Goal Achieved
Limited strictly by what she logically knew, Stella Bridger had absolutely no reason to doubt Arthur Sterling's calculated story.
After all, her highly intelligent mind was absolutely certain she had never met this highly capable, imposing young man before in her entire life.
Precisely because of that undeniable fact, combined with his rugged, earnest expression, absolutely everything he said seemed profoundly credible.
If he hadn't felt genuine, heavy guilt about violently dragging her into his chaotic mess, he surely wouldn't have risked his own life returning to Steve's heavily armed luxury villa to save her from certain death.
"Thank you, then," Stella whispered, her voice still rough and dry.
Well-bred and maintaining her poise even in her current, completely disheveled state, Stella sincerely voiced her profound gratitude for his flawless, lethal intervention.
Arthur had been meticulously, intensely studying her reactions the entire time, his dark eyes analyzing every microscopic shift in her posture.
Seeing her tense nerves finally begin to uncoil in the dim light of the motel room, and watching her heavy, defensive guard slowly drop, his calculating mind knew perfectly well it was the exact right time for the real, underlying topic.
He smiled a charming, disarming smile and gently shook his handsome head. "A world-class beauty like Miss Bridger naturally possesses a profound charm that absolutely no man can easily resist".
"Getting you violently involved in this massive, lethal mess was entirely my careless responsibility to begin with"
"Besides, I absolutely didn't risk my life to rescue you without a specific, ulterior motive," Arthur added, his tone dropping into a smooth, honest rumble.
A small, genuine smile curved Stella's cracked lips; the smooth, unexpected flattery genuinely pleased her exhausted mind.
His absolute, unapologetic frankness didn't bother her strict sensibilities in the absolute least.
"What exact motive?" Stella asked, her blue eyes narrowing slightly with renewed, analytical curiosity.
Arthur's heart beat a fraction faster; he knew perfectly well the absolute main act of his meticulous plan had finally arrived.
Whether he could flawlessly, miraculously rocket his highly sought-after [Lockpicking] skill to the absolute top tier and rapidly become the world's greatest lock-picking master completely depended entirely on his next, highly calculated performance.
He smiled a confident, slightly mischievous smile and slowly raised both of his large, calloused hands in the dim light.
He casually wiggled his empty fingers in front of her intense gaze, showing absolutely nothing was hidden in his sleeves, then slowly, deliberately drew his hands apart.
With a sudden, lightning-fast flip of his strong wrists, two highly specific objects miraculously appeared out of thin air.
An ordinary, heavy brass door lock rested perfectly in one broad palm, and a short, rigid length of metallic wire sat flawlessly in the other.
"Magic?" Stella asked, her voice carrying a trace of genuine amusement.
Stella was undeniably a little startled; her sharp, observant eyes absolutely hadn't spotted the subtle technique or the rapid, physical switch.
Yet she wasn't particularly shocked or overwhelmingly surprised by the sudden sleight of hand.
As an undisputed, top-tier [Lockpicking] expert, Stella's professional and social circle was actually quite massive and highly extensive.
Henrietta Reeves, a stunningly famous, highly sought-after illusionist in the United States completely known for her impossible, death-defying escape magic, was actually a very good, personal friend of Stella.
Because of this unique, high-profile friendship, Stella had personally witnessed even vastly more incredible, physics-defying magic performances up close.
So, although her analytical mind completely couldn't figure out exactly how Arthur had miraculously conjured a heavy brass lock and a thin metal wire entirely out of thin air in his empty hands, she absolutely didn't pay too much intense, tactical attention to it, writing it off as a simple, highly practiced parlor trick.
A strange, highly unpredictable expression suddenly flashed across Arthur's rugged face. He absolutely hadn't expected that just as Stella casually uttered the specific word 'Magic' in the quiet room, The omnipotent proficiency system residing deep in his mind suddenly chimed, actively reminding him that he had flawlessly triggered a completely new, highly versatile skill: [Magic].
This was an incredibly good, highly adaptable skill with a massive, terrifyingly high ceiling for tactical deception.
Therefore, even though he had recently become quite incredibly adept at flawlessly concealing his micro-expressions and complex, internal emotions on the dangerous streets.
Arthur absolutely still lost his iron-clad composure for a brief, microscopic moment before smoothly feigning a wry, self-deprecating smile.
He nodded slowly, successfully and flawlessly glossing over his profound internal shock.
"Watch closely, Miss Bridger!" Arthur said, his voice regaining its absolute, unwavering confidence.
Arthur seamlessly inserted the thin, rigid metal wire directly into the narrow keyhole of the heavy brass lock.
Then, exactly after gently poking the internal pins a few times with his dark eyes completely closed in absolute concentration, there was a sharp, mechanical click, and the heavy lock was flawlessly opened.
Stella frowned slightly, her delicate eyebrows drawing together, absolutely still not fully understanding exactly what profound point he meant to make with this display.
Her highly critical gaze lingered heavily on the popped lock for a brief moment before she smoothly shifted her attention back to his face.
Stella could easily, flawlessly open an ordinary, commercial lock exactly like this one, widely available on the open market, within ten flat seconds when she was merely six years old.
Now, with her decades of intense, specialized experience, she logically felt it might not even take her two complete seconds to defeat such a rudimentary mechanism.
Arthur's supernaturally enhanced perception also flawlessly noticed Stella's unimpressed, slightly confused expression, and he could only smoothly continue with his meticulously pre-prepared, airtight explanation.
