Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 226 Lin Chuqiao and the Alien Team
The atmosphere of the New Year still lingers in the cracks of the city. The red lanterns on the streets sway intermittently, as if recalling the hustle and bustle of the festival.

Fang Cheng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the club, looking at the bustling scene outside with heavy traffic, and put the cell phone to his ear, dialing a number.

On the other end of the phone, after a busy tone, a voice as clear as a silver bell came, but it could not hide the fatigue:
"Hey?"

Fang Cheng was slightly startled, then he said:
"Lin Chuqiao, it's me, Fang Cheng. Happy New Year! What have you been busy with lately?"

Hearing Fang Cheng's familiar voice, Lin Chuqiao seemed to be instantly injected with vitality. Her originally somewhat tired spirit suddenly perked up, and she immediately laughed softly:

"Oh, you're such a rare guest today. I don't usually see you around. It's rare that you would take the initiative to call me and wish me a happy new year."

She smiled and her joy was mixed with a hint of anger.

Since saying goodbye to Yong'an Island and returning to Dongdu, both of them have been busy with various things and have not seen each other for a long time.

Fang Cheng didn't feel embarrassed at all and smiled:
"I was so busy a while ago that I didn't have time to contact you. Now that I'm done with my work, I remembered to catch up with you."

"Are you free? Let's find a place to get together. It's my treat."

There seemed to be faint sounds of conversation coming from Lin Chuqiao's side.

She whispered a few words to someone, then responded with some apology:
"I'm really sorry, I have guests visiting my house today, so it's inconvenient for me to go out. How about we make an appointment next time?"

She paused for a moment, as if she had noticed something, and asked sharply, "Is there something wrong with you?"

Fang Cheng did not hide anything and said frankly:

"Yes, today, while I'm treating you, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"I knew it."

Lin Chuqiao first laughed softly. The laughter came through the receiver without any anger. Instead, it seemed very happy:
"Go ahead. As long as it's something I can do, just say it. Don't be polite to me."

“It’s not a very complicated matter.”

Fang Cheng cleared his throat, sorted out his thoughts, and then explained the situation:

"Well, do you remember the little girl who was brought to your house for treatment last time?"

"She dropped out of school for some reason and stayed at home. I thought she was still young and shouldn't let this ruin her studies and her future."

"You are a university teacher and have a wide network of contacts. Can you help keep an eye out and find a suitable school for her?"

Lin Chuqiao listened quietly on the other end of the phone, and responded immediately without hesitation:

"Okay, fax me a copy of her ID information. Don't worry, I will definitely get it done for you before school starts."

Fang Cheng felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his tone was full of sincere gratitude:

"Thank you very much. I will definitely treat you to a good meal next time when I am free."

Lin Chuqiao smiled sweetly and said playfully:

"You said it, so don't play tricks on me. Go and prepare the materials. I have guests here. I'll hang up now."

"Okay, then you get busy first."

Fang Cheng hung up the phone, breathed a sigh of relief, and squinted at the skyscrapers outside the window.

The image of Lin Chuqiao, who was enthusiastic, capable, yet gentle, unconsciously emerged in his mind, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, in a high-end apartment located in Cuihu Yipin.

Lin Chuqiao was also standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

After finishing her call with Fang Cheng, she put down her phone, turned to look at the guests waiting in the living room, and explained:

"Sorry, a friend of mine needed my help, so I was delayed for a while."

The visitor was a man in his fifties, wearing a grey windbreaker and with his hair neatly combed back. The look behind his glasses revealed a bit of scrutiny and doting.

He waved his hand gently and said with a smile:

"It seems that I came at the wrong time today and disturbed your date. Xiao Chu, if you are busy, we can talk another day."

Lin Chuqiao's cheeks flushed slightly, and she immediately sat down on the sofa opposite.

Then he resumed his dignified posture and looked at the other person seriously:

"It's okay, Professor, please continue."

Her tone was gentle yet firm, as if the woman who was gentle and a little coquettish on the phone just now switched seamlessly to the dignified and elegant her at this moment, without any abruptness.

The professor nodded slightly and continued:

"The target of our operation this time is the long-lost Golden Bamba Vase."

"I asked you to help me predict last time. The portrait you gave me showed an auction scene. Now according to reliable intelligence, it is very likely to appear at the International Shadow Auction next month."

