Just as they reached the door, something felt… off.
White Mouse halted mid-step, eyes narrowing as he spotted a shadow shift near the corner. Without a word, he spun on his heel and ducked back inside the rental house.
Noda and Mieko followed without hesitation, instinct flaring. Something wasn't right.
From the rooftop, Li Ji's voice crackled over comms.
"They're spooked. Net in—now!"
The trap sprang. From both ends of the alley, black-clad special forces burst forth.
"Freeze! You're surrounded!"
"Shit."
White Mouse snarled, hurling two smoke bombs to the floor in rapid succession. A dense, acrid fog swallowed the room. He sprinted to the window, tossing down a pre-strung escape rope.
As a trained agent, escape was always plan A. Success was nothing without survival.
Without wasting a breath, Noda and Mieko followed. No time to think—only act. They rappelled down just behind White Mouse.
The moment their feet hit the alley floor, they froze.
Eight officers were waiting—guns raised, eyes sharp.
There was no way out.
Back at the company headquarters...
Chen Mo sat in his office, eyes fixed on the monitor. Data streamed by, but his mind wasn't on code.
"Brother Mo," came Ink Girl's voice. "The three spies have been captured."
Chen Mo finally exhaled. A subtle tension in his jaw relaxed.
Behind him, Xiao Yu padded in, barefoot, wearing soft pajamas. She placed a warm cup of milk beside him.
"Still working?" she asked gently, noticing his faraway expression.
She didn't ask questions. She didn't need to. Chen Mo never talked about the darker side of running a tech empire, but she could feel the weight he carried. She couldn't help in the lab, and she wasn't a strategist like Zhao Min—but she could be his peace.
Chen Mo turned to her, his heart softening. Together, they walked back to the bedroom.
In bed, as the lights dimmed, Xiao Yu turned and looked at him.
"You've been frowning a lot lately... is something wrong?"
Chen Mo was quiet for a moment.
"I've been wondering… am I being too gentle?"
One problem after another had come knocking—mercenaries, spies, foreign agents. All because of his technology. His innovations. His ideals. Maybe it was time to stop playing nice.
"You think you're being too kind?" Xiao Yu asked. "Well, there's a saying… 'the honest horse gets ridden, and the kind man gets bullied.' It's old, but it still rings true."
Chen Mo chuckled softly, holding her tighter.
"If I hide things from you to protect you, will you hate me for it?"
"Never," she said, without hesitation. "No matter what happens—I'll believe in you."
That one sentence hit harder than a hundred affirmations. In her arms, Chen Mo found clarity.
The next morning, Binhai Public Security Bureau made an announcement:
"A suspected espionage operation has been thwarted. Two foreign nationals and one domestic collaborator have been arrested. Confiscated were infiltration tools including modified laser pens, narcotics, data drives, and specialized lockpicking instruments."
The story exploded across the internet.
Headlines lit up like wildfire:
"Espionage Attempt Foiled in Binhai—Two Foreign Spies Captured"
"Tools of Intrusion: Hard Drives, Drugs, and Hidden Weapons Seized"
"Marching Ant Company Targeted in High-Tech Espionage Plot?"
The comment sections were ablaze with fury and excitement:
"Execute all of them. No mercy."
"Spies? In our backyard? Not on our watch."
"Marching Ant's tech must be more terrifying than we thought."
"Can't wait for the press conference. What were they trying to steal?"
Speculation ramped up fast when leaked reports suggested that the target was none other than Chen Mo's smart assistant software.
With Marching Ant already a media darling and their AI development shrouded in mystery, this revelation was gasoline on a fire. The press swarmed the company's headquarters, hoping for a statement.
In her office, Zhao Min stood by the window, eyes narrowed at the growing crowd outside.
"Xiao Yu, why are there so many reporters out front?"
"They're all here for the espionage story. Everyone's saying the target was our smart assistant." Xiao Yu bit her lip. "I think this is why Chen Mo's been so on edge."
Zhao Min sighed. "I need to check with him first before we do anything."
Chen Mo, meanwhile, was back in the lab, observing as the robotic arms—controlled by Ink Girl—assembled the prototype robot bodies with surgical precision. The automated assembly system was nearly complete.
Soon, he wouldn't even need to lift a wrench—just provide the specs, and Ink Girl could do the rest. Ten robots, ten tireless assistants. Productivity would skyrocket.
"Brother Mo," Ink Girl said suddenly, "Zhao Min is approaching."
Chen Mo nodded and set down the controller. "Continue assembling. I'll be back shortly."
He stepped out of the lab and met Zhao Min in the hallway.
"Chairman," she said quietly, "there are dozens of reporters outside. They're all asking about the spy case. Do you want to issue a response?"
Chen Mo glanced through the window at the media frenzy outside.
"They're fast."
"Wait… you didn't know this already?" Zhao Min asked.
"Of course I did," Chen Mo replied. "I just didn't think it'd go viral this fast."
"Should we hold a press conference?"
Chen Mo turned, expression calm.
"Prepare one. But I'm not hiding anymore."
Zhao Min blinked. "Really?"
"It's clear now that lying low doesn't keep the trouble away. From this moment forward, we move differently."
As Zhao Min left to begin preparations, Chen Mo returned to his desk and opened a new terminal.
"Ink Girl, compile and polish the documentation for the Chinese Programming Language. We're going public."
He stared at the screen, eyes sharp with resolve.
If they wanted a war, he'd give them one.
No more playing defense. It was time to go on the offensive.