Chapter 61: She’s Baaack!

Chapter 61: She's Baaack!

Saturday morning, 6:45 am.

Azure International Airport.

May Lee, or rather Lucy Shen as she is known under her current deep-cover alias, is currently sitting inside an old, beat-up red Jeep that has definitely seen much better days. The vehicle's canvas top is completely off, leaving only the front windshield and the exposed metal roll bars vulnerable to the elements.

She is actively typing away on her satellite-connected laptop, passing the time while she waits along the crowded passenger pickup lane of the terminal.

Shen keeps shifting her gaze back and forth toward the main arrival exit, scanning the crowd for the specific operative she is scheduled to meet, and finally she spots her walking through the glass doors. Knowing that the incoming asset was heavily harassed at the international security gate due to her past high-profile deportations, Shen just offers the arriving woman a massive, shit-eating grin from the driver's seat.

The woman walking out of the terminal is clearly in a terrible mood, pulling a heavy designer suitcase behind her while aggressively sucking on a cherry lollipop.

Her long black hair is perfectly straight and exceptionally well-maintained, framing sharp facial features and intense brown eyes that possess the cold look of a trained killer actively hunting for hidden assassins in the crowd. Her full red lips look exactly like the kind of lips you are absolutely compelled to kiss, complementing a stunning hourglass body with large C-cup breasts and wide hips that practically scream for making babies.

The woman stops on the sidewalk, squinting her eyes through the morning sun to identify her contact until she successfully recognizes the person waiting behind the wheel of the crude vehicle. She lets out a sharp huff and walks straight toward the idling Jeep.

Plastering a charming, casual smile onto her face as if she were simply reuniting with a close friend or an older sister, the new arrival throws her heavy luggage into the back seat before sliding into the front. "Captain Lee, your undercover vehicle disguise is honestly kinda weak, don't you think?"

May glares back at the younger woman, her expression tightening into a sharp scold. "Shut up, stupid. I am officially Lucy Shen right now. I am completely deep undercover in this city and this vehicle disguise is absolutely perfect, thank you very much. Not even the powerful Long family has managed to notice my real identity."

The woman of Chinese Empire descent climbs all the way into the passenger seat, a warm smile returning to her face as she buckles her seatbelt. "Fuck, after my double-agent cover got completely blown by those stupid Ning twins, I honestly thought I wouldn't be allowed to return to Eurasia for a super long time. So why exactly did you guys decide to triple-agent my status now and drag me right the fuck back here? Please, for the love of all that is right in this universe, please tell me I am not going back to serving that absolute piece of shit Scott Tang."

Shen just grins back at her, reaching into her jacket pocket to pull out a thick folder marked with a prominent top-secret security stamp. "Mei Xia, first of all, it wasn't actually the Ning twins who blew your cover in the first place. It was actually the exact same person you are going to be assigned to work for next."

Mei Xia looks completely blindsided by the revelation, her eyes widening as she grips the edge of the seat. "What?! No way. The official files that the Empire possesses explicitly state that it was the Ning family who compromised my position."

Shen shifts the transmission into gear, checking her mirrors before smoothly pulling away from the curb to leave the airport grounds. "Nope. Central completely covered up the entire digital trail. The real person responsible for your downfall is detailed inside that file right there, so open it up, memorize every single detail, and then burn it to ash."

Mei Xia stares down at the folder resting in her lap, but before she even attempts to break the security seal, she turns her head to press for more answers. "How exactly did you manage to clear my entry back into the country, and why am I even being brought back into the mix at this specific time? I don't understand why you didn't just deploy a different active agent. Couldn't I have been significantly more useful handling operations back in the Empire rather than coming out here to Eurasia?"

Shen guides the vehicle through traffic, starting her official operational debriefing. "Your first question is incredibly easy to answer. We simply handed over a few of the Empire's detained intelligence operatives as a formal apology, claimed you were completely framed by a rogue faction, and stated that we officially wished for your return with full citizen status restored inside the country."

She executes a quick series of sharp turns through the side streets to completely shake any potential surveillance tails before continuing. "As for why I chose you specifically, it's because I trust your loyalty implicitly, and this next assignment is deeply personal to me. The official intelligence reason is because you already possess an established physical connection to the protection target. He will much more easily accept you into his circle over an unknown operative, and sadly, I can't be the one standing by his side, or I would do it myself."

