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The guard blocked Mo Wen's path but didn't question him further. Instead, he glanced down the corridor and casually remarked,"Hold on a second, someone's coming."
Oh, so someone's coming out, Mo Wen thought, feeling a slight relief wash over him.
However, as the footsteps grew louder, Mo Wen's face began to stiffen. It was an old colleague. What a coincidence to run into him here! They weren't close, but the colleague definitely recognized Mo Wen and knew him as a regular courier.
When the colleague had left the company, Mo Wen had just started; rumor had it he had connections and moved to a better job, though he had also been a courier once.
"Please don't remember me! God, please!" Mo Wen prayed silently.
"Hey, aren't you…" the colleague recognized him but couldn't recall his name immediately.
Mo Wen's heart pounded in his throat, and his facial muscles tensed."Ah, senior, you remember me? I lent you some money once."
"Oh, right, you're busy. Let's chat later!" The colleague nodded hastily and scurried away like a rabbit fleeing a hunter.
Mo Wen watched the hurried departure, while the guard cast a disdainful glance at the retreating figure, snorted, and patted Mo Wen on the shoulder, signaling he could go through.
Entering the corridor, Mo Wen's ears buzzed, and the surveillance camera above him blinked, but nothing happened. When the door at the end of the corridor opened, he breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Outside, a neat lawn stretched out, with a faint fragrance of flowers lingering in the air. Sunlight filtered through the building's glass windows, creating dappled patterns on the ground and the brick path ahead. Mo Wen knew he had successfully completed the first stage of his disguise, but this was just the beginning. He realized there was no turning back; each detail was crucial, and any slip could lead to failure.
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The next challenge was crossing the courtyard, less than a hundred meters away, an eerie calmness pervading the scene. The security office was tucked into a corner of the yard, controlling all the surveillance of the building.
Scientists occasionally emerged from the building, brushing past Mo Wen, but none paid him any mind. Just as he entered the courtyard, the assistant security manager Hoxton leisurely stepped out of the office, stretching his stiff back and surveying the surroundings. Mo Wen adjusted his pace to maintain a distance from the assistant manager Hoxton.
The Hoxton's sharp eyes briefly lingered on Mo Wen, feeling a vague sense of unfamiliarity, and he began to approach slowly.
Mo Wen's heartbeat drummed in his chest; he forced himself to breathe steadily and keep his stride natural. His package felt heavier, and cold sweat dampened his palms. He clenched his fists, suppressing his fear. With a glance from the corner of his eye, he calculated that in 15 seconds, the Hoxton manager would intercept him.
Without altering his speed, sweat poured from his palms, his mouth parched.
Ten seconds passed, and the Hoxton manager was already in front of him. Mo Wen instinctively lowered his head, making himself more conspicuous. Suspicion flickered in the Hoxton's eyes as he quickened his pace.
"Hey, you, the courier! Come here!" A breathless voice called out.
"Yes, sir." Mo Wen quickly ran over, forcing a professional smile.
"Tell your manager that yesterday's delivery was late again. This is the second time! Do you know how important those documents are?" An out-of-breath middle-aged scientist with gold-rimmed glasses barked at him.
"Sorry, sir. I'll pass on the message," Mo Wen apologized, his mind racing to plan his next move.
The scientist seemed somewhat appeased by Mo Wen's eagerness, though he continued to grumble,"Tell your manager, a late delivery again, and this is the second time this month. I don't want a next time!"
"Understood, sir. Apologies, sir. I'll definitely let him know." Mo Wen kept his head down, pulling his cap lower.
The Hoxton manager turned away, having heard enough, and walked off, leaving the scientist to continue his noisy complaints like a squawking crow.
Finally, the scientist let him go. Mo Wen clutched his package close to his chest, calming his racing heart. Apologizing once more, he kept a close eye on the Hoxton manager's movements. As the manager walked away, Mo Wen suppressed his surge of joy and steadily proceeded across the courtyard. Each step felt like walking on a razor's edge, with any misstep potentially leading to disaster.
The third hurdle: Mo Wen entered the building, finding a simple setup with an elevator and a corridor right at the entrance. He glanced at the elevator and decided to use the stairs, regardless of how busy the elevator might be. The area was sparsely populated, and Mo Wen crouched to tie his shoelace, carefully noting the positions of the surveillance cameras.
Calmly, Mo Wen reached the fourth floor and lightly knocked on a door, glancing around nonchalantly. The surveillance camera at the end of the corridor flickered, sending images back to the security office.
The Hoxton manager returned to his room, sipping coffee and grabbing a sugar packet. As he tore it open, he casually glanced at the surveillance screens.
Mo Wen knocked on the door, slightly leaning his body to obscure the camera's view, while covertly using a lock pick.
The Hoxton manager, back in the security room, scanned the monitors. His gaze fell on the young man on the screen. He tapped his fingers on the desk controls, and the surveillance camera slowly moved—it was a small remote-controlled device. The Hoxton manager guided the flying camera along the ceiling, moving it slowly toward the room where Mo Wen was.