Chapter 195

Is this the gathering point of the rebels? Carrying a tin bucket filled with orange-red palm oil, I blended in with the other rebel members responsible for procurement and entered an old warehouse on Patriotic Street in batches.

What appeared before Leon’s eyes was not a dusty, dim warehouse full of various sundries, but a lush valley dotted with numerous low-rise buildings. Many people were bustling about on the artificially excavated dirt paths, busily preparing something.

Realizing something was off, he immediately took a deep breath, then pretended to be tired from carrying the oil drum and switched it to the other shoulder, taking the opportunity to glance around at the surroundings.

The other directions all seemed normal, with nothing that could help identify the location. However, to the northwest of the valley, he could vaguely see a towering “7”-shaped giant tower.

That steel-frame giant tower, built by the Crocodile Kingdom, was used for boarding rigid airships, and the short horizontal stroke of the “7” was the platform where passengers boarded and disembarked from the airships. It was one of the landmark buildings of the Capital City.

…

If the boarding tower is to the northwest… Then this is a valley southeast of the Capital City? After confirming his current position by spotting the boarding tower with his outstanding vision, Leon couldn’t help but take a sharp intake of breath.

Judging by the size of the boarding tower, this valley must be around fifteen or sixteen kilometers away from the Capital City. How did he just walk through a door and end up over ten kilometers away? No wonder, no wonder the Secret Investigation Bureau almost turned the Capital City upside down and still couldn’t find the rebels’ gathering place—this location isn’t even in the Capital City; it would be strange if they had found it!

Truly… This space-shifting anomalous item’s ability is really quite absurd!

After carefully memorizing his discovery, Leon switched the oil drum from his left shoulder to his right. He suddenly felt a bit dizzy, his steps faltering as he stumbled back half a step. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed the doorframe of the warehouse, then couldn’t help but support himself on the doorknob to steady himself.

“Materialism” didn’t react.

Unfortunately, it seems that although this door has the ability to cross space, the warehouse door itself isn’t an anomalous item. It might just be some kind of carrier, or perhaps the “anomaly” isn’t attached to the doorframe and handle but rather somewhere else…

“Xiaoba Jin?”

Unaware of Leon’s deliberate actions, the fat uncle behind him quickly reached out to steady the oil drum, looking somewhat worried as he advised: “If you’re not feeling well, just put the oil drum down and go home to rest. I’ll make another trip later.”

“No need.”

After hearing the fat uncle’s words, Leon, who didn’t even know where “his” home was, hastily shook his head to refuse his kindness, then re-stabilized his footing. With veins popping and sweat streaming down his face, he continued to carry the oil drum, following the person ahead toward the warehouse.

This kid… Sigh! Just like his father back then, he’s stubborn enough that nine oxen couldn’t pull him back…

Looking at Xiaoba Jin’s sweat-soaked clothes and strained back, the fat uncle, who was also carrying a large package, couldn’t help but sigh. He quickened his pace to follow, ready to lend a hand when Xiaoba Jin couldn’t hold on anymore, so as not to break the oil drum or injure Xiaoba Jin.

However, strangely enough, Xiaoba Jin, who had just looked like he was about to collapse, swayed unsteadily for quite a while. Although it seemed like he was about to fall any moment, he managed to persevere and successfully carried the oil drum into the warehouse.

“Huh?!?”

After taking the oil drum from Xiaoba Jin’s hands, the person in charge of accounting almost tripped and nearly fell flat on their face under the weight of the drum.

Staggering a few steps and using their belly to stabilize themselves, they finally managed to lift the oil drum. Looking up, they asked Xiaoba Jin in surprise:

“What’s going on? Why is this drum so full? Usually, it’s only half full, right?”

“…”

Ah? The big drums of palm oil are only filled halfway?

After hearing the accountant’s question, Leon, who had knocked out the real Xiaoba Jin during the oil filling process and taken his identity, couldn’t help but feel a little awkward. He now understood why the oil shop owner had looked so hesitant.

With fewer family members and having only used small jars in the past, he hadn’t bought such a large drum of oil before. After knocking out the real Xiaoba Jin, he assumed the oil drum was completely filled and carried it out.

And the oil shop owner, seeing his “attack” on the real Xiaoba Jin and being required by Amy to cooperate with his actions, didn’t dare to speak up, allowing him to leave with the full drum of oil…

“I’m not sure.”

