Chapter 67
It didn’t bother Hunter that Hera didn’t respect him. After all, he had been infatuated with her for as long as he could remember. But Skadi? She dared to speak to him so arrogantly?
Hunter shoved his hands into his pockets and, brazenly scanning Skadi’s low-cut neckline, he smirked. “These are my eyes. I can look wherever I want.”
“You fat fool… Are you looking for a beating?” Skadi’s voice was icy as she gathered her skirts and marched toward him.
Hunter felt a flicker of nervousness. Skadi had a reputation for taking down young heirs without breaking a sweat. But before she could reach him, four of his family’s bodyguards rushed to stand in front of him, forming a protective barrier.
Skadi didn’t hesitate for a moment. Her fists clenched, ready to fight.
“Skadi, duck!” Hera’s sharp voice pierced the air.
Startled, Skadi paused just in time to hear the rumble of something heavy approaching.
Boom!
The four bodyguards were sent flying backward, tumbling to the ground like ragdolls. One of them collided with Hunter, and both of them were knocked down in a heap.
A stunned silence fell over the crowd. People stared in disbelief as the scene unfolded before them. On the ground lay an old woman in a janitor’s uniform, motionless. Her chest bore a bloody, gaping wound the size of a bowl.
By the time the onlookers regained their bearings, a dozen inspectors were already rushing toward the scene, closely followed by Henderson, the chief of the inspection office. Right behind him were Zakariah, the head of the martial arts association, Grant from one of Jonford’s top families, Harold, the richest man in Jonford, and several elderly masters from second-tier families.
These individuals were all so powerful that a single stomp from any of them could shake Jonford itself.
And yet, these titans were gathered around one person—a thin, middle-aged man. To his left was a burly, stout man dressed in a windbreaker and fedora, and to his right stood a mysterious figure with a smiley-face mask. The aura he emanated was so intense it made the air feel thick and difficult to breathe.
Nash calmly walked over to the old woman. He bent down and gently wiped his hand across her face, peeling away a mask made of human skin. Beneath it, a strikingly handsome face was revealed.
Henderson inhaled sharply, his voice trembling. “What an incredible disguise… Even our high-precision facial recognition system couldn’t detect it.”
The inspection office had deployed twenty drones, all equipped with the most advanced facial recognition technology. Despite their best efforts, the drones had missed the deception completely. Only now did Henderson understand why Stellar had spared no expense in hiring protection for the Warden.
The inspection office wouldn’t have been able to deal with assassins of this caliber.
Nash straightened up slowly, returning to stand quietly by the Warden’s side. Stellar gave him a look, the corners of his mouth curling into a half-smile. “Can’t you be a bit gentler with them? We should keep them alive to interrogate and find out who sent them.”
“I’ll try next time,” Nash hummed, his response casual as he resumed his silent post beside the Warden.
The Warden glanced at Stellar with a weary expression. “Did you really think these assassins would sell out their bosses? Even if the Grim Reaper doesn’t kill them, they’ll take their own lives to avoid the shame of failure. They won’t leave any clues behind.”
The situation had escalated far beyond a birthday celebration. Someone had been killed at Mr. Lee’s event, and the air around them had grown thick with tension. No one dared to breathe too loudly.
Skadi, now back by Hera’s side, nudged her gently. “Hera, do you think the man with the mask is good-looking?”
Hera rolled her eyes at Skadi. “You can’t even tell if they’re male or female, and you’re asking me about their looks? What’s going on in that head of yours?”
Skadi leaned in closer and whispered, “He’s definitely a guy. I’d say he’s at least a hundred times more powerful than my grandfather.”
Hera’s eyes widened in shock. “More powerful than Nash?”
Skadi nodded firmly. “At least ten times stronger than Nash. I think I’ve found my future husband.”