12 New Mission

"Sweetheart, even though you think this way, some people hold grudges and bad ideas. So, to prevent anyone from plotting anything against you, you can't go out for a week until this matter is settled." Jason understood Ivy's personality the best. She disliked things being dragged, especially conversations and chaos.

"Ehhhhhh..But if this matter never settles, then what should I do? Hide when I see someone familiar? Or should I stay in the villa until my hair turns gray and brittle?" Ivy frowned at the inconvenient idea. Though she would love to stay at home on regular days, their family had recently expanded their business around the area, and she was eager to visit it.

"Nonsense, your uncle can settle this kind of thing easily. If he doesn't, then your dad will. Your uncle is already working behind the scenes for you. Your uncle is always so quick when it comes to Chloe and your news." Jason rubbed Ivy's head, taking the chance to distract her. 

"Mmm." Ivy reluctantly replied as she took one of the nearby cushions as hostage and hugged it to her chest.

"Oh right, where's Chloe? You two came back together." Jason looked around curiously, trying to find his older daughter.

"She's gaming upstairs. They have a tournament game today. She said she needed to get the cast iron skillet this time and use it to whack some heads. So don't disturb her, or she will make you into fried chicken for dinner." Ivy giggled at her silly joke. 

"Alright, then, the two of you shall help me prepare dinner while the panning queen aims for her tournament prize upstairs. Or else I will be the one frying you two." Selina rolled up her sleeves, showing her slender arms.

"Yes, empress dowager!" Ivy gave her a quick salute before marching towards the kitchen.

---

Inside Chloe's room, the dim glow from the computer screens illuminated the space as rapid keyboard tapping and mouse clicking resonated throughout the room. Chloe sat at her gaming setup, fully engrossed in PUBG, her eyes fixed on the screen.

Her fingers moved precisely over the keyboard, executing commands swiftly. Her mouse darted across the pad, aiming and shooting with expert accuracy. It was as if she didn't need to look to know where to find her target. She was in her element, wholly absorbed in the virtual battlefield.

Chloe chuckled mischievously, her voice filled with playful enthusiasm as she wreaked havoc in the game, wielding her cast iron skillet like a weapon of unparalleled power. "This time...I will pan you guys all the way till the end."

"Bruce, you better watch out! The pan is out, and I'm on a hunting mission haha!" Chloe taunted as her character darted through the virtual landscape, searching for targets like a warrior.

On the other end of the call, Lucas couldn't help but chuckle nervously at Chloe's infectious excitement. "Oh? I'm kind of scared now..."

In a matter of seconds, Lucas's plead could be heard through her headphones.

"Okay, okay, I surrender! There's no need to bring out the pan of doom on me. Also, who the heck are you calling Bruce? You call every character Bruce. Did you think they're Bruce Lee and could beat you with that pan in your hand? Like haiyaaa and you'll turn to pulp in the game?" Lucas replied, his voice tinged with amusement and a hint of mock fear.

The chaos in the game continued as Chloe's character moved with agility, the distinctive clanging of the cast iron skillet ringing out as she swung it with gusto. Her laughter echoed through the headset, matching the relentless pursuit of her virtual adversaries.

"Bahahhaha! Shush! I'm coming for you! Everyone is a Bruce since I don't have the time to read their names before they surrender under my pan." In the game, Chloe's character resembled a whirlwind of mischief and unpredictability, causing laughter and chaos.

"Watch out, Lucas! The pan has spoken for its thirst to fry!" Chloe exclaimed, her voice brimming with laughter and excitement as she chased after her friend's character, the pan clatter following her every move.

"Wait, wait! I'm an innocent civilian! Fry what? You don't even have anything to fry with! What about the others? Go chase them. Crap, I lost my weapon. Where is my weapon???? Ahhhhhhh! Head shot???" Lucas tapped his keyboard as if his life depended on it.

"Hahaha! Here I co- oh." Chloe, who was immersed in the intense gaming session with Lucas, paused as her phone vibrated on the desk. She quickly glanced at the screen, noticing the familiar number flashing. With her curiosity piqued, she excused herself from the game and answered the call.

Before answering, she pulled the headphones to her neck. 

"Hello?" Chloe's voice was filled with curiosity and a hint of concern.

On the other end of the line, her uncle, Michael sounded urgent. "Chloe, I need to talk to you."

Sensing the seriousness from his tone, she straightened her posture and tossed away her playfulness. She stepped away from her desk and moved to a quiet corner of her room where she continued the conversation. Meanwhile, Lucas, who was still connected to the voice chat, could only hear bits of her call through the headphone. 

Since they had a habit of facetiming each other during their game sessions, Lucas could see the change in Chloe's expression. She went from curiosity to a mixture of surprise and concern. Her wrinkled brows revealed the complexity of the situation. 

After a few minutes, Chloe ended the call. The emotions on her face was wiped clean to one of no expression when she walked back to her desk. When she picked up the call, she did not pause her game. Her character was ambushed during the few minutes she was away.

Normally, she would continue to the next round. However, today was different. She didn't react to her lost game or care about it. Instead, she quickly shut down her computer and started gathering some belongings into a carry-on bag. 

"Wait, wait! Chloe, what's wrong?" He knew he shouldn't ask this question because she cannot give him an answer. Every time she receives such a call, he knew she was assigned another mission. However, she can't disclose any information to anyone of what she does and where she is going.

"Don't worry, nothing's wrong. I just suddenly want to go on a trip. I'll be back whenever I'm back. Sorry, I'll play with you another time." Chloe reached for the iPad and ended the call before he could ask more questions.

Lucas stared at the blackened screen in front of him and muttered, "Sydney, Australia.." Since she logged out of the game and quit FaceTime, he was no longer in the mood to continue gaming. He exited the game shortly after she did. 

After staring into space for a few minutes, he switched on all his desktop screens and started typing codes on his computer.