"A long time ago, I clearly discovered that I possessed an absolutely excellent, supernatural learning ability," Arthur lied smoothly, weaving his cover story.
"As long as it is completely something I am deeply, genuinely interested in mastering, I can absolutely learn it incredibly quickly".
"After permanently becoming an active thief on these dangerous streets, I also aggressively tried to seamlessly use my massive learning ability to completely make myself physically and technically stronger".
"I am completely, genuinely willing to humbly apprentice myself to absolutely anyone highly capable and aggressively learn more complex, advanced skills".
"Miss Bridger, I have actually been quietly, actively watching your flawless work for a very long time".
"You, exactly like your legendary father, John Bridger, are both absolutely top, undisputed masters in the highly complex field of [Lockpicking] ".
"This time, I violently risked my own life returning to Steve's heavily armed luxury villa to aggressively save you".
"Another massive, underlying reason was to actively befriend you".
"And then completely, humbly apprentice myself directly to you to flawlessly learn your advanced, world-class [Lockpicking] techniques," Arthur concluded, laying his massive ambition entirely bare.
After speaking his calculated piece, Arthur maintained a warm, highly respectful smile and watched Stella quietly, absolutely without saying anything further to clutter the heavy silence.
Upon hearing this blunt confession, Stella suddenly had a massive, profound realization hit her exhausted mind.
So that is exactly it! she thought, the tension in her shoulders finally, completely releasing.
So he absolutely has a massive, highly specific favor to ask of me!.
Stella's unparalleled, supernatural [Lockpicking] talent was entirely inherited directly from her beloved father, John Bridger.
John Bridger was undeniably once the absolute, undisputed world's top lock-picking master.
He spent his entire, highly lucrative life obsessively, meticulously studying absolutely all types of complex locks in the known world.
From ancient, highly intricate locks from forgotten empires to various massive, modern smart systems and cutting-edge, electronic security vaults.
Decades of grueling, highly dangerous practice passed, and he actively benefited immensely from his absolute, uncompromising dedication to the craft.
From an incredibly young age, Stella actively began learning and deeply researching various, highly complex [Lockpicking] techniques strictly under the brilliant, patient guidance of her father, John Bridger.
By the exact time she successfully turned sixteen years old, her legendary father personally, proudly admitted that she had flawlessly learned absolutely all the advanced [Lockpicking] techniques he had ever developed.
The absolute only thing she technically lacked was the raw, real-world field experience.
After successfully graduating from a top-tier university, Stella, armed with her father's massive, illicit financial support, legally opened the highly respected Bridger Locksmith Company.
In the chaotic following years, she actively, flawlessly collaborated with the heavily armed Los Angeles police and massive federal banks, encountering various world-class and even top-tier, military-grade safes and heavy vaults.
In the grueling process of continuously, aggressively overcoming them, Stella had long since completely integrated absolutely all the theoretical knowledge her father had taught her.
It was indeed absolutely no exaggeration whatsoever to confidently call her the world's top [Lockpicking] expert.
Therefore, Stella's highly intelligent mind could easily, logically accept the blunt excuse that Arthur violently risked his life saving her simply, selfishly to learn those invaluable [Lockpicking] techniques from her.
Stella could completely, absolutely accept this transactional excuse.
" You are incredibly honest! " Stella finally said calmly to Arthur, but she absolutely didn't agree directly to the massive request just yet.
However, seeing this slight hesitation, Arthur's calculating heart swelled with profound, tactical joy.
He knew perfectly well that Stella absolutely not directly refusing him meant there was undeniably a massive, golden chance of success.
After all, her advanced [Lockpicking] techniques were something her brilliant father had aggressively spent his entire, dangerous life meticulously researching.
Naturally, such a highly classified, world-class skillset would absolutely not be easily or quickly taught to complete, unproven strangers.
Arthur then smiled warmly, projecting absolute, unwavering patience, and said, "There is absolutely nothing I need to hide from you!".
"Miss Bridger, please take your time and completely consider it carefully".
"Of course, if Miss Bridger ultimately absolutely doesn't agree to the apprenticeship, I absolutely won't violently blame you or hold it against you".
"By the way," Arthur added smoothly, changing the heavy subject, "you must be incredibly, painfully hungry right now".
"When you violently escaped earlier, your clothes seem to have completely gotten dirty and ruined in the chaos".
"Wait securely for me right here for a brief moment; I will actively go out into the city and buy some hot, solid food and see if I can flawlessly get you a clean change of clothes".
With that highly considerate promise, Arthur got up smoothly and walked confidently out of the cramped motel room, the heavy door clicking shut behind him.
Only Stella was left completely alone in the quiet, desolate hotel room, her empty stomach rumbling loudly and painfully for a long, agonizing time.
She also vividly remembered her completely disheveled, filthy state, her pale face flushing slightly red with embarrassment as she watched his broad, retreating figure through the window, with even vastly more genuine admiration growing in her exhausted eyes.
He is undeniably a genuinely good guy! Stella thought, leaning her tired head back against the worn armchair.
Father absolutely wouldn't mind if I eventually taught him some advanced [Lockpicking] techniques to repay my life, would he?
_________
[ All 20 chapters have been uploaded successfully.
Take your time with them.
And when you reach the end, come back and tell me what you think. Your reviews, theories, opinions, and Power Stones genuinely help more than you know.
Also, from this point onward, the upload schedule will remain flexible, but you can generally expect around 3–5 chapters per week depending on the rewriting and translation process.
Some stories become louder as they progress.
This one simply becomes deeper.
Enjoy the journey. ]