Lifesaving Grenade

Illegal transactions naturally had to be carried out in secret.

Riding in an unlicensed car Xiao Hei had arranged from who knew where, wearing masks and black robes, Team 17 met with the Public Security Bureau in the dead of night.

Although both sides knew each other's identities perfectly well, transactions like this still required some concealment, lest someone with ulterior motives take pictures and leave them with evidence to be used against them.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Impressive. Just five of you managed to run the Black Tiger Gang in circles. You really do have some skills."

They had barely entered the abandoned building when someone greeted them with applause. However, the person's tone was strangely sarcastic and unpleasant.

Fortunately, Xu Jiang had no intention of making the other side comfortable either. He followed Sha Tu forward, and the two began their act.

"We got the goods. Where's the money?" Sha Tu displayed the bracelet and demanded payment.

The supposedly dead bracelet was once again emitting a faint blue glow. However, its presence was clearly far weaker than the original's, giving it a half-dead feel.

The other party reached out and touched the bracelet. Suddenly, it gave a voice prompt: "Welcome to Little Genius Phone Watch!"

That single sentence immediately stunned the Public Security Bureau officers.

"Pfft..." Baozi nearly lost it and quickly turned around, pretending to stand guard.

As for the watch, Xu Jiang's solution had been to reinstall a chip and get the bracelet running again.

After all, it was alien technology. The bracelet's surface still bore the basic runes carved into it, enough to bluff people.

For Qianji, who had absorbed the bracelet's knowledge, resetting the system was not difficult. The hard part was that they did not have a suitable chip on hand.

So Sha Tu played the role of a shameless burglar and stole a child's phone watch, resulting in the talking smart bracelet they had now.

"Why has this bracelet become like this? It's different from what we saw before." The other party was no fool. A scan with an instrument revealed that the bracelet's power was more than a hundred times weaker than before.

It also blurted out all kinds of bizarre voice prompts. Something was definitely wrong.

"But it was already like this when we got it." Sha Tu shrugged, still calm as ever as he began shifting the blame. "Maybe the Black Tiger Gang tampered with it?"

That excuse clearly did not satisfy the other party. His eyes drooped, as if he wanted to lower the price before taking the goods.

Unexpectedly, Xu Jiang struck first and snatched the bracelet back.

"If you're not satisfied, then don't buy it. We'll contact another buyer ourselves."

The sudden breakdown of the deal angered the other party, and his voice carried a warning. "What do you mean? Are you playing us?"

"You didn't pay a deposit, and now you're being suspicious about everything. It's obvious you don't want it, so stop wasting time. We'll go our separate ways." Xu Jiang's tone was equally aggressive. They were all wearing masks anyway—who was afraid of whom?

Sha Tu hurriedly stopped him. "Brother, don't get worked up. Let's talk this out."

"Big Brother, what's there to talk about? The intelligence they gave us was clearly meant to make us and the Black Tiger Gang fight each other to the death so they could profit from it. And you're still speaking up for them?"

"It's just a transaction. We get paid, and we do the job. No matter what, it was their commission. Until they refuse the deal, they have priority purchasing rights."

One played the good cop while the other played the bad cop. The two put on a show right in front of everyone, their acting nothing short of masterful.

Even Ying Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue in amazement from behind them. Xu Jiang really suited their team. When it came to clever tricks, he had filled in a weakness.

The Public Security Bureau officers were naturally no pushovers and could tell that some acting was involved.

But with things having reached this point, they could not lower the price. They really had concealed some details in the intelligence, so Team 17's anger was understandable.

With no other choice, the leader looked toward the doctor beside him and asked for his opinion.

You're asking me? Of course we should buy it! The doctor unhesitatingly indicated that they should take it.

It was not his money anyway. The blue glow was still there, so it had research value. At worst, there were still alien materials to study. It was worth something, at least.

"Fine. We'll take the goods."

One side rejoiced while the other worried. Tonight's operation had been completed successfully.

Once he was back in the car, Xu Jiang finally let out the breath he had been holding.

Looking back on tonight's operation, it could be summed up in three words: utterly unreliable.

Four experts: one worshipped violence, one was adorably blank and aloof, one was a chatty fool, and one put on an act of elegance. Not a single one made a key decision, and every move had been nerve-racking.

But speaking of Baozi, why had his hair turned black?

"Baozi, what's going on with your hair? How can it change color? Where did your blond hair go?" Xu Jiang asked curiously.

Baozi narrowed his eyes slightly, shrugged, and said indifferently,

"My talent is Hair Energy Storage. It's like a power bank—I can store energy in my hair and draw it out when needed. Once it's used up, it naturally turns black again."

What a bizarre talent. It really gave off the feeling of a Super Saiyan—blond hair when he became stronger, black hair once his power ran out.

Too bad it was not green. That would have been even more exciting.

Xiao Zhen, beside him, gave her own assessment. "That's good. All blondes should die."

Baozi: ...

"Xiao Zhen! Where did you learn that?" Ying Xiaoxiao was shocked. Who had led her child astray?

Xiao Zhen obediently held her ghost doll, blinking her big eyes as she expressionlessly recounted her wild learning experience.

"I saw it in a fairy tale book at the school library."

"A fairy tale teaches that? What was the book called?"

"Minotaurs Must Die."

"...Sha Tu, go there tomorrow and burn down that library for me."

Xu Jiang shook his head with a laugh, then calmed down and began communicating with Qianji.

"General, now that I have a computational system, I can communicate. As long as you enter my body and merge with me, we can communicate through our thoughts."

Why did that sound so strange? Forget it. That was not important.

Now that he wore the armor, he could converse with Qianji through his thoughts. He no longer had to talk to himself out loud.

Qianji, you absorbed the runes. How do you feel now?

"Unable to operate completely. My characteristics can only manifest after I advance. Also, General, are you calling me Qianji? My actual name is Qianji, the T-1000 armor."

Close enough. In my heart, you're Qianji. It feels more intimate that way.

Thought communication had one great advantage: everything could be expressed with perfect clarity.

After spending some time bonding with his beloved general, Xu Jiang shifted his attention to Sparkles, who was squirming around in his arms.

"Wah wah wah, General is so awful. You kissed me. So awful, so awful."

A flashbang was acting cute with him. The feeling was truly bizarre.

Still, she had indeed rendered great service. Xu Jiang held her in his hand and gently stroked and rubbed her.

Good girl. You did great this time. Keep it up next time!

"No, no! General kissed me in front of everyone. I'm too embarrassed to face anyone now, wah wah wah."

Don't worry. I'll take responsibility for you. I'll never abandon you for the rest of my life.

"Wah wah wah, really? Then it's a promise."

She was just a whiny little thing and very easy to placate. A few words were enough to make Sparkles beam with delight.

As for the grenade he had just acquired...

Lifesaving Grenade (Colonel)

Quality: White

Skills: Unstable Explosion, First Aid lv5

Unstable Explosion: Its power is unknown. It might be tremendously powerful, or it might be as weak as a firecracker.

First Aid lv5: Can provide emergency treatment when injured.

What kind of ridiculous attributes were these? A grenade that treasured its life, and it even came with a First Aid skill?