Probably because it’s the weekend, the hotel is almost fully booked, and around nine in the morning, the restaurant’s breakfast buffet is still crowded. After Li Yan and Xiao Di went in to get some food, there were no vacant seats left.

The two looked around and found that the Celestial Continent girl who came in just before them, since she didn’t take much food, had already found the last available spot—a seat at a four-person table.

Li Yan and Xiao Di glanced around, and no other guests had finished eating and left. Xiao Di then chuckled softly, "Since we already kind of said hi, let’s sit with that foreign girl?"

"Doesn’t matter, just be mindful of what you say since she understands Yun Country language." Li Yan walked forward with her.

"Mindful of what?"

In laughter and conversation, the two had arrived at the table.

"Hi, hello. Is this seat taken?" Xiao Di greeted the Celestial Continent girl with a smile.

"No, please sit down."

Since it’s a four-person table, the Celestial Continent girl was already seated at one of the spots, and the two could only sit across from her. Regardless of whether Xiao Di sat opposite her or beside her, Li Yan was destined to sit diagonally.

"My name is Sonia, nice to meet you both," the Celestial Continent girl took the initiative to introduce herself with a smile.

Xiao Di pointed at herself and Li Yan: "Yu, Li. Where are you from? Your Yun Country language is quite good."

Yun Country people are accustomed to being polite, as long as they can understand, they’ll compliment your skills.

"Just average, I’m from New Hyde."

Listening to the two chat like old friends upon first meeting, Li Yan kept his head down, eating, and once he finished, he went to get some more food and drinks.

Sonia ate slowly and not much.

"The weather is nice today." Sonia, having just talked to Xiao Di, felt it awkward to remain silent with only Li Yan, so she started with the most basic topic—the weather.

Li Yan smiled faintly, eating and mumbling, "It’s nice."

"What?" Sonia looked at Li Yan, puzzled.

"Nothing. I wanted to ask, Miss Sonia, are you familiar with ’Swordfish’ and ’Gate’?" Li Yan asked her with a smile.

Sonia was bewildered: "What? ’Swordfish’... and ’Gate’?"

"Hehe, don’t know for real? Not long ago, I destroyed a ’Rocana Rose,’ Miss Sonia, are you interested?" Li Yan continued speaking as if to himself.

"Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about." Sonia smiled a bit apologetically, wiping her mouth with a napkin, indicating that she had finished eating.

"Whether you understand or not, I just want to tell you, no matter if you are with ’Swordfish’ or ’Gate,’ don’t provoke me! Otherwise, the Rocana Rose will be your fate!" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Li Yan was still smiling, but his voice carried a chill, and a killing intent that pierced straight to the core!

Upon hearing his last words, a hint of a different color seemed to flash in Sonia’s eyes but disappeared quickly. She still looked puzzled, saying, "Li, if you think I’ve been rude... I apologize, I’ll leave, and not disturb your meal. Sorry!"

By this time, Xiao Di was returning with a plate, and Li Yan gave the once-standing Sonia one final warning: "You know very well what the consequences of offending me are; offending those around me will end even worse. Take care!"

It’s uncertain if she understood the meaning of "take care," but his warning had been fully expressed.

He wasn’t suddenly losing it; this Sonia was an assassin!

...

Although in the elevator and the restaurant, she concealed herself well, remaining calm without showing a trace of killing intent or preparation. But as she approached the elevator entrance, Li Yan had already sensed a strong killing intent targeting him from her!

Better safe than sorry. Li Yan, like most people, always trusts his feelings and judgments. Just seeing her back at the elevator had made him suspicious. However, Sonia not only didn’t intentionally avoid him or keep her distance but rather communicated with them in Yun Country language, even taking the initiative to say a sentence.

It should have been an attempt to eliminate suspicion, except that the restaurant being full, leading to them sharing a table, was probably beyond her expectations.

Originally, upon discovering the opponent’s identity, the best plan would have been to not reveal it and go along with it. But because Xiao Di was here, not only allowing Sonia to know her but also fostering a slight acquaintance through their conversation, if she wanted to harm Xiao Di, it would be even easier. Hence, Li Yan decided while eating to confront the issue directly!

