Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Dark Boundless Realm 44

Valeri’s elder brother was named Yefim. Initially, Valeri and his brother ran the Free Man Car Shop together, affiliated with a small local gang, which collected protection fees on a monthly basis.

As their business expanded, the small gang that they were aligned with became envious of their success and planned to move against them. However, Valeri and Yefim acted first, seizing control through hostile takeover, and quickly rose to become the leaders of the gang.

Unlike his brother, Valeri lacked Yefim’s clever mind. He primarily focused on the car business and rarely got involved in gang affairs.

Some speculated that the brothers had fallen out due to power struggles, which led Yefim to keep Valeri away from gang matters.

Yefim, however, was shrewd and utilized every opportunity for advancement, eventually reaching his current status over a decade by leading his own team.

Their gang was called “Narwhal.”

It was quite characteristic of the biggest gang in White Whale City to be named Narwhal.

“Yet another casino,” Kui Xin remarked disdainfully. “Gangs seem to have a particular preference for casinos, treating these places as bases. Any sizable organization invariably has such establishments, including casinos, nightclubs, and bars.”

“Because these places are chaotic and highly profitable,” said Augus. “Casinos are filled with rotten souls; rich or poor, people pack themselves in like sardines in a can. These places symbolize wealth and power, serving as a treasure trove for accumulating riches, and also as a graveyard for decaying souls.”

“That’s true,” grumbled Kui Xin. “The moment I stepped inside this building, I could smell a mix of smelly perfume and body odor, which made me want to vomit. If casinos are like graveyards, then these smells must be like the stench of decay coming from caskets.”

She followed Valeri into a casino managed by Yefim since he was hosting guests there tonight.

Valeri entered the premises, while Kui Xin used Shadow Transition to hide herself in a restroom stall on the first floor.

Valeri carried a tracker and a pinhole camera prepared by Kui Xin, which she needed to get a real-time view of the interior and assess the situation within. Yefim was indeed an astute gang leader; although he was present, even warning his younger brother Valeri about his whereabouts, Kui Xin found no sign of him on any security footage after breaking into the system.

He was hiding in an area not covered by surveillance cameras.

Kui Xin maintained high alert when exploring unfamiliar locations, never rushing in blindly, and remained cautious even around strangers, attacking lethally only when she had complete assurance of success.

Kui Xin aimed to capture a living Yefim and ideally control him with Hypnotic Sound. Narwhal was a significant organization comprising hundreds of members, and numerous smaller gangs relied on it. She wanted to avoid breaking it apart entirely, needing collaborators to continue operations.

Valeri entered the building from a dedicated back channel inside a casino, passing through several metal detectors that beeped in alarm as they scanned his metallic equipment.

To the Narwhal gang members, Valeri was a familiar face—a boss that couldn’t be得罪 (displeased), thus security checks were lax, allowing him in almost immediately, despite the alarms caused by his metallic belt and spiked boots.

Valeri moved freely to the top floor where he stopped in front of a heavy oak door. A camera above scanned his face before the micro-projector attached to the door activated, revealing an image of his assistant on a floating screen.

The assistant greeted him with a professional smile: “Welcome, Mr. Valeri. The boss is waiting for you in the private room.”

The oak door swung open, and Valeri stepped inside.

The room contained an imposing wooden desk, behind which stood a grand window. The red velvet curtain was pulled aside, displaying the city skyline at night. These were specially treated glass windows, permitting one-way viewing but providing bulletproof protection.

Yefim appeared to love wooden furnishings, including bookshelves and sofas all made of wood. Due to pollution and other factors, most available furniture on the market was synthetic, with genuine wood pieces fetching exorbitant prices. Even a simple wooden accessory from here could sell for astronomical sums outside.

Next to the office was a reception area where Yefim sat with wine, awaiting Valeri.

As soon as Valeri entered, Yefim extended his arms and exclaimed, “Brother Valeri, it’s been too long! How have you been lately?”

His assistant, also holding a glass, opened the door to serve drinks to both of them.

Despite being identical twins, it was hard to tell them apart when seated opposite each other.

Following instructions given by Kui Xin, Valeri spoke, “I need to talk to you about something very important.”

Yefim looked puzzled and gestured his assistant to leave, securing the door.

“What’s going on?” Yefim asked.

But Valeri remained silent, lost in thought.

“Valeri?” Yefim called to him.

