Married into wealth for three years, I was universally acknowledged as the "docile, zen" trophy wife. I was so low-profile that I never even took off my sunglasses in public. Until my husband’s childhood sweetheart deliberately leaked a photo of me online. Instantly, the entire police department went on high alert. On the dark web, a bounty was placed on my head, clear as day: "Codename Phoenix: $100 Million Cash Bounty." "First come, first served." 01 Having been married into wealth for three years, I had almost gotten used to this quiet, comfortable life. Liam rarely came home, but my allowance was always more than enough. He laid his cards on the table the very first day we got married: "My parents don't like Mia, which is the only reason you slipped in. "You'd better just quietly play the role of Mrs. Sterling. "As for anything else, don't even think about it." I nodded enthusiastically, so fast that even Liam couldn't help but ask: "Were you... actually listening to me?" "Repeat what I just said." I replied, earnest and deadpan: "You said you like playing the flute." Liam was so furious that he didn't even stay for the wedding night, storming out immediately. I didn't care. It was a transaction. To him, I was just a random woman he grabbed off the street to act as a shield against his parents. But to me, he was a meticulously chosen safe haven. So, for the three years of our marriage, I made sure to never cause him any trouble. My main goal was to have "zero presence." I became known in his circle as the "docile, zen" trophy wife. Everyone envied Liam for having a wife who never caused drama, allowing him to play the field as much as he wanted. My only demand was that I absolutely would not show my face in public. When I occasionally accompanied him to social events, I was fully armored: mask, sunglasses, hat. If it weren't for the mandatory "psychological evaluation" I was forced to undergo every month, life would have been perfect. 02 That day, I finished my psych evaluation and was driven back to the mansion in an unmarked black SUV. I was feeling extremely agitated. Flashes of memories kept crossing my mind. A woman with fiery eyes raising a challenging eyebrow at me: "Sisters for life." "Hold your gun steady, sis, and I’ll hand you a Medal of Valor." A stern senior officer demanding answers from me: "Did you sell out your partner?!" "Why are you the only one who came back!" "Why did you insist on marrying Liam Sterling?!" And a doctor in a white coat looking at me with pity: "Due to extreme trauma, your memories are fragmented and confused. "It's okay, they'll come back slowly. "But you're no longer fit for field duty, plus... there are some sensitive issues... "In short, you can finally get some real rest." In my groggy state, I felt a hand on my forehead. I jolted awake instantly: "Scarlett!" Liam’s hand hovered awkwardly in the air. After a moment, he frowned in displeasure: "Who is Scott?" "Your little boy toy? "Using my money to keep a pretty boy. You’ve got nerve." I gasped for air, drenched in cold sweat. It took me a long time to reply coldly: "Why are you back?" "Didn't we agree that I only sell my acting skills, not my body?" Liam's frown deepened, as if he could crush a fly between his brows: "Why are you throwing a tantrum?" "Do you feel neglected? "Or did you hear that Mia is back in the country?" Three rapid-fire questions, and not a single one hit the mark. I put on a look of innocent confusion: "Who is Mia?" Liam... Just then, my phone chimed with a "ding." I stiffened. Very few people had my phone number. Even when Liam wanted to contact me, he had to leave a letter with someone at the door. Literally sending messages via carrier pigeon. I opened the message. It was an image. The moment I saw it clearly, my pupils shrank: How is this possible? She’s dead! A message from Chief Harris followed immediately: "Our guys intercepted this on the dark web. "There will be a live human auction on the first of next month. "But we don't know if it's real yet. It might just be bait." I sank into deep thought. Beside me, Liam was still rambling: "I know you've always felt like a replacement. "Now that Mia is back, I'm going to test the waters with my parents. "If they can accept her, I'll draft the divorce papers..." Before he could finish, I managed to lift a hand and give him a crisp "OK" sign. Liam... Liam lost his cool: "Seriously, could you show me a little respect?!" Respect was impossible. The only person in the world who commanded my respect was currently lying in a military cemetery. 03 With practiced ease, I opened a browser—bypassed the firewall—and logged into my dark web account. I sent the photo I just received to a contact named "Broker": "Check this for me. I need the timestamp and any signs of Photoshop." "And find out how legit this human auction early next month is." 'How legit' meant what percentage was true versus false. The reply came quickly: "Got it." "By the way, got some new AK-47s in. You want some?" "They kick ass, and shipping is free." I scoffed: "You think AK-47s 'kick ass'? You need to get out more." "Give me..." After finishing my sentence, I logged off. Looking up, Liam was still standing by the bed, staring at me with a complicated expression. I was suspicious: "Why haven't you left yet?" For a second, Liam’s expression was almost feral. It took him a long time to suppress his anger: "There's a gala tomorrow. You're coming with me." "Mia will be there too. Don't make things difficult for her." I nodded noncommittally: "Fine. Same rules as always: no photos at the event." "And I get to wear my mask and sunglasses." 