Chapter 15: Surrender

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“No, I refuse. Although I greatly appreciate the help you and your country have given to my father, we will not get involved in any political struggles, nor will we work for any force,” Tang Mi said firmly, meeting his gaze without hesitation.

“That’s truly regrettable. However, I sincerely hope you’ll reconsider our proposal carefully. The personnel from Country A have already exposed their tracks in this operation, and the best way to salvage the mission is to complete it immediately. A second assassination attempt will begin soon, but if you allow us, we will provide Mr. Ma Jin with the most comprehensive protection,” Arthur said, his finger brushing his chin. His voice carried a note of regret, but his gaze remained confident and firm, especially when he mentioned the word “protection.”

Tang Mi understood his implied meaning: if she refused to cooperate, they would stop protecting Ma Jin and allow Country A’s assassins to finish the job. She sat up straight, meeting his gaze coldly, and said, “Thank you for your kindness, but I believe the police can provide my father with the best protection.”

“A few months ago, your country’s Congressman Walter was threatened, and at that time, the police deployed a large number of personnel for surveillance. Yet, the congressman was still poisoned and died in his residence. Although your country’s police force is strong, they are still far from being able to deal with Country A’s top assassination organization. The security at tonight’s ball was impeccable, yet the assassin still managed to infiltrate, didn’t they?” Arthur calmly countered.

“That…” His words left her momentarily speechless, and at that moment, her phone suddenly rang, interrupting their conversation.

Tang Mi pressed the answer button, and the voice of her butler, Little Ronaldo, came through, sounding terrified. “Miss, there was an explosion at home just now. Mr. Ma Jin’s bedroom has been almost completely destroyed!”

“Explosion?!”

Cold sweat beaded on Tang Mi’s palms, and the phone slipped from her fingers in a panic, only to be gently caught by Arthur. Then, the suit once again fell over her shoulder, along with his deep voice, which enveloped her like a spell: “This is double insurance. If the assassination at the ball fails, there are bombs in the bedroom waiting. They are determined to kill Ma Jin, but what they didn’t anticipate was encountering us tonight. Tang, agree to our request, not for yourself, but for Ma Jin.”

Tang Mi inhaled sharply, looking up to see the large exhaust fan on the ceiling, its iron-black blades spinning rapidly, casting a dark, cold light. It seemed like the center of a vortex, stirring everything around it and threatening to pull everything in and consume it.

The red light outside the emergency room still blinked, and the dimly lit hallway seemed like the frozen bottom of a body of water, with only dead silence flowing.

What am I? You know.

A few weeks later, in a high-end restaurant in Country Z.

Tang Mi tugged at the lace collar in front of the mirror, the silver satin around her neck making it hard to breathe.

The evening gown had been chosen by Arthur, with a design that adhered to old-fashioned elegance. Her arms and neck were tightly wrapped, but her entire back was exposed, letting the falling silk and flowing chiffon outline the curve of her hips. The long skirt swayed as she walked, making it impossible not to wonder about the body hidden beneath the fabric.

“Sexy with room for imagination is the most alluring,” Arthur had said.

“In the end, I had to give in to him,” Tang Mi thought, lowering her eyes and gazing at the cold and thin fabric.

She had agreed to Arthur’s request to act as a spy to approach the leader of the Z country rebel forces. Tonight, she would be officially introduced to Emir, the leader.

The reason for her agreement wasn’t because of Arthur’s words in the hospital, but because, after reporting the incident to the police, the sheriff had sent a large number of officers to guard the hospital. Yet, even with all the protection, Ma Jin, still lying in his hospital bed, had fallen victim to a second assassination attempt.

“We never imagined someone would disguise themselves as medical staff and try to poison Mr. Ma Jin. Fortunately, just as the poisoned needle was about to strike, a bullet shot from somewhere and killed the assassin,” the sheriff told Tang Mi after the incident.

As Tang Mi left the police station, dazed and distraught, she ran into Arthur, who was waiting for her by the roadside.

