"The enemy is formidable; they might possess extraordinary powers."
"Be careful when you go out."
Zhao Lun warned them.
"Really?"
"I'd like to see who this killer is!"
"Let's see if he can catch my hammer!"
The others seemed eager to test their weapons, handling them with excitement.
Nicole wielded a spiked hammer, with a whip hanging at her waist. Monica carried a sharp, four-cornered silver steel whip, which could both stab and smash, along with a dagger and a cross-shaped throwing dart. As for Angela, her attire was far more conventional—a Chinese-style sword in its sheath, a pouch around her waist, a short-blade flying lock, and a black, tight-fitting outfit that gave her the air of a legendary night thief.
Zhao Lun surmised that Angela's choice of outfit was heavily influenced by martial arts films; otherwise, she wouldn't have dressed like someone straight out of the screen.
The weapons were heavy, but in their hands, they appeared as light as feathers, and they skillfully demonstrated various techniques.
They were all eager to teach the killer a lesson with these weapons.
"Uh, what is this—"
"Why are the weapons different?"
"Weren't swords and knives prepared for you?"
Zhao Lun was startled as he looked at the women playing with their new weapons.
It felt odd, like a group of literary ladies suddenly abandoning their books and picking up knives, and these knives were more advanced than those used by frontline soldiers. What was more surprising was that they handled them better than the soldiers themselves.
"The swords are too light!"
"They don't feel right!"
"They're nothing compared to the hammer or steel whip!"
Monica rolled her eyes at him, as if scolding him for not bringing better weapons.
"Is this the result of your training?"
It was easy to guess—after some cold weapon training, they had found the swords and knives uncomfortable, and upon discovering the hammer and steel whip on the weapon rack, they immediately swapped, finding these much more to their liking.
"Yeah, right."
The ladies shrugged their shoulders.
Seeing their expressions, Zhao Lun understood. From now on, this was the way they would fight.
With him around, any issues could be dealt with, and if things got out of hand, they had their trump cards—no matter what challenges arose, he wasn't worried.
The ladies, being action-oriented, quietly set off on their mission that night.
They even visited the weapon vault, picked out more tools, and then set out just before dawn.
Zhao Lun facepalmed, leaving Athena in charge to keep an eye on them. If anything urgent came up, she was to inform him. He then went back to his room to sleep soundly.
The next morning, during breakfast, the three ladies with dark circles under their eyes arrived.
Maria, with a curious expression, stared at their dark circles, making them uneasy as they tried to dodge her inquisitive gaze.
"Pfft!"
Seeing them so disheveled, Zhao Lun couldn't help but laugh.
"Alan, what's so funny?" Angela lightly pinched his ear, pretending to threaten him with a tug.
"Hey, Zhi Jie, what exactly did I laugh at?"
"I just woke up, in a good mood, relaxed, and happened to open my mouth a bit too wide, making a noise."
"...Hiss! Monica, did you dare pinch your boss's waist?"
"Boss, it's not a pinch, it's a massage, just a bit too much force."
The sound of snickering came from nearby.
"…"
After the playful teasing, Zhao Lun learned about their actions the previous night. Even after hearing the details, he couldn't help but roll his eyes and shrug.
Although they had acted in two films as warrior women, they were far from seasoned fighters like the ones portrayed in the movies. They were all rookies.
Lacking experience, their so-called "mission" turned into aimlessly wandering the streets. They drove around, repeatedly checking, but after a whole night, they hadn't found a single clue. The disappointment was palpable.
Maria had been teasing them earlier, which made Zhao Lun laugh, further adding to their embarrassment.
"When shooting a movie, the main characters always gather information first, lay out a plan, and then act... You, on the other hand, didn't even bother to gather any information before diving in…"
"Alright, you need to rest. Take a break, then we'll talk."
Seeing that they were about to get angry again, Zhao Lun said nothing.
By noon, the three ladies returned, well-rested.
"If you want to be agents of justice, take it one step at a time."
"Pfft! Agents of justice? We're just trying to train ourselves!"
"Just asking, nothing more."
"Good."
Zhao Lun felt relieved.
Being an agent of justice was hard work, and even harder for their families. Seeing that they weren't blindly rushing into it made him feel better.
"This is your operation guide. Follow it, and you'll be fine."
"Remember, be careful when you're on the move!"
The ladies went off to gather information and plan. Zhao Lun thought for a moment and realized they were missing something crucial, so he headed back to the lab.
Apart from Maria, Zhao Lun often stayed in the lab, while Nicole and the others seemed busy.
It wasn't until three days later that Zhao Lun gathered them together.
"Here's your transportation!"
"With this, you should be safer!"
Before them stood three identical, sleek vehicles.
"Is this a car?"
The three ladies were taken aback by the vehicles in front of them.
This was the result of Zhao Lun's three days of effort, drawing on the power of the Divine Kingdom. During those three days, no effort had been more taxing than the energy spent on these vehicles.
"High-tech Formula War Vehicles!"
"They can transform, change colors, and drive autonomously!"
"They come with built-in defensive weapons! An automatic temporary satellite launch pad!"
For their safety, Zhao Lun had worked hard. Seeing them amazed, he nodded with satisfaction and began demonstrating.
Inside, there were intelligent programs specifically designed to assist them.
When driving, they could communicate and control the vehicle via a communication device. The vehicle's onboard system would assist.
Of course, that wasn't the most important part—the real key was that if the vehicle's AI couldn't solve a problem, Athena could take over and provide support.
The transformation and color-changing capabilities were simple concealment techniques, and the weapons inside allowed for counterattacks. The temporary satellite would help guide the vehicle in certain directions.
The protective features reassured Zhao Lun.
Upon receiving such powerful tools, the ladies were thrilled and spent the rest of the day testing their new vehicles, before finally disappearing from the manor.
That evening, Zhao Lun and Maria were the only ones left at home.
As they sat watching television and eating dinner, Maria sighed.
"Since Mulan left, the food doesn't taste the same."
"And Nicole and the others, they won't even lend me their new toys!"
"Hmph! You're so biased, brother!"
Maria cut a piece of steak, chewing slowly, clearly dissatisfied with the taste. She swallowed with some difficulty before accusing Zhao Lun of favoritism.
"..."
Zhao Lun chuckled but didn't respond. Unlike Maria, he wasn't as picky about food and didn't require it to be perfect. He was content now, and her complaints were just a playful attempt to get his attention—a childish method, but one that many had used. Even the clever Maria wasn't immune.
At the dinner table, the news channel was on.
"Recently, some unsung heroes have appeared in the city. These unsung heroes are fighting against crime…"