17 The mission officially begins.

After dinner.

Arriving at an inn close to the border, Chen escorted Lily to her room and bid her goodnight. Seeing that the door was completely closed, he walked back downstairs, out the door, and into the alleyway near the building.

"Did you manage to catch him?" He said coldly, instantly different than when he was with Lily a few minutes ago. His commanding voice made the dark passageway even more menacing and creepy.

The guard stealthily appeared behind him and automatically kneeled on one leg. "No sir, I failed you." He was a little hesitant at first but ultimately confessed. "He seemed to have been armed, but did not notice I was tailing him."

An insect this early into the festival. It can't be good. He had dealt with similar things in the past, but this case was different. The tyranical country near them was wiping other nations nearby, this couldn't be taken lightly. They might as well be the next target.

Chen pinched his upper nose bridge and sighed. "It's fine. We don't know what his motives are. I will not allow any more mistakes and expect him captured the next time I see you."

Seeing the glint of killing intent in his eyes, the guard was forming cold sweat. He saluted firmly replied with a "Sir." and quickly disappeared.

Chen had always treated everyone benevolently, but when things need to get done, he expects jobs to be completed seamlessly. He is also quite ruthless went it came to the matters of handling it. By not doing any of this, it would only invite trouble in the future.

Not only was this guard one of the best soldiers, but also a retainer serving directly under Chen. He had a reputation to uphold. He had to make sure to have that intruder's head the next time he appears in front of Chen!

__________________________

Since Chen has to work during the day, Lily ventured out on her own. At night, they met up at the candy shop and strolled to get dinner. It quickly turned to the third night of the festival.

"I'll have the following days off since his highness won't be outside of the villa for a while. What do you want to do? We can do whatever you want." Chen said earnestly.

"Hmmmmm...I feel like I've done everything by myself," Lily teased.

Chen stopped amidst his steps, "...I'm sorry."

His expression wasn't good. He felt guilty that he couldn't do much with her.

She felt his mood was dropping rapidly. It felt like snow winding in the middle of summer.

Lily giggled at his fast emotional change. She walked in front of him and said, "Silly only on this side. We're near the border! It's a good opportunity to look at the shops in the Northern country!"

Chen's lips turned up, quickly shifting to a happy mood. "En."

She helplessly tittered. "Let's go eat!"

Chen replied with an "En." again.

"Is that all you ever say?" Lily looked at him with scrutiny.

"What more should I say?" He asked. "Dear, like his highness? Or would you prefer honey? Love?"

Ignoring his teasing, she furrowed her brows and said, "His highness used such words?"

"Let's go. I'll buy you yummy beef." He quietly ushered her. Uncomfortable memories of his time during work flashed through his mind.

"Un!" Hearing beef, Lily brushed off other useless topics.

"Aren't you doing the same?" he questioned her.

"Yes, dear!"

"..."

——————

They eventually walked side by side after deciding what to do in the next few days. Chen was on the outer side of the street, blocking the crowd from disturbing Lily, while she enjoyed barbeque skewers on both of her hands, eyes browsing each stall attentively.

He kept his undivided attention on her.

Chen stopped immediately.

Lily had walked ahead and noticed he wasn't beside her and turned around.

"Chen?" She tilted her head.

He held both of Lily's shoulder and turned her to face him.

"Stay here, okay? Don't go anywhere." Chen continued. "I have to go somewhere really quick." Then he ran to the direction that they initially walked in.

"Un." Lily blankly waved at him. "Come back quickly!"

She had assumed that maybe he needed to relieve himself after all the food they consumed tonight.

"Remember to stay where you are and wait for me!" He turned around to waved back and disappeared into the crowd.

After seeing him off, she lowered her skewers and turned to the opposite direction.

Her expression was vacuous as she walked for quite a while. Finally seeing that there were a few people in the area, she turned to her right and went into a dark passageway, devoided of any life.

Lily stopped in the middle.

"Come out." she commanded overbearingly, flipping the skewer from the food earlier and pointed the sharp edge facing downwards.

Feeling that someone had followed her all this time, her body was automatically trained to be on danger alert.

The figure slowly walked out from the side of the building, facing Lily's back.

"It's been a while." The figure bent down on one knee and looked up to her back. "Milady."

_____________________________

Among the fireworks, repeatedly bursting in the sky, Chen ran towards the direction of a particular sound. After jogging for a while, he ultimately lost it.

As he turned around to return to Lily, he noticed a small smoke in his peripheral.

Cautiously making his way there, Chen saw that it was a gun. He bent down and carefully stroked through it.

It was still warm.

This was used recently. Was it for that sound earlier?

He then lifted his hands towards his face and rubbed his fingers. Black particles sprinkled down. Chen carefully whiffed the mysterious dust.

He pondered. 'I thoroughly read through all the paperwork for the type of fireworks we had for the festival. This was not part of it.'

This proved his deduction. It was definitely for signaling.

"Sir." A voice called out to him.

Chen slowly stood up. "Speak," he said in a conniving voice.

"We've captured him," The man said proudly. "He's with Evan."

Chen knitted his brows and annoyedly said, "Then let's go see who's the bastard that had the guts to come,"

Walking out into the main street, Chen stopped and commanded. "Give me the directions right now." He then softened his voice and continued. "...and you go keep watch of Lily, make sure she's safe, or I'll have your head instead."

He's was not there with her, who knows what might happen now that a third party has entered.

"Yes, Sir." The soldier replied and stealthily disappeared.

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Around the time, in the same area, a man had sat in front of a tea shop. He removed the hood of his cloak and sipped his tea leisurely. His head turned slowly left and right, section by section to observe his surroundings on the street.

Some people spent time with their families, others with their lovers, and some busied themselves with their business and trading.

He put the teacup down from his mouth and curved his lips upwards. A mole on the left corner of his eye alluded a very seductive yet threatening smile.

When the fireworks appeared in the sky, it was his cue.

He lazily stood up to walked beside the building and light a firework of his own. It was a different type of than the others. Seeing that it was successful, he dropped the gun and walked away.

He sneered as he walked deeper into the alleyway to another street.

"The mission officially begins."