036 So, there are experts among them.

Cao Chen had been observing the man for an entire morning.

Qi Lin had ordered him to capture Mo Bai and bring him in for a "thorough discussion," which naturally meant he had to be taken alive. Cao Chen knew that Lu Yuan’s death was linked to Mo Bai, but he was unsure of the extent of that connection. Whether Mo Bai was a god-like figure capable of single-handedly taking on five opponents or just a dead weight being carried by four deities, Cao Chen could not act rashly without more information; he had to rely on observation first.

After watching Mo Bai flirt with the waitresses all morning, Cao Chen reached a very firm conclusion: the guy was just a lecherous old pervert.

It is common knowledge these days that one even needs a license to be a professional assassin. Cao Chen had been in the game for five years, but his bloodline had been stuck at the "Embodied" stage, unable to progress, which made him increasingly anxious. He felt like one of those middle-aged men in certain industries facing "optimization" as they neared thirty-five. If he didn't start grinding now, he would be discarded by the market.

It was under this pressure that he approached Qi Lin, a scion of the Month of Breeding. She promised that if he completed this one job, she would use the power of breeding to evolve his physical form, allowing his Embodied stage to reach full completion and ascend to the Star-Union level. From then on, the sky would be the limit. Cao Chen had already decided that after this hit, he would return to his hometown, find a decent job, and retire in glory. Mo Bai would be his final target.

And now, Mo Bai was walking out of the shop. Humming a tune, tossing Maltesers in his hand, he walked with an arrogant, swaggering gait.

Cao Chen narrowed his eyes. He didn't believe his surveillance had been discovered. He checked the time—it was noon, perhaps just a normal lunch break? If so, he wouldn't stand on ceremony.

The assassin, having observed for the whole morning, finally began to move. He agilely rose and leaped across the rooftops like a hawk, his sharp eyes locked firmly onto his prey, Mo Bai, down below. However, he failed to notice that behind him, someone else was staring just as intently, gripping a pitch-black, rod-like object.

Ten minutes later.

"This should be far enough, right?"

Mo Bai had arrived at the isolated building where he had once followed Shen Qiqi. The familiar cat bed was still in the corner, and a plump, overly composed tabby cat was curled up in a cardboard box, its round, bead-like eyes watching Mo Bai with curiosity.

"Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh..." Mo Bai imitated Shen Qiqi, letting out an incredibly bizarre laugh, and lifted the tabby cat up. "You little kitty, you..."

"Cough, cough, forget it. I can't make a sound that perverted. I feel like if I actually said it, a part of my humanity would be denied..."

One simply shouldn't; at the very least, one shouldn't.

Mo Bai’s face flushed, and he set the tabby back down. The cat just flicked its tail, tilted its head, and looked at him in confusion.

"Meow?"

Regarding this cat, Mo Bai had discussed it with Shen Qiqi. When he asked why she didn't take it home, she replied that the tabby was used to the wild and didn't like staying in one place. It was better to let it live here, and she would visit, pet it, and feed it sausages whenever she had time. The cat was very sensible and well-behaved; it neither bit nor scratched, and it was perfectly happy to be held and cuddled. Looking at its size, one could tell how well it lived.

Mo Bai sighed, "Even a cat knows that when you are free and unrestricted, you shouldn't affect others. Yet some people don't even understand that simple truth, trampling on others' lives for the sake of goals and ideals I truly cannot comprehend. It really is incredibly malicious."

Mo Bai waved his hand to let the cat go play, his gaze turning icy as he looked ahead.

"Come out. I know you're there."

According to his sister, the Star-Union level was quite rare; therefore, the guy stalking him was likely at the Initial Source or Embodied stage. It couldn't be any higher. Mo Bai wanted to test the gap between himself and an Embodied-stage fighter without relying on his sister—or, more directly, he wanted to see if he could blow one up.

He felt the snacks he’d swiped from the waitresses in his pocket. Today, he was well-stocked with ammunition.

"Hmph, I didn't expect you to have discovered me from the very start." Cao Chen stepped out from behind a corner, his expression gloomy. "It is my professional failure that I didn't realize you had spotted me."

"Ah, well, I’m so handsome, I’m naturally sensitive to the gaze of people like you," Mo Bai said, watching the two blades spring from Cao Chen’s sleeves, his expression growing serious. "May I ask, what exactly do you want from me?"

Cao Chen stopped. If the target hadn't been paying attention, his bloodline power could have easily manipulated their thoughts. But since Mo Bai had already spotted him, he was clearly on guard, and the power wouldn't be so easy to use. It might even attract the attention of the Oversight Bureau. Besides, he didn't actually need to kill Mo Bai; he just needed to bring him to Qi Lin.

Thinking of this, Cao Chen softened his expression. "You know, I almost forgot."

"I don't intend to kill you. Someone just wants to get to know you better. I’m here to take you to them."

Mo Bai blinked and pointed at Cao Chen’s sleeves. "Then those blades..."

Cao Chen silently retracted the blades. "Ahem. You didn't see anything."

"As a chef, it’s perfectly reasonable to carry two knives with me, right?"

Mo Bai looked on with newfound respect. "Very reasonable."

"So, are you coming with me willingly, or..." Cao Chen’s tone grew heavy, "...must I invite you personally?"

Mo Bai rubbed his chin. "This person who wants to get to know me better—is it a man or a woman? I’m not that kind of man, you know."

Cao Chen was concise. "A woman. Very beautiful."

"Big chest, long legs, good for childbearing."

Mo Bai’s eyes lit up. "There's such a good thing? Come on, take me there! I can't wait to get to know this beautiful lady better."

He walked toward Cao Chen, gripping the Maltesers in his hand. *Laughable,* he thought. *Women, indeed. I’m a man with a sister; how could I be seduced? If Cao Chen hadn't been standing so far away, I would have already blown him to bits.*

"Now, prepare to taste the explosive power of Maltesers, you bastard!"

Cao Chen didn't believe Mo Bai had agreed so easily. He watched Mo Bai’s body closely, ready to finish the fight in an instant should any abnormality occur.

The two moved toward each other—like the wind and the sand—one ready to toss a Malteser bomb, the other gripping the hidden blades in his sleeves. But suddenly, something outside their comprehension occurred.

*Bang.*

It was a very soft gunshot—so soft that one might not even realize it was a gun. But its power was devastating. A pitch-black bullet fired from afar, streaking through the air and aiming for Cao Chen’s heart. But Cao Chen had his own tricks. The moment the eerie, soft sound rang out, he immediately abandoned his approach to Mo Bai, rolling into the building and hiding behind a pillar.

As an assassin, he was highly sensitive to such sounds. The bullet punched through the floorboards, sending sparks flying. *If that had hit me, I’d be bruised black and blue,* he thought.

Mo Bai lowered the hand holding the Maltesers, his mouth agape as he stared at the mysterious man who had suddenly appeared before him, holding a sniper rifle and wearing an Ultraman Taro mask.

Mo Bai: "?"

"There’s an even bigger expert here???"