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Red Raven didn't take long to feel overwhelmed."Alright, alright, just tell me what to do," he grumbled, rubbing his temples. Without realizing it, he had already turned into Mo Wen's accomplice.
"We'll make our move this Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Thomas won't be in," Mo Wen stated.
"You know that?"
"I tapped the receptionist's phone."
"You can plant bugs?" Red Raven's skepticism turned to mild admiration.
"It's a simple device hidden under the counter," Mo Wen said."The main issue will be for you to intercept the delivery guy that day, get his badge, ask for the passcode, and give me his uniform."
"What if there's no delivery?"
"Then follow him until you get the passcode."
Red Raven, contemplating Mo Wen's instructions, asked "Are you sure you can get in?"
"I have an advantage," Mo Wen replied with a confident smile.
Red Raven scratched his bald head, thinking it over."Alright, if this works out, we're friends."
Mo Wen just smiled, not committing to anything. Red Raven's usual pride flared up, giving him a chance to vent his frustration. "What, you don't think I can do it?"
Caught off guard, Red Raven was taken aback by the genuine response. It was like a knife lightly grazed his heart, leaving him momentarily stunned.
"We've been friends since the day you saved me," Mo Wen said warmly, his tone like a comforting stream.
Red Raven froze, then burst into laughter, though a hint of complexity lingered in his gaze."Alright, good brother, let's drink! And you pick up the tab!"
Mo Wen couldn't help but laugh wryly, feeling a pounding headache. This unexpected friendship made him realize how challenging dealing with Red Raven's master must have been.
In the dim hotel room, Red Raven munched on an apple, occasionally glancing at Mo Wen. Mo Wen, meanwhile, was poring over his plans, scrutinizing every detail. Each aspect of the plan was crucial to their mission's success, and he needed to ensure everything was flawless.
Before tackling the first hurdle, Mo Wen adjusted his deliveryman disguise one last time. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Walking into the reception room with a confident stride, his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, settling on the security guards.
The lobby was spacious and bright, with the soft light from crystal chandeliers reflecting off the marble floor. Plush leather sofas and abstract paintings added an air of opulence. Behind the tall reception desk, a receptionist stood with a holographic landscape on the wooden wall behind her.
Two security guards stood idly by the security corridor, one sipping coffee, clearly tired from the previous night. The dimly lit corridor had monitors blinking with red lights, and the heavy security door loomed coldly, emitting a faint mechanical hum that added to the tension.
"Are you the new delivery guy? Where's your colleague?" the receptionist asked, her smile tinged with curiosity.
Tipping his hat, Mo Wen returned her smile. "Sorry, he's sick. I'm covering for him. You must be tired of seeing his old face by now!"
The receptionist chuckled, evidently amused by this new deliveryman. "I feel like I've seen you before," she said with a friendly smile.
Mo Wen's heart skipped a beat, silently praying she wouldn't remember him from his scouting trip days earlier. Back then, he had followed a deliveryman into the lobby, asked for directions as a pretext, and left.
"We couriers get around a lot, so you probably have. Want my number?" he joked, trying to hide his anxiety.
The receptionist's sweet smile indicated a high tolerance for good-looking guys. She examined Mo Wen's badge. "Dongshu, huh? Nice name."
The badge had Mo Wen's photo, meticulously stamped with a fake emboss. Feeling slightly reassured, he watched as she pulled out a small machine. "Passcode," she said, performing her routine check.
Mo Wen entered the code, but the machine didn't accept it.
"Try again?" she asked with a smile.
Mo Wen's heart pounded as he recalled the deliveryman's movements when entering the code. Despite fearing he had the wrong code, he had no choice but to try again.
He glanced at the security guards, noticing their attention shifting towards him.
Mo Wen re-entered the code. The few seconds of waiting felt like an eternity. When the green light finally flashed, he exhaled quietly in relief.
"All set, go on in!" the receptionist smiled, nodding towards the security guards. Mo Wen nodded back, striding towards the security corridor. Each step was measured and confident, knowing he had to appear impeccable.
Just as he was about to step into the corridor, a voice called out behind him. "Wait a minute, handsome!" His heart clenched as he forced a smile. "Yes, ma'am?"
"You forgot to sign in," the receptionist said apologetically.
Mo Wen's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly recalled the scouting details. He walked back, filling out his name, purpose, and signature, then smiled sheepishly and nodded as he left.
One of the guards, his hand relaxing on the handle of his nightstick, watched Mo Wen pass without questioning him.
The dimly lit corridor was eerily silent, amplifying the sound of Mo Wen's heartbeat. The faint creak of the security door at the corridor's end made him pause.
Cameras monitored every aspect of visitors' physique, appearance, and gait, storing data in the system's database for security staff to access. Though Mo Wen wasn't aware of this, he knew this part of his journey was fraught with uncertainty.
As Mo Wen prepared to enter the surveillance corridor, a guard suddenly stepped forward, blocking his path. Mo Wen's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained his smile, asking,"Is something wrong?"
Internally, he was frustrated. His mission seemed over before it had even begun. Red Raven, the dubious guide, clearly wasn't the best spy. Was Mo Wen's spy career ending before it started?