The evidence was hidden in a supply warehouse in Manhattan.
The warehouse was not only still in use, but seemingly doing pretty good business. With so many people around during the day, it would obviously be inconvenient, so Li Congxin planned to wait until nightfall before making his move and sneaking into the warehouse.
The red sun sank in the west, and the jade rabbit rose in the east.
As time passed, Li Congxin had prepared all the equipment he might need and was ready to set out.
"By the way, you actually have an aunt? How come I've never heard you mention her before?" Hope asked gossipily while watching a popcorn show on TV.
Li Congxin shook his head. "She isn't related to me by blood. We rarely keep in touch, and even I've only seen her a few times. I never expected her to be so generous. She even gave our family an oil painting worth a fortune."
"Not related by blood?" Hope was stunned. "Were you adopted?"
Li Congxin shook his head. "It's related to my grandfather's complicated marital history. I can't go into too much detail."
Seeing that Li Congxin did not want to continue dwelling on the matter, Hope shook her head and turned her attention back to the melodramatic TV show. Li Congxin, meanwhile, closed his eyes and focused his mind, conserving his energy for the operation ahead.
It was still too early. New York's nightlife was quite lively, after all. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Li Congxin planned to wait until late at night before retrieving the evidence, whatever it actually was.
Once an episode ended, time flew by. Before long, it was already eleven at night. The popular TV show had finished airing, but Hope still showed no intention of going back to her room to sleep. She continued watching the TV with her big eyes wide open... advertisements?
"Ding-dong!..."
Just as Hope was getting hooked on the commercials, the doorbell suddenly rang. Li Congxin could not help frowning when he heard it. A guest was actually coming at this hour?
Thinking this, Li Congxin glanced at Hope beside him. His current outfit was not suitable for outsiders to see.
Actually, Hope had already stood up and gone downstairs to open the door without needing Li Congxin to remind her.
"Hello, please don't be nervous. I'm here to see Clark Li. Tell him I'm here. He should still remember me."
After Hope opened the door, a somewhat familiar voice reached her ears.
Li Congxin's eyes flew open. When he went downstairs to take a look, he saw Hope standing there warily, facing Hawkeye, who wore an innocent expression. One stood inside the door and the other outside, and they were locked in a standoff.
"Isn't this the big brother who helped me out so much that day?" Seeing that the other man was still dressed in a way that said he "didn't want to reveal his name," Li Congxin tactfully refrained from exposing his identity. "Come inside. We can talk."
After entering the villa, Li Congxin took Hawkeye directly to the living room on the second floor and invited him to sit.
Before Li Congxin could speak, Hawkeye spoke first. "In fact, you guessed my identity a long time ago, didn't you?"
Li Congxin gave an awkward laugh. "Big brother, what makes you say that?"
Hawkeye said solemnly, "Martha's Gym is packed every day, but there are only a dozen or so VIP members. Even wealthy men willing to pay ten times the price have to queue up to get a VIP membership. Yet you arranged one for me by yourself, and even made it free."
As he spoke, Hawkeye spread his hands and delivered his conclusion. "Other than you having already guessed my identity, I honestly can't think of any other explanation."
"All right, big brother Barton." Li Congxin called him by name, effectively confirming his guess, then asked with some confusion, "Big brother Barton, you must have come here for a reason today, right? Also, since you already know that I've guessed your identity, why are you still wearing this outfit?"
"I called him here to help." As Old Pi spoke, he emerged from another room, followed by a sturdy Oriental man.
The man wore a cyan short-sleeved shirt with a high collar. A vivid five-clawed golden dragon was printed on the back. He had a stylish short haircut that gave him a fresh, clean appearance, while a pair of thick sunglasses covered his nose, making his features difficult to distinguish.
The moment he saw the man, Li Congxin's first thought was...
Had Old Pi actually materialized League of Legends' Blind Monk?
And he even came with the "Descendants of the Dragon" skin!
But when he examined the man's face more closely, he could not help exclaiming, "Big brother Yi Long, why are you dressed like this? And why are you wearing a wig?"
Yi Long smiled calmly. "Of course I'm here to help you."
Another person here to help?
Li Congxin was at least a formidable fighter with a combat power of 1 now. He was only going to sneak into a factory at night. Did he really need anyone else's help?
And just look at the two helpers Old Pi had found.
One Hawkeye, one Winter Soldier, plus Li Congxin...
Anyone who did not know better would think Li Congxin was about to launch an assault on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters!
Seeing Li Congxin's expression, which clearly said this was "completely unnecessary," Old Pi said seriously, "You're still too green. Since you know that the reckless reporter was killed after hiding the item away, didn't you consider that the warehouse itself might be one of the criminals' hideouts?"
"I did consider that." Li Congxin answered as if it were obvious. "But so what? With my current strength, am I supposed to be afraid of a few criminals?"
Old Pi frowned when he heard this and reminded him in a deep voice, "According to my investigation, that warehouse is currently controlled by a mafia kingpin named Frank D'Amico. That crime lord has a large number of desperate men and firearms under his command."
"You might be able to fight your way through them in close combat, or even kill them all. But when it comes to guns, are you just as confident?"
Li Congxin really wanted to say that he was confident.
After all, he was only going there to retrieve something, not wipe out the entire gang.
Besides, gang members were not regular soldiers. There was a fundamental difference between them and a well-trained army. Even with the same guns, they could not bring out their full power.
Li Congxin was confident that even if the other side was fully prepared, he could protect himself without a problem.
However, this was not something he could conveniently say aloud right now, or he would make Hawkeye and Yi Long feel awkward.
Especially Hawkeye.
The man had already come all this way. It would hardly be appropriate to send him back, would it?
Li Congxin nodded, then turned to the two men and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, big brother Barton and big brother Yi Long."
The two men nodded slightly. Hawkeye added, "Remember, call me Hawkeye outside. Fighting crime is my duty!"
Who would have thought Hawkeye was like this? The usually taciturn Hawkeye actually had such a chuunibyou side!
Seeing that it was almost time, Li Congxin immediately put on his own disguise: a black mask that covered half his face and a black military cap.
The inspiration for this look came from a movie he had watched before transmigrating, Jet Li's Black Mask.
Hawkeye drove the private car Old Pi had provided as a favor. Yi Long adjusted the M4A1 in his hands inside the vehicle, while Li Congxin sat in the passenger seat, feeling utterly speechless.
They were only going to a warehouse belonging to a mafia boss to look for something. It was not as if they were launching an all-out assault on the man's headquarters.
With Hawkeye on the left and Winter Soldier on the right, Li Congxin felt there was truly no one else like him!
Thanks to reader SS's Favorite for the 100 Qidian coins, and to Xu's CEO Husband for another 100 Qidian coins.
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