Ryan walked out of the hotel in a confident and casual manner, no one daring to stop him or ask questions. He seemed to have a unique aura, one that came from the secret loss Fire Moth's intelligence department had suffered.
Everyone knew that Lieutenant Whiteman and his team were killed by this man, but no one could do anything about it. The team's deaths remained a mystery, and the reasons were never uncovered.
With the small sums of money they received, why bother risking their lives? Of course, some people were either stubborn or had received enough money to risk it all.
Boom—
A bolt of lightning struck, and a bright flash lit up the city, causing a wave of screams. People rushed over, only to find that the car in the middle of the road was burning, even though the sky was clear.
The lightning was so precise that pedestrians standing nearby didn't even have a scratch, yet the two people inside the car had turned to charcoal, their faces still showing traces of shock.
Besides the audience, the agents who came couldn't help but murmur.
"You see, this is the consequence of greed. A very decisive warning." A balding middle-aged man shook his head, not feeling sorry, just thinking his subordinates were too foolish.
"Is this a declaration of war against our Far East branch?"
"It's not that exaggerated. It's just showing his attitude. A lightning strike, precisely hitting two people—probability of one in a billion. But he might deny it. Who would dare to say it was him?"
The group of agents fell silent, as the department with the highest authority and most arrogance was now filled with frustration.
They were too arrogant, but they knew their boss was right.
For the weak, even without charges, they could fabricate accusations. But for the strong, even if the person slapped them in the face, they had to smile and come up with excuses.
"So, we just let it go?"
"What else can we do? Report the situation truthfully, including his collusion with the leader of the resistance. Let those big shots worry about it," the balding man replied. "Send someone to make sure 'Black Dog' hides deeper. Tell him, if he's exposed, we won't be able to protect him."
The bald man made detailed arrangements, then glanced in the direction Ryan had disappeared without hesitation.
"Clean up the bodies. Return to the branch!"
Dream walked like a puppet, following Ryan through the bustling streets of the city, seeing the demonstrations still ongoing, and the young pickpockets everywhere.
But strangely, there were no vicious dogs around.
What was that lightning about? Had they already caught up with us, just hiding too well? Or were they preparing to play the long game?
Lost in thought, she followed Ryan into an alley, where the number of people began to dwindle, and only then did she snap out of her confusion.
"Wait."
"Is there something else?" Ryan turned his head, seeing the woman's conflicted expression.
"You have this ability. You don't need my help." The woman bit her lip, trying to look brave and determined. "My skills aren't enough to help you, Dr. Ryan."
Ryan liked this kind of person—one who was intelligent and self-aware.
"Don't worry, you can help in a very clever way." Ryan casually explained, though the reason was simple.
He needed someone to cover his baiting on Sundown Alley, and the rebels were the only ones suitable because they wouldn't leak any information.
Thus, "Black Dog" wasn't important. What he needed was to create a false impression that he was still on the peninsula, combined with the vast distance, so Fire Moth would never consider him heading to Sundown Alley.
"Come on, let's move quickly."
Filled with questions, Dream followed Ryan upstairs and through the dark and decaying hallway, eventually opening the innermost door.
Inside, she saw a person—a beautiful pink-haired girl.
The girl sat on a chair, holding a long sword that exuded a chilling aura. And as Dream looked up, a pair of long ears made her pupils shrink.
It was one of those monsters! A fusion warrior!
This existence wasn't something humans could resist. It was said that they could tear apart terrifying Honkai Beasts. Dream was momentarily stunned.
Who did Black Dog offend to bring about a fusion warrior? No wonder the hunting dogs had retreated. How did a small player like herself end up in this mess?
"Sakura, when did you arrive?" Ryan didn't care about what the woman was thinking behind him and smiled slowly.
"Just arrived. I was careful, no one noticed. Dr. Mobius has already arranged the cover. We're using the transfer bell as a front," Sakura said in her soft voice, still as meticulous as ever.
As the conflict deepened, the bell in Lion City had become unsafe, so Ryan had asked Mobius to facilitate the transfer. By disappearing from Fire Moth's radar, Sakura's disappearance would make sense.
Sakura was Ryan weakness, and it made perfect sense for him to come to rescue his sister.
But upon hearing this, Ryan was stunned. He slightly bowed. "Sorry to delay your meeting with Rin and drag her into this."
