"I'm not pretending anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table. I was just messing with you. Not only that, I also know your name is Ada Wong. But, so what?" Matthew crossed his legs, looking up at Ada across the table with an air of nonchalance. Only a table separated the two, yet the atmosphere felt ready to explode.
"Mr. Matthew Lawrence, do you find it amusing to toy with others like this?" Ada asked with a serious expression. Matthew shrugged playfully. "Amusing? It's absolutely delightful."
"Watching a top agent, whose identity is exposed but oblivious, run around doing my bidding every day... a situation like this rarely happens even once a year." Matthew stared intently at Ada.
Ada scrutinized Matthew from head to toe, as if seeing him for the first time. Suddenly, she smiled. The moment her laughter faded, Ada's body shot onto the table. Her hand swept to her lower back, and a small, exquisite pistol pressed against Matthew's forehead.
"When did you discover my true identity? From the beginning?" A flicker of curiosity appeared in her eyes.
Matthew didn't hide it. As if oblivious, he lightly raised a finger, pushing aside the pistol. "From the moment you walked in. Or rather... I've actually been keeping an eye on you for a while."
He continued, "You're a talent, and talent is incredibly precious in my eyes, like gold in sand, it's hard not to notice." He walked to the coffee machine, personally brewed a cup of coffee for Ada, then asked, "Tell me, who sent you?"
Ada looked at the coffee, falling silent for a moment. Then, "You're using the wrong water. Don't use the purified water from the company, I want Evian Mineral Water from the supermarket downstairs." Matthew remained silent.
"We've laid all our cards on the table, is it still fun to play like this?"
"Of course it's fun, absolutely delightful," Ada chuckled, holstering her pistol. Despite her words, she picked up the coffee and savored the feeling of being served. Especially the feeling of being served by this utterly detestable man.
'Hmm... the taste is good, but the technique needs improvement. He should learn more about coffee brewing,' she thought.
Setting down her coffee, Ada did not answer Matthew's question. Protecting client information was the first rule for someone in her line of work. "Lawrence, I'm very curious. Since you know my identity, why didn't you have me arrested immediately? Was it just for your twisted sense of humor?"
"Twisted sense of humor? No, no, no, you've misunderstood," Matthew waved his hand. "As I said, talent is incredibly precious in my eyes, and you happen to be the talent I need."
"Then aren't you afraid I'll take this opportunity to get what my employer wants?"
"No," Matthew shook his head, then revealed a meaningful smile. "Hmm... how about this! Let me guess who sent you and what your objective is... Spencer?"
Ada was about to shake her head in mockery, but Matthew's next words cut her off. "No, that old geezer Spencer is clearly not your employer. I'm guessing Albert Wesker sent you here, right? Your objective is the G-Virus sample?"
Following the Raccoon City outbreak, Wesker should have successfully faked his death and escaped, joining a new organization. To establish himself and implement his plans, he would need G-Virus data. He couldn't yet infiltrate Spencer's side.
Matthew, as the newly appointed head of Security, would appear less cunning and experienced in Wesker's eyes. Furthermore, Matthew was the executor of the G-Virus acquisition plan, making him Wesker's primary target.
"Ada, I actually know very well what the person behind you is thinking, but what I want to say is... he won't succeed, and neither will you." Matthew sat back in his chair. "I have to admit, you are an excellent lone wolf."
"But in this cruel world, a lone wolf cannot go the distance. Only by joining a pack, or relying on humans, can one survive."
Hearing this, Ada chuckled softly. "You mean, you're the so-called 'human'? And I, this lone wolf, can only survive by relying on you?" Her voice was soft, yet carried a hint of mockery.
"Not reliance, but cooperation," Matthew corrected. "I've always believed in win-win cooperation, reliance is just your misconception about me."
He continued, "Just like humans and hunting dogs in primitive society, humans valued the dogs' senses, which they lacked, while the dogs valued the humans' rare intelligence."
Listening to Matthew's words, Ada's smile widened. "Cooperation... Even if I were willing, would you dare keep an agent by your side who, just minutes ago, had a gun pointed at your head?"
She added, "Besides, I don't believe you'd truly trust me, an agent who has moved between various factions." Ada, still seated on the table, crossed her legs and rested her black high-heeled shoe on the armrest of Matthew's chair, a playful expression on her face.
Matthew glanced at the elegant foot in the black stocking on the armrest, then returned his gaze to Ada's face. "Actually, I don't care about your identity or your past actions," Matthew said, shrugging indifferently.
"You're a smart person, so you should know that if I truly cared about your identity and your recent offense, I wouldn't need to waste words with you here. I'd simply apprehend you."
"Apprehend me? With just you?" Ada scanned Matthew up and down. She didn't believe he had the ability to capture her. 'He's talking so much because he's afraid of losing his life if we fought,' she thought.
Facing Ada's skepticism, Matthew said nothing. Instead, he casually picked up the exquisite pistol Ada had placed on the table and held it between his palms. Then, his hands slammed shut.
A grating sound of metal twisting and crushing sharply echoed through the room! When the sound ceased, Matthew opened his palms. The pistol, exquisite moments ago, was now a 'compressed package'.
The moment she saw it, Ada's expression froze. Only then did she understand Matthew had not been lying. Dealing with her would be incredibly easy if he wanted to.
"Ada, there's no rush for you to decide whether to join, and I don't want to force you to stay at Umbrella Corporation." Matthew hinted, "How about this: since your employer's requirements mean you'll be here for a while anyway, why don't you stay by my side and be my assistant for a bit? You might even get what you're looking for."
He added, "And of course, your salary won't be an issue."
"How much?" Ada Wong asked curiously.
"Your salary will be the same as Eleanor's: [3.4 million] a year. You can leave anytime, and your salary will be settled immediately." He added, "And, I guarantee not to make things difficult for you."
[System Points +10. Ada Wong is very surprised by your actions and has begun to weigh your proposal.]