“No, you can’t. Not there.”

“Are you still shy about it?”

“No, it’s just... Hnnh. Be more gentle. I’m bleeding.”

“Don’t move about. It’s more difficult for me if you wiggle about.”

“Take it out! Take it out!”

Long Bing sat on a chair in a roadside motel. Xia Lei was crouching at her feet, using tweezers to pull the splinters out cautiously. Long Bing’s voice filled him with certain thoughts, and he couldn’t help smiling wryly.

The television in the room had been playing a variety show, but it abruptly switched to an urgent news report. Mount Fuji appeared on the screen, in the background of Oshino Hakkao, and the reporter. Behind the reporter were several corpses.

“In the late hours of the evening last night, a fierce gunfight broke out in Oshino Hakkai. Several corpses were found in Oshino Hakkai, and in the mountain forest, and the body count has reached 38. This is the most bloody incident to have happened after World War Two. According to the police’s initial investigations, a fraction of the bodies are of the local Yakuza, and there are also some corpses which seem to belong to some unknown military group. The situation is still being under investigation by the police, and we shall continue observing, to bring you the lastest updates...”

This news report caught Xia Lei and Long Bing’s attention, and both their gazes went to the screen, to look at what the camera captured.

The reporter entered Heart of Oshino, and came to the room where the gunfight had taken place. The camera panned the room – it was full of gouges in the wood, and there were blood stains. However, there was no Gu Kewen.

The reporter stood in the doorway and said, “According to eyewitnesses, the fiercest battle happened in this room. A woman had died in this room, but her body is now missing...”

Xia Lei wrinkled his brows. “Did Dark Mona take Gu Kewen’s body?”

Long Bing thought about the situation back then. “It should have been Dark Mona. We just don’t know why she would take Gu Kewen’s corpse.”

“Hm. Could Gu Kewen still be alive?” Xia Lei had a mild suspicion, because Dark Mona would not take Gu Kewen’s body under normal circumstances. There was no advantage for her to do so.

“Impossible. I stabbed her heart with my knife. She can’t still be alive. If it wasn’t for Dark Mona pointing a gun at me, I would have stabbed her twice,” said Long Bing.

Xia Lei gave a laugh. “Is there a difference between you stabbing her once and stabbing her twice? I trust your capabilities. Gu Kewen must be dead. It looks like it could be for another reason. Never mind, she’s already dead so we don’t have to bother about this. Let’s continue.”

Long Bing grabbed Xia Lei’s hand and stared straight at him. “What is the identity of the woman called Dark Mona? Why does she want to kill you?”

Xia Lei was silent. He was torn. He knew that Long Bing would ask him this sooner or later, and he needed to give her an explanation.

“Is it not convenient to tell me?” As an elite agent of Bureau 101, there was no way Long Bing would not have any suspicions, especially after what happened.

Xia Lei spoke. “She is part of the FA Organisation.”

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

“FA Organisation?” Long Bing frowned. “I’ve heard of them. It’s an international group of free agents and very mysterious. That Dark Mona is one of them? What is her goal?”

Xia Lei laughed dryly. “Me.” After a pause, he continued, “I actually made some discoveries in my research as the person in charge of the Alloy X Project. I am the only person who can interact with the alloy. It is a very unique alloy, and it stores a type of mysterious, very strong power. I am still unable to unravel the last bit of its mysteries but I believe that it will shake the world when this mystery is solved.”

This was all Xia Lei could tell Long Bing, and the closest to the truth. There was no way he could tell Long Bing that he had taken AE capsules, and that his father, Xia Changhe, was an agent of the FA Organisation.

It was not all of the truth, but Long Bing understood something. Xia Lei was the only one who could interact with that ancient alloy, so he was the only one who could go to the treasure locations and study it. She did not find it strange that the CIA and the FA Organisation would want to capture Xia Lei alive.

“I remember you telling this before. You said that you could interact with the alloy, maybe because you had fixed the compass. It looks like what you said has some grounding now.” Long Bing sighed. “And now that I think about it, I was the one who asked you to fix the compass. This is like fate, and it’s like we were meant to experience all of these.”

