"You gave us two missions. The first was to gather information about Izo-Edis. We regret to report that all we can confirm is that he's still alive. Satellite footage captured him with a group heading toward New Jersey. His exact location, activities, and companions remain unknown, though it's likely they're soldiers or mercenaries."
Seeing Jiang Hai's expectant look, Valentina—who had been responsible for that mission—couldn't help but speak. She still blamed herself. If she'd been more careful, that man wouldn't have slipped away.
"Oh, I see. And the second mission?" Jiang Hai nodded. Despite her guilt, he was actually pleased with Valentina's work. She had located the enemy faster than the police and nearly had them cornered, only missing one loose end. To Jiang Hai, that was impressive.
After all, she was working alone now—unlike before, when she had her team of Wolf Spiders, Venomous Spiders, and Web Spiders supporting her. Jiang Hai could clearly distinguish between an individual's ability and a team's strength, so he remained satisfied.
"The second mission was about the badge you mentioned," Valentina continued. "I followed up and pieced together a rough picture. The badge came from an Antarctic expedition launched by the United States. Officially, it was an exploration mission, but rumor says it was actually a search for remnants of the German Third Reich. Nothing was found. The man who leaked the badge had a military background. He wasn't executed, but he was stripped of his commission. Supposedly, he returned to his hometown, but the records only say California. I don't know exactly what he did afterward."
When she finished, Aler Sara added her findings.
Jiang Hai nodded. To uncover so much from a single badge was impressive. Yet through sheer coincidence, he had now learned even more.
"Keep pursuing it," Jiang Hai instructed. "And narrow the search. Look for a man named Bruce David in Los Angeles or San Francisco. He should be running—or may have run—a bar. Confirm whether he's the one I want." His tone was serious as he looked at Aler Sara.
She nodded without hesitation. She didn't dispute his words, but was prepared to verify them. If the lead proved false, she would quietly let him know, but she would never undermine him in front of others. The women around Jiang Hai were indeed sharp.
"Alright, ladies. Business is done. Now, it's time for some fun." With a grin, Jiang Hai scooped Lei Lisi into his arms. She gave a startled cry, but before she could react, his lips pressed against hers. For a moment she froze, overwhelmed by his presence, but then she pushed back with equal force, launching her counterattack.
For Lei Lisi, standing up to the strongest man she knew brought a thrill of its own.
Seeing the playful struggle, the other women laughed softly, then threw themselves into Jiang Hai's embrace as well.
The night passed in silence—at least, nothing worth recording beyond the heavy "gunfire" of passion. Any further detail was best left unspoken.
The next morning, Jiang Hai awoke surrounded by soft arms and legs. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was nearly eight. Time to return to Winthrop. Gently kissing each woman on the forehead, he slipped from the bed. He knew they were awake, but each preferred to avoid the awkwardness of goodbyes.
In the past, when they accompanied him back, they had always left quietly at dawn. Now, even though he knew they were awake, he wouldn't force farewells. He disliked partings just as much as they did.
Smiling faintly, Jiang Hai entered the bathroom and unpacked a new set of toiletries. After washing up, he placed his cup carefully beside the others—marking his place among them—before heading downstairs. He crossed the lawn toward the garage.
"Who are you?"
Two high school boys, strikingly alike, stared at him in shock and suspicion. Jiang Hai frowned, confused. He had no memory of them, yet they looked at him as though he were a ghost.
"What's this about? Do we know each other?" Jiang Hai asked, puzzled.
"You just came out of Sister Sarah's house! Who are you? Why were you in there?" one of them demanded, his voice trembling with nerves but forced into boldness.
"Sarah? You mean Aler Sara?" Jiang Hai chuckled. "Well, I suppose you could call me her boyfriend."
He'd once been their age and understood immediately what was going on. Judging by their school uniforms and the direction they came from, the boys likely lived nearby. Their knowledge of Sarah's name, their nervous excitement, and the way they looked at him with jealousy all betrayed the truth—they had crushes on her.
And who wouldn't? Women like Sarah, Valentina, Belyakov, and Lei Lisi were breathtaking. Young, mature, and elegant, they carried themselves with warmth and charm. To high schoolers, they weren't just women—they were goddesses.
In fact, Jiang Hai's guess was correct. The boys were brothers, one a freshman and the other a sophomore. They had first encountered Aler Sara when she defended them from neighborhood bullies—nothing serious, just spoiled rich kids who liked to harass others. That day, she had been in high spirits after accompanying Jiang Hai, and she stepped in. Valentina had been with her as well, and from that moment, the boys were smitten.
Every morning since, they lingered near her house, sometimes risking tardiness just for the chance to say "good morning" to their goddesses. But today, instead of them, Jiang Hai emerged.
Ah, the tragedy of first love—it always collides with harsh reality. Jiang Hai remembered his own youth. He had once adored the most beautiful girl in school, until the day he saw her leaving with a much older man in a BMW. That day, his illusions about first love shattered. Now, seeing these boys, he couldn't help but be blunt.
"Impossible! Sister Sarah would never… not with someone like you!" one of the brothers cried in anguish.
"Why not?" Jiang Hai replied casually. "Because I'm rich? This world belongs to the rich. Let me tell you—Sarah is my woman. So are the others in that villa. I was with them all last night."
He picked his nose idly and flicked away the result, as if to emphasize his disdain.
The boys recoiled as if struck. One muttered bitterly, "Money… just because you have money, you think you can trample humanity?"
"Whether it tramples humanity or not, I don't know," Jiang Hai said coldly, opening the garage door. "But I do know I sleep with them."
Sliding into his car, he started the engine, honked twice, and drove off, leaving the brothers standing in shock.
They watched his car disappear, their eyes filled with anger and despair. Glancing at the villa, their hearts broke. Their goddess… no, their faith in her… had collapsed in an instant.
(To be continued.)