Chapter Eleven: Illusion! The Spirit Phantom! (Part Two)

Xu Xiong followed Li Shizhu through the bustling street and swiftly slipped into a BMW. When they emerged, both were dressed in suits with ties; Li Shizhu had slicked back his hair and donned dark sunglasses, while Xu Xiong carried a jet-black case, exuding the air of a bodyguard.

“Which car do we pick?” Xu Xiong glanced at Li Shizhu. Li Shizhu struck a pose. “Seems our fake identity is quite high-ranking. Ferrari, let’s settle on that.” Xu Xiong nodded, quickly attaching tiny metal chips around the BMW.

“Activating 3D imaging technology.” As the computer’s voice sounded, the BMW before them twisted, transforming in an instant into a luxurious Ferrari.

“Let’s go. I’ll play chauffeur and bodyguard.” With that, the two sped toward the distant company.

Meanwhile, another group of three sprinted at full tilt. “Electric Fox, hack all the surveillance for me!” Xie Liu whispered into his watch, then quickly tossed a small dart. It embedded itself into a nearby lamppost, right beneath a camera. The dart split open, releasing a spider-like device that scurried up to the camera.

“The spider egg is in place. The rest is up to you, Electric Fox.”

“Just disabling cameras? That’s not my full power.” Xu Xiong drove while operating his computer with one hand. “I’ve extracted the previous five minutes of footage. For the next five minutes, the monitoring staff will only see that loop—you have five minutes.”

“Well done. Five minutes? That’s plenty.” Xie Liu grinned, sprinting onward. Soon he spotted security ahead. Lin Yang flickered behind a guard and knocked him unconscious with a knife-hand strike, catching the falling body and gently placing it in a seat without a sound.

Xie Liu slipped past the guard, Gong Hou close behind. In the distance, the car carrying Li Shizhu and Xu Xiong approached. The three runners neared the building. Xie Liu pressed himself against a corner, gesturing to his companions. Lin Yang caught Xie Liu’s arm; Gong Hou pressed his hand against their backs. In an instant, the two seemed propelled by a tremendous force, soaring upward. As they neared the rooftop, their momentum spent, they vanished midair, appearing behind a rooftop utility box.

Within those few seconds, Gong Hou had used his Air Force ability and Lin Yang his Space Shift. Quickly reaching the roof, Xie Liu pulled out a mirror, peering around the corner. Confirming no one was present, he signaled Lin Yang—only to find Lin Yang already gone.

“Still so headstrong,” Xie Liu cursed, rolling across the ground to reach an outlet. Nearby, two people chatted under a parasol—clearly not ordinary employees. Feeling unnoticed, Xie Liu flicked his wrist, sending a thin thread along the wall to sever the outlet’s connection. He quickly stuffed a small device inside and reconnected the outlet, then rolled back behind the box.

“Electric Fox, the docking sphere is attached. Hack in, quick.” Xie Liu pulled out his mirror, checking the employees—still preoccupied. “The rest is up to you. I’m going ahead to scout.”

“No worries, I’m hacking their system now.” Xu Xiong tapped away at his keyboard. Who’s driving, you ask? Who cares? “And you were wrong earlier—you should’ve said, ‘I’m going ahead to die.’”

“Shut up!” Xie Liu cursed quietly, rolling across half a meter to reach the door, only to find two black-clad bodyguards standing there. “Troublesome,” he muttered, sucking on a lollipop.

…

Lin Yang walked down the pitch-black corridor, enveloped in a chilling silence. He whispered into his watch, “I’m at the building’s water supply hub. Should I add a little something to their water?” He raised his hands, displaying five or six vials between his fingers.

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Xie Liu’s voice came through. “Also, avoid the second vial on your left—otherwise everyone here will ascend to heaven.”

“Just a mild sedative will do. First one on your right—freeze it as an ice cube, drop it in the system. It’ll melt in three minutes; ten minutes later, anyone who drinks water will fall asleep in twenty.” Xie Liu continued, “Electric Fox, how long until you reach the company entrance?”

“At the current speed, about twenty-three minutes,” Xu Xiong replied. Xie Liu pondered, then said, “Flash Sword, start timing. Poison in seven minutes.”

