Chapter 301
After finishing their meal, Maisie and Zinnia stepped out of the private dining room. Outside, Emily and Stephen were already waiting with Nathan.
โMs. Jenkins, Ms. Moore, Iโll be taking care of your itinerary from now on.โ As soon as Maisie and Zinnia stepped out of the room, Zamir came up.
Zinnia sized up Zamir, dissecting him in seconds. โHeโs clearly in disguise and is a foreigner,โ she thought, judging from his prominent facial bones and those eyesโeven behind tinted contacts, a sliver of unnatural hue bled through.
Maisie drawled lazily, her eyes casually appraising Zamir. โAnything fun around here? Weโre only staying for a day and heading somewhere else tomorrow, so bring out the best youโve got.โ
โThe finest attraction here is the hot spring nestled in the mountain forest. The temperature is perfect all year round, making it ideal for a relaxing soak at your leisure. If youโre interested, I can arrange everything right away. The forest also features numerous observation decks. Itโs a wonderful place to enjoy the scenery and have snacks.โ Zamir kept his head bowed.
โThe hot spring in the woods? Zinnia, what do you think? Want to give it a try?โ Maisie didnโt answer right away. Instead, she turned to Zinnia to see what she thought.
Zamir listened intently, hoping theyโd agree. After all, the woods could make it much easier for them to act.
While waiting for an answer, Zamir couldnโt help but size up the ordinary-looking man standing beside Zinnia. โThis guy doesnโt seem like Nathan at all,โ he thought. โFar too ordinary. Nathan would never be such an unremarkable man.โ
โA hot spring? Sure. Iโve never tried one before,โ Zinnia replied with an eager nod.
โIโll arrange everything at once. Allow me to escort you there now,โ Zamir said respectfully, though inwardly believed that the guy wasnโt Nathan.
Zamir thought, โNathanโs so cunning. The real Nathan wouldโve sniffed out this trap before the words left my mouth. But this guy just stood there quietly, not saying a word. Nathanโs already noticed me and is just playing along? Nah, no way. If heโd figured it out earlier, he wouldโve nabbed me ages ago.โ
Zamir felt most of his wariness melt away. โIf Nathan really isnโt here, then things will be much easier,โ he thought.
Zamir took the lead up front, with the others trailing behind him.
Maisie watched Zamir leading the way and blinked. โHe seems not smart?โ she thought. Sheโd always imagined people from the underground group would be terrifying, but as she was actually dealing with Zamir, all she saw was just a fool.
Leaning in, Maisie whispered to Zinnia, โWhy do I feel like heโs not smart?โ
โI think so too,โ Zinnia nodded.
She wondered, โHeโs even trying to lead us up the mountain on purposeโisnโt he worried weโd notice? Iโm a bit slow, but apparently, heโs even more clueless than me.โ
The group took the express elevator straight to the mountaintop. With the summit so far from the base, the ride took a full five minutes.
Zinnia stood inside the glass elevator, gazing out at the scenery. As the elevator slowly ascended, she watched the buildings below shrink, while a vast, expansive view gradually unfolded before her eyes.
Zinnia couldnโt help but say, โWhat a magnificent view! If I ever get the chance, I really want to travel all over the world. Iโll explore every corner and truly see it for myself.โ
Because of her heart condition, she never dared to really enjoy herself anywhere, nor did she risk doing anything dangerous. When Nathan was around, she held back, afraid her health issues would only cause him trouble. Every time he had to save her, it took a heavy toll on him. After Nathan left, she became even more cautious, terrified that if her heart acted up, she wouldnโt live long enough to see him return.
โIf I ever get the chance, Iโd love to see the world for myself,โ Zinnia thought.
โGood idea. Letโs travel the world together someday,โ Maisie responded with a bright smile.
Hearing their words from behind, Zamir sneered inwardly, โHow naive! Dreaming of seeing the world? Youโd better survive this ordeal first.โ
Their conversation carried them effortlessly to the summit, where a long wooden corridor stretched before them. The air was noticeably warmer than at the baseโlikely due to the hot springs. Steamy mist hung in the air, and clusters of flowers were in full bloom. Vast stretches of vibrant blossoms thrived, breathtakingly beautiful.
The resort below gleamed with sleek modernity, while the summit featured traditional timber-framed architecture with winding corridors, where each hot spring pool was secluded in its own private space. With the mountain reserved for their group alone, only some staff remained. By the time they arrived, it was already late. After more than an hour of dining, it was now past three in the afternoon. Since it was winter, dusk would fall early, especially at the summit, where darkness descended even sooner than at the base of the mountain.
โMs. Jenkins, Ms. Moore, Pool One is ready for you,โ the manager said respectfully. He then discreetly nodded to Zamir, who was leading them forward.
The group caught every subtle exchange between the two. Clearly, their people had infiltrated everywhere.
โAlright.โ Maisie nodded. โSee that Emily and Stephen are accommodated as well. Everyone gets the best treatment.โ Maisie waved her hand grandly, signaling for arrangements to be made for those behind herโher people deserved nothing but the best.
โAbsolutely. Our people deserve the bestโmoneyโs no object. Only the finest for us. Stick with us and youโll never be disappointed,โ Zinnia declared, pumping her fist in the air.
She had that typical innocent vibe about her, believing every word that came her way.
Zamir was rendered speechless. For a moment, he genuinely wondered, โIs this girl really someone Nathan trained? She doesnโt have a shred of witโlooks like a total airhead. No wonder that cripple said she was gullible.โ
After observing Zinnia for a while and confirming she was utterly clueless, Zamir lost all interest in keeping tabs on her. The next phase of the plan was up to Albert now.
Zamir slipped into a discreet room with the attendant, pulled out his phone, and began contacting his team to set the next phase in motion.
Zamir thought, โWho wouldโve thought things would go so smoothly? Got them up the mountain without a hitch. With everything set for now and just over an hour until dark, we would only be staying here for a day. The next destinationโs still a mystery. This sparsely populated mountain area, with its wide-open terrain, provides perfect cover for hiding and escaping. This is our perfect opportunity. Tonightโs operation must succeedโfailure is not an option.โ
A cold, ruthless glint flashed in Zamirโs eyes. He had been watching them closely during this time, barely eating or sleeping well. After wrapping up this job, he was determined to enjoy himself to the fullest.
Emily was assigned to the hot spring suite adjacent to Zinnia and Maisieโs.
Meanwhile, Stephen and Nathan were directed to the menโs hot spring suite. With them separated, itโd be easier for those guys to take action.
โMaisie, want a mint? Good for your throat,โ Zinnia offered.
As they entered the hot spring, Zinnia immediately caught a faint whiff of knockout spray in the air. She grabbed Maisie and subtly held her breath. Then she rummaged through her purse, took out a mint from a small bottle, and handed it to Maisie.
Maisie sensed something was off the moment Zinnia spoke, and popped the mint into her mouth without hesitation. โJust what I needed after all that talking,โ Maisie said.