Miss Assassin is heavily addicted

Chapter 135, Section 9: Chatting on the Private Jet
The salute in Country B is different from that in other countries; it is a gesture of saluting by placing the right fist above the heart.

This means giving your all.

To be honest, He Ye thinks a regular salute is better, because if you clench your fist and tap your chest too hard... your chest will feel sore and stuffy.

"Welcome home, you two. You've had a great mission."

Ivan Strakov spoke earnestly, extending his rough, calloused right hand and gazing intently.

Upon seeing this, He Ye nodded solemnly and shook hands with him, then stepped onto the private jet with a normal expression.

On the surface, he appeared calm and collected, but in reality, the palm of his right hand, which was holding the suitcase, was slightly sweaty.

Gan.

It wasn't that there was a problem with the important documents that needed to be handed over in the suitcase... but rather that He Ye was a little uneasy because he wasn't sure if he could keep the matter a secret from them, which was something they had discussed not long ago.

With little time left before the private jet arrived, He Ye finished trimming Nicole's hair and then shook Yugiri awake, asking the dozing girl to hold her pillow and listen patiently to what he had to say. It was a matter of great importance, so he made three points.

First and foremost, you must not mention what happened last night to anyone in the organization;
Secondly, there should be absolutely no physical contact in public places;

Third, never believe any psychological manipulation. When asked about emotional matters, answer that you have no one you depend on or are attached to.

These three points were firmly etched in Yugiri's mind by He Ye.

She nodded slightly, seemingly understanding.

Therefore, it's hard for He Ye not to feel uneasy.

But since things had come to this point, he had no choice but to keep the appointment. He believed in Yugiri's ability to disguise himself and had already painstakingly explained for an hour that she could memorize.

Do you understand?

'I think I understand… Leon.'

Fortunately, the person who picked him up was He Ye's boss, so at least he wouldn't make things difficult for him on the plane.

And they had also made an agreement with Nicole.

So now, Security Inspector Karin looked at the short-haired black girl behind her with a strange expression. She followed He Ye sullenly, carrying two suitcases, truly becoming the younger sister of the person she admired, utterly dejected.

Of course, what Karin was concerned about was not her complicated look, but the fact that the intelligence indicated that only two people had returned.

But this young girl is clearly the third party.

However, Katrin did not speak, but instead looked at Ivan Strakov, the highest-ranking official here, with questioning eyes.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Ivan, the highest-ranking official, extended both hands, looking at Yugiri with an even more eager gaze than when Heno shook hands, as if he were examining a work of art.

Yugiri didn't quite understand, so she kept her eyes down and didn't respond.

After everyone boarded the special plane, the gangway was pushed away, and the staff in the observation tower were having lunch.

"Calling the control tower, this is the captain, preparing for takeoff."

An announcement echoed through the cabin, reminding unseated passengers to find their seats. Simultaneously, the airport's observation tower flashed a green light moments later, indicating the runway was clear.

He Ye had already found seats; Nicole sat to his left, and Yugiri sat to his right.

This situation of being surrounded is a bit unpleasant, but fortunately, this isn't a regular cabin seat.

The interior of the "Swan-class" executive jet that came to pick them up was very luxurious, divided into a front cabin for the pilots, a middle cabin for the conference room, and a rear cabin for the accompanying personnel to rest.

He Ye and the others were in the middle cabin.

There are round tables and sofas, telegrams and maps; it's more like a small meeting room than the interior of an airplane.

He Ye was already quite surprised when he arrived at the airport and saw the exterior of the plane. He hadn't been back to Japan for five years, and the speed of technological development had allowed them to build aircraft that were close to the level of those from World War II. But now, seeing the internal structure, He Ye was even more surprised by the treatment he received from headquarters.

Most of the accompanying personnel stayed in the rear cabin, where there were seats available for rest.

Katrin and Dr. Smith followed them into the middle cabin of the plane. One of them stood by, making tea and pouring water, while the other stood upright with his hands behind his back.

At this moment, Ivan walked up to the three of them and slowly sat down.

The content of the small talk was irrelevant; the goal was to close the distance between them. This old deputy director was nearly fifty years old, and He Ye hadn't had so much white hair when they last met. He couldn't help but feel quite moved.

Immediately afterwards, four teacups were placed on the table.

"Thank you." He Ye nodded.

