However, despite this, the fiery gazes exchanged between the two attracted even greater attention among the nobles present. Of course, there were those who hoped Rafael would win, as not every noble favored the connections of the royal Shabak; they simply wanted to witness the scene of the second prince being humiliated, adopting an indifferent attitude since it didn't concern them.

The second prince had never been one to accept the short end of the stick, yet today he behaved like a gentleman and did not demand a coin toss. Instead, he smiled genteelly and made a welcoming gesture, inviting Rafael to break first.

Rafael also smiled back at Shabak with a nod. He rarely showed such a sincere smile; it was not merely a feeling of resonance. Compared to mutual understanding, his smile was more akin to gratitude for a predecessor.

At that moment, Rafael's gaze became intensely focused. With a strike, the pop of the cue ball scattering the reds was heard—a man worthy of the title 'Wind-like'; not only did he spread the balls, but he also managed to position the white ball perfectly. Considering how the red balls had scattered, scoring quickly and widening the gap was certainly possible with precise play.

Caressing the unfamiliar cue, Feng Yi executed the second shot, followed by the third, the fourth...

Although the second prince still maintained his refined smile, his emotions were far from calm. Undoubtedly, Rafael's precision was alarmingly high, so much so that even he found it daunting. Unfortunately, his positioning after each shot was not perfect; despite hitting the red balls, he couldn't move the white ball to the desired spots afterward.

However, despite Rafael's less-than-perfect cue ball control, his precise striking points could somewhat make up for this flaw. Shabak even regretted showing off as he initially cared about the spectators' opinions; now, he was more concerned about losing to Rafael. How would he view himself if he lost to Rafael?

Bang!

With that sound, the audience gasped... When Rafael struck the seventh ball, he inadvertently deviated, sending the white ball into a pocket! He covered his forehead with his hand, displaying a terribly dismayed expression.

All these details weren't the main point; while Rafael was continuously taking shots, he had managed to position most of the other red balls close to prime scoring spots around the table. Who knew this shot would go awry? One might say, if even a novice who knew a bit about snooker played this, they could potentially clear the table with a streak of good luck.

Such unlucky fellow, but cue ball control is an essential part of skill. A snooker match demands such precision as a basic fundamental.

Seeing the opportunity, the second prince, without hesitation, stepped forward and cleared the table with several consecutive strikes in a display of overwhelming force, stirring cheers from the audience. Even Rafael couldn't help but smile wryly and clap his hands...

In the second game, Rafael still lost by a significant margin, followed by the third and fourth rounds, each ending undoubtedly in his defeat.

Initially, Shabak's performance was not very stable; unexpectedly, his rhythm improved, and his plays became increasingly better—perhaps an extraordinary performance. Normally, the more challenging shots were today succeeded one after another, eventually leading Shabak to win by a large margin.

As for Rafael, his face did not show the discouragement of defeat; it seemed almost like a logically expected outcome. During the match, his expression was very somber, but when he truly faced defeat, he seemed to casually brush it off.

As applause rang out from the spectators, Shabak was visibly delighted. Though he maintained his usual composed facade, after one remark, he paid for everyone's drinks in the venue.

"Your Highness, will there be an opportunity to match skills with you in the future?"

"Haha, anytime. We might as well exchange contact information."

The challenge ultimately closed amidst laughter, which understandably did not please Feng Yi. To build momentum, he sacrificed the support of all nobles, turning his focus instead to the second prince himself.

For this, he even specifically learned the rules of snooker. As for winning or losing, it wasn't of great importance to him; those gaps were deliberately left for Shabak's benefit.

After all, as a top fighter who could take down bullets, how could a snooker match pose a challenge? Feng Yi's control over distances and mastery of cue power were far superior to Shabak's; yet, he still lost.

Within merely a few days, Feng Yi had become quite close with the second prince Shabak. To outsiders, they seemed like friends with endless topics to discuss, kindred spirits on the billiards table.

And within noble circles, the ever-mysterious and versatile Rafael similarly became Shabak's staunchest supporter. Even though, being Rafael, he rarely showed much respect to Prince Shabak under normal circumstances, the discerning could notice the earnestness in his attitude.

The so-called invisible flattery is the deadliest; even after changing his identity, Feng Yi did not discard Li Xiang's principles. Subtly flattering others with his words was always his special skill, and he always managed to slip in a few compliments at just the right moment.

This kind of inconspicuous bootlicking was incredibly powerful; under his clever use of words and by contrasting with Rafael himself, even a dog could be made to appear as imposing as an Akita.

After all, Rafael had already been receiving a lot of attention in noble circles, and with Feng Yi's backing, Shabak's prestige also increased over time—an interaction that made the two of them almost inseparable, sharing long conversations on the couch with the utmost trust.

Of course, Shabak knew that Rafael was no simple man, but he valued the influence this man had on him even more.

It wasn't until one day, during a conversation, that Feng Yi informed Shabak he would be leaving this place to pursue his ultimate goal regarding "obstruction."

To retain this valuable asset, Shabak eventually introduced Feng Yi to a secret department in Saudi.

Feng Yi was aware that Shabak was not without his suspicions. He just pretended not to be cautious because his profile was too abnormal. Although his nationality was Saudi, he came from a town that had long been abandoned, and his various records inevitably aroused doubts.

Now, Feng Yi was exceptionally careful in his daily activities. With his ability to counter-trace, he could skillfully avoid surveillance equipment and Shabak's spies—a necessity in this risky business of acting under everyone's noses.

Luckily, with Eggy's assistance and his agile movements, his operational range was continuously expanding within a certain area. Whenever someone unexpectedly visited or sought him out, he managed to arrive just in time.

He even began to wonder if Shabak had always been suspicious of him, but he couldn't worry about that much now. Plans aren't always perfect, especially since he had already figured out the usual gathering places of Saudi's noble families and political factions.

Feng Yi still kept testing the limits of danger time and again…

Who knew that today would finally be the day he "flipped his car"—though not literally; he was just suddenly recognized, which was practically no different from flipping his car.

"Feng Yi."

A voice like that of a heavenly muse suddenly resonated by his ear, causing Feng Yi to jerk and turn around, only to see a woman with a seemingly mocking smile, her almond eyes staring intently at him…

She looked somewhat familiar, as though they had met before, but Feng Yi suddenly couldn't remember.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah."

"Beautiful miss, are you sure you're talking to me?"

Roland's forehead showed an exclamation mark!

"Personally, I'm Rafael. I don't know any Feng Yi, and who might you be?" Although Feng Yi said this, panic was rushing through his mind. He began looking around. If no one else was around, he had no choice but to deal with this woman on the spot, even though she was beautiful—for his grand mission, he had no other option.

Meanwhile, Feng Yi's mind frantically sifted through features related to this woman…

Regrettably, after thinking hard, his mind was still smoking with no results. If he had to mention any features, the simply dressed yet understated woman bore some resemblance to a legendary warrior named Roland.

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