Chapter 1016 – Showing Off Her Acting Skills

Laila's decision ensured that many people were in for a sleepless night.

Xiao Ye was the busiest among them.

He had to coordinate across multiple fronts—Old Master Moran's side, the mercenaries, the elite team sent by the U.S., and the military.

The other groups weren't too concerned. The people under the Old Master were trustworthy, the mercenaries were their partners and could be counted on, and the elite team sent from the States wouldn't betray their homeland just for a place like South Africa.

The real headache was the people under Fusca. Xiao Ye had personally seen a man in a military uniform from logistics escort Roy away, and he'd found a letter hidden in a book, confirming there was a mole in the military. If they wanted to get Laila out safely, keeping the mole in the dark was essential.

But launching a crackdown on South African soil without military cooperation was risky. Acting rashly might escalate the situation, and Xiao Ye wasn't keen on facing legal trouble when he got back. He could run if things went south, but if Laila and the others got dragged down with him, that would be unacceptable.

With Roy absent, Xiao Ye liaised directly with Old Master Moran, who took charge of directing the American personnel on site—far more efficient than having an outsider like Xiao Ye trying to give orders. In their eyes, Xiao Ye was merely Laila's subordinate. Being a top-tier Hollywood makeup artist might sound impressive, but it didn't carry any weight in this situation.

Once the Old Master learned that action was finally underway, he immediately contacted all involved parties to ensure the safe return of both Laila and Roy.

Laila wasn't sitting idle either. She offered a strategy, and Dong led the coordination efforts, working out the most optimal operation plan. Determining how to meet Laila's criteria and how to achieve the desired outcome would be impossible without proper field scouting.

At last, they settled on an exact time: 2:45 a.m. the following morning. Fifteen minutes would be allocated for Dong's team to sabotage surveillance equipment and communication lines. Most importantly, they had to bring Laila and Roy along.

The next step was to move swiftly to an open location and wait for helicopter extraction.

Yes—a helicopter. The Old Master insisted that the sooner they could get out, the better. He had no patience for watching Laila scramble down the mountain. Who knew what kind of criminals might be hiding in the slums? If someone fired a stray bullet, all their efforts would go to waste.

Initially, Laila had objected. She knew the helicopter would be loud—too loud. Any unusual sound could tip off Martin and his gang.

But the Old Master eventually persuaded her with a compelling argument: "How many chances do you think that little punk Martin has had to deal with helicopters?"

Laila had no retort—because it made perfect sense. Given the state of the country, seeing a helicopter on TV was probably more likely than encountering one in real life. Maybe the sound would confuse them long enough for the team to escape.

Even so, the Old Master incorporated her concerns. They planned a multi-pronged assault—those who needed to create diversions would do so, and others would lure enemies away. Throwing everything into chaos would give them the best odds of success.

So, on the day of the operation…

To avoid raising suspicion, Laila and Roy followed their usual routine: dinner, reading, then lights out.

Their room was under tight surveillance. Martin's best men lived nearby, and even a small disturbance could set off alarms.

The two had long since packed their things in the dark, just waiting for the signal to leave with Dong. Fully dressed and lying in bed, they were supposed to be resting up for the coming chaos—but the excitement had them both wide awake, eyes wide open.

"You should try to sleep. We're going to need our strength," Roy said, taking her hand and placing it on his chest. "You know tension drains your energy faster." He was genuinely worried about her physical condition. Maybe he should've scrutinized her plan more carefully. What if something went wrong?

Laila chuckled softly. "I'm not nervous. Just treat it like an adventure game."

Of course, she was nervous—but she didn't want him to see it. If he focused too much on her, he might get distracted at a critical moment. She couldn't bear the thought of escaping safely only for him to get hurt.

But how could Roy not see through her?

"Are you trying to show off your acting skills in front of me? You're a director, trying to fool an Oscar-winning actor with your performance?"

"Was it that obvious?" Laila didn't deny it. She touched her face. "You can't even see my expression. How did you know I was acting?"

Roy turned to his side, propped up on one arm, and looked at her. "Even if I can't see your face, I know exactly what's going through your head. Don't forget—we've known each other for nearly ten years."

Laila went quiet for a moment.

"Yeah… it's hard to believe it's been ten years. I'm really glad I met you."

Roy was surprised by her sentimentality. She rarely got like this—but every time she did, it made him incredibly happy. "You dummy," he said, ruffling her hair.

He felt the same way. If he hadn't met her, who knows if he'd still be alive today?

Laila thought back to when they first met. Roy had been a hopeless little delinquent, wasting his handsome face on petty crime. Then she talked him into coming to Hollywood, got him into her company, and paved what she thought was the best path for him. And he'd seized it—more successfully than she'd ever imagined.

No, he'd gone beyond even her expectations. She'd never dreamed he'd become the youngest Best Actor in Oscar history.

Sure, he'd been a little shit in the beginning. She even had to bail him out of the police station—twice. But he'd grown, step by step, until he became an icon admired by millions. Watching him transform like that was... surreal.

They whispered to each other quietly as they waited for the appointed time.

When the watch hands ticked to 2:30 a.m., they finally got out of bed. After spending a few minutes tidying themselves up, they moved to the spot closest to the front door, waiting for Dong and his team to arrive.

As per the plan, Dong's team would cut the phones and other communications, and also neutralize a few of the senior gang members—by tossing in smoke bombs while they were asleep, enough to knock them out cold.