As she donned her helmet, Connor’s expression turned to one of concern. “You’ve been in surgery all day. You must be worn out. Don’t you think you should get some rest?”
But Marissa had already kicked the motorcycle into gear. “There’s something tonight more urgent than sleep. Take care.”
As the motorcycle roared away, Connor watched her silhouette vanish into the distance and sighed softly to himself. Aside from knowing she was a village girl from Adagend and a miracle doctor named Riss, his knowledge about her was scant. She was so mysterious, akin to the wind that whirled around him-tangible yet elusive, with origins and destinations unknown. But thankfully, her name was recorded as his spouse, assuring him that no matter where she ventured, she would eventually return to him
The moment Marissa departed, a message from Aelfric reached Marc and Terry. Reading it quickly, Marc turned to Connor and began, “Mr. Daniels, Aelfric has set up a Doomsday Base branch in Blebert and has summoned us there tonight. He mentioned…”
Before Marc could complete his sentence, Domenic, brimming with impatience, cut in, “Everyone knows Mr. Daniels and Aelfric are sworn enemies. How can you meet with Aelfric in private?”
“Domenic, you’re mistaken,” Marc replied calmly. “Even though Aelfric holds the position of deputy chief instructor at Doomsday Base, that doesn’t bind us to his every command. Doomsday Base upholds a principle of autonomous professional growth. As long as we uphold the base’s integrity and do not contravene justice, Aelfric cannot intervene in our affairs, and we would certainly not betray Mr. Daniels on his account.”
Terry swiftly chimed in, “Should he leverage his role as the deputy chief instructor to compel us into actions that harm our employer, it would breach the base’s regulations. We would then have the option to take our complaint to either King or the chief instructor for resolution.”
“Why, then, are you going to meet him?” Domenic inquired. Suddenly, Marc’s and Terry’s faces lit up
“The chief instructor will be there!”
Connor turned to the two brothers. “Your chief instructor is in Blebert?”
Both nodded in confirmation. “The chief instructor is due to reach the Doomsday Base branch here tonight. Every member stationed in Blebert is expected to greet her. Being her greatest admirers, it’s only natural for us to meet her. This has nothing to do with Aelfric.”
Reflecting on Marissa’s recent departure, Connor told Marc and Terry, “You should go.”
“Thank you, Mr. Daniels!” Marc and Terry expressed their gratitude multiple times before departing eagerly. As Connor was about to head back to the Daniels Manor, his phone emitted a special alert. He promptly accessed the Dark Net and discovered a message from Black Snake addressed to Lone Wolf
Black Snake said in her message, “Lone Wolf, you accused me of being out of my mind from being short on money, but aren’t you the same?”
Lone Wolf responded, “What have I done to offend you?”
Black Snake retorted, “You initially agreed to join forces with me to defeat Amiri, yet you went ahead and took Connor’s offer. Are you driven by greed, or are you challenging me?”
When Connor read this, a radiant smile illuminated his handsome features. As his grin widened, the name “Black Snake” suddenly seemed endearingly charming to him. He wasn’t certain if his village girl was the chief instructor of Doomsday Base, but she was unmistakably Black Snake. He had kept his recruitment of Lone Wolf a secret, yet Black Snake was aware of it, indicating she had to be Marissa. This revelation made sense to him; Black Snake’s way of speaking had always reminded him of the village girl. With this realization, he figured out her reason for taking on Amiri’s mission-likely she feared someone else might take the job and kill him
This insight sweetened his heart
From the driver’s seat, Domenic, catching sight of his boss’s bright smile through the rearview mirror, ventured, “Mr. Daniels, has something good happened?”
“Yes,” Connor answered with a light tone
Domenic restrained his curiosity, not daring to ask more. It was rare to see anything make Connor, who was normally composed, so visibly joyful. This was the first instance Domenic had witnessed him smiling so unabashedly. Unconcerned with Domenic’s curiosity, Connor typed into his phone, “Mr. Black Snake, how did you come to know about my deal with Connor?”
Black Snake stated, “I’ve established my own sources within the circle.”
Connor responded, “My aim isn’t to challenge you. I’m here to keep you safe.”
Black Snake questioned, “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Connor explained, “I want to be close enough to ensure your safety.”
Curious, Black Snake probed further, “Are you considering betraying your boss?”
