Xia Lei did not know how Annina was related to the two blonde men in the next room and why she was doing this but he knew one thing - he had already swallowed an unknown drug. They were also trying to get him to admit that he was a spy and had stolen information on Josef’s intelligent lathe. They might have some other motive too but it was difficult to guess. What he could confirm was that he was in an extremely dangerous situation!

“... Actually not complicated. I just want to see the advanced machines in Germany and learn some advanced skills - it’s that simple. I’m not a spy. I have my own manufacturing plant and I also have a normal, happy life. Why would I want to be a spy?”

Xia Lei finished telling his lies after checking out the situation.

Annina wrinkled her brows, and tears welled in her doe-like eyes. "Lukas, why are you still lying to me? Don’t you trust me?”

Xia Lei’s left eye twitched and the clothing on Annina’s body melted away like snow in summer. Anything hidden under her clothes was now bare to his eye. There were no weapons hidden about her person but she had a very small flesh-coloured receiver in her left ear.

She had the unique allure of women from the west. She was 180cm tall and had a perfect body. She was not too thin despite her height but well-rounded, very well-rounded; it made one feel that adding a bit of fat would be too fat and taking away a little would make her too thin. A woman like her had the aura of an untamed horse, full of strength and wildness.

However, Xia Lei had no voyeuristic intention at all. A voice kept shouting in his head, ‘Danger! Don’t do anything stupid! Get out of here!’

His brain was saying that and he was consciously keeping himself in control but his body had an involuntary, sensitive reaction.

Annina stopped asking questions. She poured a glass of wine for herself and raised the glass in a toast. “Lukas, let’s have toast for you being alive again.”

Looking at her full, rosy lips, Xia Lei suddenly had an urge to rush to her and kiss her. At that moment, he instantly knew what drug had been added to the red wine - an aphrodisiac!

The two men in the next room wanted Annina to have sex with him but it was definitely not for nothing. Annina would ask for his confession in bed and the pinhole camera installed in the painting would record their activities. This would serve as evidence and would be used to corner him!

The wine was right in front of him. Drink? Don’t drink?

A myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind in that instant.

He could turn around and leave, no matter how much of a fuss Annina made. Those guys couldn’t do anything to him without evidence. This seemed like the obvious choice and it was what he should do.

But when he thought about the spy who was lurking around him, he hesitated and wavered over his decision.

The burning in his loins grew more and more intense. He would not be able to resist this strong aphrodisiac if he drank another glass - what should he do?

“Are you afraid that I drugged the wine?” asked Annina in a hurt voice.

“No, no, I just feel a little hot and dizzy…” Xia Lei raised his wine glass. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t had alcohol in a long while. Cheers.” So saying, he clinked glasses with Annina and tipped his head back, sending half the glass of wine down to his stomach.

Annina also finished the wine in her glass but she looked normal. It was apparent that she had taken the counter-drug beforehand. They definitely did not dare assassinate him in China so their motive was not his death and he could confirm that the drug in the wine was not dangerous. Xia Lei dared to drink a second glass with Annina because of that assumption.

Annina put down her glass and said slowly, “It’s hot.” She pulled at her cleavage and fanned lightly at it. A large area of white skin lay exposed at her pulling.

Xia Lei stood all of a sudden. “I’m going to the washroom.”

“Hurry. I’ll be waiting,” said Annina softly, “My Lukas - do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

Xia Lei entered the washroom and quickly turned on the tap in the sink. He scanned the washroom and confirmed that there were no cameras before he stuck his head under the tap and gulped down water like there was no tomorrow. He only stopped when he had drunk about two litres of water, till he truly could drink no more. He went to the toilet bowl next and stuck his right index finger into his throat. A few seconds later, the red wine, water, and what he ate for dinner all came out as vomit.

