15: Chapter 015 A Gaze from the Dark
Lin Mo returned to his rented room and locked the door. Leaning against the cold door panel, his heart finally began to race in hindsight. The conflict in the alley had come suddenly and ended just as quickly, but he knew very well it was no coincidence. His frequent visits to the electronics market to buy components that seemed 'strange' to ordinary people had, as expected, attracted attention from some dark corners.
'I can't go on like this.' He walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and cautiously looked down. The street was still bustling with pedestrians, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, the string in his heart was pulled tight. The existence of the system was his greatest trump card, and he could not let it be exposed due to such negligence.
He pondered for a moment, and his consciousness sank into the system interface. In the points column, after deducting the costs for previous material and tool exchanges and adding the mission rewards, 320 points remained. He quickly browsed the mall, his gaze locking onto several options:
[Anonymous Logistics Channel (Small Quota): 50 Points/Use] (Description: A transit service provided by the system that can safely receive specific types of non-contraband packages; the source is difficult to trace.)
[Environmental Camouflage Coating (Basic): 30 Points/Unit] (Description: Can be sprayed onto a workspace to effectively absorb specific electromagnetic wave frequencies, reducing the risk of remote detection.)
[Personal Information Blurring (Regional): 80 Points/Use] (Description: Within a certain area, slightly interferes with targeted investigations and records against the host; effect lasts for 30 days.)
These were all things he could afford at this stage and could effectively enhance his stealth. Without hesitation, he immediately exchanged for the [Anonymous Logistics Channel] and the [Environmental Camouflage Coating]. His points decreased by 80, and a virtual voucher resembling an express delivery QR code appeared in his inventory, along with a small can of plain-looking gray spray paint.
Next, he needed to re-plan his method of obtaining materials. Some basic, common components could perhaps be purchased in small, scattered batches through the anonymous channel provided by the system. Core materials with special requirements, however, had to rely on point exchanges; though expensive, it was the safest method.
At the same time, he picked up the can of camouflage coating and began carefully spraying key areas in the room, especially the workbench and the places where finished and semi-finished products were stored. Once the paint film dried, it looked no different from an ordinary wall, but he could feel a faint energy field covering these areas, which gave him a great deal of peace of mind.
While Lin Mo was busy upgrading his own security level, what he didn't know was that two sets of 'eyes' from different directions had already landed on him one after another.
The first gaze came from the 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' led by Long Zhantian.
The protector who had been monitoring from the other end of the alley had already submitted a report detailing the conflict, including Lin Mo's fighting techniques, reaction speed, and his calm handling of the aftermath. At the same time, another group of peripheral investigators provided feedback: when the two thugs were found by the 'Cleaning Crew,' they were planning to go to an unlicensed clinic to set their bones. When asked about the cause of the conflict, they only said vaguely that they had kicked a steel plate and that the opponent was a 'martial arts expert,' and they hadn't even seen clearly how he moved. A comprehensive analysis report on Lin Mo's purchase history was also placed on Long Zhantian's desk, clearly pointing out that his purchasing behavior had a specific technical inclination that did not match the patterns of ordinary electronics enthusiasts or repair personnel.
All this information further corroborated Long Zhantian's judgment that 'Lin Mo is Patriot X,' and his threat assessment level and importance were raised once again. More protection resources were mobilized silently, weaving a denser, more invisible net centered around the rented room. Their principle remained: do not contact unless necessary, and absolutely do not disturb.
The second gaze came from a more distant and more dangerous place.
The CIA Asia Bureau in the Pretty Country.
James Craig held a glass of whiskey, listening to a subordinate's routine report on Dragon Country's recent 'abnormal' movements. Most of the content was still viewed by him as Dragon Country's futile struggle under the blockade, until a briefing from the periphery of the intelligence network, marked as 'low credibility,' caught a bit of his interest.
The briefing mentioned that in an urban village of a second-tier city in Dragon Country, there was a young college student whose behavior patterns had changed recently. He frequently purchased specific types of electronic components and metal materials and displayed skills suspected of professional training, which were inconsistent with his identity, easily subduing two local thugs.
'A college student? Electronic components? A fighting expert?' Craig swirled his glass and sneered, 'Sounds like a character from a third-rate spy novel. Which department in Dragon Country came up with such a clumsy smokescreen? Or is it some amateur mad scientist?'
He casually tossed the briefing aside, not giving it much importance. In his eyes, the real threat came from the Dragon Country's state-led, organized scientific research breakthroughs, not this kind of 'individual phenomenon' that occasionally popped up in a low-level corner. This small matter wasn't even worth wasting too much energy on for a deep investigation.
'Just have the local peripheral personnel keep an eye on it; no need to invest extra resources,' he instructed his subordinate, immediately putting the matter out of his mind.
Whether it was Long Zhantian's high-alert protection or Craig's careless neglect, it clearly indicated that Lin Mo, this originally obscure young man, was no longer a transparent existence that no one noticed.
He had officially stepped into the vision of various forces, both open and hidden, even though he himself was not yet fully aware of it. Beneath the calm surface, the undercurrents had already begun to surge.