"Don't overthink it, I just found you to be surprisingly well-mannered."

"What do you mean? You used to think I was very ill-mannered?" Yuan Ji asked unhappily.

“Well, the word ‘well-mannered’ might not be quite accurate. I would say it’s very elegant. There are some details I hadn’t noticed before. You might be more feminine than I thought,” Tang Ping said truthfully.

Yuan Ji was stunned for a moment, his face flushed, and he chuckled twice. As if to cover up his embarrassment, he deliberately raised his voice and said, "Hmph, now you've noticed my charm, haven't you? If you sincerely ask, I might be merciful enough to give you a chance to pursue me."

"Why did you suddenly turn into a tsundere character?"

"Stop nagging! Focus on your food!"

Tang Ping took a couple of bites of the steamed bun, then suddenly remembered her friend's request and asked, "Is there anything you like?"

Yuan Ji nearly dropped his chopsticks, and asked somewhat flusteredly, "W-why are you asking this? You're not really going to pursue me, are you?"

Tang Ping felt the misunderstanding was getting deeper and deeper, and it was developing in the direction of a silly romance drama. After weighing the options, she decided to betray her good brother and told him about Ma Yiming.

"So that's the reason. I thought..."

"You thought?"

"Cough cough, it's nothing. Tell him there's no need to give gifts. It's just a regular job, and everyone contributed. It's just that I was the most seriously injured, but that's a matter of task allocation. For example, you're good at observing and commanding, while I'm good at charging into battle. We can't have each other doing things we're not good at, can we? Besides, I got sick because I insisted on not seeking treatment from outsiders, so it's my own fault and has nothing to do with him."

"According to you, the reason you don't want outsiders to treat you is to keep my plan a secret. It seems I should give you a gift to thank you."

"These two things should not be confused."

“Ma Yiming asked me to ask you because he was worried about being rejected. If I relay the rejection to him, wouldn’t I look useless? Just think of something you want. At worst, I can have him buy a gift for everyone in the unit. After all, everyone deserves to be thanked for protecting him and fighting against the third-level demon. It has nothing to do with who was injured the most.”

"Well, if that's how you put it, I really can't think of a reason to refute it." Yuan Ji reluctantly accepted. "But for the moment, I can't think of anything that I want. If I really needed something, I would have bought it online long ago. It's not like before."

"Then take your time to think about it, and tell me when you've made up your mind."

What Tang Ping liked most about him was this: he was reasonable and didn't throw tantrums. Putting aside stereotypes about women, people with such qualities are extremely rare among all of humanity.

……

After another day of rest, Yuan Ji finally recovered and returned to a state of boundless energy and vitality.

As soon as I arrived at work, I was pulled into a work meeting.

"I hope you've all had a good rest these past two days. You'll have some formal work to do next," Hu Zeqi said.

Yu Shujiang asked in confusion, "Isn't there still three days until the time agreed upon with Gu Linglong?"

Hu Ze corrected, "That was a commission from outsiders, not our regular work in the Public Security Section."

Yu Shujiang asked in surprise, "Ah, so the Public Security Section has legitimate jobs?"

Hu Zequan dismissed it as childish ramblings and said without changing his expression, "Yesterday we received a request from the anti-drug team. During their investigation, they discovered a drug dealer who can change his appearance."

He then turned on the projector and played a surveillance video.

The scene shows a tall, slender man wearing a black leather jacket and jeans. He has an ordinary face and would be hard to recognize in a crowd.

Suddenly, his face began to twist and deform like a melting wax figure. His skin seemed to writhe as if it were alive. His features gradually shifted and reassembled. His small, single-eyelid eyes instantly became large and round. The creases on his eyelids disappeared, and his eyes flashed with cunning and madness. His nose also kept getting higher and straighter, and his thick lips became thinner and slightly upturned, outlining a mocking sneer.

Immediately, he seemed to sense something, looked up at the camera, met the lens, then stretched out his right hand, put his index and middle fingers together, touched his lips, and blew a kiss forcefully at the surveillance camera. At the same time, he tilted his head and his whole body grinned and shook. Even if you couldn't hear him, you could tell that he was laughing wildly.

