Chapter 059: The Grand Transformation Act

Then the man hidden in the shadows stepped out and shed his disguise.

The soul contract just now had already revealed his true name—there was no hiding it anymore.

“You’re that magician!” Stirl immediately recognized him. “So you really do know magic!”

Li Lekang pulled over a chair and sat down, smiling. “Sometimes even if you tell people the truth, they won’t believe you. There’s no point in discussing that now. Let’s talk about how you plan to replace your superior. There are certain things on him I’m quite interested in.”

Stirl spoke frankly, “You could just kill him directly.”

Li Lekang shook his head. “There’s something I need from him, but I must have him willingly make a deal with me. After that, his fate is yours to decide.”

Stirl considered for a moment, then said, “You want to control him? Then you’ll have to cut off his claws. He’s always surrounded by people twenty-four hours a day to satisfy his many demands.”

“I can send most of them away, but the remaining few are agile and only listen to Rudolph. If you want to control Rudolph, you’ll have to deal with them quietly.”

Li Lekang promised, “All you need to do is force him into a corner so he’s compelled to deal with me. The rest—you needn’t worry about at all!”

Stirl understood. “Once you give the signal, evidence of Rudolph’s multiple murders will be sent to the prosecutor and FBI agents who’ve been investigating him.”

“As soon as things escalate, his connections won’t dare intervene, and the organization won’t risk crossing the government for a criminal whose guilt is ironclad—they’ll abandon him for sure.”

Li Lekang agreed. “So the hardest part is stripping away his defenses, silencing him, and ideally making him disappear for a while, so he’s seen as fleeing to dodge punishment?”

Stirl nodded. “That way, even if he survives, he’ll rot in prison for the rest of his life.”

Li Lekang added, “And it can’t look like you had a hand in it. In this matter, you’ll be the one who saves the day, preserves the organization’s reputation, distances yourself from any fallout, and smoothly takes control.”

Stirl nodded again. “As long as Rudolph and those loyal henchmen are neutralized—which I could never manage before. But for a devil like you, I imagine it’s easy.”

Faced with this flattery, Li Lekang smiled confidently. “Rest assured, one magic show is all it takes to remove every obstacle in your path!”

…

Before taking action, the two of them finalized their plan.

The next afternoon, as agreed, Li Lekang arrived at sunset to see Stirl and perform more tricks for the fat man.

Rudolph merely wanted to indulge in supernatural theatrics to solidify his position in the organization. Naturally, the more magic Li Lekang showed, the more enthralled Rudolph became.

This perpetually eating fat man looked up and asked, “I heard you can turn water into wine? Can you make things appear out of thin air?”

Li Lekang casually took a glass of water and, with a snap, turned it into red wine and handed it over.

“That’s simple enough. I can improvise a live vanishing act for you right now, if your men are willing to play along. With just a piece of cloth, I can make them all disappear!”

Rudolph’s interest was piqued. In the past, such tricks always used the magician’s assistants. Now, using his own men, his rational mind insisted it was impossible—but he couldn’t resist watching.

“If you can pull this off, your value as an advisor will skyrocket. I can give you what you desire—power, prestige, name it!”

“Witness it for yourself!” Li Lekang smiled and turned his gaze to the three bodyguards always at Rudolph’s side. As Stirl had disclosed, these were his personally trained elites—masters of assassination and infiltration, willing to take a bullet for him, loyal without question.

If they were removed, Rudolph would be like a wingless eagle, his threat much diminished—and that was exactly what Li Lekang intended to do today: swift and direct.

For the vanishing act, he drew a black cloth from his pocket.

“May I have a volunteer?”

One of the three bodyguards stepped into the center of the living room.

“Please, stand still and close your eyes. No matter what you hear, don’t be alarmed, don’t speak out. Just wait… and witness a miracle!”

Li Lekang draped the black cloth over him, speaking as he moved. When his final word fell, he whipped the cloth away, concealing it behind his back—the man had vanished from sight!

Rudolph dropped his chicken wing in astonishment, his mouth agape.

He stared at the now-empty living room—just a moment ago, one of his burly men had been standing right there!

“Where did he go?” Rudolph demanded.

Li Lekang smiled. “I asked him to hide and remain silent. The principle isn’t so mysterious—add more people, and perhaps you’ll spot the trick this time.”

Rudolph agreed, but broke the rules. “You two, go. This time, keep your eyes open and watch closely. When I call for you, answer me!”

“Yes, sir!” The remaining two bodyguards moved to the center of the living room. Li Lekang didn’t object, but continued, flicking out the black cloth to cover them. Then he counted down:

“Three… Two… One!”

“And… gone!”

With a flourish, the cloth was whisked away, and the two men vanished as well!

Rudolph still couldn’t see how it was done. Amazement was written all over his face. He immediately called out, “Where are you?”

The living room was silent.

“Come out!” Still no response.

“Answer me! This isn’t funny! Damn it!”

Rudolph, quick to anger, had not yet realized he was already ensnared in a trap—he was furious not because his men were gone, but because they had failed to obey his orders instantly.

Li Lekang stood with hands behind his back, smiling at Rudolph. “Even your most prepared men couldn’t unravel my magic at first sight. What do you think?”

“Incredible! But I don’t want to guess anymore!”

“Tell me the secret. I refuse to abide by any magician’s so-called code of secrecy! If I want to know, I will know!”

Rudolph was losing patience.

Li Lekang did not argue. He nodded agreeably. “Very well. If you wish to know, you’ll have to experience it yourself to comprehend the process.”

Though his three bodyguards had vanished, Rudolph didn’t suspect anyone would dare target him. He was simply obsessed with uncovering the trick.

If someone could make even a man of his size disappear—then this magician was truly worth keeping close, perhaps even essential for Rudolph’s rise to the top, transforming his past blunders into legend.

“Go on, then! Show me your trick, magician!”

“Watch closely!” Li Lekang spread the black cloth over the fat man, chanting softly. Inside, Rudolph felt only darkness—then, suddenly, an immense force seized him, lifting him off his feet. He fell with a thud onto the ground.

When Li Lekang pulled away the cloth, the fat man was gone without a trace.

The cloth drifted to the floor, and the Li Lekang who had been in the room vanished as well.

Outside, the other attendants remained oblivious.

…

Inside a van parked by the roadside outside the hotel.

A vortex of spatial transference opened, and the three burly men abruptly appeared inside. Before they could react, they inhaled the sleeping gas that filled the van—a hellish alchemical potion, usually reserved for lesser foes, instantly felling unprepared mortals.

Moments later, with a heavy thud, the enormous fat man was thrown into the van by the portal as well. He also breathed in the gas. Yet, with his immense physique, while his henchmen collapsed in under three seconds, he struggled for ten—his fists pounded the rear door, leaving a dent, before at last he lost consciousness.

Li Lekang noted the dent on the container’s door and understood at once. “Barbarian blood! No wonder Stirl didn’t dare act himself. Even the special gas I prepared—this fat man lasted over ten seconds. Teaching him a skill or two would be formidable indeed.”

But no matter how tough you are, before a true mage, you’re still just a lamb.

Without supernatural guidance, self-mastery is nearly impossible.

One vanishing act, and they were all taken care of!

He picked up the phone and called Stirl. “All assets are in place. The next act is yours!”