Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 395 - 377: Time Management

Chapter 395: Chapter 377: Time Management

Green talked about the real world, but what is the real world? If the internet is fake and reality is the true world, then that reality seems too cheap.

Whether online or offline, Gao Yi felt he always lived in the real world, a world both dark and real, which he didn’t particularly need to experience firsthand.

He got on the plane, but needed to transfer. Gao Yi didn’t quite understand why he had to make things so hard for himself, seeking out troubles.

A gloomy thought, or rather a very realistic suspicion, was whether Green might be trying to demonstrate his usefulness and value on purpose, using scare tactics like these to intimidate Gao Yi.

It wasn’t impossible.

"I’m in Paris, we need to meet, some things must be discussed face-to-face."

Gao Yi glanced at Green across from him, hesitated for a moment but still relayed the rest of the message as Green had strongly requested.

"You arrange the meeting place, let me know when you’re ready."

Without waiting for Marina to reply, Gao Yi hung up directly.

Then, looking at Green, Gao Yi said, "According to your plan, I’ve said all that needed to be said."

Green responded indifferently, "I was listening. I know you’re very dissatisfied with my arrangements. You think there’s no need to be so cautious, and that’s fine. The first lesson I taught you is to never trust anyone, especially never trust a woman, and most importantly, don’t trust a French woman. At this point, you probably haven’t realized how serious my words are, so let me make it even clearer – don’t trust Marina."

Now Green was Gao Yi’s teacher, but until now, this was the first time Green said he would teach Gao Yi a lesson.

"Marina is trustworthy. If she wanted to kill me, I would have died long ago, not waited until now."

Gao Yi felt the need to defend Marina’s image, but a moment later, he said in astonishment, "How did you know it was Marina?"

Gao Yi had never told Green that his contact in France was Marina.

Some things could be investigated, but it wasn’t something just anyone could mention. Now that Green had named Marina outright, Gao Yi felt as if he truly had no secrets.

Green pointed to his own eyes, "I’m not blind."

He pointed to his ears and continued, "I’m not deaf."

Finally, pointing to his temple, Green said very seriously, "Most importantly, I’m not stupid!"

Ultimately, Green didn’t reveal how he knew Gao Yi was looking for Marina.

At this moment, Gao Yi’s phone rang. He answered the call and then heard Marina say in a very dissatisfied tone, "What’s the rush to hang up? Why bother arranging a special meeting place? I’m in the office, come to the office now, or... you can wait to meet me at my home after work."

A candid meeting at home after work.

The old Gao Yi wouldn’t have understood, but the current Gao Yi did; if he wasn’t misjudging, Marina would prefer to see him at her home.

Was it finally time to dedicate himself? Thinking about it, it didn’t seem too bad.

But Gao Yi casually said, "Then I’ll go to your office now."

Green gestured for Gao Yi to hang up, so he ended the call promptly.

"Go to her office then, let’s go."

Gao Yi couldn’t help but say again, "Why do you think Marina is unreliable? I can assure you she’s very reliable. Besides, you didn’t tell me how you knew about Marina."

Green looked unconcerned as he said, "Don’t ask anything now, there’s no need to speak. The first lesson I’m teaching you is just beginning. Experience is the best teacher, one lesson is all it takes."

Having said that, Green spoke very earnestly, "I’m a lazy person. I prefer to let the facts do the talking rather than wasting my breath."

Fine, let the facts speak then.

The three of them drove the rented car to the swimming pool.

The French External Intelligence Bureau, colloquially known as the swimming pool, was Gao Yi’s destination when he called Marina.

"I’ve arrived, send someone to pick me up."

Gao Yi hung up the phone and then said to Green, "What’s next?"

Green exhaled and said seriously, "From the moment you get out of the car and are taken into the swimming pool, you have fourteen minutes, exactly fourteen minutes, not a second more! You must return to the car in thirteen minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Any questions?"

Gao Yi was taken aback, "You’re joking, right? It takes at least five minutes just to get in, and another five to leave, at least—at least—I only have four minutes to talk, is this necessary?"

"Fourteen minutes. If you cooperate, we’ll continue. If not..."

Green didn’t finish what would happen if there was no cooperation, he just shrugged his shoulders.

Gao Yi felt helpless.

For the first time, he decided to see what Green was really up to. If cooperation was required, then he would cooperate fully.

"Okay, fourteen minutes."

Green nodded and said, "Don’t get into bed, don’t talk about love, talk business. You must finish everything you need to say within fourteen minutes, you absolutely cannot exceed fourteen minutes. Once the time is over, it will be beyond my control. So, within fourteen minutes!"

