Hidden Assassin 232

“It’s a sensation, a sensation, a sensation…”

“What a lively Christmas…”

“Honestly, I like the atmosphere now…”

As dusk fell, the sky was gloomy, and a biting wind howled outside. Inside this villa on the outskirts of Manhattan, the well-functioning heating system created a cozy contrast to the chill outside. The villa’s interior was tastefully decorated with expensive furniture designed by renowned masters, yet the hall felt somewhat cluttered at that moment. Six or seven people were scattered throughout the room, some lounging on the sofa, leisurely browsing their laptops, others sampling fine wines from the bar, some glued to the TV watching the news about an explosion, while others were skimming through newly delivered documents with a gossipy air.

The man at the head of the group was Cui Guohua, and the one glued to the laptop was Fang Guolin, a computer genius who had only joined the group a year ago. She had a baby face and wore a sports cap, with a man affectionately nicknamed “Mantou” standing behind her, also watching the screen with her. Unfortunately, it was winter, and even if she allowed him, he wouldn’t be able to see anything beneath her open collar…

“I thought Miss Jian would at least cool down after her outburst last night, or rather, early this morning. I thought she’d give both sides some time to think and cool down. Who knew something so big would happen so soon?” Cui Guohua shook his head and smiled, seemingly surprised by the turn of events, but considering her aggressive nature, it was typical of the woman nicknamed Flower-Picking Great Thief Yujinxia.

“That’s quite a personality, huh?” Mantou clapped in admiration. “But what’s the point? She’s pushing both sides into a dead end. This is New York, after all.”

“Cut it out. She’s got her ways, you know.” Fang Guolin pressed a button on her laptop without looking up. “If she really did it, there must be a reason. She might be capable of turning North America’s Pei Luo Jia upside down in New York! Of course… we’re not completely certain she did it.”

“Is she even human?” Mantou raised an eyebrow, recalling the brutal scene he witnessed on the streets that early morning. He then shook his head. “I don’t think it’s her. Even if Z. Amir was present, it doesn’t mean that place is necessarily Pei Luo Jia territory.”

“But why would Gu Jia Ming be there? That’s too coincidental.” Fang Guolin turned the screen towards Mantou, displaying the security footage from the entertainment center. The scattered images showed Jia Ming and his daughter, Marylin, moving about. Others might not have noticed this, but Yan Huang Jue Xing was secretly monitoring the mother-daughter duo. They knew they had gone to the amusement park today. Combining that with the coincident explosion, they immediately suspected something fishy.

Placing the laptop on the coffee table, Fang Guolin sat up straight and shared her judgment with the others. “From what I see, this has to be a joint effort between Gu Jia Ming and Jian Suyan. The information revealed in the internal security footage is too precise. They used the most ingenious methods to create blind spots in the surveillance. Entering, killing, and leaving. Almost no one noticed her. The route selection is almost unbelievably precise. If it were only Jian Suyan, how could she manipulate all the surveillance cameras in that situation? I can’t imagine the level of meticulous thinking required. There must be an observer. We know Gu Jia Ming has pretty good computer skills, probably taught to him by Jian Suyan. And he’s always been relatively calm. He takes charge outside while Jian Suyan acts. It’s a perfect partnership.”

This deduction was reasonable. Everyone exchanged glances, and Cui Guohua smiled, nodding towards the screen, where Gu Jia Ming was playing a game. “This guy is pretty good, not simple.”

Qiao Guorui brought over two glasses of red wine, handing one to Cui Guohua. Cui Guohua waved him off, indicating he didn’t want it. The glass was then offered to Guolin, and Mantou reached out for it.

“Get your own.”

“You’re favoring one over the other!” Mantou flipped him off.

“Actually, there were clues from the very beginning.” Qiao Guorui sat down. “His computer skills at the school’s basketball game, and… heh, that fight that Dongfang Wan was so furious about, I suspect he’s been holding back. For a fifteen or sixteen-year-old, he’s doing remarkably well. He must have been personally trained by Jian Suyan. If he’s truly involved in this action – and I’d say the chances are at least 80 percent – he could eventually become a second Jian Suyan.”

“Wow…”

A few of the others expressed agreement, and Mantou glanced at the screen again. “Too bad he’s not handsome. Jian Suyan is gorgeous… Does Ye Lian really like her?”

