Early the next morning, Xu Mo sat cross-legged, surrounded by flying metallic poker cards, seemingly suspended by an energy field.
This was Xiao Qi's help. Although only fifteen, Xiao Qi was very talented in mechanics and made use of the old factory's mechanical equipment.
Xu Mo carefully controlled the cards, watching them fly back in front of him, stack together, and fall before him.
"Whew..." Xu Mo exhaled and opened his eyes. His control over Source Power had strengthened, and he could now manipulate multiple metallic poker cards simultaneously.
Killing Cobra, he should be able to breathe easier, right?
Previously, he had killed four intruders who broke into his 'home' but there was still a risk. Those four were just the perpetrators; Cobra directly ordered them.
As for who else might be involved, Xu Mo could not be sure. After killing Cobra, maybe no one would know of his existence.
There was movement outside; it was Mia, who always woke up early. After washing up, Mia heard knocking at the door downstairs and went to open it.
"Good morning, Sister Bai Wei." Mia greeted with a smile.
"Good morning, Miss Mia," Bai Wei replied, "I'll start preparing breakfast."
"No need, I'll do it. Sister Bai Wei doesn't know what Xu Mo and Yaoer like to eat." Mia smiled.
"Alright then," Bai Wei smiled and nodded.
Xu Mo also got up, washed, and went downstairs, calling out, "Good morning, Miss Mia, Sister Bai Wei."
"Good morning, Xu Mo," the two responded with smiles.
"Xu Mo, are you going out today?" Mia asked.
"Yes," Xu Mo nodded.
Mia seemed pensive, then said to Bai Wei, "Elsa has invited me a few times, and today I want to visit her. I won't take Yaoer alone, so can you take care of her? I'll ask Dad not to go out today."
Elsa had been visiting more frequently lately, and naturally wanted to invite Mia to her house as a return gesture.
"Alright," Bai Wei smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Sister Bai Wei," Mia said, "I'll go prepare breakfast then."
Xu Mo, hearing their conversation, smiled. Yaoer had never been treated so well before; no one ever doted on her.
Sitting at the counter of the department store, Xu Mo looked outside.
"Xu Mo, Miss Mia is really nice," Bai Wei said to Xu Mo, believing he would understand her since they shared a similar plight.
In the department store, she felt warmth; Miss Mia never treated her like a servant.
"Yes," Xu Mo nodded earnestly. Because of Mia, the department store seemed out of place with the outside world.
"So, be good to Miss Mia in the future," Bai Wei said with a smile carrying a hint of 'deep meaning'.
"Of course, I'll always protect Miss Mia," Xu Mo replied. Bai Wei, seeing him look outside, wasn't sure if he understood her meaning.
After breakfast, as more pedestrians appeared on the streets, business at the department store also picked up.
The three of them sat idly at the counter, with Yaoer also present.
At this moment, a striking figure appeared on the street, walking towards them.
"She's so beautiful," Bai Wei said quietly, seeing the woman approaching. Women, too, enjoyed looking at beautiful women.
The woman walking towards them was about 5'9" tall, wearing tight leather clothes and low-heeled leather boots that accentuated her figure perfectly. Her long, beautiful legs were enough to make any woman envious.
Not only beautiful but also valiant and with a commanding presence, Bai Wei felt a bit nervous as she approached, saying, "Hello, Miss. What do you need?"
Ye Qingdie looked at Bai Wei and Mia, then at Xu Mo.
For a young guy, he sure knows how to live well!
Living quite comfortably.
"Big sister is so pretty," Yaoer, sitting on Xu Mo's lap, said, sounding particularly sweet.
"Really?" Ye Qingdie smiled brightly, looking at Yaoer. "What's your name?"
"My name is Yaoer," she replied.
"Yaoer." Ye Qingdie pinched her cheek, then looked at Xu Mo. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"This is Miss Mia, and this is Sister Bai Wei," Xu Mo introduced.
Then he pointed to Ye Qingdie, "This is Sister Butterfly."
"Ye Qingdie," Ye Qingdie nodded to both women. Mia and Bai Wei seemed a little stunned.
This beautiful sister was here to see Xu Mo.
Seeing their reactions, Ye Qingdie smiled at Xu Mo and said, "Shall we go?"
"Yes," Xu Mo nodded, handing Yaoer to Mia. "Miss Mia, I'm heading out."
"Alright," Mia nodded.
Xu Mo walked out, and Ye Qingdie turned to leave.
Mia and Bai Wei watched their retreating figures, somewhat dazed.
"Xu Mo has been going out every day lately. So, it really is..." Bai Wei said in a low voice, stopping mid-sentence, feeling it was odd. Despite Ye Qingdie being very beautiful, she was much older than Xu Mo.