Shen steers the Jeep into a abandoned, empty parking lot that is completely void of any activity except for a single, unassuming car parked in the corner. "To your final point, yes, normally you absolutely would have remained a massive asset back in the Empire, but two major factors completely hamper that placement. First, the Empire's trust in your record is currently low, meaning the assignments you would receive there would be mediocre at best. But this next job is of the absolute highest level of national importance to the future of Eurasia, so just hurry up and read the file so we can burn the evidence before you head out."

Mei Xia leans her head back against the headrest, breaking the seal on the folder and starting to flip through the heavily redacted documents.

After several minutes of intense reading, the top-secret file completely slips from the hands of the experienced spy as Mei Xia stares blankly ahead, looking absolutely floored by what she just read. Seeing her Captain smirk and reach over to retrieve the documents, she can only turn her head to ask a breathless question. "Why?! Why the hell would you not tell me that he is your biological nephew... I literally helped that piece of shit Scott Tang abuse your own flesh and blood for months, so why would you assign me to him?!"

Shen lets out a heavy sigh, her expression turning somber as she speaks the sad truth. "Central would absolutely not allow any of us to reach out to them because my brother was officially branded a traitor to the state. That heavy status naturally applied to Rick Lee as well. The only reason I am finally permitted to step in and help him now is because of his sudden awakening as the Yellow Emperor. Now, Central has done a complete reversal on their attitude regarding Rick, especially since he wasn't born directly into the corrupt Central Government family, fufu."

Mei Xia places a hand flat against her forehead, trying to process the massive scale of the revelation as she looks back at her boss. "So, Rick Lee is now actively wiping the floor with Scott Tang just to vent his personal frustrations? Isn't that incredibly childish and petty behavior for someone who holds the mantle of the Yellow Emperor? I thought his past reincarnations were all proud, noble souls who focused entirely on protecting our country."

Shen reaches over and firmly smacks the spy across the back of her head, her tone turning instantly fierce. "His past lives weren't completely abandoned by their own country and left to suffer in poverty like he was. So don't you dare call his actions childish. He isn't out there slaughtering innocent civilians; he is actively freeing his martial heart from years of accumulated resentment. How can he possibly grow into a truly great man with all that anger bottled up inside his soul?"

Mei Xia rubs the back of her head in annoyance, wincing slightly from the blow. "Fine, I get it. How long is this assignment supposed to last then?"

May Lee completely drops her casual, friendly demeanor, her eyes turning dead serious as she delivers the final directive. "This assignment lasts for as long as you are still breathing. This is not a standard mission where you can just pack your bags and walk away after your protection target dies. He only returns to our world once every four hundred or so years, so can you even begin to comprehend how critical this placement is?"

Mei Xia gulps cautiously, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her chest. "Then what happens if I refuse to accept the mission? Do I even have the option to say no at this point?"

Lee offers her a small smile, nodding her head as she outlines her potential paths. "That is exactly why the two of us are sitting out here talking in private, to give you a genuine choice. Your first option is to reject the assignment, head straight to work inside Central, and never leave the capital city again. Absolute termination is also an option if you don't happen to like that layout. If you aren't completely serious about protecting him, then just don't do it. I lived inside Central for many years and it's a perfectly nice place to stay, but I know your personality better than anyone else, Mei Xia."

She flashes a mischievous grin, adding another detail just to mess with her. "Oh! Or I can always just arrange for you to go right back and stay with Scott Tang if that is what your heart truly desires, ufufu."

Mei Xia closes her eyes tight, taking a deep, calming breath to steady her nerves. She opens her eyes and looks directly at her longtime friend. "Let's pretend for a second that Rick Lee isn't the Eternal Imperial Dragon and is just your normal nephew. On a scale of one to ten, how important is he to you personally?"

"His value is way over ten. How's that?!" May responds without a single second of hesitation.

A genuine smile returns to both women's faces, and Mei Xia lets out a soft chuckle as she reaches for the door handle. "Fine. I will make sure to treat his safety as an eleven then. He better be worth all this trouble. And Captain, your sick joke about sending me back to Scott Tang isn't even remotely funny."

Shen steps out of the Jeep, pulling a lighter from her pocket to ignite the corners of the top-secret file, holding the papers carefully until the entire document fully turns to black ash on the asphalt. Once the evidence is destroyed, she reaches deep into her jacket pocket and pulls out a fresh set of car keys, tossing them over to the operative.