Wiping the hard-squeezed sweat from his head, the rather handsome but cold-looking “Xiaoba Jin” moved his shoulders while maintaining a blank expression: “The oil shop owner gave me this much. I asked him, but he said it wasn’t wrong, so I just carried it back.”

“Is that so?”

Seemingly unsurprised by Xiaoba Jin’s coldness, after pondering for a moment, the accountant confidently declared: “It might be because this batch of oil was almost sold out, and the truck is leaving soon. He urgently needed to empty the large drum to go to the oil station with the truck to get more oil to sell, so he just poured all the remaining oil into your drum.

Not bad, haha, Xiaoba Jin, you had pretty good luck today and saved us a small bargain.”

“Maybe.”

After responding indifferently, the naturally aloof “Xiaoba Jin” directly turned around and left the warehouse, heading back the way he came. The accountant didn’t get upset with his impolite behavior but instead smiled and called the next person.

Truly… Fortunately, I chose this rather aloof and expressionless face…

After glancing back at the accountant’s expression and confirming there was no abnormality, Leon let out a sigh of relief and congratulated himself on his choice.

Amy provided a list of suspected rebel procurers, numbering around twenty people. The reason he chose Xiaoba Jin was because of his aloof personality and lack of speech, making him seem less sociable.

Although such a person isn’t very covert, due to limited communication and expressions, it’s least likely to expose oneself when information is insufficient. If it had been someone more cheerful and talkative, he wouldn’t have been able to act so “normally.”

Good luck!

After observing the surrounding situation, Leon immediately locked his target on the building at the center of the valley.

Since he had successfully infiltrated, the next step was to complete the mission—prioritize finding the suspected grandfather-grandson pair with memory abilities and figure out how to erase the princess’s…

“Xiaoba Jin!”

Just as Leon was about to begin his investigation, the chubby uncle who had helped him earlier rushed out of the warehouse.

Calling out to the “stubborn” Xiaoba Jin, the bearded uncle couldn’t help but complain:

“Why didn’t you ask me for help when the drum was filled so full? You just brought it back alone! Breaking the drum is a minor issue, but what if you hurt your waist?”

“…”

I knew it, good luck is definitely a misconception! Facing the familiar acquaintance who approached him, Leon, lacking sufficient information, couldn’t help but feel a headache and struggled to maintain Xiaoba Jin’s aloof persona, responding coldly: “I tried carrying it and thought it was manageable, so I just brought it back myself.”

“Nonsense!”

Seeing him still trying to be strong, the uncle became somewhat angry, frowning and scolding: “I just tried lifting it and almost pulled my waist. How could your body endure carrying such a huge drum of oil for so long?

Besides, when we passed the door earlier, you almost fell. I saw everything from behind! Why are you pretending to be so capable?”

“…”

Truly… If I had known this would happen, I should have endured a little longer and not touched the doorframe and handle directly.

“You child, why are you so stubborn?”

Seeing Xiaoba Jin lower his head in silence, still “stubbornly” refusing to say anything, the uncle sighed and earnestly advised:

“I know you’re suffering inside and want to do things to numb yourself, but take care of your body and don’t overexert yourself. You might not notice it when you’re young, but when you’re older…”

Both concerned about the investigation situation and worried that talking too long might expose him, Leon directly raised his head and glared at him, rudely rejecting:

“I know my own body! Don’t nag at me.”

“…”

“You… What’s wrong with you?”

Startled by the sudden outburst from “Xiaoba Jin,” the uncle hesitated for a moment and then suspiciously questioned:

“Xiaoba Jin? You’re… a bit strange today. In the past, you’ve never talked to me like this…”

“…”

Ah Zhe… Even though the appearance is identical, for those who know him well, there are still differences, and I’ve already been discovered, haven’t I?

As Leon’s eyes flickered slightly, beginning to consider how to cover up, the uncle drew his own conclusion and replied with a somewhat irritated look on his kind face: “Was it Old Ba Jin? Did he hit you again these past two days? Did he steal your money to buy alcohol again?”

“…”

Without mistaking Leon’s silence for consent, the uncle’s round face quickly turned red. Grabbing his wrist, he rolled up the sleeve and indeed found several long bruises on the elbow.

“Damn! That bastard! He’ll die sooner or later from drinking that horse piss!”