After laughing for a while, the man put his hands on his hips and deliberately swayed his body from side to side, as if he were performing a strange dance, with every movement full of provocation.

After laughing, he gestured with his hands in front of his face, seemingly demonstrating his ability to change his appearance at will to the person on the other end of the monitor. He opened his mouth and clearly mouthed, "Come and catch me, you bunch of idiots!"

After saying that, he exerted his strength again, and his face blurred once more. This time, he transformed into the appearance of a kind and amiable old man with gray hair, a benevolent face, and a stooped posture. He was three or four centimeters shorter, but the ferocity in his eyes was completely at odds with this appearance.

Finally, the old man made a face at the camera, then swaggered around and disappeared into the darkness deep inside the warehouse.

Yuan Ji narrowed his eyes, clenched his fist, and said, "He's incredibly arrogant. Can we give him a good beating after we catch him?"

Hu Ze sternly retorted: "No, we must respect discipline. Once we catch a suspect, we cannot harm him. However, if a suspect violently resists during the arrest, we may have to use some force to subdue him. In that case, it is understandable if someone is accidentally injured. So please remember to keep a close eye on the situation and try your best to enforce the law in a civilized manner."

"I will do my best," Yuan Ji said sincerely.

"That's good," Hu Ze nodded, then called on Tang Ping, "You analyze the surveillance footage from just now."

In the past, he, as the director, was the one who analyzed intelligence, but now that he has a more powerful external brain, he's too lazy to use his brain cells.

Tang Ping quickly said, "Judging from the video content, the other party can change his appearance and body shape, but cannot change his weight. He cannot violate the law of conservation of mass. The evidence is that after he became an old man, his height did not shrink out of thin air, but he became shorter by bending over. I would venture to guess that, in addition to his appearance, he can also change the size of his fingerprints and feet. The latter can only be slightly adjusted because he cannot shrink his bones. Similarly, his blood and DNA certainly cannot be changed. The above judgment is based on the premise that he did not intentionally mislead people."

"If he's deliberately misleading people, can you spot him in a crowd?"

Now that things have come to this, Hu Ze and Yuan Ji have both guessed that Tang Ping possesses some kind of observation-type psychic ability.

Although they didn't understand how the fox spirit was related to observation, it was normal for a psionicist to have one or two private secrets, so the two of them tacitly agreed not to ask about the specifics and pretended not to know anything about it, only taking it into consideration when it was needed.

Tang Ping understood this unspoken understanding, so she didn't pretend to be stupid. Instead, she said firmly, "As long as he is indeed in my sight, it doesn't matter what he pretends to be."

"That's good. This operation will revolve around you."

Hu Ze clicked the mouse, and the projected screen turned into a map. He explained, "This is the target's operational range, determined by the anti-drug team based on their investigations and intelligence analysis."

Tang Ping said, "This is the scope of the drug dealers' past activities. Since they know they have been discovered, the safest way is undoubtedly to flee far away and go somewhere else."

"That is indeed possible, but just three days ago, according to a tip from an informant, the target reappeared. Although he changed his clothes and appearance, the quality of the goods he sold was still the same as before."

"It seems that he was showing his true self in front of the camera, and he was very confident in his psychic abilities. Those provocative actions were genuine rather than intentionally misleading."

"Criminal psychology experts have also given the same assessment, so the anti-drug team believes that the target is still operating within this range."

Tang Ping stared at the map for a while and said, "His main places of activity seem to be some rather disreputable nightclubs."

“You can’t expect a drug dealer to study in a library or museum. Both buyers and sellers like this kind of frivolous atmosphere. They can vent their frustrations after getting high. Anyway, everyone around them is similar, so they won’t be noticed as to what’s wrong.”

"It would be inconvenient for me to go to such a place alone; I would need someone to help me."

"Of course, I'm not comfortable letting you act alone. What if you run into assassins again?" Hu Ze instructed. "Yuan Ji, you go with Tang Ping. While you're arresting the criminals, don't forget to protect your colleagues."

"receive."

Chapter 115 Things Couples Should Do

Late at night, Tang Ping and Yuan Ji arrived at a bustling street.

