Cobutia, though an inconspicuous border nation, possessed incredibly rich mineral resources. It was famous for its green gemstones and was a major global exporter.
Despite this, the wealth disparity within the country was enormous, with widespread poverty and starvation.
For many outsiders, merely surviving in Cobutia was a pipe dream. The entire populace was militarized, preferring to work in mines for meager income rather than engage in honest farming.
Furthermore, it served as a hub for all gray industries, cultivating specific plants and extracting special ingredients to sell to those in need.
Consequently, Cobutia was a filthy and terrifying nation, its government run by the most corrupt and wicked bandits.
Suruiyi: "Sasha!!!"
Cobutia lacked any luxurious airports. Any flat patch of ground served as a makeshift runway for takeoffs and landings.
As soon as Suruiyi deplaned, she saw Sasha waiting on the ground to greet her.
Sasha hurried over to embrace her good friend. The two young women seemed to have endless conversations on the way, but mostly it was Suruiyi expressing concern for Sasha, who had married and moved here to live alone.
Sasha: "It's not as bad here as people say. It's even worse!"
Suruiyi: "Can you get used to living here?"
Sasha: "Kaiwei's father is a high-ranking government official here, and we live in the best house in the city."
Suruiyi: "Living with his family?"
Sasha: "No, just Kaiwei and me. His family is in the capital of Cobutia."
Just as the car was about to start, it was surrounded by a group of poor people.
Suruiyi and Ou Yunchen felt a bit scared. The local customs here were far from ordinary.
Some held sticks, others stones, seemingly intent on smashing Sasha's car.
Sasha took out a banknote from her bag. This country was still very backward; digital currency was unheard of, and over half the population didn't even own a mobile phone.
The driver took the banknote from Sasha, rolled down the window a crack, and handed it out. The crowd dispersed and let them pass.
However, seeing Sasha's calm demeanor, it was evident that this was a common occurrence for her.
Suruiyi: "Why aren't the police doing anything?"
Sasha: "Money is the police."
Sasha meant that in this country, anyone with money could be the police, but it was best not to provoke the poor.
As they drove, they passed crowded marketplaces with dilapidated brick houses lining the streets and trash strewn everywhere. Sasha informed them that this was the most opulent street in the city.
Upon reaching the vicinity of the embassy, it felt like entering a heavily guarded military zone. Patrol guards would halt and salute Sasha's car, and high walls enclosed the embassy.
Sasha: "We're here, isn't it nice?"
Suruiyi: "What a beautiful house."
Sasha: "Kaiwei renovated it especially for me."
It was indeed a beautiful house. Compared to the makeshift boxes built from anything outside the walls, this was a place truly fit for habitation.
Sasha: "Has Kaiwei returned?"
Servant: "Yes, he's in the living room."
Sasha pulled Suruiyi along, followed by the servants trailing behind Ou Yunchen. They seemed to be protecting their guests from any potential harm, staying close by.
Kaiwei was a middle-aged man, but his features suggested a mix of Asian and European heritage, with surprisingly light green eyes.
Kaiwei: "Hello, and welcome to Cobutia. I apologize for my official duties preventing me from personally greeting you at the airport."
Sasha: "Darling, let me introduce you to my very good friend, Suruiyi, and her boyfriend, Ou Yunchen."
Kaiwei shook hands with each of them individually, but after shaking Ou Yunchen's hand, he also gave him a hug.
Sasha: "Men in Cobutia don't shake hands; they prefer hugs."
Ou Yunchen felt a bit awkward. Being hugged by an unfamiliar stranger was quite disorienting.
With that, Kaiwei opened his arms, expecting Ou Yunchen to reciprocate the embrace.
Sasha: "To show friendship, the person being hugged should hug back."
Ou Yunchen quickly hugged Kaiwei and then stepped back half a pace.
Kaiwei: "There are no tourist attractions in Cobutia, and we rarely receive visitors. Outside the embassy walls, it is very dangerous. You should not go out after dark."
Sasha: "Oh, Kaiwei..."
Kaiwei: "I'm just worried about your friends. Cobutia is not very safe."
Ou Yunchen: "We are not here for tourism."
Kaiwei looked somewhat wary.
Ou Yunchen, holding Suruiyi's hand, said with a smile, "I heard Cobutia has green gemstones, so I've come to find one suitable for an engagement ring."
