Chapter 78
That night, some tossed and turned, finding it hard to sleep, while others had wonderful dreams all night long. Cherise was опе of those who had a wonderful dream.
However, early in the morning, before it was even time for a morning workout, the urgent ring of a phone call woke her up.
Glancing at the caller ID, Cherise answered the phone, still sleepy. “Hello, Trent, what time do you think it is?”
“Cherise, I can’t sleep. I’m afraid you’ll change your mind and not come today,” said Trent on the other end, sounding a bit desperate.
Cherise rubbed her eyes. The sky outside wasn’t completely dark yet, with only a few distant streetlights faintly glowing. “Don’t worry. I promised I’d go, so I will. Go back to sleep now, or you’ll end up losing all your hair.”
“Okay, as long as you’re coming. The event is at 6 PM in the auditorium of Betrico University. Make sure you grab a bite before you come.” Trent kindly advised over the phone..
Cherise agreed with a nod and hung up the phone. With Trent’s call completely shaking off her sleepiness, she decided to get up and go for her morning run.
At 5 AM in Betrico, the sky still had a sprinkle of stars.
However, the wind was quite strong today, causing the leaves to rustle with every gust.
Cherise still ran along the usual coastal route she took for her morning runs. Maybe it was just too early, or perhaps the wind was too strong today. Usually, there were a few people jogging along the coastline, but today it was almost empty.
Thanks to her extensive training, Cherise easily completed her 5–kilometer run. After finishing her run, she found a spot with some steps and did her stretching.
The shoreline was still empty, with only the sound of waves crashing against the rocks in the distance and the occasional call of a few seagulls.
In the next moment, Cherise, who had been feeling relaxed and at ease, suddenly became alert, her eyes filling with a cold intensity. There were footsteps approaching, and they weren’t Hugh’s.
The steps were steady and sure, suggesting they might be as skilled as Hugh, and there was more than one person.
Cherise stopped stretching, standing firm and focused on where the sound was coming from, radiating a chilling sense of
intent
Five, four, three, two, one, Cherise counted their steps to zero.
Sure enough, two men in black athletic gear appeared, tall and muscular, with fierce looks like trained fighters
The two men hesitated for a moment when they saw Cherise. Not only was her appearance stunning, but she was also standing proudly on the empty beach, staring them down and exuding an unexplainable aura
It was a kind of commanding presence that only someone who had trained in martial arts for years would have. But they quickly dismissed the thought; an ordinary woman couldn’t have such an aura.
One of the men spoke up.
“You
must be Cherise, right? We need you to come with us.
Cherise looked at them with a cold smile on he
lips. “Who are you, and why should I go with you?”
Cherise didn’t expect that after just a month in Betrico, she would already have attracted someone’s attention. She must
08:36 Thu, Dec 5
Chapter 78
have gotten in someone’s way.
Π
The man sneered and said, “We’re just doing our job for the money. Come with us quietly and we promise you won’t get a single scratch”
“Oh! Then I’m afraid I can’t go with you, Cherise said calmly, realy to turn around and head home.
Seeing Cherise about to leave, the two men exchanged glances, and one of them rushed towards her.
Just as the man’s hand was about to touch Cherise’s shoulder, she quickly grabbed it, twisted it using a pressure point, and broke his index finger.
Taking advantage of the moment, Cherise jumped high using the steps behind her and struck a point at the back of the man’s head, causing him to immediately fall to the ground, unconscious.
The other man, seeing Cherise’s skill, gathered himself and moved to attack Cherise.
Cherise narrowed her eyes, approached at a steady pace, and when she was just about 19 inches away, she spun around and delivered a strong kick to a point on his abdomen, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.
Standing over him, Cherise looked down with a fierce gaze. “Who sent you?”
The man hadn’t anticipated Cherise being so formidable. Her attacks weren’t heavy, nor were there many of them, but each was lethal.
However, the members of the Ghost Hand had their own rules: they accepted jobs as long as the payment was good, never asking who the employer was.
“I don’t know,” the man answered truthfully.
“What?” Cherise asked coldly.
Seeing Cherise’s disbelief and still feeling his injuries, the man added, “We’re with the Ghost Hand. We work for whoever pays the most, without asking who they are”
“Ghost Hand?” Cherise looked up.
If they were from Ghost Hand, then indeed they wouldn’t know who the employer was. But the person who could employ the Ghost Hand members was someone to be reckoned with.
Ghost Hand was an underground organization with a precise intelligence network based overseas. It was said that one of the leaders of the war–torn Astamia ran it, providing assassination and kidnapping services for wealthy foreigners.
She pondered who could be important enough to offer such a high price for a Ghost Hand kidnapping.
She thought, ‘Is it Shirley again? Probably not. She doesn’t have the capability to reach out to Ghost Hand.
‘Oh well, when they start panicking, they’ll eventually reveal themselves.
“Does anyone have a phone?” Cherise suddenly asked.
The guy looked confused, unsure of her intentions. Afraid of geing hit, he quickly said, “Yes”
Half an hour later, the two men were in a police car on their way to the station.