Xia Lei felt a little guilty. He did not speak, but just made a soft grunt of agreement.

“Never mind. Let’s talk about these things later. It’s my turn to clean your wounds now.” Long Bing stared hotly at Xia Lei. “Take off your trousers.”

Xia Lei was speechless.

A few minutes later, the wounded and the wound-tender were intertwined. He was in her and she was in him, and there was no telling where he and she ended and where they begun. The wounds on their body did not affect their passions, and the pain and the pleasure melded together, making them drunk on its taste. There was no resisting it.

Meanwhile, in Oshino Hakkai, in a modified camper car.

Liang Siyao watched a video some tourist had recorded of the battle. Her eyes seemed a little vacant.

An Asian youth was in the video, his gun raised and his movements fluid, clean. She had never seen this young Asian man before but she had a feeling that this was the young man she had loved deeply in the past. She still could not forget Xia Lei.

This conclusion was not just through gut instinct. She had her evidence, and that was the XL2500 sniper rifle in the young man’s hands, and the shape of his body. His gaze was exactly like Xia Lei’s too. She knew everything about him, and all these characteristics were enough for her to determine that the young man in the video was Xia Lei.

“The woman by his side should be Long Bing, eh? Her body matches hers perfectly.” The corners of Liang Siyao’s mouth quirked up in a smile and sourness tinged her words. “What’s so good about her? She’s so cold and aloof, and is not feminine at all. You weren’t willing to forgive me but you’re with her? Do you want to be like James Bond? A beautiful female companion on every mission. You skirt-chaser. Humph!”

The video was very shaky and it did not capture Dark Mona or Gu Kewen.

Liang Siyao hesitated after she was done watching it, then deleted it.

A CIA agent got into the car and said in a low voice, “Chief, did you find anything?”

“Nothing. The video was too shaky. No need to bother about this. I’ll handle it,” said Liang Siyao.

Yes, Chief. We also got information that a Yakuza group in Hokkaido was destroyed. They were smugglers. Their people discovered their boat in the sea, and the men who had been killed. Could this be connected to what happened here?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m just speculating, Chief.”

Liang Siyao’s voice was cold. “Do we need to handle that sort of case too? Smuggling and the Yakuza is the business of the Japanese police, not ours. Remember that our target is that person. Get out of the car. Go collect more information from China.”

“Yes, Chief. I’ll get to work.” The agent who had spoken to Liang Siyao was not entirely happy, but he did not dare to argue with Liang Siyao. He exited the camper-turned-command-centre.

Liang Siyao took out a satellite phone and called a number after that agent had left.

The call connected, and Liang Siyao spoke quietly. “Uncle, your precious son has come. Haven’t you seen the news? He’s going overboard these days. Aren’t you going to do something as a father? He would be in a lot of danger.

Xia Changhe’s voice came from over the line. “My son is all grown up and he doesn’t listen to me anymore. I saw the news. You’re sure that it’s him?

“I’m sure. I found some evidence, but don’t worry, I’ve already taken care of it.”

“Thanks.”

“Why thank me? He doesn’t know anyway.” Liang Siyao’s voice held a trace of hurt and sadness.

Xia Changhe was silent for a bit. “It’s not convenient for me to interfere in the relationship between him and you, but if there is a chance, I’ll make sure to put in a good word.”

Liang Siyao smiled. “Thank you, Uncle. You should find him as quickly as you can. I can’t drag for more time. Once they find a trace of him, they will mobilise, and he will be in danger.”

“All right, I’ll find him as soon as I can.” Xia Changhe hung up.

Liang Siyao put the satellite phone away, and sat blankly. “Would he forgive me if his father put in good words for me?” She smiled wryly. “So what if he forgives me? He’s already married to Shentu Tianyin. That skirt-chaser. We broke up, and I did not date anyone but he went and got married. I’d like to punch him!”