Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 266: Don’t underestimate their professionalism, okay?

The trail finally led to a small house in a residential area. Ryan had expected only a vague idea of the location, so he was surprised it had gotten this specific.

If all A-rank abilities were this powerful, Ryan thought he might just lay low for a while, and maybe even take down the entire gang when the time was right.

One problem after another kept piling up, leaving him overwhelmed.

If he couldn’t solve the problems, then maybe he could deal with the people causing them. If he could get rid of everyone with bad intentions toward Alice, then maybe the “Dangerous Events” would stop happening.

But that was easier said than done. He could barely bring himself to kill a chicken, let alone take out hardened criminals.

“Ryan, are you sure this is the place?”

Mia stood behind him, having followed him up to the third floor. Her big eyes kept darting toward the plain-looking door in front of them.

Ryan’s earlier directions in the car could be explained—he’d lived in this city for over a decade, so it wasn’t too far-fetched to say he knew the area well enough. But now, he’d pinpointed the exact door? That was a bit hard to believe.

After all, the only clue they had was what the guy looked like. Even the police hadn’t been able to find him. Could Ryan really have tracked him down?

“Yeah, this should be it.”

As soon as they arrived, Ryan’s Bloodhound Instinct skill had deactivated on its own. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reactivate it. This had to be the place.

“Alright then, Ryan, step back a little.”

Mia’s expression shifted slightly. She rubbed her cheeks with her hands, then grabbed Ryan by the arm and pulled him back a few steps.

Ryan, now standing a bit further away, was about to ask what Mia was up to when he saw a group of people coming up the stairs.

These guys looked highly organized. They weren’t all dressed in black suits and sunglasses, but they definitely didn’t seem like ordinary folks. Their tough, intimidating presence was hard to miss.

“Who are they?”

Ryan searched his memory. He’d seen something like this before—back when he was around Alice. She was always cautious and would have plainclothes bodyguards nearby just in case.

“These are my people. First time meeting them, huh?”

Mia wrinkled her nose proudly. The bodyguards were clearly giving her face, addressing her as “Miss” with utmost respect, which seemed to please her.

Ryan nodded. He wasn’t sure when Mia had called them, but having more people around was definitely a good thing. It would help avoid any unexpected trouble.

“Uh, maybe keep things a bit more… low-key?”

Ryan, still uneasy, nudged Mia’s shoulder and glanced at the other doors in the hallway. He was worried that such a big scene might attract unwanted attention.

His situation was already bad enough. If someone caught him on camera involved in gang activity, there’d be no way to clear his name.

“Don’t worry, I’ve trained my people well.”

Mia waved her hand dismissively, signaling Ryan to relax. Then, she casually grabbed a pair of sunglasses from one of the bodyguards and placed them on Ryan’s face. The bodyguard just nodded respectfully, as if this was completely normal.

Since Mia seemed so confident, Ryan had no choice but to trust her. He tried to calm his racing heart, hoping things wouldn’t get too out of hand.

But, of course, things didn’t go as smoothly as Ryan had hoped. Just as he let out a sigh of relief, the hallway erupted with noise.

“Hey, asshole! Get out here!”

“We know what you did, and we know you’re home. Open the door and save yourself some pain!”

Ryan turned toward the commotion. The bodyguards were now pounding on the door with all their strength, the loud thuds echoing like thunder. It was the middle of the afternoon, and most people were probably napping. The noise was loud enough to wake up the entire building.

“Mia?”

Ryan’s voice was barely more than a hiss, the words forced through gritted teeth. This was her idea of “well-trained”?

It was like she was deliberately throwing gasoline on the fire, as if his media exposure wasn’t already bad enough.

“Relax, let them handle it. Don’t underestimate their professionalism, okay?”

Mia remained calm, even clapping for the guys who were currently pounding on the door.

They were definitely pros—no doubt about it. After all, they were trained by her.

It was funny how people reflected their leaders. Alice’s crew was always quiet and dangerous, while Mia’s people seemed to think they weren’t making enough noise unless they were causing a scene.

Ryan fought the urge to pass out from stress. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening echoed through the hallway, followed by a loud, angry voice.

“Fuck! Can’t even take a nap in peace! What the hell is wrong with you people?”

Once one person spoke up, others followed. One by one, the neighbors started poking their heads out, ready to start yelling. But the bodyguards weren’t having any of it. One of them let out a low grunt, cutting them off without a second thought.

“Oh? Step out here. Come on, let’s see how well you slept.”

The bodyguard’s voice boomed like thunder, and after that, the hallway fell silent.

The lead guy even took a few steps toward the fourth floor, where the complaints had come from. As soon as his foot hit the stairs, Ryan heard the sound of a door slamming shut.

With the first troublemaker dealt with so easily, the rest of the neighbors quickly retreated, not wanting to get involved. They pulled their heads back inside, slamming their doors shut, clearly not wanting any part of this mess.

“See, Ryan? My people are very professional.”

Mia puffed out her chest proudly, looking at Ryan with a smug grin. Ryan’s face darkened. In a way, she wasn’t wrong—they were professionals at causing chaos.

With the outside disturbance handled, they could finally focus on the person inside the apartment.

Despite all the noise outside, there was still no movement from behind the door. It was as if the person inside hadn’t heard a thing.

Maybe no one’s home, Ryan thought, feeling a bit unsure. His skill descriptions were always so vague, so it wasn’t surprising that he had doubts.

But the “professionals” were faster than Ryan. The bodyguards were already pressed up against the door, listening intently for any sounds from inside.

Mia, sensing the importance of the moment, didn’t interrupt. She, too, was waiting quietly, her expression serious.

The sight of these big guys leaning against the door, trying to listen in, was almost comical. After about a minute, they still hadn’t heard anything.

Without Mia’s orders, they didn’t dare give up. Mia, trusting Ryan, stayed patient. But the pressure was all on Ryan now.

If his skill was wrong, this whole trip would’ve been a waste. And if that happened, Mia might not trust him so easily next time.

He’d already lost Miss Alice’s trust. If he lost Mia’s too, he’d have no one left to rely on in the gang. Completing his mission would become a lot harder.

“Miss!”

Ryan wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling the tension rise.

Thankfully, the awkward silence didn’t last much longer. After another minute of waiting, the bodyguards suddenly sprang into action.

Like predators who had just spotted their prey, they didn’t waste a second. Without saying a word, they bolted down the stairs.

Huh???

Ryan was completely confused. Even if no one was inside, there was no reason to leave so quickly, right?

Before he could make sense of what was happening, a small hand grabbed him from behind. Mia pulled him along, and they both started running down the stairs after the bodyguards.

“What are you standing around for? They’re getting away!”

———————–

PS:

Well, Ryan really can’t catch a break, can he? One minute he’s tracking down a lead with his super-sleuth Bloodhound Instinct, and the next, Mia’s “professionals” are pounding on doors like they’re starring in a bad action movie.

Honestly, Ryan’s reaction is priceless—just trying to keep things low-key, but with Mia’s crew, that’s clearly not an option! These guys aren’t here to blend in, they’re here to make some noise. And of course, it’s Ryan who’s left sweating over the fallout. As if his media image wasn’t bad enough already…

But seriously, just when things are about to settle down—bam! The pros hear something and suddenly, it’s a full-blown chase scene. Mia’s already dragging Ryan down the stairs, and you can feel the chaos ramping up. What’s waiting for them at the end of this chase? And can Ryan really handle all the madness these “professionals” are bringing?

Stick around—things are about to get even crazier!

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