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As the car drove out of the terminal and onto the road, Old Horse's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it suspiciously; it was a call from Public Security Chief Chen, who was responsible for issuing a certificate for Xiao Mu's flight. Thinking something had gone wrong, Old Horse answered the call, shocked to exclaim, "What? Didn't board? Alright, I'm heading back right now."
Zhang Quan was instantly overjoyed and urged the driver, "Turn back, turn back!"
"What do you mean?" Lian Qiang asked, confused.
"What’s this kid doing?" the driver muttered.
"Keep your mouth clean; there might be a chance," Ma Fenghuo said, understanding the situation. Not leaving meant something significant; he didn’t think his words were inappropriate.
The car reversed with a honk, and the group jumped out, rushing into the terminal. In the vast waiting area, they searched for Xiao Mu. The Airport Security had spotted him first; it turned out he hadn’t boarded at all. They had broadcasted several announcements but couldn’t find him.
Without time to explain, he led a few colleagues through the security checkpoint and began searching in the airport lounge. It was quite difficult to find anyone in the Passenger Group. Just as the airport officer was about to check the surveillance for leads on Xiao Mu, Zhang Quan stopped him and pointed towards a restaurant.
Looking over, for some reason, all concerns melted away. Xiao Mu was sitting comfortably in the center of the restaurant, leisurely sipping coffee with dishes beside him. He seemed to have enjoyed a slow dinner, still exhibiting that obsessive taste for elegance that made him seem pretentious in Zhang Quan's memory.
After whispering a few words to the airport officer and sending him off, Zhang Quan and his companions strolled toward Xiao Mu's table. As they entered, their presence clashed with the elegant atmosphere of the restaurant. The server was startled and almost asked what was going on until Zhang Quan flashed his badge, silencing any questions.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Xiao Mu asked playfully.
"And why didn't you leave?" Zhang Quan countered with a smirk.
"I had a meal and missed my flight... What about you guys?" Xiao Mu replied with a smile.
"We... we thought you must have missed your boarding, so we came to find you," Zhang Quan said, chuckling with his companion. However, Xiao Mu's expression turned serious as he bluntly replied, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and pay the bill."
"Oh... go quickly," Zhang Quan urged Lian Qiang. Lian Qiang, now unconcerned, stepped forward to settle the bill. Upon hearing the price of over three hundred, and seeing that a bowl of noodles cost more than forty, he shot a glare at the waiter and exclaimed, "This is worse than a Pyramid Scheme!"
Pulling out his deflated wallet, he hesitated. Ma Fenghuo quickly approached, knowing this broke guy had no spare cash. He pulled out his bank card but realized it had already been used to pay. The remaining few bills he casually handed to Old Horse, saying, "Don't refuse this; it's Black Money that Bald Brother had hidden. Consider it a gift; I probably won't need it anymore."
Ma Fenghuo felt a bit embarrassed by the sudden generosity. Xiao Mu turned around and tossed the plane ticket to Lian Qiang, saying, "Don't say I'm ungrateful... because I really am ungrateful. We're even now."
"Hey, look at this mess... I sincerely apologize," Lian Qiang said awkwardly.
He was the type who reciprocated kindness tenfold; after showing his true colors in the afternoon, he now looked increasingly uncomfortable. Xiao Mu chuckled and glanced at Zhang Quan, who excitedly remarked, "I knew it! I wasn't wrong about you."
"Don't get too proud; I haven't agreed to anything," Xiao Mu replied as he walked away.
"Everyone's still here; is there really a need for an agreement?" Zhang Quan chased after him, feeling a bit shy.
"Then let me test you. Do you know why I stayed?" Xiao Mu asked.
This question seemed simple but was actually quite difficult to answer. Zhang Quan pondered for a moment before asking Old Horse why. Old Horse was momentarily stunned; it seemed like an easy question, yet he found himself unable to respond.
"So why is that?" Zhang Quan asked back directly.
"To see how much impact a psychological reversal can have on a person," Xiao Mu explained. It appeared that what seemed like a simple question had become complicated, as they didn't quite grasp it. Then Xiao Mu added, "To put it plainly, I wanted to see your foolish expression when you went from extreme disappointment to ecstatic joy."
Zhang Quan's expression turned to one of shock, and then Little Quack burst into laughter, which made him so angry that he pretended to pinch him and said fiercely, "You little brat, are you trying to annoy me? Do you believe I can take you down?"
"I believe it. Aren't we both a bit crazy?" Xiao Mu replied, transforming the pinching gesture into a clap. With a sharp sound, they clasped hands tightly in mutual understanding. Xiao Mu added with a hint of gratitude, "I feel a bit embarrassed to leave after you didn’t just throw me aside but even gave me money twice to let me go... I mean, Baldy, you shouldn’t always wear that sour face. You need to plead with me more."
"Get lost, dream on," Zhang Quan scoffed.
"Then don’t blame me for not helping you. With your IQ, you won’t be able to handle Lu the Madman. There might even be someone stronger than Lu the Madman," Xiao Mu warned.