Lin Chuqiao frowned slightly when she heard this, knowing what it meant.

In the turbulent underground world, there is a mysterious and notorious illegal trading platform - the International Shadow Auction.

It consists of an extremely secretive trading network that is completely beyond the regulatory system and is a hotbed for illegal trading of cultural relics and rare items.

The items handled at this auction have extremely sensitive origins, including national treasures stolen from various countries, illegally excavated ancient relics, and inherited secret treasures that were plundered after the decline of some long-established families.

"Do you want me to confirm the exact location of the item so that I can take action before the auction?"

Thinking of the possible dangers, Lin Chuqiao suddenly felt worried and asked again.

The professor nodded, his eyes looking calm.

Lin Chuqiao thought for a moment and agreed.

Then he took a large piece of white paper and colorful drawing pencils and spread them out on the coffee table.

She first took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, let her heart gradually calm down, and let go of all distracting thoughts.

A few minutes of meditation time passed.

Finally, she suddenly opened her eyes.

At that moment, it seemed as if bright stars were twinkling in her eyes, and the strange light exuded an otherworldly aura.

It was as if the soul had broken free from the constraints of the body, passed through the barriers of time and space, and entered into some wonderful and profound state of spiritual vision.

At the same time, her right hand holding the pen began to tremble slightly, as if it was connected to some mysterious current and was inspired by the future.

The brush in my hand then glides lightly across the white paper.

At first it was just a few tentative strokes.

Then, the lines became smoother, as if being pulled by an invisible and powerful force.

As the brushstrokes extend, the outline of a manor hidden in the mountains and forests gradually emerges on the paper.

The walls of the manor are tall and thick, covered with dark moss, revealing the vicissitudes of time.

The door was tightly closed, with strange patterns carved on it, like some ancient totem guarding the secrets of the manor.

After color adjustment, the picture continues to move forward. At the back of the manor, there is a carefully camouflaged entrance to an underground secret room.

And in this seemingly ancient and mysterious place, there are many burly guards.

They were dressed in black uniforms, wore ferocious masks on their faces, and carried various cold weapons and modern firearms.

Lin Chuqiao stared intently, concentrating completely, as if all the noise around her had nothing to do with her.

The only thing left in the world was the paintbrush in her hand, the white paper in front of her, and the key clues she had drawn. Nearly half an hour later.

A slightly blurry but detailed picture is fully presented on the paper.

Lin Chuqiao stopped painting and let out a long sigh, as if he had just experienced a fierce battle.

At this moment, her face was as pale as paper, her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and her arms were trembling slightly. It was obvious that she had consumed a lot of energy in the process of using her ability.

She raised her sore arm, gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, and said weakly:

"Professor, I saw it... The treasure should be in this manor, but the security inside is very strict, you must be careful..."

The professor saw this and handed over a glass of warm water with a concerned look on his face:
"Xiao Chu, take a break first. You've worked really hard this time."

Lin Chuqiao took the cup of water, took a sip, and nodded slightly in thanks.

The professor then picked up the treasure map that was drawn with his predictive ability and looked at it carefully.

His eyes moved slowly across the paper, not missing any details.

The entire picture is divided into two halves, with the left side being a panoramic view of a manor.

Although it is relatively rough, the general layout of the manor can be clearly seen. Surrounded by mountains and shaded by green trees, the manor is hidden among them, like a paradise.

On the right is a secret room, and the painting style appears much more detailed. The winding passages and hidden mechanisms are all vividly depicted on the paper, as if it were a detailed adventure map.

And in the very center of the secret room, there was the target of this operation - the long-lost Buddhist treasure.

The Jin Bamba bottle was placed on a stone platform. Not only was its general style the same as in memory, one could even vaguely see the intricate patterns carved on the bottle.

It was covered with thick glass, and the red reflection on the glass showed that it was equipped with a strict alarm system. Any slight movement would surely trigger the alarm and cause an uproar.

There were several people in black robes surrounding him. They put their hands together, lowered their eyebrows and eyes, as if they were performing some mysterious ritual.

Moreover, he was wearing the same ferocious mask as the guards outside.

The fangs and strange patterns on the mask make it look like a demon, which is chilling.