Thanks to him having dinner at the Shentu’s place before he came over, the food had mixed with the red wine in his stomach and interfered with the absorption of the wine and drug. He had ingested the drugged wine but the actual amount which had gone into his bloodstream was small. He felt better and much lighter after vomiting everything out. The heat in his loins did not go away but it was not unbearable. He then took out the case of needles which he brought everywhere with him and used a silver needle to quickly pierce his nose.

Xia Lei flushed and exited the washroom.

Annina had changed position and was now next to the bed. She lifted an arm and beckoned gently to Xia Lei, telling him to go over. Her gaze was alluring and her skin flushed from alcohol; she was temptation incarnate.

Xia Lei grinned and acted like he was infatuated. He went over to her slowly, step by step.

“You know something, Lukas? I’d dreamed of a day like this ever since you saved me from those thugs. I’m yours, and only yours. I want to give my everything to you,” said Annina passionately with a smile full of bliss and joy.

At that moment, Xia Lei, who was just a few steps away, suddenly spurted blood violently from his nose. He collapsed to the floor with a thump.

What happened?

“Lukas? Lukas!” Annina rushed forward, calling Xia Lei’s German name. She shook him hard by the shoulders but his eyes remained closed; he was unconscious.

Blood continued flowing from Xia Lei’s nose, wetting his face in an instant, and his collar, and the carpet - a pool had formed on the carpet.

Annina abruptly turned to glare at the pinhole camera in the painting and said angrily, “What drug did you use on him? What are you waiting for? Come here and help, quick!”

The two blonde men in the other room were dumbstruck.

“What’s going on? He’s already kaput before even having sex with Annina. Will he die if he actually has sex?” One of the blonde men was surprised.

“There’s no problem with the drug; it’s not dangerous. Why is he…” The other man was befuddled.

Annina screamed angrily at the camera again. “Bastards! Come over here or I’ll call the ambulance!”

The two men snapped back to attention and hurriedly left the room to go to Annina’s room. One of the men went to the washroom to get a towel to stem the flow of blood. The other man checked Xia Lei’s carotid artery.

Xia Lei’s pulse was normal.

His pulse was normal but his nose just kept leaking blood. The blonde man with the towel tried but could not stop the bleeding. The two of them gave up after a minute.

“Mission aborted,” said one of the blonde men. “Call the interpreter. Get him to call the ambulance.”

Annina then grabbed her clothing and covered her chest, and went to get the phone.

The two men squatted by Xia Lei, frowning heavily.

“Damn it, how can this happen?”

“I don’t know. Our drug is not dangerous. It’s not our first time using it either. Wasn’t it very effective the last time we used it in Syria? That guy was a devout believer but he still joined our side.”

“Maybe he has some disease. Shit, this method is not going to work. We have to think of another way.”

“We have to contact that person. We can’t be discovered; we need more assistance.”

“Yeah, that’s what we’ll do.”

Xia Lei heard their entire conversation loud and clear. His left eye was closed but he could still see clearly; his eyelid was nothing to his left eye.

So his blood was not wasted. These two German agents had let slip some important information - that mysterious spy was the one who had supplied them with the information on him!

Long Bing had tasked him with finding out more on the matter and this could be considered task complete.

“I called the interpreter. He said the ambulance will be here in fifteen minutes.” Annina drew close and knelt by Xia Lei, her eyes full of worry.

One of the blonde men spoke, “Go with him to the hospital. Take the interpreter and get him to ask the doctor what disease he has. You stay with him and take care of him while he’s ill. He’ll be touched by that and you’ll be able to complete the mission successfully.”

Annina was losing control of her emotions. “I’ve had enough! I’m just a machinist, not a spy! I feel horrible for lying to him - you made me do that.”

The other blonde man sneered, “You’d better be a good girl. This Chinese spy gained an advantage because of your help. He stole our latest technology and made the European and American blockade on technology useless. Do you know how serious this is? Refusal to cooperate means a life sentence for you. Do you want that?”

Annina bowed her head helplessly.

Xia Lei let out an internal sigh. So that’s how it was.