Chapter 166: Snagged a Police Officer on the Spot

Xu Mo naturally doesn't play by the usual script.

That's the fundamental difference between him and the contestants from previous episodes.

It's also why he hasn't been caught by the Investigation Team so far.

He snatched Xiao Zhang's car key, not because he intended to flee in Xiao Zhang's car.

In fact, Xu Mo never even considered that method.

Driving a police officer's car to evade the police sounds absurd enough.

Who knows whether that car has a Police-installed Locator Device?

In reality, taking Xiao Zhang's key was just a decoy Xu Mo set up.

It confuses Xiao Zhang, and also Han Fei.

Making them think Xu Mo will drive Xiao Zhang's car away.

But when Han Fei starts investigating along the trail of Xiao Zhang's car, he'll probably get confused.

Because he can't figure out what Xu Mo is actually thinking.

After all, when does a robber steal a car key but not drive off? If he doesn't take the car, why take the key?

…

What Xu Mo took from Xiao Zhang.

Not just the car key, but also the documents and the sidearm.

The car key is the decoy; the other two items are what Xu Mo really wants.

The timeline rewinds to this morning…

This morning, Xu Mo left the villa, intending to take a walk to clear his mind and have some breakfast.

He plans to map out his next moves after he's full.

But just as he stepped out of the villa, about to leave the compound,

he ran into a man head‑on.

The man gave Xu Mo a startled glance, but in less than a second his expression returned to calm.

Anyone else would certainly have missed any oddity.

They might even overlook the fleeting surprise on the man's face.

But Xu Mo, whose brain activity is up by two points, clearly caught the man's micro‑expression.

Although Xu Mo doesn't know the man, he can tell just by instinct that something's off.

Because he has no acquaintances in Hangcheng at all.

Do strangers on the street show surprise when they see you?

Obviously not.

Based on that, Xu Mo guesses the man is either a Water Friend who watched the livestream, or a police officer.

The chance he's a Water Friend approaches zero.

If he were a Water Friend, he wouldn't give a startled glance at Xu Mo and then instantly normalize his expression.

After all, recognizing a Challenger from the Tianyan Program isn't something to hide.

This man is most likely a police officer!

To verify his hunch,

Xu Mo walked toward the man.

"Hey buddy, got a light? Lend me one."

Seeing Xu Mo approach, the man's nerves tightened instantly, his mind a bit dazed.

He almost reflexively nodded.

"Uh… I have,"

He said, pulling a lighter from his pocket and handing it to Xu Mo.

As Xu Mo took the lighter, he also examined the man's hand closely.

The man's right index finger and the web of his thumb bore obvious calluses.

At the same time, Xu Mo noticed.

His waist was puffed out, as if something were strapped to it.

Now he is about ninety percent sure the man is a police officer.

Of course, Xu Mo still needs one final confirmation.

After lighting a cigarette,

Xu Mo smiled and handed the lighter back: "Thanks, brother."

The man waved his hand.

"You're welcome,"

After speaking, he turned to leave, intending to find a spot to call Han Fei and report the situation.

"Buddy, your shoulder insignia is crooked," Xu Mo suddenly shouted from behind as the man turned to leave.

Hearing that,

the man instinctively twisted his head to look at his shoulder.

A subconscious move can be the most lethal.

By the time the man realized that his action might expose him,

it was already too late.

He didn't even have time to draw his gun and fire.

Xu Mo has already come up.

A police officer is naturally no match for Xu Mo after he obtained the System Reward.

Before he could react, he was knocked out by a Hand Knife strike from Xu Mo.

There aren't many people in this villa area, and no one would doubt Xu Mo dragging an unconscious man.

Thus Xu Mo doesn't bother to disguise himself.

He carries the man back to the villa as if he were a chick.

Xu Mo first extracts the sidearm, car key, and Police Badge from his pocket.

Next, following the usual method, he gets a marker and writes the character "death" on his forehead.

He also wraps him with Tape.

Having finished all that.

Xu Mo calls up, one by one, the four people still asleep in the room.

"What… what's happening?" Yang Jingxuan, looking bewildered, points at the man that Xu Mo has bound.

Three others are just as confused as Yang Jingxuan.

"Where did you bind this man from?"

"A new hostage?"

"Are you trying to negotiate with the Police using a hostage?"

"Hostage?" Xu Mo shakes his head. "Even if I were to bind a hostage, I wouldn't bind a man—heavy ones are hard to carry, and this is a police officer."

Speaking, Xu Mo also points his finger at the coffee table, where the sidearm, Police Badge, and car key he just extracted from the officer lie.

"I was planning to go out for breakfast, but before I could even leave the villa gate, I ran into a police officer. The meal fell through, and I casually captured the officer and brought him back."

"How did the police officer end up here?" An Youyi asks.

Xu Mo shrugs his shoulders.

"It was exposed, maybe they traced it via your car's license plate, maybe via the last house's records."

"In short… this place isn't safe, we can't stay, let's pack up and get ready to leave."

"It's fine, I have plenty of houses; we'll move to another place, and later Xu Mo can set up a security protocol." An Youyi remains somewhat skeptical.

Before Xu Mo could speak, Zhou Qiaoqiao countered.

"Probably it won't work; the fact that a police officer could find us shows your other houses aren't safe either, and… did you notice? This officer is in plainclothes."

"The security protocol Xu Mo set up can only recognize the four members of the Investigation Team and police officers in uniform; plainclothes officers are outside its detection range, so the protocol can't help."

"Moreover, the fact that a police officer could locate this house means your other houses are definitely exposed, and there are surely plainclothes officers nearby; we can't take the risk."

Hearing this, An Youyi slightly parts her mouth and looks toward Xu Mo.

"Where shall we live then?"

"I'll think of a solution; let's go first. This place can't be stayed in. Pack any belongings you need quickly," Xu Mo says.

"Alright!" the four say in unison.

……

After finishing the packing.

The party prepares to depart.

Just as Xu Mo stuffs the sidearm and Police Badge from the coffee table into his pocket, preparing to leave.

The police officer awakens.

Seeing this, Xu Mo ponders briefly, then, in front of the officer, picks up the car key.

He leads the officer to mistakenly believe that Xu Mo taking the car key means he intends to drive off.

He then steps forward and delivers another Hand Knife blow to the officer.

After stunning the officer, the party leaves the villa, preparing to find a new resting spot.