Tan Jize studied the other man with interest, then suddenly asked, "Marius, you graduated from New Asia University with a degree in classical literature, didn't you?"
The other man paused, then nodded somewhat sheepishly. "Unfortunately, I don't have much talent for it. At best, I could only be an armchair literary critic."
"And then you joined Blue Mark's headquarters in the Solitary Night City branch, worked in the publicity department for half a year, and then became an editor at the Olympis Workers' Pictorial, right?" Tan Jize continued.
Marius nodded, then gave a slightly sheepish smile. "My family connections got me into Blue Mark, but I found the opportunity at the New Asia Evening News on my own."
"Isn't that a shame? Since you took part in this operation, you're bound to lose your job, and you may even fall out with your family," Tan Jize said. "And if you go back now, Marius, you won't be the respected magazine editor everyone knew. You'll be a wanted fugitive who has to keep his head down and hide. For a long time, the pressure you'll have to bear may even exceed Andra's."
"I know." The young man's expression remained gentle, yet frank and resolute. "Mr. Tan, this is a promise Andra and I made to each other."
"Then stay. But you have to learn how to fight, and how to survive!" Just as he had with Andra, Tan Jize made no attempt to dissuade him. He simply tore another slip of paper from his notebook, wrote something on it, and handed it over.
"A new weapons contact?" Marius asked, delighted.
"He's the owner of a secondhand bookstore. I left some useful information there," Tan Jize said gruffly. "First, you need to learn how to use this..." He tapped Marius on the