Catching the Mouse

WANTED: Apprehend the wanted criminal Shadow Rat. Peak Tier 1. Ability: Shadow Teleportation. Specializes in theft. Last seen in the underground black market of the Academy City's East District.

Danger Level: D

Reward: High amount of points, Superpower Association contribution points, and ownership of a portion of the confiscated items.

It was a very rare wanted-poster type of mission. Probably because the difficulty wasn't high and the target happened to flee near the academy, the mission was thrown out for the students to practice on.

Peak Tier 1—exactly what Chen Guan could handle.

However, going at it alone didn't seem too safe. He needed a helper.

After thinking it over, he sent a message to Long Ao. Bringing along the main character cast would let him harvest some popularity points on the side. Why not?

Chen Guan: Brother Ao, you there?

He mimicked the way the bullet comments called him Brother Ao.

Long Ao: .

A single period. Very much in line with his style.

Chen Guan: I want to take a mission. The target is a Peak Tier 1. You wanna come along, Brother Ao?

Long Ao slowly replied with a "?".

In Long Ao's eyes, given Chen Guan's strength, dealing with a Tier 1 should be as easy as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.

However, he didn't refuse in the end.

Long Ao: Time and place.

Chen Guan: Now. The black market in the East District of Academy City.

System Prompt: Chen Guan has invited you to join the party.

Long Ao clicked accept and quickly skimmed through the general mission details.

Grabbing a short-sleeved shirt at random, Long Ao fixed his hair and walked out of his dorm, running straight into Chen Guan.

"Let's go."

He still had his usual arrogant attitude. However, when Chen Guan couldn't take the elevator due to the weight overload, his face twitched slightly.

Still, as a red-haired tsundere, Long Ao didn't say anything in the end. He silently followed him down the stairs and headed toward the East District. Only then did the two have a chance to discuss the mission details.

"The East District black market..." Long Ao narrowed his eyes. "That place is a mixed bag. Normal factions haven't infiltrated it deeply. It really is a suitable place for rats to hide."

Huaqing Academy was already massive on its own. Academy City was a walled-off city within a city near the academy, filled with all sorts of people.

The academy had never stepped in to regulate it. The principal of Huaqing believed that Academy City should remain this way—a miniature microcosm of society for the students to adapt to in advance.

Chen Guan nodded. "We need someone who is familiar with that place."

Long Ao didn't seem to care. "I know a second-year whose family runs an underground intelligence business. He's very familiar with the East District. I can contact him and pay some points as a guide fee."

"No time to lose," Chen Guan said. "Shadow Rat is elusive. Delaying might let him get away."

After reaching an agreement, Long Ao contacted the upperclassman. The other party replied quickly, arranging to meet at an old coffee shop on the outskirts of the East District.

An hour later, in the East District.

Unlike the clean and modern academy, the East District of Academy City looked old and crowded. The streets were narrow, the buildings were low, and the air was filled with the stale smell of motor oil. Pedestrians hurried by, many casting wary glances.

The coffee shop was deep inside an inconspicuous alley. The neon sign was missing a few letters, barely making out the words Old Jack's.

Pushing the door open, the inside was dimly lit and smoky. A few sparse customers sat scattered in the corners, conversing in low voices.

A young man wearing a floral shirt and a gold chain, looking like a total delinquent, sat in the innermost booth and waved at them.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with his hair dyed an exaggerated green and several earrings dangling from his ears.

"Young Master Long, long time no see." The young man grinned. "Brought a junior to see the world?"

Long Ao nodded and sat down directly without any pleasantries. "Zhao Qi, we need to find Shadow Rat."

Zhao Qi raised an eyebrow. "Shadow Rat? That slippery rat won't be easy to catch. The association's bounty has been up for half a month now. Some students came, but they all failed. As for his bounty, the strong look down on it, and the weak can't beat him."

Zhao Qi, for instance, was the former. He really didn't care for that meager reward. He was a businessman, and there was no need to break the rules here for a petty profit.

To be honest, Zhao Qi was surprised that Long Ao was actually interested in this mission. With Long Ao's strength, it was like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken. Moreover, this place was dilapidated; if it weren't for the academy's intentional support, it wouldn't even exist.

Looking at Chen Guan, who had been silent the whole time, Zhao Qi had a sudden realization. It seemed this little junior was not simple.

"That's why we came to you." Long Ao didn't explain much, simply placing a points card on the table. "This is the deposit. Find him, and I'll double it."

Zhao Qi checked the amount on the points card, and his smile became more sincere. "Straightforward. Shadow Rat has indeed been active in the East District recently, mainly around Viper Alley. He often takes shady commissions at the Undercurrent Bar and fences his stolen goods there too. But that guy is highly vigilant. He'll bolt at the slightest sign of trouble."

"Undercurrent Bar..." Long Ao memorized the name. "Is there anything we should watch out for?"

"That place is protected by the Black Bone Gang, a bunch of street thugs. But they nominally follow the East District's rules—no casualties, no major trouble. So the association and the academy have always turned a blind eye. You can go in to find someone, but don't start a fight inside. Otherwise, the Black Bone Gang will intervene, and it'll be troublesome."

Zhao Qi rubbed his hands together. "Young Master Long, I have to remind you. Although you have a prominent family background, you should still follow the rules. Otherwise, even if you use your power to suppress people, it'll lead to endless trouble."

Long Ao snorted coldly. "I know my limits. Just take us nearby and point out the location. We'll handle the rest."

"Deal." Zhao Qi pocketed the points card and stood up. "Follow me."

Led by Zhao Qi, they twisted and turned through several increasingly dark and filthy alleys, finally stopping in front of an entrance with stairs leading downwards.

A crooked neon sign hung above the entrance, flashing two blurry red words: Undercurrent. Faint sounds of noisy music and clamor drifted up from underground.

"This is it. I can only take you this far. Going in would be a bit too conspicuous for me."

After all, Zhao Qi was a celebrity around here. Many people recognized his face, so he didn't dare to go any further. He pointed at the entrance. "Good luck. Once you catch the rat, remember to wire the final payment to my account."

With that, he waved his hand and quickly disappeared into the alley, having fulfilled his duty as a guide.

The two continued walking down the stairs.

The steps were damp, and the walls were covered in messy graffiti. The further down they went, the louder the music became, mixed with all sorts of noisy sounds.

Pushing open a heavy, iron-clad wooden door, a noisy wave of heat and murky air mixed with alcohol, sweat, and perfume hit them in the face—it was comparable to a biological weapon.