Chapter 14: Negotiation

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The red warning light in front of the emergency room was still flashing, and everything in the dimly lit corridor was faint and shadowy, with occasional glimpses of medical staff in white coats, resembling wandering ghosts.

Tang Mi sat in front of the emergency room, clutching her arm. She felt as though she were sinking to the bottom of the water, an indescribable cold seeping through her thin evening dress into her pores, but inside her chest, it felt as if a fire was burning, urgently and intensely scorching her heart. Although Ma Jin had only been hit in the shoulder blade and the doctors had assured her that such an injury wouldn’t normally be life-threatening, she still couldn’t calm down. It might not be life-threatening under normal circumstances, but what if something abnormal happens?

Even the slightest chance of something going wrong was unbearable to her; she had already lost her parents and could not bear to lose Ma Jin.

She felt colder and colder as the surgery continued. The air conditioner above her hummed, blowing out cold air mixed with the sharp scent of alcohol, drifting down the corridor. Suddenly, a men’s suit jacket landed on her shoulder, the firm fabric still carrying the warmth of the body, like a pair of strong shoulders shielding her from the cold.

She looked up and saw Arthur standing in front of her, handing her a paper cup. “I added whiskey to the coffee. It can help calm you down.”

Taking a sip of the scalding coffee, her tense nerves eased a little. Tang Mi lowered her lashes and said, “Thank you.” Her voice was dry and unnatural, and in the empty corridor, it sounded a bit harsh, even ironic to her own ears. Just a few hours ago, she and this person were like fire and water, but now she had to say “thank you” to him, setting aside personal likes and dislikes, objectively and truthfully.

The bullet had originally been aimed at Ma Jin’s heart, but because Arthur had tackled him in time, the bullet veered off and struck his shoulder. Although Ma Jin was injured, he would not lose his life.

Upon hearing her gratitude, Arthur nodded slightly, his face showing little emotion. Then he sat beside her, slowly drinking his coffee, as if deep in thought.

“What exactly happened? Who wanted to kill Ma Jin? Who are you?” Tang Mi glanced at him and then at the few stern-faced men standing not far away. She recognized two of them as the black-clad men who had escorted her and Ma Jin into the storage room earlier.

“You asked three questions. Let me first answer the first one. Country A has always been vying for the geothermal project development rights in Country Z, and Mr. Ma Jin is the evaluator for Country Z’s geothermal development project. However, recently, he vetoed Country A’s proposal in his evaluation report. This means that the substantial money and resources Country A invested in the early stages of the project have all gone to waste.” Arthur paused, gazing into her eyes as if observing her reaction.

Tang Mi knew about the geothermal project in Country Z. On the first day of her return, Ma Jin had already mentioned it to her. His evaluation, without a doubt, harmed Country A’s interests. Could it be that Country A sent an assassin to kill Ma Jin out of revenge and to eliminate the obstacle?

Recalling the shocked look on Ma Jin’s face when he received that strange letter, she started to get a clue about why he had been attacked.

“So you’re saying that because Ma Jin vetoed Country A’s development plan, Country A wants to get rid of him?” Tang Mi asked.

“Actually, people from Country A had secretly contacted Mr. Ma Jin several times, trying to bribe him, but he rejected them all. Since they couldn’t buy him off, the only option left was to eliminate him,” Arthur answered.

Tang Mi didn’t doubt his words. She was very familiar with her adoptive father’s character. Although Ma Jin appeared cheerful and easygoing, even a bit naive at times, when it came to his principles, he was more stubborn and unyielding than anyone else. The strange letter he received last time was probably a threat from Country A. Had she known this, she should have called the police immediately. If she had, today’s incident would never have happened. But the problem was, how would Arthur know about this?

And why was he protecting Ma Jin?

Tang Mi quickly arrived at an answer. They were from Country H, or rather, they worked for Country H. Because Country H had always been the strongest competitor of Country A in the fight for geothermal resources, Ma Jin’s presence was undoubtedly a powerful help and guarantee for them to defeat Country A.