04 The next day, fully armored, I arrived at the banquet hall. Liam was already there, accompanied by a girl who looked so fragile a breeze could knock her over. She looked at me timidly: "You must be Chloe, right?" "I'm Mia. Thank you for taking care of Liam for me all these years." I waved my hand dismissively: "Don't mention it. Save the sentiment, just pay me for my trouble?" "Doesn't have to be a lot. A million or so will do." Mia looked completely bewildered, her clear, innocent eyes full of massive confusion. She tried hard to steer the conversation back to the "One True Love vs. The Forgotten Stand-In" narrative: "You're so funny, Chloe." "By the way, why are you so bundled up? Is it because you're insecure about being ugly?" I adjusted the edge of my mask: "You've got a lot of nerve." Mia instantly shifted into combat mode, ready to fire back. But I continued: "You should lay off the spicy food." "Your breath is reaching me even through the mask." Liam tried to join the fray: "That's enough! Mia just got back, and you're already bullying her!" I looked up and smiled: "Oh, sorry, I missed you." "You too." "The smell is really strong. It burns the eyes." In the end, the two of them were shaking with anger. Fortunately, someone intervened and invited everyone to take their seats for dinner. 05 Everyone at the gala was a shrewd social climber. They all knew that Mia would likely soon replace me as the new Mrs. Sterling. So, absolutely no one bothered talking to me; they were all entirely focused on kissing up to Mia. I wasn't paying attention to the gala anyway. I was anxiously waiting for "Broker" to send me the investigation results. I checked my phone every ten seconds. And downed a glass of champagne every thirty seconds. Even Liam couldn't help leaning in to say: "Drink a little less." "Drinking on an empty stomach will give you an ulcer." I didn't even need to use my peripheral vision to know that Mia's rage meter was fully maxed out at that moment. I awkwardly took a big bite of food, trying to avoid conversation. To my surprise, a moment later, Mia suddenly laughed: "Oh my, I accidentally posted a photo of Chloe on Instagram." "The internet is rating your looks right now." "Tsk, how could someone give you a one out of ten? That's too mean." I nearly spit out my wine. I swiftly snatched Liam's phone from beside him and immediately saw the trending post on Instagram. It was a picture of me drinking. The comments underneath were buzzing: [The mysterious Mrs. Sterling finally shows her face.] [I almost forgot Liam was married. His wife is way too low-profile.] [Heh, everyone knows she's just a stand-in. Mia will take her rightful place soon.] [Sure enough, she looks painfully average. Not even half as pretty as Mia.] [To the person above... when you said 'painfully average,' didn't your conscience hurt a little?] I looked at Liam with eyes like ice. He guiltily rubbed his nose, then loudly defended himself: "I didn't know Mia took a picture of you!" "Besides, you're not famous. What's the big deal if she posted it?" Mia chimed in loudly too: "Exactly. You're just a normal person." "It's not like fans are going to camp outside your house at midnight begging for an autograph." "You really think you're someone special." Of course no one was going to camp outside for an autograph. There would only be mercenaries camped out at sniper vantage points at midnight, ready to take my head. I took a deep breath and solemnly announced: "Ms. Mia, you're in deep trouble." "I prematurely express my condolences for the legal consequences you're about to face." "But you brought this on yourself with your itchy fingers." Mia laughed disdainfully: "Legal consequences? You're joking." "What could possibly..." Mid-sentence, she suddenly froze. It wasn't just her. Everyone in the hall was looking at their phones in confusion: "Why was the post deleted?" "And Mia's account was banned?" I took a sip of wine. The police department was probably on high alert by now. But even with them acting fast, it was probably too late... Just then, the piercing wail of police sirens erupted outside the hotel. Simultaneously, the large screen in the banquet hall suddenly flared to life. A jumble of code flashed frantically across the screen. Then, a masked, mixed-race man appeared on the screen: "Officer Phoenix, you really are still alive." "You've hidden yourself too well these past few years." "But since you've surfaced, I won't let you disappear so easily again." "It's time to settle the score for you taking down my entire drug manufacturing operation years ago, and for the death of your partner." "From this moment on, I am issuing a bounty to all mercenaries and hunters on the dark web." "The head of Codename Phoenix: $100 Million Cash Bounty." "First come, first served." "Of course, you are also welcome to come find me for revenge." "I will be waiting for you at the site of our old shootout." "I wonder, do you still have the guts to show up alone like you did back then?" I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms. Staring straight at the man on the screen, I mouthed silently: "With pleasure." He couldn't possibly hear my answer, but in that fleeting second... Stephen, the drug lord who had once ruled from the shadows, smiled a chilling smile of satisfaction. 