Chapter Seventeen: Target Discovered

The three of them discussed for a while longer, settled on a plan for cooperation, and then went their separate ways.

When he returned home, Gao Fei, his cheap boss, had already arrived and was chatting with his mother, Sun Lijuan.

As soon as Gao Ning pushed the door open and entered, both of them smiled at him.

"Back so early? I thought you'd be spending the night out tonight!" his father, Gao Fei, teased.

Sun Lijuan nudged Gao Fei, chiding him, "Our son just turned eighteen, what are you saying? Did you drink? Want some fruit?"

Gao Ning shook his head, flopped onto the sofa, stretched lazily, and replied, "I wasn't out having fun. I just found a lead and went to check it out!"

"Any results?"

"No, but I did find a strange bar. It’s called Mario, of all things!"

Gao Fei’s expression shifted slightly. "Oh? So what were you investigating?"

"I just noticed the cement mixer truck was registered under an old lady's name. I was curious, so I went to take a look." Gao Ning looked up and explained to the curious Sun Lijuan, "It’s the traffic accident I dealt with today. After all, it was my first homicide case. Though it was just a traffic accident, I couldn’t help but care, so I stopped by after work.

The old lady was very nice, even made me a cocktail, but I’m not a fan of that stuff, as you both know."

Sun Lijuan nodded vigorously. "Good boy, yes, don’t drink mixed alcohol. It’ll make your head sluggish! Haven’t you seen those drunk white folks, vacant eyes, stiff limbs? That’s what drinking too much does to you!"

Gao Fei chuckled and shook his head, "You’re exaggerating. A little drink now and then is good for the circulation, as long as you don’t overdo it. But son, try to avoid Mario’s Steakhouse if you can. That’s Irish Mob territory. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but since you’re a cop now, you’ll have to learn about gang territories sooner or later.

This morning’s traffic accident was likely a contract job. The perpetrator was an undocumented immigrant, so Immigration has no records, and it gets written off as a regular accident.

Could have been a vendetta, a crime of passion, or simply insurance fraud!" Gao Fei shrugged. "This is New York. Such things are routine!"

Gao Ning was dumbfounded.

Are all cops these days this sharp?

Just sitting at home, he could guess almost everything right?

"What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?" Gao Fei touched his cheek, puzzled.

Gao Ning shook his head, "No, I just suddenly think you look really cool, old man!"

Gao Fei laughed, "You little rascal, flattery won’t help you. Now that you’re working, your allowance is cut in half!"

Sun Lijuan shot him a look. "Didn’t we just agree to change his allowance to a family fruit fund? Not two minutes ago, and you’re already changing your mind?"

Gao Ning could tell his parents were just having fun with him.

He felt a bit helpless—he was already in his twenties, yet now he seemed several years younger all of a sudden.

Living with another set of parents always brought a strange, inexplicable awkwardness.

Watching as his parents bantered like a comedy duo, Gao Ning rubbed his forehead and sighed, "Can you not show off your affection so blatantly? There’s still a lonely single dog here! Fine, I surrender, I can’t compete, I’m going to bed!"

With that, Gao Ning dashed back to his room.

His parents exchanged amused glances. Sun Lijuan called after him, "Hey, brat, the milk’s already warmed up! Have a glass before you sleep!"

"Not thirsty! I’m exhausted!" Gao Ning replied, and the only sound left was the soft click of his door closing.

Sun Lijuan shook her head, "This child never liked milk growing up. I have no idea how he got so tall!"

Gao Fei puffed his chest with pride. "Good genes!"

Sun Lijuan rolled her eyes, "Get out of here, you old fool!"

With that, she picked up the rubbish from the table and headed into the kitchen.

Gao Fei chuckled, picked up a stack of files from the side, and started reading again.

In his room, Gao Ning lay on his bed, motionless as if asleep.

In reality, all his attention was fixed on the Red Alert interface, eyes glued to the map.

Before he’d even left work, the ninth American Soldier had already been deployed.

This time, the deployment was right into Banning’s estate, hidden in the garden in front of the villa.

With a fifteen-minute stealth advantage, the American Soldier could easily find a good hiding spot.

Tonight, Gao Ning intended to activate this soldier to explore the laboratory beneath the swimming pool.

In the storyline, the Water Mosquito Virus was incredibly formidable.

Just a tiny amount dissolved in water and ingested could drain all the fluids from a living person within a minute, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.

Gao Ning thought that, while the suit from outside the movie—the Tuxedo—was impressive, its destructive power was nothing compared to the Water Mosquito Virus.

The Red Alert mission required collecting wonders of the world.

The Tuxedo was certainly extraordinary, but in the end, it was just a wearable device.

Its many functions felt like a hodgepodge of advanced technology, integrated but somewhat lacking in coherence.

The technology to stimulate nerves and control the body was fascinating, but it wasn’t entirely out of reach in the real world.

So classifying it as a world wonder seemed a bit forced—other high-tech worlds might very well produce something similar.

But the Water Mosquito Virus was different. At the microscopic level, every virus was unique.

Its creation required a leap from the cells of a biological host; no matter how miraculous, viruses couldn’t emerge out of nothing.

Life itself was a wonder—nature’s choice, each one unique.

In the Tuxedo’s world, with the right triggers in biotechnology, the Water Mosquito Virus could be generated.

But in other worlds, even with identical conditions, the same virus couldn’t be replicated.

So in Gao Ning’s eyes, the Water Mosquito Virus was truly a world wonder, possessing a singular, unrepeatable attribute.

Of course, the Red Alert missions weren’t a one-shot deal.

The right choice brought rewards; the wrong one carried no punishment.

Since trial and error was allowed, why not give it a try?

Gao Ning steadied his breathing, relaxed his body completely, and focused all his attention on Soldier Number Nine.

Just as he was about to set the soldier in motion, a message came from Soldier Number One.

"Sir, target spotted!"

"Hmm?"

Gao Ning’s attention snapped to Soldier Number One, the global map shifting, the god’s-eye view unfolding instantly.

The three-dimensional map flashed before his eyes—houses, streets, pedestrians, and cars, all crystal clear.

It was as if an invisible drone hovered three hundred meters above, surveying everything.

"Stand by and don’t let them notice you!"

Then Gao Ning relayed the order to Soldiers Two through Six, all of whom were monitoring Du Fulin’s movements, each hidden nearby in different roles, ready to act at any time.

"Sir, yes sir!"