Chapter 4: Possession

The setting sun cast a dim, yellow glow over the horizon as a bank armored truck sped down the highway.

Inside the vehicle, the members of the Enforcers looked grim.

"Shendu has been resurrected? Why didn't you say so sooner!" Valmont barked at Finn.

"How was I supposed to know? He took the Sheep Talisman and just left!" Finn replied, sounding a bit aggrieved.

Besides, that was Shendu, what was he supposed to do? Being able to even speak in his presence was already an achievement.

"What does he want with the Sheep Talisman?" Valmont wondered, a seed of doubt planting itself in his mind.

It was common knowledge that all twelve Talismans were manifestations of Shendu's own power. If he truly had been resurrected, his first priority should have been reclaiming his strength.

But this time, things seemed different. Shendu had only taken the Sheep Talisman, arguably the most useless one of the lot.

"Maybe he’s retired and just wants to use astral projection to go on a world tour?" Chow guessed.

"Impossible. We all know Shendu’s evil is absolute!" Valmont countered.

But they had no more time for speculation. The piercing wail of police sirens erupted from behind.

Looking back, they saw their old acquaintance, Jackie Chan, clinging to the side of the armored truck. Realizing he had been spotted, Jackie offered the Enforcers an awkward, apologetic smile.

Immediately, like a superhero, he began to sprint across the roof of the speeding truck without losing a beat of momentum.

"Jackie Chan!" Hak Foo lunged forward to intercept him. "Hungry Tiger Pounces on Lamb!"

Jackie ducked to the side, causing Hak Foo to crash onto the roof. Jackie spun around, only for Hak Foo to pivot back. "Monkey Plucks Two Peaches!"

Jackie leaped back in alarm. "That’s low!"

"Get to work!"

Inside the truck, Valmont issued his orders. Ratso and Chow headed out with the Talismans in hand, while Finn continued to drive.

"The Pig is about to go wild!" Chow lifted his sunglasses, firing Heat Beam eyes at the trailing police cars.

Explosions rocked the highway as a police cruiser flipped and crashed into the guardrail.

His eyes glowing again, Chow scanned his surroundings for Jackie's silhouette.

"Whoa, better keep your glasses on!"

To his shock, Jackie’s voice whispered right in his ear. The next second, the world went dark as Jackie casually slid the sunglasses back over Chow's eyes.

The laser beams detonated against the lenses, leaving Chow clutching his eyes as tears streamed down his face.

In a blur of motion, Jackie was already hanging off the cabin window, wrestling Finn for the steering wheel.

He moved like a force of nature—fluid as water, yet aggressive as fire. He was practically a superhuman, twisting and maneuvering to fight off all four of them at once. Finn couldn't even overpower him!

With a sharp jerk of the wheel, the armored truck tilted violently and flipped onto its side.

"Cough, cough!" Valmont swiped the dust from his face. In front of him, Jackie’s head popped out from the wreckage, looking equally dazed.

"JACKIE CHAN!!!" Valmont roared in fury.

At the same time, another voice was screaming Jackie’s name. It was the spirit form of Shendu, floating in the air above.

Beside him, Zoran stood with his four arms crossed, quietly observing the scene.

The Sheep Talisman was indeed useful. Due to the constraints of the binding spell, Shendu was temporarily honoring his promise.

Thus, Zoran was able to return to the human realm in spirit form.

It was obvious that Shendu's spirit intended to possess Jackie Chan’s body.

And who could blame him? Zoran had seen Jackie’s superhuman performance quite clearly. If one had to choose a physical vessel, Jackie Chan would be the top pick.

However, Zoran didn't panic when he saw Shendu lunge forward.

Carrying the memories of his past life, he knew Shendu would not succeed.

Sure enough.

The moment Shendu dove toward Jackie, Valmont made his move.

Valmont, who had been holding back until now, suddenly broke into a sprint, launching himself toward the dizzy Jackie.

