Chapter 197 – May Everything Go Smoothly

“You seem to know quite a lot about my relationship with my sister.”

“Who are you?!”

“Do we know each other?!”

Su Xiangxue shouted in agitation.

Lin Xi did not answer her.

“Did you get that?” she asked Shi Yu.

Shi Yu nodded.

They had recorded this brief clip of Su Xiangxue talking so Su Tang would know that her sister was alive, kicking, and completely unharmed.

Then Qin Ling stepped forward and used a specially formulated sedative to knock Su Xiangxue unconscious again.

They sent the short video to Su Tang from Su Xiangxue’s phone, along with their proposed one-for-one exchange.

Su Tang would have someone bring Thor to designated Point A, where Qin Ling’s group would receive her.

Su Tang herself would go to designated Point B to retrieve her sister.

They had no intention of letting Su Tang bring Thor to the exchange in person. The risk would be far too great.

Qin Ling, Shi Yu, and the others would recover Thor at Point A. The instant Thor was secure, they would notify Lin Xi, who would be hidden near Point B. Lin Xi would then release Su Xiangxue for Su Tang to collect.

Simple.

The crucial question was whether Su Tang would cooperate. In this one-for-one exchange, she was the one being forced to respond.

She could not completely trust that Lin Xi’s side would release her sister as promised after recovering Thor.

Sure enough, a message from Su Tang arrived.

She demanded a face-to-face exchange.

“We can’t possibly trade with her face-to-face,” Qin Ling said. “The moment she gets her sister back, she’ll turn around and wipe us all out.”

So Qin Ling sent a forceful reply.

If you want your sister back, you will do exactly as we say. This is not negotiable!

A few minutes later, Su Tang answered.

“Ha! She agreed,” Qin Ling said.

The plan was simple and workable, but Lin Xi could not shake a vague sense of unease.

“Be careful when you pick Thor up. They might send someone to tail you or plant a tracker…”

“Don’t worry,” Qin Ling said. “I’ve accounted for all of that. Before accepting the exchange, I’ll confirm that they’ve followed my instructions and sent only one ordinary person to deliver Thor.”

“I’ll also keep changing Point A, just like kidnappers changing the ransom drop in a movie. We won’t make the exchange until I’m certain it’s safe.”

Lin Xi trusted Qin Ling to handle things properly.

“I’m more concerned about you,” Qin Ling warned. “Stay hidden near Point B and keep a close watch on Su Tang. Make sure she remains at Point B. Once we send word, release Su Xiangxue and withdraw as quickly as possible.”

“Don’t worry,” Lin Xi said. “Once I’ve released her, I could walk through Point B in broad daylight and it still wouldn’t matter. Su Tang would never suspect me.”

Lin Xi was not concerned about getting away.

…

“The kidnappers must be that same group. The Super-Grade Disaster is probably among them.” Su Tang set down her phone.

She summoned Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai to discuss their response.

“Then what do we do?” Xia Xun asked. “They’re being very cautious. Before the exchange, all three of us have to appear at the locations they specify. Once the exchange is over, we won’t have time to reach them and make any arrests.”

“The other personnel at the Countermeasures Bureau probably aren’t strong enough to face them…”

“Heh.” Su Tang gave a quiet laugh. “Agreeing to their terms doesn’t mean I’m compromising. I have a way to deal with them.”

“These kidnappers are certainly clever and cautious, but I have a move in reserve.”

“I called you here to explain how we’ll turn their plan against them and capture the entire group.”

Neither Xia Xun nor Misaka Shirai had anything to say.

“You could’ve said that sooner,” Xia Xun muttered. “I was worried for nothing…”

“Well? What’s your brilliant plan?”

“It isn’t a brilliant plan. It’s a remarkably useful device,” Su Tang said evenly. “The Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array.”

“Oh!”

Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai understood her plan at once.

“Dr. Vanessa truly is Z City’s resident genius. She adapted the Teleportation Array into a Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array this quickly!”

“If the vehicle taking the prisoner to Point A has a Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array, we can teleport straight there!”

“Exactly,” Su Tang said. “I’ll drive a vehicle equipped with a Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array to Point B. Once I’ve recovered my sister, I’ll be able to travel directly to Point A as well.”

“It won’t matter how many times they change Point A. As long as we can teleport there, every precaution they take will be useless.”

“Not only will they fail to rescue the prisoner, they’ll all be captured along with her.”

“With the three of us fighting together, even that Super-Grade Disaster who uses Fireball won’t stand a chance against us, no matter how hard she fights.”

Su Tang had once slain a Super-Grade Disaster. With Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai beside her this time, she was confident they could capture the entire enemy group.

“Good. This is perfect!” Xia Xun was itching for action. “The Super-Grade Disaster who’s been plaguing all three districts of Z City is finally going to be caught.”

More than anyone else, this was the Super-Grade Disaster Xia Xun wanted to capture.

“Still, taking her alive would be best.”

Xia Xun knew the Super-Grade Disaster had never committed any atrocities. When they had run into each other and fought last time, the other woman had not tried to kill her, either.

Once they captured her, they could finally unveil the mystery surrounding her…

Misaka Shirai and Su Tang both agreed.

“Capturing them alive is our first priority,” Su Tang said. “If they resist fiercely, however, we’ll have no choice but to strike with full force.”

Once the battle plan was settled, Su Tang warned them, “Do not reveal anything about the Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array before the operation.”

“Only the three of us currently know about the Vehicle-Mounted Teleportation Array.”

“If a fourth person learns of it, then one of us must be the problem.”

“It won’t be me.” Su Tang looked at Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai.

“It won’t be me either,” Misaka Shirai said.

Xia Xun promised, “I won’t breathe a word of something this classified!”

“Good.” Su Tang nodded. “May everything go smoothly.”

…

“May everything go smoothly,” Qin Ling said.

They put the operation into motion.

The rescue could not wait. At any moment, Thor might be injected with the Truth Serum and reveal everything.

This would be a lightning-fast rescue!

They selected a public square as Point B.

Lin Xi would take the unconscious Su Xiangxue to the roof of a building near the square, then order Su Tang to wait in the square itself.

The moment Qin Ling recovered Thor, Lin Xi would leave the building and only then tell Su Tang to go to the roof to collect her sister.

It would not matter even if Su Tang called in the Countermeasures Bureau and the Guard Corps to seal off the surrounding area. Lin Xi could emerge as an ordinary passerby, and since she knew Su Tang personally, she was certain she could bluff her way through.

Lin Xi carefully considered the plan. It was simple, feasible, and apparently free of flaws.

None of the three Magical Girls would be able to reach Point A in time to intercept them. Qin Ling and the others would simply take Thor and leave.

Perfect.

“Qin Ling,” Lin Xi called over the radio. “I’m in position.”

She stood on the rooftop beside the unconscious Su Xiangxue.

From here, she had an unobstructed view of the entire square.

“Copy that,” Qin Ling replied. “We’re moving too. Contact Su Tang and tell her to proceed to Point B.”

“Copy!”