Free Web NovelChapter 7: Chapter 7: Taking Down
"Potent Sleeping Agent" was a name Qin Xiaoxia had come up with himself based on the seller’s product description.
On the seller’s so-called product page, the thing was called "Dream Come True."
Its effects were said to be extremely powerful; a single small tablet could take down a normal adult in under a minute.
The seller even swore up and down that the cases reported online and in the news—of girls getting drugged through their drinks and then led away—basically involved this exact product, or something very similar.
It dissolved easily in any liquid, had a faint, unnoticeable taste, took effect quickly, and was non-toxic with no side effects.
’Is it really that incredible?’
Qin Xiaoxia muttered to himself, wondering if he should report the guy after making the purchase.
As a customer referred by an acquaintance, the seller was quite enthusiastic.
After a brief chat, Qin Xiaoxia decided to buy five doses.
The price was definitely not cheap; it cost him 500 yuan. This money basically used up the entire red envelope Gou Junbao had given him, and he had to pay upfront.
If it weren’t for the fact that Gou Junbao had bought from him many times, Qin Xiaoxia would never have trusted the seller on his own.
After giving his address, all Qin Xiaoxia could do was wait for the delivery.
Since the item he was buying wasn’t exactly legal, a guilty Qin Xiaoxia didn’t dare use his real information. He used the address of his residential complex’s security office and the name Ma Xiaolong.
’But how is this thing going to get to me? Surely not by courier?’
Before Qin Xiaoxia even got back to his complex from the park, a message from the seller arrived with a tracking number.
It really was a courier, but not a major, reputable company—just a small, unknown logistics service.
He asked about the delivery time and was told it would arrive in three days at the latest.
So, while he waited, Qin Xiaoxia kept trying new ways to bring delicious food home, sometimes even cooking himself.
He hoped to use food to "stabilize the situation."
Over the next few days, although some of his things were occasionally hidden, nothing from the kitchen went missing again. It seemed the little thief understood that’s where the food was made.
After two days of waiting, Qin Xiaoxia grew more and more anxious.
During this period, "thefts" occurred daily, and leftovers were eaten every day.
A normal person’s reaction would be panic and anger. They would definitely call the police or just leave to lie low somewhere else.
But his reaction, no matter how well he faked his righteous indignation, was strange in that he just maintained the status quo.
On one hand, he was hoping the little thief wasn’t smart enough to notice; on the other, he was desperate for the drug to arrive, terrified the thief would run off.
On the morning of the third day, the text message saying his package had arrived finally came.
Qin Xiaoxia ran to the security office to pick up the package immediately, just in case there was actually some guy named Ma Xiaolong in the complex who might mistakenly claim it.
With a guilty conscience, he didn’t go home to unwrap the package. Instead, he found a corner of the complex to open it.
Inside the small, fist-sized box, it was wrapped in layer after layer. At the very bottom was a single small plastic vial containing five tiny white pills. They looked like they would crumble into dust with a single pinch and were exceptionally light.
Deciding it was better to act sooner rather than later, Qin Xiaoxia immediately went to the market and bought some small cakes and a drink.
On his way back, he crushed the pills and sprinkled them on several of the cakes, then put some in the drink as well.
By this point, Qin Xiaoxia had completely stoked the little thief’s gluttony.
Whenever Qin Xiaoxia wasn’t home, it would take the opportunity to come out and look for food, seemingly treating him as a foolish, long-term meal ticket.
Back home, Qin Xiaoxia placed the items on the table and began his crucial performance.
"Sigh, things have been so rough lately. So many strange things happening at home, and I can’t find a decent job outside. It’s so frustrating."
Sighing, Qin Xiaoxia opened the bag, found the few undrugged cakes he had set aside, and began popping them into his mouth one after another.
"Mmm... these cakes are surprisingly delicious! Tsk tsk..."
Qin Xiaoxia had eight or nine small cakes of two different kinds. The drugged ones were the round ones—there were only three of them—while the rest were square.
He seemed to be eating his snack especially fast today. Maybe the cakes really were that good, because in the blink of an eye, most of them were gone, leaving only the three round ones.
