Halfway through the flight, except for the one carrying Zhang Yu and his group, the rest of the armed helicopters dispersed into the night sky as instructed.
The plane carrying Zhang Yu and his group continued flying for about an hour before finally arriving over Su City, a major economic city in Jiangnan.
It landed smoothly on the rooftop helipad of a skyscraper in the city center.
The hatch opened, Xu Xinwu stepped out first without lingering.
He led Zhang Yu and Zhou Hengliang directly into the building and took the high-speed elevator directly to the underground parking lot.
There, an inconspicuous black minivan was already waiting.
The three got into the car, which started silently and quickly drove away from the building, merging into the traffic of Su City at night.
About twenty minutes later, the van stopped near a middle school that looked quite historic and had a beautiful environment.
9:30 p. m. is the time when high school students finish their evening self-study sessions.
At this moment, the school gate was bustling with noise, and students in blue and white school uniforms poured out of the campus in twos and threes like a tidal wave.
Some rode bicycles, some walked in groups, and some ran towards their parents who were waiting by the roadside.
The air was filled with the vibrant energy of youth and the hustle and bustle of students leaving school.
"The timing is perfect."
Xu Xinwu his wrist to check his watch and said in a low voice:
"Number Nine's younger sister, Qin Meng, is a senior in Class 7 (Grade 12)."
She usually doesn't ride a bicycle; she walks home with a few classmates who go the same way. We already know the route.
She'll be out soon.
"High school student...?"
Looking at those energetic, even somewhat immature faces, Zhang Yu felt an even stronger sense of unease.
"I'm not asking you to actually do anything."
Xu Xinwu lowered his voice, his tone carrying an undeniable air of planning:
"It's just about creating an opportunity for her to 'get to know' you, to give her a good initial impression of you, to make her think you're 'not bad, somewhat capable, and helpful'... um, big Brother."
It's crucial to maintain a proper sense of proportion.
Remember, our goal is to build connections, not to make enemies.
If we really piss off Number Nine, neither of us will get away with it.
"Then what should I do?"
Zhang Yu still felt awkward; this was completely outside his area of expertise.
"It's very simple."
A glint of light flashed in Xu Xinwu's eyes:
"Later, when Qin Meng and her classmate come out and reach the entrance of that alley ahead—"
He pointed to a relatively dimly lit alley with few pedestrians diagonally opposite the school gate:
"I'll have someone go up and 'accidentally' bump into them, or cause some minor disturbance to create some chaos and fright."
Then, you 'happen' to happen to be passing by, step in, and resolve the 'trouble'.
Remember, your movements should be clean and efficient, but be careful not to hurt anyone. The key is to demonstrate your... well, 'masculinity' and 'sense of justice'.
Afterwards, politely inquire about their well-being, and casually... ask for directions, chat for a bit, and exchange contact information.
It's that simple.
Zhang Yu: "..."
Zhou Hengliang listened with a mix of trepidation and excitement.
Brother Yu is on a secret mission to protect the family members of an important person!
They also had to feign an approach.
This is even more exciting than what's shown in the movies.
He held his breath and stared wide-eyed at the school gate.
Just then, Xu Xinwu's gaze sharpened, and he whispered:
"They're out."
That girl with purple hair, wearing a shortened school uniform skirt and carrying a studded backpack, is Qin Meng.
Zhang Yu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall girl whose attire was noticeably different from her plain-looking classmates.
Qin Meng was walking out of the school gate with two or three other girls who were dressed in similarly unique styles, chatting and laughing.
The girl had striking short, bright purple hair, and her school uniform jacket was casually open.
The T-shirt inside had an exaggerated print, and the skirt was obviously shortened.
Her straight calves were exposed, and she wore a pair of thick-soled boots. Her backpack was covered with various badges and chains.
She walked with a brisk pace, spoke in a clear voice, and gestured frequently, appearing very lively and outgoing, even... a little arrogant.
"This is... Number Nine's sister?"
