Chapter 267: 10.8

The next day, James Grind was sitting in front of his Director with his head lowered down, and he hunched a bit, scared of getting scolded.

"Agent 69 James Grind, you've failed three times… embarrassingly," the Director said the next day. "I've never been so embarrassed by you when I heard from Henderson that you did an unnecessary thing, and you actually saved Long Zhen before he got assassinated."

"You should be ashamed with your record, James Grind. Even Henderson has a better track record than you," the Director said.

"Wait, who is Henderson?"

"Agent 34 Henderson Taichi, how could you forget your own partner?! He is so passionate about making you a good spy!" the Director yelled.

"You mean… HenTai?"

"Henderson Taichi!"

"Yes, HenTai…"

"Henderson!"

"HenTai."

"Henderso—"

"HenTai."

"… HenTai," the Director finally yielded and accepted Agent 34 Henderson Taichi's new name. The Director cleared her throat and continued, "You should be punished. I will station you in the maid café as your new espionage mission."

"NO! I do not want to crossdress!" James Grind desperately begged. "Director, I will do anything as long as I don't get to crossdress!"

The Director seemed to think for a moment, then he said, "I can forgive you and not let you crossdress for the public. But… you have to crossdress for one person only."

James Grind imagined that he had to crossdress for one perverted guy vs crossdress for dozens of perverted old uncles. "I will take that one guy! Please, don't let me do crossdressing in public!"

James Grind remembered when those old uncles grinned at him pervertedly, wanting to touch him even though the maid café already mentioned no touching the maids.

"Fine then, I do found a sponsor for you. This sponsor said that he wants you to accompany him as his personal assassin," the Director said. She looked at the door and signalled. "You may come out now, Master."

The door slowly opened, and a man around 185 cm tall with permed hair and a black suit. "Yes, I need my personal assassin here."

James Grind gawked when he saw the man he hated so much suddenly entered his spy base. James Grind took out the nearest fruit knife and yelled, "Stay away! Director, go to the hidden door behind the bookcase by pulling the third book. I will protect you first!"

"…."

"…."

"Director?" James Grind was confused when he saw his Director sitting leisurely. She sighed and ordered James Grind;

"Put down that fruit knife. Master Long Zhen is our esteemed guest," The Director stated. "You will be assigned with him. He paid so much money for your service."

"What?!" James Grind protested. "You are just going to sell me out like this?! Director, I am a valuable asset in this organization!"

"Don't worry, you are going to get a share. Master Long Zhen paid so much money for your service. Take this as a personal mission," Director added, trying to pacify James Grind.

"I would never—"

"I will give you half of it. He paid us 20 million dollars. 10 million dollars, okay?"

"… okay."

Long Zhen chuckled when he witnessed how James Grind accepted the bribe of 10 million dollars to be his private assassin. "I can always pay you more if your service is good, Mister Grind."

James Grind blushed, and he pointed his finger at Long Zhen. "W—What a horrible man! I'm not going to be your whore! Do you think you can pay me with—"

"Extra five million dollars if you do a good job?" Long Zhen snipped and offered immediately.

"… Yes, Master Long Zhen."

James Grind started counting the money he could get just by staying beside Long Zhen.

[Pupa, I will be rich soon!]

[Pupa:… Your identity here is a spy and assassin, not a kept man.]

[Doesn't matter, where there is money, there is me. I am a realistic man.]

[Pupa:…]

"Okay, you two can go somewhere and do your stuff. I will be counting your money," the Director said. At the same time, she opened three big boxes that Long Zhen brought, containing twenty million dollars. "Money-money-money-money."

James Grind and Long Zhen sat inside the bulletproof Rolls Royce. James Grind was both expectant and scared, especially since Long Zhen was still considered his enemy. Maybe Long Zhen would kill him here, or perhaps he would torture him.

"S—So, Master Long, since you are now my boss, what do you want me to do? I am a professional assassin! I can kill your enemy with ease!" James Grind boasted to his new temporary boss.

"Hn? Of course, you will have to kill me," Long Zhen said lightly. He smiled at James Grind and rubbed his head gently. "I've been a target of assassination since young. They usually either try to gain my trust first or straight up try to seduce me. But all of them ended up dead—"

Long Zhen gaze darkened, and he scoffed ironically. "Because I know that they have no good inside their heart. I live in a dark world, so it would be nice to have something sunny around me."

"But that is absurd! You paid me to be your killer? I thought you would use me as a tool to attack your enemy or something!" James Grind protested. "I'm a professional, you know!"

"But I don't want you to get hurt," Long Zhen said honestly.

"I will not get hurt!"

"You just did before. Don't you remember when you fell from my vent?" Long Zhen chuckled. "That was pretty funny."

"T—That is a one-time thing!" James Grind protested. "Trust me, I can be a good killer!"

Long Zhen pinched James Grind's cheek gently and said, "That's why you should be my personal assassin, okay? You are responsible for killing me if you can. If you are successful, you'd be hailed as a great assassin in the future."

James Grind started imagining the amount of money he could get and the notoriety for assassinating Long Zen. This was ridiculous, but Long Zhen never actually hurt him when he got caught.

"You won't fight when I try to assassinate you, right?" James Grind asked.

"Well, of course, I will fight. But don't worry, I will not hurt you," Long Zhen smiled. "Don't be too scared with me. I will not hurt you since I know that you are harmless."

James Grind, who was confident that he could kill Long Zhen in the future, felt insulted by that sentence. "I'm also harmful. I will prove to you that I'm harmful and dangerous!"

Long Zhen sighed helplessly, and he chuckled. "Okay, okay, I believe in you. Do your best to be dangerous, okay?"

[Pupa: Ding! Breakmeter increases to 0%.]

[Pupa: Ding! Fatemeter increases to 35%.]

[Pupa: I think Urduk fucked you too hard in the last world, now your mind has regressed from a stupid hoe to simply stupid.]

[Eh? I don't see the difference.]

[Pupa: Exactly.]

"Okay, now. Since I've saved you from the public crossdressing disaster, when will you crossdress for me? I wonder if you will look good with maid dress," Long Zhen commented while leering perversely at James Grind's body.

James Grind hurriedly covered his body with his hands and yelled, "S—Shameless!"