"She's really pretty," Mia smiled, but her smile seemed somewhat bitter.
"Quite a good fortune, little brother Xu Mo," Ye Qingdie teased as she walked beside Xu Mo.
Xu Mo ignored her.
"Do you like older sisters?" Ye Qingdie's smile was ambiguous. Both Mia and Bai Wei were older than him.
Xu Mo continued to ignore her.
They walked to another street, meeting up with Seth and the others. Xiao Qi and Fang Ze were there too. Including Ye Qingdie and Xu Mo, there were five people in total, all carrying packs, obviously combat equipment. They were well-prepared this time.
The last time they went to the church, it was an impromptu investigation chasing a lead.
"Where is the Silver Masked Man?" Xu Mo asked, referring to the silver-masked man who had helped them intercept Cobra at the black market. His strength was significant, capable of facing Cobra head-on alone.
"He's already waiting," Xiao Qi said.
"Let's go," the group set off.
......
The buildings on either side of Stran Street weren't tall, mostly two to three stories, with a wide road in the middle. The residents of this street were well-off, making it a wealthy area in this region.
Most of the shops on either side had a mechanical vibe.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians and vehicles.
Xu Mo and Seth were in a second-story room next to the street, looking out the window onto the street. They had paid the house owner with Federation coins to rent the place for a day. Xiao Qi and Fang Ze were across the street, while Ye Qingdie found a vantage point somewhat distant from the others.
Seth was unpacking and assembling equipment, saying to Xu Mo, "Xu Mo, Sister Butterfly asked me to bring you the Source Power Battle Blade and Battle Armor. The armor is basic, though; we couldn't get more advanced gear."
Xu Mo stepped forward and put on the basic battle armor, which didn't fit perfectly but was still bulletproof.
Additionally, he had a battle blade, a gun, and metallic poker hidden weapons, making him quite well-equipped.
"When will Cobra come by?" Xu Mo asked.
"Don't know, just wait for Sister Butterfly's gunshot," Seth, carefree, didn't worry about those details.
"Alright," Xu Mo nodded, "Are we sure he'll pass through here?"
"We got the tip-off," Seth replied. He didn't know more; they were just executing the mission. Xu Mo didn't ask further.
The organization clearly had more teams, and Ye Qingdie hadn't disclosed everything to him.
"Don't blame Sister Butterfly for not telling you everything. You haven't agreed to join us yet, but she's already put in a lot of effort for you, personally sparring with you. I didn't get such treatment when I joined," Seth remarked, sensing Xu Mo's thoughts.
"Sparring?" Xu Mo muttered to himself, suspecting Ye Qingdie had a sadistic streak.
"I understand," Xu Mo replied, acknowledging that he hadn't yet agreed to join their organization. Ye Qingdie had no obligation to tell him everything.
However, killing Cobra was their common goal.
"Did Sister Butterfly join before you?" Xu Mo asked.
"Yes," Seth nodded, "I joined last. After a conflict with someone, I got arrested by the Law Enforcement Team. My wife pleaded for my release, but those bastards..."
Seth paused, still unable to forget that humiliating hatred despite the time that had passed.
"Then I joined the fighting arenas, wanting to die there. It was Sister Butterfly and Uncle Fang who found me," Seth continued, "So I joined the organization and killed the two enemies who had harmed us."
Xu Mo stayed silent. The organization's members must have all experienced the darkness of the underworld, with no way out.
When Uncle Fang and Ye Qingdie followed him back then, they probably wanted to figure out his background.
"Xiao Qi's background is also tragic. Otherwise, he wouldn't have joined the organization so young. Despite his carefree demeanor, he's a pitiful person," Seth added, "You'll see in the upcoming battle."
"Alright," Xu Mo nodded. Seth was straightforward; Xu Mo had noticed this during training. He was very honest.
Every team member must have a story. He wondered what Ye Qingdie had gone through.
As time passed, more people filled Stran Street. Xu Mo frowned as he watched the crowd below, noticing something odd.
Expanding his senses, Xu Mo covered the street with his perception. His brain worked like a machine, tracking every movement of the crowd.
His frown deepened, sensing something unusual—though he wasn't sure if it was just him overthinking.
In the distance, a carriage headed their way with a girl laughing joyfully aboard.
"Mia." Xu Mo's eyes showed surprise. It was Elsa's carriage, with Mia and Elsa aboard. The carriage passed below his room, and he heard Elsa say to Mia, "We're almost there."
Clearly, Elsa's house was nearby. She had just picked up Mia, and they were heading to her home together.