Chapter 176: Acquiring Equipment
Fang Xiaocao walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down. Below was the hotel garden, and since it was mealtime, there was no one around.
She was on the third floor, but with her current abilities, jumping down was not a problem.
Scanning her surroundings to make sure no one was watching, she leaped from the balcony. She landed lightly on an air conditioning unit on the first floor, using it to absorb some of the impact. Then, with a swift tactical roll, she stood up and sprinted away.
Effortlessly vaulting over the garden fence, she made her way to the street. Glancing back at her hotel room, she smirked, scanned a shared bicycle, and pedaled away.
“Goodbye, Mr. Assassin! Better luck next time!”
The feeling of riding at full speed was exhilarating.
Within minutes, she had covered a considerable distance—three kilometers, to be exact—without breaking a sweat.
Parking the bike, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to “Hot Noodles”:
Fang Xiaocao: “Future me, I’ve escaped. Three kilometers away. Should be safe for now, right?”
Hot Noodles: “Safe for now, but only temporarily.”
Hot Noodles: “You don’t understand the true terror of the Blacklist. As long as you’re in Tang City, no matter where you check in, the moment you leave any trace of your identity, they’ll find you.”
Hot Noodles: “At most, you have one night before they catch up.”
Fang Xiaocao’s heart sank.
Hot Noodles was right.
It wasn’t just Tang City—anywhere in the country, or even abroad, as long as she revealed her identity, the Blacklist would track her down.
Hiding was just a temporary fix.
To truly escape their grasp, she had to find a way to strike back—eliminate their operatives one by one, dismantle their power piece by piece.
Even so, bringing down the Blacklist was no small feat. They had existed for over a century, an entity so vast and powerful that even with all her skills and foresight, she was but an insect in comparison.
She needed a plan.
Fang Xiaocao: “Future me, any suggestions?”
Right now, she was lost.
Blacklist operatives were everywhere. Even with her abilities, she was no match for their overwhelming force.
Hot Noodles: “Your best option is to lay low for now.”
Hot Noodles: “The assassin after you is terrifyingly strong. Your best weapon—hypnosis—won’t work on him. You need to hide and bide your time.”
Fang Xiaocao chuckled bitterly.
So even knowing the future had its limits.
Against absolute strength, all tricks and strategies were useless.
Fang Xiaocao: “Got it. I’ll find a place to stay.”
Closing the chat, she opened a navigation app and located a nearby inn.
Pedaling furiously, she covered ten kilometers before reaching her destination—a small guesthouse.
After checking in, she didn’t head to her room immediately. Instead, she went back outside.
The Blacklist assassin could show up at any time. She needed to familiarize herself with the surroundings to avoid getting trapped.
After scouting the area, she expanded her range, mapping out escape routes within a one-kilometer radius.
Next, she entered a clothing store and bought two sets of durable, flexible outfits—both inner and outer layers.
She changed into one set on the spot, disposing of her old, two-day-worn clothes. There was no time for laundry when she was constantly on the run.
Then, she headed to a military supply store.
Her current arsenal was limited to a few throwing knives—not nearly enough to take on a Blacklist assassin.
She selected two paracord bracelets, which could unravel into strong, survival-grade rope when needed.
Next, she picked up two short-handled survival hatchets. Each had a sturdy grip, a sharp blade on one side, and a window-breaking hammer on the other. A canvas sheath allowed them to be carried on her belt. More effective than knives, these would give her a fighting chance.
She also grabbed a rugged outdoor belt, a pair of cut-resistant gloves, and imported high-top desert combat boots.
For additional protection, she added a stab-resistant vest and a desert camo tactical suit.
After paying, she stepped out and headed to a nearby hardware store.
There, she picked up a box of large nails.
(End of Chapter 176)
