The lobby of the Ritz-Carlton on the Bund.
The crystal chandeliers were so bright they seemed ready to burn through a person’s pupils.
Countless shards of light danced across the dark gray marble floor, exuding an air of class at every turn.
The atmosphere carried an invisible aura that said the poor need not enter.
There weren’t many people in the hotel.
The concierge ladies stood in their crisp black uniforms, their smiles as professional as a pre-programmed routine.
Businessmen in suits and ties scrolled through their phones, occasionally glancing up to scan the lobby.
A socialite dragging an LV suitcase clicked by in high heels, proud as a queen.
And then there was him.
Six feet tall, a black oversized hoodie that made his shoulders look extremely broad, the brim of his cap pulled down past his brow.
A mask covered most of his face, leaving only a pair of narrow, emotionless eyes visible.
His backpack was bulging, stuffed with coarse rope, an opaque blindfold, and several rolls of black tape.
He walked neither fast nor slow.
Normally, when a stranger walked in, a concierge or bellhop would immediately swoop in to offer directions, hand him a hot towel, and ask if he needed help.
But he was different.
No one approached him.
No one gave him a second look.
A person this shady and suspicious-looking just waltzed right into the most luxurious lobby of the hotel, then headed straight for the men’s restroom in the furthest corner of the first floor.
Like a shadow.
He pushed the door open.
Inside the restroom, there was only the drip of a faucet and the faint scent of disinfectant in the air.
He locked the door behind him.
In the innermost stall, a middle-aged man in an Armani suit was already waiting.
He looked full of energy, his suit crisp without a single wrinkle, his tie knotted immaculately.
“Hey, Min Jun.”
He called out in Korean.
“Jeong-hun.”
The android Min Jun took off his cap, revealing a messy fringe of hair.
The strands tangled together like a spiderweb blown askew by the wind, giving him an aura of gloom tinged with a hint of madness.
At the same time, he removed the electronic jamming device pinned above his lapel.
A small black box, its casing cold to the touch, the surface etched with ultra-fine circuit patterns that looked nothing like anything made on Earth.
If any country on Earth got their hands on this device, that nation would undoubtedly possess the most authoritative intelligence network and the most legendary spies in the world.
The Five Eyes, MI6, the CIA, or even Mossad would pale in comparison.
Because it could completely block a person’s entire presence: no silhouette on surveillance cameras, no body heat on infrared thermal imaging screens, not even an existence in heat-signal tracking systems.
To outsiders, Min Jun was an invisible man.
A living ghost.
A ghost that existed only for Bai Xialin.
He placed the device gently on the sink, lowered his head, and looked at himself in the mirror.
There were no ripples in his eyes, only the cold light of programs running at high speed.
“Has Master already gone to the interview?”
Min Jun’s voice was very low, like a breath squeezed from deep within his chest.
“Not yet.”
Baek Jeong-hun spoke.
“But she should be heading to the interview soon.”
“Then, according to the original plan, I will temporarily distract Gao Hongzhi as his business partner and take him to discuss business matters.”
“And you…”
“I will kidnap Master, as well as the target Master gave me—Gu Yebai.”
“Apply external pressure to make them grow together.”
Min Jun’s voice was a little hoarse.
As if he were brewing exactly how to act crazy.
“Sigh…”
“Jeong-hun, back then, we were both defective units from the same batch.”
“We were nearly sent to the scrapyard for recycling. Master gave us a new life.”
“So I always hoped Master would be happy.”
Min Jun picked up the gear for the kidnapping, seeming a little hesitant.
“But… will this really make Master happy?”
“Min Jun, you’ve been through a lot too.”
Baek Jeong-hun couldn’t help sighing.
“As I recall, your registered factory settings were female. You usually use a female body and possess the gentle soul of a woman. Yet you have to take on this kidnapping mission…”
“Will you waver?”
“For Master’s sake, I will not waver. Also, I’ve already loaded the behavioral patterns and body language of kidnappers from various Earth movies and TV shows. I think I’ll complete the mission beautifully.”
Min Jun wrapped the rope around his wrist in loops, then mixed chloroform with a special solvent and poured it onto a towel.
A towel soaked with this liquid, once pressed over someone’s mouth and nose, would cause them to fall into a deep coma, turning them into a puppet at his mercy.
“To make Master happy, I will do anything…”
“How reliable.”
“Then I’ll go complete my mission too. See you later, Min Jun.”
He straightened his tie, turned, and walked out of the restroom with steady steps, stepping into the elevator.
The presidential suite was on the top floor.
He knocked on the door.
The person who opened it was Gao Hongzhi.
“Laobai, you’re here?”
