Even though it was midday and the sun shone brightly, the heat was bearable. Still, a petite figure emerged from the police station, looking downcast as she dragged an unreasonably heavy bag. Alongside her was a young man with a face bruised and furious, his eyes blazing with frustration as he glared at the figure in front of him.

"Hey, next time, make sure you know what you're doing before you jump in, and stop accusing innocent people!" The man finally couldn't hold back any longer and shouted at her.

Malayah Smith quickly turned to face the young man, bowing and apologizing repeatedly. She seemed a bit flustered, yet her expression was genuinely remorseful. "I'm really sorry, truly! I'll be more careful next time. How about this—I cover your medical expenses?" Her hand tightly gripped her pocket, fearing the young man might demand an exorbitant sum.

After venting his frustration, the young man seemed to calm down considerably. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Alright, alright. Just be smarter next time you're trying to catch a thief. Don't mistake the person helping you for the thief again. Goodbye! Actually, let's just say I hope we never meet again!" He flashed a rather disdainful smile and walked away with long strides.

Watching the young man's silhouette gradually disappear, Malayah finally sighed in relief. She lifted her pale hand to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead, feeling a mix of emotions.

Today, she'd finally managed to spot a pickpocket on the bus and, with her skills, had apprehended the thief with a swift maneuver and brought him to the police station. However, she quickly discovered that the man she captured was actually the one who had his wallet stolen. The real thief had slipped away during their scuffle. Her face flushed as red as a ripe apple at the thought of her mistake, utterly embarrassed.

"Forget it. I better not dwell on these frustrating matters and head back to my mentor," she thought, knowing how much her mentor disliked tardiness. With this, she pushed the incident from her mind and took hold of the oversized bag, setting off.

"Hey there, Scrappy Cat, you doing alright?" A clear voice called out from beneath a nearby tree before Malayah could walk too far.

Malayah paused in surprise. "Scrappy Cat" was her nickname—one she persistently denied but couldn't escape. Could it be that person was here?

She quickly looked in the direction of the voice. Standing there was a beautiful tree she couldn't name, its green leaves glinting under the sun. Leaning against the trunk was a tall, striking young woman with chestnut-brown hair resembling flowering crabapple, arms crossed, and a pair of eyes that were both icy and warm looking at her.

"Sister?!" Malayah cried out, running up to the coolly elegant woman. "Sister, what are you doing here?!"

The elegant woman's face softened with a loving smile as she stretched out a slender finger to gently tap Malayah on the forehead. "Of course, I'm on the same bus as a certain cat," she teased. "And I got to watch quite the spectacle today, haha."

The cool and stylish beauty was none other than Selena Stewart, Malayah's senior from the same training school and a sisterly figure who cherished her like a real sibling.

Malayah's face turned crimson when she heard Selena's words. "Sister, you didn't see everything that happened on the bus, did you?"

"Absolutely, from start to finish. I saw it all," Selena laughed, standing before Malayah.

Malayah was immediately frustrated, stamping her feet in embarrassment. "Ugh, why is it every time I mess up, you have to witness it? It's been that way since we were kids. I can't handle it—it's so embarrassing!"

Selena tapped Malayah's forehead again, smiling. "Alright, Scrappy Cat, don't be upset. Look, I've got a big surprise for you."

"A surprise? Where? Where?" Malayah perked up instantly at the mention of a surprise, eagerly looking around Selena, only to find emptiness behind her. She pouted in disappointment. "You're teasing me, aren't you? There's no surprise—you’re pulling my leg."

Selena clapped her hands, turned toward the tree, and said coolly, "Come out."

As soon as Selena spoke, a young man with dyed blond hair sheepishly emerged from behind the tree, his head down and his face sporting bruises, suggesting he hadn't escaped unscathed.

"Ah, it's you. You're the thief who slipped away from me!" Malayah recognized the man at once. She approached him, pointing angrily, "Now I've got you! Let's see where you run to now!" She added a light kick for emphasis.

