After the meal, Nora took a leave from the rest of the day whereas Lina also did not return.
Instead, she took a walk through the abandoned alley behind the campus. Her gaze remained focused, sharp and calculating, as she silently took note of every structure, every shadow, and every blind spot the alley held. Brick by brick, corner by corner, she was memorizing the layout like a soldier studying a battlefield.
Every detail mattered.
Even the way the sunlight filtered through the narrow space between the buildings, or how one drainpipe rattled faintly in the breeze—nothing escaped her notice.
She wasn't just walking.
She was preparing.
She can not get caught again.
After few turns on left and right, she finally arrived in the deepest part of the bamboo forest.
Her training ground. It took her months to find this inconspicuous place.
"Senior." A calm voice called out. Then a figure appeared from between the bamboo and saluted her.
"I want no slipup tonight. If you keep failing, I will request for you to go back." Lina warned him, her tone firm and strict.
The figure shuddered.
"Senior, Give me one last chance. This time, everything will go smoothly." He resolutely said. He can not afford any blunder tonight.
"Hm." Lina gave a nod and gestured for him to start training.
"But how do we go back? Senior, you actually know the way!" He stepped closer to Lina and whispered to her.
This junior wasn't just anyone. He had been sent to her by higher-ups about a month after her arrival. But Lina had long figured out the truth. It was her mother who had quietly arranged for this support.
Because in their line of work, everyone of them was trained to function alone, survive alone, and complete missions without relying on anyone else. The presence of this junior was the only sign of someone's silent concern.
Lina's heart sank. Even she did not know, how to return. And the ones that had been sent here before never returned. They were trained to shift here and carry out the given tasks but never were they trained for return. She doubted if there was any route to return.
"Fail tonight and you will know." She shot back a sharp glare.
The junior straightened immediately, swallowing hard and nodding with renewed determination.
"Begin." Lina said, sliding her foot back into a stance without wasting any more time.
The junior nodded, already slipping into motion.
Leaves rustled, blades gleamed faintly, and silence shattered.
____________
Located at the southern tip of the country, Wuying City was bordered by water on three sides, making it one of the wealthiest regions despite being the smallest, thanks to the thriving trade and a bustling port that handled both imports and exports daily.
Tonight, the East Port gleamed brighter than usual. Lights shimmered across the docks, reflecting off the calm waves. Two grand yachts, connected by an elegant bridge, served as the venue for a lavish gathering. Music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses filled the air.
The city's elite were all in attendance—business tycoons, politicians, and socialites—each dressed in their finest, each trying to be seen. The buzz of the night centered around a single rumor: someone influential from the Capital had arrived two days earlier. Their identity remained a mystery, but their presence had turned the event into a battlefield of charm and flattery. Everyone was eager to win favor in hope to connect with the Capital.
Lina remained concealed beneath the port's flooring, her breath steady, her senses sharp. Timing every movement with precision, she slipped into the dark waters unnoticed, her body gliding like a shadow. The surface remained undisturbed, as if no one had ever touched it.
Reaching the side of the yacht, she climbed with swift, practiced motions and landed on the deck without a single creak. Her soaked clothes clung to her, but her steps were weightless. Not a drop echoed, not a breeze stirred.
She made her way to the stern, where a small maintenance door sat slightly ajar. Without hesitation, she slipped inside, vanishing into the yacht's interior like mist in moonlight.
No footsteps. No sound. No trace.
To anyone watching, it was as if no one had ever entered.
Lina Tang, no she was Red, the one who is silent as death, invisible as breath.
"Everything clear." A voice echoed from the earpiece hidden in the deepest in the auditory canal.
She waited in a dark corner for her target to come. Soon, footsteps approached. Her target, Bryan Lu, entered the corridor towards the male washroom, humming, smelling of expensive cologne.
She takes out her weapon almost invisible, ready to attack her target.
Silently, she stepped forward.
But before her foot could touch the ground again, something shifted in the shadows.
In a blink, an arm snaked around her waist, pulling her backward into a firm embrace. A hand covered her mouth—soft, warm, yet unyielding. Her blade almost slipped from her grip as her instincts flared in warning.
Her eyes widened. She didn't sense the person.
Not at all. Neither there was warning from her earpiece. Her target missed. Her task failed.
Her chest heaved with restrained fury as she turned her head slightly, her sharp gaze locking onto the one behind her failed mission.
Those eyes again.
Cold, unreadable, yet hauntingly familiar. It was him. She stopped struggling. Against him, she was powerless.
Seeing that she had calmed down, Royce withdrew his hands that were covering her mouth. His hands holding her waist shifted to her wrist.
Before she could react, he tugged her forward.
Silently, swiftly, he pulled her through a narrow corridor and opened a nearby door. Without hesitation, he guided her inside, closing it softly behind them. The room was dimly lit, quiet, a stark contrast to the muffled noise of the party outside.
"Why?" A single word came out from Lina's mouth, her face cold unreadable but her voice carried the weight of restrained fury—low, steady, sharp like a blade just before it strikes.
Royce didn't flinch. He turned her back on her. Why? He cannot explain why.