Drunk

The lights were off in the lounge, and only a little moonlight from the seaside filtered in through the window.

Kelante's profile was half hidden in the dim light, his deep-set eyes like a dark, cold pool. With his back to the sea outside the window, he looked somewhat lonely.

Red wine lay quietly in a clear glass beneath the moonlight. This was no romantic moonlit drinking party, however, but a tribute to death with alcohol, no matter who had died.

Song Zhi walked over, her steps a little heavy. She hesitated, then reached out and picked up the delicate wineglass. The liquid inside shimmered enticingly in the moonlight.

She said nothing, merely tipped her head back slightly and drained the wine in one go. The tart liquid rushed down her throat and esophagus into her belly. In an instant, a fierce fire spread through her abdomen, setting it all ablaze.

"Have another, but drink it slowly." Kelante poured Song Zhi another glass, then raised his own and gently tapped it against hers with a crisp, pleasant clink.

Song Zhi nodded and took only a small sip this time.

Kelante stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and took a small sip as well.

A long silence followed. It was utterly quiet around them, save for the sound of waves rhythmically washing against the beach, one after another.

Song Zhi kept her head lowered the whole time, her eyes fixed on the wineglass in her hand, concealing countless thoughts. Then she slowly raised the glass to her lips and drank in small sips, one after another. Before long, the glass was empty.

"The first time I killed someone, I didn't use a gun. I used a dagger. I drove it through his heart. Human ribs are brittle, but they're tricky too... The dagger got stuck between the bones, and I couldn't pull it out."

Kelante broke the silence, his voice low. Moonlight cast a silvery sheen over his brown eyes. He took a sip of wine, then spoke as if joking. "I threw up for a whole day and couldn't sleep all night. The lieutenant made me drink a bottle of brandy, and I slept for two whole days... I slept very soundly."

"Lieutenant Lai'en?"

Song Zhi held the wineglass and swirled the red wine inside. Unable to resist, she took another big gulp, emptying the glass. Her head was a little foggy. She set the glass down, picked up the bottle, and checked its alcohol content.

Fortified wine, 22% alcohol by volume. Then her vision began to blur, and the letters doubled. She was a little drunk, dizzy and lightheaded.

"Yes."

Song Zhi's already wooden expression grew blank with drunkenness, even a little sluggish. She stared at Kelante and opened her mouth, only to forget what she wanted to say.

Kelante shook his head. He got up, moved closer to Song Zhi, and bent down to look at her, patting her shoulder. This time she didn't dodge. Instead, she looked up at him and murmured, "Mm."

So well behaved! Like a kitten.

"Looks like you don't need a whole bottle of brandy." Kelante glanced at the bottle of brandy behind him, glad he had brought out a bottle of wine instead. He had known he couldn't believe everything Lu said.

"Kelante... I want to sleep..."

"Not yet. It hasn't had the desired effect. You'll have nightmares. Have another glass... You need to get completely drunk." Kelante poured Song Zhi another glass of wine and held it out to her.

Song Zhi took it without thinking and drank it in one gulp. She drank too fast and choked a few times, leaving wine-red liquid at the corner of her mouth.

She coughed hard several times.

Kelante thoughtfully patted her on the back.

"Song, can you still answer a few questions for me?" Kelante picked up the tactical tablet from the sofa and opened a voice message.

"I can..." Song Zhi propped up her head with one hand and gazed at Kelante, who was right in front of her, her eyes hazy with drink.

"What's your name?"

"Song... Zhi."

Good, she's still fairly clearheaded.

"In Seji, did you follow Group A of your own free will?" Kelante held Song Zhi by the shoulders and watched her quietly, then added, "Whatever your reason."

Song Zhi thought for a moment, her words a little incoherent. "Yes... I did it willingly at the time, but... all right, there's no but... except... I think I..."

Kelante gently covered her mouth, signaling that she didn't need to explain further. He asked again, "Don't leave us, don't leave Group A... okay?"

He said "us," meaning Group A. That night, Lai'en had said the same thing. They, Group A...

In a daze, Song Zhi met Kelante's amber eyes. For a moment, she lost the ability to think. His eyes seemed magical, like a whirlpool drawing her down, and she couldn't bear to refuse.

She opened her mouth, but the "no" on her lips turned into, "Okay..."

"Okay," she said. "I won't leave you... I won't leave Group A."

Having received Song Zhi's affirmative answer, Kelante quickly looked away and said softly, "Good girl..."

Kelante quickly cut off the voice message call. He wiped the wine from the corner of Song Zhi's mouth with his thumb, cradled the back of her head, and bent down to kiss her.

Song Zhi let out a soft whimper and, as if moved by some unseen force, wrapped her arms around Kelante's waist. She gradually lost herself and sank deeper, finally passing out in Kelante's arms and falling asleep.

Hill adjusted the camera but failed to capture the whole scene. All he could see were two orange-red thermal images pressed tightly together.

He took off his goggles and angrily tossed them aside. That rotten Italian hadn't even turned on the lights!

Kelante carefully slipped an arm beneath Song Zhi's knees and gently lifted her sleeping form. He carried her back to her room, tucked in the corners of her blanket with care, then came out and quietly closed the door.

Meanwhile, in the senior staff office of the 'K' Base, hidden beneath Munich, cigarette smoke filled the air.

Lai'en sat fully armed in the station chief's office, his legs crossed and a cigarette between his tactically gloved fingers. His azure eyes were as cold as the frozen surface of Lake Baikal.

The fat man sitting across from him had only just recovered from the voice message call. Looking troubled, he said, "Lieutenant, you should know that personnel coordination has to be reviewed by a personnel adviser. That girl is better suited to growing crops or doing medical work at the base station..."

"Karl, I don't want to hear any more nonsense. The person we brought back can only be ours, and we decide what she's better suited for!" Lai'en stood, adjusted the straps of his gear, and took a couple of steps toward Karl. He stubbed out the cigarette between his fingers, his tone full of threats and brooking no dissent.

"You heard her too. She said she did it of her own free will, and she won't leave us."

Lai'en patted Karl on the shoulder, signaling him to sign the transfer order assigning Song Zhi to Group A.

"Hey, buddy... Kelante Dimon is an outstanding psychological expert. He wouldn't have used hypnosis on the target in violation of the rules..."

Crack.

Before Karl could finish, Lai'en stomped a chair to pieces.

"What? I didn't hear you. Please repeat that!"

"No! That was my last chair..." Karl muttered under his breath. Then he saw Lai'en pick up his cane and try bending it in his hands.

Karl hurriedly scrawled an enormous signature on the form. "Of course he wouldn't use hypnosis in violation of the rules. I approve Song... Song Zhi joining Group A. Take this form and get out of my office, and put down my cane!"

"Yes, sir."

Lai'en put down the cane, picked up the form and his tactical tablet, and pushed the door open and left.

He was also curious whether Kelante had used hypnosis. After all, the team had discussed their tactics and unanimously agreed to use alcohol to dull her senses.

Lu had said that in his country, no matter how difficult the signing or project contract, it could be settled over drinks. If one drinking session wasn't enough, they would have two.

Lai'en's voice came through the radio into the Group A members' headsets. "We return to Sri Lanka first thing tomorrow morning."