Dr. Smith adjusted his glasses, maintaining his refined demeanor, and asked with a smile:
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Or are there any hidden injuries? I can examine you first. It's a three-hour flight from here to Cologne, so there's plenty of time."

Upon hearing this, He Ye looked at Xi Wu beside her. She had suffered many injuries during the battle at the top of the tower. Although she had received treatment on the way back, it would be much better if she received treatment again by a professional doctor on the plane.

Of course, although I was worried that she might let something slip, we were already on the plane and would have to face this sooner or later once we got back to headquarters.

He Ye himself had already handled it properly, so there was no need to cause trouble again.

"I think she needs some care."

"I understand."

Soon, Dr. Smith led Yugiri to the compartment, a private room on the plane for storing medical equipment.

Kalint also took He Ye's suitcase, which contained the results of Mark's team's years of work in Greli City, while the intelligence that they couldn't take with them had been destroyed.

When boarding the ship, Lawrence handed over this heavy suitcase to himself.

"I'm pleased to see your mission in Greely City concluded successfully and safely. Headquarters has received Dorov's report on this matter. However, since you were among the first to evacuate, there are some things Headquarters may have to ask you..."

Old Ivan gestured with his hand, "Of course, I mean after you get off the plane, you can rest now."

“Actually, I’ve rested enough,” He Ye replied.

"Speaking of the young lady next to you..." Old Ivan cast a curious glance his way.

He Ye knew this matter would inevitably be asked, so he patiently gave the words he had prepared beforehand. Old Ivan's doubts quickly disappeared, and he began to look at the girl with a kind of sympathetic gaze.

Nicole was expressionless; she had already been heartbroken enough.

Old Ivan wasn't worried that the little girl was an undercover agent, because she had come back with He Ye. He explained that she supposedly had no blood relatives in Country B and was considered a homeless child who had helped He Ye and was therefore taken in.

Although we shouldn't believe everything based on just one side of the story, even if we were to investigate, it would be handled by the headquarters.

Old Ivan didn't say much on the plane back to the capital.

The conversation quickly shifted away from Nicole, because it was just a question, not something worth discussing in depth.

"I am deeply saddened by Mark's betrayal, and at the same time, I am sincerely happy for your return... Do you know how heartbroken I was when I received that telegram announcing your death in the line of duty!"

"..." He Ye gave a polite smile, but in reality, his lips were twitching and he was having a hard time keeping it in place.

However, Mark's betrayal was a fact, and even He Ye was shocked by it. He had been away from Greenley City for two days and three nights, and had completely lost contact with the situation there.

"Speaking of which, you just mentioned Dorov..." He Ye asked, sounding puzzled.

“He is the highest-ranking official infiltrating Greeley City,” old Ivan explained.

He Yemingwu. There are many spy squads lurking in Greli City, and everyone only knows their own team members and captains, nothing else. Only Dorov, as the superior of these captains, knows the whole situation in Greli City.

Now that he had sent a telegram back to relay the information, He Ye became curious about the safety of those people, wondering if they had also returned but just missed the boat.

"Then... is there any news about my squad?"

“This…” Old Ivan scratched his head. “The telegram only reported the missing team, which included your team, Duncan, Rensenshi, and others. It mainly reported the mission’s completion status, which can be said to have been successfully completed. It’s just that the prime minister was lucky to survive, but the main objective has been achieved.”

"Is this so..."

He Ye remained silent for a while, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.

There is still no news about the three.

"However, at least yesterday, before we received your contact, we received another telegram from Greenley, which appeared to be Mark's own confession, detailing everything that had happened, including the surprise attack on you two months ago during the factory raid..."

Old Ivan spoke with a complicated tone, seemingly never expecting his once boastful and joking friend to turn out this way.

He Ye was also deeply saddened.

Regardless, He Ye still didn't want to hear bad news. He might not be a qualified spy, but he was a good captain who wanted everyone to survive.

After this major uproar in Greenley, the commissioners will probably be frantically searching for spies, digging up every inch of the city. If Mark really is a traitor, his chances of survival are even greater.

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

Old Ivan then stood up lightly: "Are you going to sleep?"

He Ye was a little confused at first, but then he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder and turned to see Ni Ke leaning on him.

"..."

"Then I won't bother you."

