Satisfaction.

"One conversation."

Alex was still contemplating. Hao Qiao's words were very simple, but they hit their mark.

"If this was someone like my mother, who had actual power. And she chose to end my life right on the spot. What could I have done?"

He looked at his palm. Did he have enough strength to escape then?

Unlike a normal person merely suspecting him, Hao Qiao was sure that he was putting up a front.

"Alex?"

Outside the system space, Mei had just arrived. After asking himself that question, Alex remained silent for the entire night. It was a new day. He was so immersed that he couldn't be bothered by her appearance.

She used her hand to give him a little push.

"Alex, wake up."

The system formed beside him and said,

"Are you planning on responding to her?"

He took some time to get out of his trance.

"What?"

He asked the question.

"Mei is trying to wake you up."

"Oh..."

Breathe in, breathe out.

"I'll be leaving."

He opened his eyes slowly.

"A rare occasion."

Mei flicked his forehead.

"Ouch!"

"For the first time since you got here, it felt like you were actually sleeping."

He averted his eyes towards the other resident of the cell. He had also woken up.

Mei didn't get what was happening. Alex was acting strange. Today, she wasn't able to see the cheeky smirk on his face.

"Alex? Is something wrong?"

She asked in concern.

He didn't answer. He was still staring at Hao Qiao.

"She is asking you something. At least have the courtesy to answer."

Alex looked back at her and said,

"Nothing."

She didn't believe that for a second.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She walked towards the tray that she had placed on the ground. After unloading two bowls of soup, she said,

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

This was meant for Alex.

She gave the broken prisoner a glance.

'What did he do?'

A singular question that was probably going to be on her mind all day.

After that, she left along with the empty tray.

Hao Qiao slowly picked up the bowl.

"May I ask you a question?"

He took a sip.

"Go ahead."

Alex responded.

"Do you like her?"

That question came out of nowhere.

"She is a nice person. But-"

"But you can't be sure whether you can trust her or not, right?"

He interrupted him again. But he was correct.

"Yes."

With no other answer, Alex decided to be truthful.

"She seems like a nice girl. But even if you could trust her, you still wouldn't accept her as an ally, right?"

Of course he couldn't. Distractions are the last things that he needed.

"Who could have thought?"

He took another sip.

"So what is the plan?"

Alex picked up his bowl.

"I don't understand..."

Hao Qiao smiled.

"You must be having nightmares about our previous conversation."

Ah. That topic.

"Going forward, I still can't be positive. I don't have the luxury to pick my allies. I cannot trust anyone."

"You sound like a betrayed man."

Alex shuddered.

"Can you tell me who betrayed a kid like you?"

"Not without lying."

He answered in a solemn tone.

"Fair enough."

Hao Qiao was satisfied. At least the boy was being more truthful.

"As for Mei, I don't think that she will ever be my ally."

Alex knew how to read people around him. He could tell that while Mei genuinely had feelings for him, she was still dedicated to her family and its cause. She would never leave them behind.

"Smart choice. There is an old saying in the collective. 'Never trust a Zhao family assassin with anything, except a mission.'"

Another sip, and the bowl was finished. He placed it on the ground and said,

"With that out of the way, I have a proposal for you."

"A proposal?"

Qiao smiled.

"Yes. I want to teach you some of my tricks. In return, after I am finished with my lesson, I have a personal mission for you. It won't be anything life threatening, so you can be rest assured of your safety."

A win-win.

"Why me?"

The first thought that came into his mind.

"Because you are the one person that might get it."

A cryptic answer, but Alex refrained from asking another question.

"I accept."

If Hao Qiao wanted to teach him, there was no way Alex was going to refuse.

"Very well. Time for the first lesson."

He approached his new pupil slowly.

"Lesson one."

'Smack!'

"Don't let your food get cold."

----------------------------------------------

"Sylvia."

"What happened?"

The Curran family mistress wasn't expecting a call from Lei.

"I have something to tell you."

"Did Alex do something?"

That is all she cared about. If it was anything else, she was hanging up.

"Alex is with him."

"Him?"

She didn't get it.

"My elder brother."

Her knees felt weak. She dropped the phone due to the shock.

On the other side, Lei smiled.

After regaining control, she picked up the phone and said,

"What?"

"He wanted to meet your son. As of now, It feels like he has taken him as a pupil."

She was fuming. Not because that man was present around Alex, but because Lei had deliberately kept this news under the wraps.

"Is this your attempt at a payback?"

"Something like that."

She hung up.

"Ah. Satisfaction."

Zhao Lei was in a good mood.