Xie Sunan fell silent for a moment. Damn it, this guy really lived up to his reputation; after all that acting, it was just to demand more money.
"I'll take seventy thousand yuan, and you get thirty thousand! That's my final offer, no room for negotiation!"
Xie Sunan said, "Aren't you the one who hates criminals the most?"
Chen Shu nodded matter-of-factly, "Yes, but I hate Chinese currency the most. The two don't conflict."
"Alright!" Xie Sunan nodded. "But let's be clear, I have no combat power. Everything depends on you."
The two got into the car and headed towards the northern part of Nanjiang City.
"Aren't we going to the slums in the west?"
The western part of Nanjiang City was the least developed. Logically, they should be looking for criminals in the west.
Xie Sunan said, "Do you actually believe official information?"
Chen Shu thought about it and agreed. It was publicized information, so the criminals must have already moved.
Chen Shu asked, "By the way, Old Xie, why are you suddenly taking on this mission? Are you short on money?"
Xie Sunan sighed, "School is starting soon. I need to earn some living expenses."
"You're truly working hard, earning living expenses for your son. It's not easy."
Chen Shu patted him on the shoulder and said, "How about this, I'll take eighty thousand yuan, and you take twenty thousand. Students don't need so much money; it's easy to develop wasteful habits."
"You're really a dog!"
Xie Sunan made a universally understood gesture of contempt. He had thought the other party would be sympathetic to his plight and offer some concessions, but instead, he was being squeezed even harder.
"We're here!"
The two arrived at a residential complex in the northern part of the city called Bailixiangdu. It was a mid-range complex, nothing like the slum described in the intelligence.
Chen Shu asked, "Are you sure it's here?"
Xie Sunan nodded. "You can question my combat ability, but you can't question my investigative skills!"
"Then let's go. Let's finish this quickly!"
Chen Shu took the lead and headed straight for the complex entrance, only to be stopped by the security guard.
Chen Shu calmly explained, "I'm a resident of Building 1, Unit 2. I forgot my access card." He thought to himself, 'With my acting skills, I can go anywhere!'
"Are you messing with me? There's no Building 1 here!"
Chen Shu's mouth twitched. 'What kind of complex doesn't have a Building 1?'
"The complex only has Buildings 2 to 9, specifically to prevent people like you!"
Chen Shu felt like his intelligence was being suppressed. The two were blocked at the complex entrance, unable to even take the first step.
"What now?" Xie Sunan asked. "If we don't catch them, you'll have to pay for the taxi."
Chen Shu waved his hand and said, "Why the rush? The cart will find its way when it reaches the mountain, and the boat will sink when it reaches the bridge." His gaze swept aside, and he suddenly saw a figure. "Look, here comes the road to trouble!"
Chen Shu called out, "Hey, young man!"
A seemingly refined young man looked over and smiled shyly. "Oh, it's you, sir."
It was the mentally ill person Chen Shu had met last night.
"My name is Xu Xingxing," the young man said, extending his hand friendly. "Sir, are you taking your dad out for a walk this early? Walking more is good; it can prevent dementia."
Chen Shu and Xie Sunan were dumbfounded on the spot. 'How to offend two people with one sentence?'
Xie Sunan said with an annoyed expression, "Not only do you have mental problems, but your eyesight is bad too, aren't you?"
Chen Shu took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Xu Xingxing, right? Do you live here?"
"My relatives live here," Xu Xingxing replied.
Chen Shu and Xie Sunan exchanged glances and smiled.
Ten minutes later, the two successfully entered the complex.
Xu Xingxing asked, "Are you two really here to catch criminals?"
"Of course, punishing evil and promoting good is our virtue!" Chen Shu nodded and said, "Old Xie, where exactly is that guy?"
"Follow me!"
The three crept stealthily to Unit 403 in Building 3.
Xie Sunan said, "It's this one. You go and trick him into opening the door!"
Chen Shu nodded. This kind of task required a professional.
"Knock knock!"
He knocked twice, and a voice came from inside.
"Who is it!"
Chen Shu's eyebrows rose. The voice sounded a bit familiar. Without thinking, he said, "Hello, I'm from the property management. I'm here to check the water meter!"
Time ticked by, but there was no movement from inside. No one spoke, and no one opened the door for him.
'What's going on? Did I blow my cover?'
Chen Shu was bewildered. Things had gone wrong before he could even make his move. He shouted loudly, "Is anyone there? If no one's there, say something!"
There was still silence.
'It looks like we'll have to break down the door!'
Xu Xingxing stepped forward with a serious expression and said, "You guys move aside."
He crossed his arms and charged forward with his shoulder.
"Bang!"
'Ouch, that hurts!'
Xu Xingxing was bounced back by the door, his arm aching. 'Don't they always break down doors like this on TV?'
Chen Shu's mouth twitched. 'You idiot, this is an anti-theft door!' He had thought the other party had some special ability, but it seemed he had overthought it.
"Move aside."
Chen Shu said this and summoned his Golden Slime.
Due to the narrow corridor, he couldn't use the giant transformation skill. However, the slime was nearly two meters tall on its own, which was enough to break down a door.
The slime's eyes widened, its expression looking as if it were constipated, and it directly used its charge skill.
"Boom!"
The once impenetrable anti-theft door was smashed open, the door even flying several meters away.
"Hurry up, such a commotion must have alerted others."
As Chen Shu was about to search, Xie Sunan released his contracted spirit.
"Let me!"
A chubby caterpillar appeared. What was even more surprising was that it had a pair of transparent wings. Based on Chen Shu's knowledge, he couldn't recognize this contracted spirit at all.
The caterpillar's wings fluttered slightly, and an invisible energy seemed to spread out.
"There's no one here."
Xie Sunan shook his head, immediately grasping the situation inside the room.
Chen Shu asked in surprise, "Can you detect people inside the house?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you use it earlier? You made us break down the door."
"Who told you to be so decisive back then?"
"What now?"
Chen Shu hadn't expected the target to escape so quickly. No wonder the police hadn't been able to catch him.
"Don't worry, he can't escape."
Xie Sunan commanded his contracted spirit to use another skill. The worm-butterfly's eyes shone with a green light, which seemed to float in the air like something alive, and finally flew out the window.
"Follow this light."
Just as the three were about to go downstairs, Xu Xingxing suddenly said, "Let's ride my bird."
"???"
The two unconsciously looked at him with strange expressions.
"I mean it."
Xu Xingxing also summoned his contracted spirit: a large bird covered in blue feathers, with lightning seeming to flow in its eyes.
Chen Shu's expression changed. Although he didn't recognize Xie Sunan's contracted spirit, he knew about Xu Xingxing's. It was an A-class Thunder Bird!
'Are geniuses now as common as dogs? Even mentally ill people have A-class contracted spirits?'
Chen Shu raised his eyebrows, instantly feeling that his slime was no longer as appealing.
The three boarded the Thunder Bird and flew directly out the window.
Suddenly, people in the complex looked up, seeing a large bird flying in the sky. Although summoning contracted spirits in the city was not allowed, pursuing criminals was considered a special circumstance.
The three's contracted spirits, one for reconnaissance, one for flight, and one for combat, were perfectly complementary.