Spy Wars: Strong Agents Who Are Ruthless and Talk Little

Chapter 529 Light Footsteps

"Are these enough?" The old man's voice was hoarse, with a hint of indifference in his tone.

Su Ming nodded and reached for it, but the moment he touched the notebook, he felt something strange. The notebook looked a little old, and there were several scratches on the cover, as if it had been cut by a sharp weapon.

"How much?" Su Ming asked, his tone still calm, but his eyes were always fixed on the notebook.

The old man quoted a price, and Su Ming paid, putting the notebook and pencil in his pocket. As he turned to leave, he heard the old man whisper, "Be careful, it's not safe out there."

These words made Su Ming pause slightly. Without turning back, he simply nodded, opened the door, and walked out.

The night breeze blew in, carrying a damp air. Su Ming tucked his notebook and pencil into the inside pocket of his jacket and walked back the way he'd come. His mind replayed the scene from just now. The old man's words, his eyes, and every detail of the shop seemed to remind him that there was some kind of danger lurking in the darkness of this city.

"Why did he say that?" Su Ming asked himself silently. The old man's tone sounded like a casual remark, but Su Ming's keen intuition told him that this was not simple.

After returning to the warehouse, Su Ming locked the door, reinforced it with wooden boards, and lit the oil lamp. He placed his notebook and pencil on the table, took a deep breath, and began to re-examine the string of numbers.

"What does this mean?" he muttered to himself as he wrote down the number arrangement in his notebook. He tried grouping the numbers, reversing their order, adding them up, and even replacing them with letters, but all his attempts were fruitless.

As time passed, the light from the oil lamp gradually dimmed, and Su Ming's eyes began to ache. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and tried to think more clearly.

"Mr. Zheng left this behind, what did he hope I would find?" he asked himself. Zheng Yaoxian's every move was extremely meticulous; he wouldn't leave behind anything meaningless.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through Su Ming's mind. He sat up straight, flipped to a new page in his notebook, and rewrote the numbers. This time, he tried a new interpretation—connecting the numbers to time.

"Perhaps... this is a certain point in time?" Su Ming muttered to himself. His fingers tapped lightly on the paper, his thoughts racing.

The light from the oil lamp shone on his face, casting a deep shadow. His eyes were focused and determined, as if the whole world had disappeared, leaving only the notebook and the string of numbers in his hand.

When Su Ming emerged from the warehouse, the night was still thick, and the wind carried a hint of cold, damp air. He lowered his head, walking at a moderate pace, trying to maintain a natural rhythm. Yet, a sense of inexplicable unease gradually grew within him. Just now, at the street corner, he had vaguely sensed someone watching him from behind. Although he hadn't turned around, the feeling of being spied on was unmistakable.

"Is this an illusion?" Su Ming pondered, but his pace involuntarily quickened. He tried his best to look like an ordinary, defenseless passerby, but he was quietly adjusting each step, always ready for any unexpected situation.

The night wind blew through the streets, swaying the shadows of the trees on either side, casting a silent whisper of light and shadow on the ground. Su Ming's hand unconsciously slipped into his coat pocket, his fingertips touching the cold metal of the dagger. His eyes scanned the buildings on both sides of the street, trying to find a quick place to hide.

"If someone is really following me, what's their purpose?" Su Ming asked himself. Various possibilities raced through his mind—was it Zheng Yaoxian's enemy? Or someone who had become suspicious of his whereabouts? Or perhaps just a random passerby?

"I'm not sure." He gritted his teeth, trying his best to suppress the fear in his heart. He knew that the most important thing now was to stay calm, as panic would only put him in greater danger.

To confirm his suspicions, he decided to test the waters. He turned and walked into a narrow alley, deliberately slowing his pace. He paused, pretending to be inadvertent, and bent down to adjust his shoelaces. As he did so, he glanced behind him.

At the corner of the alley, a dark shadow flashed by. Su Ming's heart suddenly tightened. Sure enough, someone was following him! The person moved quickly, but still couldn't completely avoid his sight. Su Ming immediately realized that he was now exposed.

"What should I do?" His mind raced. The other party was clearly keeping his distance, not rushing to attack, perhaps waiting for a better opportunity. But this also gave Su Ming a chance to catch his breath.

"We can't let them succeed." Su Ming gritted his teeth, quickly stood up, and pretended to be calm as he continued walking forward. This time, he chose a more complicated route, using the intricacies of the alleys to try to shake off his pursuers.

The lights in the alley were dim, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell. There was still some water on the ground, which made a slight "snapping" sound when stepped on. Su Ming deliberately stepped lightly, while paying attention to every sound coming from behind him.

"Click... click..." His footsteps echoed in the narrow alley. However, he could vaguely hear another set of light footsteps, keeping a close distance from his pace.

"They're quite experienced," Su Ming thought, his mind wary. He knew that ordinary people wouldn't be so careful to conceal their footsteps. This level of tracking clearly required training.

"I can't delay any longer," he said to himself. Continuing like this would only give the other party more initiative. He had to fight back, even if it was just to create a brief illusion, to buy some time.

Su Ming quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted an abandoned courtyard ahead. The gate was half-closed, and the interior was pitch black. With a sudden thought, he quickened his pace and rushed into the courtyard.

The yard was overgrown with weeds, and the air was filled with the smell of corruption. Su Ming quickly found a secluded corner, held his breath, and waited quietly.

A few seconds later, light footsteps were heard in the alley. The person had obviously not expected Su Ming to suddenly change his route, and his steps were slightly hesitant, but he soon walked towards the courtyard.

"They're coming for me, after all." Su Ming's eyes grew stern. He slowly grasped the dagger, his fingertips turning pale with strain. He knew that what was about to follow might be a life-or-death struggle.

As the footsteps drew closer, Su Ming's heartbeat quickened. He could feel his breathing becoming rapid, and even cold sweat seeped into his palms. But his gaze remained focused, like a dormant cheetah, waiting for the perfect moment.