"Please, ladies, have mercy. It was my first time doing this. I promise I'll never do it again. Spare me!" the blond thief begged, kneeling beside Selena and Malayah, tears and snot mixing as he pleaded, "I have an eighty-year-old mother and a younger brother at home. They need me!"

Seeing the thief's pitiful demeanor softened Malayah's heart. She turned to Selena, saying, "Sister, he seems so pitiful. Can't we just let him go?"

Selena, however, smirked coolly and kicked the thief. "Same old story. Can't you come up with something new? Turn yourself in, or it'll be worse for you!" she commanded.

The thief, wary of Selena's prowess, had no choice but to trudge towards the police station, his resentment evident as he glanced back but knowing better than to defy her.

"Sister, you're so awesome! I look up to you so much!" Apart from her mentor, Malayah had always admired Selena, the cool and formidable figure before her.

Selena's icy facade warmed with affection as she tapped Malayah's forehead. "Alright, Scrappy Cat, now's not the time for compliments. We need to get back to our mentor's place before they get upset."

"Okay, Sister. To keep our mentor from blowing a fuse, let's get a taxi back." Malayah looked at the heavy bag in her hands and suggested.

"Nope, can't do. Our mentor specifically instructed us to walk back from the bus stop," Selena replied, tapping Malayah's forehead again with a smile.

"What?!" Malayah's heart sank, feeling her burden grow even heavier. The walk back to their mentor's place was at least six miles. She had quite the journey ahead.

Malayah Smith and Selena Stewart were both orphans, raised by their mentor, whom they admired deeply as both a father and mother figure. Growing up, they often heard tales of their mentor’s past, learning that he was once a national boxing champion known for his practical fighting skills before becoming a renowned, top-tier bodyguard. However, those days were long gone, and now he was just a grumbling old man.

"Hurry up, Slowpoke! If we're even a minute late, mentor will be mad at us!" Selena called out, waving to Malayah from the entrance of a grand mansion.

Malayah quickly reassured her, "Okay, okay, mentor. We're sorry. We’ll definitely come back to visit more often, but you have to tell us why you wanted us here. It can’t be just to say hello, right? I cleared my whole schedule at the daycare for this. If you don’t give us a good reason, I might just get upset." As she spoke, her pretty face scrunched up in mock annoyance.

The old man, doting on Malayah like his own child, chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Haha, I’m just kidding. Of course, I wouldn’t call my two precious students back without a good reason. I have an important task for you." He then retrieved a stack of papers from the cabinet behind him, placing a photograph on top of the documents and sliding it toward the two young women.

Malayah glanced at the photograph, noticing a man in his twenties with features so precise they seemed sculpted by a master artist. His eyes held a faint mistiness, reminiscent of a mysterious, bottomless lake. In the photo, the man was lightly touching his forehead with his long fingers, appearing deep in thought.

"Wow, who’s this handsome guy? He’s gorgeous!" Malayah had always appreciated beauty, especially when it came to striking men. The photograph captivated her instantly, and she picked it up, looking starry-eyed.

In stark contrast, Selena was indifferent to men with overly delicate looks. She preferred more rugged and masculine features.

Seeing Malayah’s infatuated expression, the mentor chuckled mischievously. "Malayah, since you like the man in this photo so much, how about you take on this task?"

The happiness on Malayah’s face vanished as she heard the mentor’s suggestion. Her heart tightened, and she quickly tossed the photo back on the table. "No way! No way!" she protested, waving her hands dismissively. "Tell us what’s going on first, mentor. I’d rather know what I’m getting into than fall for one of your tricks!"

Selena, seated beside her, was equally curious. "Mentor, who is this man, really? What has caught your attention about him?"

The mentor picked up the photograph again, his expression becoming serious. "The man in the photo is Ricardo Patterson, the son of the person who once saved my life. Now, his own life is in danger. My savior has reached out, asking me to protect his son." He then glanced between Malayah and Selena, a sly smile playing on his lips. "But as you can see, I’m not exactly in any shape to protect anyone these days. So... I was hoping one of you could handle this for me."