But on the other hand, if Ma Jin were no longer around, the victory that Country H was about to secure might very well turn to dust. So, protecting his safety was the same as protecting their own interests.

“So, you’re from Country H?” Tang Mi asked, staring at him.

Arthur smiled but said nothing. A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes—her intelligence was one of the things that had always attracted him.

“He didn’t admit it, but he didn’t deny it either.” Tang Mi observed Arthur’s expression, and at the same time, she began to understand why he had been able to gather her personal information within a day of meeting her. Country H’s intelligence organization was world-renowned, their spy satellites flying all over the globe, their tendrils able to reach into every hidden corner. Getting all of her information would have been as simple as pressing a few buttons. She looked at the sharp angle of his nose and the thin lips that curled upward, remembering the confrontation they had had on that rainy night. A faint anger rose in her chest, and she couldn’t help but sneer, “Then why were you smuggling arms in Country Z?

Is it that the government of Country H needs to make extra money this way?”

“That’s your fourth question.” Arthur raised an eyebrow in response to her sarcasm, studying the coffee cup in his hands. He lightly deflected the question without making a big deal out of it.

But Tang Mi didn’t give up. Everything was tied to Ma Jin’s safety, and she had to extract as much information as she could from this man, no matter how difficult an opponent he was. “You don’t like the fourth? Then maybe you’ll like the fifth one.

The reason you appeared today is to protect Ma Jin?”

“That’s half of it, and the other half is because of you,” Arthur said, setting his cup down and watching her quietly. His sharp green eyes held no emotion—no mockery, no sharpness, no aggression—just a simple gaze.

“Because of me?” Tang Mi slightly parted her lips, taken aback by his sudden serious expression. She couldn’t quite figure out the intention behind the look in his eyes.

“Miss Tang Mi, I represent the Military Intelligence Section of Country H, and I would like to invite you to cooperate with us. In fact, we need your help. According to our intelligence, Country A has been secretly supporting the rebel forces in Country Z, providing them with a large amount of weapons and funds. And the leader of Country Z’s rebels, Emir, has just signed a trade agreement with Country A’s military factory…”

“The leader of the rebel forces in Country Z, Emir, has just signed a trade agreement with Country A’s military factory. The weapons included in the deal are enough to cause a catastrophic disaster within Africa, as it contains nuclear warheads.” Arthur leaned forward, focusing on her eyes with sincerity and seriousness on his face, as if their past conflicts were irrelevant, and this moment was truly their first meeting.

“Then why are you still selling weapons to Anderson’s army? And what does all of this have to do with me?” Tang Mi asked, feeling even more confused after hearing his words. There was no doubt that Arthur’s true identity was an agent from Country H, and as someone who could represent Military Intelligence, his rank must be high. So why would he lower himself to pretend to be an arms dealer and associate with people like Anderson?

And what role could she possibly play in all of this?

“To stop Emir and Country A’s reckless actions, we must expose this arms deal before it is fulfilled. Only then can the Z government completely cut off any official cooperation with Country A. But the premise is that we must get the original copy of the contract. We’ve tried many methods, even pretending to be arms dealers to get close to Emir, but we’ve had little success. He is very suspicious and highly alert. Routine matters are always handled by his subordinate Anderson, and to this day, we still haven’t been able to meet Emir in person. However, we’ve learned that he is a passionate wildlife and photography enthusiast, and enjoys raising rare animals. Therefore, we believe that there’s no one better suited to gain his trust than an exceptional zoologist and photographer. And Miss Tang Mi, you are a photographer with the ability to communicate with animals, along with a sharp mind and quick reflexes. There’s no one in the world more qualified than you.”

“You want me to act as a spy to get close to Emir and then help you steal that arms deal contract?” Tang Mi leaned back, and Arthur’s suit slid off her shoulder, the cold once again enveloping her.

“Yes. Of course, we will reward you handsomely for your efforts. Just name your terms,” Arthur said, subtly leaning forward in response to her retreat.