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Chapter 371 My friend is rather shy and a bit socially awkward.
"Hello."

Gao Jin's voice sounded somewhat muffled in the howling night wind.

His gaze was sharp, fixed on the pale, demonic mask on the man's face, and then he asked:

"Should I call you the Smiling Demon, or the White Owl?"

The man wearing a white mask shrugged casually, his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.

"Whatever, a name is just a label. You can call me whatever you like."

Gao Jin remained silent for a moment, Xu Hao's solemn warning flashing through his mind, and ultimately chose the former.

"Then I'll still call you the Smiling Devil."

Standing before him was the very same ferocious god who had inflicted heavy losses on the Noah Organization, slaughtering hundreds of ordinary members and several high-ranking officers—

Cheng Jiashu.

Since the failure of the "Demon Hunting Operation" that shocked the entire underground world of Dongdu.

This serial killer then disappeared without a trace and has not been seen for a long time, seemingly even preparing to give up his painstakingly built acting career.

If it weren't for the strange "spell code" provided by Xu Hao, Gao Jin wouldn't have been able to enter that special consciousness space and make contact with the other party.

In that chat room, which felt like a dreamlike illusion, the two had already made initial contact.

Gao Jin frankly stated his identity and purpose, and directly invited the other party to join forces.

He was well aware that the Noah Organization was their common enemy, and that the two sides had the most solid foundation for cooperation.

Moreover, the Smiling Demon is currently being relentlessly pursued by the enraged Noah Organization, and his situation is extremely precarious.

For him, Gao Jin, a senior investigator in the Special Investigations Unit, was undoubtedly a powerful ally who came in his time of need.

After careful consideration, the Smiling Devil was finally persuaded.

The two reached a preliminary agreement on cooperation.

Tonight, they set their sights on Noah Pharmaceuticals, hoping to find a way to break through that behemoth.

"What did you find when you sneaked into the building?"

Gao Jin got straight to the point, not wanting to waste any time.

"Following your instructions, I did find the location of the experimental area."

Cheng Jiashu spoke casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"However, the security there was very tight, and I accidentally triggered the laser sensor alarm while sneaking in."

Meeting Gao Jin's scrutinizing gaze, he shrugged and explained further:

"They used a highly collimated laser system with a small divergence angle and a long monitoring distance, combined with microwave and infrared composite sensors to form a three-dimensional detection grid."

“Within a 50-meter radius around the experimental area, apart from the patrolling guards, these things are everywhere, and they are logically linked to each other. The grid density is estimated to be at the centimeter level, making it really difficult to get around.”

"I can only say that it was fortunate that I was the one who went. If it had been someone from your special search team, let alone getting close to the core area, it would have been uncertain whether they could have escaped unscathed."

Hearing the other party's professional description, Gao Jin couldn't help but frown:

"Even with your capabilities, you can't infiltrate the security system?"

Cheng Jiashu let out a soft chuckle, a hint of self-mockery in it:
"Commander Gao, unless I can turn into a fly or a mosquito, there is no way I can cross over without triggering an alarm."

"Of course, if you can create an opportunity for me to set up a coordinate point inside the experimental area beforehand, I guarantee I can take you directly across that cordon and appear wherever I want to go."

Upon hearing this, Gao Jin nodded slightly.
"Really? I'll consider it."

His serious, square face betrayed no emotion; he seemed genuinely considering the proposal.

Cheng Jiashu's eyes flickered slightly behind the mask, a hint of surprise in his mind.

Unexpectedly, this guy who looked like a stern-faced judge had more cards in his hand than he had imagined.

He agreed to cooperate with the special investigation team not only because he was forced by the situation, but also because he had learned about the background of this high-ranking officer through special channels beforehand.

To put it nicely, this person hates evil, keeps his word, cares for his subordinates, and enjoys high prestige and is quite famous within the special investigation team.

To put it bluntly, this guy is as stubborn as a donkey, often arguing with his superiors and getting into trouble; he's a real troublemaker.

But it was precisely because of this that Cheng Jiashu felt a little relieved. This kind of person should be of good character, at least he wouldn't easily stab someone in the back.

To show his sincerity and to facilitate better cooperation, he simply told the other party about his special abilities.