"I'm sorry," He Ye said softly. Perhaps she hadn't slept much last night either, after all, she was in her room at one o'clock in the morning.

After old Ivan left, He Ye had no one to talk to. He looked around and found a newspaper.

To pass the time, He Ye picked up a newspaper and started reading.

This would allow him to understand the current situation in China.

The article in the newspaper appeared to be an exclusive interview with the Prime Minister, recounting his life story and political philosophy, which made He Ye frown slightly.

The head of state's name was August Werner.

He came from a middle-class family and witnessed the nation's humiliation, the government's incompetence, the social division, and the horrors of hyperinflation as an adult—nearly thirty years ago. This experience planted in his heart a seed of contempt for the existing order and a desire for revenge.

He then devoted himself to far-right political movements.

He rose to prominence rapidly thanks to his extraordinary intelligence, ruthless style, and captivating oratory talent.

That's what it said in the newspaper.

He Ye frowned and continued reading. The current Auguste Warner was no longer the ordinary speaker he once was, but a powerful figure who could influence the country.

And he did many things.

At the forefront of this was a kind of "integrative nationalism" that began to emerge in the country. This was a fusion of extreme nationalism and militarism, and a fanatical pursuit of "order and purity".

Then He Ye silently read the original text of the newspaper below, as if even the editor was praising the passage.

"The prosperity and survival of a nation depends on the land and resources it possesses. The leader firmly believes that a powerful nation must conquer vast territories to the east and west..."

In summary, the leader declared that the people of Country B were a unique "forging nation," destined to rule over other "inferior" nations and purge their "corrupted" elements.

Upon seeing this, He Ye was speechless for a moment.

He was unaware of the potential extremist ethnic groups in Greenley, otherwise he would have understood why such an alliance could be formed in Greenley.

But all in all, this idea gave him a lot to think about.

"I firmly believe that I am the savior chosen by history, the only one who can lead the nation to glory. What I crave is not temporary power, but to leave an indelible mark on history with you all, and to become the founders of a new civilization!"

"The original text is selected from the speech delivered by the Head of State at the Great Hall of the People on April 4.27."

"..."

He Ye slowly put down the newspaper and remained silent for a long time.

Just then, old Ivan walked over with his hands behind his back, carrying two plates. It turned out to be freshly prepared lunch from the kitchen: beef and peas. It was around noon, lunchtime.

One copy is for myself, and the other is for Karin, who has been silently waiting here.

"Um, would you like something to eat?"

At this point, old Ivan asked curiously, "Shall we sit here and eat?"

Seeing this, He Ye absentmindedly woke Nicole up. The two of them had just grabbed a quick breakfast, so they naturally needed to eat lunch.

"Um... sir?"

“…Time to eat,” He Ye said, using the agreed-upon form of address.

As soon as she finished speaking, Nicole's sleepy look quickly disappeared. As if she were having a nightmare, she closed her eyes in fear, and finally slowly opened them, reluctantly accepting her identity as her younger sister.

"I understand...brother."

He Ye was still thinking about what he had just seen in the newspaper; it was just a routine fulfillment of an agreement.

Soon after, he had dinner with Ivan.

As someone raised under the red flag, He Ye certainly knew that far-right nationalism was wrong. But now, as a spy in Country B, he was like a grain of sand in the wheels of history. What could he do? He could only be carried along and rolled along in his insignificant way.

But war is always cruel.

Although He Ye has not yet actually experienced this brief period of peace.

They chatted casually about the recent situation in China, and Old Ivan had mixed feelings about it, but he quickly switched to talking about happy things, even putting down his spoon.

"Speaking of which, the head of state will be holding an awards ceremony at the church in a week. You should be on the list, after all, you have made so many contributions to the country."

"...a commendation meeting?"

"Hehe, you'll find out when the time comes." Old Ivan shook his head.

Actually, He Ye didn't really want to be recognized. If he had a choice when he first arrived, he wouldn't have taken this path... He was lost in thought and still absent-minded, but judging from the atmosphere, the lunch was quite pleasant. At least everyone finished their meals.

A few minutes later, Yugiri came out of the medical room. She looked at Heno but didn't say anything.

He Ye was a little uneasy, but thankfully Dr. Smith came over and only asked what she wanted for lunch, which relieved her.

Three hours later.

The plane landed safely in the capital of Country B.

(End of this chapter)