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Chapter 9: Return
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Zero-sum game Chapter 10: Business
Although the arms dealing of "The Circle" was carried out in secrecy, the primary entity from which the secret was kept was the government; within the circle, however, it was an open secret.Few dared to tamper with it despite many being aware of it. Most of those in the know kept to themselves, attending to their own affairs without interfering with others.Alexander Reed had no intention of skulking or concealing the matter. He broached the subject with a double entendre, "This business isn't something I can agree to just by sharing a bed with you."Ethan Winters was not pleased with Alexander's attitude, "I thought I had demonstrated sufficient sincerity.""Sincerity?" Alexander scoffed, "Your demeanor has been so inconsistent in my presence, how do you expect me to believe in your sincerity?"Ethan slammed his coffee cup down on the table, "My current attitude should be proof enough of my sincerity."Alexander adjusted the cuffs of his suit, "So, you're admitting that your previou
Zero-sum game Chapter 11: Impersonation
Alexander Reed lightly patted Michael Turner's chest in commendation, then settled into the chair reserved for him.With his right leg crossed over his left, he focused intently on the screen that showed Ethan Winters—Ethan and the bodyguard who had provided cover for him were now taking refuge behind a crane, with any attempt to peek out quickly suppressed by gunfire.Ethan, unarmed, was stuck in a defensive position, hesitant to make a move.The coincidence and timing of the police's arrival suggested an informant.Ethan was certain it wasn't him; he wouldn't jeopardize his long-term plans for a short-term gain, especially when he had finally gotten close to the arms dealings of "The Circle."Could it have been an undercover agent from the joint task force?As Ethan dodged bullets, he covertly observed the reactions of the surrounding bodyguards.Unsure of how many were aware of today's arrangement within "The Circle," he considered everyone directly involved to be suspects.The sta
Zero-sum game Chapter 12: Interrogation
"Why are you here?" they exclaimed in unison. John Smith and Ethan Winters squeezed into a narrow gap next to them, only wide enough for one person, pressing against the containers while keeping an eye on their surroundings.John whispered, "Got a tip this afternoon that a small batch of arms from 'The Circle' could be intercepted here, so the team leader sent me to check it out.""Whose tip?" Ethan inquired."From our mole inside 'The Circle.' You know how unreliable that could be, so I had to come see for myself."John, standing closer to the outside, kept peering out as he explained. "And you? The team leader didn't mention you'd be here.""It's a long story; let's focus on getting out first," Ethan quickly sifted through John's words."But if the police already knew, why involve the joint task force?""I found that odd too. Took down two on my way here; their tactics felt off, not like real cops."Ethan hadn't directly confronted these "cops" and hadn't noticed this detail.John's
Zero-sum game Chapter 13: Introduction
Ethan Winters appeared to be deeply asleep on the desk, but in reality, he hadn't fallen asleep yet. This was a deliberate arrangement by Alexander Reed; until Alexander showed up, Ethan couldn't be sure he had successfully passed the test. The control room was not far from this container, and it only took Alexander and Michael Turner a couple of minutes to arrive by car.Michael entered intending to wake Ethan but was stopped by Alexander, "Let him sleep."While preventing Michael from approaching, Alexander himself went over to Ethan, lifted him from the chair with ease, and walked out in a few strides, with Michael following behind.Ethan, seizing a moment when Alexander was less attentive, opened his eyes slightly to see who was carrying him. The sight of Alexander's profile surprised him yet also brought some relief. This indicated he had passed the scrutiny.Alexander carefully arranged Ethan's legs on the back seat of the sedan, and because Ethan couldn't lay down completely, A
Zero-sum game Chapter 1: Operation
The zero-sum game, a concept in game theory, implies that in any situation involving two or more players, one player's gain is exactly balanced by the losses of the other player(s). Thus, the total sum of gains and losses among participants is always "zero," eliminating any possibility of cooperation.The streets were lined with trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground as the brilliant sunshine peeked through the leaves.A black Lincoln was parked by the curb, with the occasional pedestrian strolling by on the sidewalk. It seemed like an ordinary day, except for the two bodyguards in dark suits standing conspicuously in front of the Lincoln.From a distance, a little boy, bouncing joyfully with a basketball not much bigger than a tennis ball, made his way towards the car, followed by a woman who kept reminding him loudly, "Slow down, watch where you're going! Be careful not to fall! Hold onto the ball tightly, don’t lose it!"While the passersby could hear her warnings, the boy co
Zero-sum game Chapter 2: Failure
Joint Operations Unit, Special Task Force.The mood in the conference room, where six members were gathered, was grim."What happened?" The man speaking, a middle-aged individual named John Avery, was the leader of the Special Task Force and also the direct boss of Ethan Reed.After a brief silence, the person seated next to Ethan, named Alex Johnson, spoke, "I can confirm that Michael Chase did get on the car." He was the one observing with binoculars from a high-rise."I'm also certain that Michael didn't leave the car before we reached the mountain roads," continued Chris Martin, who had been tailing Michael's vehicle.Ethan then detailed what he observed in the car: "Based on the tracker, the car didn't stop after it entered the mountain roads."The woman, who had disguised herself as a mother on the street, had removed her makeup, appearing several years younger, her eyes no longer filled with faux innocence. If not for the distinct facial features, it would be difficult to assoc
Zero-sum game Chapter 3: Infiltration
Ethan Reed had thoroughly reviewed Michael Chase's file. Normally, Chase was accompanied by four bodyguards, indicating tight security measures. Ironically, the day he had only two guards was due to his attendance at a charity event for disabled children.Charity work, it seemed, didn't lend itself to an intimidating security presence. Unfortunately, no matter how commendable his public actions, they couldn't mask his burgeoning ambitions and desires.The dossier also revealed that Chase's most frequented locations were the Global Dynamics Corporation Tower and his residential villa.The villa, heavily guarded and with limited access, was quickly dismissed by Reed as a viable option due to the high difficulty of escape.That left the Corporation Tower. Reed had already acquired the internal layout of the building, but penetrating the heart of Global Dynamics was not going to be straightforward.Moreover, given the potential betrayal of their inside man at Global Dynamics, any direct i
Zero-sum game Chapter 4: Identity
After returning, Ethan Reed was summoned by John Avery for a private discussion. Without preliminaries, Avery stated, "Plans have changed. Michael Chase is temporarily off the hit list."He then explained the reason, "Our inside man has sent word that Global Dynamics' new weapon is nearing completion. In a few months to a year, they'll have tangible results. Global Dynamics plans to gather major buyers to appraise their creation, and the true power behind the corporation will be present. That's our chance to take them all down in one fell swoop. If we eliminate Chase now, we might lose this opportunity."Reed expressed his doubts, "Is the insider's information reliable, or is this just a stalling tactic?"Avery admitted, "We can't be certain," and turned on the screen mounted on the wall. "I've pulled up surveillance footage from your last operation. Watch here."He fast-forwarded the video, then played a segment showing the black Lincoln at a stoplight with Chase's vehicle in the cen
Latest chapter
- Zero-sum game Chapter 13: Introduction
- Zero-sum game Chapter 12: Interrogation
- Zero-sum game Chapter 11: Impersonation
- Zero-sum game Chapter 10: Business
- Zero-sum game Chapter 9: Return
- Zero-sum game Chapter 8: Debauchery
- Zero-sum game Chapter 7: Agreement
- Zero-sum game Chapter 6: Suspicion
- Zero-sum game Chapter 5: Shooting