Zhang Yu's lips twitched slightly.
This image was far removed from his expectations of "the sister of Daluo Golden Immortal," looking more like... a rebellious "spirited young girl."
You can't judge a book by its cover.
Xu Xinwu seemed to have seen through his thoughts and said calmly:
"They're crossing the street, now's the time... Plan A, move out."
At his command, three young men with brightly colored hair and cigarettes dangling from their mouths strolled out of the alley from across the street, blocking Qin Meng and her classmate's path.
"Hey, little sisters, school's out?"
The leader, a young man with Yellow-Haired, greeted them in a deliberately flippant tone, his gaze sweeping over Qin Meng and her classmate:
"It's not safe for you to go home so late. Shall we Brother walk you home?"
Qin Meng frowned, stopped, and pulled her classmate behind her.
She raised her chin and retorted without hesitation, "A good dog doesn't block the way, get out of the way!"
"Hey, little girl, you've got quite a temper!"
Another Red-Haired youth stepped forward, deliberately getting closer, "Let's be friends, why are you being so fierce?"
"Get the hell out of here!" The short-haired girl next to Qin Meng snapped.
"Damn it, you're asking for it, aren't you?"
The Yellow-Haired seemed to be provoked and reached out to grab Qin Meng's shoulder.
"I absolutely must make this friend today!"
According to the plan, this was the moment for Zhang Yu to Hero Saves the Beauty and step forward.
However, what happened next stunned Zhang Yu, Xu Xinwu, and even the "actors" hiding in the shadows.
Just as the Yellow-Haired's hand was about to touch her shoulder, Qin Meng suddenly and nimbly dodged to the side. At the same time, her right leg shot out like a whip, delivering a clean and crisp high sweep kick. The sole of her shoe landed solidly on the Yellow-Haired's cheek!
"Bang!"
Caught off guard, the Yellow-Haired was kicked and let out a scream.
He staggered back several steps, then sat down on the ground with a thud, covering his face, and didn't react for a long time.
"Damn it! You dare to lay a hand on me?" The Red-Haired and the other Green-Haired were both shocked and furious, and they rushed forward, swinging their fists.
Qin Meng, however, was not afraid at all. She seemed to have been trained; her movements were agile and her attacks were ruthless.
She ducked to avoid a punch from the Red-Haired, then delivered a powerful elbow strike to his abdomen. The Red-Haired groaned and doubled over, clutching his stomach.
Immediately afterwards, she turned around and kicked Green-Haired Hair squarely in the shinbone with her back leg. Green-Haired "Ouch!" and jumped up on one leg, clutching his leg.
The whole process took only a few seconds. Two of the three seemingly fierce-looking "Hooligan" were easily taken down by a high school girl, while the remaining one sat on the ground, bewildered and covering his face.
"Is that all? And you dare to block the way?"
Qin Meng dusted off imaginary dust from her hands, a look of disdain on her face, and spat at the three groaning figures on the ground, "Useless!"
The girls behind her weren't scared at all; instead, they clapped excitedly. "Sister Meng is awesome!"
"Sister Meng is awesome!"
Some students passing by were also stunned and started discussing it amongst themselves.
Hiding in the shadows, Zhang Yu and Xu Xinwu looked at each other, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.
Xu Xinwu had never expected things to unfold this way.
The actor he hired wasn't exactly a master fighter, but he was a street thug Hooligan some fighting experience. How could he be so easily defeated by a Little Girl?
Qin Meng... her skills are a bit too good, aren't they?
The plan... has failed.
Xu Xinwu rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.
His meticulously planned Hero Saves the Beauty backfired; the hero hadn't even appeared when the damsel-in-distress dealt with the bully herself. How could the show possibly continue?
"So what do we do now?"
Zhang Yu asked, feeling a little relieved that he didn't have to go up and act.
Xu Xinwu watched the purple-haired figure strut away with his classmates at the school gate, looking like a victorious general. His eyes flickered a few times before he finally said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I have Plan B."