Miss Assassin is heavily addicted

Chapter 36, Section 15. How reluctant one would be to part ways.
Time flies by.

Three days later, at the Big Bird Spinning Bar

The bar was unusually lively today, packed with people even though it had only just opened. The bartenders seemed to have grown wheels of fire on their feet, while several bartenders—like Brooke—were shaking their flasks like fancy propellers.

Bang bang bang.

In short, there were a lot of people.

The reason for the packed crowd was that the boy band TNT (Teens in Times) had a major announcement tonight. This band, which was mysteriously formed a few weeks ago, consists of a dark-skinned man with dreadlocks, a blond man with wavy hair, a bespectacled piano professor, and a dashing young man with black hair, and has already become very popular.

Everyone on Narcissus Street knows this legendary band; every song they release is a bombshell in the music industry.

And tonight, it is said, a performance of the year will be presented.

The neighbors who came from far and wide were all curious about what kind of performance the band would put on.

But on the stage...

The band members' faces showed a hint of reluctance.

The blond, wavy-haired man playing bass—this man, nearing thirty, had his own artistic pursuits—joined the band by chance and spent four incredibly happy weeks, a time he would never forget.

But now, it seems to have come to an end.

"Are you going to leave no matter what, Leon?"

George Lang looked at He Ye in a sighing tone, a mixture of reluctance and blessing. After tuning his bass, he stood up and gently swept the strings across the bass.

"Didn't I leave the sheet music for you? You can continue performing even though I'm not here." He Ye turned around, wearing a mask on stage, his tone relaxed.

Upon hearing this, the previously silent drummer, Brant Bell, wavered. He tossed his dreadlocks aside and said firmly:
"A band without you has no soul. You even came up with the name 'Teens in Times'. You said that we are all approaching middle age and should have some aspirations, like forever sunny teenagers, and that we will be the most eye-catching band of this era."

“And now…” Brant paused, then shook his head: “I will miss you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, He Ye turned to look at the drummer. She hadn't expected him to be so affectionate. It seemed that she should probably avoid playing in bands too often; if she stayed here for another two months, this place would probably turn into a gravity field.

“Okay… me too.” He Ye said subtly.

Finally, music professor Zaran Morrison pushed up his glasses with his middle finger and smiled: "Have a safe journey."

He was the one who would give the best wishes the most.

He Ye gave him a thumbs up. Now that his conversation with the three band members was coming to an end, he turned to look at the audience below the stage.

The lights come on.

This is He Ye's last night at the Big Bird Spinning Bar. Over the past three days, he has been gradually informing everyone here that he is leaving for Skavis City, because that is where the grandest beauty pageant in Country A is held.

He can't miss it.

Although the news Mark told him that night was also shocking, He Ye's response at the time was just a delaying tactic. Never regretting a decision was half of his life motto.

Therefore, my mind was made up to leave.

Most people wished him well, while those who were closer to him felt a sense of loss—Boss Perkins, Miss Benna, and even Brooke and the middle-aged supervisor all knew of his departure.

Now, there's only one person in the entire bar who doesn't know, and He Ye has asked them to keep it a secret for him.

Pluck the strings~

“do re mi～”

He Ye's appearance was met with cheers, and the fans below the stage shouted his name. The band members behind him turned from sorrow to wry smiles, realizing that this was something that could not be changed.

All we can do is deliver the best performance.

"Do you remember the first piece we rehearsed? Let's use that piece as the opening for the closing ceremony."

He Ye turned around and smiled as he spoke, and the musicians nodded in agreement, their expressions nostalgic and wistful.

"of course can."

That was the first time I was truly shocked.

"bring it on."

After a brief exchange, the songs for the performance were decided, and He Ye turned around to greet the fans in the audience.

He didn't say this was his retirement performance, only that he would be in seclusion for two days after tonight to create a new song, so he would give a full-fledged performance tonight.

The fans cheered!

"Leon, Leon! Leon, Leon!"

"Tap tap tap! (Strokes the strings)"

As the words ended, cheers erupted. With He Ye strumming his strings, drummer Brandt unleashed a powerful drumbeat, bassist George plucked deep, emotional notes, and keyboardist Zhalan played a long, melodious tune.

plucked!

Bm→ A7→ Dmaj7→ Gm7→ C7! !
This is the beginning of our first meeting, and also the beginning of its end!
"A clock that shows scenes that travel through time!"

"Start moving in the opposite direction!"

"Let's go back to the time when I first loved you!"

"Frozen content ~Infidelity!~"

The song, filled with a sense of relief and deep emotion, drifted through the air. The bar, where the big bird spun around, was immersed in a past that could never be returned to. It seemed to be filled with the nostalgia of some people, but before being told, the fans simply took it as the power of music.

Listen up!

……

"It's really noisy."

The door to the bar was pushed open, and Larry Donott, the spy captain of the C country squad, walked in, frowning as he looked towards the stage.

It's 7 p.m., and the bar seems noisier than usual because of the band on stage.

But then he thought that having so many people also meant it would be easier to avoid being noticed, so Larry looked away, lowered his head slightly, and walked discreetly upstairs.

Today is the day I've arranged to meet Victor.

Unsure if he could obtain the intelligence the organization needed—Larry didn't fully trust this subordinate who had been transferred to his squad three months prior.

If the mission fails, he will have to call on someone else.

The organization only sent people to Greeley City to set up their operations six months ago, and they were constrained in many places. If it weren't for Larry's excellent social skills, which helped him resolve several issues and get to know Perkins, the owner of this bar, he wouldn't have been able to set up a base and a safe house.

