"On the day after the operation in Hainerd, they used Hainerd's cell phone to send out a distress signal, but now we know it was a trap," Pihom said.
"Yes, that was a warning. They wanted to create a bloody death, threatening us to back off. To get us to abandon the search for Hainerd and the spoils of that operation," Bain said.
Pihom shook his head, stood up, and took out several cans of beer from the small fridge beside him, tossing one to Chen Ke.
"Pop!"
Chen Ke pulled the tab, took a sip, mmm, not bad. At that moment, he felt something scurrying between his calves and looked down to find Bain's orange cat.
It sat beside Chen Ke, as if it too was listening intently.
"So you're implying that Hainerd had already betrayed us before this operation," he said.
