Suspicion

In the end, the results of Mu Fan's morning training were in...

From initially controlling two blue and three red mechanical levers in sync with five control panel buttons, to controlling four blue and four red mechanical levers in sync with six control panel buttons two hours later, he hungrily absorbed the knowledge Black explained. Before lunch was served, he could finally control the EH01 Type to walk. He could even make it hop a little. Still, when he left, Mu Fan remained ashamed as he logged out of the PO Battle Network beneath Black's smiling expression.

Black spun twice inside the cockpit and muttered to himself, "Isn't this a little too harsh on Mu Fan?" Then his electronic eyes narrowed into lines again. "Egg Lord has to be the best! I can't tarnish Lord Black's reputation! Mm, right, I can't tarnish my own reputation."

"Huh? Wanbo Star's broadcast seems to be reporting something incredible. I need to go take a look. Flash!"

Black's little eyes suddenly widened, and then he vanished in an instant.

On Wanbo Star, 2.7 light-years away, the station was running a news bulletin: "The annual Wanbo Star Beauty Pageant has begun..."

Seeing the bitter look in the fat man's eyes, Mu Fan knew Brother Fatty had lost again. Young Master Harry looked somewhat furious. He angrily ordered Uncle Wu through the Sky Communicator to send him double the usual lunch. After Mu Fan politely declined his invitation to eat together, Brother Fatty prepared to wipe out twice as much food by himself. He had been utterly crushed all morning; his heart was badly wounded and needed comforting.

Mu Fan's heart was wounded too, so at noon, he ordered twelve meal boxes. Fighting Young Master Wen had cost him quite a bit of stamina, and he had to replenish it. Everyone around him automatically gave him a wide berth today. No matter how oblivious Mu Fan was, he could still sense the respect and fear in everyone's gazes.

The strongest human sandbag was here! Was this a joke? Even Jerff had been beaten until he vomited blood, yet this kid was sitting here eating twelve Nutritional Meals! Not only was he fine, he had even increased his portions! Increased them!

Anyway, I don't dare provoke him. I'll walk around him. One guy thought this, and the others were no fools either. So all the treatment Jerff had once received in the cafeteria was now transferred to Mu Fan.

Mu Fan comfortably finished his Nutritional Meals. It felt as though every cell in his limbs and bones had finally basked in sunlight. He felt warm all over, and strength returned to his body!

Mu Fan stood and left. Everyone watched him solemnly, their eyes fixed on his arm, which was bruised purple over a large area.

The afternoon would definitely be the same old routine. Mu Fan rubbed his chin. There was still plenty of time before noon ended. Should he go for a walk? After thinking it over, Mu Fan changed into his own clothes and headed out.

The city district was hot at noon. Luoqie Star's ultraviolet radiation was already intense, so there were fewer people on the streets at this hour. Most hid indoors in the shade, making the broad streets emptiest at midday.

Mu Fan wondered how Old Man Bard was doing. When the martial arts gym closed for the weekend, he would go visit him at the general store.

Mu Fan had a little money on him now—one thousand Star Coins. He had never carried so much money before. Touching his hole-ridden backpack, he licked his lips and headed toward the equipment store nearby, planning to buy a sturdy combat shoulder bag.

"Welcome."

The greeter at the entrance bowed in welcome.

"Please visit again." At that moment, two men wearing yellow-green linen shirts and carrying dark gun grips at their waists came out. Each had a military sleeping bag slung over his shoulder. One was tall, the other short. They bid the clerk farewell with friendly expressions, but the occasional vicious glint in their eyes made Mu Fan frown inwardly.

As the two sides passed one another, the short man closest to Mu Fan seemed not to notice him at all. He walked straight outward with the sleeping bag held crosswise.

Mu Fan stopped and waited for him to pass, but the short man continued walking sideways. The sleeping bag struck Mu Fan's shoulder.

"Are you fucking blind?" Feeling the thing on his shoulder hit the kid, the short man exploded first.

"You're blind, and your mouth stinks too." Mu Fan looked coldly at the fierce-eyed short man before him.

"Kid, are you asking to die?!" The man looked ready to attack at the slightest disagreement, but the tall man beside him grabbed him and snarled, "What are you doing?! Don't cause trouble!"