She points toward the single additional vehicle parked in the isolated lot—a pristine, white Honda Civic. The sedan is brand new, looking completely inconspicuous and absolutely perfect for a normal household maid. Under the hood, it has been heavily modified with advanced handling packages for driving emergencies, and the cabin can comfortably accommodate multiple passengers and heavy bags.

"Here are the keys to your personal vehicle that Rick can also use in a tight pinch," Shen instructs, leaning against the side of the Jeep. "The trunk is already fully stocked with several high-quality maid uniforms, as well as the standard casual and formal wear you are used to using. The glove compartment contains all of your new identification documents and legal citizenship papers. Rick will easily be able to see that you possess full government backing just by looking at this documentation. I also went ahead and stashed a reliable sidearm in there for you, along with your preferred hidden throwing weapons. Rick carries much heavier firearms if you ever need to upgrade your loadout."

Mei Xia catches the key fob with a confident grin, seeing how genuinely excited Lee is about the operation.

"Lucy Shen is a complete stranger to you from this point forward, and you must never tell Rick a single word about Central or the Lee family alliance, got it?" May says, delivering her final commands. "If he starts digging, just tell him it's top-secret business and to stop snooping around."

Mei Xia pauses, her hand resting on the white car's door frame as an important logistical question hits her. "What specific cover story am I supposed to use when I approach him? Absolutely no one in Star City is going to believe that the ex-maid of Scott Tang—who was literally just deported as a foreign spy—is suddenly serving as Rick Lee's personal house maid, right?"

Lee smiled and let out another soft giggle. "Ufufu! You actually have three very solid reasons to be standing right by his side from now on. First is the simple fact that he is a Tang. Second, he is the biological grandson of General Lee, and the last, most impressive reason..." She trailed off, breaking out into a massive fit of laughter. "Fufu! Just take a look at this, hah-aha!"

May handed over the explicit internal ejaculation photograph, holding her stomach in absolute joy as she explained the exact context of how the image had been used to compromise Scott. Mei Xia looked down at the image, her face instantly turning tight and incredibly pissed off.

"But that is explicitly either Nichole or Nadia in this picture," Mei Xia hissed, snapping her gaze back up to her captain. "I know for a fact because I have seen both of them completely naked plenty of times before. How did that total retard Scott honestly think that was really me? And what kind of sick, twisted sense of humor does Rick Lee actually possess? Sigh."

Shen jumped right back behind the wheel of her Jeep, turning the key to start the engine up before yelling out to Mei Xia as she prepared to peel out of the lot. "Well, you just make sure to take extra good care of my naughty nephew out there, and try your absolute best to keep him from doing too many stupid things, ha-ha!"

Mei Xia aggressively waved her hand through the air to clear the sudden cloud of dust out of her face, watching her boss speed away across the gravel like a crazy teenager.

Left entirely alone in the abandoned parking lot, she looked exactly like an abandoned puppy as she stared down at her new car keys. "Well, shit. I am officially back in Star City, so why do I suddenly feel like I should have just taken my retirement back in Central instead? Sigh."

Following my heavy drinking session at the lounge, I finally made it all the way back home right around the time my physical alcohol buzz completely left my system...

No, I absolutely do not drive a vehicle if I am genuinely impaired in any way. I made sure to sit quietly inside my SUV for a good while before starting the engine to drive home, since both of my system-granted skills, Medicine and Driving, allow me to gauge my internal levels perfectly to know when I can operate a vehicle safely.

Once inside the house, I rinsed off the smell of the bar in the shower and slid quietly into bed, falling fast asleep right between my two wonderful wives.

So now it is Saturday morning, and I just finished cooking up a massive breakfast spread for Hana and Mary to enjoy. I lean against the kitchen counter, looking over at Mary as she finishes her plate. "Right around noon today, I am going to head right next door to tutor Linda Lang for a bit on her business class material, so what exactly will you two lovely ladies be getting up to today?"

Mary immediately points her fork directly at me, a massive smile gracing her lips. "You are going to let us take your bank card so the two of us can go purchase our brand new, one-year day-spa memberships, and of course, we are going to spend the entire rest of the afternoon doing exactly that. So thanks a ton, Rick."