Suruiyi blushed shyly, while Sasha covered her mouth in shock.
Sasha: "Really? Are you getting married?"
Of course not. This was a pre-arranged excuse. To avoid suspicion, they had to pretend to be gem hunters.
Kaiwei: "I see. Then you've come to the right place. Although we don't welcome tourists, many merchants come here every year to search for gems. I'm sure you'll find the perfect one for an engagement ring."
Sasha's eyes welled up with joy, genuinely happy for her good friend.
Sasha: "Kaiwei, introduce them to the best gem merchants. I want my best friend to marry the man she loves with the best gemstone."
Kaiwei: "Of course, the best."
Sasha excitedly led Suruiyi upstairs. The young women wanted to have a private chat, naturally not wanting the men to overhear.
So, Ou Yunchen and Kaiwei were left alone in the living room, a slightly awkward silence between them.
Kaiwei was not a very talkative person and hoped Ou Yunchen would initiate a conversation to break the quiet.
Ou Yunchen: "This tea is good."
Kaiwei: "Oh, I brought it back from Country F."
Ou Yunchen: "You don't look like a typical Cobutian man."
Kaiwei: "Yes, my mother is from Country Y."
Ou Yunchen: "No wonder you have green eyes."
Kaiwei: "How long will you be staying in Cobutia?"
Ou Yunchen paused for a moment before replying, "Until I find the perfect gem for my fiancée."
Kaiwei nodded.
Kaiwei: "As it happens, I know a few gem merchants. Sasha can take you to see them tomorrow."
Ou Yunchen: "Won't you join us?"
Kaiwei: "I have other matters to attend to..."
Ou Yunchen: "It seems the ambassador's work is quite busy."
Kaiwei: "It's manageable."
To ease the awkwardness, or perhaps because he didn't want Kaiwei's green eyes constantly on him, Ou Yunchen stood up, intending to look around casually.
Kaiwei: "Of course, feel free to look around."
However, no matter where Ou Yunchen wandered in the living room, he felt those green eyes following him.
Perhaps Kaiwei had something to worry about.
Kaiwei: "Oh, that was a gift from a friend of mine. He was the champion of that year's golf tournament."
Tong Zekai?!
The golden golf trophy model bore the inscription of that guy's signature.
Indeed, who would know Tong Zekai?
Someone from Colin's group!!!
Kaiwei must know Colin, and perhaps he knew about the Onassis family building a laboratory here!
Ou Yunchen checked his phone. It was strange; he had arrived in Cobutia, so the tracker in his body should have sent feedback to Uncle Da. Why hadn't he received any instructions?
No signal?!
Ou Yunchen shook his phone in the air, still no signal.
Kaiwei: "We don't have cell towers here. If you need to use a phone, you'll need a dedicated one."
Ou Yunchen glanced at the phone on Kaiwei's desk.
Kaiwei: "How about this, I'll have someone arrange a phone for you and Suruiyi tomorrow so you can stay in touch."
Ou Yunchen: "That would be very kind of you."
Kaiwei: "By the way, if you find a gem you like, we can't accept mobile payments or credit cards here. It's either cash, or you and the gem merchant transfer funds at the bank."
Ou Yunchen: "So backward?"
Kaiwei: "Yes, that's why not everyone should come here."
Ou Yunchen forced a smile. He now understood Kaiwei better. He was hiding something and, in fact, was wary of Ou Yunchen.
He might not know who Ou Yunchen was, but he clearly wasn't welcoming outsiders.
Ou Yunchen: "My luggage?"
Kaiwei glanced back at a servant, who nodded. Kaiwei then said, "It's been placed in your room."
Ou Yunchen: "I am quite tired and would like to rest now."
A servant led the way, and Ou Yunchen followed him upstairs.
Ou Yunchen quickly closed the door and proceeded to inspect his luggage.
Indeed, these people were swift. His luggage had been thoroughly searched. Although it appeared untouched, Ou Yunchen spotted marks indicating the combination lock had been tampered with.
Since that was the case...
Ou Yunchen re-examined the room, leaving no corner unchecked.
Ah, in a lampshade, Ou Yunchen found a listening device.
Thus, when Ou Yunchen opened the door, the person eavesdropping outside almost fell in.
Ou Yunchen smiled and then called out Suruiyi's name.
Suruiyi: "I'm here, in Sasha's room."