Seeing the tall man's reaction, the short man wanted to lash out but forcibly restrained himself.

"You pathetic poor bastard, I'll let you off. Pah." Looking at the kid in ragged jeans, the short man had no interest in arguing with some pauper. He spat and turned away. More than ten meters later, the tall man turned back and gave Mu Fan a deep look. Mu Fan raised his head and met his gaze.

Mu Fan clenched his fists, about to act, when his sharp hearing caught a word from the tall man's quiet reprimand of the short man. The sound was faint. If Mu Fan's senses had not been extraordinary, he could never have heard it from this distance.

"...martial arts gym...fat sheep..."

The two did not turn back again. Carrying their military sleeping bags, they headed toward the city exit.

"Martial arts gym?" Mu Fan's sharp brows drew together, and his gaze narrowed. He turned to the greeter before him apologetically. "Sorry, I forgot to bring my money. I'll go back and get it."

Under the greeter's disdainful gaze, the teenager in shabby work clothes turned and left, taking precisely the route the tall and short men had just followed.

Mu Fan's footsteps were light. He quickly caught up and finally spotted the two men in the distance. Then he trailed them from afar, no longer looking directly at them as he moved naturally through the sparse pedestrians.

Like stalking prey in a dense forest, he had to remain invisible until launching his attack.

The two men turned into a food store. Mu Fan hid behind a roadside GG sign, pretending to pick something up. From the corner of his eye, he saw them leave the store, the tall man now carrying a huge bag of food on his back.

After coming out, the two turned right into an alley.

Mu Fan narrowed his eyes. Those two had clearly been heading toward the city checkpoint, yet they had turned into an alley just before reaching it. The other exit was still a long way from here, so they had deliberately taken a false route.

Mu Fan continued at an unhurried pace, turning in the same direction from the previous alley entrance. There was no one here! Mu Fan prepared to follow them along a parallel route. Their strange behavior had aroused his suspicions.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. Mu Fan dropped all pretense and burst into a sprint. Using a slanted tree beside him, he pushed off twice, then kicked back and leaped, pressing himself against the side of a two-story building. His entire movement was light and silent.

His breathing gradually steadied. There was not the slightest disorder in Mu Fan's breath after such intense exertion. Holding his breath, he made no sound at all. He even deliberately pressed the folds of his work pants flat against the wall. A breeze passed by, and he seemed completely merged with his surroundings.

A set of footsteps sounded below. Their owner had deliberately slowed them, but small stones, puddles, and fallen leaves still made faint noises when stepped on carelessly.

Someone was coming. Mu Fan pressed tightly against the wall, almost becoming one with it.

Two wary figures appeared below. After looking left and right, they stepped out.

The voices were low. Mu Fan's ears twitched slightly, and he heard a familiar voice from earlier. It was the short man's. Though quiet, it was full of indifference.

"I'm telling you, do you have to be this timid? If we don't say anything, who'll know what we came here for?"

The tall man's voice suddenly rose, but he immediately forced it back down. "You, keep your voice down, will you?!" It was full of warning.

Mu Fan's hands gripped the cracks in the wall tightly. He was just over three meters above their heads. If they looked up, they would see him.

The tall man lowered his voice again. "Second Brother, the higher-ups sent us here to keep watch. You picking out a fat sheep on your own already breaks the rules. I didn't say anything when I agreed to go along with it, but don't you know how to keep a low profile now?"

The short man's voice drifted over, tinged with impatience. "We're watching wealthy people's routes. Have we gotten any benefits from it!? What's wrong with me robbing a fat sheep myself? If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who'll know?"

The tempting voice came again, and this time the tall man was somewhat moved. "You know that fat sheep at the martial arts gym. It's been two days. That little fatty doesn't have bodyguards. We'll pull this job, then stop. It won't affect the mission."

The tall man was still hesitating when the short man added one more sentence that finally made up his mind. "Bro, fifty-fifty. Tomorrow afternoon. We won't tell anyone."

"Fine! No one can tell anyone." The tall man gritted out.

(To avoid disrupting the reading experience, I'm begging for favorites and recommendations at the end. This is today's first update!)