**Chapter 499: Am I the One Who's Off? No, You Guys Are the Ones Who Are Off!**
Just had to say "harasho"!
Once the key falls into Qian Benying's hands, it's basically a meat bun thrown at a dog—gone forever!
As for the space system's behavior, going head-to-head with Ivan and his two men might not be something to fear, but trying to snatch the key from her hands? That's a pipe dream!
If cooperation could land them a share of the incantation analysis data, then even better. No matter how you look at it, the White Shark doesn't lose out!
What the three of them didn't know was that the person standing before them wasn't Qian Benying at all!
Hell, it wasn't even a woman...
Jiangnan grinned, "Sure, the guy's blind as a bat, but at least he can still see the situation clearly! Wise!"
[From Ivan Shikanov's Resentment +1000!]
Ivan almost ground his steel teeth to dust. How infuriating could this guy be?
You've really taken the "space system can do whatever it wants" thing to the fullest, haven't you?
Thinking I can't handle you, huh?
Jiangnan toyed with a strand of his hair.
"If you want to cooperate, fine! Show some sincerity—let go of Katerina's leverage. She's my person now, so naturally, I have to stand up for her!"
At this moment, Mountain Cat and Katerina's hearts were in their throats!
Coming to the White Shark was all for this purpose!
Ivan let out a cold laugh. "Buying loyalty? Hah. Is that the condition you used to get Katerina to accept you as her boss?"
"Don't think I'll let her go. Betraying the White Shark? If I can't kill her, I'll at least make her miserable!"
Tears streamed down Katerina's face. "Captain! Captain, please! Please save Teacher Linda! I'm begging you!"
Jiangnan picked at his fingernails, completely unconcerned. "Go ahead and kill her then? No cooperation, then."
"Whether she lives or dies doesn't matter anyway. I've got the key."
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire room fell into dead silence.
Everyone from Mountain Cat's group held their breath. Jiangnan was gambling!
Gambling on just how badly the White Shark wanted that data.
Ivan's gaze turned icy cold. "I can release the person. But not until after the deal is done and the data is in my hands. Don't think you can get something for nothing from me."
Jiangnan raised an eyebrow. "Fine. Bring the person here so I can see her. I didn't come all this way for nothing."
Ivan turned and gave Sophia a look.
A few minutes later, Sophia dragged a middle-aged woman into the room by her hair, hauling her across the floor.
The woman was covered in bruises, painfully skinny, with dried bloodstains on her face.
The moment she entered the room, she crawled frantically to Ivan's feet, grabbing his leg, her eyes bloodshot.
"Please! Give me the drug! I'm begging you! I can't take it anymore! I'm really at my limit! Please! I..."
A twisted smile curled at the corner of Ivan's mouth. He kicked Linda seven or eight meters away, sending her crashing into the coffee table, her forehead covered in blood.
"Get lost! Disgusting filth!"
But Linda crawled back again, her face full of desperation. "Give me the drug! I'm in pain! Ugh!!!"
Katerina's eyes were blood-red, her hatred overwhelming. She charged forward without a care, screaming hysterically.
"Ivan! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
She barely got a few steps before Mountain Cat grabbed her firmly around the waist.
Ivan sneered. "Keep your dog on a leash. Don't let her bark."
Jiangnan simply stared at Ivan, a smile still on his face.
"Not bad. Very nice."
Ivan said smugly, "You've seen it. I gave her a little something to keep her hooked. So don't even think about stealing her away."
"Oh, and those kids of hers? They're being watched at the headquarters too. If you're trying to buy loyalty, I'd advise you not to pull any tricks."
Jiangnan stood up, his smile growing even brighter.
"Pleasure doing business. Oh, by the way, let's keep our cooperation a secret from the outside. After all, the last card you turn over is the real trump card."
Ivan squinted, still smiling. "Whatever you say."
With a single teleport, Jiangnan vanished along with Mountain Cat and the others.
Sophia looked worried. "What now? Are we really going to cooperate?"
Ivan snorted coldly. "What else? We've got nothing in our hands. We'll talk after we get what we want."
---
In a small alley, Jiangnan and his four companions appeared abruptly.
Katerina was nearly breaking down. Seeing Teacher Linda tortured like that was unbearable.
Mountain Cat frowned. "What do we do? Are we really going to cooperate with the White Shark? Based on their attitude, they won't release the person until the data is in hand."
Jiangnan sneered. "I never expected them to release her. I just wanted to know how many people the White Shark branch is holding. So far, just Linda."
Skinny Monkey gasped. "You're going to try to steal her? Even with your space abilities, you'd have zero chance!"
Jiangnan shook his head. "If I go in to steal, I probably won't make it back. But just because I can't doesn't mean no one else can."
"I'm going to take down the entire White Shark branch!"
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone drew a sharp breath.
Geez!
Take them down?
With what exactly are you gonna fight the White Shark?
