Chapter 31: Do You Need to Follow Me Even When I Go to the Bathroom?

Xu Lin slipped quietly into the courtyard, surveying her surroundings, and couldn't help but praise Tiger for his knack in finding good hideouts. The place wasn't large—just a single-entry courtyard—but its location was impeccable, with passageways leading out in all directions. The alleys of the capital were notoriously labyrinthine; most people, once weaving through them, would easily lose their quarry. Truly, this was the perfect abode for someone of Tiger's high-risk profession.

Tiger was badly wounded, sprawled on the bed, groaning incessantly and cursing under his breath. No one could tell exactly who he was cursing. The man with the sharp features and monkey-like face, after settling the old physician, couldn't help but ask, "Tiger, who are you cursing at?"

"I'm cursing myself. I'm a damn fool," Tiger replied angrily, a look of regret and confusion clouding his face.

The heavy injuries seemed to have jolted him awake, clearing his mind of the talisman's effects and restoring his wits. The loss of his treasures and goods struck him as suspicious; though he couldn't say for sure who was behind it, it likely wasn't the group he was supposed to trade with. Thinking back to the firefight the previous night, Tiger still felt a pang of regret. Their opponents had been too heavily armed—he'd only managed to escape with his life thanks to his knowledge of the territory. Even then, they had to hide and evade pursuit for hours before finally shaking off their pursuers.

"Tiger, who are those people? Will they come after us again?" the sharp-featured man asked cautiously, not bothering to avoid the old physician, nor did Tiger seem to care. He replied directly, "They're from Ocean City. Word is they've got connections abroad. I can't say exactly who they are. Damn it, we really got played this time."

Tiger winced from the pain, regret eating at him. The deal had fallen through, he'd nearly lost his life, and worst of all, his goods had disappeared without a trace. Who could he complain to about such injustice? This blow would be hard to recover from, but if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to hold on to his turf. Damn it, once he was healed, he’d have to find some hapless mark to make up his losses.

Xu Lin listened for a while and, upon learning they'd already exchanged fire, felt reassured.

"What a pity. If only our firepower had been stronger, we could've raided their base directly," Tiger lamented. The sharp-featured man nodded in agreement; with firepower like that, their base must be full of treasures.

It truly was a pity. Yet their conversation piqued Xu Lin's interest.

"Tiger, why don't we join forces with Wolf and his crew and pull off a job together? You said those guys are from Ocean City; as they say, even a mighty dragon can't suppress a local snake. We can't just swallow this insult," the sharp-featured man suggested.

Tiger didn't answer immediately, clearly weighing the feasibility. Those men likely had foreign connections, and every time a deal went down, they had to amass a large shipment. If he could seize this batch, he might recoup his losses, perhaps even make a profit. But the risk was high—their firepower was formidable. Even with Wolf's help, they might not be able to take them on, and failure could be fatal.

"If it comes to that, we could always sell the information—pass it on to Wolf and his crew and earn a cut. I can't just let those bastards off. My brothers died at their hands; this grudge must be avenged," the sharp-featured man said, eyes reddening as he mentioned his fallen friends.

Tiger felt a pang in his heart too. Still, profiting from selling information would help him recoup some losses. He beckoned the sharp-featured man closer and whispered instructions in his ear. The man nodded repeatedly as he listened, then left the courtyard, visibly excited. Xu Lin also slipped away quietly.

What a find—she'd uncovered another big lead and confirmed her previous suspicions. Anyone buying up artifacts in large quantities these days was either smuggling or planning to ship them to the port city, and none of them had good intentions. Now that she knew both their plan and location, there was no reason to hold back.

Xu Lin sprang into action. She pedaled her bicycle at full speed, determined to empty their warehouse before nightfall. As for why she didn’t wait until dark—well, nighttime had its own jobs to be done.

After more than half an hour, she arrived near her target. First, she found an inconspicuous corner, stowed her bicycle away in her spatial pocket, and affixed a talisman of invisibility to herself before moving in.

On her way, Xu Lin could see everyone clearly, but no one could see her. She reached an abandoned factory, the place once a toy factory before its closure left it deserted—an ideal place for illicit activities.

She hadn’t expected them to be bold enough to use it openly as a warehouse. Since they could come and go freely, the old doorkeeper must have been bought off long ago. Xu Lin picked a secluded spot, climbed over the wall, and crept forward cautiously.

On the way to the warehouse, she spotted several patrolling men—broad-shouldered, thick-waisted, their muscular frames obvious beneath their clothes. Their eyes were sharp as blades—men hardened by violence, perhaps even killers. Their waists bulged suspiciously; Xu Lin surmised they were armed. For the sake of her own safety, she resolved to proceed with utmost care and avoid making any noise. Facing such ruthless, armed men, a single misstep could be fatal. The last thing she wanted was to get hurt at this critical moment—if her family noticed anything amiss, it would be troublesome.

She slipped past them and reached the warehouse, only to find two men seated at the entrance. But this was not what surprised Xu Lin most. The real shock came when the warehouse door suddenly swung open and a burly man stepped out.

The guards eyed him seriously and asked, "Where are you going?"

"To take a piss. Want to follow me?" the burly man retorted irritably. The two guards rolled their eyes and jotted something down in a notebook. Their rigid routine made the man purse his lips in annoyance, muttering to himself about their fussiness.

All this because a few petty thieves had ambushed them—was the panic really necessary? Besides, they’d already killed several of those upstarts, and the rest had been chased off like dogs. Who would dare plot against them now?

Xu Lin took advantage of the open door and slipped inside. Once in, she almost cursed aloud. Who would have guessed there were three more men inside, all with prominent temples—obvious experts. If she’d barged in and tried to grab the goods, she would have run straight into their line of sight—getting caught would be inevitable.

In that moment, Xu Lin was especially grateful that the system had left her with mystical skills before departing, including the ability to draw invisibility talismans. Without them, this operation would have been a nightmare, even with her abilities.

Xu Lin hid quietly in a corner, considering her next move. A direct confrontation was out of the question—that would be sheer folly. Then inspiration struck: knockout powder. Silent and effective, it would put everyone to sleep without a fuss.