Bully Lord

Part-131

The next day, as James arrived at school, Mili approached his desk. A curious glint in her eyes, she greeted him with an enthusiastic, "Hey James!"

"Hey Mili," James replied, returning her smile.

"So, I couldn't help but notice the tension between you and Toya yesterday," Mili began, her voice filled with curiosity. "You guys seem to have some history."

James hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal. "I don't know her that well," he replied cautiously. "The only time we met was in the market a few months ago. I helped save her grandmother from a couple of thugs who were pretending to collect money for a concert."

Mili's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's amazing! You're a hero!"

James knew Mili was just putting on an act. Her surprise was feigned, and he could sense an underlying curiosity in her tone. "Why are you so interested in our interaction?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Mili shrugged, a playful smile on her face. "Just curious, that's all. You guys seemed to have some serious chemistry going on."

James rolled his eyes. "We don't have any chemistry," he replied flatly. "She thinks I'm a thug because I fought those guys in the market."

Mili burst out laughing. "That's your punishment for being a hero," she teased. "I'm actually glad she hates you. Serves you right for getting involved in other people's business."

With that, she turned and walked back to her seat, leaving James alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile at her playful banter. It was a welcome distraction from the stress of the online scam investigation.

After school, James, Ryan, and Sourov followed the address they had been given to a seemingly ordinary park. The location was unexpected; James had envisioned a dimly lit office building or a high-tech apartment complex, not a public green space.

Sourov pulled out his phone and dialed the number they had been given. "We're here," he announced into the receiver.

A few minutes later, a young boy emerged from the park's entrance. He couldn't have been more than five feet two inches tall, and his youthful appearance was at odds with the image of a skilled hacker they had conjured up. Pronoy had mentioned someone five years younger than him, but this boy looked no older than eighteen or twenty.

Confusion washed over the trio. This couldn't be the hacker they were looking for. They exchanged puzzled glances, wondering if they had been given the wrong address.

"Are you... him?" James managed to stammer out, his voice filled with doubt.

The boy, seemingly unfazed by their skepticism, nodded with a confident smirk. "The name's Dwip," he introduced himself.

James, Ryan, and Sourov exchanged nervous glances before offering polite greetings to Dwip. However, the young hacker seemed disinterested in pleasantries. "What do you want?" he asked bluntly, his tone leaving no room for ambiguity.