“That’s exactly why he has an advantage. He doesn’t flaunt himself. Usually, people don’t pay much attention to him. If two people have the same skills, he’s more dangerous than Jian Suyan…” Qiao Guorui said after a moment of silence. He then shook his head. “Of course, those chances are slim. Even with the best teacher, with his current personality, he wouldn’t have the chance to experience enough life and death situations to reach that level. What I’m looking forward to now is what kind of surprises the secrets hidden in that secret room will bring…”

…

…

Looking out the window, the entire Salieri family estate was bathed in golden light. All the lights were on, and a grand banquet was being held at the main house. Luxury cars arrived in a steady stream, bringing guests one after another.

Sitting in front of the TV, Heidi, dressed in a princess gown, was bored watching Optimus Prime battle Megatron on the screen. Occasionally, she would turn her head and look at Jia Ming, who was busy at the dining table. He had a laptop in front of him and stacks of white paper covered in scribbles she couldn’t understand. He had been working since the afternoon and hadn’t stopped until now. She didn’t dare interrupt him.

Her mother was bustling in the kitchen. Since Jia Ming hadn’t said he was going to the banquet, they decided to have dinner at home. Heidi occasionally turned her head to look at the bustling scene outside, then put her hands behind her back and skipped around the room. When she passed behind Jia Ming, she leaned over to look at the laptop and the papers. Jia Ming turned his head.

“Want to go out and play?”

“Uh… no…” Heidi shook her head hesitantly, then sat down beside him and picked up a sheet of paper. “What is this?”

“It’s a pattern.”

“What kind of pattern?”

“The patterns of how people think and do things.”

“Are you going to deal with someone?” Heidi asked curiously, “A bad guy?”

“There are no bad guys, only enemies.” Jia Ming smiled, realizing his words might be a bit too profound for her. “Go out and play. I still need a while to finish this. I’ll find you when I’m done.”

“Uh…”

“Heh, don’t act so serious.” He tapped her forehead. Heidi jumped back, covering her head. “Hmph, but Mommy’s already making dinner.”

“It’s okay. Go out if you want.” Marylin poked her head out of the kitchen. “You can eat outside too. But remember, no shrimp, you’re allergic. And no alcohol.”

“I know.” Though she seemed more mature than Chinese children her age, she was still a child at heart. Her love for excitement and movement remained unchanged. After receiving permission, Heidi decided to go out. She gave Jia Ming a playful pat. “Remember to come find me!” Then, she skipped out the door, full of excitement.

The cartoon on the TV continued to play, its sound blending with the clattering of keyboard keys. Jia Ming occasionally picked up his pen to write something. About ten minutes later, Marylin brought out the food. Perfectly seared pepper steak, eggs, salad, mashed potatoes, and corn chowder. The cooking was simple, but the food looked incredibly delicious. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Mmm, just a minute. You go ahead.”

He answered, but continued with his deductions. It wasn’t clear how long passed before he finally put down his pen and began to organize the papers on the table. He looked at Marylin, who had been sitting beside him watching him, but hadn’t started eating. “I’m mostly done. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I like it. Before, Tang Jingyao… uh…” She seemed to remember something from the past, then stopped mid-sentence. Jia Ming nodded. “Eat.”

“Mm.”

Then, the room filled with the quiet sounds of cutlery hitting plates. The two of them spoke occasionally, mainly about whether the food tasted good, whether they liked it, how they were going to make Chinese food but ended up making Western food, etc. When they were almost finished, Marylin looked up. “Actually… actually… Jia Ming, have I caused you any trouble?”

“Huh?”

“What you said to Jane this morning.” She paused. “You’re always so reserved. If it weren’t for me… and my family, you wouldn’t have done that, would you?”

In truth, considering his usual reserved nature, his attitude toward the Gambino men this morning could be considered a deliberate provocation. Although there was no fighting, Marylin’s sensitive nature picked up on the underlying tension. At this moment, when she brought it up, Jia Ming smiled. “It shouldn’t be.”

Marylin clearly didn’t believe him. “Then…?”

“I need an identity.”

“What?”

“To be more precise, Gu Jia Ming needs an identity.” Jia Ming nodded, talking about himself but not using the first person. “A more concrete, iconic, powerful, and slightly more honest identity. It will alleviate some potential… suspicion, or risks.”

The last part was almost a whisper. Marylin was stunned for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to. This is for those who are paying attention. Simply put, some people suspect I’m stronger than I appear. So, I’ll be a little stronger. Then they’ll think, ‘Ah, I was right. I’m so smart. Just as long as they know I’m me, the same Gu Jia Ming they’ve always known. That’s all that matters.”

Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter