Chapter 358 - A Future (Filler Chapter. Can Skip)

Christina made sure that she would not make any noise. The form on the bed was still aside from the regular rising and falling of the chest. 

Christina 'tsked' at the sleeping position of Qing Zihao. He was facing the wall, making him most vulnerable to outside attacks. He could easily get stabbed in the back. 

When Christina slept, her back was always against the wall and her hand was under her pillow where her most trusted knife was enclosed on her fingers. That way, she would be able to cut the unexpected person.

Surely, Zihao would have known that. He was the grandson of a mafia lord. It would come with the training.

But it didn't look like Qing Zihao was in any shape to think about his own death. His arms and legs were all over the pillow that he was hugging. It didn't look like the position of someone who had gotten into bed willingly.

Christina walked a few feet closer to the body and sniffed. It confirmed her suspicion. He reeked of alcohol. It did not look like he was going to be wake up soon so she walked even closer.

His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were slightly crinkled. Whatever he was dreaming about, he was not liking it. Or maybe… it was the reality that he had to live in that he was frowning upon.

Christina dared and swept the hair off his forehead. His warmth warmed her fingertips and almost immediately, Qing Zihao moved with an irritated expression. Then he shifted to his other side.

At least now Christina would be able to see his face with his back on the wall. She disappeared to the shadows of the room, avoiding the moonlight that was pouring in from his window. She was careful not to touch anything so she sat down on the floor, staring at Zihao's face.

Now that she was here, she was wondering what she was doing. What? Was she trying to convince herself to leave the order? For this man? For Qing Zihao?

Their friendship was not that deep. They were having fun, enough that she was starting to like him. Enough that she went through lengths just to see him again before she was off.

Just how would he react if he came to the diner and he never found her there again?

What was she even thinking? She deserved a punch on the back of her head. She crossed her arms over her chest, thinking about what she would do.

The plan in her head was not going to be easy. The Order of the Red Hand was not going to let her go. That was part of the deal they had made when she was younger. 

There was no escaping the Red Hand. You do as they say and in exchange, they would provide you a safe place to stay, food to eat, equip you with the skills that you would need to be able to generate income by killing people. They would only take a small cut from your contracts to be able to create new assassins.

In short, they were investments. You did not get to be done with Red Hand. You would only be done once the Red Hand was already done with you.

No, she should not be even thinking about Zihao right now. She should be only thinking about herself and her life. She got up from the floor and went to the window. She would be able to take the leap back to the lower wall of the next property. 

Christina was never the kind of person who would look back when you say good bye. But this time she did. She looked back at the sleeping Qing Zihao before prying her gaze away.

She leapt back into the night.

I will come back for you, she thought.

**

Christina was on the plane that would take her out of Chengshi immediately. While on the vessel, she could not help but keep on fidgeting in her seat.

There were ways that you could get out of the Red Hand. One, if you're physically incapable of doing field work—you would be transferred to the desk job. Two, when you reach the age of forty-five. And the last, when you die.

But there was another way to get out of Red Hand. An idea that no other assassin should think about. Four, kill the Red Hand.

It was a laughing matter. How would you kill a whole organization of assassins? 

There was no other way to buy your freedom other than those four ways. She could kill the boss but that would not guarantee that the operations would stop.

They would hit pause until they knew who did it. But obviously, it would be her. She was the latest that would not follow the rules.

When she kills the boss… she could go into hiding, bury everything. Start somewhere new. Her multiple bank accounts would be more than enough to let her live comfortably in some far away island where they would not reach her.

Yeah, that sounded like a plan. That was the only plan that she would want.

Or… she could just finish this mission and then try to get a resignation.

No, she did not want to do this anymore. She just wanted to be free. Even if that would mean that she would be a waitress in a stupid diner for the rest of her life. She did not want more blood to coat her hands. She was done with it already.

She braced herself for the remaining hours of the ride, convincing herself that this decision was the right one. Unconsciously, in her mind she was already thinking about the future. She wanted to stay in Chengshi. She wanted to see Zihao again. All her life, she figured she would die alone. For the first time ever, she could see a future. A future with Qing Zihao.