06 The entire banquet hall plunged into a dead silence. The next second, the main doors were kicked open by SWAT teams. Chief Harris’s frantic, booming voice echoed into the room: "Secure the perimeter! Secure the perimeter!" "Check all sniper vantage points!" "Where is the cyber division?! Did they send toddlers?!" "Delete the video immediately! Check our firewalls!" The SWAT team swarmed in. Captain Chen, leading the charge, yelled at the top of his lungs: "Everyone, get down on the ground!" The socialites and executives in the room were dumbfounded. But meeting the glaring eyes of the SWAT officers, they instantly and uniformly dropped to the floor with a collective woosh. Chief Harris marched over, nodded sharply at me, then narrowed his eyes and roared: "Who uploaded Officer Chloe’s photo just now?!" Mia, trembling uncontrollably, hid behind Liam. Neither of them made a sound. Chief Harris followed my gaze, locked onto Mia, and waved his hand authoritatively: "Take her in first. Run a full background check on her social connections." "See if there’s a motive for intentional exposure." Mia was stunned. It wasn't until a SWAT officer stepped forward to grab her that she snapped out of it: "Why are you arresting me?!" "I have civil rights..." She was hauled out before she could finish. Two other men in the room, shifting their eyes nervously, were pointed out by me and taken away as well. They were Liam’s good buddies. As they were dragged out, they glared at me in silence, their expressions venomous. Liam, on the other hand, looked completely clueless: "What is going on?" "Why did they take them away?" "What is it that I don't know?" I stared at him intently for a long moment, then smiled: "Just stay like this. It’s better this way." The cyber division finally got into position. But Stephen's video had already spread rapidly in that incredibly short window. He hadn't just hijacked the banquet hall’s screen; he had even forced the video onto the jumbotrons in the downtown shopping district. Countless people witnessed his declaration of war. The worst part was that many people recorded the video and uploaded it to the internet again. It was already trending everywhere. The whole internet was buzzing, trying to figure out my identity. The cyber cops were cursing in despair: "No way, are these people insane?!" At the same time, my phone rang. It was an encrypted call. I walked to a corner, avoiding Chief Harris's scrutinizing gaze, and answered the call. Broker’s excited voice blasted through: "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! You're a cop?!" "I've been working for a cop this whole damn time?!" I cut him off ruthlessly: "Did you not get paid?" The other side instantly went quiet. After hesitating for a moment, he said: "It’s not about the money. You’re the dark web’s number one target now." "I can't help you anymore, or I’ll lose my own life." "I found out what you asked me to look into." "Consider this one on the house. No charge. Take care of yourself from now on." I curled the corner of my mouth: "Thanks." "You'd better pack your bags and hide overseas for a while." Broker’s dismissive voice came through: "Relax, what could happen to me?" "I'm just a low-level hustler doing odd jobs for cash." "Let me tell you about the main thing, about that photo... what's that sound?" A terrible premonition suddenly washed over me. I instinctively yelled: "Watch out!" Every eye in the venue turned to me. But I couldn't care about that. A very faint snick came from the other end of the line. Followed by the sound of flowing liquid. I cried out: "Broker? Broker, what happened?!" The call was forcefully disconnected. A video was sent to my phone. I clicked it open. Broker was slumped softly on the floor. His throat was slit, the bone clearly visible. His eyes were empty, his limbs twitching involuntarily. A horrifying gurgling sound came from his throat, striking directly at my nerves. He seemed to want to tell me something. Maybe it was the investigation results, maybe he wanted to curse at me, or maybe he just wanted to say he regretted it. But he would never speak another word. He died, silently. The next second, a person wearing a black cloak and a white smiling mask appeared on the screen. He held up a piece of paper to the camera: 【This is only the beginning.】 