I am a Big Player
Chapter 394 - 389. The plot finally became coherent (First update)_1

Chapter 394: 389. The plot finally became coherent (First update)_1

This was supposed to be a peaceful night, with the maple leaves of Columbia University already drifting to the ground in the autumn, a gentle breeze blowing in from outside the window, and moonlight shining into Richard’s painting studio, as well as onto a few people who were looking at each other with bewilderment...

Time seemed to stand still, as if everyone in the studio had been cast with a body-fixing spell...

The bumbling thief with the red scarf kneeling on the ground suddenly whispered, "Why aren’t you wearing a red scarf?"

Ren He found it both funny and frustrating—this guy really wasn’t using his brain. Everyone else was here to steal paintings legitimately; why wear a red scarf?!

The man in black was utterly confused. What kind of nonsensical question was that?! He was totally unclear about the situation now; he had planned for so long and finally started to make his move, only to encounter a Waterloo just as the plan began. Why were so many people sitting in the dark in this studio, and what were they doing?

Moreover, why was everyone wearing red scarves? And that sentence he had heard earlier about stealing being wrong—was that directed at him?!

Everything he had witnessed tonight exuded a weird aura. He felt something was amiss, yet he had no idea what was wrong...

He was a master thief, having successfully pulled off 6 heists, totaling a theft worth 14 million US dollars. He kept a low profile and never left a mark like in movies or novels after stealing something; that kind of method that just maxed out drawing hatred was simply mocking the police and the law. If something went wrong, it would be multiple charges in one. He just wanted to quietly steal things and quietly make a fortune.

He was so smart that he started to become arrogant about his intelligence, believing it rivaled the legendary figures in films and TV shows.

He thought his life had been magical enough, at least compared to ordinary people, but... everything he encountered tonight was so bizarre that it exceeded his understanding...

Up until now, he still couldn’t connect all that was happening in front of him: the dark studio, the intact safe, 4 people wearing red scarves, 3 kneeling and 1 standing, all silently observing him... and then someone asked him why he wasn’t wearing a red scarf.

Why on earth would I wear a red scarf?! The storyline doesn’t add up at all, okay?!

The man in black felt that there was a clear asymmetry of information. He had absolutely no idea why these four people were here or even why they were kneeling...

Suddenly, Ren He said to him, "Come on, kneel down next to them."

The man in black didn’t understand the situation, but Ren He knew very well; this person must be another thief who came to steal a painting. Judging by the timing, the other party was probably here to steal "Stubbornness" as well.

Moreover, Ren He always felt that this thief might not be so simple; he seemed much more professional than the three who were already kneeling, at least the man had a more professional look.

The man in black was even more baffled; no sooner had the one kneeling down asked him why he wasn’t wearing a red scarf, the one standing up told him to kneel, with such a natural tone that he almost believed it!

Now he understood one thing—the situation was wrong! No matter what it was, it just wasn’t right! It was time to leave this trouble spot and observe from a distance!

However, he couldn’t leave now, even though Ren He had no intention of calling the police. But it wouldn’t do to just let them go so easily.

He didn’t call the police because he felt there was no need to play the role of auxiliary police in the US, but that didn’t mean he would turn a blind eye to these people trying to steal his paintings!

The man in black turned, preparing to leap out the window again, when suddenly, he heard the whooshing of wind behind him, as if some blunt object was flying towards him. If he had gone through with his original plan to jump through the window, he probably would have been hit square on!

In a split second, the man in black abandoned his plan to jump out and quickly crouched down, bracing himself on the ground with his limbs, planning to wait for the object above to fly by before attempting to jump out the window again.

Though his reflexes and agility were certainly quick enough, he hadn’t even fully stood up when he felt a tremendous force suddenly kick him in the buttocks, the speed and the rustling wind leaving him no chance to react!

Now the man in black was sprawled on the ground, a large footprint stamped on his backside. Three bumbling burglars wearing red scarves exchanged glances. Initially, when the man in black had tried to jump out the window, Ren He had thrown a drawing board. The man’s swift avoidance based on instinct was so impressive that they almost exclaimed in surprise; he truly was a professional, with excellent skills!

But everything that followed happened in an instant, radically changing their perception of what good skills were. They had not even seen how Ren He had moved before he kicked the man in black to the ground, realizing that their own defeat was really not a loss...

"Truly worthy of being the Knight!" exclaimed the lead bumbling burglar.

As the man in black lay on the ground, his head spinning from hitting the wall, he still heard that remark clearly. Knight?! The young man behind him was the Knight?!

He had watched the Knight’s videos and had made his own assessment of Knight’s impressive physical abilities. Now he knew one thing for certain: even if he had managed to jump through the window, escaping would have been very unlikely... he couldn’t outrun him!

The Knight’s presence in this studio was something he had never anticipated, but it seemed to make perfect sense since what he had intended to steal was the Knight’s oil painting!

Escape was no longer an option, but he absolutely could not go to prison; he had a family, children, a normal life... He couldn’t just sit idly by and submit! He knew full well the Knight’s physical prowess, but being physically strong did not mean the other was adept at fighting!

Pushing through his dizziness with stubborn will, the man in black suddenly lunged to harm, planning to launch a surprise attack on the Knight using the martial arts he was proficient in. He was confident that one strike would be enough to completely incapacitate the Knight.

But before he could even swing his fist, another gust of wind came, and without any chance to dodge, he was back on the ground again...

All he felt now was a profound sense of helplessness; it seemed that in the face of absolute power, all technique was redundant...

This was the feeling of being completely overpowered from above. The man in black didn’t get up— not because he couldn’t, since Ren He hadn’t kicked him too hard, but because he didn’t really want to...

If this had been just after Ren He had first arrived, he probably would have needed to put in more effort, for at that time he had been somewhat soft-hearted. But now, Ren He had been through his fair share of trials and tribulations. The moment he had faced down the barrel of a gun had brought about a significant change in his psyche.

In the face of danger, ensuring one’s own safety came first before anything else.

While staying vigilant against another sneak attack from the man in black, Ren He searched him for weapons like a dagger or a gun. No dagger or gun was found, but he did come across a mishmash of items he didn’t even know the use for— perhaps for cracking safes?

No ID, no phone; he couldn’t confirm the identity of the man in black. Ren He thought for a moment, then stood, nudging the feigning-dead man with his foot: "Go on, squat over there with your accomplices, and don’t make me resort to any violent measures. Each of you recite ’Stealing is wrong’ a hundred times."

As the man in black lay there hearing this, he understood: the story finally made sense. Those three were also thieves caught by the Knight...