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Vic blinked, the search engine in his brain running at full speed.
Jackie Chan? Ah! I remember now!
Vic slapped his forehead, a look of realization dawning on his face.
Wasn't this the Superman he saw in that video?
Honestly, back when he hacked into Section 13's encrypted archives and saw those operation videos marked "Top Secret," his worldview nearly shattered.
This man, who called himself an "archaeologist," was running on top of a high-speed train—one that was even falling off a cliff—as if he were on flat ground, achieving a relatively stationary effect.
And finally, successfully jumping from the train onto the cliff...
THIS is an archaeologist? He's practically Superman.
Vic silently roasted in his heart: Are you sure your name is Jackie Chan and not Zhang Qiling? Or maybe your last name is Kent?
Facing Jackie's sincere inquiry, Vic's face instantly switched to a harmless, pure, and brilliant smile, shaking the talismans in his hand.
"These? Oh, I just picked them up while collecting trash in that building back there. They looked kinda unique, so I thought I'd bring them back as decorations."
As he spoke, he casually stuffed the talismans into his pocket and patted it.
"Um... I have something urgent, a dentist appointment. Look at the time, it's almost up. How about... I head out first?"
Before his words landed, Vic's feet were already quietly shifting direction, ready to slip away.
He made up his mind: unless absolutely necessary, he would absolutely not have any unnecessary interaction with this "archaeologist" whose style was clearly off and whose combat power seemingly broke the human ceiling.
After all, stealing talismans was for fun, not to experience a mixed double-team beating from The Lost Tomb plus Superman Returns.
"Listen, kid."
Jackie tried to make his tone sound more sincere, even though he felt his words sounded a bit like a con.
"Those talismans in your hand... they are very dangerous. They really need to be kept by professionals."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jackie blushed a little himself.
This statement sounded like he was trying to swindle something for nothing no matter how you sliced it.
Victor Black raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth hooking into a half-smile. His eyes, dancing with manic light, were full of undisguised suspicion.
"Dangerous? Like?"
"Well..." Jackie scratched his already messy black hair, racking his brains for convincing examples.
"They are very precious and will attract terrible international criminals! Like... like there's a guy named Hak Foo, very skilled, extremely vicious!"
He tried to paint a terrifying image of the Dark Hand enforcer, but his eloquence was limited, making the description pale and powerless.
Hak Foo?
The expression on Vic's face instantly became extremely weird, as if he had heard something incredibly funny.
That guy from just now who was shouting and yapping while fighting, yelling move names louder than his actions?
Aside from his pectorals being quite 'vicious', the rest was just meh.
The image of Hak Foo being kicked flying by him flashed through his mind, and he almost laughed out loud.
"Also!" Seeing Vic unmoved, Jackie hurriedly added another bombshell. "Also the Shadowkhan! I'm not joking, they appear and disappear like ghosts, they really exist!"
"Uh... Uncle Jackie?"
Jade's voice carried a hint of tension and warning.
"What is it, Jade?"
Jackie turned his head, following the direction of Jade's finger. In the next second, he sucked in a cold breath, his eyes wide as saucers.
"Oh! My goodness!"
Unnoticed, from the shadows of the surrounding buildings, the dark alleys on the street corner, and even behind the base of streetlamps—
Groups of Shadowkhan dressed in black ninja suits with glowing red eyes surged out silently like a tide!
They had completely surrounded the trio, blocking all escape routes!
"See! It's them! I didn't lie to you, right?!"
Jackie instantly pointed at the increasing number of Shadow Ninjas around them, his tone eager with "the truth is revealed," looking at Vic to prove his innocence.
However, Vic's reaction was completely beyond his expectation.
The young man's eyes rolled, and his face instantly switched to an expression mixed with shock, anger, and betrayal.
He suddenly pointed at Jackie, his voice rising sharply, full of dramatic accusation.
"You bastard! I trusted you so much! Turns out you're with them! Give me back my talismans!"
"What?! I didn't!"
Jackie was completely stunned, his brain unable to process for a moment. He could only subconsciously wave his hands frantically, involuntarily stepping back.
His flustered denial and repeated retreat, in the eyes of the menacing Shadowkhan around them, looked more like a guilty conscience and trying to cover up.
Whoosh—!
All the red-glowing eyes of the Shadow Ninjas instantly locked onto Jackie Chan! Cold killing intent focused like a solid substance!
"Bad day, bad day, bad day!!"
Jackie reacted instantly, groaning inwardly, knowing he had been used as a shield by that kid!
He scooped up Jade beside him, tucked her under his arm like a briefcase, and without bothering to explain, turned and ran! His agility was totally unlike an archaeologist's.
"Hey! Easy, Uncle Jackie! My stomach!"
Jade, being carried like a briefcase, protested in mid-air, but didn't forget to look back curiously.
She saw the culprit—Vic—standing leisurely in place, wearing a brilliant smile of a successful scheme, even waving leisurely in the direction of their escape.
Seeing Jade look back, Vic immediately blinked playfully, stuck out his tongue, and made an exaggerated, cute funny face.
"That meanie! He framed Uncle Jackie!"
In mid-air, Jade waved her small fist angrily. But for some reason, seeing Vic's smug look of a successful prank, she couldn't help but want to laugh a little.
"Jade! Hold on tight!"
Jackie had no mind to care about what was behind him. He used all his skills, sprinting wildly on the steep streets of San Francisco.
Behind him were the relentless Shadowkhan, pursuing like a black tide.
And Vic gently tossed the three trouble-causing talismans in his hand, turned, and strolled away in the opposite direction, disappearing around the street corner.
When Jackie finally shook off the Shadowkhan using complex alleys and a pile of conveniently placed cardboard boxes and found Vic again, it was already ten minutes later.
At this moment, Vic was leaning leisurely against a wall, holding a hefty-looking chocolate double-scoop ice cream.
He was licking it with utter satisfaction, his face radiating pure and simple happiness, as if the guy who just framed someone and ran away wasn't him.
Jackie pressed his back against the wall, carefully poking half his head out to observe Vic.
More accurately, Vic's trouser pocket, bulging with three talismans.
"Gotta think of a way..." Jackie stroked his chin, brows furrowed, muttering to himself. "To 'take' the talismans back from his pocket..."
"Take?"
Jade beside him instantly caught the keyword. Her eyes lit up like lightbulbs, her small face written with excitement.
"Oh! You mean steal? Uncle Jackie! I'm good at this!"
Jackie choked on Jade's overly positive reaction. Looking at the little girl rubbing her hands and eager to try, he instantly felt filled with guilt.
He squatted down, putting his hands on Jade's shoulders, his tone heavy and self-reflective.
"No, Jade, stealing is wrong! We are... we are..."
He held it in for a long time, unable to find a righteous excuse for this behavior. Finally, his shoulders slumped, and he admitted self-deprecatingly:
"Okay, fine, it is stealing. Heavens, I'm a bad role model."
Seeing her uncle's懊恼 look, Jade smiled slyly, like a cat that successfully stole a dried fish.
She opened her tightly clenched small fist. Lying in her palm was a talisman carved with a rabbit pattern.
"Hey, Uncle Jackie, don't worry! I have a way to 'get' the talismans from his pocket!"
Jade's tone was full of confidence.
"Huh? The Rabbit Talisman?!"
Jackie's eyes almost popped out. His voice raised an octave, then he quickly lowered it.
"It... shouldn't it be in Section 13's most secure vault? Jade! How did you get in?!"
"Uh... just took the stairs? The security camera in the emergency exit seemed broken. Lucky me, right Uncle Jackie?"
Jade blinked her innocent big eyes.