07 Back at the familiar yet strange police station, everyone was rushing around frantically. Some were glaring and ordering suspects to "confess and get a lighter sentence, resist and face the consequences." Some were typing furiously, trying to scrub videos off the internet. And some were playing whack-a-mole, fielding angry calls from various superiors. I stood by the window, feeling completely out of place. After a while, Chief Harris came back, panting: "Why are you standing by the window? Stay out of sight!" I set down the coffee I was holding for warmth: "It's fine. This is a sniper blind spot." "Any results on Scarlett's photo?" Chief Harris slapped his thigh in frustration: "Nothing. Experts say it was processed with a special method." "It's hard to verify when it was taken." "And command says we're not prioritizing properly." "We should be focusing on capturing Stephen immediately, not getting bogged down by a photo of unverified authenticity." I let out a soft scoff: "No surprise there." Chief Harris was silent for a long moment before finally asking: "Why have you been maintaining contact with someone on the dark web all these years, even having him investigate things for you?" "And how did you know that the businesses of those two kids we just grabbed were connected to Stephen?" "You..." I narrowed my eyes and looked at him: "Why don't you just ask me directly if I’ve gone rogue?" "Isn't that the answer you’ve always wanted?" Chief Harris’s eyes hardened instantly. I didn't back down, meeting his stare head-on. "Officer Chloe, please maintain your trust in the organization!" I couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Has the organization ever trusted me?" "Haven't you spent all these years trying to dig up evidence of my betrayal?" Just as we were at each other's throats, Chief Harris’s secretary hurried over: "Chief, there’s a call from the State Department." Chief Harris didn't spare me another glance, turning and walking away briskly. I stared at his back, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of my lips. The secretary glanced at me, offering an apologetic smile: "Officer Chloe, the Chief doesn't mean any harm. He’s just getting older and a bit stubborn." "Why don't you wait in his office for a bit? You two can have a proper talk later." "I'll go make you a cup of tea." With that, he dashed off. 08 As I sat in Chief Harris’s office, sipping tea with nothing to do, a check caught my attention. It was blank, with no amount specified, but it bore an official stamp. And it was from a Swiss bank. In other words, this was an "unlimited blank check" that could be cashed anywhere in the world. The bearer could write in any amount they desired. But why was it in Chief Harris’s office? How could a 50-year-old man who still used a cheap thermos won at a company raffle possess a Swiss bank check? Just as I reached out to examine it closer, a sudden sensation of my hair standing on end washed over me. It was the instinct forged through countless brushes with death. Without a second thought, I dove to the ground, rolling and using the filing cabinet as cover. At the exact same moment, the spot where I had been standing was riddled with bullets. Submachine gun fire poured relentlessly into the office. The alarms blared: "Hostiles in the building!" Realizing they had missed their window for a stealth kill, the attackers instantly chose to retreat. By the time the police surrounded their sniper vantage point, all that remained was a pile of shell casings. Chief Harris was furious: "Damn it! This is outrageous!" "How dare they?!" "How did mercenaries get into the country?!" "Investigate this immediately!" "Did some travel agency approve tourist visas for them?!" I raised an eyebrow and pointed at the shell casings: "Snakes have their paths, rats have their holes." "These mercenaries are 'corporate employees'." "They're managed by an organized syndicate, dispersed and lying low in various countries well in advance." "When a mission comes up, they strike. Whether they succeed or fail, they extract immediately." "Once things cool down, the syndicate rotates a new crew into the country." "The same crew never executes an assassination mission in the same country twice." Captain Chen of the SWAT team looked enlightened and gave me a thumbs-up: "Officer Chloe is very knowledgeable." "We learned something new." Chief Harris snapped at him impatiently: "Don't make me smack you in the middle of a crisis!" "What do we do now?" "Every lead is dead—the photo, the auction, the dark web source..." "And those two kids we grabbed earlier? They swear their families just run 'self-storage units'." "They provide the space, but they don't know who's renting or what's being stored." "We sent people to check, and it really is a fully automated, scan-to-access operation." "Damn it, sometimes technology is too advanced for its own good..." I raised my hand to stop his rambling: "They definitely know that self-storage is meant to lower costs." "What kind of idiot pays five times the market rate for a self-storage unit?" "Interrogate them again. They're definitely the weak link." Chief Harris suppressed his frustration, ordered his men to re-interrogate the suspects, and then said: "Since our next move is unclear, you should stay at the station for a few days." "I'm worried that if you walk out that door, someone will blow you away to cash in..." I joked half-heartedly: "A hundred million dollars, huh? Even I'm a little tempted." "Harris, aren't you tempted?" Chief Harris stared blankly for a moment before realizing what I was saying. He waved his hand dismissively: "No way, no way. You hold grudges like nobody's business. I'm afraid you'd haunt my bedroom at night." I stared at Chief Harris’s balding head and spoke slowly: "Actually, there is one other path." A path Stephen had laid out for me long ago. And he knew, without a doubt, I would take it.
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