"Hey, are you really holding onto my little braid?" Zhang Quan pretended to threaten him, but Old Marco intervened, blustering, "Never! If you provoke this guy, the General Manager will have our heads... I mean, Xiao Mu, no, Instructor Lin, I sincerely apologize. If your family knew you hadn’t left yet, they’d probably be overjoyed."
"I told you, everyone has a sense of justice in their hearts; they can't just sit back and watch," Lian Qiang said.
"Come on now, you're getting paid pre-liberation wages while dealing with modern criminals and living in inhumane conditions. Yet deep down, you're still thinking about self-sacrifice and peace for others... Hah! You guys in uniforms are basically the same as those running Pyramid Schemes; you've all been brainwashed by an ideology and behavior pattern," Xiao Mu remarked.
The words were extremely jarring; the driver scratched his head and chimed in from behind, "Wow, he seems to have a point."
"No wonder you never get recognized as outstanding every year; your thinking is too backward," Ma Fenghuo retorted. Lian Qiang chuckled helplessly and said, "If you put it that way, we do seem to live like fools."
Suddenly, Xiao Mu stopped. He turned around to look at the few who had also halted behind him. Observing them closely for a moment, he smiled again and said, "It does seem a bit foolish; however, it's the kind that deserves respect."
Zhang Quan silently patted his shoulder and pulled him close. After a moment of feeling touched, Xiao Mu joked about himself with a smile: "I'm different; for someone like me who has no goals or beliefs, life is about constantly seeking thrills. All these years my real opponent has been my dad; I've been going through great lengths to make him uncomfortable... This time I suddenly realized it’s quite meaningless to face an opponent who will never fight back; there’s no sense of achievement at all... Hey, Baldy, can I help you apply for some preferential conditions?"
"What do you want?" Zhang Quan asked with a smile.
"Give me money, I don't care; if you offer me a police uniform, you definitely wouldn't take someone like me... How about introducing me to a Police Flower?" Xiao Mu joked.
Zhang Quan ignored him and walked away. Xiao Mu teased, "You, how can you be more shameless than a Pyramid Scheme person? You only want us to work without offering any benefits. How can we do a good job for you?"
"Hey, hey, Lin Instructor, don't be angry. I'm here for you. With your conditions, what kind of flower wouldn't chase after you?" Lian Qiang flattered.
Xiao Mu laughed as if he had found a kindred spirit and pulled Lian Qiang along, saying, "Oh, this is what a brother is for! Take me to see it when you get the chance."
"No problem, we'll take you with us," Ma Fenghuo chimed in, knowing the nature of young people. If they were happy, anything was fine. He asked in admiration, "Hey Lin Instructor, you were amazing this afternoon. How did you figure out that the Political Commissar's son was in trouble?"
"And that it happened not long ago," Xiao Mu added.
"How did you see that?" the driver asked in awe.
"By the way, I heard that studying psychology is really powerful; they can see into others' hearts at a glance. Hey Lin Instructor, teach us!" Lian Qiang asked. Although he was changing the subject, Xiao Mu's various performances truly amazed them.
Xiao Mu enjoyed the attention and built suspense before revealing his insights. He explained that psychology involves seeing into people's hearts from their outward expressions. For instance, this afternoon he noticed Xu Commissioner’s dark complexion and dejected expression. The collar of his shirt was stained with sweat and he hadn’t polished his shoes; it was clear something was wrong at home.
It seemed his argument lacked enough persuasion. Ma Fenghuo thought for a moment and said, "When we police officers go undercover, we still have to rely on this."
Xiao Mu chuckled and added, "Besides evidence, there must also be testimonies. This afternoon while I was in the restroom, I accidentally overheard two female officers gossiping in the next stall about how Xu Commissioner’s son had gotten into trouble. I caught a word or two... and it turned out I guessed right. Haha."
So that's how it was! This answer made everyone burst into laughter; they felt this kid was quite clever—he could even gather information in the restroom. He truly was an ideal informant.
Rushing back along the original route, the newly implemented "Send Back" protocol was urgently established. All members of the project team abandoned their rest and returned to their posts, deploying additional surveillance points in multiple locations. Several special personnel from the department received notifications overnight to report to the project team.
Before an undercover agent or informant is activated, there are many secretive and tedious tasks to complete; it is a sleepless night.
Starting from ten o'clock the previous evening, there were physical examinations, psychological tests, background checks, and file creation. The more significant the case situation, the more meticulous the procedures. Throughout this process, Xiao Mu wore a hood, preventing even the doctors and police from knowing his true identity.
Blood and urine samples had to be tested; anyone with drug use, infectious diseases, or other serious health issues would definitely be disqualified.
Those who failed the psychological evaluation could not be used either, as this was not like ordinary informants who only provided a lead; this was about locating a crucial target.
Individuals with antisocial traits were also disqualified to avoid raising a potential threat.
The entire testing process lasted over three hours. Afterward, Xiao Mu was taken to a small room where he was accompanied only by his fellow undercover agent:
Baldy.
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