Meanwhile, he didn’t notice a dark fog drift through his bookshelf, materializing into human form behind him.

Kui Xin’s eyes surveyed the surroundings, using her Electromagnetic Detection to confirm no additional hidden cameras or listening devices. Her Investigative Eye revealed that Yefim, like Valeri, was just an ordinary man without Extraordinary Abilities.

“Don’t move or speak,” Kui Xin cautioned, gun in hand and lips covered beneath a mask.

Yefim froze momentarily, then regained his composure: “Who are you, what do you want?”

Kui Xin raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, yet swiftly pressed the gun against the back of Yefim’s head.

“How surprising…” she muttered to herself.

Yefim’s mind must have held Resurgence Army-installed Mental Coordinates and mental barriers, protecting against brainwash attempts, and possibly resisting certain mental intrusions. Hence, he showed minimal reaction to Kui Xin’s Hypnotic Sound.

Yefim tried to reach for his Red Gem ring, an emergency alarm triggering if pressed. As he moved his hand, Kui Xin drew a dagger from her thigh strap and swiftly severed the finger holding the ring.

Blood gushed, Yefim’s eyes bulged, yet Kui Xin firmly gripped his throat, silencing any scream he might attempt.

With a swing of the gun handle, Yefim fainted. Kui Xin then retrieved a strong sedative from her pouch, injecting Yefim.

With her enhanced Shadow Transition abilities, her pouch now brimmed with various items, ensuring she was well-equipped, unlike before where she would hesitate to carry anything.

If Yefim were a Resurgence Army member, he needed to stay alive to prevent detecting any irregularities. Hence, Kui Xin decided to keep him unconscious temporarily.

Observing Valeri now fully under her control, she considered her next moves.

There was a wardrobe in the room containing Yefim’s pressed formal attire. Kui Xin pulled out a suit and instructed Valeri to change into it.

Now even more indistinguishable from Yefim, the sole difference was their facial hair, with Valeri having a more prominent beard.

Satisfied with the result, she nodded and, addressing Augus, “Can facial recognition systems differentiate between identical twins?”

“No, but iris recognition systems can,” Augus replied.

“That should suffice,” Kui Xin stated. “I’ll kidnap a black-market doctor one day, switching out Valeri’s and Yefim’s eyes to swap their identities permanently.”

“Substituting for Yefim by controlling Valeri instead? A brilliant idea,” commented Augus. “But keep in mind that the disappearance of either brother would draw undue attention.”

“Let’s wait a few days to obscure their disappearance. It will be Valeri who vanishes, not Yefim. Perhaps for reasons like travel, self-made destiny, or a fallout with his brother,” said Kui Xin—”as long as Yefim remains in good health, as I need him.”

“What if your plan fails?” Augus questioned.

“I’d have no choice but to forfeit Narwhal’s assets and eliminate them all,” Kui Xin admitted. “I prefer caution and achieving my goals without unnecessary struggles.”

With plans set, she turned to Valeri, instructing him to return to his normal attire and leave the casino via a designated alleyway.

Valeri obediently changed clothes and departed.

Kui Xin watched through a security camera as Valeri left the casino under the respectful gaze of its members, monitored his location via the tracker.

After fifteen minutes, Valeri arrived at Kui Xin’s chosen hiding spot.

With a snap of her fingers, the Spatial Vortex opened, pulling Valeri in before she placed him back in the casino.

She commanded, “Change into Yefim’s clothes.”

Once dressed, Kui Xin adjusted the remaining beard stubble to match Yefim’s length, making them truly identical.

Satisfied, she slipped the Red Gem ring from the severed hand onto Valeri’s finger.

“Bring the assistant in,” Kui Xin directed.

Valeri pressed a button on the armrest, and the assistant entered, visibly taken aback but silenced by Kui Xin’s command to remain quiet.

“See to the boss’ wounds and clean up the blood,” Kui Xin instructed.

The assistant hurriedly complied with her directives.

For Valeri, Kui Xin ordered, “Sit in the chair behind the central desk, adopt the airs of someone important.”

Valeri straightened his tie and walked to the grand desk, the exquisite red gem ring adding an air of authority.

“Now that everyone sees Valeri has left, no one will suspect he’s replaced Yefim,” Kui Xin smiled, surveying the lavish room. “This place is mine now.”

One last task remained—extracting Yefim’s memories.