Connor asserted, “I’m committed to safeguarding my boss, but I’ll look out for you too. Nobody can hurt you-only I have that right.”
Meanwhile, Marissa was in a restaurant, savoring her beef noodles. As she juggled between eating and responding to Lone Wolf, the tone of their exchange became romantic. She wondered if Lone Wolf was making advances. After a brief pause, she typed back, “Just to be clear, I’m a guy.”
Lone Wolf’s message came quickly. “I’m aware of that.”
Marissa was taken aback. The image of the slightly chubby man dressed in black that she had encountered earlier made her wonder: Was Lone Wolf gay? To make Lone Wolf give up the wrong idea, she quickly typed out, “I like women!” After sending the message, she immediately logged off the Dark Net, her cheeks warming with a flush. It dawned on her why Lone Wolf had agreed so readily to join her in taking down Amiri. It wasn’t for the money. He was probably interested in her. How irritating! The more she pondered it, the more it bothered her. She hurriedly finished her noodles and rushed back to her little flower shop
Her shop was a covert sanctuary, nestled in an old, unnoticed neighborhood full of secrets. Once there, she watered the flowers and sat in silence for a moment. As darkness fell, she changed into her outfit and headed to the Doomsday Base branch. The uniform for the Doomsday Base’s chief instructor was a flowing ensemble of black garments with a veil that shrouded the face, making her resemble a dark butterfly flitting through the night
Following the directions provided by Aelfric, Marissa reached an ancient house in the city center. In Blebert, where real estate was at a premium, having such a spacious, old house in the downtown area signified significant influence. Aelfric had chosen well. Standing at the entrance, Marissa eyed the large sign overhead-Doomsday Base Blebert Branch
The gates were firmly shut. Just as she was about to knock, a bright red Lamborghini rolled up beside her. Wesson, flanked by bodyguards, emerged in a wheelchair. Marissa’s brow furrowed. This man, whom she had previously beaten up, was out here in the dead of night instead of resting at home. What was he planning? Before she could do anything, Wesson arrogantly demanded, “Who are you? What are you doing here? Do you know what this place is?”
Marissa glanced down at Wesson, confined to his wheelchair. His words and tone indicated a certain closeness to the Doomsday Base branch, making her curious about his connection with Aelfric. She gave him a thorough look, noticing that he was observing her as well
After a brief pause, Wesson flashed a flirty grin and spoke in a teasing tone, “Hey, miss, it looks like you’re interested in the martial arts of Doomsday Base, aren’t you?” True to Terry’s description, although a black veil obscured Marissa’s face, one could immediately tell she was exceptionally attractive. Wesson, ever the rogue, couldn’t help but flirt with any beautiful woman he encountered, no matter the setting
His flirty comment secretly amused Marissa. His memory was clearly short; despite having been beaten up by her before, here he was again, trying to woo her. She chose to remain silent, not wanting to engage with him
Undeterred, Wesson pressed on. “Do you know who I am? If you’re looking to learn the martial arts of Doomsday Base, you won’t get far without my say-so!”
“Really?” Marissa tilted her head and looked at him. “Are you Aelfric, the leader of the Blebert branch of Doomsday Base?”
Wesson’s expression stiffened. He was clearly not expecting her to be aware of Aelfric. In an era where business thrived and martial arts faded into obscurity, it was rare for anyone to pursue such training-especially women. Thus, Wesson didn’t actually think the woman before him was interested in martial arts. To Wesson, Marissa appeared as nothing more than an ordinary woman in plain clothes, likely seeking employment at the Doomsday Base facility
Thinking of this, he switched back to that frivolous expression and said, “I may not run the Blebert branch of Doomsday Base, but as its sponsor, I hold quite a bit of sway. Do you understand the kind of power that gives me?”
“Oh, I see,” Marissa replied with a nod. “So, Aelfric, the branch head, must answer to you?”
Wesson’s confident demeanor faltered. How could he pretend to command Aelfric? His family, the Clifford family, had eagerly financed the branch’s development to curry favor with Aelfric, and Wesson was typically subservient in his presence. Yet, hoping to impress Marissa and coax her into his embrace, he didn’t correct her assumption. Flashing a knowing grin, he boasted, “You’re quite astute. Would you consider being mine?”
Marissa, amused rather than charmed, inquired, “And you are?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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