While all were busy, Gong Hou lounged in the garden, sipping juice. “I’ll handle the extraction.” He reclined, reading a stolen comic from Li Shizhu.

Time passed. Lin Yang crouched in the shadows, tracking the minutes. Xu Xiong focused on editing company files. Xie Liu reached the thirteenth floor.

With a faint chime, Xie Liu’s grappling hook latched onto the fifteenth-floor railing.

“I’ve scanned the building’s bio-electric signals. The young lady is on the seventh floor, but entering directly isn’t possible. Layers five to eight have repulsion fields—Flash Sword’s ability will be partially disrupted. Not recommended for him to attempt.” Xu Xiong pushed up his glasses, serious.

“I’ll take the unusual route.” Xie Liu tied himself to a steel cable, standing at the thirteenth-floor balcony. “Descent must look cool.” With a wicked grin and a lollipop in his mouth, he flipped and slid down.

“There’s an exhaust vent between floors seven and eight. Open it to access the seventh floor.” Xu Xiong analyzed tactics; Xie Liu spotted a nearby vent.

Seven minutes later, Lin Yang dropped the sedative-laced ice into the main water pipe.

Twenty-three minutes later, a blue Ferrari pulled into Umbrella Corporation. Drowsy guards stood oblivious, unaware they’d recently been knocked out by Xie Liu. Such is Li Shizhu’s ability: you never know if what happens around you is real.

“Telekinesis—useful and shameless,” Xie Liu muttered, crawling through the dark corridor, still criticizing Li Shizhu’s power. He moved quietly, entering the seventh-floor air duct.

Lin Yang appeared on the edge of the fifth floor, tugging his collar—his ability heavily interfered with here. Short-range teleportation still worked, but only within sight. He wiped his nose, leaning against the wall. Around the corner, two guards exchanged bored stares. Glancing at his watch, Lin Yang watched the red second hand tick. “Three, two, one—down they go.” He muttered, and a muffled groan sounded as one guard collapsed.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” The other guard panicked. Lin Yang shook his head. “Don’t like water? Uncle, you’ll get kidney stones.” He vanished around the corner, a thud followed, and Lin Yang dispatched the second guard, heading to the sixth floor.

Xu Xiong pressed Enter. As the progress bar finished, he wiped his brow. “I’ve legalized Ghost’s identity. Now it’s up to him.”

The Ferrari stopped at the building’s entrance. Li Shizhu stepped out, Xu Xiong in black trailing behind. Li Shizhu eyed the building, donning his sunglasses.

“Are you Lord Rosenberg from headquarters?” The apparent leader greeted him warmly. Li Shizhu nodded coldly. Rosenberg was a name Xu Xiong fabricated on the spot, sounding impressive. Li Shizhu’s eyes darted around behind the shades, hiding his shifty demeanor. “Yes, I am. I heard you’ve captured a member of the Hunting Party, so I came to investigate.”

“Headquarters is always fast—catching him cost us dearly.” The leader smiled obsequiously, bowing slightly. “This way.”

Li Shizhu paused, speaking telepathically to Xu Xiong, “What does that mean?”

“No idea,” Xu Xiong replied. But Xie Liu, monitoring wirelessly, caught everything and smacked his forehead, near tears. “How did these two pass English Level Four?”

“I’m on the seventh floor,” Lin Yang reported, a trail of unconscious guards behind him. He slipped into a seventh-floor storage room. “Wake everyone up, Ghost—erase their memories.” He pressed his watch, and guards in the corridor struggled to their feet. “Huh? What happened?” They all rubbed their heads, forgetting everything. Only somewhere on the fifth floor, a guard remained knocked out. “Hey, what’s wrong…”—Lin Yang’s handiwork.

“I’m here too, but haven’t spotted the young lady yet.” Xie Liu hid in the duct, peering down. “I see you guys—standby.”

“No problem.” Gong Hou sipped juice, listening to music, content. “Shame there’s no girls…”

Li Shizhu entered the seventh floor, followed by the leader. Xu Xiong was stopped at the fifth floor—his identity insufficient for higher levels. Xie Liu moved through the air ducts, shadowing them to a special room.

As Li Shizhu passed the storage room, Lin Yang slipped out, grabbing a suited attendant and dragging him inside. When he emerged, he wore a black suit, palms pressed together, bowing to the storage room door. “Sorry.”

