"Zhang Fan?" Little Tear, taken aback by the sudden tackle, took a moment to register what had happened. She caught a glimpse of the armed dog from the corner of her eye and realized Zhang Fan had saved her. She owed him more than ever now.
"Not good!" Zhang Fan's keen senses had already picked up on something alarming. The dogs guarding this room seemed different from the others outside; they were massive, almost lion-like. Were these dogs fed on pig feed, given their enormous size?
Just after knocking down Little Tear, the three armed dogs charged at them. Zhang Fan quickly reacted, shooting one of the dogs, but the other two were too close. Using his 4A1 rifle to fend off one dog, he saw the other heading straight for Little Tear. He had to protect her at all costs. Suddenly feeling a surge of strength, he kicked the approaching dog away and pulled out a dagger. Though he was no expert marksman, at such a close range, he managed to stab the attacking dog in the eye.
The blinded dog collapsed, struggling in pain. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Fan ruthlessly shot and killed it. As for the last dog, his powerful kick had left it twitching, barely able to stand, its legs trembling uncontrollably.
Facing the last dog, Zhang Fan stood up, his movement causing the animal to retreat in fear. It seemed his previous kick had left quite an impression. Raising his 4A1, Zhang Fan saw the dog understand the lethal nature of his weapon and back away further. Instead of firing, he lowered his rifle and gestured towards the door.
Remarkably, as if understanding Zhang Fan's intention, the dog dashed towards the door. Perhaps it was the animal's instinct to flee danger. Now, only Zhang Fan and Little Tear remained in the room.
"Didn't expect that trick," said Little Tear, giving Zhang Fan a thumbs-up as she too stood up. Despite the dangers they faced, they had successfully obtained the "Warrior Goddess," and she was quite impressed with Zhang Fan's actions.
"It was just a coincidence. Let's continue," Zhang Fan replied modestly, taking down the "Warrior Goddess." It was indeed the genuine article. Now, their focus shifted to escaping the art gallery.
"Giggling, Little Tear added, "Still, I owe you thanks for saving me." She saw Zhang Fan's blush and teased him, thinking he was shy. In truth, Zhang Fan was a bit embarrassed by her praise; after all, he had learned these tactics from Little Tear and Little Tong.
"Let's not talk about that now. Stay back, Little Tear, I'm ready," Zhang Fan said, handing her the "Warrior Goddess" and pulling out a collapsible mini-rocket launcher from his backpack. Little Ai's latest invention was compact and powerful.
Zhang Fan aimed at a weak point in the room's structure and fired five rockets. The wall collapsed amidst a roaring explosion, and Little Tong and Little Ai, waiting nearby, quickly drove up to the scene. They had successfully completed their mission once again.
The next morning, local newspapers and TV stations reported the theft of the "Warrior Goddess." But the bigger news was the arrest of Seto Hiroshi, the famous economist and art collector, on charges of commercial fraud, tax evasion, and direct links to several murders. He was now detained, awaiting further investigation.
"Seto's finished," Zhang Fan mused, smiling at the news on TV. This meant another successful completion of their main mission, earning them two thousand game points and access to the skill store – excellent news indeed.
"True, Seto's done for, but it's a pity we couldn't pin anything on Kuranov," Little Tear commented, standing beside Zhang Fan. She had hoped to use this opportunity to strike a blow against her uncle Kuranov, who had cunningly abandoned Seto, leaving his own power base untouched.
"No worries, we still have time to continue this battle with the old fox," Zhang Fan reassured her, though unsure of their next move. With the first main mission complete and no new tasks in sight, they could only take things one day at a time.
"By the way, I haven't properly thanked you for last night. If it weren't for you, I might have been killed by those dogs. How should I repay you?" Little Tear suddenly approached Zhang Fan, caressing his cheek and whispering her question.
"Little Tear, stop playing around. Little Tong is right here," Zhang Fan replied awkwardly, noticing Little Tong's reaction. Little Tear was up to something.
"It's fine. What's mine is hers. I'm sure Little Tong won't mind," Little Tear responded cryptically, leaving Zhang Fan puzzled. Was this the start of a harem route? Impossible! But then, what was she implying? Zhang Fan's inexperience with romance left him thoroughly confused.
"Shy, are we? How adorable," Little Tear chuckled, seeing Zhang Fan's flushed face. Turning to Little Tong, she noticed her sister wasn't angry but rather smiling amiably at them. Zhang Fan sensed a plot brewing and retreated a few steps, trying to decipher the sisters' intentions as his mind raced with wild thoughts.