The spiraling pupils suddenly extinguished, leaving the Spiritualist with a look of disbelief. Blood trickled from his forehead as his body fell lifelessly into the pool. In seconds, the water turned crimson.
The gunfire caused even more chaos.
Chase Wei turned around.
Two police officers stood frozen, shocked by what they had just witnessed. As members of the West Capital Police Force, if they didn't know who Young Master Wei was, they might as well quit. But watching him commit murder right in front of them left them utterly paralyzed.
Even for the ruler of West Capital, this was pushing the limits.
Yet what came next was even bolder.
Chase walked over, raised his gun, and sneered.
The officers, terrified, took a step back.
Two more shots rang out!
The officers fell, thankfully only shot in the shoulders.
"Chase, what's wrong with you?" one of them screamed in terror.
Chase smirked and lifted his gun. At that moment, he noticed a few police cars pulling up. Stepping out of one was none other than Richard Qin, the police chief.
Richard had been in a West Capital city committee meeting when he got the call, saying, "Chase Wei is brandishing a gun at Crab Garden Plaza." He'd sighed bitterly, thinking, This crown prince is too reckless. Doesn't he realize the public repercussions? Now I have to clean up after him again.
After quickly excusing himself from the meeting, Richard rushed to the scene, only to arrive just in time to see Chase shooting at two officers.
He's lost his mind!
"Disperse the crowd immediately!" Richard ordered, as the police, familiar with such incidents, moved swiftly to comply.
"Chase Wei, what are you doing?!" Richard shouted in disbelief.
"Nothing much," Chase replied, smiling as he raised the gun again.
Richard paled and quickly ducked behind the car door. Other officers pulled out their weapons, but none dared to aim them directly at Chase.
Chase shook his head, his eyes filled with mockery.
Several more shots shattered the police car's windows.
"Chase Wei! Have you lost your mind? Stop this at once! This is assaulting an officer in broad daylight!" Richard bellowed angrily.
"What's the punishment for assaulting an officer?" Chase asked casually.
"It's a death sentence, Young Master Wei. Put down the gun now. I can still handle this. If things get out of hand, it'll be bad for both of us!" Richard said, shooting a look at his subordinates, signaling them to alert Chase's father.
Chase sneered, "Chief Qin, are you suggesting I should be sentenced to death?"
"I wouldn't dare. But you must stop now. I can smooth things over," Richard pleaded, glancing nervously at the wounded officers.
"Ha, you're a disgrace to the police force! What a joke!" Chase laughed.
Richard's face twitched with anger. You arrogant princelings, if it weren't for your family's background, what would you be? He cursed inwardly. We're the ones cleaning up your messes, putting our lives on the line while you flaunt your power. It's pathetic.
Despite his thoughts, Richard forced a weak smile. Even the officers around him frowned at his submissive demeanor.
"Stop this, please? Just put down the gun," Richard urged.
A gunshot was his reply.
"Arrest him!" Richard snapped, realizing that the longer this dragged on, the worse it would get. If foreign media got wind of this, things could spiral out of control.
He decisively ordered Chase's capture.
Chase muttered to himself, smirking. Now this is how a police chief should act.
The police officers, armed with small-caliber handguns, knew better than to aim for Chase's torso. They fired warning shots at his legs, but even this was done hesitantly. Chase, on the other hand, had no such reservations. According to Richard, he seemed like a madman, utterly unhinged.
After a few more shots, wounding another officer, Chase's gun finally ran out of bullets. He tossed the weapon aside and sprinted away.
There was no way Richard would let Chase escape. Even though he was the crown prince of the Wei family, this situation was far too grave to simply let him go. Besides, something about Chase seemed off. The calculated, composed heir Richard knew was acting completely out of character.
No matter what, I have to catch him!
Chase ducked into a nearby building. Calmly closing the door behind him, he walked a few steps and entered a small room. There, lying unconscious, was another Chase Wei.
The Chase Wei who had just entered walked over, grabbed the unconscious body, and dragged it to the staircase.
"You want to play? Fine, let's play," he sneered, sending a jolt of electricity through his hand and pushing the body down the stairs.
The conscious Chase stood by the window, watching as a military vehicle approached.
Minutes later, the door was kicked open with a loud crash, and armed guards stormed the building, surrounding him.
A stern-faced middle-aged man scanned the room, his gaze eventually landing on the body at the bottom of the stairs.
Just then, the real Chase Wei groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He clutched his head, wincing. "What's going on? My head hurts…"
"Dad?" Chase blinked in confusion, staring at the armed officers around him.
A few moments later, after a thorough search of the building, Richard Qin approached cautiously. "There's no one else here."
