“Ha, Old Smith, why do you look so dumbfounded? Did you see a ghost or something?”

The waiter sat down across from the customer, placed the food on the table, and then, without any courtesy, picked up the customer's peanuts and popped them into his mouth.

The driver, Mr. Smith, just frowned and smoked his cigarette, then looked up.

“I really did see a ghost. I remember being busy all day, but for the life of me, I can’t recall what exactly I was doing.”

The waiter chuckled, “Careful you don’t work yourself to death.” Then casually handed him a crumpled cigarette.

Mr. Smith nodded, took the cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled a perfect smoke ring. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he said,

“The Tianjing Special Administration Bureau’s super soldier Wendy Green has come to be that girl’s bodyguard.”

The tall waiter’s eyes narrowed. “Super soldier!? Are you serious?”

“Lone Wolf and She-Wolf were both taken out by him in a single move. You tell me if it’s real or not.”

“Lone Wolf and She-Wolf failed? No wonder I can’t reach them. I thought they just took the deposit and ran…” The waiter muttered to himself, cold sweat already trickling down his forehead. “How did a mere Wen Group manage to provoke even a super soldier from the Special Administration Bureau?”

“Want to know?” The driver exhaled another puff of smoke. “I do have some information. Depends if you want it, and if you trust me.”

The waiter grinned. “News from the famous [Old Driver Mr. Smith] in the circle? Of course I want it, and I trust you.”

“Alright, five hundred thousand, and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter flicked a bank card from his greasy sleeve. The driver pressed it down with his hand and smiled slightly.

“The eldest daughter of the Wen Group, president of Inxun Corporation, Emily Bennett, fell in love at first sight with the super soldier Wendy Green a month ago while vacationing at Xinhua Star Golden Sea. So now the Wen Group has a beautiful bodyguard by her side. If your Galaxy Society wants that one billion reward, you’re going to have to work a lot harder.”

With that, Mr. Smith flicked off the beer bottle cap with one hand, downed the whole bottle in one go, and ignored the plate of rice.

“If you need anything else, contact me. I’m off.”

……

Half an hour later, this piece of information worth five hundred thousand was delivered to the upper echelons of the Galaxy Society, passed through several hands, and finally landed in a strong, powerful palm.

“Super soldier?”

“That’s right. Can you do it?”

“I don’t recommend it. The price is too high, not worth it.”

“The higher-ups don’t see it that way. That one billion bounty from the Yang family has made the old men lose their minds. Anyway, Benjamin Franklin, this time it’s all up to you. If you need any help, just say the word. I’ll do my best to get you resources.”

In the darkness, the owner of that strong hand pondered for a moment. “Find me that driver who provided the intel.”

Chapter Two: The Chaoyang Masses

People are changeable.

This was a small but exquisite studio apartment. On the wardrobe door in the bedroom hung an old-fashioned dressing mirror. In front of the mirror, a young man carefully combed his thick black hair. The face in the mirror was clean and sharp, full of vitality, especially those lively, spirited eyes that made one sigh at the beauty of youth.

Today’s Mr. Smith looked at most twenty years old—delicate features, handsome face, the kind of big boy who should be studying hard in an ivory tower, exuding a scholarly air. When he changed into a plain casual outfit and slung a canvas bag over his shoulder, he was indistinguishable from any college student you’d see on the street.

Suddenly, a sentence appeared on the dressing mirror.

“Damn, Old Smith, is that really you? Are you in heat or something? Changed to such a fresh, young face—don’t tell me you’re planning to go seduce someone?”

The young man called Old Smith smiled, pressed his hand to the mirror, and new words appeared instantly.

“When it comes to seduction, Old Green, you’re the real pro. From innocent freshmen to domineering female CEOs, all within your range—your sowing skills are unmatched.”

“I’ll say it again, I never seduce, let alone sow. Don’t slander me so viciously. That rumor you started about me on the deep web forum last time already did serious damage to my reputation!”

“So you’ve lost your reputation skills? Miss Bennett who fell in love with you at first sight must be rolling in her grave.”

“Playing with puns in text, you’re even more boring than before! Forget it, I won’t banter with you. Got time to grab a meal? It’s been a while since we met. My treat.”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder—let’s let this longing ferment a bit longer. Besides, if you really want to treat me, just transfer the meal money to this account…”

“Get lost, if you don’t want to eat, forget it. By the way, be careful lately. Some riffraff have come to Tianjing, things might get a little messy.”

“…Are you taking a jab at me, who just settled in Tianjing?”

“Hell, how would I know when you came to Tianjing? You’ve been all mysterious these years, totally out of touch. When you suddenly sent me a comm request just now, I thought your account was hacked… By the way, the stuff happening in Tianjing lately—has nothing to do with you, right?”

“What stuff in the city?”