What Winnie was talking about wasn’t child’s play at all, for it was a critical matter that involved the
lives of countless people.
The frowning Christopher simply stared at her, at a loss for a response.
Then, an indiscernible look appeared in his eyes.
“Winnie, is Xavier the reason why you’re so determined to see Professor White?”
“Yes!” Winnie admitted candidly.
Her steadfastness caused the furrow of Christopher’s brows to deepen. “Given how precarious the
situation is, is it really worth the risk?”
Winnie couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping her lips. “I’m surprised to hear those words roll off your
tongue. Instead of asking me, have you asked yourself the same question?”
“It’s not necessary for me.” The solemn expression on Christopher’s face intensified. “My situation is
different from yours.”
“I know, but fundamentally, there’s no difference at all. This place is where the borders of the three
countries meet. Other than us, there are other soldiers willing to sacrifice their lives for their country
and people. All of you support yourselves with your loyalty and belief, for there’s no one to cheer for
you here. In fact, your body might not even be returned home in the event of death. I’m well aware of
how brave and noble you are for being driven by your faith and desire to protect your fellow citizens. As
for me, I, too, have my own principles and lives to protect. From this perspective, there isn’t a big
difference between our motivations. Technically, they are exactly the same. Moreover, isn’t rescuing
Professor White your mission too?
“Given that this is Jipsdale and not Chanaea, there’s no way you can arrest and repatriate the drug
lords back home even if you stay undercover for twenty years. What you’re trying to do is to find out the
routes they use for smuggling drugs into Chanaea, the factories they have established there, and their
various points of sale.
“In other words, you’re searching for their manufacturing and sales distribution network. However, your
current position has limited your knowledge to just the tip of the iceberg. Also, there’s no way you can
get Harold to tell you about his networks, routes, and buyers. However, if I were to become a business
partner of his, I would have a good excuse to extract such critical information from him. Putting it
another way, if you help me, I’ll be able to assist you in return. As for my intention for doing this, it
shouldn’t be within your considerations. All you need to know is that this is a win-win situation for both
of us.”
Every single word of Winnie’s soliloquy made sense to Christopher and struck at the core of his soul.
Nevertheless, the frown on his face didn’t ease at all. “I was almost persuaded by your argument.”
Winnie cocked her brow slightly. “Why do you say ‘almost?’“
“Because I don’t know who you are and don’t dare trust you. That aside, how do you know so much
about my mission?”
Christopher’s eyes glistened with suspicion and determination.
Despite the complexity of his emotions, Winnie had no trouble seeing through him.
She knew that Christopher, as someone fighting for Chanaea’s peace, had his own principles and
would obey his orders unconditionally.
If her identity was a threat to him or Chanaea, he would have no qualms about eliminating her, even if
he had once professed his feelings for her.
Nonetheless, she still chose to lean in and whisper something into his ear.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtNo sooner had Christopher heard her words than his eyes widened in disbelief. In spite of that, he
quickly accepted the revelation.
“Give me some time. I need to run this up the chain.”
Winnie nodded before walking to the other side of the rooftop.
In less than five minutes, Christopher ended his call with his superiors and returned to where Winnie
was waiting.
At that moment, she was admiring the flaming sky ignited by the setting sun. The clouds, bathed in a
reddish hue, had glowing edges that were a sight to behold.
Even though she heard Christopher walking over, she didn’t turn around until the latter was standing
next to her and asked, “Is it beautiful?”
A faint smile emerged on Winnie’s face. “It is. Don’t you think so too?”
“Yeah. On the day a comrade of mine lost his life, I remember how the sky seemed to have been set
ablaze in crimson colors. It felt as if the clouds were the same color as the blood that flowed out of his
chest. When he collapsed, his face was looking in the direction of our country. As we never again want
to see another of our own fall here, I don’t want to fail my mission. In fact, failure is not even an option,
for I must bring them all home alive!”
“I’m sure your men will definitely make it home.” All of a sudden, Winnie felt as if her admiration of the
crimson sky had waned. Knitting her brows, she turned her attention to Christopher. “So, have your
superiors agreed?”
