear their name even if they jump into the Sea of Japan.
This is both protection and constraint; it is an invisible shackle.
But Lu Mingfei is no longer the naive guy who would be intimidated by such a scene.
"You want to keep me like a panda in a cage?"
He pursed his lips, "We'll have to ask the panda if it's willing too."
He didn't choose any stealthy methods like leaping high or scaling walls—that would leave too many traces and be easily detected by surveillance equipment.
He simply changed into an inconspicuous set of casual clothes, put on a baseball cap, and strolled out of the hotel like any ordinary tourist.
He didn't bring his secretary, Qingniao, along; after all, she was only a B-grade mixed-blood, and it would be inconvenient to move around with her.
Sure enough, as soon as he appeared, the "pedestrians" and vehicles reacted immediately, as if a sophisticated instrument had been activated, and began to follow him at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Lu Mingfei didn't care and headed straight for the most bustling commercial area with the highest foot traffic nearby.
He ventured into the enormous electronics store, weaving through the maze of counters.
I squeezed into the crowded subway, drifting along in the packed carriages, and even stumbled into a large arcade, playing a few rounds of Taiko no Tatsujin amidst deafening music and flashing lights.
He was like a drop of water, subtly blending into the sea of people.
Using the crowd as cover, the complex structure of the buildings, and his precise control over his breath, he repeatedly made brief "disappearances" in the blind spots of the monitors, and then reappeared at the very edge of their sight just as they were about to lose sight of him and start to get nervous.
This routine was learned from the shadow guards of the Qin King's palace.
Sure enough, even after two thousand years, it still works.
This is not a complete escape, but more like a silent demonstration and mockery.
I know you're here, and I'm not afraid of you following me, but when I want to shake you off, you can't stop me.
Don't treat me like a porcelain doll that needs your protection.
When Lu Mingfei finally strolled back to the vicinity of the hotel carrying a bag of taiyaki he bought from a street vendor, he could clearly feel that the gazes from the shadows had become even more intense and tense.
He took a bite of the hot taiyaki, the red bean filling was sweet.
"Warm-up is over."
He was thinking,
"Tomorrow, it's time to get down to business."