He was a well-known real estate businessman with many plots of land and shops. As long as there was money, the two of them could tacitly agree to bid on many properties. So today, besides meeting with Victor, he also had to talk to Boss Perkins about some things.

Larry went straight up to the second floor, his disguise was very good.

Then, half an hour later...

A green-haired man arrived again, wearing the same wide-brimmed hat that covered the upper half of his face. He glanced around and found that there were an absurd number of people. He was a little wary, but it was useless, because it was difficult to tell whether there was any danger inside.

I had no choice but to go up to the second floor with unease.

And at this very moment—

"Target located. This is Rory Albert. He has gone to the second floor."

Sitting on a seat next to a bucket and mop, sipping a glass of tequila, a National Security Bureau investigator muttered to himself that his undercover disguise was flawless against these ordinary spies, and he hadn't been detected.

Of course, it was just ordinary spy talk.

……

"Oh my god, there are police officers again today?"

On stage, He Ye is shining brightly, doing her best to perform her final act.

As he observed the emotions of the fans below the stage, he noticed a few more conspicuous individuals.

He didn't recognize that the faces of those police officers were similar to those last time; he simply sensed something was amiss.

Then, by observing the direction of their eyes, it became clear that they were plainclothes police officers.

He Ye even spotted the policewoman from last time among the conspicuous group—the girl had light golden hair, a petite figure, and cute features. She was listening to his performance with a slight daze, just like an ordinary fan.

To be honest, He Ye recognized her by her face, after all, the memory of the accidental encounter last time was still very vivid.

But no matter what, it definitely has nothing to do with me. He Ye felt like she was almost desensitized, and she was used to the presence of these National Security Bureau officers.

But since that's the case, let's make our escape now.

Anyway, I'm leaving today.

He Ye planned to leave early during intermission; his luggage was already packed and ready to go. Of course, he would say goodbye to the band members and friends before leaving, so they wouldn't have to wait for him after intermission.

Then, more than ten minutes later...

He Ye observed that the plainclothes police officers moved. They whispered to each other through miniature walkie-talkies and then headed towards the second floor.

It seems there's been some kind of arrest operation—the first person that popped into He Ye's mind was the bar owner, Perkins. With his ostentatious appearance and the agate ring he wore, it seemed that anyone who could run a bar like this must have some dirty secrets.

I hope he doesn't get sentenced to death—after all, he's paid himself so much money.

"Now, let's move on to a 30-minute violin performance. Thank you all for your support, goodbye."

After finishing her speech, He Ye bowed to end the performance and walked off the stage with her guitar in hand.

He also told the band members that he was about to leave. They were sentimental but nodded and said they would let the violinist play all night to appease him.

"Thank you everyone, goodbye," He Ye said.

"Goodbye, goodbye," Brandt, George, and Zalan said in unison, their voices filled with emotion.

After leaving the stage, He Ye took off his mask and his stuffy black coat. He Ye unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt to let some air in, since playing guitar and singing is always very tiring.

Then he walked up to Brooke and said goodbye to this crony.

But just then! —

"Sir! Have some water!"

Like an NPC that refreshes at regular intervals, Nicole appeared beside him without him noticing, startling He Ye so much that he quickly stopped himself from saying those words so she wouldn't hear them.

"Hahaha... Thank you." Quick-witted He Ye took the water cup, drank the water, and pretended nothing had happened.

"You're welcome." Nicole held the plate and waited to return the empty glass to her.

Considering the current situation, He Ye doesn't plan to bring a burden along. If she knew, she would probably cling to him shamelessly—it's better to keep it a secret.

After dawdling for a while...

Nicole left with her water glass, and He Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Brooke, who was next to him, felt a little sorry for him and leaned close to the bar, looking sentimental.

"Isn't this a bit too cruel for that girl?" he said.

"What's so cruel?" He Ye asked helplessly. "You mean I left without telling her? Please, we're not related by blood at all. I've known her for less than I've known you. It's just that she likes to cling to me."

"Shouldn't you feel annoyed? Why did you ask me to teach her how to mix drinks in the first place?" Brooke paused awkwardly and said, "Even though Bella is teaching her now."

“…She is an orphan,” He Ye said after a long silence.

"..." Brooke seemed to understand his unspoken meaning.

“Everyone in our bar can see that the girl likes to cling to you, she’s always following you around like a puppy.” Brooke scratched his head as he said this, “Uh, how should I put it?”

"If you haven't decided what to say, then don't say anything—in short, I'm here to say goodbye, and I'm preparing to leave early."

"...Alright, have a safe trip." Brooke smiled after a moment. "Would you like one last drink?"

"Fine, it won't make a difference if it takes a minute or two."

He Ye said, waving his hand and turning around: "I'll go upstairs to get my suitcase down first, and then I'll leave after I finish this drink."

Brooke didn't say anything, but just watched He Ye's gaze disappear at the top of the stairs. He casually mixed drinks while muttering to himself.

"Actually, I'm also very reluctant to part with you, but as a friend, I should wish you well and not keep you here out of selfishness..."

His muttering was overheard by Miss Bena, who came to get the gin. The blonde woman with a cigarette in her mouth saw He Ye's departing figure and knew that something was about to happen.

She turned her head to look at Nicole, who was running around.

call……

Perhaps it was the lingering memory of a past abandonment, or perhaps it was a fondness for this innocent and carefree young girl. This woman, so full of world-weariness, hesitated, like a caring older sister.

Finally, after a long silence, Bella remained silent.

She took the cigarette out of her mouth and exhaled white smoke.

Sorry I couldn't keep the secret.

(End of this chapter)