PSSSH.
The soda was opened. As Qin Xiaoxia poured it into a glass, he continued to talk to himself.
"The shop owner said these round ones are way better than the square ones. I saved them for last on purpose. Tsk tsk, I’ll just have these for my meal today. I’m eating every last one so they don’t just disappear on me again!"
He picked up a round one and raised the glass of soda, just about to dig in.
His phone’s pre-set alarm went off.
Qin Xiaoxia put the cake and soda down and pretended to pull his phone out of his pocket.
"Hello? Brother Gou! You’re treating me to lunch? Damn, you should’ve said so earlier! I just stuffed myself half-full!... Okay, okay... I’m on my way!"
Putting down his phone, Qin Xiaoxia looked at the cakes with some reluctance.
"Maybe I should take them with me!"
THUD.
A faint noise sounded from a corner of the room, as if something had been bumped into.
If Qin Xiaoxia hadn’t been listening intently, he would have missed it.
A smile formed in his mind, and Qin Xiaoxia pretended to think for a few seconds.
"Nah, should I go there to eat lunch or to eat these? Anyway, I’ll be right back after lunch. This way I don’t have to share them with Brother Gou."
Talking to himself nonstop when he was home alone would make anyone else seem crazy, but Qin Xiaoxia seemed to have correctly gauged that the little thief’s understanding of certain things was a near-total blank. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
BAM.
The Door was shut.
Qin Xiaoxia suppressed his excitement and only took out his phone to check the surveillance feed after he had walked out of the apartment building.
’Heh... I really overestimated you.’
The moment the surveillance feed appeared, Qin Xiaoxia could already see the grimy-looking little thief eagerly sitting on the table, starting to eat the cakes.
All the while, it didn’t forget to gulp down the drink.
In a flash, all the cakes were devoured.
The little thief was now hugging the bottle and chugging straight from it.
The huge bottle against its tiny body, you have to admit, looked pretty cute.
But Qin Xiaoxia was getting so anxious.
’What happened to "knocked out in one minute"? What about "no adult can withstand it"?’
’Several minutes have already passed! If there wasn’t so much to drink, this thing would have already run off!’
’Could it be that the little thief’s Ability is too strong? Does a drug that works on humans have no effect on it?’
’Or did that seller just rip me off with a fake drug?’
’Dammit, how could I make such a rookie mistake! I should have tested it first!!’
He was so frustrated.
Qin Xiaoxia had fully considered the consequences. If the little thief found out, it would very likely lead to retaliation, but his earlier impulsiveness had overridden his worries.
Now, however, worry was starting to take over.
But thankfully, in the video, the little thief finished the drink and visibly swayed.
Seemingly confused as to why this was happening, the creature patted its head with its hand.
The next second, its small body collapsed right onto the table.
Happiness had come so suddenly. Did the drug really take effect without any warning? ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
’Is that it? Did I get it?’
Qin Xiaoxia stared at his phone screen, once again becoming anxious.
’Could this little thief be faking it? Is it going to attack me when I get back?’
Since he himself had been acting the whole time, he was now irrationally worried that this thing was also faking being unconscious to trick him.
But less than ten seconds later, Qin Xiaoxia turned and ran for home.
He had been preparing for so long, all for this one moment. Opportunity knocks but once. If the little thief woke up early, all his effort would be for nothing.
THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP...
He ran all the way to his front door in one breath.
Panting, Qin Xiaoxia tried to calm himself down, but no matter how he tried, his heart beat faster and faster. The hand holding the key was even trembling with excitement.
CLICK.
The Door was gently pushed open from the outside.
Qin Xiaoxia tiptoed into the room.
He immediately saw the unconscious "little thief" on the table.
This was the first time Qin Xiaoxia had observed it up close, and the first time he had seen its full appearance.
In terms of looks, it was very similar to a normal child, except for its very large ears and grayish skin.
The clothes on its body looked like a pile of rags.
But Qin Xiaoxia didn’t observe it for long before he remembered he had business to attend to.
