"Jiang, are you really okay?"
After the yacht docked, Jiang Hai winked at Bell. The man knew how to get the woman to his territory without anyone noticing. As for Jiang Hai, he took Afra and the other three back to his villa. However, Feng Yunchen and the others kept asking questions on the way back.
They had heard the gunshots earlier, and they were genuinely concerned something might have happened to Jiang Hai. They were also afraid of making things worse if they intervened, so they had remained in the room, worried. Thankfully, the chaos lasted less than ten minutes before it subsided. Once they learned Jiang Hai was fine and the yacht only had a slight scratch, the girls felt as though they had narrowly escaped disaster.
"Of course I'm fine, don't worry!" Jiang Hai smiled as he reassured them while driving. He was okay, but that didn't mean everyone else was.
The car quickly made its way back to Jiang Hai's villa, where Jiang Hai entered with the three girls.
"Okay, don't overthink it. It was just an accident. We ran into a group of illegal immigrants. They attacked us because they feared we might expose their location. You should go back and get some rest first. In the next few days, I'll take you out to sea." Jiang Hai smiled at the three, who still looked a little shaken. He hadn't asked Afra to leave first, concerned that she might frighten herself. Jiang Hai remembered how terrified they had been after the thrilling events in Miami. At that time, the twelve people were so scared that they didn't even dare go back to their rooms to sleep. It was better to keep Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi with him.
After hearing his words, the three nodded reluctantly and returned to their rooms, glancing back every few steps.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hai sat in the living room, waiting for a message from Bell.
About half an hour later, Bell arrived on a small four-wheeled motorcycle, with a sack of beef in tow. It seemed he was trying to keep a low profile. Upon seeing him, Jiang Hai immediately went outside to greet him. Bell carried the beef, and Jiang Hai took the sack. Together, they made their way to a warehouse on the first floor.
The villa had several warehouses—some for meat, some for vegetables, and others for fish, among other things. Originally, the manor stored its products here, but since Jiang Hai lived alone, he didn't need so many warehouses. After Darlene and Marian arrived, he no longer needed much space. Now, he only had a warehouse for beef, where he also kept the seafood he caught. Vegetables were either picked fresh or bought and stored in the fridge. He wasn't much of a vegetable eater anyway, being a self-proclaimed carnivore.
Some warehouses on the first floor remained empty, and tonight, Jiang Hai had decided to use one to interrogate the woman.
After Bell delivered the supplies and left, Jiang Hai knew his subordinate understood the need for discretion. Bell was highly intelligent and aware that Jiang Hai had many secrets. He also liked his job, particularly the high wages and good treatment, including bonuses like the one he had received recently. He knew when to step back, especially when it came to his boss's secrets. Sometimes, the less you knew, the safer you were.
Jiang Hai appreciated Bell's discretion. He had too many secrets to trust others completely. But for now, he needed to find out more about the woman.
Inside the warehouse, Jiang Hai had tied her to a sofa. It wasn't out of comfort—there were no chairs available. Who would have expected someone to try and assassinate him? The woman was tied in two "M" shapes, and a bright light shone on her face from a table in front of her. Jiang Hai then left, not waking her up.
The afternoon passed without incident, and after dinner, Jiang Hai stayed with the three women to help them relax and fall asleep. There was no fighting tonight, as all three were still shaken. After making sure they were asleep, Jiang Hai asked Xiaobai and Xiaohuang to stand guard outside the room while he went to the warehouse.
By the time he entered the warehouse, the woman had recovered somewhat. Hearing the door open, she sat up and walked over. Jiang Hai ripped the tape from her mouth. The woman winced in pain but didn't flinch.
"I have some questions. If you answer well, I might give you a quick death. If not, don't blame me." Jiang Hai's tone was firm as he sat before her.
"Can I have some water first?" The woman asked slowly, her voice hoarse. She hadn't had a drink for over a day.
Jiang Hai was momentarily surprised. This wasn't how he expected the situation to unfold. She should have either cursed him or stayed silent, not asked for water. She was surrendering too easily.
Still curious, Jiang Hai grabbed a glass of water, along with a straw, and placed it in front of her. The woman quickly drank, almost gulping it down. After being without water for so long, she was desperate.
"Now, will you talk?" Jiang Hai asked, looking at her calmly after she finished.
"Okay," she replied quickly, but there was no further sound.
"Who are you? Speak up!" Jiang Hai demanded, growing frustrated. He slammed his hand on the table. The woman seemed confused by his anger.
"Uh, you didn't ask," she replied after a brief pause, as though Jiang Hai's question was unclear.
"Oh, sorry, your name?" Jiang Hai replied, realizing his mistake.
"Azarina Vicarbolio," she said after a moment.
"You're from the Soviet Union, right?" Jiang Hai asked, still puzzled.
"No, I'm from Ulan," she corrected him, frowning. It was clear she wasn't pleased by the mention of the Soviet Union, but she said it with a touch of pride.
Jiang Hai knew about Ulan—it had once been part of the Soviet Union before splitting off to become the second largest country in Europe. Ulan had strong relations with China, and the country was known for its advanced nuclear capabilities and heavy industries. However, its light industry was underdeveloped, and the country had an unbalanced sex ratio, making it a sort of paradise for women.
"So, you used to be with the KGB?" Jiang Hai asked, still probing.
"I was, but I defected," she answered without hesitation.
"Defected? Why did you attack me then?" Jiang Hai leaned forward, intrigued.
"I didn't mean to attack you," she said seriously. "I was on the smuggling boat, preparing to flee to the United States. We accidentally crossed paths with your boat. The smuggler said if I didn't control you, we'd be caught. I fired the first shot at your leg, but I didn't intend to kill you."
Jiang Hai didn't buy it. He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Since you're so insistent, stay here for now," he said, his voice cold. He turned to leave, but the woman panicked.
"Hey, I'm telling the truth! I really didn't want to attack you! Who do you want me to say?" she called after him, desperate. It was the first time she'd raised her voice like that—no one seemed to believe her, even though she was being truthful.