Over a month ago, in the Daya Bay of S city.
Between the blue sky and clear waters, a luxurious and massive cruise ship lay quietly anchored between heaven and earth, as the annual posh extravaganza was about to lift its passionate and mysterious veil.
This yacht was not only a gathering place for the wealthy and famous but was also renowned as a den of prodigality, replete with scandal and mysterious rumors. It was also a coveted resource for major news media, which, despite having infiltrated countless reporters over the years, strangely never managed to snatch even a snippet of news. Instead, those who had sneaked in all disappeared without a trace.
Among a group of tall and beautiful young models, Xia Yanxin appeared particularly petite. She was undaunted by those rumors and took on the assignment voluntarily, believing she would definitely find the answers.
"Xiao Xia, let me tell you, this opportunity is of paramount importance to Midian Media; you must grab this exclusive news no matter what, or else pack your bags and leave."
"Boss Yu, don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the mission and capture the scoop... Ah, I have to hang up now..."
Xia Yanxin quickly ended the call, turned around, and stuffed the miniature pinhole camera from her bag into her bra... Being a journalist required not only physical exertion and mental agility but also the awareness of a special agent.
"You, hurry up!"
The guard holding a black stun gun shouted at Xia Yanxin with a harsh tone.
Xia Yanxin walked over quickly with a smile on her face, taking out the Gold Card that Yu Qing had prepared for her in advance. The card, acquired by the company at a great cost from a temporarily retired young model due to illness, had a similar likeness that would allow her to blend into the Heaven-Earth Gala.
"Remember, this is your only identification card; if you lose it, don't even think about leaving." The guard checked and took away the Gold Card while handing her another beautiful silver chain. The chain's pendant bore only one exceptionally beautiful flower and the English name Mandara, which was her codename for the night.
Mimicking the other girls, Xia Yanxin threw her phone into a large box in front of the guard and hung the silver tag with the pendant in front of her chest.
Half an hour later, after all inspections were over, more than a hundred beautiful young girls were gathered in a secret cabin at the bottom of the cruise ship.
These girls were not only well-built and sophisticated, but also stunningly beautiful in various ways, with many familiar faces from fashion magazines, including blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreign models.
Sometime later, a woman in a black suit with a crew cut entered, accompanied by two guards.
"My name is Mary, ladies, listen well: to step into this place means your lives will change from this moment on. Keep in mind that any of the moguls here could decide your fate with a flick of their finger... so make no foolish mistakes. As usual, hand over any forgotten electronic devices now; if we find them later, it won't be that simple," she said.
With her hands behind her back, Mary weaved through the crowd, her sharp gaze scrutinizing each girl's pendant, silencing wherever she went.
She slowly approached Xia Yanxin, staring at her intently... Xia Yanxin felt shivers down her spine and cold sweat seeping out. Was she about to be discovered?
"You..." Mary suddenly shouted, startling Xia Yanxin so much she almost blacked out. But in that dizzying moment, she saw Mary grab a girl standing behind her, allowing her own spirit to slowly return to her body.
Mary dragged the girl to the edge of the crowd and began to furiously strip her clothes off, revealing a mini-camera hanging from a necklace.
"Daring to break my rules, beat her mercilessly..."
"No, please, I didn't mean to, I actually took someone else's money, I won't dare anymore..." the girl pleaded in agony.
The baton-wielding guards, ferocious as wolves, swung down, initially met with struggle and pleas from the girl, who was quickly beaten to a bloody pulp and lay on the ground, attempting to crawl away, leaving behind a shocking trail of blood, but ultimately unable to escape the baton's devastation.
Minutes later, in front of everyone, she lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Mary ripped the necklace from the girl's neck, held up the black mini-camera, and scanned the room with a stern voice, "Who else wants a taste of the baton?"
All the girls' faces turned pale in an instant. Real, physical punishment was far more effective than verbal warnings.
Xia Yanxin instinctively stepped back, her soaring confidence waning. Touching the edge of her bra, her legs went weak with nerves. Was it necessary to kill someone just for undercover photography? These people were utterly devoid of humanity.
Fortunately, the search ended quickly, and the girls were assigned to various cabins...
The girl who had barely survived was dragged by the bodyguards and thrown into the deep sea... Xia Yanxin, hiding in a corner, quietly captured this scene.
What she did not know was that, in front of a monitor in the surveillance room, a pair of cold eyes had just captured her stealthy action.
"Still a fish that slipped through the net... Take care of her, cleanly and swiftly."
"As you command, Young Master Huan!"