Hana flashes a happy grin, standing up from her seat to wrap her arms tightly around my neck to hug me for spoiling them so much. She picks up her empty plate, looking back at me as she walks toward the sink. "Honey, just don't forget that tomorrow night is my official race night. I only let Miss Feng take my spot on the track before because I had to work my shifts."

I offer her a massive smile, instantly snapping my arm up to give her a crisp military salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

After both of my wives finish dressing up for their afternoon outing, I make sure to see them off at the door safely. Soon enough, the clock nears noon, and it is time for me to head over.

Knock Knock

The front door is opened incredibly quickly by Linda, who maintains her usual completely emotionless expression, though the subtle shifting in her grey eyes lets me know she is deeply relieved that I didn't cancel the appointment on her.

Her personal maid, Mercy, is standing just a few paces behind her, looking completely helpless because her young miss had rushed past her to grab the handle first. Well, that is just what Mercy's face looks like on a regular basis anyway.

"Hello, Rick, you are right on time," Linda says, stepping backward into the foyer. "Please come right inside."Linda shifts to the side, waving her hand inward to guide me into the residence. I just offer her a warm smile, deeply entertained by her naturally awkward behavior.

Mercy immediately steps forward, politely offering to take my heavy jacket, and I willingly shrug it off to hand it over to her. I am only carrying a single concealed handgun tucked against my lower back today because I know for a fact that Linda absolutely hates firearms and violence, keeping it nestled in a secure spot where she won't easily notice the profile beneath my shirt.

Linda turns to look at me, tilting her head slightly. "Rick, do you want to set up and study inside the living room, out in the backyard, or should we head up to the private study?"

I take a quick glance around the massive foyer, noting that it is currently just the three of us inside the immediate area. "The weather is exceptionally good outside today, so let's just go set up outback. Plus, if we study out in the open air, absolutely no one can try to claim that the two of us are being inappropriate back here, right, Mercy?"

The maid looks visibly relieved that I possess proper manners regarding her position as a formal house guardian, offering me a warm smile. "Thank you very much, Mr. Lee, that choice would make it so absolutely no one in the family can complain about the arrangement. Please follow me straight out the back doors, and I shall get the two of you some proper study refreshments."

A while later...

Linda and I are sitting side by side at a patio table, closely reviewing the pages of her business textbook. I lean in, using a pencil to point out a few specific areas of confusion that she had stumbled over on the quizzes I graded yesterday in Victoria's office.

She smiles softly as I provide a series of easy-to-understand clarifications on the formulas, instantly feeling a surge of confidence that she can easily ace the upcoming exam now. She looks me dead in the eyes, shifting her posture slightly. "Rick, would it be alright if we exchanged phone numbers today? That way, I can text you any questions I have whenever I run into trouble. You don't have to answer me immediately, just whenever you happen to find yourself free."

Analyzing the situation, I realize two things right away. First, any student on campus can already request the contact details of a fellow student helper with official administrative permission, and my name is already registered on that list. Second, she could easily just ask me these questions during class, ask the instructor directly, or simply send an email to my school account. But looking at her expression, it is obvious what is actually happening.

Linda is just looking for an official excuse to talk to me on the phone outside of school.

"Sure, we can do that, assuming I am free at the time," I reply, pulling out my device. "Fridays are definitely out for the most part because of my late schedule, but I am usually free to help you out during the rest of the week."

Her eyes halfway squint in pure joy as she saves the digits, and it soon nears the time for me to pack up my things. We ended up having a casual lunch together out on the patio, and since almost three hours have slipped by already, it is time for me to head back home to start preparing a proper dinner for my wives.

Standing up from the table, the two of us walk back through the house toward the main front door so I can say my goodbyes. "Linda, I had a lot of fun helping you out today. You are exceptionally smart, so you should probably expect to pull one of the absolute highest scores in the entire class. See you on Monday."

As I step past the threshold to leave, Linda suddenly speaks up, stopping me in my tracks. "Rick... are the two of us officially friends now?"

I pause on the walkway, turning my head back to look at her striking grey eyes. I definitely don't need to be a mind reader to tell that she is desperately hoping I will say yes.

"Yes, Linda Lang, we can officially be considered friends," I say with a casual wave. "See you later!"

As I walk out through the front security gate to exit the property, Mercy steps up to stand directly next to Linda, watching my retreating figure disappear down the sidewalk.