He was smoking a cigarette, leaning against the sidewalk railing. His black leather jacket gleamed in the sunlight, and his long legs were casually crossed, making them seem even straighter beneath his jeans.

“Do you think Ma Jin will survive the third assassination attempt?” he asked with a smile, removing his sunglasses slowly. His dark green eyes, as deep as an abyss, stared at her with a sharp, intense gaze, reflecting the blood-red sunset like a deep well.

He wasn’t actually looking for an answer from her; he only wanted to observe her expression when she complied.

Tang Mi looked up, taking a deep breath, pulling her thoughts back from the memories, and forcing herself to focus on her reflection in the mirror.

Her delicate features, smooth and flawless skin, looked like beautiful and fragile porcelain, but her dark eyes, sharp as the sharpest diamonds, cut through the thick air with quiet precision, revealing a glimmer of hope.

“Even if I comply, it will only be temporary,” she raised an eyebrow, saying this to herself, then opened the door.

Arthur was sipping whiskey by the window when he saw Tang Mi emerging from the makeup room, wearing that mist-like gown. He set his glass down, silently observing her, his expression unreadable. It was hard to tell whether he was pleased or displeased, but the shadow in his eyes seemed to flow over her.

“I’m starting to regret picking this dress for you,” he said after a pause, turning away to pick up a beautifully wrapped gift box and walking toward Tang Mi, opening it in front of her.

“Is the dress not right? There’s no time for alterations now,” Tang Mi teased, noticing the hint of disappointment in his eyes, a smirk curling on her lips.

It was quite amusing to see a strong person occasionally show a moment of helplessness.

“No, it’s just that it’s too perfect, which makes it wrong,” Arthur said, half-kneeling, throwing out an ambiguous statement. He then took a pair of white lace high heels, adorned with rhinestones and feathers, from the box. Looking up at Tang Mi, he said, “Come, sit.”

Tang Mi followed his command, hesitating as he placed her left foot on his knee and gently slipped the high heel onto her foot. His movements were gentle and focused, as if the treasure in his hands was something precious.

She felt his large hand envelop her cold foot, the warmth from his palm spreading into her body, igniting a burning sensation that traveled to her face, making her heart inexplicably skip a beat. Her foot, resting on his knee, instinctively shrank back.

This was an intimate gesture between lovers, more blush-inducing and heart-racing than a kiss, but they were not in that kind of relationship. The sudden tenderness was even more frightening than forceful domination.

Arthur gripped her delicate ankle, halting her retreat, the pressure gentle yet unyielding. “It’ll be over soon,” he said with a smile as he slipped on the other high heel.

Since boarding the flight to Z country, Arthur hadn’t shown the usual controlling or penetrating gaze, nor had he made any flirtatious moves. Not even a teasing word. Apart from repeatedly reminding Tang Mi of all the “precautions” in their plan, most of the time he seemed lost in thought. But whenever she needed something, he would notice and fulfill her request almost instantly, sometimes even before she realized it herself.

For example, when ordering food, he never forgot to tell the waiter that her meal should not contain any meat. When she started absentmindedly doodling on a piece of paper out of frustration, he would hand her the latest photography magazine and a cup of Sumatra coffee. He even took into consideration her professional habits and provided her with a camera, though all the photos had to be reviewed by him first.

To be honest, Tang Mi had never met a man who understood how to take care of others like Arthur. He was thoughtful and tactful, making her feel like a princess being gently held in his hands, yet never making her feel disturbed. In fact, it even gave her the illusion that this person had known her for many years, understanding her better than she understood herself. However, she quickly came to realize that the reason he could notice her needs so instantly was because his watchful eyes were never far from her, even when he was alone, thinking with his eyes closed.

Learning how to break down others’ defenses in a short amount of time is a core subject every agent must master, and he was undoubtedly a master at it.

Looking at Arthur’s flawless smile, Tang Mi curled her lips slightly, took her foot off his knee, stood up, and walked toward the vanity: “You really don’t have to do this. I won’t thank you.” As she walked, the flowing hem of her dress brushed coldly against his feet.