Chapter 357 299: Surging Undercurrents in Mexico City

4:00 PM.

Chu Bamboo and Hodges left the airport, having just landed in Mexico City.

Hodges swiped through his phone, a complicated expression on his face as he looked at the news dominating the trending topics on X about Chu Bamboo's arrest, along with the various riots and protests in the White-headed Eagle Country...

As someone who had followed Chu Bamboo from the very beginning and knew the whole story, Hodges looked at his current location, then at the explosive public opinion online, and a strong sense of disconnect washed over him. 'Did we... really just get out like that?'

"Right now, you have three options," Chu Bamboo said in a calm voice.

"...Huh? Ah!" Hodges snapped out of his daze, quickly putting his phone away and assuming a posture of rapt attention.

"First, I can take you to the embassy. The embassy can guarantee your safety to a certain extent, but not absolutely."

"Second, I can book you a flight home right now. Barring any surprises, you should be in the Divine Continent by tomorrow. If I save your daughter, you'll be reunited with her..."

"Third," Chu Bamboo gave Hodges a deep look and said succinctly, "you come with me."

"...I," Hodges opened his mouth, then finally gritted his teeth. "I choose the third option."

Even though he knew it was the most dangerous!

'But if my daughter can return home safely, then I can go with her... If she dies, I don't want to live anymore... Besides, if I stay with him the whole time and the situation gets tense at the end, someone might need to stay behind to cover our escape... As long as I can save my daughter, I'm willing to be that person!'

Nodding, Chu Bamboo thought for a moment before making a call. After a few rings, a tired and confused voice came through. "...Who is this?"

"I have some information about the missing workers from the state-owned enterprise," Chu Bamboo said slowly. "Mr. Zhang, let's meet and talk. You can bring your security personnel. The location will be the café you frequent, across from the embassy. Shall we say five o'clock?"

After a long, long silence, Mr. Zhang replied in a low voice, "You should understand that I can't possibly accept this kind of suspicious..."

Chu Bamboo had no intention of hearing him out and hung up the phone. He knew Mr. Zhang's situation all too well... He understood just how overwhelmed the man was by this case of the missing SOE workers.

After all, these workers were all on the official payroll, and their entire trip was coordinated by the embassy... To have them disappear under these circumstances made him the one directly responsible...

Chu Bamboo had read the diary so many times in his dreams. Although the entries from the middle period had mostly been removed, the early parts were basically intact... So, even though this was Chu Bamboo's first time in Mexico City, he was remarkably familiar with the place.

Chu Bamboo calmly got into the luxury car waiting for him—the complimentary shuttle service from the high-end hotel he had booked. It had to be said, the guise Chu Bamboo was currently wearing definitely gave off an air of the upper crust in Mexico City.

...

Mezcla Station Café.

Mr. Zhang's brows were tightly furrowed, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop. Beside him stood a burly man with a buzz cut and a vigilant expression. The man's eyes swept across the room, and hardly anyone dared to meet his gaze.

Suddenly, the wind chime on the door jingled.

A young man with blond hair and blue eyes surveyed the café, his gaze landing on Mr. Zhang. He raised an eyebrow and, with the Jewish man behind him, walked over quickly.

"The person who called earlier... was that you?" Mr. Zhang narrowed his eyes, his heart tightening. The young man's appearance was too perfect. So perfect it was as if he had been carved from a mold!

Blond hair, blue eyes, a dashing demeanor, a face like a marble sculpture—chiseled and handsome. It was obvious at a glance that he was no ordinary person... Mr. Zhang had met many prominent figures and had even been to the great nation of North America. He suspected that the man before him was "old money" from one of North America's major family clans!

'So... is this incident really related to the country north of Mexico after all...'

"Contact the state-owned enterprise whose workers went missing! Dispatch dozens of buses and head to..." Chu Bamboo paused, swiped his finger across his phone, and Mr. Zhang's phone let out a sharp DING. He glanced down instinctively and saw a text message displaying a specific location and time. "Hmm, it's still a bit far... over a hundred kilometers. Factoring in the time it'll take you to make the arrangements... I've calculated it. There's more than enough time!"

"By then, you'll be able to bring the men back," Chu Bamboo said in a light tone. "Of course, at that point, you might face pressure from all sides... But as long as right is on our side, you should be able to withstand it, right?"

After a slight pause, Chu Bamboo added, "Don't worry. The behind-the-scenes problems, as well as the drug dealer issue... I'll take care of it."

"???" Mr. Zhang was stunned. It took him a moment to process everything. A look of astonishment appeared on his face, and he almost blurted out, "How do you..."

"Shhh!" Chu Bamboo pressed a finger to his lips, speaking in a joking tone. "This is why I ask if we're on the same side... Tell your man here... and the others hiding nearby, to stand down. Don't think about capturing me... to torture information out of me."

"Let me add one more thing. Although I know what's going on... this incident has had nothing to do with me from start to finish!"

Pausing again, Chu Bamboo leaned in closer. His lips didn't move, but his calm words sounded in Mr. Zhang's ear: "One more thing. 'That group of people' scheduled to arrive at three in the afternoon the day after tomorrow... they're coming for me. So... you should understand now, right?"

Mr. Zhang's pupils dilated. He opened his mouth, on the verge of demanding, 'How do you know...?' But reason forced him to swallow his words.

He thought for a long moment, then, as if realizing something, gave Chu Bamboo, who had sat back down, a deep look. He made a gesture to the man behind him, who nodded in understanding.

"Alright!" Mr. Zhang took a deep breath. "I'm willing to cooperate with you! Is there anything else you need me to do?"

"That'll be all for now," Chu Bamboo replied calmly.

It was true. Mr. Zhang knew that a rather special group of people was arriving at three in the afternoon the day after tomorrow. But his only duty was to receive them. As for their actual responsibilities or what they were going to do... his superiors had told him it was classified.

Mr. Zhang was actually quite uneasy. His position was a sensitive one, after all. If this group really did something unimaginable in the city right under his nose, and it got exposed... the trouble would be immense.

Besides, he found it strange... This kind of operation didn't seem to fit the usual style of his "homeland."

But... now Mr. Zhang had a keen sense that the situation wasn't what he had previously thought it to be.

"Well then," Mr. Zhang looked directly into Chu Bamboo's eyes. Though still uneasy, he could only say, "I'll be counting on you."