Since the other party already knows his true identity and even possesses the spell code to contact him, it's only a matter of time before they find out about his abilities.

Born into a fallen family, he never experienced the life of a true tycoon's son, but his experience remained, and he never dared to underestimate the intelligence capabilities of the Special Investigation Team.

However, he never let his guard down.

After all, to some extent, one was an official and the other a bandit, so they were naturally on opposite sides.

A multitude of thoughts flashed through his mind, and Cheng Jiashu changed the subject, tentatively asking:

"Commander Gao, are you really sure that Noah Pharmaceuticals' experimental zone has what you're looking for? Something that can bring them down?"

Gao Jin was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Isn't this guy a high-ranking traitor in the Noah Organization? Why is he starting to doubt this?

On second thought, the other party had been a defector for a long time and might not have known about Noah Pharmaceuticals' secret human experimentation projects.

Or perhaps, they want to completely sever ties with the past and pretend they know nothing.

After a moment's thought, Gao Jin decided to reveal some information.

"If there were no problems, why would they set up such a high level of security?"

He asked a question in return, then turned his gaze to the building across the rooftop, whose lights had been turned on again.

It's as if you can see the heavy security inside the building.

"The guards' reaction is the best proof; the more nervous they were, the more important the secret hidden there must be."

"Noah Pharmaceuticals is a multinational corporation with a clean board of directors and shareholder structure, but the real controller behind it is the Noah Organization, without a doubt."

"They have been secretly conducting illegal genetic modification experiments, using special drugs to forcibly tear apart the human gene chain and then force it to recombine in a distorted way, turning living people into monsters that only know how to kill."

His description was calm, but the content was chilling.

"In this process, the vast majority of the test subjects will collapse and die in extreme pain, leaving not even a complete corpse."

"And those who are lucky enough to survive will have their consciousness imprisoned in the bodies of strange monsters. Their names and pasts will be completely erased, leaving only a cold number, turning them into tools that they can use and discard at will."

"I think, Mr. Smiling Devil, even if you don't know the specifics, you must have heard about it."

Gao Jin stopped there, not delving deeper into the bloody and cruel topic, lest he evoke unpleasant memories for the other person.

"As long as we can find conclusive evidence to expose the crimes hidden by Noah Pharmaceuticals, although we cannot completely destroy the Noah organization, we can at least cut off their claws in Dongdu."

"At that time, you will regain your freedom and return to a normal life."

"Even if the Noah Organization wants to make a comeback, it will take a long time. During this time, at least you can get rid of their shadow and be free from their interference."

At this point, Gao Jin paused, staring at Cheng Jiashu's pale mask, and sincerely extended an olive branch.

"Of course, if you're willing to join our special search team seeking asylum, I can be your guarantor." "You don't need to worry about your identity; in fact, there have been precedents in our special search team where members from prominent families have joined."

"Hehe, thank you, Commander Gao."

Cheng Jiashu smiled, neither refusing nor immediately agreeing.

He knew very well that the other party had mistaken him for the legendary serial killer "White Owl" for some reason.

For him, this misunderstanding seems to be more beneficial than harmful at the moment.

It would make it easier for me to utilize the Special Investigation Team's resources to achieve my hidden goals, so why not?

"Your plan is on the right track."

Cheng Jiashu thought for a moment, then said:
"But even if the two of us manage to infiltrate the experimental area and obtain the data, it will be difficult for us to escape unscathed."

"With experimental data stolen and confidential information leaked, the Noah Group will definitely resort to desperate measures and stop at nothing."

"To be honest, my abilities have certain limitations, and it's difficult to guarantee a smooth escape in such a heavily surrounded situation."

"All I can do is try my best to steal the information. As for dealing with the Noah organization's encirclement and pursuit, we'll have to rely on your special search team."

"Moreover, if your guess is correct, there must be many experts guarding that building. I vaguely sensed an unusually powerful aura when I was inside just now."

After listening to Cheng Jiashu's words, Gao Jin nodded solemnly.

"It's definitely not going to work if just two people try to force their way in."

He frankly admitted:

"Due to orders from above, all operations against the Noah organization have been temporarily suspended, and I am currently unable to mobilize the team's resources."

"However, I still have a few trusted confidants I can use. We'll devise a sound and comprehensive plan and arrange the retreat route when the time comes..."

