"What are you talking about, you silly girl," Zhang Fan chuckled helplessly. Why had Little Tong suddenly brooded over this matter? Seto's recent actions, which had deeply affected Little Tong, were indeed excessively cruel.
Gazing at Zhang Fan's warm and comforting smile, Little Tong felt her anxious heart gradually calm. She discovered an overwhelming inability to be apart from Zhang Fan, a depth of care she had never experienced before.
As Little Tear watched Zhang Fan and Little Tong embrace, a fleeting shadow of sadness crossed her eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared, as if it had never been there.
"Ha, such youthful vigor," Uncle Yonishi spoke up, breaking the momentarily awkward atmosphere. Experienced and insightful, he could perceive Little Tear's hidden feelings and Little Ai's emerging emotions. With a slight interruption, he redirected everyone's focus back to the task at hand, providing detailed plans for retrieving the "Valkyrie."
Reviewing the blueprints and information, it was clear that police defenses were positioned outside Seto's private art gallery. Inside, however, the ground seemed unguarded – undoubtedly a trap set by Seto, but its nature remained unknown.
"What shall we do? We can't make a move without understanding the situation inside," Little Tear mused, her brows furrowing. She never engaged in battles without assurance of victory.
"Don't worry, leave that to me," Zhang Fan said with a sly grin, recalling an unused pawn perfect for the situation. "The Black Rat. Let's watch the show unfold."
"What? I won't do it!" Later, Zhang Fan met with Goda in the Cat's Eye Café. Goda's immediate refusal upon hearing Zhang Fan's request revealed his reluctance to engage in such perilous tasks.
"So, the infamous Black Rat is nothing but a coward," Zhang Fan retorted as Goda stood to leave. His words, laced with disappointment and sarcasm, stopped Goda in his tracks.
"What do you want?" Goda, unable to ignore Zhang Fan's leverage over him, reluctantly returned to his seat. Despite his reluctance, he knew he couldn't afford to disregard Zhang Fan's request.
"Just a simple task. Check out the open space in front of Seto's art gallery. Should be a walk in the park for the Black Rat, right?" Zhang Fan's emphasis on "Black Rat" heavily tipped the scales in his favor.
"Fine, just this once!" Goda begrudgingly agreed, a testament to his endurance and commitment to his word.
"Excellent, a pleasure doing business with you," Zhang Fan's grin only fueled Goda's desire to thrash him, but he restrained himself, remembering his place.
Little Tong watched the exchange with skepticism, questioning Zhang Fan's reliance on Goda. But Zhang Fan reassured her, confident in Goda's abilities and commitment to his promises.
That evening, a battered Goda arrived at the Cat's Eye Café's upstairs lounge. His disheveled appearance, with torn clothes and a face smeared with dirt, suggested a rough encounter. What kind of traps had he encountered at the art gallery?
"What happened, Goda? Explain yourself!" Zhang Fan demanded, noticing Goda's exaggerated injuries. He knew Goda was performing for Little Tear and Little Tong.
"Ow! Be gentle, it hurts!" Goda yelped as Zhang Fan's grip aggravated his wounds. His robust outcry betrayed his act, revealing his true condition.
"Sorry about that. Now, can you explain?" Zhang Fan's demeanor darkened, signaling to Goda that further evasion would lead to trouble.
"Alright, alright. It was going well until I entered the art gallery. Suddenly, a pack of ferocious dogs, all strapped with iron spikes, appeared on the open ground. They were clearly trained killers. I encountered five of them; there might be more. Escaping from them was a close call," Goda confessed without reserve, revealing the dangers he had faced.