Chapter 46: You're Too Ugly
Inside a six-story building diagonally across from the Flower Tree Restaurant, behind a glass window, the curtain was nearly drawn tight, leaving only a narrow gap.
Behind the curtain, a sniper cannon over three meters long was set up, supported by a metal stand below.
Su Xiao pulled back the bolt of the Duke of Annihilation, loading a lightning-type bullet. He glanced at the timer beside him—47 minutes remained until the banquet began.
The room Su Xiao was in belonged to a luxury hotel. This was the best sniping point he could find. Due to the close distance, using thermal imaging equipment, he could lock onto anyone inside the Flower Tree Restaurant.
Approaching the window, Su Xiao looked toward the diagonally opposite Flower Tree Restaurant.
The Flower Tree Restaurant was nothing short of magnificent. It was a domed building, with a red carpet laid out in front of the entrance. Young men and women in formal attire stood on either side of the carpet, and at the outermost perimeter were security personnel. All of them were armed, each with sharp eyes—clearly soldiers who had come from the battlefield.
A slightly overweight middle-aged man, dressed in not-too-lavish clothing, stood among the doormen. He was Hennesson, one of the two main figures of tonight's banquet.
Hennesson was courteous to every guest. When minor officials or merchants saw him personally standing at the entrance to welcome them, each appeared flattered, yet they all knew Hennesson was waiting for someone.
A carriage drove away from the restaurant entrance, and behind it, a dark green jeep slowly pulled forward. Seeing this jeep, Hennesson's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward.
"Hahaha, Dubo, you're late."
Hennesson laughed as he approached the car door. A middle-aged man with a small goatee, wearing a gray military uniform, stepped out. His hair was slightly graying, and several medals adorned his chest.
"Duty calls, don't take offense."
The man with the goatee who got out of the car was Dubo Yisi. He embraced Hennesson warmly.
"Hahaha."
Hennesson seemed to enjoy laughing heartily. The two exchanged a few words in low voices, then both broke into smiles.
Just then, another figure emerged from the jeep. This figure was holding a bottle of beer, let out a burp, and followed behind Dubo Yisi.
It was Buck. He was still in the same attire—a red short-sleeved shirt and shoes that looked like they hadn't been polished in ages. Judging by his build, he seemed a bit bulkier, which was due to the bandages wrapped under his clothes.
"He's here."
Buck lit a cheap cigar, took a deep drag, and his eyes appeared vacant, but in truth, his gaze was scanning the surroundings. If an enemy in the shadows made eye contact with him, he would immediately notice.
Dubo Yisi, who was talking with Hennesson, narrowed his eyes.
"This is..."
Hennesson, a shrewd man, immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Minor issue."
Dubo Yisi patted Hennesson on the shoulder and, from an angle unseen by others, gave Buck a signal.
"How did you sense it?"
A woman dressed in the military uniform of the Sun Kingdom got out of the car. She had a voluptuous figure, but unfortunately, her face was covered in scars that ruined what was once a beautiful appearance.
"Instinct. That guy won't give up."
Buck smiled, revealing steel teeth, which looked quite unsettling. The surrounding guests instinctively stepped back two paces.
"Instinct? Nonsense. Buck, are you hoping that ghost shows up?"
The scar-faced woman's expression turned displeased.
"Heh."
Buck said nothing, simply following Dubo Yisi into the restaurant.
"Tch."
The scar-faced woman stomped her high-heeled foot on the ground, causing fine cracks to appear in the marble floor.
Inside the diagonally opposite hotel.
Su Xiao adjusted the surveillance camera's angle. He wasn't observing the restaurant directly through the window but through monitoring equipment. If he used his naked eyes and accidentally made eye contact with Buck, he would be exposed immediately.
"Bubu, the Little Assistant is about to arrive. Get ready to rendezvous with her."
