The villa, nestled in the heart of the city, appeared unremarkable from the outside.
Yet, it served as the Pursuit Team's headquarters.
Inside, on the second floor, the main hall had been transformed into an office space. A large conference table occupied the center, while a small balcony overlooking the front entrance offered a view of the lush greenery outside.
All six expert members of the Pursuit Team were gathered on this floor, awaiting news of the contestants being reported before officially launching their capture operations.
The six naturally divided into three smaller groups:
In one corner, various fitness equipment had been set up. Zhang Hong, an elite special forces soldier still on active duty, and Feng Chiyu, China's premier parkour athlete, were doing push-ups while exchanging tips on their daily fitness and training routines.
Both men were under 30 years old. Zhang Hong, a towering soldier with Hulk-like, explosively muscular physique, and Feng Chiyu, a handsome athlete as agile as a cheetah, exuded raw male energy that captivated both male and female viewers in the bullet comments.
[Slurp~!]
[Wind God, the man who moves like the wind! The contestants on this show are in serious trouble. Once he's on your trail, no one can escape his relentless pursuit!]
[Brother Zhang Hong's physique is truly terrifying. His ferocious aura is absolutely terrifying—even hardened criminals would probably piss themselves at the sight of him. The contestants on this show are truly pitiful.]
[These two are clearly the Pursuit Team's muscle.]
Meanwhile, at a long table near the balcony, several monitors and various electronic devices were arranged. This was clearly the Pursuit Team's technical station.
At the moment, a tall, slender young woman with a high ponytail and a cool, aloof demeanor was meticulously adjusting the equipment.
Her name was Nie Bing, currently the most promising rising star in the nation's police force and one of the country's top computer experts. She was also the daughter of the show's special guest, Nie Junfeng.
Beside her, a refined-looking young man with black-rimmed glasses—the epitome of a tech geek—was simultaneously engrossed in a detective novel and intently observing Nie Bing's computer operations.
He clearly had a genuine interest in both, and it wasn't some phony act. He was truly multitasking, absorbing information from both sources in parallel.
By now, the audience had grown accustomed to his behavior.
He was none other than Lin Zhiyuan, the three-time consecutive champion of China's other hit variety show, The Brain, and a globally recognized genius.
[Miss Nie Bing is so cool and beautiful! Ahhh, I'm in love!]
[Not only is her appearance and demeanor top-notch, but she's also skilled in both academics and martial arts! Who wouldn't adore such a perfect woman?]
[Exactly! Those Cifera fanboys who claim she could replace Ice Sister as a computer expert? I just laugh and keep my mouth shut.]
[Hey, don't start a fight! Both sisters are amazing! I love them both!]
[Agreed! Me too!]
[Why is everyone obsessing over the ladies? Where are Lord Lin's fans?]
[Ha ha! Who doesn't know Lord Lin's awesomeness? We're just too lazy to praise him again. Still, I'm really looking forward to seeing how he'll use his genius in this show.]
[So, these two are the brains of the Pursuit Team, huh?]
Finally, at the head of the conference table sat the Pursuit Team's commander-in-chief, Liu Shanhe, a 65-year-old retired veteran detective, leisurely brewing tea.
As a legendary criminal investigation expert in China, he had cracked countless cases throughout his career, the vast majority of which were complex and high-profile cases, making him a true legend in the law enforcement world.
The old man had been enjoying a comfortable retirement, taking care of his grandson at home these past few years. It took three earnest visits from the program team to finally persuade him to emerge and give the nation's viewers a glimpse of the awe-inspiring skills of an old-school criminal investigator.
Just as Nie Junfeng had mentioned in the live stream earlier, Liu Shanhe's greatest strength lay in observing microexpressions. This was the unparalleled skill he had honed and relied upon throughout his nearly 40-year career in criminal investigation.
But this single skill alone couldn't have made him a legend. The old man was also a nationally renowned martial arts master. Even now, in his sixties, his physique remained remarkably robust. Without weapons, he could easily take on ten ordinary men at once.
The moment Liu Shanhe appeared on screen, a massive wave of excitement erupted in the bullet comments:
[Wow, this is the legendary Liu Shanhe! My dad's in the police force too, and he says this guy is the real deal!]
