Translator: CinderTL
The metal detector showed he was clean, carrying no weapons. But some fears are etched deep in the bone, especially when dealing with notoriously dangerous individuals.
A more thorough search was necessary, but thankfully, the man was cooperative.
Except for the brown cowboy hat perched atop his head.
The hat was far too small for him, severely out of proportion. It would have looked more fitting on a child, but on this man, it seemed utterly awkward.
"Let him in," a young woman's voice called from inside.
The Cowboy meticulously fastened the strap under his chin to secure his hat, glanced sideways at the guard who had nearly forced a search, then turned and entered the room.
The room was sparsely furnished: a large table with a young woman seated opposite him. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a pure, innocent face, but her eyes held an undeniable sharpness.
Across the table was a chair with a backrest, though the back was latticed, likely to prevent any covert movements.
The man strolled casually to the chair prepared for him and sat down, looking up with a smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Xia Meng."
His gaze drifted around the room, taking in the discreetly placed arrangements. He shrugged. "I came with sincere intentions, Miss Xia. There's no need to be so tense."
In stark contrast to the man's relaxed demeanor, Xia Meng sat rigidly, her eyes fixed on his face, not daring to blink. After a moment, she replied coldly, "When dealing with Crimson No. 2, excessive caution is justified."
"And one more thing," she added sharply, "don't call me Miss Xia. I'm representing the Xia Family in these negotiations."
The man raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "If I can't call you Miss Xia, what should I call you? The Xia Family's housekeeper?"
Xia Meng refused to be drawn into the ridiculous exchange. She knew all too well that Crimson members were mentally unstable, and she stood no chance of winning arguments on their twisted topics.
After all, who could out-argue a madman?
She understood the danger these individuals posed. A hasty meeting like this would normally be unwise, but the price they offered was simply too tempting to refuse.
"Let's cut to the chase," Xia Meng said, regaining her composure. Her voice was calm and clear. "What do you need from us in exchange for revealing the Night Watcher's sleeper agent within the Xia Family?"
"The Night Watcher has captured No. 4. We need your help to rescue him." For the first time, the man's tone became serious, carrying the weight of negotiation.
"Crimson No. 4 has been captured by the Night Watcher?" Xia Meng frowned. "When did this happen?"
"Two hours ago," the man replied. "They've sealed off the mountains around Grey Stone Town and deployed multiple A-Class capture teams. Operation codename: Watch."
"Why weren't we informed about such a critical operation?" This was Xia Meng's real concern. Normally, their extensive network within the Night Watcher should have alerted them.
"Your people have been purged," the man stated bluntly. "The intelligence you currently possess is only what they want you to know."
Though Crimson No. 2's claims remained unverified, the Xia Family had indeed been repeatedly outmaneuvered in recent intelligence operations, leading to several disastrous missions and significant losses.
Summarizing all the information she had gathered recently, Xia Meng concluded that there was definitely a mole within the Xia Family's leadership.
While she desperately wanted to expose the spy, rescuing Crimson No. 4 wouldn't be easy. The Night Watchers and Crimson had been locked in conflict for years, and this was the first time a full Crimson member had ever been captured alive.
Ghost knows what shocking secrets they might extract from No. 4.
Moreover, the tight information blockade made it clear that they didn't trust the Xia Family.
"I'd love to find out who the mole is, but we can't help you with this," Xia Meng said, shaking her head. "I don't even know how we could."
"And let me make one thing clear: whatever issues we have with the Night Watchers are our own internal affairs. You, however, are our common enemy."
"If the Night Watchers were to discover that the Xia Family is doing business with Crimson—especially an operation to rescue Crimson No. 4—the consequences would be dire."
"Is there really no room for negotiation?" The man sighed, his voice pleading. "Come on, I'm No. 2. Can't you make an exception? Returning empty-handed would be terribly embarrassing."
Xia Meng shook her head.
"Ah—!" The Cowboy swayed to his feet, adjusting his hat as he shook his head. "Well, Miss Xia, since you're being so unreasonable, I'm afraid I'll have to make things a little unpleasant for you."
"Besides," he murmured, narrowing his eyes, "you never intended to negotiate. You just wanted to get information for free. Otherwise, you wouldn't have arranged for Gong Zhe to rush back."
With the negotiations broken, several figures emerged from the shadows in the corners of the room, their gazes icy as they fixed on the Cowboy. The door swung open, revealing a corridor swarming with guards.
Unfazed, the Cowboy nonchalantly sized up the two individuals standing before Xia Meng.
One was a burly man in his forties, his bronze skin stretched taut over corded muscles, exuding formidable strength.
The other was a young woman in her early twenties, demure and dressed like a student, her eyes radiating a delicate charm.
"Only these two are worth a glance," the Cowboy mused, stroking his chin. Craning his neck for a better look, he added, "Miss Xia, you don't think you can take me down with just two A-Class agents, do you?"
Xia Meng retreated, replying in the same tone, "Of course not, Mr. No. 2. They only need to stall you for a moment. Uncle Gong will be here any minute."
After a few seconds, the Cowboy chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Come on, everyone, relax. Let's all join in." He snapped his fingers. "How about a dance?"
He tapped his foot, closed his eyes, and began swaying his hips and arms to a slow, rhythmic beat.
His dancing style defied categorization—a mishmash of various styles. Yet the longer one watched, the more it felt as if his entire being was dissolving into the music.
Then, an unsettling scene unfolded. Except for the two guards blocking Xia Meng's path and Xia Meng herself, everyone else dropped their weapons and began swaying to the rhythm.
"What's happening?"
"My legs! I can't control my legs!"
"D-don't point that damn gun at me!"
The dancers writhed in panic, their bodies moving involuntarily as if controlled by the music, while their minds remained detached, trapped in a state of bewildered awareness.
"Don't look at him!" the bronze-skinned muscular man roared. "You'll get caught in his rhythm!"
But his warning came too late.
Hearing the shout, the cowboy, lost in his own world, tapped out a dance step, twirled gracefully, and positioned himself beside the student.
The woman was clearly wavering, her body trembling uncontrollably. She bit her lip until it bled, desperately clinging to the last shreds of her sanity.
Seeing this, the cowboy grinned, reached out, and playfully slapped her hip. "Well now, aren't you shapely?" he remarked in mock surprise.
In the next instant, the woman's resolve crumbled. She began to dance uncontrollably, her body now completely in thrall to the rhythm.
As the cowboy lingered, rubbing his fingers together with a satisfied air and twirling to face the muscular man, the latter's expression froze. Then, as if witnessing something far more terrifying, his eyes widened with sheer terror.
Slap!
"Hey, you're not bad either."
(End of the Chapter)
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