"Young miss, it is only going to cause you a lot of emotional pain later on if you keep choosing to get closer to him," Mercy notes, her voice turning serious. "I personally like his character too, but you know he is absolutely not welcome by the Head, your father. I have no intention of telling your father about any of this tutoring, but he will inevitably find out the truth eventually. Just remember, Rick Lee is not his father, who we both actively owe our lives to."

"I am fully aware of all of that, Mercy," Linda says, her tone instantly hardening. "I had to sit there for months listening to those wack-job doctors tell me that Rick Lee isn't actually my savior and warning me not to get close to him. But who exactly do you think those doctors received their massive paychecks from? The exact same place you do. That is precisely why I stopped going to see them two years ago. I am a fucking genius, and I know exactly what is or is not good for my own life. Do I make myself clear, Mercy?"

"Sigh, I was only performing my official duty to try and talk you out of it," Mercy sighs, her rigid posture relaxing a bit. "It does not reflect my personal opinion on the matter."

Linda turns her head to look directly at her maid, raising an eyebrow. "Then what exactly is your true personal opinion?"

The normally cold, clinical, and strictly professional maid suddenly puts a playful smile onto her face. She looks at her young miss, gives her a deliberate wink, and delivers her answer. "Can't tell you that, miss. That information is strictly personal, ufufu!"

Linda's analytical brain takes a massive amount of critical damage from her maid's sudden, unexpected joke...

As I left Linda's house, one of the gate guards came driving up to me on his golf cart and flagged me over to pass along a message.

"Mr. Lee, I tried calling your home directly and I am really glad I managed to catch you out here," the guard said, leaning over his steering wheel. "Down at the front gates, your personal maid is currently waiting for you to grant her official gate and housing access, so I can drive you down there right now if you want to sign the authorization paperwork for her."

I looked at him, feeling completely and utterly confused by the sudden notification. "Maid?! What maid are you talking about? I don't even own a maid. Is it someone I know playing a ridiculous prank on me? Who exactly is she?"

I climbed onto the passenger seat anyway, and we started our ride down the long driveway toward the main entrance as the guard just smiled at me like a man who had just witnessed an incredibly sexy woman.

"She is a beautiful woman of the Chinese Empire descent, and she even has a really strong accent when she speaks," the guard noted, chuckling softly. "You are a seriously lucky man, Mr. Lee!"

Processing the clues, I ran through the list of foreign women I knew. I know Akeno from the Japanese Empire, and Kim from the United Kingdom of America, but the absolute only woman from the Chinese Empire I have ever encountered in this city was that deported spy, Mei Xia.

Soon enough, the guard pulled the golf cart to a stop near the security checkpoint. We stepped off the vehicle and walked out past the security gates, where I immediately spotted a brand-new white Honda Civic idling by the curb.

But the exact moment the woman sitting behind the wheel opened the door and stepped out onto the pavement, my jaw dropped completely open in sheer shock. No, this was the absolute last woman in the entire world I ever expected to see standing inside Eurasia again.

I had personally used my cyber-hacker tracking skills to locate her secret living arrangements back in the Empire, keeping occasional tabs on her out of pure curiosity, but this development was completely off the charts.

Mei is currently dressed in a traditional household maid outfit that cuts right off at her knees. It isn't a slutty, revealing costume that one would typically find back in my past life, but rather a high-quality uniform tailored specifically for ease of physical movement and personal dignity.

Activating my combat observation skills, I am completely stunned to see that this maid is operating almost at a Master level of assassination and hidden-weapon arts. If I had to put my hard money on it, her lethality rating is almost as terrifyingly high as Tina's own mother.

Her long, dark black hair flows elegantly in the warm afternoon breeze, and the charming smile she directs toward my face reminds me exactly of a viper preparing to strike, catching me completely by surprise.

Mei Xia, clearly enjoying the sight of my open mouth and shocked expression, just grins playfully as she closes the distance to stop exactly five feet in front of me. She delicately takes the fabric at the bottom of her maid skirt, lowering her body into a deeply respectful, traditional bow before looking back up into my blue eyes.

"My young Master Lee, your completely loyal maid Mei Xia greets you today, fufu!" she purrs, her accent thick and smooth.

I stare at her for a long moment, completely frozen in place before I finally manage to utter something profound that only a high-level genius of my caliber could possibly proclaim. "Huh?! Um... what?"

"Master, I am officially baaack~♪!" she sings out, her eyes twinkling with hidden amusement.