Chapter 377: The Face-Stealing Monster Ford
No wonder the two were so surprised, because the man who had just bumped into Ron had a face almost identical to Arthur's!
"Is that you, Deckard Shaw?" Arthur asked tentatively, "Buddy, this prank isn't funny at all."
The only person Arthur knew who looked almost exactly like him, so much so that it was hard to tell the difference, was Deckard Shaw. He seriously suspected this was some kind of joke by Shaw.
"What are you talking about? What Deckard? I am who I am, Rick Ford, CIA legend, a man who has survived over 100 different toxins. I advise you to show some respect, otherwise I will definitely use these hands, capable of ripping apart grizzly bears, to tear you into pieces and feed you to my Rottweilers for dinner, then shit you out like yesterday's tacos!"
Facing Ron's gun, the man not only showed no fear, but instead arrogantly threatened Ron.
However, Ron didn't dare let his guard down for a moment, even though he had just put him on the ground like a child.
Because Ron understood one thing deeply: anyone with that face was bound to be dangerous! Even if he seemed like a complete amateur in terms of strength, speed, and reaction time when they first engaged, maybe it was all an act?
Just like how some pro gamers create smurf accounts to pretend to be noobs, using classic hustler tactics to lure people into matches and destroy them—Ron wasn't going to fall for that.
Besides, what had he just said? A legendary CIA operative?
The CIA was an intelligence agency that directly rivaled the KGB during the Cold War. Although it had declined drastically over the years, those who earned the title of legendary operative were definitely elite-tier agents!
All of this made Ron even more cautious. This might be the most formidable opponent he had ever faced since entering the field, but he couldn't quite recall who Rick Ford was.
"You just said you're a CIA operative, show us your credentials and we'll stand down, okay?" Ron tightened his grip on his revolver, as if only it offered him a sense of security. This was one of the few times Ron felt genuinely on edge; he didn't want to embarrass himself at the CIA's doorstep, especially after mocking them just moments before.
"Look, here's my badge, you can all go to hell!" Ford, under the pretense of reaching for something, suddenly swung his hand at Ron's gun with lightning speed, knocking it away instantly. Simultaneously, he kicked Ron in his most vulnerable spot, sending him sprawling to his knees in agony. The gun, now knocked away, landed right in front of Ford, who then shoved the barrel into Ron's mouth...
Of course, the above is all Ford's imagination, or rather, his intended plan.
In reality, in Ron's eyes, this supposedly elite operative was throwing a punch with an incredibly amateurish and telegraphed motion, trying to knock his gun away.
Good Lord! Even those scammers on TikTok who teach women self-defense wouldn't use such a basic move. Ron's training made him almost reflexively take a step forward, using his elbow to deflect the fist while simultaneously raising his knee.
Then, the discount Jason Statham just collapsed to the ground, clutching his groin.
Ron and Arthur stared at each other, stunned.
Ron hadn't expected this guy with Jason's face to be so incompetent, while Arthur felt mortified watching someone with the same face lying on the ground, writhing in pain.
"You two bastards, get down right now! There's a sniper across the street!" Rick said, squirming in pain, using a clumsy excuse to cover his humiliation.
Ron nimbly dove behind a nearby stone planter, quickly scanning the area. Sure enough, he spotted a reflective glint on the second-floor window across the street. Upon closer inspection, it was probably a teenage girl's vanity mirror.
Although it wasn't a sniper's scope, this guy actually noticed such a tiny, almost imperceptible point of light while engaged with him. That was simply... What's even more remarkable is that, in order to maintain his "incompetent" cover, he managed to stay fully committed to the attack on Ron, remaining unfazed even when his vital areas were being struck, and refraining from using abilities beyond the scope of his cover to counterattack.
Well, as expected, people with Jason Statham's face are all hardcore! Ron felt a renewed sense of respect for this legendary CIA operative.
Arthur, of course, also noticed the small glint of light. He had drawn his weapon, but after confirming it was just a young girl applying makeup by the window, he finally holstered it and reached out to Ford:
"Sorry, brother, we overreacted. I believe you must be an elite CIA operative. Please forgive our excessive caution."
"Forget it, I have an urgent mission now. I'll let you off this time. I'll come back to settle the score after I retrieve the nuclear device." Ford realized these two guys were dangerous operators he couldn't afford to mess with, and immediately lost all desire to continue the confrontation. He grumbled and limped into the CIA headquarters building.
Only the two men, filled with respect for his tradecraft, stared at his retreating figure, unable to calm down for a long time.
"This is a real professional. If only he were one of ours." Arthur couldn't help but imagine himself executing a mission with Ford and Deckard Shaw; that would be incredible.
Of course, Ron thought so too. Not only would it be incredible, but it would also be blindingly bright; three bald men were enough to illuminate any corner of the world.
"There will be a chance. Didn't you hear him say that? He's also tracking down the nuke. I think we'll definitely cross paths again."
Meanwhile, CIA operatives were also following the trail, sending the agent who had just accidentally killed his target to locate the target's contact. However, this mission encountered a significant setback.
Agent Fine had just arrived at Rayna's villa when she seemed to have been waiting there, as if she already knew he was coming. As soon as Agent Fine entered, a pistol was pointed at him, and his hands went up.
"Drop your weapon."
"Fine, what happened?!" the heavyset woman handler asked anxiously into the comms.
"Let me guess, it must be the person in your ear who wants to know what happened, right?" The woman brought her crimson lips close to Fine's ear. "He's about to die."
The handler scanned the room with the body camera, then immediately thought of a brilliant tactic to break the stalemate: "Listen, there's a row of kitchen knives to your right. If you duck and rush over, you can neutralize her with a blade."
The agent slowly turned around, and the handler finally saw the woman's face clearly through the camera feed. This beautiful and dangerous woman was none other than Rayna, the agent's target.
"Let me guess, the person in your ear must be suggesting you neutralize me with a knife, right? But it's too late. Goodbye, CIA bastards~" The woman blew a kiss and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The agent's camera clattered to the floor.
(End of Chapter)
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