Chapter 18: Catch him!

Xiao Pang's emotions came and went quickly.

After the fragrant dishes were served, Xiao Pang, whose hands had been clenched, instantly grabbed his chopsticks and with a single chopstick snatched the most choice piece of braised fish belly.

Seeing this, Qin Chuan was startled, then both annoyed and amused, he hurriedly picked up his chopsticks.

"Leave some for me!"

High schoolers wolfing down their meals have no table manners or modesty—only efficiency and the resolve to squeeze in one more bite of meat.

Amid the two of them gobbling food wildly, even the simple three dishes and soup took on a hint of mountain delicacies and sea flavors.

"Boss, just bring me one meat and one vegetable, quick!"

A shout came from outside; the boss, busy spinning around, hurriedly replied.

Qin Chuan's chopsticks, however, stopped at that moment.

He suddenly felt that the voice just now sounded somewhat familiar.

Qin Chuan couldn't help turning his head, looking at the man who had walked alone into the stall and was sitting in the seat nearest the door.

The man looked completely unfamiliar; Qin Chuan was certain he had never seen him before.

Thus that hint of familiarity gradually faded.

There are still many people in the world whose voices sound alike.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Pang noticed Qin Chuan's oddness and asked curiously.

"Nothing." Qin Chuan shook his head and, taking the opportunity, snatched the last piece of stir-fried pork with green pepper.

"Damn, I was careless!" Xiao Pang glared, staring at the slab of fatty pork with its marbled layers glistening with oil under the light, feeling as agonized as if his wife had been snatched away.

After finishing the dishes, each drank a full bowl of soup, and the meal ended.

"Burp~" Qin Chuan rubbed his belly satisfied, "It's rare to have meat, thanks."

"Why say that between us?" Xiao Pang waved his hand, then suddenly froze.

He rubbed his eyes hard, then nudged Qin Chuan with his elbow, "Qin Chuan, look over there."

Qin Chuan followed the direction of Xiao Pang's pointing finger and instantly saw a familiar figure.

It was Zhou Zixiu, who had represented the Special Affairs Group at the school that day to give a talk.

At that moment he was sitting in another eatery across the street, eating with several people, his gaze occasionally flicking over here.

"Why are Special Affairs Group people near our school?" Xiao Pang muttered under his breath, "Could they be coming this afternoon to give a talk?"

"Maybe?" Qin Chuan, also unsure, gave a casual reply.

Sitting not far from the two, the man who had casually ordered one meat and one dish twitched his ear, and his expression instantly shifted.

"Clatter!"

Accompanied by a sound, he swiftly stood up and was about to head out.

"Hey? You haven't paid yet!" the boss, noticing the movement, couldn't help shouting loudly, but the man turned a deaf ear.

Qin Chuan couldn't help turning his head to look at the food left on the man's table.

His meal had just been served not long ago, and he hadn't even taken a few bites yet.

Even if he was dining and dashing, shouldn't he eat his fill before running?

He was puzzling over this when Xiao Pang exclaimed, "The Special Affairs Group people have come out!"

"What?"

Qin Chuan quickly turned his head and soon saw Zhou Zixiu and the other few people who had been eating at the same table rush out together, chasing after the man's direction.

In other directions, several figures who had been doing their own tasks suddenly stopped their work the moment the man left and sprang into pursuit.

"Catch him!"

"This…"

Qin Chuan only felt a flash of lightning across his mind.

He remembered why the other's voice had seemed familiar to him!

It was one of the arguing voices he had faintly heard through the wall last night!

This person is Zhang Zhe, who was just put on the wanted list today!

Although he didn't know why the person no longer looked like his original self, there are far too many ways to change one's appearance, and Qin Chuan trusted his intuition.

He sprang to his feet, burst out of the stall, and turned his head toward the direction Zhang Zhe was fleeing.

He saw the plainclothes officers of the Special Affairs Group one by one, and also spotted Zhang Zhe's figure farther away.

Zhang Zhe was clearly unfamiliar with the area; amidst the plainclothes' pursuit, he panicked and turned into a dark alley without choosing a path.

That alley…

Qin Chuan, who was extremely familiar with the nearby area, felt his pupils contract.

"Uncle, buy a cap, that fat guy will pay." Qin Chuan casually grabbed a baseball cap from the nearby stall, pointed at Xiao Pang, then turned and sprinted off in another direction.

He knew where the exit of that alley was.

Furthermore, judging the timing, he had a chance to intercept before the other came out of the alley.

Qin Chuan also didn't know why he made this choice at this moment; perhaps it was youthful hot-blooded courage, or perhaps just adolescent impulsiveness.

But there is one thing.

Having chosen, he must see it through.

"Hey, Qin Chuan!"

Only then did Xiao Pang snap back to reality; he charged out of the stall, wanting to catch up to Qin Chuan, but was stopped by the cap‑selling stall owner.

"The cap is twenty‑three dollars, he said you'd pay."

"I…" Xiao Pang first stared in disbelief, then flew into a rage.

"Your cap is worth at most fifteen; charging even one dollar more is an insult to me!"

——

Zhang Zhe, don't be stubborn and refuse to see reason!

The violent shout from behind echoed in the alley, and Zhang Zhe's eyes were filled with coldness.

Obsessed and unwilling to wake up?

Zhang Zhe had fallen on hard times, was destitute, his family so poor they couldn't even open the pot, while those former drinking buddies who used to exchange cups at the wine table all rose high and prospered, their lives getting better and better—was he jealous?

No!

He only hoped those "good brothers" would help him, lend him a hand when he was down; obviously, for them it would be a trivial matter, yet all he got were hollow refusals.

In that case, it's only natural not to blame Zhang Zhe for being unrighteous.

Thinking this, a hint of ferocity flashed in Zhang Zhe's eyes.

This damned Dream World arrived just in time.

Although it made him suffer greatly, it also gave him unimaginable power.

A hazy light appeared on Zhang Zhe's face; when it faded, he had a new face, and even his clothes changed accordingly.

He had already seen the alley opening on the other side of this lane.

People came and went at the alley entrance.

He was confident that hiding in the crowd, no one would find him.

Once he hides in the dark and rises, he will surely take revenge on all who watched him coldly!

Step!

A clear footstep rang out.

Zhang Zhe stepped into a puddle that had appeared at the alley entrance.

At first he didn't think much of it, but the next moment his expression changed drastically.

The splashing water froze in midair; a huge force lurked within the water, binding his foot.

His forward momentum was instantly broken, and Zhang Zhe fell heavily to the ground.

Before he could get up, figures rushed out from the alley entrance, pressing him down tightly; all kinds of extraordinary powers surged, leaving him unable to move an inch.

And the water droplets had already fallen back into the water, raising only a few ripples, as if nothing unusual had ever happened.

Amid the chaos, Zhang Zhe vaguely saw a youth wearing a duck-tongue cap covering his face glance at him briefly, then turn and disappear into the crowd.

(End of chapter)