Chapter 64: The Price of Betrayal

“What are my next instructions? My next instructions…”

Ella fell silent. Of course, her silence did not mean her mind was blank; quite the opposite, her brain was racing, calculating.

‘If I told him everything, would I still have any value alive?’

From Fran’s words, she had already detected a hint of killing intent. She did not want to die, however, so she desperately tried to devise a way for him to spare her life.

‘What was the key?’

She pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. ‘Yes, no one turns down money!’ She continued to parley with Fran.

“Don’t… don’t rush. I… I have even more valuable intelligence, Fran. The Patriot Alliance’s reserve funds, do you want them? I know where they hide the money. Let me go, and I’ll take you to get it.”

“Oh? Operating funds?”

Fran smiled, his expression relaxing slightly. He inquired in a gentle tone, “How much money? Is it worth buying your life?”

“So much! So much!” Ella, seeing a glimmer of negotiation, immediately cried out excitedly. “Most of it was donated by those veterans from the Imperial era and the last World War, using their pensions and selling off family assets. All together, it’ll be more than enough to satisfy you!”

Fran offered a bitter smile after hearing this, returning to his seat. His eyes gradually dimmed.

“You are truly pathetic.”

Fran spoke coldly. Ella froze, not quite understanding his meaning. He had just shown a willingness to negotiate; why had he suddenly changed his mind?

Believing he had misunderstood her offer, she quickly amended her statement.

“It’s a huge amount, truly! Enough for you to live lavishly in Purburg for several years. If… if you think it’s too little, I can find a way to get even more. All of it is yours!”

“I said you are truly pathetic!”

Fran slammed his palm on the table. Faced with this person, so emotionally desperate that she was willing to steal the hard-earned money donated by patriotic elders in her own organization and offer it to someone else, Fran truly didn’t know what to say.

He glanced at his watch again, then, without a hint of mercy, spoke his final words to her.

“I’m not interested in money. Besides… hah, you probably don’t know this, but the Patriot Alliance already relocated. To avoid exposure, they didn’t even notify minor figures like you. Just as I arrived, Quidar had already raided the organization’s headquarters. Money?”

“I’m asking you my final question one more time. Answer me truthfully, or… you’ll face the consequences.”

Fran slowly continued, “What were Lyon’s next instructions for you? Also, do you have all the communication telegrams between you and Lyon from this period saved?”

Ella was genuinely terrified now. She watched Fran approach her once more. He raised his pistol, gently pulled back the slide, and pointed it at her head. She had no choice but to stammer.

“Our last contact was when I reported the first letter you wrote to me, and… he instructed me to continue observing the situation. Also… our telegram archives are all in a cabinet at my home. Please don’t kill me, I’ll take you to get them…”

Fran lowered the gun and turned around, retrieving an item from the table that had been searched from her pocket. He approached her, scoffed, and waved his fingers. Only then did Ella see what was in his hand.

‘This was…’

‘Her house key?!’

A ominous feeling spread through her body. Fran glanced at his watch again; the minute hand was almost at the twelve. He nodded, a smile gracing his lips.

“It’s almost time. Slower than expected, but still ahead of schedule. Miss Ella, thank you for telling me so much.”

“Wait… wait…” Seeing Fran about to leave, Ella struggled to ask, “What… what time is it? What does that mean?”

“Oh, it’s time for the handover,” Fran said, scratching his hair and sneering.

“I made an agreement with the organization to withdraw at the appointed time. There will be dedicated personnel to handle the handover. My identity is special, so it’s inconvenient for me to have too much contact with other comrades in the organization. They’ll take care of the body.”

“The… the body?”

“Yes, the body!” Fran leaned close to a terrified Ella, a wry smile on his face. “Are you surprised? Do you find it surprising? Do you really think I would let you live after you caused the deaths of so many Francian people, an entire rescue team?”

Fran slowly raised his gun. Ella finally reacted, her distorted face instantly turning pale, her lips trembling. She quickly spoke.

“No… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done these things. Please… spare me. I’ll never dare again! I have a lot of money at home, I…”

Fran snorted, tucking the pistol into the weapon box at his waist.

“Oh, right, one more thing. My apologies, but I haven’t been exposed yet. Knowing my identity means you can’t possibly live.”

Fran lowered the gun and closed his eyes in concentration. After a long moment of thought, he decided he couldn’t give this person a quick, painless death.

Using a gun? That would be too merciful.

Fran instead picked up the relatively quiet dagger, its cold light glinting. In Ella’s horrified gaze, he plunged it fiercely into her chest.

“Ah—!”

This stab was for Colonel Raif!

Then, Fran pulled out the blade and sliced her throat with the dagger.

This stab was for the fallen members of the rescue team!

Blood immediately flowed across the floor. Ella collapsed, unable to make a sound, tears of agony streaming from her eyes.

Fran calmly wiped the blood from his hands, ensuring his clothes remained unstained. He then tore a piece of fabric from her sleeve and used it to bind the dagger.

Ella was utterly helpless as he did this. Only when the dagger pierced her body did a violent pain surge through her. Her body convulsed violently, her mouth agape, her eyes wide and staring.

Clearly, she had not believed she would be killed, nor had she imagined she would one day die at the hands of someone seemingly so frail, ending her shameful life so silently.

Fran plunged the dagger back into her chest, adding another sure strike. After a moment, he stood up, left the basement, and pushed open the room’s door.

Breathing in the fresh air outside, he picked up the key and hurried to his next destination.

****

Late into the night, Fran arrived at Ella’s home.

Opening the cabinet, he indeed found the radio, codebook, and archives of her telegrams and letters to Lyon. Fran quickly gathered these items, then swiftly departed her house.

Afterward, Fran went to the Mofan Bookstore, pretending to return books, and handed the packaged items to Borg.

His mission was complete.

Fran took a deep breath.

He left the Mofan Bookstore and went to a quiet place, gazing at the sky in long silence.

Finally, he offered a bitter smile to the moon.

‘I forgot to buy a baguette…’

‘I did it.’

‘I did it…’