That laughter was from a wing far down the right hall. Leon and Wolfe followed the sound slowly, careful as they walked.
They peeked behind the metal wall and saw that it was a small area that was turned into a poker table.
The walls were lined with aluminum, Leon noticed, so it would remain undetected by any technological device. Aluminum distorts signals after all, also known as a Faraday cage.
This also meant that signals from inside was difficult to send out, and so calling someone from outside would be difficult.
"We would have to go outside to call the police and catch them." Leon told Wolfe in a hushed tone, as they watched the perpetrators playing poker.
"Are they the masterminds? At least higher than the recruiters?" Wolfe asked.
"They're wearing dragon vests... But we can't be sure. Look, there's that Mr. Long from before."
He pointed to the fat man, chuckling as he raised three chips. "Haha, I was right to trust the stars today! Today is not your day, boys, you better fold now if you don't want to go out with empty pockets and credit cards."
There were also two people that vaguely resembles Yao Yuzhui and Wu Bei. Their face was completely different, though, but if they wore masks that resembles their face, it would have been difficult to tell them apart.
"So what do we tell the police once we call them?" Wolfe asked as the continued to observe the people at the poker table.
"That we have found the abductors, and many more abducted children. This is a large group using technology for an organized crime of brainwashing children to be trained as military puppets."
They were about to slink back and go outside the 'Jade Palace', but suddenly, the loud sound of a telephone ringing came from the other side of the hallway.
They quickly moved back as Mr. Long walked towards it, and took the call.
"Hello? Ah, Jade Emperor! Yes, this is Mr. Long." The fat man chuckled happily when he heard the other person from the telephone.
"How can they use telephones but cannot receive signals from cell phones?" Wolfe whispered to him.
"It must be connected directly by wires to the telephone of the one receiving it." Leon guessed. "Much like those string-phones children uses, so it would not be affected by the Faraday cage the aluminum in this building has."
Mr. Long continued talking to the 'Jade Emperor'. This person must obviously be the mastermind of the whole operation.
"Yes, yes, everything is doing well. The restaurant had to be rid of as we found out their incompetence... One of the dolls are missing. Now, it could also be a recruiter that took it.... But there's a chance a mole had been planted or we had been infiltrated."
The fat man reassured the person on the other line. "Of course, of course! We'll take care of that person, Jade Emperor. You and your family would not have to worry. Everything is under control."
"Family..... We may be dealing with another mafia empire." Leon frowned. "But which of them could have brainwashed children as a specialty?"
Wolfe also pondered over this. "None of them are as good as technology as us Fangs, or with the mercenary business as the Mos. This may be a new family...."
The hairs on Leon Mo's arms suddenly stood up, as he seemed to have realized something.
"What's wrong, Leon? Hey!"
Wolfe asked, as he suddenly crawled closer and closer to Mr. Long.
"Alright, Jade Emperor. Yes, have a good day--- Ompfh!"
Leon had quickly put him in a chokehold and pressed his gun to his temple in a matter of seconds!
"Give me the phone." He said in a deep, chilling voice.
Mr. Long's face was turning purple, and his chubby arms tried to swing back and struggle against Leon, who didn't budge an inch and just tightened his grip on him.
"I said.... give me the goddamn phone. Let me speak with your Jade Emperor."
He needed to confirm it. He needed to confirm that he was not just being paranoid all this time, and that it truly was...
Mr. Long reluctantly handed the phone as he would soon be running out of breath, and Leon let him go.
While also knocking his head with the the gun, rendering the fat man unconscious.
He placed the telephone to his ear, and waited for anything on the other side.
But the other side was quiet.
He sneered. "So it really as you. Come out of hiding, little rat."
Still no response, just static ringing.
"Answer me, Mickey Xing. Or I'll kill all your goons in this 'palace' of yours and have the police raid it."
After a long while, a soft voice finally responded. It was so very soft, it almost sounded like the voice of a child.
"My beloved lion... Shizi..."
Wolfe's eyes narrowed when he heard this, leaning in close so he can listen. Leon just pushed him off gently, making a gesture for him to stay quiet.
"Are you all alone, my Shizi?" He asked in a sing-songy tone.
"Yes. But that doesn't mean I won't be able to stop you, just like I had before. Even your whole Xing family could not stop me. I managed to end you without my family's help."
The person on the other side chuckled. "That's right... All alone yet you manage to find my Jade Palace. My Shizi is really so perfect."
"Shouldn't you wear a straightjacket right now? You made an insanity plea, from what I remember."
He giggled again. "Oh, you're so funny, Shizi. I'm long off my meds and was released now. You never heard the news? Oh, right, you were in the US."
"You didn't hear how the XXX Mental Institute had burned in flames. It was lucky that I managed to escape... unlike everyone else."
Leon scowled. "I will drag you back to another asylum then, you lunatic. But first, I will ruin whatever this sick experiment you have been doing with the children."
"Sick experiment?" The soft voice sounded really confused. "Shizi, I'm not doing anything sick in here. In fact, I'm healing these children."
"I'm healing them from what may turn them into bad humans, and turning them into perfect humans. Haha!"