[Upstairs, show some respect! Call him Old Liu. He's a true hero who risked his life for the country and its people.]
[Exactly! Even though Old Liu's retired, as long as he's still around, criminals will tremble in fear. He's a true pillar of the nation.]
[Enough said! Respect to Old Liu!]
[Respect to Old Liu!]
[Respect to...]
Across from Liu Shanhe sat a man with refined features but a noticeably paunchy figure, his face carrying the greasy charm of a middle-aged uncle. He was talking non-stop, chattering about everything and nothing, demonstrating his famous loquacity.
Ever since the Pursuit Team members had gathered this morning, his mouth hadn't stopped moving, rambling about everything and nothing, making him appear exceptionally garrulous.
He was Wang Lei, the sole representative from the entertainment industry among the six core members of the Pursuit Team—a renowned veteran actor and singer.
"I wonder when these contestants will start committing their crimes," Wang Lei mused. "But honestly, I doubt we'll even need to intervene. Most of them will probably be caught red-handed on the spot.
"I'm quite familiar with the domestic reality show scene. I'd estimate the initial batch of contestants won't exceed ten. Any more than that, and the directors would struggle to manage them all.
"And let's be real, most of these contestants are just ordinary folks—influencers, actors, singers like myself. I doubt they'll have any true amateurs, except maybe the legendary Grandchild of the Phantom Thief.
"After all, ordinary law-abiding citizens aren't exactly skilled at theft. That Grandchild of the Phantom Thief is our only real opponent.
"But even he won't be able to cause much trouble. With a titan like Old Liu leading the charge, supported by experts from every field, taking him down will be a piece of cake."
"As for me, I'll just be here to cheer you on, wave the flag, and shout encouragement!"
"Hehe, Teacher Wang Lei, don't underestimate yourself. The netizens are calling you the 'Divine Calculator'!"
Hearing Liu Shanhe's words, Wang Lei's face lit up with delight, but he still waved his hand in mock modesty. "Oh, that's just the netizens being kind, joking around. Don't take it seriously, don't take it seriously."
[Honestly, even though Teacher Wang Lei is quite clever, he really doesn't belong at this level.]
[True that! He's just some random guy.]
[It's a variety show, after all. They need to generate buzz. I don't see the problem. Besides, the real experts could use someone to run errands.]
[How dare you speak that way about our Teacher Wang! He's a true expert in the field of "Jack-of-All-Trades"!]
[Ha ha, exactly! Jack of all trades, master of none!]
[So, this Pursuit Team is... well, it's too awkward to make a real team. Let's just say "Old Liu is awesome" and leave it at that.]
[Enough already! Teacher Wang is just trying to make a living. I think what he said earlier was actually quite reasonable.]
[Reasonable, but not entirely. Who said Little Grandchild is the only master here? What about our Cat God?]
[Exactly! Looking at the team now, the Pursuit Team is basically five gods carrying one deadweight. Except for Wang Lei, everyone else is seriously strong. Come on, Cifera, you've got this!]
[Don't forget, there's still one mysterious team member who hasn't appeared yet. I bet they're a big deal too!]
Wang Lei couldn't see the live stream, so he had no idea he was being mocked by netizens again.
Suddenly struck by a thought, he picked up the Pursuit Team's promotional poster and asked Liu Shanhe:
"Old Liu, do you know who this mysterious member is who hasn't reported yet?"
"Hmm, this old man has a hunch, but since I'm not 100% certain, I'll keep it to myself for now."
"Oh! No wonder you're a veteran detective. You've probably guessed right, haven't you?"
"Heh, I've seen online speculations suggesting it might be Li Yibai, the wildly popular female singer who's been trending lately."
"Li Yibai? This old man isn't familiar with her. Why do they think it's her?"
"Because she's been trending a lot lately, and she's known to be an avid gamer. She particularly loves playing jungle with a cat-like character, so they deduced it from those keywords."
"Jungle? I don't pay much attention to these gaming terms, so I don't quite understand."
Just as Wang Lei was about to patiently explain "jungling" to the elder, rapid footsteps echoed up the stairs.
In an instant, all eyes on the second floor were drawn to the sound.
Then, in the next moment, a pair of black-hooded cat ears popped into view.
They twitched, utterly adorable.