"Xiao Chu, your ability is even more sophisticated than before. It's simply amazing. I think it would be just like this if I filmed it on the spot with a camera."

After reading it, the professor couldn't help but take a deep breath and uttered heartfelt admiration, his eyes full of surprise and recognition of Lin Chuqiao's growth.

When Lin Chuqiao heard this, a faint blush appeared on her pale cheeks.

It was both the shyness after being praised and the reminder of someone who once belittled my poor painting skills.

She couldn't help but snort in her heart, and her thoughts drifted back to the days on Yong'an Island.

If that guy knew that my strength had improved dramatically in just one month, he would probably be stunned.

Thinking of this, Lin Chuqiao shook his head slightly and said softly:

"Professor, I'm just trying my best and I hope I can help you."

After a pause, her expression became serious, and she added:

"But I have a bad feeling about this operation. It seems there are other dangers hidden in it."

The professor smiled and said, "I don't care."

"The emergence of such a rare treasure will definitely involve forces at the level of chaebol families and international organizations, so danger is inevitable."

"But……"

Lin Chuqiao hesitated to speak, still looking worried.

"Xiao Chu, relax, I know what's going on."

The professor noticed her uneasiness, and after trying to comfort her, he deliberately asked:
"You can think about it. Since they have this treasure in their hands, why are they willing to put it up for auction? Are they short of money?"

"Lack of money? That shouldn't be possible."

Lin Chuqiao recalled the solemn scene he had seen when he made the prediction, and immediately shook his head to deny it.

"Yes, who would sell a treasure that could be a saint's relic for a mere sum of money?"

The professor narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze was as deep as the sea, as if he could see through all the conspiracies:
"My guess is that they intend to use this thing to attract various forces to join the game and trigger a melee."

"Even the secret information about receiving the treasure this time was leaked by them on purpose..."

Lin Chuqiao's eyes lit up, and he instantly caught the key information and blurted out:

"You mean, by then, there will be more people eyeing this treasure than just us?"

"That's right, and that gives us an opportunity."

The professor nodded in approval, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

"The various forces compete with each other and check and balance each other. The more chaotic the situation is, the more beneficial it is to the weaker party."

"So, what we need most is not a head-on stealing method, which will only expose us too early and put us in a desperate situation. Instead, we should focus on the ability to adapt to circumstances, which is what our team is best at."

He sat cross-legged on the sofa, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, and slowly explained:

"In this turbulent situation, as long as we can keep our composure, find the right moment, and take advantage of the chaos, we will have a great chance of getting the Golden Benba Bottle. In this way, the chance of danger will be minimized..."

After saying this, he picked up the teacup and took a sip, his posture relaxed, revealing the calmness and confidence that came from years of wandering the world.

Lin Chuqiao nodded slightly, twirling the pencil in his hand.

Although her worries had not completely dissipated, the professor's analysis gave her more confidence.

After thinking about it carefully, he asked:

"Professor, may I know how many people are involved in this operation now?"

"There are five of us, including me. We are all team members who have experienced many missions and have a good understanding of each other."

The professor put down his teacup and introduced the abilities of each member one by one.

After listening, Lin Chuqiao's eyes flashed with determination, so he said:

"I am also participating in this operation."

"Xiao Chu, you don't have to take the risk yourself."

The professor frowned slightly, with a tone of dissuasion:

"According to the agreement, as long as you get the Golden Bamba Bottle, you will also have the right to use it once. You only need to provide us with intelligence support in the rear. The scene is too dangerous, and I cannot let you take any risks."

Lin Chuqiao shook his head, his tone firm:

"There are too many variables in this operation. If there is any mistake, all the previous efforts will be wasted. If we want to really ensure that we get it, only I can make predictions and adjust the action plan at any time on the spot, so that I can give the most accurate guidance based on the real-time situation."

The professor hesitated, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement:
"Okay, but when the time comes, you must follow me closely and not leave me alone. If there is any danger, I will take you away immediately."

After some discussion.

The professor smiled, his eyes full of confidence in this action:

"With your ability to predict the future, we should be able to do it without any mistakes."

Lin Chuqiao nodded slightly.

Due to a seed buried deep in her heart, she had a reason to get this treasure.

(End of this chapter)