The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 679 - 331: Master of Assassination_2

Arthur looked up thoughtfully and speculated, "First, these weapons are readily available. Second, precisely because they are so common, they also possess the characteristic of being ’obviously innocent.’ This is very important for assassins to avoid the dangers of being searched before or after an action."

Squinting his eyes, Coconut Tree chuckled softly as he pinched his chin’s stubble, "You indeed have insight. I didn’t believe it when the boss said you were a formidable person, but now it seems I truly underestimated you."

At this point, Coconut Tree suddenly turned the conversation, "Do you know about the ’Death of Marat’?"

"Of course, I do."

Arthur put down his teacup and said, "On July 13, 1793, Marat was assassinated in his Paris residence by a Girondist supporter, Charlotte Corday. This was not just a famous painting; it was a major event. Many people say that it was the death of Marat that led Robespierre, having lost a close comrade, to begin the purge against the Girondists, and the Great Revolution spiraled out of control from there."

Coconut Tree replied, "As far as my personal stance is concerned, Marat had it coming. Even if he had fortunately escaped assassination, the guillotine would have been waiting for him later. When he indulged in beheading others, he should have foreseen that he would face the same fate one day."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, "Are you referring to his closure of the Paris Academy of Sciences and his personal vendettas that led to the execution of Lavoisier?"

"No, I don’t understand the science, and I don’t care about the slogans like ’The Republic does not need scholars’ that he shouted. But he made my childhood very difficult, and I have always kept this in mind," Coconut Tree said as he took a sip of coffee, then added, "I forgot to tell you, my father was a Girondist."

"That is indeed unfortunate."

Coconut Tree shrugged, "But that’s all in the past, let bygones be bygones. Of course, the reason I mention the death of Marat today is not because I understand art and history, nor is it to reminisce about my childhood, but to discuss with you some techniques used in this assassination."

"As a classic case of successful assassination, the weapon Miss Corday used to kill Marat was an inconspicuous knife, simple but highly effective. Moreover, the assassin’s gender is also noteworthy. With your intelligence, you surely know what I mean. Yes, the assassin was a delicate lady."

While you might not believe it, to the detectives of the Security Department, ladies are far more suitable as assassins than gentlemen. They are fragile, beautiful, and appear to pose no threat, making it easier for them to bypass checks and approach their target closely. In the assessment system of the Security Department, the closer the distance, the higher the assassination success rate," he added.

Speaking thus, Coconut Tree suddenly paused, resting his legs crosswise, and said, "This is also why we initially wanted to kidnap Mr. Dumas and opted for a group disguise. Believe me, having the identity of a lady can simplify many things in many scenarios. Early in his years of exile, the boss even disguised himself as a nun."

"Common rural households generally hesitate to shelter an unidentified mature man, but a tormented nun could earn their hospitable reception. And not just that, that household even arranged for the boss to share a bed with their two daughters. Mr. Hastings, as you know, a big man would never get such favorable treatment."

At these words, Arthur merely joked, "It seems you’ve had similar experiences?"

"Me? No, I was less fortunate."

Coconut Tree said self-mockingly, "Maybe it’s because my disguise isn’t as pleasing as the boss’, I generally attract people like your friend. Of course, London is your turf, so I must behave more politely. If this were in Paris, I assure you he would have been in a special cell of the Security Department enjoying the same treatment as Marat that very night."

Recalling that day’s experience, he was still somewhat resentful, "Mr. Hastings, please forgive my bluntness, but your friend’s natural disposition might be a bit too innocent, don’t you think?"

Regarding Coconut Tree’s complaint, Arthur was rather nonchalant and coolly responded, "Actually, I find it quite comforting that Eld made a move on you after you were disguised."

Coconut Tree became alert, "What do you mean by that?" freёweɓnovel.com

Arthur took a sip of tea, "Because it illustrates two points, first, that he indeed likes the opposite sex. Second, he is generally interested in the same species; special circumstances only arise out of dire necessity. He had no choice before, but given another chance, he would definitely choose a human, female."

The information Arthur revealed stunned Coconut Tree, leaving him speechless for a long while.

After all, even a detective from the streets of Paris belonging to the Security Department would hardly grasp the casualness of the Royal Navy in selecting companions."

While Coconut Tree was still dazed, Arthur started to browse through the documents Coconut Tree brought that day.

As Talleyrand had promised Arthur before, the French Embassy had dug out all the intelligence they had that pointed the mastermind behind the scenes to the Russian Embassy, in order to gain Britain’s support on the Polish issue.

However, the downside was that Arthur did not know whether this was all the information the French held.

Due to France’s close ties with Poland, although the French had not made much progress in investigating the case, they had managed to uncover clean backgrounds of the three Polish gunmen involved.