Alice's words made Song Qiao pause slightly.
The Jiangmen incident!
He had indeed heard whispers of it.
Specifically, it was a passionate affair between a beautiful young woman and a powerful figure, which had been bizarrely exposed.
Initially, it should have been just a sensational little story, merely adding another topic for gossip in tea houses and taverns.
But unexpectedly, this woman was found to be connected to a whole list of people.
In the end, high-ranking officials and wealthy individuals affected by this incident numbered in the dozens!
It was precisely because of this event that the name Xue Rong Ying entered the eyes of China's high-level leadership.
Subsequently, due to the expanded investigation initiated by this incident, a considerable number of female spies were uncovered.
This also led to China launching a strong diplomatic offensive against Xue Guo, forcing them to cede significant interests.
"Since this incident, Xue Guo has faced severe international condemnation. Trade decreased by 50% that year, and the Far East region even experienced an extremely severe trade deficit. Affected by this, Xue Rong Ying was on the verge of being disbanded."
"However, because these female spies of Xue Rong Ying possessed a great deal of intelligence."
"To prevent more serious incidents, their data had to be erased. Special agents from Keborg were dispatched. I myself experienced a near-death escape and barely managed to flee Xue Guo, coming to China alone."
"Of course, many others suffered the same fate as I did."
After listening to Alice’s account, Song Qiao fell silent.
After a long pause, he finally spoke slowly.
"This matter is probably not as simple as you make it out to be, Alice."
Setting aside the emotional aspect of her words, a rational examination revealed numerous contradictions and loopholes.
Most importantly, the logic was entirely unconvincing.
If the problem were solely within China, why would the entire Xue Rong Ying need to be purged?
The Western world had not experienced a similar situation.
It was unlikely that the leaders of Xue Guo would abandon the entire organization due to a single incident.
After all, forming another Xue Rong Ying 2.0 would require immense time and effort.
And more importantly, it would not yield results in the short term!
"I've told you everything about my situation, Song. What else do you want me to say? To you, it might not seem logical, but reality is often far more absurd than logic."
Alice's tone was earnest, her eyes filled with sincerity.
At this moment, anyone else might have believed her.
Unfortunately, she was facing Song Qiao.
These small tricks had been seen through by him from the very beginning.
"Alice, let me tell you a secret of mine."
Song Qiao looked up, smiling at Alice, and pointed to his ear, saying with a laugh.
"Perhaps you don't know, but my hearing is a thousand times sharper than that of an ordinary person! Even if we were at a concert, I could clearly hear your heartbeat."
"And from the moment you started telling me the story of Xue Rong Ying, your heartbeat became very different from its usual rhythm."
"Words can lie, expressions can deceive, but a heartbeat never lies. Either your mouth or your heart has lied. So, tell me, which one is it?"
Hearing this, a look of panic appeared in Alice's eyes for the first time!
Her face turned pale, and she finally understood that in front of Song Qiao, she was like an exhibit under a surgical spotlight, with no secrets whatsoever!
There was no need to ask further. One look at Alice's expression was enough, requiring no further explanation.
Song Qiao drained his coffee, paid the bill via QR code, and stood up to leave.
Seeing this, Alice rushed forward, grabbed the corner of Song Qiao's clothes, and fell to her knees, apologizing profusely.
"I'm sorry, Song! It was my fault, I shouldn't have hidden anything from you, please forgive me... If I leave you, I'll be put in a body bag and sent to the morgue immediately."
Alice's voice was desperate.
She had finally realized her precarious position and knew she had no leverage with Song Qiao.
Song Qiao glanced at Alice with a cold look from the corner of his eye.
"Speak. What else are you hiding from me?"
"Don't think about hiding anything from me anymore, Alice. My patience is limited. This is your last chance!"
Alice gritted her teeth, suddenly lifted her head, and looked at Song Qiao earnestly.
"Song! If I tell you these things, you... you must make a promise. I'll exchange all the information I have for your protection!"
Song Qiao looked at Alice.
Her eyes were filled with helplessness and despair.
More importantly, her heart was beating rapidly, clearly indicating her extreme nervousness and agitation.
It was understandable.
After the events of the past few moments, if she could still remain composed, she would truly have been better off seeking refuge in the morgue.
Song Qiao nodded slowly.
"If you can guarantee that everything you say next is true and reliable, I can consider it."
A flicker of hesitation remained in Alice's eyes, but Song Qiao's next words completely dispelled her concerns.
"At the very least, I won't let Hanado find you."
This statement was like a shot of adrenaline for Alice.
She took a deep breath, and her previously tense and uneasy heart finally began to calm down.
Alice slowly stood up from the ground.
Due to her forward lean, the movement was rather significant, causing a glimpse of snowy white to unintentionally reveal itself again.
It was fully captured by Song Qiao's gaze.
Well, this was purely involuntary.
So it couldn't be blamed on Song Qiao for creating trouble; he remained a gentleman of unyielding virtue!
Song Qiao, the "gentleman on the surface," appeared unfazed, but inwardly, a ripple of excitement and agitation stirred.
Damn it, as expected... coming from Xue Rong Ying, her ability to enchant was truly something!
Alice seemed oblivious, standing up, her eyes vacant, and whispered.
"Actually, the reason Hanado wants to silence me is because I inadvertently discovered something... something very important to him."