Chapter 180: First Encounter
Chapter 180: First Encounter
“What’s strange about them? They’re probably just tourists visiting Huaxia.”
Yao Xianxian also glanced at the group but did not notice anything unusual.
“When they first appeared, I felt something was off. Although their walking postures differed, suggesting they weren’t uniformly trained, each had their own unique mannerisms. While moving, their eyes scanned all directions and their ears listened carefully—classic combat stances.”
Lin Mu frowned slightly. “Earlier, when I bumped into that person, even though I was only holding corn, he instantly brushed it aside at the moment of impact. He’s an expert skilled in close combat.”
“What? The whole group are masters?”
Yao Xianxian whispered in surprise.
“Although one can’t determine physical strength with the naked eye, exceptional skills often reveal themselves through daily actions. Based on their sharp awareness alone, they’re definitely not ordinary people.”
Lin Mu nodded, then said seriously, “And most importantly, among these twenty-three people, seven are Superpower Users!”
“Superpower Users?”
Yao Xianxian was stunned, then quickly turned her head to look again, as if trying to figure out who among them were Superpower Users. Having grown up this long, she had never seen a Superpower User before.
“Don’t look over. These people are very alert, and it could easily make them suspicious of us.”
Lin Mu quickly turned Yao Xianxian’s head back. She didn’t know how to control her gaze, and staring at others like that would easily be noticed.
“This is my first time seeing Superpower Users! Tell me, which ones among them are Superpower Users? Also, how did you discover they are Superpower Users?”
Yao Xianxian asked excitedly, leaning closer to Lin Mu as she whispered.
“Did you forget I was in New York recently? I fought against Superpower Users at that time, so I’m very sensitive to the Alien Energy fluctuations they emit. Although these individuals conceal it well, when I walked in front of them earlier, I faintly detected it.”
Lin Mu whispered, “Although their energy isn’t very strong, they have intense killing intent. They are definitely people who live life on the edge. If a group like this comes to Jingdu, there’s bound to be big trouble!”
“Then should we call the police?”
Yao Xianxian immediately asked.
“Silly, they haven’t done anything yet—why call the police? Besides, the police can’t handle them. Let’s not cause trouble for the officers.”
Lin Mu smiled and shook his head. He took out his mobile phone, aimed it behind him without looking back, quickly took several photos, and sent them to Jiang Chu’s phone. A minute later, the phone rang.
“Brother Lin, what are these pictures?”
Jiang Chu asked curiously.
“Brother Jiang, this group has remarkable skills, and there are seven Superpower Users among them. I don’t know their purpose for coming to Huaxia, but I think you should send some people to keep an eye on them. We don’t want any trouble breaking out in the capital.”
Lin Mu gave a small smile as he spoke quietly.
“What? There are seven Superpower Users among this group?”
When Jiang Chu heard this, he immediately stood up from his seat, then went out to a larger office. Inside, there was a giant display screen, with dozens of staff members seated below, operating constantly.
“That’s right, they just got off the plane and are still at Kyoto International Airport.”
Lin Mu said with certainty.
“Thank you, Brother Lin. I’ll look into it right away! Quick! Pull up the surveillance footage from Kyoto International Airport immediately. I need to locate this group’s position right now.”
After hanging up, Jiang Chu didn’t ask Lin Mu how he knew the group was suspicious. He trusted that Lin Mu wouldn’t joke about such matters. Retrieving the photos from his mobile phone, he immediately instructed the staff to begin monitoring Kyoto International Airport.
Under the staff’s tense efforts, the giant screen soon displayed the live surveillance feed from Kyoto International Airport. In less than a minute, they had located the group of Europeans.
“Monitor their movements closely. I want every second they spend in Jingdu to remain within our sight.”
Jiang Chu watched the Europeans on the screen and gave the order with a grave expression.
Having already notified the Capital Branch of the Dragon Protection Corps, Lin Mu no longer paid attention to what those people were going to do. Others would naturally follow up on the remaining matters. After resting a while, they continued with their filming tasks.
Around noon, the crew finally finished filming the scenes at the airport. Everyone returned to the hotel, and naturally, Lin Mu and Yao Xianxian went back with the group. Having filmed all morning, Yao Xianxian had long forgotten about the Europeans.
“Fei, are you free this afternoon?”
Da Sang lit a cigarette, sat on the sofa, and dialed Tu Fei’s number.
“I’m free after 1 PM. What’s up?”
In Tu Fei’s hotel room, there was already a full circle of people sitting or standing around—the same group of Europeans who had arrived at Kyoto International Airport that morning.
“Qin Haisheng will be meeting with a guest at the Hilton Hotel this afternoon. He can spare some time then. Want to come over?”
Da Sang asked with a laugh.
“Alright, I’ll contact you again when I’m on my way.”
