A Case of Mistaken Identity
The rain kept falling, and the atmosphere wasn't exactly harmonious.
After parking the car, Sing Sing got out and went around to the passenger side to open the door for Silver Fox.
He even made a rather impolite gesture of invitation with his hand.
"Please, battle-damaged Ada Wong, welcome to Seattle's best value five-star alternative hotel."
Silver Fox stepped out of the car, arms crossed. His blood-stained ripped jeans and cold, unapproachable face made him look like he'd just escaped from a Resident Evil movie set.
"Don't say too much when you come in," Sing Sing whispered, leaning closer. "This landlady is like a firecracker, she'll explode at the slightest provocation."
Silver Fox glanced at him sideways, "Are you afraid of her?"
"What a joke! Me, a grown man, afraid of her? I'm afraid of my fifty-dollar deposit!"
The small light at the front desk was still on. An older woman with curly hair was sitting behind the counter knitting a sweater. She looked up when she heard the door open.
Their gazes first fell on Silver Fox's ripped jeans, the bloodstains half-dry, before finally settling on Sing Sing.
"Did your friend get hit by a car, or did he go to work the night shift at the slaughterhouse?"
"The film crew is shooting a movie." Sing Sing said without changing his expression. "The blood is all props. You have a good eye, ma'am."
"Let me make this clear from the start: if there's blood on the sheets and blankets, you won't get your fifty-dollar deposit back, and I'll have to call the police to investigate your background."
Report! Report anything you want!
Sing Sing looked at the shop owner with utmost righteousness. "I, Zhou Dafu, have been in the used car business in Vancouver for eight years. I'm a legitimate businessman. The police station has my... parking receipts!"
"Hmph, do you think I've never seen anything like this? Last week, a couple got into a fight in their room, lost their deposit, and even had to pay three hundred in compensation!"
"Don't worry, big sister!"
Sing Sing patted his chest and guaranteed, "We cultured people only use our hands, not the sheets!"
After saying that, Old Zhou casually grabbed two packets of instant coffee from the small basket on the counter and put them in his inner pocket.
"That's for the guests..."
"I'm a VIP customer! Sister, be generous! Two packets of coffee only cost a few dollars. How can you grow your business and achieve great success if you're so narrow-minded?"
The woman, choking back tears, waved her hand dismissively, like shooing away flies, "Get out of here! Go upstairs! If I see you stealing anything again, I'll take all your deposit!"
Alright!
Sing Sing grabbed Silver Fox and started to leave, but after taking two steps, he turned back.
"Excuse me, ma'am, where's the coffee creamer? Also, what's the password for our free Wi-Fi?"
"Roll!!"
"Okay."
It looks like Nestlé.
The guest room was at the end of the corridor on the third floor, with the window facing the garbage cans in the back alley.
Silver Fox's professional instincts kicked in as soon as he entered the room. He pressed himself against the wall, listened to all the sounds, checked the window locks, and peered under the bed from the floor.
He even tiptoed to take apart the smoke detector for a quick look; he's clearly an expert.
Sing Sing threw his coffee on the table and plopped down on the edge of the bed.
"Go ahead and investigate. If there really were listening devices in this run-down place, the CIA would have far too much funding. They'd have so much money they wouldn't know what to do with it to be monitoring a cheap, fifty-dollar hotel."
Silver Fox ignored him, picked a curly hair from the pillowcase, and flicked it into the trash can with disgust.
You live in a place like this?
"A 20% discount!" Sing Sing slumped onto the bed. "Where else in all of Seattle can you find such a great price for three nights?"
Silver Fox didn't bother to reply, wiping the dust off the windowsill with his fingers.
Just then, Sing Sing's previously slouching shoulders tensed up.
It doesn't suit my taste.
Besides the damp smell of the cheap carpet, there was also a faint, lingering vibration of organic matter in the room—living, warm, right there in the room.
He remained expressionless, got up to reach for the water glass on the table, and muttered to himself:
"Big brother... no, sister, have some water to calm your nerves. The tap water here has a strange, natural chlorine smell. Why don't you try some..."
Before he could finish speaking, he flicked his right hand in the opposite direction.
The Pig Butchering Knife at his waist flew out of his hand, grazing the Silver Fox's ear before striking the wall behind the bed.
With a soft thud, the Blade sank into the wall.
The next second, the unremarkable wall surface began to ripple like water, and a muffled groan of trembling flesh emerged from within.
Silver Fox drew his twin swords with a backhand motion and held them horizontally in front of his chest, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.
There are still people!
There was a third person hiding in this house from beginning to end, and even this top assassin hadn't noticed a thing after searching for so long!
What kind of monster is this used car dealer?
"Come out," Sing Sing beckoned with his finger, "Or... should I go in and invite you?"
The wall surged even more violently; first an arm appeared, then half a shoulder.
The last chubby guy fell to the ground with a thud.
"I surrender! I surrender! Spare my life!"
Sing Sing raised his hand, Pig Butchering Knife flew off the wall and landed in his palm, the tip of the knife pressed against the burly man's chin.
"Wall-penetrating technique? What security company teaches that? Kellman Industries?"
"No, no! I'm Mutants! Born that way!"
The burly man held his head Lao Gao, as if afraid the knife tip would move even an inch upwards. "My name is Mondo! I can change my physical state!"
Mondo?
No wonder you can go wherever you want...
Sing Sing narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp. "So how did you get here? Don't tell me you took a taxi."
Mondo swallowed nervously, fearing that the guy in front of him would stab him.
I'm asking you one last time.
Sing Sing crouched down to his eye level. "Who sent you? And what's your purpose? If you mispronounce a single word... I'll make you blend back into this wall."
I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!
Mondo glanced at Silver Fox out of the corner of his eye, then quickly looked away.
That glance made the Silver Fox fuzz off. "What are you looking at me for? Speak your mind!"
"It's Colossus! Colossus sent me!"
Sing Sing's eyes lit up instantly. "Colossus? That big guy from the X-Men who's all shiny and looks like a tin can?"
"Yes, yes! That's him!"
The next second, Mondo felt a tightening on his arm and was lifted off the ground.
"Oh dear! It's an ally, brother! We almost got a proper burial! You should have said so sooner!"
With the Pig Butchering Knife's knife sheathed, Sing Sing's face was full of smiles as he helped Mondo to the only chair in the room.
"Sit down, sit down, the ground is cold! Look how scared the child is, his forehead is covered in sweat!"
Mondo looked completely bewildered: (O_O)?
Silver Fox stared in disbelief.
What the heck?
Just three seconds ago he was acting like a ruthless devil, ready to slice people into sashimi and feed them to the dogs. His change of heart is faster than flipping through a book?
Are all China people this schizophrenic?
"Um... don't be shy, I can do it myself..." Mondo his butt, feeling helpless.
"Don't mention it!" Sing Sing turned his head, "Open those two packets of instant coffee for me, make me a cup to calm my nerves!"
Silver Fox, holding his twin swords, stood motionless. "You know this Colossus?"
We've known each other for a long time!
Sing Sing said with a grin, "Their principal and I are old acquaintances. He even asked me to do him a favor a while ago!"
After speaking, Director Zhou looked at Mondo and greeted him warmly:
"Brother, where's Colossus? How did he know I was here?"
Mondo can go wherever he wants.