Military Chief Office, 11:00 a.m.;

"He is desperate, Xinghe.", Abram Orlov reported through the other end, "Aftaab Ali, and if my guess is not wrong, even Ahmed Ali Fadhil. I mean I don't know what havoc you caused over there, but the smoke can be seen up till here.

"I can't believe Country X's Armed Forces' most prolonged manhunt is finally coming to an end. The guy is literally walking into our trap! Come to think of it, who'd have thought that one of the most malignant terrorists, who we've been searching for more than five years, would saunter right to us?"

"That's why this is suspicious, Abram.", the girl sighed, staring at the Desert Eagle Mark Pistol in her hands, "Something feels... off."

"I'll be alert.", the man nodded understandingly, "What's the plan, though?", he resumed, "Do I simply need to put on the talk show, or I am in for the action too?"

"Just the talking bit, Abram.", the girl shook her head, reloading the bullets into the gun as she breathed in the scent of freshly cut grass in the ground of MCO, "I am not risking any of my Hybrid's life for the sake of such an abomination. I want each one of you out of there alive. And it's not a request. This is a bloody order.

"As far as Ahmed Fadhil is concerned, Jackson Marshal will aim from a considerable distance at him. By tomorrow, Yang Wenyan, Ashfakh, and Huang Ling will reach Afghanistan. Come up with a proper plan and tell me about it by the day after tomorrow.

"Right now, we don't really have anything else to do, but wait. Just don't push Aftaab Ali too much about it, alright? We have to tread carefully, here onwards."

"Sure. Got it.", Abram Orlov agreed, disconnecting the call with an, "I'll keep you updated."

Rong Xinghe placed her phone upon the table beside her, next to other firearms before she lifted her hand up, pointing the gun's one end at the target board roughly 300 meters from her. Her back straight, posture firm, hair tied up into a high, messy ponytail. Even with no makeup on, and camouflage print cargo pants, solid black T-shirt, she looked mesmerizing. She always did.

Bang!

As the bullet pierced through the Bull's eye, earning her a score of ten, the girl frowned. She then turned and gestured to the pair of men, standing at a distance, to come a little closer. A moment later, tossing them the gun, she picked up another one from those on the table, "Too light. Not suitable for Special Forces.", she said.

A second later, another one landed at their feet, "Not good for the grip."

"Failure to feed. Magazine problems."

"Firing defect. Bullet's stuck."

One after the other, in a matter of seconds, each ammunition stacked up on the table, surrounded the two men, "What the hell is wrong with you?", Rong Xinghe pinched the space between her brows, in the end, frustrated, "Who the fu*k even hired you?!"

"Military Chief, It was the Defence Minister Bo.", Shou Wu explained, "He shut our deal with the XSmithsons in the UK, for some unknown reasons recently. These samples are supplied from the southside of the country."

"Come again?", the girl glared at the old man, infuriated, "The nerves of that man! You know what to do next, Mr. Shou., right?", she added.

"I'll arrange a meeting for you with him, Ma'am.", the man noted down something in his tablet, "Is there anything else you need?"

"Show this hobo out of the MCO, please?", she pointed her chin at the 30-something-year-old man standing behind Shou Wu, "The deal with this southside brand is off, effective right this second."

"As per your orders, Boss."

"And continue the regular regimen for the trainee officers, will you?"

"Okay."

_______________________________

Xi Corporations Headquarters, 12:15 p.m.;

Meanwhile, Xi Yuan had his own battles to fight. The mystery of his girl's involvement with the 'Werewolf Crew' was still unsolved. It wasn't that he was doubting her. He was just worried about the consequences she would have to face if a piece of news as sensitive as this were to be leaked to the media. It was her reputation that mattered to him the most. After all, the assassination of a renowned businessman and his wife, hailing from the Xi family was no small matter. Not for Country X, and definitely not for the journalists.

From what Xi Chonglin had told him the day before, and from what the girl had confessed to him earlier that morning, he had come to one obvious conclusion. More of a theory, actually. That even if Rong Xinghe was a part of the 'Werewolf Crew' once, she might have worked with this son of the real perp. That headache of a person; Diablos.

There was no way she would've even met Feng Ching, who was now underground apparently. Even if that were the case, just being a part of an underworld organization could put her through a lot, and he knew it.

The only positive side to all of this was that there was still no proof concerning these theories. None supporting Xi Chonglin's story, and none backing up Diablos's claim. All Diablos had ever sent was a note along with a slaughtered Inland Taipan. But that didn't mean he could stop searching for answers. He had to prove her innocence, and find the actual murderers of his grandparents, now more than ever.

"Brother?", Xi Fang walked into the man's office with a cup of coffee in his hands, "Why is your phone switched off? Sister-in-law was worried."

"Hmm?", the man looked at his brother and then at his phone, distracted, "Charge it.", he muttered under his breath, shutting close the files in front of him.

"Sure.", Xi Fang smiled, passing the cup to the man, before he connected the device to the charger near the coffee table, "What's on your mind today?"

"Nothing much.", the man shook his head, bringing the cup to his lips, "Why did Xinghe call, anyway?"

"Something about how she stole your debit card this morning?", Xi Fang shrugged nonchalantly, "She called in to tell you not to worry about it. And definitely not to freeze your bank account."

"...."