Chapter 17: Ubiquitous Repairmen.

After Uncle Ji left, Chen Jiang went into the inner room and took a hot shower. Wrapped in a towel, he sat before the full-length mirror.

At that moment, Silent Snake had already prepared the disguise tools and stood behind Chen Jiang. Using an industrial solvent, he carefully wiped the natural oils from Chen Jiang’s fingerprints, then gently rubbed the skin with sandpaper until it reddened and the patterns blurred. He then applied a temporary silicone film over it.

Next, he took out some pliable nose wax from an aluminum box, softened it with a hairdryer, and molded it to fit the bridge of Chen Jiang’s nose.

Instantly—

Chen Jiang’s originally high and sharp nose was broadened, the tip slightly drooped, and thin padding was added to the cheekbones. His facial contours became rounder, while his jaw was gently pulled downward with medical tape to create a subtle double chin effect.

His entire face immediately appeared more ordinary and rugged.

He then applied a dark-toned foundation across his face, blending in a touch of yellow around the cheekbones, forehead, and wings of the nose to give his cheeks the weathered look of years spent working outdoors.

His hairline was pushed back with an alcohol-based gel.

Gray hair spray was dabbed at the temples to create streaks of white. His once neat and handsome appearance was now disheveled, with deep brown eyebrow gel thickening the brows.

“Phew...” Chen Jiang stood and took a deep breath, gazing at the unfamiliar face in the mirror. He waved his hand. “I’ll finish the rest myself. You take care of your own.”

With that, Silent Snake moved to another full-length mirror and began softening his own nose wax.

Meanwhile, Chen Jiang pulled out a fine red eyeliner pencil from the toolbox and skillfully traced under his eyes, instantly giving himself the exhausted look of chronic sleep deprivation. He applied ultra-thin wrinkle stickers at the corners of his eyes, blinking to reveal remarkably natural creases.

He stuffed some machine oil and dirt under his fingernails, and coated his knuckles with foundation, perfecting the rough texture of years of manual labor.

Finally, he took out a worn, frayed deep blue work uniform.

Standing before the mirror, he adjusted his breathing, allowed his shoulders to droop slightly, and a weary expression slowly surfaced in his eyes. He walked with a slight outward turn of his feet, his steps heavy as he pushed open the gate and stepped out into the courtyard. From his pocket, he pulled out a pack of extremely cheap cigarettes and lit one.

At that moment—

Even if he stood before Jiang Min, she wouldn’t recognize him as Chen Jiang, the man who drove the McLaren with license plate 88888. To her, he looked like just another common repairman, the kind seen everywhere on the streets—someone nobody would pay attention to.

In fact, people would likely keep their distance, afraid he might spit out a glob of sticky, brownish phlegm at any second.

Just then!

An old van marked with the name of a repair company pulled up in front of the courtyard.

“Let’s go,” Chen Jiang called back toward the inner room.

Soon, a small, slender repairman wearing a cap and carrying a toolbox emerged from inside, following Chen Jiang as they climbed into the van.

The van didn’t linger and headed straight toward the city government building.

...

Before long—

The van screeched to a halt in front of the city government, its solemn facade adorned with the federal emblem atop the six-story building, exuding a grand and solemn atmosphere.

Chen Jiang stepped out carrying his toolbox.

A staff member quickly approached and called out, “Repairmen, please use this entrance. Don’t go through the main gate.”

“Okay.”

Chen Jiang spoke with a heavy regional accent, his voice hoarse and coarse from years of smoking.

The shadow of his cap obscured the upper half of his face, revealing only rough nostrils and stubbled cheeks. His cuffs were stained with machine oil, his knuckles large and calloused, with black grime lodged under his nails.

His figure was slightly hunched, shoulders habitually sloping forward.

The security guard at the door glanced up briefly, his eyes lingering for half a second on the badge pinned to Chen Jiang’s chest before looking away.

As Chen Jiang and Silent Snake followed the staff member, preparing to enter the building through a side entrance beside the school gate, a familiar voice called out nearby.

“Dad, you have to come! This is my first time performing on stage.”

A young-looking girl clung to the arm of a middle-aged man dressed in a Zhongshan suit, coaxing him eagerly.

“We’ll see then. Dad has some very important guests to receive that day. I might not be able to leave.”

“No, no! It’s your daughter’s first time!”

“...”

Chen Jiang didn’t turn his head. Just from the voice, he knew who it was. Without a trace of emotion, he followed the staff member into the city government building and headed toward the elevator on the first floor.

The guide waved his hand.

“Leak on the men’s restroom on the fourth floor. Take elevator number one up there, then turn left at the corridor’s end.”

“Boss, the leak on the fourth floor might be due to a failure in the entire drainage system. The pipes on other floors should be checked too, which will cost extra.”

“Handle that as you see fit.”

At that moment—

A voice called out behind him.

“Sir, hold on.”

The man in the Zhongshan suit waved casually at Chen Jiang.

“The damper on my office cabinet is broken. After you’re done, come to the mayor’s office on the sixth floor and take a look.”

“All right, no problem.”

Chen Jiang’s hoarse voice replied smoothly, revealing nothing. Jiang Min’s gaze never once lingered on him.

Immediately afterward—

He slightly lifted the brim of his cap.

His eyes narrowed as he quickly surveyed the entire city government lobby, the floor plan flashing vividly in his mind as he began cross-referencing every detail.

His steps never faltered as he strode to elevator number one and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

“Ding!”

The elevator doors opened.

Instead of immediately checking other floors, Chen Jiang and Silent Snake exited the elevator, turned left, and headed straight to the restroom, where they began diligently repairing the leak.

This was something no disguise could fake.

He was genuinely skilled.

After fixing the leak, he proceeded floor by floor to inspect the other restrooms, his eyes darting rapidly as he compared the width of every room against the floor plan.

A secret chamber—it had to be stolen space.

For example—

The map showed two adjacent rooms, each five meters wide, but in reality, each was only four meters wide. The missing two meters could be the secret chamber.

Silent Snake walked along the corridor, his knuckles rhythmically tapping the wall.

...

Until they reached the sixth floor.

But still, nothing.

Chen Jiang furrowed his brow slightly. So far, every layout inside the city government matched the floor plan perfectly. He had yet to find any possible location for a secret chamber.

It couldn’t be in the underground parking garage, could it?

He approached the mayor’s office door and spoke to the secretary stepping out, his tone honest and straightforward.

“Boss, the leader inside asked me to come up and fix his office.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

The door opened.