"It was bound to happen. And your matter is also important. I have to handle it, even if it costs something. I'm willing." Sakura was as direct as ever, making Ryan blush.
For a moment, he felt deeply moved, knowing how much Rin meant to Sakura. This young woman had openly shown her thoughts.
It represented absolute trust and obedience. Without anyone behind him, Ryan might have hugged her right there.
"I'll remember this."
"Mm, I trust you."
Their tone was calm and gentle, and as their eyes met, the atmosphere fell silent for a moment. But in the next instant, their expressions returned to seriousness. As top-tier assassins, both knew what was most important.
"She's the one I picked. She'll assist you in staying on the peninsula. I need you both to stay on the edge of their surveillance for at least ten days." Ryan pointed to the confused woman behind him. She didn't need to know anything.
Sakura observed the woman carefully, nodded lightly, clearly satisfied.
She seemed calm, likely experienced, with both IQ and EQ in check. That would save a lot of trouble.
"Ryan, I've already arranged the subsequent plans. Don't worry, there won't be any mistakes."
Ryan was, of course, at ease. He could rely on Sakura and Mobius. Once he shared his ideas, they would handle the rest effortlessly.
"I'm giving you an additional task. If possible, try to find Black Dog. Though the chances are slim, see if you can get something out of him."
"Alright. As long as there are no high-ranking fusion warriors around him, I can do it. It'll be the first stage after ten days," Sakura thought for a moment and then had a clear direction. She then pulled out a headpiece in front of Dream.
It was Mobius' latest product: an optical disguise device that altered appearances and body shapes by bending light.
It was difficult for Honkai energy to interfere with it. As long as Sakura didn't output her full power, it would be undetectable.
Under their gaze, Sakura put on the headgear. As the light warped, she became an exact replica of Ryan, even the clothes were identical, realistic down to the wrinkle details.
Not only Dream but even Ryan himself was surprised. He thought, "Mobius really delivers when forced, and now I know how to deal with her."
First, clear instructions and direction. Second, the funds need to be sufficient, satisfying her creative whims during the research process, as she would generate numerous byproducts and burn through funds recklessly. Lastly, someone needed to be assigned to monitor her, constantly flattering her, or the efficiency would be low, and all her time would be spent on products she found interesting.
"There are still some flaws, like the frequency of the clothing corners swaying abnormally and the expression being a bit stiff, but these minor details are hard to notice. Fortunately, I'm not some face-acting fool, so playing the role isn't hard."
Ryan rubbed his chin and suddenly realized the benefits of his usual poker face. He was a bit curious and reached out to hold Sakura's hand.
Sure enough, it was just optical camouflage. Her hand felt noticeably smaller, and the skin was smooth and tender. He didn't notice Sakura subtly lowering her head, her excitement palpable as she clenched her fist.
"I'll definitely reward Mobius for this. She did a great job. Now, no one will realize I quietly left, and I've completed the last piece of the puzzle."
It wasn't just about the tools. Sakura was also an expert in assassination and roleplay. He didn't have to worry about her.
Sakura tightened her grip on Ryan hand, feeling the warmth, ready to decisively make her own request.
"By the way, I just remembered something. The data from the underground lab in Tokyo, please follow up on it. Contact Hua and see if you can get it to Mobius for recovery."
"Okay." Sakura nodded subconsciously. When she came to her senses, she noticed Ryan had already let go of her hand. Hesitating, she asked, "Are you leaving now?"
"Mm, the sooner the better. Don't follow me. We need to be careful." Ryan remained cautious, turning toward the door, glancing at the woman by the door who had just opened her mouth.
"I'll follow the lady's orders. Don't worry. I don't want to die." The woman shifted her gaze, not daring to meet Ryan eyes.
Lucky me, I've met a smart person. Looks like I won't have to say much.
Ryan knew she wasn't stupid, her psychological resilience was strong, and the situation had exceeded her expectations. At this point, any struggle was futile. The only way to survive was to listen.
As for selling this secret to Fire Moth? You think Sakura would give her the chance? And would Fire Moth listen to the words of a rebel?
"You understand. Don't worry. I don't have the habit of silencing people," Ryan gently patted her shoulder and disappeared into the dark hallway. Using both his powers to scan for any observers, he made sure no one was watching before blending into the air.
He was gone.
Sakura withdrew her gaze, silently watching the confused woman. After a long pause, she sighed lightly and touched her right palm.
The aftertaste is still there.