Tu Fei thought for a moment before hanging up.
“Is this person reliable?”
A man sitting nearby asked, his slender cheeks marked by two distinct scars.
“He’s reliable. He’s an old friend from my days in Jingdu—we’ve been through life and death together. This time, we don’t need to involve him directly. Through him, we connected with someone else. This person has some influence in Jingdu. The main reason we chose him is that he’s greedy for everything.”
Tu Fei explained briefly.
“Greed is good—what’s worrying is if he weren’t greedy. Everyone has weaknesses. Once you grasp them, no one can resist temptation.”
The scar-faced man gave a grim smile.
“By the way, why didn’t Sicelle come this time?”
Tu Fei suddenly remembered and asked curiously.
“Sicelle went to Germany. There’s a big deal there that he needs to handle personally. With you in charge here, he feels reassured.”
The scar-faced man smiled and waved his hand. “So, what’s our specific plan of action here? This is Jingdu, where security is extremely tight. Although we’ve brought considerable strength, we still can’t go against the state machinery.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not foolish enough to openly attempt a prison break in Jingdu—that would be pure suicide. The situation here is unfathomable. After I meet with that person and return, we should have a preliminary plan. Then we can discuss it in detail.”
Tu Fei nodded, then stood up. “I’ll go this afternoon. You all should rest well. You can also go out and explore the city. I recall many of you are probably in Jingdu for the first time? There are plenty of fun places here.”
“True. Once we start our operation, it’ll be hard to go out for a stroll. If we’re not wanted by the authorities by then, it’ll be by God’s grace.”
The scar-faced man also nodded with a laugh.
After Lin Mu’s group finished their meal and rested for a while, they packed up and went out again. They had to shoot at another location in the afternoon. Thanks to Lin Mu and Yao Xianxian’s good coordination, they had saved a lot of time. Otherwise, everyone would have had to eat boxed meals on set—far less comfortable than returning to the hotel.
“After we finish filming this afternoon, where should we go tonight? We’ve been here for several days and haven’t had a chance to explore properly!”
As they reached the entrance, Yao Xianxian whispered to Lin Mu.
“Sure. Tonight, let’s find a place to have some fun and relax properly.”
Lin Mu smiled and nodded in agreement.
Just then, an Audi R8 pulled up to the hotel entrance. A man got out of the car, casually handed two hundred-yuan bills to the valet, and headed straight into the hotel.
While talking with Yao Xianxian, Lin Mu suddenly turned and glanced at the man.
As Tu Fei passed through the revolving glass door at the hotel entrance, he sensed a gaze falling on him from the left and immediately turned to look in that direction. A handsome young man and a beautiful woman were walking toward the exit.
Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a second before nodding politely with a slight smile and walking away separately.
“Hmm? Do you know that person?”
Yao Xianxian noticed Lin Mu’s gaze had shifted and asked after a glance.
“I don’t know him. That man is a Superpower expert with extremely formidable strength. Just in terms of the intensity of Alien Energy within him, he has surpassed the two experts I met in New York!”
Lin Mu shook his head, and once they passed through the revolving glass door, he whispered in Yao Xianxian’s ear.
“That powerful?! But those two were masters from the Supernatural Ability Group—America’s secret weapons. How could this person be stronger than them?”
Yao Xianxian asked somewhat incredulously.
This isn’t like the old days of martial arts conflicts. Combat talents developed with the full strength of the state machinery are definitely much stronger than those from ordinary sects. That’s why there are so many young people in the Dragon Protection Corps of unclear origins—they are elites who have emerged from various major sects.
Those sects also know that these elites won’t progress much if they stay within the sect, so they tacitly allow them to join the Dragon Protection Corps. First, to hone themselves using the resources of the state machinery, and second, to reduce the sect’s expenses.
It’s not that there are no experts among the populace, but most exceptionally skilled masters are cultivated by the state machinery, accounting for a large proportion. Of course, this varies from country to country depending on local conditions.
“Although the Supernatural Ability Group gathers many Superpower Users, there are also unknown Superpower masters among the people. Last time in New York, I encountered one who was extremely skilled in close combat. This time, I’ve met another whose strength is even greater than theirs.”
Lin Mu shook his head, then added, “And we can’t be sure—how do you know he isn’t from the Supernatural Ability Group?”
“That’s true. He might be another expert from the Supernatural Ability Group. But he looks a bit Chinese—probably mixed-race, right?”
Yao Xianxian immediately nodded, thinking Lin Mu made a valid point since they didn’t know the man’s background.
“Yeah, mixed-race and a Superpower User—it’s a bit odd. Why have we encountered so many Superpower Users today? Could something big be about to happen in Jingdu?”
Lin Mu wondered to himself. Just then, the crew’s vehicle arrived. The two got in and went directly to the filming location. For the time being, he put the matter aside.