"Is the target location just ahead?"

Yuan Ji frowned slightly as he looked at the colorful, flashing neon lights ahead and the faint electronic music playing in the background.

"Yes, this is the oldest nightlife landmark in Lin'an City. There are bars like SOS, OT, and Queen Bar, which mainly feature electronic music parties and celebrity DJs. It's a popular spot for young people, and it's still bustling with activity at 2 a.m.."

"You sound like you're quite familiar with this place."

"Of course, we need to investigate the geographical environment and gather intelligence before taking action, so as not to be caught off guard," Tang Ping countered. "How has the Public Security Section always operated before? Don't you guys do any prior preparation?"

Yuan Ji was slightly embarrassed and his gaze drifted as he said, "Usually, I receive the specific location of the target, then I rush up and take them down with a combo. This is the first time I've had a mission like this to find someone. The criminals usually rely on using the Illusion-Breaking Stone to escape to the Realm of Illusion, but doing this is exactly what they want."

Tang Ping understood: "No wonder the suspect dared to provoke them. It seems he really has the confidence to possess the passive skill of changing his appearance and body shape. In modern society, this is truly an excellent hiding skill, much more practical than water or fire control."

The inability to use psychic powers and magic in the present world limits the abilities of most psychics. If Tangping did not have the "Three-Eyed Spirit Radiance," it would be quite difficult to find someone in the crowd who could change their appearance at will. I'm afraid that most local security departments would be helpless in this matter and would have to seek help from outside.

Yuan Ji pondered, "In this situation, we should pretend to be a couple to avoid attracting attention, right?"

"Theoretically, that's how it is. Single people actually stand out here. If someone asks, just say that you and I are a young couple who came from out of town and are currently traveling."

Tang Ping bowed slightly, making a Western-style invitation: "May I be your protector, beautiful lady?"

"Wow, you're quite good at playing the gentleman."

"Is it possible that I am naturally a gentleman, but I just don't find the opportunity to show my gentlemanly manners?"

"Then I'll be merciful and give you a chance to show your skills. Don't disappoint me, my gentlemanly little boyfriend."

Why are you called my little boyfriend?

"Because you're younger than me, I'm the more mature one."

"These are all fake identities, set up arbitrarily. There's no need to copy reality exactly."

"This makes the performance more natural and reduces the chance of giving yourself away."

After Yuan Ji finished speaking, he didn't give Tang Ping a chance to refute. He forcefully reached out and grabbed her hand, then dragged her forward.

Both of them are working professionals, not teenagers, so they wouldn't be so shy and blushing when they hold hands. But it was indeed their first time holding hands, so it was inevitable that things would feel a little strange.

As if to cover up his unease, Yuan Ji deliberately said, "If you're expecting a pair of soft, delicate hands from a girl, you're probably going to be disappointed."

She practiced martial arts from a young age, and calluses appeared on her hands, especially at the junction of her thumb and forefinger, where clusters of calluses appeared. This was the result of holding weapons for a long time, and you could even see radial cracks.

"If I were to touch a pair of soft, delicate hands, I would have to worry about my personal safety... By the way, your palms are surprisingly bouncy and feel very comfortable to touch."

Tang Ping bent a finger and pressed it against Yuan Ji's palm.

"Hey!" Yuan Ji's body trembled, feeling a tingling sensation. "Don't press any random buttons."

"We're all just people from the martial arts world, don't take it to heart."

Tang Ping was puzzled. Last time when she rubbed his back, he didn't see any reaction, but this time he got shy when his hand was touched. His sensitive spots are too strange.

Yuan Ji was speechless, as if she would become a pretentious woman if she continued to argue, so she could only suppress her feelings and let the other person touch her palm.

"...That's enough! Why isn't this going on and on!"

The tingling sensation was becoming unbearable for Yuan Ji.

"Haha, sorry, your palm has a strange magic, once you press it you can't stop." Tang Ping stopped what she was doing.

"Is it that exaggerated?"

Yuan Ji pulled it out and pressed his palm a few times, but he neither found it interesting nor felt that tingling sensation.