Gao Jin frowned slightly and said after a moment's thought.

Seeing this, Cheng Jiashu seized the opportunity to suggest:
"I could invite a friend to join the operation."

Then, he added a sentence to dispel the other party's doubts:
"This person also has a grudge against the Noah Organization, so you don't need to worry about him betraying us or leaking secrets."

Gao Jin's eyes brightened slightly, and he asked:
"Who is this person, and how strong is he?"

"I'm sorry, my friend is rather shy and introverted, and has a bit of social anxiety."

Cheng Jiashu's lips curled slightly behind the mask, his voice carrying a hint of inexplicable amusement:

"I cannot reveal his information until I get his consent, but you can rest assured that his strength should be on par with mine."

After a moment's thought, Gao Jin finally agreed.

Having another strong ally is certainly a good thing.

The two stood on the edge of the rooftop, the night wind making their clothes flutter.

The skyscraper across the street, flashing its white "NOAH" logo, resembles a colossal beast lurking in a steel jungle.

They gazed at the floors where the lights were gradually going out, discussing and revising the specific details of the plan in hushed tones.

A dozen minutes later, some preliminary emergency plans were agreed upon.

"Commander Gao, next time we meet in person, please find a more upscale club or restaurant."

Cheng Jiashu stretched and smiled as he prepared to leave, his eyes behind the mask gleaming with an unusual light.

"Always standing on this rooftop in the wind, the northwest wind must be getting full..."

As he spoke, the air around his body began to undergo strange changes.

hum-

A deep and strange sound arose out of nowhere.

The space in front of him resembled a shattered mirror, with a clearly visible distortion.

The light was drawn by an invisible force, converging towards a point in front of him, collapsing, and forming a pitch-black vortex that kept rotating inward.

The vortex, as if alive, suddenly expanded and then contracted, enveloping Cheng Jiashu's figure with an irresistible gravitational pull.

His figure seemed to be forcibly twisted and pulled by this force, starting from the edge, piece by piece, inch by inch, being swept into that dark entrance.

Only a barely perceptible spatial fluctuation remained, which was quickly dispersed and smoothed out by the biting night wind.

Gao Jin stared at the empty rooftop, his eyes flickering uncertainly in the night.

Although he had witnessed it once before, this ability to appear and disappear so mysteriously still surprised and amazed him.

While admiring it, a hint of doubt appeared on his face.

He did not leave immediately, but slowly walked to the edge of the rooftop.

Looking down at the bustling city below, he fell into deep thought.

Last time in that consciousness space, he only heard the voice of "White Owl," and he didn't think much of it.

After all, sound is the easiest thing to imitate and change.

But during this in-person meeting, he sensed something was clearly off.

Although the other person was wearing a mask and their face was not visible, their manners and behavior were polite, yet they exuded an undeniable feminine aura.

This was completely different from the muscular, ferocious man he had seen that night in the wasteland by the highway—a man as wild as a beast, exuding masculine energy.

One is like fire, the other like water; their temperaments are so different.

Moreover, the style of the demon mask on his face seemed to differ slightly from the white owl mask in his memory, more like a crude imitation.

Gao Jin couldn't help but have an absurd suspicion.

Could it be that this guy has dissociative identity disorder?

Is it the same during the day and the same at night?

Thinking of this, Gao Jin shook his head, temporarily putting these chaotic thoughts out of his mind.

Now that both sides have reached an agreement and identified the Noah Organization as their common enemy, they are comrades-in-arms in the same boat.

At this critical juncture, excessive suspicion will only negatively impact the overall situation.

Standing atop the high-rise, Gao Jin gazed at the dazzling city lights in the distance, his heart filled with emotion.

Tonight's haul was quite substantial.

This not only confirmed that Noah Pharmaceuticals had major internal problems, but also revealed a secret that could destroy it in one fell swoop.

Moreover, they gained an excellent helper with incredible abilities.

I recalled the strange scene when Cheng Jiashu left.

Think back to that night, the tough guy who almost destroyed his own armor with just his fists.

A rare smile finally appeared on Gao Jin's serious face.

With such a powerful ally, he had even more confidence in taking down the behemoth that was the Noah Organization.

(End of this chapter)