Green emphasized fourteen minutes too many times. Now, Gao Yi remembered it clearly, fourteen minutes.

After a moment, Gao Yi noticed a person in a suit looking around at the door. He didn’t recognize him, but his phone started ringing.

"Your ride is here. Where are you?"

"I’m here."

The person picking up Gao Yi wasn’t Emily, which meant either Emily wasn’t available or Marina felt it wasn’t convenient for Emily to come pick him up.

Gao Yi was about to push the door open and get out when Green stopped him with a hand. After pressing his big watch on his left wrist, Green nodded, "Go ahead."

Green’s big watch was a code watch, and now Green had begun the countdown.

Gao Yi got out of the car and approached the person who came to pick him up, then, just like before, he smoothly entered the swimming pool area, walked into the office building, and went straight to Marina’s office.

It took longer than Gao Yi had anticipated; just walking in had taken up six minutes.

Marina, still in her proper professional suit, stood up after her subordinates left and with a reproachful face, said to Gao Yi, "Why are you acting so strange today?"

When a powerful woman doesn’t discuss business at a meeting but blames you for acting odd, it means she is not looking at you from a purely business perspective.

Remembering Green’s admonition, Gao Yi said in a rush, "I don’t have time to say much, to put it simply, I need to take out Iron Fist George. Within forty-eight hours, I will know his whereabouts, and then I hope you can formally entrust ’Garden’ to take out Iron Fist George. There’s no need to make it public, nor is there a need to pay much of a reward. Um, that is all, we can clarify the rest over the phone later."

Marina was taken aback, a look of confusion on her face, but after a moment she suddenly said, "You suspect me! No, not you!"

How do all these monsters figure it out?

Gao Yi shrugged and said, "I do not suspect you, or else I would not have come to tell you all this. Alright, I’m running out of time. I had better hurry and leave. Think about how you can assist me, think about how to take advantage of the outcome of taking out Iron Fist George. I need to go. We’ll discuss it over the phone."

Marina frowned and said, "You’re on a tight schedule... I understand. Go ahead."

Gao Yi looked puzzled and said, "You understand what?"

"Time management is a mandatory skill for every agent, especially in emergencies where only time can be controlled accurately. Alright, whatever you’re up to, go now. Wait, hold on!"

Marina rushed back to her desk in her high heels, bent over, and pulled open a drawer from which she yanked out a bullet-proof vest.

Looking stunned, Gao Yi watched as Marina, still in her high heels, hurried back to him, slapped the bullet-proof vest on him, then pushed him, saying, "Go! Wear it on the way! Move it!"

Bewildered, Gao Yi turned around; he held the vest, looking dumbfounded at Marina. Marina then opened the door of her office and shouted, "Escort him out, as fast as possible, but don’t run! Hurry!"

The person who had just brought Gao Yi in was also confused, but with Marina’s push, Gao Yi, carrying the vest, followed his escort and began to walk briskly.

Leaving was much faster this time, but they couldn’t run, so their fast pace was limited.

"Sir, you should wear the bullet-proof vest."

Silently, Gao Yi put on the vest, which looked more like a bulky item than a fashion statement. It was stashed in Marina’s office for use only in extremely urgent situations, which meant that this vest neither considered being aesthetically pleasing nor inconspicuous—it was a heavy-duty bullet-proof vest.

It really didn’t make any sense.

It took almost four minutes for Gao Yi to walk out.

Looking perplexed, he got back into the car. As Gao Yi opened the car door, Green pressed the code watch again and then said, quite pleased, "Twelve minutes and thirty seconds, she even gave you a bullet-proof vest."

Gao Yi blurted out, "This is..."

Green started the car, pressing the brake while flooring the accelerator, the roaring sound drawing the attention of the guards at the swimming pool entrance. After a big rev, Green suddenly released the brake, the rented Citroën roaring as it completed a drift, nearly turning on the spot, and then darted away.

Gao Yi couldn’t help but say, "What is this for?"

"First lesson, don’t trust anyone."

He didn’t finish speaking because, at that moment, a car driving from the opposite direction suddenly swerved towards them. Green lightly steered, and the two cars narrowly missed each other by less than two meters.

As the swerving vehicle’s windows shattered, two bullet holes appeared in the car Gao Yi was in.

Driving erratically, Green watched from the rear-view mirror as the car behind them slowed down and turned around. But by the time it had completed the U-turn, the two cars had already put a safe distance between them.

Green continued, "The enemy arrived twenty seconds faster than I anticipated. Almost, almost... you would have been blocked. Being blocked would mean death. Now, what have you learned from the first lesson?"