To make the gang leader Adrian Shaw notice me more,

I took 99 stabs for him,

my body covered in layers of scars,

especially the one over my heart. Even the doctor said if it had been a little off, I would've been dead.

But I was still willing to be his shadow.

When I crawled back from death's door for the 100th time,

Adrian was holding his new, delicate beauty and tossed me a billion-dollar check:

"You don't have to follow me around anymore. She's scared of blood, and looking at all your scars is just bad luck."

When I heard that, I could barely keep from smiling.

I turned around and sent a message to the undercover police:

「The target now trusts his new lover and no longer relies on my protection. We can proceed with the arrest plan.」

I got an instant reply,

「Roger that. Stay safe!」

I didn't even glance at the check, just swept my eyes coolly over the crowd:

"Mr. Shaw, keep the check.

Take care of yourself. That's all I want.”

The noisy room instantly went quiet.

Their eyes were fixed on me, because I was the first person who dared to refuse Adrian's check.

Everyone's expression froze. what I did was undoubtedly a slap in his face.

The lazy look in Adrian's eyes vanished, and he roared, "What did you say?"

I didn't answer, just turned and walked out of the room.

"Is she crazy?"

"Ungrateful bitch?"

...

Behind me, a crowd of people started cursing me out.

They were all eager to prove their loyalty to Adrian.

Adrian had never been disrespected like that before. His authority had been trampled.

And by a woman he "favored," one who was supposed to be at his beck and call!

Adrian waved his hand and pulled out a wad of cash: "Find her!

Tear this city apart and bring her to me!"

He wanted to drag me back and make me kneel and beg for his forgiveness!

But by then, I was already in a completely secure safe house.

I took off all my accessories, shedding my "disguise."

In the mirror was a pale but extremely clear-headed face.

Being undercover by Adrian's side for years was like walking on the edge of a blade.

Years ago, the police had carefully orchestrated a plan for me to earn Adrian's trust in the brutal way of "taking a knife" for him.

All these years, every step I took was on the edge of a blade.

There was no love between us, only the mission.

Now, he had a new lover by his side.

This woman was delicate and fragile, exactly Adrian's favorite type.

Just because she said she was scared of blood, I lost my place by his side.

My superiors also issued an order: "Trust has been transferred. It's perfect time to arrest him. Evacuate immediately."

Adrian's anger was not my problem.

His threatening messages kept coming in through a satellite signal.

The messages were full of Adrian's arrogance and condescension:

“Elara Vance, you think you can survive in this circle without my protection?”

“Don't forget how many people want you dead.”

“You will crawl back to beg me.”

My finger swiped away the messages, and I shut off the signal completely.

All attempts by the gang to find and contact me were silently intercepted by the police.

This was a clean break between me and Adrian.

For the next five years, I started with therapy for my psychological trauma.

I then transferred to the security department and continued my work.

Using my insights into criminal networks from my time undercover, I solved one case after another.

I worked my way up to Commander of the Special Investigations Unit.

Until a massive cross-border case broke out, and I was ordered to investigate.

At the other end of the hallway, Adrian stepped out of the elevator, surrounded by a group of people.

Our eyes met, and my pupils contracted sharply.

I quickly turned my head away and went back to talking with my colleague.

Without breaking my stride, I brushed right past him.

As if he were a total stranger.

Late at night, I had just walked out of the command building.

A hesitant and shocked voice came from the side, "Elara?"

I didn't stop walking until a figure blocked my way.

It was Jace, a mid-level operative Adrian had trusted in the past.

"It really is you!"

The confusion in Jace's eyes was almost overflowing. "You... I almost didn't recognize you."

Years had passed, and I was no longer the shadow bodyguard I once was.

Of course, I no longer had that silent, fierce, and menacing personality.

I looked at him, wondering why he was at the entrance of the command building.

"You've got the wrong person."

My voice was flat as I tried to walk around him.

"No mistake!"

Jace's tone was certain, with an eagerness to take credit. "After you left, Mr. Shaw threw a huge fit and had you investigated from top to bottom!"

"None of us ever thought that you, the woman who would've died for Mr. Shaw, were actually a cop!

Although we haven't figured everything out, we know most of it."

He was implying something, wanting to see fear on my face.

My eyes were blank, and my words were icy.

"Move!"

Jace, angered by my indifference, took a step to block me again. "Mr. Shaw got rid of several of our buddies for you!

And this is the attitude you give him?"

"Tonight, Mr. Shaw has a meeting at 'Black Club'. You have to come with me and apologize to him properly!"

"Don't think wearing that uniform makes you something!

You've pissed off Mr. Shaw, you won't live much longer!"

I stopped looking at him and walked straight past.

The mission was over. It had nothing to do with me anymore.

A few hours later, following a new lead, I came out from my investigation at 'Black Club'.

I ran right into Jace and a few of his guys.

"Said you wouldn't come, but your body is pretty honest!"

Jace grinned. "Mr. Shaw is here. He'd like to catch up with you, Elara!"

Without another word, I was half-forced into a private room by several men.

Inside, the room was thick with smoke, and the noisy chatter was mixed with crude jokes and the reek of alcohol.

A few familiar faces were scattered around, but the rest were strange.

Adrian was leaning back on the main sofa, his aura even more tyrannical than before.

Eliza Lane was still sitting beside him, looking even more frail than before.

It looked like Adrian hadn't stopped tormenting her over the years.

I quickly scanned the people in the room and identified the key target.

My finger lightly pressed the side of my watch.

The micro-communicator vibrated with a Morse code message from my superior: "Stay calm, gather evidence. Backup is on the way."

Just then, a drunk man pointed at me. "The mole!