When Malayah Smith discovered Adan Bradley’s real reason for summoning her and her sister, she was thrilled. The mission was to protect a certain Ricardo Patterson. She clapped her hands in excitement, "So that's why you brought us back, Adan. Seriously, this is something Selena could handle alone. I'd rather skip out, haha."

Selena Stewart, noticing Malayah trying to bow out, looked displeased. She playfully flicked Malayah's forehead with a slender finger and chuckled, "You rookie. Didn't you hear that your big sister just finished a major mission and hurt her arm? I think this job suits you perfectly. Isn't this client exactly your type?"

Malayah quickly defended her capabilities, "Selena, that's not fair. Even a weakling is stronger when still standing, and I'm just a little kitten. Even with your injury, you're leaps and bounds ahead of me."

Adan gazed between his two beloved students. He had expected them to compete for the assignment and was surprised to see them trying to pass it off to each other. His initial enthusiasm turned into frustration as he worked to suppress his irritation.

"Enough, both of you! Stop trying to wiggle out of it," Adan finally cut in, his kind eyes turning serious. He scanned Malayah and Selena, stating in a tone that left no room for negotiation, "Listen up, you can't decline. Let me finish. Ricardo Patterson is the son of the man who saved my life. One of you must take this case and ensure his safety."

Then, with a mischievous grin, Adan added, "And this job isn't for free. The Patterson family is offering a check for a million dollars. Whoever successfully protects Ricardo will earn that."

The mention of a million dollars immediately captured Malayah's interest. A million! Her mind was flooded with visions of endless zeros. "Alright, Adan, no need to talk it over further. I’ll do it!" Malayah eagerly volunteered, drawn more by the lucrative reward than the assignment itself. After all, she'd never see this kind of money otherwise.

Although Adan left the decision up to his students, he knew that Malayah, despite his fondness for her, wasn’t the most skilled. Her nickname, "the rookie," was well-earned despite years of training. This task was no small feat and not something she could handle easily.

"What about you, Selena? Really not interested?" Adan asked his top student, who had mastered nearly everything he had taught.

Reclining on the couch, Selena waved dismissively, "Adan, you know my terms. I won't accept less than a ten million deposit. Besides, this client isn't my type."

"Ten million?!" Malayah's jaw dropped at Selena's words. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her.

Seeing Malayah's shock, Selena gently flicked her forehead again, smiling, "What's so surprising about that?"

"No, nothing at all!" Malayah quickly reassured, waving her hand to dismiss any disagreement.

Known as the star pupil of Adan Bradley, once the world’s leading ultimate bodyguard, Selena Stewart had mastered everything and even surpassed her teacher. Her quick and decisive skills, combined with her youthful beauty and cool demeanor, meant her rate was ten million—especially for those seemingly impossible missions. Despite her steep charges, clients who valued absolute reliability over cost were happy to pay.

Meanwhile, Malayah, having trained alongside Selena, had the skills of a rookie due to her laziness and lack of discipline. She grasped little of the other techniques Adan taught, her knowledge shaky at best. She hadn’t even undertaken a real case before, meaning her value was extremely low—merely a few hundred dollars, more as a gesture of respect for Adan than anything else. This chance at a million-dollar case had her grinning from ear to ear.

"Alright, it’s decided. Malayah, you’ll take this case. Starting tomorrow, go to the Patterson Corporation to locate Ricardo. Per the contract, you’ll protect him for one month. After that, you can cash that million-dollar check," Adan said, waving the check teasingly, "Looking forward to a month from now?"

Seeing Adan's mischievous smile, Malayah frowned slightly, asking cautiously, "Adan, is it really that straightforward? Just keep him safe for a month?"

Hearing this, Adan's expression became intensely serious. He locked eyes with Malayah and stated firmly, "Malayah, before you proceed, heed this warning: Your mission involves more than ensuring Ricardo Patterson's safety. You must also identify the mastermind behind any threats. If anyone attempts to harm him, you must neutralize them—all of them!"

Malayah turned pale at Adan's words. She gasped, dropping her file and photos with a clatter. Staring at Adan in shock, she exclaimed, "Adan, you can't be serious! Neutralizing threats? That's terrifying!"