“Yes. I need to formulate a more detailed plan, but there’s not much time left today.” Christopher
glanced at his watch and said, “I only have twenty minutes before I need to return. Otherwise, they’ll
begin to suspect something. As for our next move, I’ll let you know once I’ve planned out everything.”
“All right.” Winnie nodded. “In that case, let’s stay in touch. I’ll be heading over to Lightspring together
with Xavier tonight. We’ll meet there when the time comes.”
“No problem.”
“Anyway, you should head down first. I’ll leave a short while later.”
Standing on the rooftop, Winnie watched as Christopher headed down the stairs and out of the
hospital. It wasn’t until she had determined he wasn’t being tailed that she swiftly left the rooftop.
Winnie then returned to the hotel with a bag in hand.
She had barely arrived at the entrance when Xavier opened the door from the inside, catching Winnie
by surprise.
“How did you know I was back?”
Xavier—with a raised brow—replied, “We have a telepathic connection, of course. I heard the
bodyguard mention that you left the ward an hour ago. Why did you only return now?”
Winnie’s eyes narrowed. “How did you know? Were you spying on me?”
The frowning Xavier voiced his dissatisfaction. “I already told you directly. How is that considered
spying?”
His reaction amused Winnie. “You should see the look on your face. I’m just pulling your leg, you
know.”
While speaking, she raised the bag she was holding to show Xavier. “I left the hospital to prepare this.
Thus, I didn’t go out for no reason.”
“What is it?” Xavier reached out to take the bag from Winnie’s hand.
Winnie flashed a smile at him. “My equipment.”
“Equipment?” A skeptical expression emerged on Xavier’s face. “What sort of equipment is this light? I
don’t believe you.”
“Just open it and see for yourself.” As Winnie pushed Xavier inside, she closed the door with a kick.
Upon placing the bag on the table, Xavier unzipped it to find a variety of clothes inside.
“Is this your so-called equipment?”
“That’s right. What did you think I was talking about? Firearms? I might not be able to get them even if I
had one whole day, let alone one measly hour.”
“Why did you have to buy them here? Can’t you wait till we get to Lightspring?”
“We might not have time once we’re there. Anyway, I’ll contact Christopher shortly, as I went to see
Granny and didn’t have time to do so earlier. After reaching Lightspring, we might need to meet
Christopher there first thing tomorrow morning. Therefore, it pays to be prepared.”
Even though Winnie related everything in detail, that wasn’t her true objective.
She was under no illusion that the bodyguard hadn’t kept Xavier informed of all of her and Jacinta’s
movements.
Hence, Xavier knew exactly what time she had left the ward. Nevertheless, she didn’t want him to know
about her meeting with Christopher at the hospital rooftop for the time being.
That was the reason why she bought the bag of clothes—to distract Xavier and avoid arousing his
suspicion.
That night, Winnie and Xavier returned to Lightspring under the escort of the mercenaries.
Along the journey, Winnie received Christopher’s message, informing her that he would be picking her
up the next morning to take her to the Horton family’s territory.
However, Winnie didn’t share the news with Xavier right away.
It wasn’t until they found a place to stay and Xavier had just emerged from his shower that she
informed him, “Come over here. I have news from Christopher—I’ll be able to go over tomorrow.”
“What about the details of the plan? Let me see.” With one hand drying his hair with a large towel, he
reached the other one out to demand her phone.
Winnie, chuckling lightly, handed it over. “You’re too late.”
“What do you mean?” Frowning curiously, Xavier put his towel away and sat down beside Winnie.
When he saw the words “message has been read and deleted,” he immediately understood why.
It turned out that both of them corresponded through an app that would automatically delete messages
once they were read. It also didn’t allow screenshots to be made.
Xavier took a deep breath. “It looks like I’m indeed too late. In that case, what’s the plan both of you
have come up with? Why didn’t you discuss it with me?”
