The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

Charlotte blinked, unable to understand the meaning of those words.

However, Morian did not offer any explanation. Instead, he began to carefully observe the surrounding terrain, eventually fixing his gaze on the direction of the gate.

The gate is the only entrance and exit here. All containers and personnel entering and leaving the terminal must pass through this checkpoint, making it a good observation point.

There just so happened that there was a row of shelves on the left side that was tall enough to cover several people, about two meters high, and piled with discarded cardboard boxes and hemp ropes. The gaps between the shelves also provided an excellent view.

"That's it."

Charlotte looked in the direction he indicated, then nodded and followed him.

Taking advantage of the fact that they hadn't attracted anyone's attention, the two quickly moved to the back of the shelf. Morian peeked out from the edge to observe, and only retreated back into the shadows after confirming that no one was watching.

The gate was still empty, with only an old guard leaning against the warehouse wall, fiddling with a pipe in his hand, and a few cleaning workers passing by from time to time.

"Remember this: stakeouts are meticulous and require patience," Morian said in a low voice. "To ensure everything goes smoothly, we need to arrive before our target and leave after he does."

"Arriving early is to observe the environment, choose a location, and eliminate variables; leaving late is to confirm that the target has not returned, and that there are no accomplices or third parties lying in wait."

Charlotte didn't speak, but listened attentively with the earnestness of an apprentice.

The sound of a crane operating could be heard in the distance. As the gears turned, the steel cables tightened, and the container was slowly lifted and placed on the docked cargo ship.

"It's 2:07 PM now." Morian took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, and said, "The transaction time is 4 PM. We'll need to stay for at least three hours, maybe longer."

After taking a light breath, Charlotte said without any emotion, "I understand."

This noblewoman did not complain, question, or even show the slightest impatience, which surprised Morian quite a bit.

Time began to slip away little by little.

The most agonizing part of staking out a location is never the physical discomfort, but the mental strain; you have to be fully focused yet have nothing to do.

Over time, this cycle can lead to doubts, questioning the accuracy of one's own judgment and intelligence, and even doubting whether the target will ever appear.

With twenty minutes to go before the trading day, the dockworkers had already begun to change shifts. One group of workers left with weary steps, and another group of people who were well-rested but still lacked energy took their place, and so on in a repetitive cycle.

Charlotte suddenly moved, stretching her arms slightly, and Morian then noticed that she had been in that sideways observation position for too long.

Sure enough, this kind of work was still too much for a girl who had just come of age.

"Are you tired?" he asked. "Why don't you rest for a bit and stretch your body?"

The girl nodded, not trying to be brave, but retreating behind the shelf. Then Morian returned to his position and turned his gaze toward the gate.

Just then, a figure appeared in the distance at the gate.

He was a slightly overweight man carrying a briefcase, wearing a dark blue worker's uniform and a baseball cap that obscured his face. He walked very lightly, as if intentionally avoiding something.

The man stopped at the gate and spoke a few words with the guard. Although the exact words were unclear, it was clear that he showed an item and successfully entered the container storage area.

His route was clear; he didn't look left or right, but went straight to the depths of the storage area.

"See? The time was moved up by twenty minutes, which shows he's cautious enough," Morian whispered to the girl beside him, observing the man who resembled Joseph.

The other party's behavior and demeanor were consistent with Joseph's identity, and importantly, he arrived early, which perfectly matched the cautious mindset of a trader.

Charlotte nodded slightly, her gaze also fixed on the man's movements:

"Sir, your extensive experience has indeed benefited me greatly."

The man finally stopped in an open area of ​​the heavy cargo storage zone, then took out a cigar from his pocket and lit it, as if waiting to meet someone.

They're undoubtedly waiting for someone! Waiting for a trading partner!

The two followed him closely, maintaining a safe distance at all times, using the shipping container as cover to observe the man's every move.

Five minutes passed, and the man stubbed out his cigarette with the sole of his shoe. He then looked at his watch and began to appear a little anxious, pacing back and forth a few times.

He was still the only one who showed up.

Morian raised an eyebrow slightly, increasingly convinced that this person was highly suspicious. Not only did he resemble the person in appearance, but his behavior also suggested that he was waiting for the other party's buyer at the transaction site.

The problem is that the transaction is about to take place, and theoretically the buyers should be there by now, but no one else is around.

A cautious thought flashed through my mind: perhaps this person wasn't waiting for a deal at all, but was conducting reconnaissance, or perhaps acting as "bait" to fish for others?

But he quickly dismissed these speculations. Joseph's intelligence had been verified by divination, and unless the other party had a way to counter divination, this matter should be considered certain.

At 4:01, the man wearing a baseball cap looked at his watch again, and then did something that surprised everyone.

He suddenly turned and left, walking quickly towards the sluice gate.

They left? Did they sense something was wrong through intuition?!

Morian immediately became alert. If he let the target leave like this, all his waiting would be in vain. So he quickly called Charlotte, who was standing next to him.

The two exchanged a glance, and without a word, their innate understanding allowed them to simultaneously emerge from their hiding places, their movements as swift as two flying arrows.

Ding Ding Deng!

The footsteps echoed heavily on the metal floor. Just as the man was about to turn around to check what was happening behind him, he suddenly felt a tremendous force pressing down on his body and was knocked to the ground on the spot.

Before he could react, someone had already pinned him to the ground with their knee, while another arm gripped his neck like an iron clamp, rendering him unable to move.

At the same time, another relatively petite figure quickly grabbed his legs, skillfully pinning them behind his back with her hands, forming a standard grappling move.

"Don't move!" Morian shouted sharply, taking the revolver from its holster and pressing the cold muzzle against the man's temple.

Just as he was about to press for information, the man, who appeared to be Joseph, shouted loudly, his tone full of anger and disbelief.

"Who goes there?!"

"Do you know what you're doing? This is assaulting a police officer!"

Assaulting a police officer?!

Morian's movements suddenly stopped, and he subconsciously released his grip on the other's arm. Sensing his change, Charlotte also stopped trying to control him and immediately let go of his hands.

The "Joseph" in overalls slowly got up, patted the dust off his clothes, and then took off his baseball cap.

Under the hat was a familiar face; his temples were somewhat gray, his nasolabial folds were deep, and his eyes held a mixture of surprise and anger.

Sheriff Evans!

"Doyle?"

Upon recognizing the newcomers, Evans's initial angry glare turned to confusion. "And... Miss White?"

Morian stood there, unsure how to react, his brain taking three seconds to process the information before him.

What's going on here?!

After staking out the suspect for ages, they didn't catch him; instead, they arrested the plainclothes police chief in disguise...

It seems that stakeouts are indeed a meticulous task that requires patience, but patience obviously cannot prevent all unexpected events from happening.

It's like the target you're staking out is actually another police officer who's also staking out.