The cop!

How dare she show her face here?

!"

All sound stopped abruptly.

Countless eyes turned to me, filled with surging hostility.

Adrian snapped his head up.

The moment he saw it was me, he grabbed the crystal ashtray from the table and smashed it violently on the floor!

"Traitor!"

"Is it really her?"

"Mr. Shaw has been looking for her for so long... and today she just walks right in!"

"Here to die?

Or to make arrests?"

Whispers and curses rippled through the crowd.

Seeing me, Eliza still trembled involuntarily.

Adrian stared hard at me, every word forced through his teeth: "You really are a cop!"

In the dead, hostile silence, Eliza spoke up, her voice laced with a fawning tone: "Adrian has always been good to his people, especially you... I can't believe you're such an ungrateful backstabber!"

That one sentence cranked up the tension in the room.

All the thugs silently reached behind their backs.

I stood in the middle of them all, meeting Adrian's gaze, my face expressionless.

Eliza's voice was sickly sweet, like poison: "Adrian used to treat you like you were his most trusted person..."

I didn't take the drink they offered me.

"We each serve our own master.

Mission accomplished, that's all."

The insults came flooding in.

"Fuck!

This bitch still has the nerve to act so cocky!"

"Used Mr. Shaw's trust to climb up, and now you think you can just walk away after using him?"

My expressionless face only made these men more agitated.

A man with a scar on his face got close, his spit almost hitting my face. "Think you're something special, cop?

Now that you're in our hands, hah!

You'll see."

A few malicious chuckles echoed around the room.

I met his gaze. "I'm just enforcing the law.

Touch me or anyone else, and you'll face the consequences!"

"Who are you trying to scare?"

The scar-faced man reeked of alcohol. "With your pathetic power, you think you can scare Mr. Shaw?

If you know what's good for you, get on your knees and beg Mr. Shaw now. You still have a chance!"

Another leader spoke in a sinister tone, "Mr. Shaw appreciates talent.

Come back and work for us. It's better than being a pawn they can sacrifice at any time."

The scar-faced man immediately agreed. "Exactly!

If you go back, you'll be an outcast on both sides!

Who would ever trust you again?"

At the head of the table, Adrian suddenly crushed his glass.

Shards of glass dug into his palm, blood and wine dripping together.

Eliza suddenly let out a soft laugh, breaking the tension. Her voice was full of fake concern. "Elara, don't say we don't care about our past ties."

"I'll give you a way out: The Gold Club needs a 'liaison' knowing the ropes. You'd be perfect for it."

"After all, that's what you've been doing all these years."

"Or... you could tell us the 'patrol' schedule for the west side warehouse in New York City. Consider it a way to make amends."

A smile touched my lips. "Looks like you've done well for yourself these past few years, Eliza.

You're even involved in the business now."

"Too bad. My job is to send you all to prison, not to negotiate!"

Eliza frowned, a hint of showing off in her tone. "Don't push your luck!

Adrian's connections now are not something you can mess with!

Do you know why your large-scale raid last time came up empty?"

She glanced smugly at Adrian, whose expression relaxed a little at her words. "That 'big shot' up top? It took Adrian and me a hell of an effort to make that connection!

He gave us a heads-up long ago!

It seems within your police department..."

Her words hit me like a bombshell, shaking me to my core.

How many life-or-death situations had I been through for those leads, for those chances to successfully capture suspects.

And someone else sold out the entire team with just a few words.

Eliza spoke, almost bragging, "That shipment at the docks last time? If Adrian hadn't gotten a tip-off in advance, we would've been screwed."

A chorus of sycophantic agreement rose from the crowd.

The underlings were full of awe and compliments, marveling at how Adrian had connections everywhere.

Someone else hinted that Eliza had "played a huge part" in it.

Eliza smiled, enjoying the praise, and swayed her hips as she went to pour Adrian a drink.

Just as she suggestively leaned in, Adrian pushed her away.

The glass almost fell to the floor.

Adrian's eyes were dark, fixed on me.

I lowered my eyelids, completely uninterested in this farce.

My finger brushed over a button on my suit, activating the recorder.

Every word they said from now on would be evidence.

Snubbed by Adrian, Eliza turned to take it out on me. "What, scared stiff?

Or are you trying to figure out how to warn your partners?

Don't even dream of it. Once you walk through this door, you're not walking out alive!"

My voice was calm and cold. "I was just thinking that justice has long arms."

After a moment of dead silence, an even louder burst of laughter erupted.

"Still talking tough when you're about to die."

"She sure can spout the cop slogans!"

The waves of mockery nearly tore the roof off.

Just then, a henchman rushed to Adrian's side, his face panicked. In a voice tight with fear, he whispered, "Mr. Shaw, we've lost contact with 'Sir'... all the backup lines... they're all dead."

Adrian's face changed drastically. He whipped his head to look at me.

His eyes were probing, as if trying to figure out when I could have sent the message.

He shot to his feet and flipped the coffee table in front of him!

All the laughter died instantly. His men fell silent, frozen in fear.

Eliza was so scared she took a step back, her face turning pale.

,

Only I stood my ground.

Eliza flinched at Adrian's fury, then pointed at me, her voice shrill, "It was her!

"Adrian, it must be her doing!"

"Elara, this is your last chance. Tell me the police deployment!

"Or else..."

I said resolutely: "No chance!"

The men all glared at me with murder in their eyes, just waiting for Adrian's command.

Just as Adrian was about to speak—

A loud crash echoed faintly from outside.

The man at the door scrambled in, his face ashen. "Mr. Shaw!

"Outside, there are cars everywhere!

"We're surrounded!"