Chapter 281 Fatal Call
Standing behind Xia Lili was a bodyguard who was 1.9 meters tall, had black hair and a scar on his neck.
The bodyguard's name is Carl. Detective Marty said that Carl has been working in the security industry for many years and is trustworthy, which makes Xia Lili skeptical about Detective Marty's camp.
Her eyes darkened, bodyguard Karl was the traitor.
In short, in a foreign country, there are very few people you can trust, and it is really difficult to handle a case.
Xia Lili had only been here for a few days and she already missed her friends at the Yangcheng General Administration who she could rely on.
The waiter quickly brought out the Christmas set meal: golden and crispy honey turkey, with chestnut stuffing overflowing from the cut.
Xia Lili picked up her phone and took pictures of the delicious food.
The baked pudding has an amber-hued caramel crust and the stump cake is dotted with frosting, a delicacy that is truly delicious.
Xia Lili gently held Xia Xubai's wrist and guided his fingertips to touch the phone camera.
"Brother, let's take a picture." She put her brother's hands in a "V" sign and leaned close to his shoulders.
The phone camera accurately frames the figures of the brother and sister leaning on each other, while also capturing the outline of the bodyguard behind them at the edge of the picture.
"Send it to my parents?" Xia Xubai tilted his head slightly, very cooperative, his empty eyes reflecting the light from the window.
"Well, let me share my daily life." She tapped her fingertips, and the photo was quietly transmitted to Li Qihan's encrypted channel.
Three minutes later, the phone in my pocket vibrated regularly.
She opened the message under the cover of the dining table
The first message was businesslike: [The food looks delicious. The guests have been arranged. Enjoy your meal.]
Then another popped up: [The scarf is very beautiful and suits you very well.]
Xia Lili looked at the message on the mobile phone screen, her fingertips stroking the edge of her scarf.
The tips of her ears instantly turned crimson, and she quickly locked the screen.
Although Xia Xubai couldn't see, he turned to her sharply: "Lili? Who are you messaging?"
"No." She hurriedly opened the photo editing software and slid her fingers across the screen. "I'm... I'm editing."
Xia Xubai said "Oh" and saw through it but didn't say anything.
After dinner, the two of them strolled around the market until it was almost dark.
The market was bustling with people as dusk fell. Xia Lili held Xia Xubai's arm and walked through the bustling crowd.
The afterglow of the setting sun casts a warm golden edge on the bustling streets, and the sounds of hawking and chatting are right beside your ears.
"Brother, there's a handmade candy shop up ahead, the aroma is wafting over here."
She tilted her head slightly and whispered in Xia Xubai's ear, while brushing past an office worker holding a briefcase without leaving any trace.
At the moment when the clothes touched, she keenly noticed that her right pocket sank slightly.
A delicate miniature electric shock device had been slid silently into it.
Turning the corner, a silver-haired grandmother sitting behind a candy stall greeted her kindly, "Little girl, would you like to try the toffee made with my family's ancestral recipe?"
When Xia Lili leaned over to take the candy, the old man's fingers, which were covered with traces of time, seemed to inadvertently pass across her pocket, and a delicate locator had already fallen steadily into the lining.
"Thanks, Grandma, the candy looks so pretty."
She thanked him with a smile, and put the toffee wrapped in colorful paper into Xia Xubai's palm, "Brother, smell it, isn't it fragrant?"
Xia Xubai had a look of disgust on his face: "You're already an adult, why are you still accepting food from strangers?"
"Especially here."
Xia Lili smiled and glanced at the bodyguard Carl behind her: "I know."
As he was speaking, a little girl with playful pigtails jumped out of the crowd and ran straight towards Xia Lili.
"Be careful!" She quickly reached out to hold the little girl's shoulders, but was keenly aware of a slight touch on her waist.
In a blink of an eye, several lightweight self-defense tools such as tactical pens and pepper spray were already clipped into the inside pockets of her coat.
"I'm sorry, sister!"
The little girl raised her rosy face, stuck out her tongue playfully, and in the blink of an eye she flew into the crowd like a happy little butterfly.
After a trip to the market, Xia Lili was equipped with self-defense and positioning equipment.
She felt that the way these instruments were delivered was just like something out of a spy movie.
Professor Ren has a friend in Country M who is engaged in security technology research, and his laboratory is located in Los Angeles.
If Xia Lili personally carried the high-tech equipment that Professor Ren had given her out of the country, it would definitely not pass the strict security inspection of the M country customs and would be detained as soon as it landed.
So, the night before yesterday, Xia Lili urgently contacted Professor Ren's friend.
The other party quickly prepared a set of special equipment.
Including eavesdropping devices and location trackers, these devices are made of special materials and shielding technology, which can avoid detection by conventional security equipment.
Afterwards, Li Qihan helped arrange reliable personnel and delivered the equipment to Xia Lili without anyone noticing.
As dusk falls, the Christmas lights on both sides of the street gradually light up, making the whole street look like a dream.
Xia Lili held Xia Xubai's arm and strolled under the bright lights. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of mulled wine and cinnamon.
Xia Lili glanced at the time on the decorative wall clock on the street. It was already 7 o'clock in the evening.
It was less than half an hour before he was kidnapped.
Just then, her cell phone suddenly vibrated.
The name "Detective Marty" appeared on the screen, and her heart sank.
"Ms. Xia," Detective Marty's voice came through the receiver. His tone was steady and professional, but it made Xia Lili feel a chill on the back of her neck.
"I just received a tip-off. The situation is urgent. I hope you can immediately go to the Christmas market on Selma Avenue and find the Santa Claus selling candy canes. He has important information about your brother Xia Xubai."
Xia Lili's fingertips instantly pinched into her palm. Santa Claus...candy cane...these two key words exploded in her mind, perfectly coinciding with the kidnapping scene in her foreseen picture.
The voice on the other end of the phone continued, but Xia Lili seemed to hear the sound of blood roaring in her eardrums.
"According to reliable information," Marty's tone became increasingly earnest, which made Xia Lili shudder. "Someone is planning an action that would harm Mr. Xia. This information involves a specific time and place, so you must confirm it in person."
Every word seemed like a carefully crafted trap. Xia Lili could even imagine the detective tapping the case file with his pen, a confident smile on his lips. This "enthusiastic" detective had finally revealed his true colors.
After hanging up the phone, Xia Lili looked at the flashing colored lights in the distance, a sneer appearing on the corner of her mouth.
Now she was finally sure: this seemingly enthusiastic Detective Marty was actually an informant planted by a criminal organization in the police station.
[Detective Marty of the Los Angeles Police Department is an undercover agent of a criminal organization.]
Xia Lili sent this important message to Li Qihan.
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