With a stylish flying kick that hit like a cannonball, he knocked Jackie aside. Valmont laughed triumphantly, "This time, I win!"

The next second.

Zoran heard Shendu’s desperate roar: "NO!!! Valmont, you incompetent fool!!!"

Shendu dived headlong into Valmont’s body.

After a moment of distortion, Shendu's draconic form was reflected in Valmont’s glowing red eyes.

It was a bit hard to watch, but Zoran held back his laughter.

He rose elegantly, drifting down from the sky toward the Jackie Chan on the ground.

It seemed Shendu wouldn't be enjoying this top-tier vessel after all; he’d just have to keep it for himself!

At the thought, a surge of excitement bubbled up in Zoran's heart.

With a body blessed by "protagonist energy," his grand plan to complete the system's missions was practically guaranteed!

Picking up speed, Zoran glided toward Jackie with practiced grace.

"What is that!?"

Not far away, a young girl with short hair was wobbling through the air, buoyed by Section 13's latest jetpack prototype.

It was Jade. She was here to help Jackie.

Of course, she had made that decision entirely on her own.

Suddenly, a purple shadow flashed across her vision, heading straight for her uncle.

Startled, she made a split-second decision.

"Jackie, I'm coming!!!"

The nitrogen boosters on the jetpack ignited. Mimicking what she'd seen, Jade delivered a flying kick toward the purple phantom.

"Jade???" Jackie stood up unsteadily. "I think I heard Jade’s voice?"

In the next instant, Zoran felt as though he had been kicked, followed immediately by a wave of comfort washing through his soul.

The possession was a success!

He opened his eyes.

Wait.

Why was Jackie Chan standing in front of him? What was he saying?

"Jade, what are you doing here?" Jackie looked at Zoran, sounding more than a little displeased.

"Ja...de?" Zoran muttered to himself.

In an instant, his mind began to race.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! Why is it Jade? I possessed the wrong one!

Wait... Right, right, right! It’s actually Jade? Perfect!

Zoran was both shocked and delighted.

Through a bizarre twist of fate, he had possessed Jade’s body!

On paper, her combat ability was negligible compared to Jackie’s.

But!

As everyone knows:

In a fair fight, look to Jackie; in a pinch, look to Uncle; but in a hopeless situation, bet on Jade!

This girl’s "protagonist energy" was off the charts!

The mere fact that she could fall into the Netherworld alone and return unscathed was proof enough of her luck and plot armor.

Zoran wanted to laugh, but he kept quiet, hiding his presence.

"Jackie?" Jade shook her dizzy head. "I came to help you! Someone just tried to sneak up on you, but I kicked them away!"

"Jade, there wasn't anyone there," Jackie replied in his usual "adult-lecturing-a-child" tone.

Quickly, he noticed the other members of the Enforcers were recovering from the crash.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow held their Talismans tight, and Hak Foo was shaking his head as he stood up.

"Bad day, bad day!" Jackie tucked Jade under his arm and ran toward the middle of the road.

He reached out and, with practiced ease, grabbed onto a passing truck as if he were catching a bus.

The truck driver stared in shock, unable to comprehend how this man, clamping a child under one arm while hanging onto a vehicle going sixty miles per hour with the other, could be so casual.

Then he heard Jackie shout to him:

"San Francisco! I'll pay you!"

By the roadside, Valmont stood perfectly still.

His eyes glowed with a sinister crimson light, and his raspy voice sounded desperate yet menacing: "VALMONT!!!"

Shendu slowly calmed down, staring at Jackie's receding figure before his gaze settled on Jade.

"It seems both my brother and I have failed," he hissed to himself.

"Boss?"

The Enforcers, having finally regained their senses, looked toward Valmont, sensing something was wrong.

"Your 'boss' is currently asleep," Shendu’s evil gaze turned toward the gang. "I am in charge now."

"It's Shendu! We're doomed!"