Su Xiao pressed the wireless earpiece in his ear. At that moment, in the back kitchen of the Flower Tree Restaurant, Bubu Wang picked up a freshly baked dessert, gulped it down in one big bite, licked the plate clean, and then placed the plate back on the kitchen counter.
Bubu Wang weaved through the crowd and quickly ran toward the front hall.
A carriage stopped in front of the restaurant entrance. The coachman opened the door and set down the footrest. A leg, pale and perfectly toned without an ounce of excess fat, emerged from the carriage.
The Little Assistant took a deep breath. The "restraint device" on her chest was somewhat affecting her breathing. This device had forcibly squeezed her pair of C-cups into D-cups.
The sound of chatter reached the Little Assistant's ears. She looked around and saw at least several dozen people at the restaurant entrance, with over thirty doormen alone.
"This seems... different from my aunt's banquets."
The night breeze blew, and the Little Assistant felt more alert. She stepped gracefully onto the red carpet.
"Miss, please submit to an inspection."
A male attendant blocked the Little Assistant, and immediately, a female attendant stepped forward. Naturally, the one inspecting the Little Assistant was a young woman.
"Why don't they need to be inspected?"
The Little Assistant pouted, her expression showing displeasure.
"Apologies."
The male attendant maintained a smile without explaining further.
Bubu Wang was crouching by the inner door of the restaurant. Dubo Yisi, Buck, and the others happened to walk right past him.
Bubu Wang raised a dog paw toward the Little Assistant, a gesture resembling a thumbs-up, as if to say, "Nice acting."
The Little Assistant, who appeared "displeased" but "dared not cause trouble," underwent the inspection. Under the guidance of a female attendant, she walked into the restaurant.
As the Little Assistant brushed past Bubu Wang, he kicked her lightly and handed her a small iron can. The Little Assistant hooked her toe, and in an instant, the small can was wedged under the hem of her skirt on the side.
The Little Assistant's expression remained unchanged. Bubu Wang entered the first-floor banquet hall first and began installing surveillance equipment—openly and brazenly.
Ten minutes later, Bubu Wang had installed 17 micro-cameras in the banquet hall, providing near-complete surveillance coverage of the hall's interior.
Su Xiao quickly received the signal. He took out four tablet computers, remotely controlled the micro-cameras, and had a full view of the banquet hall. After that, it was simple—just wait.
The banquet started promptly at 8 o'clock. Waiters moved through the hall, carrying drinks and fruit beverages. The tables were laden with all kinds of exquisite food, ready for the guests to enjoy, giving it the feel of a luxurious buffet.
There were several hundred guests in the banquet hall, most of them dignitaries. They showed little interest in the expensive drinks and fine food, instead gathering in small groups to chat.
The Little Assistant, standing among the crowd, looked a bit lost. She sniffed the air, and the aroma of food wafted into her nose. Clearly, having a meal first was more practical. Doing so would better fit her identity—a young lady from a fallen family, whose diet was likely not great.
Gazing at the dazzling array of food, the Little Assistant swallowed.
"Eat. Pretend to eat elegantly."
Su Xiao's voice came through her earpiece. With permission granted, the Little Assistant broke into a smile.
The Little Assistant picked up a plate. Just as she was about to dig in, Su Xiao's voice came again.
"That's decoration. Eat from the food on the neighboring table."
The Little Assistant's hand paused. She had been wondering why there were flowers stuck in the cake.
"Miss, may I invite you for a dance?"
A male voice came from beside the Little Assistant.
"No."
The Little Assistant didn't know how to dance at all. She'd be better off killing someone.
"Eh~"
Rejected so bluntly, the young man behind the Little Assistant was taken aback. But her graceful figure made him reluctant to give up.
"Refusing someone always requires a reason. May I ask the reason for your refusal?"
The young man's eyes held a hint of amusement. He found the Little Assistant quite interesting.
"You're too ugly... Mmph~"
Before the Little Assistant could finish saying "You're too ugly," Bubu Wang kicked her.
"What?"
The young man was dumbfounded. He vaguely heard something about "ugly."