"What happened? And why am I here?" Chase frowned, trying to make sense of things.
His father, Wei Cheli, approached him with a grim expression. Without warning, he slapped Chase hard across the face.
"Dad?!" Chase gasped, clutching his cheek in disbelief.
"Take him away!" Wei Cheli barked.
Chase's heart sank with dread.
Meanwhile, a boy watched the entire scene unfold from a nearby rooftop, his eyes fixed on the commotion at Crab Garden Plaza. A large crowd of journalists had gathered outside the police line, including many foreign reporters, though they were being held back by the police.
"The real show is just beginning," the boy muttered with a smile.
A Lamborghini weaved gracefully through the streets. Leon Chen soon spotted a girl standing outside a café, bundled in a scarf, hat, and sunglasses. In the crowd, she looked inconspicuous, but Leon knew that underneath the disguise was one of the world's most famous stars.
Slowing down, Leon stopped the car in front of her. Just as he did, a sudden shockwave hit his brain. His entire body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside.
Damn it! The cost of Exquisite Thousand Faces!
Leon grimaced as he remembered that the ability's time had run out, and now the price had to be paid.
His muscles, bones, and blood vessels all seized up, causing an uncomfortable, though not unbearable, sensation. Thankfully, it only lasted for a few minutes.
Leon took a deep breath.
So this is the strange cost Lina mentioned for Exquisite Thousand Faces? It's not that bad, Leon thought with a wry smile. Just then, the girl outside knocked on the car window, clearly impatient.
Leon opened the door, and the girl, Angelina Dream, slid into the passenger seat with a sigh of annoyance. "What took you so long? Were you daydreaming?" She removed her hat and glasses, revealing her familiar face.
"Who are you?" Angelina suddenly exclaimed.
"Huh?" Leon was confused for a moment, then froze. He realized his voice sounded unnervingly soft and feminine.
"Who are you? Why are you driving Leon's car?" Angelina asked, her eyes narrowing.
Leon glanced in the rearview mirror and nearly jumped out of his skin.
Staring back at him was a stunningly beautiful girl. Her features were flawless, with deep, mysterious black eyes and delicate porcelain skin. Leon blinked, and the girl in the mirror blinked too. He rubbed his temples, and the reflection did the same.
Leon took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and opened them again.
The beautiful girl in the mirror was still there, her wide eyes filled with shock.
Oh my God!
Angelina continued watching the girl beside her, perplexed. Despite the odd behavior, this young woman was breathtaking, like a rare orchid untouched by the world. There was an innocent yet ethereal quality about her. And oddly enough, the masculine clothes only added a hint of charm to her beauty.
"Hey, are you okay? Did Leon ask you to pick me up?" Angelina asked curiously. "My name's Angelina. What's yours?"
Leon raised his right hand, signaling her to be quiet. Angelina found the gesture oddly charming, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
Leon was on the verge of a breakdown. His first instinct was to confront Lina immediately.
"Lina, what the hell is the cost of Exquisite Thousand Faces?" Leon growled in his mind.
Lina's voice came through, full of amusement. "Did you use that ability?"
"What's the cost? Damn it! I feel like dying!"
"Relax, it's a normal cost. The downside of this ability is that it temporarily turns you into the opposite gender."
"For how long?"
"For each use of Exquisite Thousand Faces, the cost is 24 hours!"
Hearing this, Leon's rage subsided a bit. At least there was a limit.
Phew, it'll end soon.
"Damn, that's seriously twisted," Leon muttered, staring at the mirror. The reflection was undeniably that of a gorgeous girl. He closed his eyes again, trying to look away. Staring too long made him feel queasy.
"Who said this ability wasn't twisted?" Lina chuckled.
"Exactly," Leon sighed.
Among all the abilities he'd used, this was the first with such a strange cost. It was a real blow to his ego.
But there was no going back now. Leon had no choice but to endure the 24 hours. Using Exquisite Thousand Faces again to switch back was an option, but the thought of extending the time for another day made him dismiss that idea quickly.
"Why aren't you talking?" Angelina's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Leon looked at her, speechless. Now he had another problem to deal with.
"Oh, what did you say?"
"This car belongs to Leon, right? Who are you to him?" Angelina asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"Hi, I'm his distant cousin. My name is Victoria Chen!" Leon quickly slipped into his role, smiling smoothly.
"Really?" Angelina blinked, surprised.
"That guy's lucky to have such a beautiful cousin," Angelina said enviously.
Leon wanted to roll his eyes.
Just then, Angelina's eyes lit up, and she giggled. "Perfect! Leon was really thoughtful. Victoria, you can come with me!"
"Come with you? Where?" Leon frowned, sensing trouble ahead.