Tang Ping said in a serious tone, "I guess it might be the influence of Ling Ge. Don't felines have paw pads on their paws?"

"I don't need that kind of influence!"

The two arrived at a bar that was said to be the most frequented by suspects. As soon as they entered, they felt a strong hormonal atmosphere, as if men and women inside were venting their pent-up desires.

"Welcome, what would you like to drink?"

The bartender asked with a formulaic smile.

Tang Ping's eyes quickly swept across the wine list, and she said, "Give us two 'Burning Roses'. I've heard that you make an exceptionally good cocktail here, so we have to try it today."

The bartender nodded slightly and turned to get to work.

Yuan Ji found the music in the bar too loud, but he was very interested in bartending and it was his first time watching it up close.

The bartender skillfully picked up the base spirit, tequila, which exuded a rich aroma and shimmered with an amber luster under the light. Then he added grenadine syrup, the deep red color of freshly blooming rose petals, which slowly flowed into the cocktail shaker. Next came lemon juice, and the refreshing sourness instantly filled the air, neutralizing the intensity of the liquor.

Next comes the classic cocktail-shaking segment, where the bartender skillfully shakes the cocktail, the metallic clanging sound particularly crisp in the noisy bar.

Finally, the bartender poured the drink into two stemmed glasses and gently lit a small cluster of blue flames on the rim of the glasses. The flickering flames added a touch of mystery and allure to the two glasses of "Burning Roses".

"Please enjoy."

The bartender turned around and went to serve other customers without asking any further questions.

Yuan Ji said softly, "It seems we disguised ourselves very well; even the bartender didn't notice anything unusual."

"Please, bartenders are just employees. Even if they notice something's wrong, they can't be bothered to care. Just put yourself in their shoes and you'll know. The job is already tiring enough. As long as the customer doesn't look like they're here to cause trouble, what does it have to do with them? Why bother with other people's business?"

Tang Ping took a small sip of the wine and thought it tasted alright. Even someone like him who doesn't drink often could drink it; it had a smooth, Sprite-like flavor with red wine.

Then he said, "Of course, I don't think he noticed anything unusual, since we're dressed no differently from the other guests."

Tang Ping naturally didn't come with his original appearance. After all, he is a popular star. Although the overlap between the bar's clientele and his fan base is very low, it's better to be safe than sorry. It would be troublesome if he were recognized by passersby on the spot, which would only cause complications. Therefore, he went to the Illusionary Realm first to use "Campfire Fox Cry" to change his appearance.

At this moment, in other people's eyes, he just looks like a live-action version of Yamcha from Dragon Ball—a little handsome, but nothing more.

In addition, Tang Ping wore a black fitted leather jacket over a white V-neck undershirt, paired with ripped jeans and black Martin boots. He also wore a studded belt around his waist, exuding a rebellious vibe. He also wore a small silver earring that shimmered with his movements.

His seemingly casual attire was actually meticulously crafted, making him look like a trendy young man you'd often see in a bar. It also suited Yamcha's face perfectly, making him look like a playboy who frequents women's quarters.

As her partner, Yuan Ji also underwent a complete makeover, not only wearing a pink wig but also sporting a rare light peach blossom makeup look, with pink eyeshadow and glossy lip gloss, making her look sweet and charming.

She wore a pair of earrings, a necklace, a white T-shirt with a red jacket, and a black pencil skirt that revealed her straight, long, and muscular legs, which were toned from martial arts training. A red heart pendant hung from her waist, making her look every bit the sexy girl.

Although Yuan Ji played an important role in "The Invisible Guardian", she has not appeared in the public eye since then. Given the public's attention to the entertainment industry, after such a long period of silence, even a third-tier star would be forgotten. Not to mention, she wore makeup in the play, and it was a completely different style from her current one.

If she were dressed in a Republic-era student uniform, there would be a good chance she would be recognized.

Yuan Ji glanced around, his intuition telling him there were no danger warnings, and breathed a slight sigh of relief. He said, "There are so many people here. Can you find your target?"

"It's a little difficult, but it's only a matter of time."

Unlike the last time when they were searching for Han Lin, this time they didn't even know the target's name, so they couldn't quickly filter by name.

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like