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Late at night.
11:48 PM.
The night breeze was pleasant.
Zhou Chen left the supermarket, grocery bag in hand, and strolled leisurely down the deserted street, awaiting Birdmanâs instructions.
His targets were Iron Pythonâs men, a group of vile smugglers. Birdman had the latest intel on their movements, which would allow Zhou Chen to stage an "accidental encounter."
âAn off-duty Star Association Operator happens upon criminals, cleverly tails them, and strikes decisively, cracking a major smuggling case.
Barring any surprises, that should be tomorrowâs headline.
A dozen or so minutes later, the phone in Zhou Chenâs pocket vibrated. He ignored it, walking straight to the next intersection and turning right. He continued for a few hundred meters until he reached the entrance of a small, late-night bar tucked deep in an alley.
He pushed the door open and went inside.
The bar was dimly lit with a warm, yellow glow. The decor was high-end and elegant, and a vinyl record player was playing slow-paced, graceful classical music.
It had a rather high-class feel.
But the bar didnât have many customers, likely due to its remote location. There were only a few scattered groups inside, making the place feel desertedâstrange, considering this should have been peak time for bars and nightclubs.
Moreover, the patronsâ clothes, appearance, and demeanor didnât seem to fit the "high-class" label at all. They didnât look like the type of people who would frequent such a place.
Zhou Chenâs expression remained impassive, but his eyes shifted slightly, showing just the right amount of surprise. He then walked over to the bar, sat down, ordered a mojito, and started playing on his phone.
Four men in a booth across the room sized him up for a few moments. Once they determined he was harmless, they looked away and went back to drinking and chatting.
From a quick scan when he first entered, Zhou Chen had already confirmed that they were Iron Pythonâs men. According to Birdman, this bar was their meeting spot.
"The men Birdman sent you to kill are Iron Pythonâs trusted confidants. Getting rid of them is like cutting off Iron Pythonâs right and left hands."
In a brightly lit secret command room, Jiang Che sipped her coffee and said calmly, "It allows him to get revenge and establish his authority, and it also lets us test your abilities. If weâre lucky, we might even be able to take out Iron Python, or perhaps the person behind him. It kills several birds with one stone."
Zhou Chen made a sound of agreement.
More than just a few birds with one stone. It was a whole flock.
âBirdman gets his revenge and establishes his authority, plus a chance to eliminate his competitor, Iron Python, with the help of the Star Association.
âThe Star Association gets to arrest members of Iron Pythonâs smuggling ring and dismantle their operation, boosting their performance stats.
âAnd he himself would naturally receive the two pieces of equipment Birdman had offered. He would also get a promotion and a raise at the Star Association for this achievement, while earning even more of Birdmanâs trust.
Everyone wins big. Everyone has a bright future.
About half an hour later, the group of men got up to leave. Zhou Chen waited two or three minutes, finished the last of his drink, and left the bar feigning drunkenness, trailing Iron Pythonâs men from a distance.
With his trained surveillance skills, coupled with the physical prowess of an Ascender, tailing a group of ordinary people without being noticed was a piece of cake.
Eventually, Zhou Chen followed them to a food processing plant.
Over the wall, and in.
He skillfully avoided the countless visible security cameras.
As for the hidden onesâhe noticed them and could have avoided them, too, but there was no need.
âAs a Star Association Operator, you need a reason to kill someone.â
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In an office at the food processing plant, one of Iron Pythonâs managers frowned, looking at the four drunken, burly men sitting on the sofa with obvious displeasure.
"This is a critical time. You still dare to go out drinking? Do you have a death wish?"
"Whatâs there to be afraid of? Birdman and Snow White wouldnât dare make a move in the city center," one of the bald men said dismissively, waving his hand.
"Yes, they wouldnât dare make a move. But it seems youâve forgotten about the Star Association." The managerâs face was grim, and his words made the four men shudder, sobering them up instantly. Panicked, one asked, "The Star Association is on to us?"
"Itâs some reckless kid whoâs already snuck into the plant. We have a deal tonight... Luckily, he hasnât seen anything important. Iâm having Xiao Wang and the others get rid of him," the manager said coldly. "Donât make this kind of stupid mistake again. Otherwise, donât blame me for being merciless."
The four men nodded frantically in agreement, promising it would never happen again. The manager walked over to his desk, intending to check if Zhou Chen had been dealt with. But when he saw the security footage on the screen, his pupils contracted sharply.
Without hesitation, he slammed the alarm button.
"Fuck! That kidâs a fucking Ascender! Heâs already found us out!"
"Tell the Boss to move! Jinzhu canât stay here any longer!"
The manager practically screamed these words, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at the four bewildered men. He wanted nothing more than to blow all of these bastardsâ brains out.
âFor fuckâs sake, they go out for a drink and bring back an Ascender from the Star Association. What a bunch of dumbasses!â
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ăA few minutes earlieră
Zhou Chen had snuck into the food processing plant and was furtively observing his surroundings, searching for evidence of criminal activity.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
âEven if these smugglers were idiots, they wouldnât leave everything out in the open.â
Just as he was about to venture deeper, he was, unsurprisingly, spotted by a patrolling security guard.
The capable-looking guard shouted sternly, "How did you get in here? Get out, now! Trespassing in this factory is illegal!"
"Illegal?"
Zhou Chen grinned. "You smugglers are studying the law now? Planning to get your own sentences reduced when the time comes?"
Hearing his confident tone, the guardâs expression changed drastically. He decisively pulled the stun baton from his belt and lunged at Zhou Chen.
Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow. He threw a punch so fast it was a blur. THUD! The guard was sent flying into a wall with the sickening crack of breaking bones, his ribs completely shattered.
The guard coughed up blood, staring in horror at the young man before him. He saw his own terrified face reflected in the otherâs cold eyes.
The heavy shadow of death enveloped him.
"Murder, rape, smuggling, assaulting a Star Association Operator..."
Zhou Chen reached out, grabbed the manâs neck, and with a sudden, forceful twistâSNAP!âbroke it.
"Justifies immediate execution on the spot."
Letting the corpse slide to the floor, Zhou Chen rolled his shoulders and listened to the chaotic sound of footsteps approaching from all over the building.
âTheyâre finally making their move.â
BANG! BANG! BANG!
At the end of the hallway, two smugglers appeared, holding rifles. The moment they saw Zhou Chen, they opened fire without hesitation.
A hail of bullets screamed toward him. Zhou Chen abruptly slammed open a nearby door and dove inside to take cover. Amid the roar of gunfire, the hallway filled with dust as plaster and debris flew everywhere. Countless bullets left deep holes in the walls and floor.
Then, in the brief moment the two men were reloading, Zhou Chen charged out of the room with a dagger in his hand.
âA Star Association Operator comes to arrest criminals, but who would have thought? Not only do the enemies refuse to surrender, they even dare to fire back at me.â
âGuess I have no choice but to execute them on the spot.â