Chapter 334: Angelicas Ultimate Move
Lin Xian methodically loaded 10mm copper-jacketed bullets into the magazine, ensuring each round was perfectly seated. He had two guns before him: a SIG Sauer P320 and a Desert Eagle, courtesy of Angelica.
The Desert Eagle was a powerhouse, undoubtedly. However, Lin Xian, with his years of experience handling firearms, knew it wasn’t practical for real combat. The Desert Eagle’s empty weight alone was a hefty 2 kilograms, significantly bulkier than most handguns. Its size and immense recoil made it difficult to handle for many, including Lin Xian despite his proficiency.
Shooting ranges often posted warnings stating that only individuals weighing over 80 kilograms could handle the Desert Eagle properly. The recoil was simply too intense for most, and even Lin Xian wasn’t immune to the laws of physics. The gun’s immense stopping power, with its 12.7mm bullets, came at the cost of a mere seven-round magazine capacity. In contrast, the SIG Sauer P320, while also powerful, was lighter at under 1 kilogram and held 15 rounds per magazine. In a real combat scenario, the SIG Sauer was the more reliable choice.
According to Lin Xian’s plan, if the time-space assassin pursued him to America, he would first engage her with the SIG Sauer. Ideally, this gun should be capable of piercing her defenses. If it proved insufficient, he would switch to the more formidable Desert Eagle. If even the Desert Eagle couldn’t penetrate the assassin’s defenses, it would be time to run without looking back.
However, such a scenario seemed unlikely. The assassin, having sustained injuries from falling off a vehicle, shouldn’t be invincible to gunfire; flesh and blood are weak against kinetic weapons.
Click.
Lin Xian pressed the final bullet into the magazine, now equipped with three 15-round magazines. He loaded one into the SIG Sauer, ensuring the safety was on to prevent any accidental discharge. He then placed the loaded handgun in his right pocket and the two heavy magazines in his left.
“Big Cat Face was right; security comes from gunpowder and bullets,” Lin Xian murmured. He stroked the cold steel through his jacket pocket, feeling a sense of nostalgia. Despite his adventures in his dream world, it had been a long time since he last handled a gun. His most recent experience with firearms was during the second dream, when he and CC infiltrated New Donghai City.Since then, each subsequent dream had seen his circumstances deteriorate. The invincible aura of the first dream had faded, leaving him entrapped and living a harsher existence in the dream world than in reality.
“I hope we can eliminate the mysterious old man soon,” Lin Xian muttered, adjusting his suit collar and patting the right pocket where the SIG Sauer rested. He fantasized about putting a 10mm bullet through Kevin Walker’s skull, a far more merciful fate than what Walker had inflicted upon him with that massive space shuttle.
Turning around, he saw Angelica’s driver pushing two oversized suitcases into the villa’s living room, with a stylishly dressed Angelica following behind.
“All set?” Angelica asked.
Lin Xian nodded.
“Then take a seat,” she instructed, pointing to a nearby chair. “It’s my turn to make you over.”
The driver left after delivering the suitcases, and Angelica, under Lin Xian’s watchful gaze, opened them. The suitcases revealed a complex array of compartments filled with various bottles, jars, and unknown items, each meticulously organized.
Lin Xian was not surprised. When Angelica mentioned transforming him into someone unrecognizable, he had suspected she planned to use makeup. However, he doubted makeup alone could alter his facial features and bone structure significantly.
Angelica began mixing substances from the bottles like a potion master, combining them in glass vessels while glancing at his face. The mixture thickened into a sticky paste.
“What are you doing?” Lin Xian asked curiously. “You’re not going to put that on my face, are you?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not black magic. Close your mouth and stay still,” Angelica replied. She applied the gooey mixture to his face like plaster, covering his cheekbones, nose bridge, eye sockets, temples, and chin. Lin Xian couldn’t see how much she applied, but he felt a considerable amount on his eye sockets, likely to deepen them.
Soon, the substance seemed to set, tightening yet remaining pliable. It was a strange sensation. Angelica continued her work, using various tools to shape his face as if performing surgery, layer by layer.
“Open your eyes wide,” Angelica instructed, fitting him with colored contact lenses. They had a faint blue ring, turning his brown eyes into a striking blue.
“How do you feel?” she asked, tapping his cheeks.
“Like a house under renovation, layer by layer,” Lin Xian joked.
“I’m asking if there’s any discomfort,” Angelica clarified, continuing her work.
