Chapter 73
Their mission had been clear: eliminate a brutal warlord from Yerusia. But things hadn’t gone according to plan.
Back then, Nash and Shawn had fought fiercely over the warlord’s head. When reinforcements arrived, they unleashed fighter aircraft that relentlessly bombed the warlord’s base. Nash had managed to escape the inferno, but Shawn had been left behind.
To his shock, Shawn had survived.
“Number nine on the Blood Leaderboard!” Shawn taunted, his voice cold and mocking. “I’ll be number nine once I kill you!”
With that, Shawn’s blades flashed in the air, and he charged at Nash with deadly intent.
Meanwhile, the other killers rushed toward the warden. Chaos erupted in the room.
Walter and Grant dove beneath a table for cover. Stellar and Henderson stood firm, their focus entirely on protecting the warden.
Nash, still recovering from his injuries, rose to his feet and surged forward at lightning speed.
In the blink of an eye, the two black-clad figures collided in a blur of motion. The air was filled with the sound of clashing metal.
A split second later, one of the dark figures darted past the five killers charging toward the warden.
Within ten seconds, the figure—wearing a smiley face mask—stood before the warden, as though he had materialized out of thin air.
Shawn froze, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
The five killers, their positions unbroken, remained still. They didn’t even flinch.
Zakariah, the head of the martial arts association and a Grandmaster at the fifth stage, gaped in astonishment. “They’re so fast… I can’t even see when they strike!”
Even with his extensive training, Zakariah was left in awe—and perhaps a little embarrassed by his inability to follow their movements.
Stellar glanced at Nash, his voice filled with concern. “Has… everything ended?”
Nash gave a curt nod, but said nothing more.
Shawn, still standing motionless, looked down in horror. A bloody arrow had pierced his chest, protruding through the shredded remnants of his heart. He met Nash’s gaze, his voice barely a whisper. “How… How are you so powerful?”
Nash walked up to him, bending close to whisper something into Shawn’s ear. Shawn shuddered violently before collapsing to the ground. His lifeless eyes slowly lost focus, and his grip on the blades loosened.
One by one, the remaining five killers fell, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds.
Amid the eerie silence, one of the Lee family’s younger children came rushing over, panting heavily. “I… I found the old master…”
Olivia shot to her feet. “What did you find?”
The child gasped for air before replying, “I found the old master…”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Olivia shoved the boy aside and dashed toward the mansion.
Joseph, still shaken by the chaos, turned to Stellar and the warden. His expression was full of regret. “Colonel, Warden… I apologize for my earlier behavior.”
The warden, ever composed, smiled gently. “It’s not your fault. To be honest, I’m the one to blame. I was the one who led these killers here.”
These killers had infiltrated the Lee estate for one reason only—to kill the warden.
Had they succeeded, he would have carried the guilt for the rest of his life.
Joseph, still reeling, turned to Nash, bowing deeply. “I’m sorry for misunderstanding you earlier.”
Nash, keeping his emotions in check, pretended not to hear the apology. He simply returned to the warden’s side.
Minutes later, Olivia reappeared, this time with a different wheelchair. The amiable Mr. Lee, seemingly unharmed, was seated in it.
The warden rushed to his side, taking Mr. Lee’s hands in his. They exchanged pleasantries, but before long, Mr. Lee burst into loud, childlike wails.
Olivia approached her father, her expression pained. “Grandpa was stripped and stuffed into a closet… he must have been terrified.”
Joseph, his face full of concern, replied, “At least he’s alright… at least he’s alright.”
After a beat, Joseph added, “Then… should we continue with the celebrations?”
Olivia nodded, the weight of the day heavy on her shoulders. “Yes. Let’s go ahead. Set off more firecrackers later.”
Joseph moved toward his father, his mind still racing. Meanwhile, Olivia walked toward the plaza to reassure the guests and bring some semblance of normalcy back to the event.
Stellar, after observing the chaotic aftermath, approached Nash. His voice was filled with concern. “Are you alright?”
Nash crossed his arms, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I won’t die.”
Stellar, clearly still rattled, glanced back at the fallen killers. “Those killers were terrifying. I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been here…”
Nash’s smile widened ever so slightly. “So, are you going to increase my pay?”