Chapter 52

In a dim, secluded corner of the Shanghai Foreign Concession, Alice was engaged in a dangerous transaction with a black-market arms dealer. Tucked away in her possession was the generous payment she had just received for a photo collection documenting the cruel realities of the war. Now, she intended to use every cent of it to contribute to the resistance against the Japanese. Alice stood before the dealer. Tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes, she appeared strikingly out of place in the gloomy environment. She looked at the arms dealer, the corners of her mouth curling into a confident smile. "I want a Springfield sniper rifle, a pistol, and enough ammunition," she said. Her English carried a hint of arrogance; after all, she knew she had the upper hand. The dealer was a stout man with a bloated face, his small eyes gleaming with craftiness from beneath a slick, greasy brow. Upon hearing Alice’s request, he paused, then broke into a greedy grin. "Miss, what you're asking for isn't easy to come by. As for the price—it’s going to be double." As he spoke, he rubbed his fat hands together, his eyes raking over Alice as if trying to gauge her bottom line from her expression.