Li Shizhu noticed Lin Yang and nodded slightly, enveloping him in a mental shield to prevent suspicion for a while.

Lin Yang followed Li Shizhu into an opulent chamber; Xie Liu crawled over, peering from the vent. Li Shizhu sprawled on the central sofa, legs crossed. Someone lit a cigarette for him.

“Bring the person to me.” Li Shizhu feigned sternness—it suited him surprisingly well. Not that idiot ever looks serious, Xie Liu thought, shaking his head and tightening his black coat as the air conditioning rumbled, cold air looping endlessly, prickling his nerves. He wiped his nose. “So cold… I hope this ends soon.”

“She’ll be here shortly.” The leader signaled his subordinates, who left with two others. Li Shizhu puffed on his cigarette, legs jittering. His auxiliary Forced Implant ability was exceedingly useful—so far no one doubted his identity.

“Um…” The leader rubbed his hands, smiling. “Lord Rosenberg, what do you think of our company’s development?” Li Shizhu sneered, replying offhand, “It’s fine.” The leader beamed. “If you think so, our efforts are worthwhile. Any advice?”

“Advice?” Li Shizhu paused, chin in hand, then nodded solemnly. “To do good business, you must believe one thing.” He paused. “Customers are chives, meant to be harvested. If you don’t cut them, you’re wasting them. They grow back, endless supply. Understand?”

“Bravo…” The crowd applauded. Lin Yang heard someone beside him whisper, “He’s so wise, I’m speechless! Surely a lord from headquarters!” Lin Yang covered his eyes, laughing and crying at once.

“This idiot’s words are truly idiotic—I too am speechless,” Xie Liu muttered, helpless. “Misleading the company, not just people.”

On the fifth floor, Xu Xiong closed his computer, quietly repeating, “I don’t know him, I don’t know him…” In the garden, Gong Hou was already fast asleep.

Soon, footsteps sounded outside, accompanied by Ye Ling’s powerful voice: “Don’t push me, I can walk!”

Ye Ling had been brought to this strange place, but everyone seemed afraid of her. She was treated well, but banned from surfing the internet or shopping…

“Ah…” Ye Ling sighed. “Who will rescue me… huh? Whose turn is it now?” She lamented, as the door opened and she was shoved inside, facing Li Shizhu seated at the center. She paused, then adopted a look of utter despair. “Oh, it’s you.”

“What kind of expression is that?” Li Shizhu’s eyebrows twitched, ready to erupt. Sensing trouble, Xie Liu spoke over the wireless: “A thousand sets of comics.” Li Shizhu promptly settled back into the sofa.

“I’ll take this woman. I’ll bring her to headquarters—no need for you to worry.” Li Shizhu lowered his voice, sounding mature. “Of course, of course,” the leader replied with a sycophantic smile.

“I’ll credit you for this,” Li Shizhu said, patting the sofa and preparing to stand, when Ye Ling spoke unexpectedly. “Oh, it’s you?”

Ye Ling, after surveying the room, spotted Lin Yang and exclaimed, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

Li Shizhu’s ability, Telekinesis, includes Forced Implant—a special power he can only use on himself. For Lin Yang, he used Focus Fade, making others ignore him. But Ye Ling’s shout broke the effect—everyone looked at Lin Yang. “Is this woman an idiot?” Xie Liu nearly slammed his head into the wall.

“Who are you!” someone barked. Lin Yang paused, then smiled. “I’m chives.”

“Chives? What’s that supposed to mean?” Ye Ling was baffled, but Lin Yang shouted, “Go!”

“OK!” Xu Xiong pressed Enter. Instantly, the building’s electricity was cut.

Chaos erupted. Someone shouted, “Enemy attack!” Lin Yang moved, firing a pink beam that sliced two nearby attackers in half.

No blood, only blue electrical sparks. “Hmph, cyborgs?” Lin Yang snorted, charging toward Ye Ling.

“Stop him!” The leader roared, and four or five men blocked Ye Ling. Suddenly, the ceiling exploded. Black-clad Xie Liu descended, spinning down, his Desert Eagle spitting fire, dropping everyone in Ye Ling’s way.

“Let’s go!” Xie Liu grabbed Ye Ling’s hand, bursting through the door, Lin Yang following.