After angrily cursing a few times, the uncle dragged “the victim of domestic violence” Leon and walked briskly back the way they came, angrily saying as they went: “We can’t keep indulging him! You come with me to confront him! I will definitely help you get your money back!”

“…”

Ah Zhe… I barely managed to infiltrate, and now I have to go back without doing anything?

After merely improvising a little, he was immediately found out. Leon dared not act recklessly and could only allow the uncle to drag him along, constantly looking back as they moved further away from the suspicious building at the center of the valley…

“Bang!”

Just as Leon reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged to the entrance and was about to cross the space-traveling odd door to leave the valley where the rebels gathered, the old iron warehouse door suddenly twisted twice and emitted a loud noise, transforming into a carved wooden door adorned with bird patterns.

With the creak of the hinges, the wooden door was pushed open from the outside, and a middle-aged man with a relatively youthful appearance but many white hairs at the temples walked in.

“Are you going out?”

After entering from outside and seeing Leon and the uncle inside the door, the middle-aged man kindly smiled and asked:

“Wait a moment, I’ll change the destination back soon.”

“Oh, we’re not in a hurry!”

Upon seeing the middle-aged man, the uncle instinctively straightened his posture and respectfully bowed his head:

“Leader大人, you look a bit exhausted recently. Please take care of your health.”

“Hehe, I will.”

Leader?! Hearing this, Leon’s pupils contracted. While imitating the uncle’s manner and respectfully bowing his head, he repeatedly memorized the middle-aged man’s appearance in his mind.

The leader of the rebels that the Secret Investigation Bureau worked so hard for years to find was standing just two meters in front of him! This face must be firmly remembered… Hmm… For some reason, his features seemed slightly familiar…

“Alright!”

Unaware that one of the two people in front of him was a cleaner from the Clearing Bureau, after closing the door again, the middle-aged man touched the plaque on the wooden doorframe. The luxurious wooden door twisted and transformed back into the old iron warehouse door.

“Go out, the destination has been changed back.”

“Thank you, Leader大人!”

“Hehe, you’re welcome.”

Leon, who had observed the entire operation of the middle-aged man, was lost in thought staring at the plaque on the doorframe, while the middle-aged man, who inadvertently revealed his secret, smiled and asked:

“By the way, Owen, you and Xiaoba Jin are both sweating. Did you just return from procurement? Why are you going back without resting?”

“We…”

Uncle Owen hesitated for a moment and then sighed, explaining: “Nathan大人, Xiaoba Jin was beaten yesterday, and his money was stolen. I’m worried that Old Ba Jin will squander that money, so I want to take him back to retrieve it.”

“Ah… I see…”

Hearing Uncle Owen’s words, the middle-aged man recalled an incident in the morning and glanced at the bruises on Xiaoba Jin’s elbow. His smile faded.

“You probably won’t have time to find him.”

Shaking his head slightly, the middle-aged man looked at Xiaoba Jin, his expression tinged with apology:

“This morning, while I was meeting friends on Patriotic Street, I actually saw your father across the street. He drunkenly staggered out of the tavern last night, probably spending your money drinking all night.

But before I could intervene, he urinated against the memorial wall of the Patriotic War in public. He was spotted by patrolling guards, kicked a few times, and arrested. Your money is probably unrecoverable.”

“It doesn’t matter, anyway, I’ve already gotten used to being beaten and having my money stolen.”

Suppressing his inner excitement, Leon, preparing to infiltrate the upper echelons of the rebels using the “anomalous item” through forced etiquette, maintained the apathetic demeanor of a heartbroken youth while asking with a hint of longing in his eyes:

“Leader大人, what should I do to possess miraculous powers like yours?”

“…”

Unable to fight against his alcoholic father, desiring power? Such immature and superficial wishes could never give rise to true anomalies.

Looking at the “Xiaoba Jin” in front of him, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but shake his head internally.

He had conducted some investigations on this rather solitary teenager and believed he didn’t have the conditions to become an “anomaly.” He hadn’t even placed him on the observation list given to the Aquarius Director.

But…

Looking at the overlapping stick injuries on Leon’s thin arms and recalling the iron commemorative medal that Old Ba Jin angrily spat onto the wall with phlegm in the morning, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but pause for a moment, then deeply sighed, extending his hand toward the “Xiaoba Jin” in front of him.

“Give me a strand of your hair, let me check for you.”

(The chapter ends here)