Chapter 51: Chapter 47: Critical Danger

[1:33 AM, 27 minutes past deadline]

KK walked out of the bathroom and approached Reuben, who was lying on the floor, and tentatively poked his head.

Reuben lay face down, eyes shut tight, mumbling in a slurred manner, uttering bits of nonsense.

Su Mo’s voice came through the communicator: “This hallucinogen is used by major corporate intelligence departments. It keeps a person in a semi-conscious state, making them unknowingly answer questions during an interrogation. Try and see if you can get information about the real box out of him.”

Even though Reuben’s awareness was fuzzy now, he was still the boss of the Eagle Claw Association, known far and wide. KK was no match for his level.

If Reuben suddenly awoke, KK would undoubtedly be torn to pieces, which inevitably made him nervous.

KK swallowed hard and lowered his voice: “Reuben, Reuben…”

“Hmm?…” Reuben muttered, turning over, which made KK’s scalp tingle with fear.

Fortunately, he just turned over and showed no signs of waking up.

KK steadied himself and continued to ask: “Reuben, do you have a box? Silver-colored?”

Reuben hummed, mumbling: “Box…silver…white…yes…yes…”

Seeing the progress, KK smiled with relief: “Boss, this is really working.”

Su Mo: “Ask him what’s inside the box.”

KK: “Reuben, what’s inside that silver box?”

This time, Reuben didn’t speak, only emitting heavy breathing.

KK: “Boss, what’s going on?”

Su Mo: “That generally means there’s some subconscious defense; it suggests that your question makes him very wary… just what the hell is in that box?”

KK: “Should I keep asking?”

Su Mo: “Forget it, asking too many questions that provoke caution might render the hallucinogen ineffective. Try asking about the general location of the box instead.”

KK pondered for a moment and softly inquired: “Reuben, the silver box you had at the bar, is it still safe?”

Reuben’s breathing lightened, and he muttered “Hmm.”

KK: “Do you have another box just like it?”

Reuben: “Hmm…”

KK: “Where is the box that’s just like it?”

Reuben didn’t respond this time, his breathing became heavy again, and his eyelids fluttered rapidly as if he might wake up at any moment.

Clearly, this question was too sensitive, reaching into Reuben’s subconscious defenses.

KK pressed his lips together, cold sweat constantly forming on his forehead.

Su Mo: “Hold on, stop asking like that.”

KK wiped the sweat away with his sleeve, preventing it from falling to the floor, and asked quietly: “What should I do next?”

Su Mo: “I just noticed a pattern.”

“If you ask open-ended questions like what’s in the box, where is the box…these tend to trigger the other party’s subconscious defenses.”

“But if you use closed-ended questions, like is it, do you have…these are easier to get answers to.”

“Try following this pattern again.”

KK couldn’t help but be impressed.

To catch such subtle details in a short time, the boss is incredibly sharp!

KK took a deep breath and, following the pattern Su Mo summarized, softly asked: “Reuben, the box in the bar’s storeroom, is it a fake we placed to mislead others, correct?”

Reuben: “Hmm…”

KK: “Is the real box kept in a secure place, correct?”

Reuben: “Hmm…”

KK: “Is this secure place your house, this villa, correct?”

Reuben didn’t respond, his eyelid fluttering speed increased again, and the muscles on his face started to twitch.

Su Mo was silent for a moment, then said, “There still seems to be a problem, let me think of another way…”

KK interrupted him: “No, boss, you’re out of time.”

KK looked up at the clock on the bedroom wall: “It’s already past 1:30 AM. Don’t you have to get the box by 2 AM? There’s no other chance, I have to succeed this time, or it will delay you!”

Su Mo: “…Alright, give it another try. But don’t force it; if it really can’t be done, call me, and I’ll think of another way.”

KK took a deep breath, leaned close to Reuben’s ear, and used a low, enticing voice: “Dear King of Binhe, future King of the Borderlands, the secure location of the real box, is your house, this villa, correct?”

Reuben’s eyelid fluttered even more violently, causing the slits of his eyes to almost open, even showing the upturned whites.

This state continued for over ten seconds and then gradually calmed down.

Reuben’s murmured voice broke the silence: “Hmm…”

KK clenched his fist tightly, almost crying out in excitement.

He mumbled as he stood up: “That’s enough, knowing it’s in the villa is enough…Boss, give me some time, and I’ll find the box for you.”

Back in the realm of theft, KK immediately appeared extremely professional.

He placed his fingers on the wall, walking around the room in a certain range, tapping continuously, with his eyes closed to listen carefully.

By the subtle differences in the tapping sound, he could determine if there were any hidden compartments inside.

“Tap tap…”

“Tap tap…”

“Tap tap…”

“Thud thud…”

KK opened his eyes and gently touched the tapping location: “Here.”

He conducted a detailed check near the corner of the wall but found no mechanisms.

He checked around the other parts of the bedroom and finally found a concealed button under the bedside table.

“Click.” Pressing the button, a hidden door at the corner of the wall opened.

Behind the hidden door was a narrow space with a secure safe inside, large enough to contain the box Su Mo wanted.

KK carefully inspected the safe, discovering it used both fingerprint and password encryption.

KK laid the bedsheet on the floor, gently maneuvered Reuben onto it, and dragged him over, placing his finger on the fingerprint lock.

“Beep.” The fingerprint lock was disengaged.

The dial pad could now be rotated.

KK pressed his ear against the safe, rotating the dial pad slightly while listening to the feedback sound from inside.

This process required immense concentration and KK faced immense pressure, not knowing when Reuben might wake up, sweat constantly forming on his forehead.

After seven or eight minutes, a barely perceptible sound “click” came from inside the safe.

The dial pad was set to the correct position.

KK opened the safe, and sure enough, inside was the silver briefcase.

He pulled out a portable hand scale from under his skirt and weighed it.

Soon, he pressed the earpiece of his communicator with excitement, saying: “This time it’s right, 5.32 kilograms, just perfect!”

Before he could hear Su Mo’s response, he suddenly felt enveloped by a shadow, followed by a violent impact on his head.

“Thud!” He was punched hard on the head, his entire body sent flying and crashing to the ground.

He struggled to crawl to the corner, looking back in horror.

Unbeknownst to KK, Reuben had already gotten up. His body, still influenced by the hallucinogen’s residual effects, swayed as bloodshot eyes gazed at KK, resembling an enraged bull.

“You sly dog, how dare you plot against me?!” Reuben roared in anger, lunging forward to struggle with KK.

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