Chapter 67: Decision

"This is crazy, we almost died," Masashi chuckled as he looked at Amy, who was huddled closely against him.

"Who are you, exactly? Are you with Murphy's people?" Ailin asked nervously.

"I already told you, I'm just a regular tourist who happened to hit it off with this little kid and decided to lend a hand."

"You're really not with Murphy?" Ailin asked, half-believing.

"I don't even know who this Murphy person is, so think what you want," Masashi shrugged, turning on the radio.

"Either way, thank you for rescuing us," Ailin said softly after a moment's silence.

Masashi just smiled without replying.

"Where are we going now?" Ailin asked, glancing out the window.

"First, to find a place to dump the garbage. Then, somewhere to rest."

Although Ailin didn't fully understand, she didn't ask further. Despite the short time they had spent together, she felt a strange sense of trust toward this young man.

Masashi parked the car in a desolate area, turned off the engine, and dragged the man next to him out of the car. Then, he opened the back door and pulled Niko out as well.

"What... what are you going to do to them?" Ailin asked anxiously.

"Miss, have you watched too many movies? I'm not here to cover up any evidence. I'm just leaving them here. Unless, of course, you want to bring them along?" Masashi smirked at her.

Ailin flushed, realizing she might have been overthinking.

"Kiddo, was this guy mean to you just now?" Masashi suddenly asked Amy, pointing to Niko on the ground.

Amy nodded emphatically. "He's a bad man. He hit my sister."

"How about I help you get back at him?"

Amy looked at him, confused.

"Get back in the car and close your eyes, okay? No peeking."

The little girl nodded, bouncing back into the car.

"You, too. I'll be back in a moment," he said to Ailin, who reluctantly returned to the vehicle.

Once she was gone, Masashi grinned at the two men lying on the ground. "Pretty boy, huh? I can't stand guys like you." With that, he started kicking Niko's face...

Half an hour later, Masashi drove to a nearby intersection and hid the car in some bushes. Then he led Ailin and Amy on foot for another half-hour until they reached a larger town.

Hailing a taxi, Masashi and the two women got in.

"Where to?" asked the young driver.

This time, Masashi cautiously replied in English, "The nearest good hotel."

"Got it." The driver looked relieved.

Masashi smiled, realizing the driver probably only understood the word "hotel."

In the hotel room, Masashi checked on Amy, who had already fallen asleep, and then turned to Ailin. "Now can you tell me about this kid's background?"

The mixed-race beauty watched him silently for a moment, then lowered her head and replied, "I don't know what your intentions are, but let me remind you: this matter doesn't concern you. If you back out now, you'll still be safe. Otherwise, you might end up risking your life."

"Think of it as me eyeing her family fortune. I can tell this kid must be worth a fortune," Masashi said casually.

Ailin studied his eyes, then laughed suddenly. "If it were anyone else, I might believe that. But with you, I have no idea what you're after. Since you want to know, I'll tell you. What you do next is up to you."

Masashi made a gesture for her to continue.

"Amy's father, Montreux Defoe, was the largest shareholder of Switzerland's Diabo Group. The Defoe family is a long-standing, highly prestigious family in Switzerland. Mr. Montreux was the current head of the Defoe family. He also had an elder brother, Rolando, and two younger brothers, Adams and Murphy.

Diabo Group is the Defoe family's primary business, encompassing two large refineries, three watch companies, eight mining operations, and a chain of supermarkets. You could say that the Defoe family is either the richest in Switzerland or very close to it. They also wield considerable influence in Swiss politics." Ailin paused briefly.

So, a classic family feud, Masashi thought as he sipped his tea nonchalantly.

"When Amy was five, her mother committed suicide by jumping from a building. Unfortunately, Amy witnessed the entire event, which became a significant cause of her introversion. No one knew why her mother did it. Most assumed she had mental issues. Since her death, Mr. Montreux has been deeply saddened, dedicating himself solely to his work and refusing to remarry. As time passed, people gradually forgot about the incident.

However, last month, Mr. Montreux had a fatal car accident while on a business trip in Nepal. I brought Amy to Nepal so she could see him one last time."

"Why did that guy Adams send people to kidnap you?" Masashi asked.

"I'm not sure, but yesterday, I received a call from a Swiss law firm. They told me I must return to Switzerland by next Saturday for the reading of Mr. Montreux's will. I suspect it might be related to that."

"Next Saturday? That's almost two weeks from now. Kazumi is going to kill me for this," Masashi muttered to himself with a wry smile.

"What are you planning to do now?" Ailin asked.

"Quitting halfway isn't my style. Since I'm already involved, I might as well treat it as a trip to Switzerland," Masashi replied casually.

"A trip? Do you have any idea how powerful those people are? They could kill you anytime." Ailin stood up in frustration.

Masashi just laughed. "Believe it or not, I'm honestly tired of living a quiet life."

"You fool," Ailin sighed, collapsing back into her seat.

"Oh, by the way, I still don't know your name. Can't keep calling you 'woman,' can I?" Masashi leaned back lazily.

"My name's Ailin Rodiman, from Finland. And you?"

"You can call me Lei Yin. I'm Chinese—or more precisely, an ethnic Chinese with Japanese nationality." Since he was abroad, Masashi habitually used his original name.

"You're Japanese?" Ailin asked, surprised.

"Didn't you hear me? I'm an ethnic Chinese with Japanese nationality. Someday, I'll return to my roots," Masashi said, meaning he expected this body would perish one day.

"By the way, Amy doesn't look Swiss at all. What nationality was her mother?" Masashi suddenly thought to ask.

"Her mother was Singaporean. Actually, Mr. Montreux was also mixed-race; his mother was Korean. So by the time it reached Amy's generation, it makes sense she doesn't look typically Swiss."

"What about you? Where's your mixed heritage from?" Masashi asked with a smirk.

Though his question seemed odd, she still answered, "My mother is also Korean."

Globalization, he thought with a smirk.

"Alright, you should get some rest. If all goes well, tomorrow we'll be on a long flight to Switzerland." Masashi stood up.

"You've really decided?" Ailin looked at him again.

"Miss, to be honest, you're a bit chatty. I'll be next door. If you need anything, just call." Masashi waved and left the room.

Ailin silently watched him leave.