Iron Bull was stunned. "Nan Shen, did you take some throat lozenges or something? That's a big mouthful!"
Skinny Monkey added, "I get it! You must have brought a nuke with you, right?"
Jiangnan rolled his eyes. "I don't have a damn nuke! The slick guy's got a trick up his sleeve."
With that, he cupped Katerina's face. "Don't cry, okay? Forty-eight hours. I promise I'll get her out."
Katerina wiped her tears and nodded firmly.
Jiangnan grinned. "Let's go! Next stop!"
The others were stunned. Where to now?
---
At the Aeir Hotel Presidential Suite in the West District.
The Magician was idly solving a Rubik's Cube, bored out of his mind. Andrei was boiling a pot of water. Victoria had her earphones in, listening to music.
On the sofa sat two twin girls in hooded sweatshirts.
They had bob haircuts—one with pink hair, one with blue hair—both at the Platinum level.
The Light Society had only sent five people in total.
"Magician-gege! Go snatch the key already! We've been cooped up in this room for half a month!"
"Yeah, yeah! Otherwise, the Lord of the Divine will say you're slacking off again!"
The Magician said calmly, "Once I get my hands on the incantation analysis data, the key will come to me naturally."
Victoria raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That confident?"
The Magician replied, "Piers is old and can't fight anymore. Qian Benying is too green compared to me. Who else is there? No one can beat me to it."
Fenbo scratched her head. "What about Jiangnan?"
Lanbo nodded. "Yeah, yeah! What about Jiangnan?"
The moment "Jiangnan" was mentioned,—
Andrei: (٥▀ʖ̯▀)
Magician: (▀Ĺ̯▀‶)
Victoria: (๐▀‸▀๐)
All three of them froze mid-motion. The Magician crushed the Rubik's Cube, Andrei dropped his cup, and Victoria exploded her phone.
Fenbo and Lanbo exchanged a glance, confused. What's wrong with them?
"Impossible... He's in China. There's no way he'd come here to fight over some incantation analysis data."
"Right. A conflict of this level is still too big for a little nobody like him to get involved in."
"China would never let him come."
The three of them said in unison.
Fenbo asked, "But what if Jiangnan really comes?"
Lanbo echoed, "Yeah, yeah! What if he does?"
The Magician swallowed, let out a cold laugh, and said, "If he dares to come? I'll beat him into the ground. Teach him a lesson in no time."
Andrei narrowed his eyes. "I'll beat the crap out of him."
Victoria gritted her teeth. "I'll stuff him in a sack and beat him until he cries."
At this moment, Fenbo and Lanbo's faces were full of admiration. As expected, going on missions with senior organization members felt so reassuring!
They felt so safe!
Right then, the Magician suddenly stood up, full of caution.
Jiangnan's group of five appeared abruptly in the living room, all wearing bright smiles, waving.
"O-hayou!"
Seeing the three in the room, Jiangnan's eyes lit up.
Nice~ All old acquaintances!
Old acquaintances make things easier. Hmm, the two girls on the sofa are pretty cute too. I'll get to know them in a bit.
The Magician squinted. "Qian Benying? What are you doing here? Showing off your teleport in front of me? You picked the wrong person."
"I don't mind if there's one less space-type in the world."
Jiangnan laughed. "Don't start with the 'kill or be killed' stuff the moment we meet. I'm here to do business with you."
Andrei and the others walked over, looking hostile.
The Magician stared at Jiangnan. "Hah, doing business with me?"
"Hold on... Something's off about you. Why is your aura only at Gold Three?"
He wore a suspicious expression. Jiangnan's expression froze for a moment, then he pulled a pair of Passionate Little Gloves out of his skirt and slipped them on.
His smile grew even brighter. "Oh? Are you sure I'm the one who's off?"
Right now, Mountain Cat and the others could barely hold it together. Cold sweat was pouring down their faces.
Not good! Really not good!
The Magician frowned. "Hiding your aura? I'm at Star Glory level. Even if you were hiding it, I should be able to tell."
"Gold Three? Hmm... I remember Jiangnan once turned into Haier's appearance back at Yulong Town..."
"Hiss. Could it be..."
Jiangnan's eyes went wide. "Lightning! Five consecutive slaps!"
In an instant, Jiangnan's hands moved like lightning, swift as a storm! Space Wormhole after Space Wormhole opened!
"Slap! Slap!"
"Slap! Slap!"
"Slap!"
Five sharp sounds merged into almost a single noise!
The Magician and his four companions were caught off guard. They didn't even have time to dodge!
A chain of heavy slaps sent their heads spinning sideways.
The entire room fell into deathly silence.
Mountain Cat: ∑(꒪ﾛ꒪|||)
Katerina: Σ(ºΔº๑)
Skinny Monkey and Iron Bull: ━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━
What the...
Jiangnan patted his hands clean.
╭☞՞ٹ՞)╭☞
"You guys are the ones who are off!"
---
**Author's Note:**