“Am I really going to be your driver?” Lin Xian asked while she rummaged through the suitcase. “Do I need to be this dressed up for the role? Or are we attending a masquerade ball?”
“You’re not just my driver; you’ll be my date for the evening. Can’t you understand that?” Angelica chided, attaching false eyebrows and preparing a fake mustache. “Didn’t any women in X Country ever tell you you’re a bit dense?”
“Never,” Lin Xian replied.
“Well, they must have really liked you,” Angelica laughed. She carefully positioned the mustache on his chin. “In America, women rarely attend events alone. Bringing a date makes things look normal and avoids unwanted attention.”
Angelica then shared a story about Elon Musk’s secretary, who was a huge fan of hers, frequently sending her long messages on social media. Despite Angelica’s polite but minimal responses, the secretary remained persistent.
“Stalking isn’t a good look,” Lin Xian commented.
“Shh,” Angelica hushed him with a finger on his lips, smiling. “Tonight, she will get what she’s been waiting for.”
Realizing the depth of Angelica’s plan, Lin Xian chuckled. “So, you really plan to deal with Elon Musk’s secretary. I underestimated you. Does seduction really work on women too?”
“Want to find out?” Angelica teased, arching an eyebrow.
“Tell me about your past successes,” Lin Xian suggested.
“That would spoil the fun,” Angelica said, adjusting the fake mustache. “Besides, you’re a friend of Ji Lin. I wouldn’t mislead my brother’s friend.”
After two hours of meticulous work, Lin Xian felt every part of his face, including the folds of his ears, had been transformed. She even used invisible tape to alter his ear shape and applied fine curls to his hair, dyeing it a different color.
Finally, Angelica declared, “Done. Take a look at yourself.”
Lin Xian stood up and picked up a mirror from the suitcase, holding it in front of his face. His eyes widened in shock.
The person staring back at him looked like an Arabian prince, complete with darkened skin, deep-set eyes, blue irises, a prominent nose, high cheekbones, fuller lips, and a faint beard. His entire face seemed wider and more angular, yet the transformation was flawless and natural.
“Can I touch it?” he asked.
“Of course, just avoid water,” Angelica replied.
“Your disguise skills are incredible,” Lin Xian marveled, turning his head to inspect every angle. He felt like a completely different person, unrecognizable even to himself.
“Didn’t you say someone was after you?” Angelica reminded him while packing up. “With this disguise, that assassin won’t recognize you. You can relax a bit.”
Lin Xian was momentarily speechless. He lowered the mirror and looked at Angelica, feeling a sense of gratitude. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Angelica replied softly. “After all, aren’t we partners against a common enemy? If you die, who will fulfill the promise? Who will help me find Ji Lin’s killer? I have to protect you.”
Lin Xian scratched his curly hair. “Did you take care of Ji Lin this attentively too?”
Angelica smiled, her eyes softening with memory. “I wanted to, but I never had the chance.”
She tossed her wavy brown hair over her shoulder. “When Ji Xin Shui brought Ji Lin to the orphanage, he was just a baby, less than a year old. I wasn’t even four years old then, but I was already used to caring for younger siblings.”
Angelica’s voice grew distant as she recounted her past. “I was born in a war-torn country. Ji Xin Shui saved me from the ruins, surrounded by the bodies of my family. I was the only survivor. So, I treated Ji Lin as my own brother, pouring all my affection into raising him. I fed him, changed his diapers, told him stories, and played with him.”
She sighed. “As we grew older, we were separated. I was sent to Hollywood as a child star, while Ji Lin stayed with Ji Xin Shui. We kept in touch, and I visited whenever I could, but Hollywood was demanding. I could only see him once or twice a year.”
Angelica paused, her expression turning somber. “I knew Ji Xin Shui had given me tasks, primarily gathering intelligence. When they were captured, I was investigated by the police but found innocent. Ji Xin Shui never told me much, so I genuinely didn’t know what they were up to.”
She looked at Lin Xian with determination. “Ji Lin was my world. I did everything to make him happy, to fulfill his dreams. When he asked for the painting, ‘Sorrowful Einstein,’ I made sure to get it for him, no matter the cost.”
Angelica’s voice softened. “When Ji Lin told me he had a friend named Lin Xian, I was happy yet jealous. I feared losing him. But then he was taken from me, killed because of the Genius Club’s schemes.”
Lin Xian nodded, understanding her pain. “I promise, I’ll help you find the truth and bring those responsible to justice.”
Angelica smiled, a tear glistening in her eye. “I believe in you because Ji Lin believed in you. You are his friend, and I will always trust you.”