“Am I not doing so right now? Otherwise, what did I call you over for? Anyway, a new face is needed to
do business with Harold, and Christopher has arranged for me to be that person. With my photographic
memory, I can remember the route I traveled even when blindfolded, something beyond the capabilities
of an ordinary person. Therefore, as long as I can enter Harold’s factory once, I’ll definitely be able to
locate Professor White. What’s with that glum face of yours? You’ll be growing wrinkles in no time. I
obviously know how dangerous this is, and that’s why I need you to be in total control of the situation
outside, be it coming to my rescue or using your wealth to force Harold into submission. No one else
but you can play this role, as I don’t trust anyone else to do it.”
“D*mn it!” Xavier threw Winnie a fiery glare. “Your gift of the gab has not only made splitting us up
sound so convincing, but your final sentence is also nothing but exaggerated flattery!”
“What do you mean by flattery? Am I not stating the truth?” Amused by his reaction, Winnie curled her
arms around Xavier’s neck.
As their foreheads leaned against each other, Winnie nuzzled his nose. “It’s true that you’re the only
one I trust with my life. Don’t you believe me?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“I do.” Sitting Winnie down on his lap, Xavier replied through gritted teeth, “How can I not? After all, you
are just so amazing!”
“Haha…” Winnie loved to see the look on Xavier’s face when he was desperately trying to suppress his
lust after being seduced by her.
Releasing her hands that were wrapped around his neck, she gave him a forceful shove, pushing him
down onto the blanket behind him…
The next day, at eleven in the morning, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. Despite having the air-
conditioning turned on, Winnie could feel the sweatiness of her palms.
The reason for her nervousness was that Christopher was late by an hour. She had tried calling him,
but no one answered.
Checking the time, Xavier couldn’t help but furrow his brows. “Could something has happened to him?”
Winnie shook her head gently. “I don’t know. Hopefully, he’s all right.”
No sooner had she spoken than a man’s voice rang out from the inn’s yard.
“Which of you is Vivian? Get your ass out here!”
The man’s hostile words elicited a concurrent frown from Winnie and Xavier.
Exchanging glances, both of them knew who the person downstairs was looking for, as “Vivian” was
the temporary name Winnie had chosen to go by.
Without any hesitation, Winnie pushed open the second-floor window and leaned out to take a look.
She was immediately greeted by the sight of a small-framed man with a dark complexion.
He was the man from the other day who came to search the inn and even beat up the jewel merchant.
Christopher called him “Wesley” and was at odds with the latter.
“I’m she. What do you want with me?”
“Yo! Vivian, it’s you.” Wearing a devilish smile, Wesley looked up at her. “Chris ordered me to pick you
up.”
This man has bad blood with Christopher. Thus, I can’t trust him easily.
“Are you telling the truth? Chris clearly said that he would personally pick me up. How did it suddenly
end up being you?”
“Ah, Vivian.” Stuffing a cigarette into his mouth, Wesley—in a sarcastic tone—explained, “I’m not sure if
you’re really ignorant or just pretending, but don’t you know who Chris is to Mr. Horton? Why would he
come personally to pick up a woman? Obviously, matters like this are left to subordinates like us. So,
what’s your problem? Do you not trust me?”
“I want to talk to Chris on the phone.”
“You can try, but there’s nothing but disappointment waiting for you since you’ll never get through. He’s
not allowed to carry a phone at the moment. Thus, even if you call him till the cows come home, you’ll
never get him.”
Winnie’s reaction was swift. While Wesley was still rambling along, she had already made the call.
However, the result was consistent with what Wesley had said—there was no answer from
Christopher’s phone.
“Come on down, Vivian. What are you afraid of? There’s no way I would be lying when I told you that
Chris sent me. Otherwise, how would I know you’re here? What’s wrong? Are you worried that I might
do something to you?”
“Please show some respect! I’ll be down after getting changed.”
Winnie had barely finished when she swiftly shut the window.
Turning around, she exchanged a quick glance with Xavier, whose brows were tightly knitted.
“Do you think it’s a trap?”
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