Ou Yunchen gently pushed the servant at the door, smiling, "Excuse me, please let me pass."
Suruiyi and Sasha were sprawled on the large bed, whispering to each other. They didn't think much of Ou Yunchen's arrival.
Ou Yunchen: "Let's go back to the room and rest. I'm feeling sleepy."
Suruiyi: "You go ahead then. Sasha and I haven't finished our chat yet."
Ou Yunchen walked to Suruiyi, squatted down, and kissed her lips.
Sasha: "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I can't bear to watch..."
Ou Yunchen: "Let's go. I can't sleep without you."
Suruiyi felt a bit embarrassed and reluctantly got up from the bed, following Ou Yunchen back to their room.
Suruiyi: "Why the rush?"
Ou Yunchen hushed Suruiyi and then pressed his ear to the door, ensuring no one was listening outside.
Ou Yunchen: "Kaiwei is suspicious. He's been guarding against me, and I suspect he knows Colin."
Suruiyi: "No way..."
Ou Yunchen: "There was a listening device in our room..."
Suruiyi immediately covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock, staring at Ou Yunchen.
Ou Yunchen: "I've already removed it."
Suruiyi finally let out a sigh of relief.
Ou Yunchen: "But we need to be extremely careful with this Kaiwei..."
Suddenly, there was a knock at their door.
Both Suruiyi and Ou Yunchen became alert.
Servant: "Mr. Ou, Miss Su, the madam is asking what you would like for dinner."
Ou Yunchen frowned. They had just left Sasha's room; why hadn't she asked then if she wanted to know?
Ou Yunchen quickly told Suruiyi to take off her clothes and lie on the bed, then to jump a couple of times to make some noise.
Hearing the commotion, the servant inquired again.
Ou Yunchen, feigning exhaustion, rushed to open the door, leaving a gap so the servant could see into the room.
Ou Yunchen: "What is it?"
Servant: "Nothing, sorry to disturb your rest."
After re-locking the door, Ou Yunchen and Suruiyi finally relaxed.
Suruiyi: "Do you think Sasha knows who Kaiwei really is?"
Ou Yunchen: "Did you chat with her? Did you notice anything unusual?"
Suruiyi: "She's infatuated with Kaiwei, and he truly loves her. Look at this house; it's been completely remodeled to Sasha's preferences."
Ou Yunchen: "Perhaps Sasha is unaware of what Kaiwei is doing behind her back. She genuinely believes he's just an ambassador. But regardless, you still need to be wary of her."
Suruiyi: "Okay..."
Ou Yunchen: "I don't need to tell you how dangerous Cobutia is, do I? You've seen it with your own eyes. It's just you and me here, so don't trust anyone."
Suruiyi: "I understand."
Suruiyi also took out her phone. Still no signal.
Suruiyi: "What's going on? Sasha's room had a signal just now."
Ou Yunchen: "Did you have a signal in her room?"
Suruiyi: "I wasn't looking at mine; she was able to use her social media. She showed me things she'd recently bought through a personal shopper."
Ou Yunchen: "It seems Kaiwei was telling the truth. He said there are no cell towers here and that you need a dedicated phone to contact the outside world..."
Suruiyi: "What a terrible place..."
Ou Yunchen chuckled inwardly. It was like protesting too much. The more they feared exposure, the more they tried to guard their secrets, which only made people believe there was definitely something sinister happening here!
Suruiyi: "How are we going to find that laboratory?"
Ou Yunchen: "Tomorrow, Sasha will take us to meet gem merchants. You just need to keep saying you don't like them, and we'll first try to understand their methods here."
Suruiyi: "Can we really not buy anything?"
Ou Yunchen: "Green gemstones aren't that valuable. If we leave Cobutia alive, I'll buy you a pigeon's egg!"
Suruiyi: "Bigger than Mo Qingyun's!"
Ou Yunchen: "Bigger than hers!"
Suruiyi slung her arm around Ou Yunchen's and leaned into him.
Ou Yunchen: "What are you doing?"
Suruiyi: "Going to sleep?"
Ou Yunchen: "Sleeping is one thing, but why are you taking off my pants!"
Suruiyi: "Aren't you going to tuck me in?"
Ou Yunchen: "We're on a mission!"
Suruiyi: "That doesn't stop us. You're fast!"
Ou Yunchen: "You think I'm too fast, don't you?"
Suruiyi: "No, no, you're just the right speed!"