“Old Gao, thanks to you, my daughter has the honor of participating in the interview at St. George’s International School!”
Baek Jeong-hun shook Gao Hongzhi’s hand firmly, smiling warmly.
“Not at all, we’re just helping each other out.”
Gao Hongzhi patted his shoulder, his voice deep.
“Come in, have some tea first. Let’s go over the details before the interview.”
They walked into the room.
Baek Jeong-hun saw Gu Yebai and Bai Xialin sitting in front of the sofa.
….
The interview was scheduled to start at eight o’clock that evening.
“Hello, Uncle Bai.”
“Hello, you’re Xiao Gu, right?”
Baek Jeong-hun’s voice was as warm as a spring breeze, carrying a faint, indistinct Korean inflection, but he suppressed it so well that it was almost undetectable.
“I heard you’re an amazing writer. That’s wonderful. Thank you for being willing to be friends with my daughter.”
“I love reading too, and my daughter even more so. She’s practically a bookworm, always glued to a book. Sometimes I worry her eyesight will go bad.”
He reached out and shook Gu Yebai’s hand, his grip just right, giving a feeling of solid support.
And his approachability was maxed out—like a friendly neighborhood uncle, yet also like a reliable elder.
Gao Hongzhi observed Baek Jeong-hun’s expression and found that when the other man looked at his son, there was no trace of contempt or scrutiny.
His sincere demeanor was such that even if someone said, “Why don’t we let these two kids get even closer tonight?”
Baek Jeong-hun probably wouldn’t even frown.
“Speaking of which, are you two dating?”
Baek Jeong-hun suddenly turned to ask Gu Yebai, his tone as casual as chatting about the weather.
“I’m usually busy with work. I don’t know anything about what’s happening around my daughter—”
“Dad, what are you saying?”
Bai Xialin’s voice drifted over from the sofa, carrying a hint of pouty nasality.
She stood up, walked over, and naturally hooked her arm through Gu Yebai’s, leaning her body slightly against his shoulder.
The hem of her purple evening dress brushed against his trousers like an elusive wisp of smoke.
“He has a girlfriend.”
Bai Xialin paused, her voice dropping a few notes, but carrying a tantalizing ambiguity.
“And she really doesn’t leave any chance for someone to slip in.”
She tilted her head, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.
Her violet eyes shimmered like water-soaked gems under the light, staring directly at Gu Yebai.
“Right, little Gu Gu?”
“Uh…”
Gu Yebai lowered his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing, his fingers unconsciously gripping the seam of his pants.
“Sorry.”
His voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible, like it would scatter with a gust of wind.
Baek Jeong-hun was stunned for a moment, then let out a laugh, his shoulders shaking lightly, but there was no mockery in his eyes, only an elder’s tolerance.
“What are you apologizing for? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He reached out and gently patted Gu Yebai’s shoulder, the touch light but with an undeniable closeness.
“Ah, have you never been to Seoul before?”
Baek Jeong-hun suddenly changed the subject, his tone as easy as making small talk.
“When you have time, you’re welcome to visit Seoul and have some fun. I have a house in Seocho-dong, Seoul. If you come to Seoul, you can stay there directly. I’ll have my daughter be your guide.”
He looked at Bai Xialin, his eyes full of adoration.
“She knows Seoul very well. She’ll take you out to eat, drink, and have fun, guaranteed to make you enjoy yourself. Myeong-dong, Itaewon, the Han River night view, N Seoul Tower… anywhere you want to go.”
Hearing this, Bai Xialin curved her lips into a sweet smile.
Her fingertip traced a small circle on Gu Yebai’s arm, as if silently claiming her territory.
“That’s right, little Gu Gu. When the break comes, come play in Seoul.”
“I’ll take you to eat the best fried chicken, drink the most authentic pear blossom wine, and we can watch the night view of the Han River Bridge together…”
She paused, lowered her voice, and leaned close to his ear, almost whispering so only he could hear.
“When that time comes, it’ll just be the two of us.”
“The Big Strawberry Monster is sneaking up on you, waiting to gobble you up.”
Gu Yebai shrank back like a frightened little animal.
Just then.
His phone alarm went off.
Five minutes until the interview.
“Go on, son.”
“Good luck on the interview.”
“Daughter, you too. You’ll do great!”
The two fathers each encouraged their own child.
“Let’s go, little Gu Gu~”
“Let’s go!”
Bai Xialin boldly grabbed Gu Yebai’s hand and walked out of the room.
Meanwhile, their fathers still had to discuss the semiconductor business between China and South Korea in more detail.
In the restroom, a certain shadow was stirring, ready to act for Bai Xialin.
Silent, brushing past people without a single person noticing.
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