Chapter 3: Notebook (1/2)
Chapter 3: Notebook
“This is your said ‘photo snatcher.’”
Yingying provided a short analysis of the data: “Luo Nan. 16 Years Old. Entered Acumen College this year on September 1st. His admissions scores were average. Teacher assessments from elementary school to middle school don’t mention anything notable. He’s very ordinary.”
Xie Junping only cared for a certain point: “So he’s not really the ‘paparazzi’ type?”
Yingying didn’t respond directly; she continued analyzing the data: “What’s relatively noteworthy is that his aunt is written as his guardian on the form. As for his parents… let me look that up. His mother passed away due to a difficult birth. His father had gone missing long ago. How strange. There’s still difficult births in this day and age?”
“Do you mean that……”
“The circumstances he grew up in is relatively unusual. There should be some eccentricities to his character. We need to observe further. Release your vehicle access privileges right now and turn on the surveillance system. I want to observe with you.”
Xie Junping immediately followed her instructions. Shortly after he synchronized the data with Yingying, Luo Nan’s steady jogging figure appeared on the sloped top of the overpass.
Right now the sky was only in twilight. The distant figure was completely blurry. Fortunately, the flying car Phantom’s surveillance system had gone through special customization to possess stronger detection and anti-detection capabilities. It was due to the automatic warning of the car’s AI that Xie Junping was able to discover that his photo was snatched
Xie Junping observed the photo snatcher’s every movement through the surveillance system. But he was unable to see make out anything.
Actually, Zhang Yingying had already reached an initial verdict on her side: “Congrats to you sucker! I can basically conclude that he did not target you specifically.”
“Huh?”
“Do you hear the sound of his breathing?”
From fifty meters away, the muttering of the target could be recovered through the surveillance systems powerful acoustic gathering and filtering capabilities. The sound of the morning runner’s breathing was no exception to this.
“Hic! That buzzing is his breathing?”
“Isn’t it like the sound of a bee? It should be a special breathing technique, and there’s also a special chant. The specifics effects are unclear; maybe there isn’t an effect at all. His lung capacity is only slightly better than that of an ordinary person. But he’s in a state of extreme concentration. Look at his expression with that bright glow. Tsk tsk…...Would one who harbors the malicious thoughts of snatching a picture really put forth the effort into exercising after doing so?”
Xie Junping’s anxious mood finally received relief. A smile was unconsciously revealed on his face.
But right at this moment when Luo Nan made his way down the highest point of the overpass, Luo Nan’s gaze suddenly deviated. Looking at the image cast by the surveillance system, Luo Nan was looking directly at Xie Junping.
The screen was unidirectional. Those outside the car can’t see inside, but Xie Junping was still given a scare.
“Did he discover us?”
“Your Phantom is way too eye-catching. And furthermore, he’s way keener than I imagined.”
Yingying seemed to become interested: “He must have sensed something. However, it doesn’t seem like his expression has changed. He’s not the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. This type of person has many thoughts running in their head; they’re the type to have schemes. But for him to be able to maintain his concentration means that his willpower is higher than normal. Oh right. Speaking of willpower, I just found something very interesting. Do you want to hear?”
Xie Junping watched Luo Nan move closer step by step. He was currently in a mess trying to figure out what to do, how could he have the mood to leisurely listen.
However, Yingying didn’t give a damn about Xie Junping. She spoke, minding her own business:
“According to his school profile, Luo Nan’s household address is located in the River Wu District of the Blue Bay Community. The straight-line distance between Acumen College and his house is nearly forty kilometers. Obviously, this isn’t a long distance if he rides the underground public transit, the metro, and so on, but he ran over here. That’s a marathon a day! Using his lung capacity, breathing technique, and muscle composition as a basis for analysis… Each run is tantamount to peeling a layer of skin! If he runs like this everyday…… Oh dear dear, that’s quite the self-flagellation.”
“Crap!” Merely thinking those thoughts caused Xie Junping to feel his scalp go numb.
Yingying continued with her analysis: “From his forementioned circumstances I’ve determined that he shouldn’t be the impulsive type, generally speaking. He won’t make rash decisions in a situation of unknown circumstances. But if you give him a bad impression, or if you make him feel threatened... The consequences are hard to predict…… Well, get out of the car now.”
“What?”
“You didn’t think you came here to just watch him run, did you? Please. Wouldn’t that show that you fancy him? Get out of the car now and make conversation with him. Don’t you always brag that you’re an expert socializer? Or do you only have the characteristics of being a sucker?”
He knew clearly she was goading him, but there isn’t a guy anywhere who would slap his own face in front of a girl. Xie Junping took a deep breath and patted his face to sober up a bit more from his hungover and murky state. Only then did he open the vertical doors of his Phantom and step outside.
This time he was standing face-to-face with Luo Nan for reals.
The distance between the two was approximately forty meters. Xie Junping brought forth the elegant demeanor of running for the student council. He waved towards Luo Nan from far away, sending him a greeting.
Yingying’s rang through the internal earbuds, seemingly ringing from the depths of his mind: “Excellent, you look just like a dog. Pay attention. Don’t give off a stinking air of pretension. Your current appearance is of a shameless degenerate, but you’re still considered a straightforward playboy. Also, you need to be a bit more forthright. He’s way smarter than you imagine.”
It was as if Xie Junping had returned to the time when he was running for student council. He followed every step planned by his advisor and operated according to the image he would present to voters. Luckily Yingying’s request wasn’t that difficult. It seemed that this performance came naturally to him.
He saw Luo Nan slow down in front of him and stare directly over to him. It was unclear if Luo Nan’s expression had changed; he lacked the visible intention of responding. This made Luo Nan quite hard to pin down.
Xie Junping decided to take the offensive initiative. He moved forward a few steps: “Apologies to this schoolmate, I wish to have a chat with you.”
Only when the distance between the two was within ten meters did Luo Nan tilt his head in greeting: “Senior Xie.”
Xie Junping’s heart skipped a beat. He asked by reflex: “You recognize me!?”
Yingying’s resentful voice sounded out: “What are you panicking for!?”
Luo Nan answered at practically the same time: “The 24th. You’ve participated in the senior-run society promotion and advice convention.”
“Oh, that’s right. That really did happen.”
Xie Junping scolded himself internally for the bad response. He started the conversation over with Luo Nan by asking a question he already knew the answer to: “How should I address this junior?”
“Luo Nan.”
“Okay then. Junior Luo Nan. I’m terribly sorry for disturbing your morning run, but there’s something I need your help with. Yes. The awkward moment just then. I can’t be out in public at the moment…… Can we talk in the car?”
Yingying spoke in a soft patronizing voice: “You wield that self-deprecating tone quite well.”
Luo Nan thought about it and didn’t refuse.
Luo Nan squeezed into the car and sat shotgun. He placed the notebook on his knee and sat upright, giving the appearance of a well-behaved law-abiding student.