His words just now were quite clear: no matter if you’re with ’Swordfish’ or ’Gate,’ if you want to challenge me, come at me directly, but your end will be like that of the Rocana Rose—death! And if you target those around me, it will not just end in death; I’ll come after them.

Li Yan’s mentioning of the two codenames ’Swordfish’ and ’Gate’ was not random talk. Because those who know his identity and would attempt an assassination are almost impossible to be old targets’ relatives or enemies previously killed by him.

But in the end, due to King’s renown and the incredible feat of the night, Rocana Rose and the other two had some concerns. After considering the consequences and hearing that King voluntarily withdrew, no longer continuing the contest, they decided to continue targeting Si Country agents rather than confront King.

Rocana Rose, having seen Li Yan’s true face, was the first to take action. Resulting in her firing a shot, blocked by Yue Yao, while Li Yan killed her. As for the other two parties, Li Yan wasn’t sure how much they knew. In theory, Rocana Rose wouldn’t inform them of the details, as they weren’t aligned. But since Rocana Rose could track him remotely onto the train, it’s possible they too followed or had someone follow Rocana Rose.

Those two S-Class assassins were the ’Swordfish’ and ’Gate’ that Li Yan mentioned. Although unknown at the scene, each side had their own channels post-event, and they knew King; Yue Yao also knew about the other participants in the operation.

Previously, Yue Yao discovered that ’their’ organization had three missing assassins; those two combined should be the ’Swordfish’ and ’Gate’ people or factions making moves, probably trying to force King to seek them out. Because of Yue Yao’s worry and request, considering the safety and concern, Li Yan agreed to endure and remain low profile.

Also because he was busy with company matters, he didn’t feel too stifled; but unexpected was this self-proclaimed Sonia, already by his side, obviously aware of his identity!

This made Li Yan quite irritated because, like Duan Haibo keeping his identity hidden after retirement to avoid assassin pursuit upon exposure, as an assassin, once your identity is exposed in the assassin circle, you may face hunts by other assassins!

Society is impetuous, and people are not as they once were.

...

"Finished eating?" Xiao Di returned, seeing Sonia already standing up.

"Yes, I’m not hungry. Take your time, Miss Yu, I really like you; maybe we could become friends."

"I like you too, we are already friends, aren’t we?"

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Sonia waved to them both before leaving the restaurant.

"Haha, this foreign girl sure is enthusiastic! But I just saw you smiling and talking to her, yet she seemed quite cold to you, could it be that she really likes me?" Xiao Di started chattering away after sitting down, no longer as reserved as earlier.

Li Yan chuckled, "Well that’s great, then you could show off your charm to me, let me witness it, maybe you could easily woo a foreign girl."

While joking, he pondered Sonia’s words to Xiao Di, saying she liked her and maybe they could be friends—was that her way of indicating she wouldn’t involve Xiao Di?

Of course, whether she would involve Xiao Di or not, once she had come near, Li Yan absolutely wouldn’t spare her, or those behind her, whether they’re Swordfish or Gate—they’re all to be eliminated! "People don’t provoke me, I don’t provoke them. If people provoke me... even far will be punished!" In a dangerous circle, against dangerous enemies, Li Yan never hesitates.

Concerning his joke, Xiao Di wasn’t embarrassed by his teasing but laughingly and heroically asked, "Why do you want to see me woo a foreign girl?"

"..." Li Yan wiped his sweat. "Have you finished eating? Or have you finished? Or have you finished?"

"Hehe... don’t rush me! I can’t do anything by wooing a foreign girl; you’re encouraging me, so it’s what you want to do, right?"

"Alright, eat quickly. Don’t you still want to watch a movie? By the way, are we really watching in the daytime? Do you want to go in the evening?"

"Hehe, of course during the day, just to rest. In the evening, we’ll deal with house matters..."

"Today, I’m yours, so you decide. Let’s go to the cinema where we watched our first movie, okay?"

"Sure." Talking about that cinema, Xiao Di recalled the time they watched a movie, half-smilingly asked, "By the way, what’s up with that girl whose first kiss you took? Any developments between you two?"

"..." She was referring to Chen Xiaoen, but Li Yan hadn’t seen her for a long time.

(It’s late in the month—those with new Monthly Passes, I greatly appreciate your support, thank you very much) (To be continued, for more updates, please visit www.qidian.com, support the author, support genuine reading!)