David Carter blinked and asked, “That’s so troublesome... but how will you contact me? How about I buy a bunch of SIM cards, and we agree on a specific time—during that period, I’ll use the agreed-upon number. It’s a hassle to keep switching cards, but...”

Alfred nodded. “I do need to keep in touch with you. Alright, if you can get anonymous SIM cards, we can set up a schedule, agreeing on which number you’ll use at what time... I believe this method is better.”

David Carter chuckled. “Looks like you really don’t understand our country’s situation. No wonder your missions always... Alright, I know there’s a kind of prepaid SIM card that text scammers often use. You pre-load a certain amount of credit onto the SIM card, and once it’s used up, you just toss the card. I can buy a dozen or so of these cards, and during the specified times, use different ones... What? Real-name registration for SIM cards? Heh, around here, as long as you pay, the police will give you an ID card with ‘Mars’ as your birthplace.”

Alfred nodded. “Alright, tonight I’ll go to a certain bowling alley and rent locker number 31... We can’t meet in public, so you put the prepared items in that locker, and I’ll retrieve them.”

David Carter nodded, casually picked up the tourist map Alfred had given him, studied it for a moment, and suddenly exclaimed, “There’s another problem: the must-visit places you marked are all high-end venues. Going in and out of these places... Well, I do still have some money left from renting an apartment and buying a car, but entering these places... you know, our society here is all about looking down on people. Everyone’s afraid of being looked down upon, so they desperately stick all kinds of ‘not to be underestimated’ labels on themselves, and those labels require money to back them up.

Hard to understand? ...Do you know why Chinese people popularized household cars as quickly as they did cell phones? Because before you buy a car, people look down on you, so whether you need it or not, you’ll do anything to buy one. After you get a car, many people hardly ever drive it—they just park it in front of their house as a display. But then, they have the right to look down on those who don’t own a car.

That’s habitual thinking. Everyone gets angry when they’re looked down upon, but once they have a ‘not to be underestimated’ label, they immediately look down on those who don’t. It’s a habit—everyone’s used to this way of thinking, and no one thinks it’s wrong. Just look at how hot fake luxury goods sell here, and you’ll know how much we care about those labels.”

Alfred watched David Carter go on and on, then frowned. “What are you trying to say?”

David Carter grinned awkwardly. “Appearance matters when going to those places... I mean, will headquarters give me a clothing allowance?”

Alfred stared without blinking. “Since I’ve agreed to let you assist me, it means you can share in the profits from this case. As for those related expenses, you can pay for them out of your share—that’s the rule.”

David Carter immediately latched on. “So, can I know how much my share is?”

Alfred replied expressionlessly, “You’re just doing some support work. I’m willing to give you... a hundred thousand—US dollars.”

“A hundred thousand, huh. Sounds like a lot, but honestly, luxury goods are especially expensive here. That little bit of money seems like a lot, but when you actually spend it, it might not even buy a single strap from Li Bingbing’s handbag—her bag is worth two million.”

“So...”

“So, I want to know how much this case is worth in total. Can I ask for a higher percentage?”

Alfred curled his lip. “If you were the employer, how much would you pay for a job that just involves walking around with a cell phone?”

David Carter was completely defeated. He stood up dejectedly and, as he walked out, said, “Alright, you win! ...You’re busy, I’ll take my leave.”

“Wait,” Alfred tossed over a set of car keys. “I’ve parked an Audi A6 downstairs, the license plate is... Take it and drive around these next few days. Also, there are some things in the trunk—help me throw them all away. Don’t toss them all together; scatter them, inconspicuously, into different trash bins. And make sure not to use the nearby bins.”

David Carter drooped his head and walked toward the door, but Alfred called out to him again: “At least you got one thing right just now. In our line of work, the first thing you need to learn is how to disguise yourself, to blend into all kinds of situations without drawing attention... I don’t have time to teach you right now, but I suggest you study how to do makeup. For the next few days, every time you enter a new place, treat it as a test for yourself—figure out how to dress and carry yourself so you blend in seamlessly with the environment...

Hmm, that’s not ideal either, since you still have tasks to carry out... How about this: you need to keep showing up in this neighborhood anyway, and I can only appear as a frequent visitor. So, after you finish making your rounds at the designated places each day, come to this apartment to talk with me. If there’s time, I’ll coach you on how to disguise yourself...”

“Great, I really need some guidance,” David Carter thanked him calmly. As he went downstairs, David Carter finally remembered that he hadn’t asked the most important question: why was he hired?