“Sir, they’ve escaped!” The leader panicked, looking to Li Shizhu, who nonchalantly cleaned his nails. “What? What did you say?”

“They escaped! We must catch them!” The leader shouted. Li Shizhu rolled his eyes. “Where’s my person? Why haven’t you brought her?”

“She was taken! Damn it, let’s chase them!” The leader pleaded, Li Shizhu blew a smoke ring, a faint smile at his lips. “What’s your grandmother’s surname?”

“What’s that got to do with my grandmother?” The leader rolled his eyes. Li Shizhu nodded solemnly. “Of course it does—you just called for her, didn’t you? Or is it your mother’s surname?”

“This is hardly the time for that—they…”

“No, it’s very important. One must not forget their roots. If you don’t know your own mother, you’re no longer human, but a monster… actually, a monster-human. Are you a monster-human?”

“Screw your mother!” The leader cursed. Li Shizhu adjusted his sunglasses. “Now, that’s off—how did you drag my mother in? Your thinking is too erratic, easily misunderstood. Of course I know my mother, but I won’t tell you.”

“What are you even here for?” The leader began to steam. Li Shizhu stroked his chin. “I’m here for your person. So, where is she?”

“I told you, they’ve escaped! Let’s chase them!” The leader hammered the table. Li Shizhu picked up a mirror, checked his reflection—satisfied. “Oh, I see, you want me to help chase?”

“Yes, yes!” The leader nodded frantically. “You finally get it—now we can move forward.”

“Such a simple matter, and it takes ages. Idiot.” Li Shizhu sneered. The leader’s eyes rolled—who’s the idiot here? “Fine. I’ll help chase, but if you don’t give me my person, I won’t help.”

“You!” The leader gaped, pointing at Li Shizhu, speechless for a moment before blurting, “Are you playing with me?”

“Yes, I am. Only now you realize—idiot.” Li Shizhu finished cleaning his nails, blew his fingers, and flashed a smile.

“You!” The leader’s lips turned pale as he trembled, pointing at Li Shizhu. “Who are you?”

“I’m chives.” Li Shizhu nodded with conviction. “Remember: customers are chives, bosses are chives—harvest them all. That’s how you rise above. Isn’t that right?” He addressed the attendants, who applauded. “He’s so wise, I’m speechless.”

“In that case, your boss is here—harvest him as you like.” Li Shizhu pointed at the leader, who was now steaming from all seven orifices, grabbing Li Shizhu’s collar. “Who are you, where are you from, what are you here for?”

Li Shizhu rubbed his forehead. “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?”

“Just answer me!” The leader shook him, but Li Shizhu continued: “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?”

“You…” “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?”

“Screw your mother…” “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?”

“Who am I, who am I, how should I know who I am?” The leader was now babbling, even his nostrils smoking.

“There’s someone here who doesn’t know who he is. I see—you’re an idiot.” Li Shizhu nodded. “Your mother doesn’t know who you are. Poor child. By the way, what’s your mother’s surname—”

“Ah—!” The leader screamed, spewing blood three meters high, collapsing unconscious.

“One must have composure. Just a few words and he’s done.” Li Shizhu pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his shoes, and tossed it on the carpet, exiting the room.

“Bravo…” The attendants applauded. “The lord speaks wisely, we are all speechless.”

“That’s more like it.” Li Shizhu stood up. “Now, loudly tell me—who are you?”

“We are chives!” they chorused. Li Shizhu nodded approvingly. “Good, I see your potential. Keep at it. Well, since you can’t produce the person, I’ll be leaving.” He strode toward the shattered door.

“Farewell, lord!” The attendants bowed in unison, watching him leave. Only the leader, fate unknown, lay alone on the floor.

…

“Such a perverse ability—without realizing it, he’s plunged them into mental chaos. Just a few words and he can kill.” Xu Xiong closed his computer again. “Next time, I must guard against him.”

Li Shizhu exited the room, removed his sunglasses, a smile playing at his lips. He snapped his fingers, and all the attendants inside suddenly awoke as if from a dream. “Huh? What just happened? Ah! Lord Leader! The leader is dead!”

Li Shizhu, smiling, slipped the sunglasses into his pocket, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his slightly sweaty palms, casually tossed it on the carpet, and strode out of the building…