"Why wake you?" Li Yexing asked, arms around Lilith, both holding game controllers.
"Lilith could kill her," Lilith said casually, her tone chilling. "Nosy women like that—just kill them. If you can't, Lilith will."
"Forget whether we could take her…" Li Yexing frowned. "I didn't raise you to kill at the drop of a hat."
He'd noticed Lilith's issue early on. Born in a lab, then thrust into Roples' cesspool, her only warmth came from him. She was indifferent to everything else, with no reverence for life.
Initially, he didn't mind. Surviving Roples required ruthlessness, so he tolerated her comments and actions during jobs. But he realized she, like this world's version of him, found thrill in killing.
That wasn't good. With Chris watching and his old-world worker's soul, he feared she'd go astray.
"Lilith, listen," he said firmly. "Killing doesn't solve problems."
"It solves the person causing them," she shot back.
Stunned, Li Yexing stared as she continued, "Isn't that what you always say?"
Her expression turned dark, a twisted smile forming. She mimicked holding a gun. "Killing doesn't solve problems, but it solves the person causing them."
Reverting to her blank face, she asked, "Did I get it right?"
Li Yexing was floored. 'Is this how she sees me?'
Maybe Kelly was right. Months with him, and Lilith was already veering off course. If unchecked, she'd become Roples' true mad dog.
Sighing, he knew her education was a long road.
Over the next few days, they studied Ada's documents: cruise ship layout, maps, confirmed VIPs, fake IDs, and invites. Ada's prep was thorough.
Their itinerary was dull. Via Argol's arrangements, they flew to Italy. In a safehouse, Li Yexing donned a sleek black suit, Lilith a pricey white dress.
"High heels… so hard…" Lilith struggled into them, twirling. Her dress and silver hair floated in the golden sunlight.
"Pretty?" she asked.
Li Yexing stared, awestruck. "Like a fairy descended."
"Hehe…" She giggled.
They waited until the phone rang.
"Ready? Come downstairs," the voice said.
Li Yexing led Lilith to a sleek, expensive car. A burly middle-aged driver, Orlando, nodded. "Get in."
Li Yexing opened the door for Lilith, then followed. The engine roared, and they moved.
"My job's to get you to the port and, if needed, back to land," Orlando said. "Hope we work well together."
"Likewise," Li Yexing replied.
Ten minutes later, they hit the coastal road. Lilith pressed against the window, mesmerized by the Mediterranean's blue calm and exotic buildings.
"Stop gawking like a country girl," Li Yexing teased, patting her shoulder. "We're nobles now. You'll see plenty on the ship."
"Wrong. I'm the noble. You're my kept man," Lilith corrected.
Li Yexing: …
---
The car stopped near the port. Li Yexing got out, followed by Lilith. Orlando leaned out. "Have fun, miss."
'Showtime.'
The massive cruise ship, Orianna, was unmissable. At the gangway, a blond man in a suit checked IDs. Li Yexing handed over the invites.
The man paused, scanned them with a flashlight-like device, then spoke into a radio. His attitude shifted. "My apologies, honored guests. Welcome aboard. Enjoy your journey on the Orianna."
Li Yexing nodded curtly. After passing security—no weapons—they boarded.
A female attendant waited. "Welcome to the Orianna. I'll arrange your rooms."
"One room," Lilith said, her blank face seeming stern.
Flustered, the attendant stammered, "Sorry, I'll arrange one room immediately."
Inside, Li Yexing, new to luxury cruises, wanted to explore but maintained his "kept man" facade. Lilith strode ahead, expressionless, exuding mystery. He couldn't embarrass her.
The attendant led them to a lavish room: ornate wallpaper, big-screen TV, double bed, private bathroom.
"Press the button for any needs," the attendant said, bowing to Lilith before leaving.
Lilith kicked off her heels, padding barefoot on the carpet, and flopped onto the bed, legs kicking. Li Yexing glanced out the window at boats and the endless sea.
Embarrassingly, in his past life, he flunked geography. He thought the Mediterranean was a big lake until "Resident Evil: Revelations" showed him otherwise.
That game sparked bad thoughts. A biohazard on this ship would be a disaster.
While Lilith rolled on the bed, Li Yexing checked the mission on his phone. To prepare for surprises, he needed their gear—unbringable past security, but Ada had stashed some onboard. From Lilith's fancy but impractical purse, he pulled a magnetic card. "I'm stepping out. Back soon. Don't wander."
Lilith, hugging a pillow, nodded silently. He left.
The ship was busy, but he didn't hide, strolling openly, studying the layout. The decor screamed wealth.
Following the phone's map, he reached an upper guest room. Swiping the card, a beep turned the lock green. He entered like it was his own.
The room was even plusher. He grabbed a free bottled water, sipped, and returned it. Crawling under the bed, he pulled out a black case, like one for instruments. He hefted it—definitely not an instrument.
Slinging it over his shoulder, he locked the door and left, feeling like Dante from "Devil May Cry". At the stairs, some rich girls giggled, eyeing him. He flashed a polite smile.
'What's so funny, you idiots?'
Back in their room, he locked the door and opened the case. The top layer held a Wi-Fi-like device. He activated it. "We can talk freely now."
Lilith eyed it. "What's that?"
"Signal jammer," he said. "Probably overkill, but our client insists we use it to block surveillance."