Ji Wei stood in the corner, her back pressed against the elevator wall. Though she was already in disguise and wearing a mask, she knew Miyata would have no way of recognizing her. Yet, sharing such a confined space with a man who could kill without hesitation left her palms sweating with tension.
Finally, with a soft ding, the elevator doors opened.
Ji Wei acted as though she was too nervous to move.
Miyata glanced at her briefly, then strode out of the elevator with an air of arrogance.
Only after confirming that Miyata was no longer paying attention to her did Ji Wei hastily follow him out.
She saw Miyata get into a car parked at the hotel’s entrance and quickly followed suit.
The taxi sped through Tokyo’s streets, trailing the black sedan ahead. Ji Wei removed her cleaner’s uniform as soon as she got into the car and took off her mask. She let her hair fall loosely over her shoulders and applied a thick coat of smoky makeup to obscure her appearance as much as possible.
Staring at herself in the mirror, Ji Wei almost didn’t recognize the person that looked back—someone entirely different from her usual self.
Luckily, she had earlier asked Nami for some makeup supplies, which had now proved useful.
The sedan ahead came to an abrupt halt, and the taxi stopped quickly after.
Ji Wei pulled out a handful of coins Nami had given her and paid the fare.
At this point, Miyata Ichiro was walking into a nearby alley. This area was far removed from Ginza’s bustling commotion, its quietness accentuated only by the dim streetlights casting long shadows.
Ji Wei followed cautiously in Miyata’s footsteps, watching as he walked into an inconspicuous little shop.
What is he doing here?
Ji Wei was puzzled. After hesitating for a moment, she stepped inside.
Just as she lifted the curtain, a tall man blocked her path.
Standing like a wall before her, Ji Wei looked up to see that this man was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreigner!
Speaking in English, Ji Wei said, "I’m with Mr. Miyata who just walked in. Could you let me through?"
The blonde man clearly knew Miyata Ichiro. He scrutinized Ji Wei from head to toe, noting her nightclub-esque appearance. Considering Miyata’s notorious fondness for women and his occasional habit of bringing them along, the man stepped aside and allowed Ji Wei to pass.
Ji Wei quickly expressed her thanks.
Inside was a rather ordinary Japanese-style tavern, dimly lit and suggestively intimate. Scattered patrons sat at small tables drinking and talking, their voices low. Follow current novels on novel·fıre·net
Ji Wei scanned the room, but Miyata Ichiro was nowhere to be seen.
Strange. The tavern was only so big; how could Miyata just vanish?
As Ji Wei puzzled over the situation, she noticed several men in suits entering one after another. However, instead of heading toward the tables, they walked directly to the kitchen and pulled back the curtain.
Ji Wei felt astonished. After those men had gone through, she cautiously approached and lifted the curtain herself.
Behind the curtain was yet another door.
If her instincts were correct, Miyata must have gone through here. Ji Wei steadied herself, placed her hand on the door handle, and turned it slowly.
Meanwhile, after Ji Wei had left, Nami—who had been on her break—took the elevator up to the 25th floor. She carried a bento box she had just picked up from downstairs.
Nami stood in front of room 2507 and pressed the doorbell.
After a few rings, someone came to answer the door.
When the door opened to reveal a man standing there, Nami politely raised the bento box in her hand and smiled. "You must be Miss Ji’s husband? Is she inside? She didn’t eat much on her way here, so I brought her a meal."
The man scanned Nami with a predatory look in his eyes.