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Chapter_247
If the killer hadn’t been Nash… then someone equally powerful—perhaps even more so—was lurking in Jonford. And worse, this shadowy force might be aligned with Nash.
Dominic Carter slowly opened his eyes, their cold light settling on the Gingerhead Juggernaut. “Gingerhead… if you’ve got something to say, say it. Don’t dance around the edge.”
Dominic trusted his former military counselor’s mind. Gingerhead had always been the one who provided sharp, battlefield-level insight into matters of strategy and danger.
Gingerhead smiled faintly. “According to the autopsy report Hidden-Ghost Juggernaut just submitted, most of the grandmasters were killed by precision slashes to the throat. The rest bled out. There was no commotion, no signs of a struggle. That kind of silent efficiency… only a Stage Eight great-grandmaster or higher could pull that off. And not just any fighter—a top-tier assassin.”
The Grim-Faced Juggernaut looked stunned. “Are you saying… it was the Smiling Grim Reaper?”
He quickly shook his head. “That can’t be. We saw the Smiling Grim Reaper at the Zabel residence last night. He never left!”
Gingerhead tilted his head and asked coolly, “How far were you from the house?”
“About 400 feet,” Grim-Face answered, confused.
Gingerhead chuckled, low and sharp. “Then you were never watching him. If he’s truly who we think he is, a top-tier killer like the Smiling Grim Reaper would’ve noticed you the moment you got within 900 feet.”
Grim-Face’s eyes widened. “Wait… are you saying we weren’t even looking at the real Smiling Grim Reaper?”
Gingerhead’s expression darkened. “I can’t say that with certainty… but it’s possible. We might’ve been watching a decoy. Or maybe he knew you were there and acted accordingly. Either way, we need to investigate.”
The implications were chilling. If the man they thought was holed up in the Zabel estate was merely pretending—or worse, if the real one had slipped away unnoticed—then the death of Nutcracker and the others might indeed be the work of the true Smiling Grim Reaper.
Grim-Faced Juggernaut swallowed hard. “If the one at Zabel’s place was a fake, then Nutcracker and the others… they really were killed by the Smiling Grim Reaper.”
Gingerhead rubbed his chin, then murmured a thought barely above a whisper, “Could it be… Nash is the Smiling Grim Reaper?”
No one heard him. Not even Dominic.
It was a wild theory. Speculative. But not entirely impossible.
Dominic suddenly rose to his feet, slamming his cane down with finality. “Gingerhead. You’ll lead the investigation. Head to Jonford immediately. I want answers within three days—and I want the killer’s head on my desk.”
The juggernauts stood in unison, fists clasped across their chests in salute. “Yes, Sir!”
Meanwhile, word of the Green Bamboo Association’s heavy loss had already reached Sagen’s elite circles—and the reaction was explosive.
At the Snyder estate, nestled in a tranquil garden filled with koi ponds and delicate bonsai, Mr. Snyder Sr. was tossing feed into a pond as the fish darted up in flashes of gold and silver. By his side stood his son, Richard, and his granddaughter, Felicity.
Mr. Snyder Sr. chuckled, clearly in good spirits. “Can you believe it? The Green Bamboo Association causing all that chaos—only to suffer this kind of retribution. Poetic justice.”
Felicity clasped her hands behind her back and smirked playfully. “See? I told you. Ever since I took over my current position, things have started turning around. It’s all thanks to me!”
The deaths of the three juggernauts had absolutely nothing to do with her—but that didn’t stop her from claiming credit. Opportunistic as ever.
Richard laughed heartily. “Yes, yes! All hail the mighty Felice! Our good luck charm!”
Mr. Snyder Sr. smiled and shook his head. “Felice, I want you to head over to Jonford. Whoever took out those juggernauts did the Snyder family a favor. Let’s find out who they are.”
A sly gleam sparkled in Felicity’s eyes. She leaned in conspiratorially and said in a lowered voice, “Grandpa… do you want to know the real reason I’m taking credit?”
Both men turned toward her, intrigued by her sudden shift in tone.
Glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, Felicity whispered, “Remember Nash Calcraft? The guest I brought back not long ago? He’s a master of the Profound Reality Realm. We struck a deal—he promised me he’d eliminate the Ten Juggernauts if the opportunity ever arose. These three deaths? They’re just the beginning of my grand plan to take down the Green Bamboo Association.”
Her serious expression almost sold the story.
Richard and Mr. Snyder Sr. exchanged wide-eyed glances.
Then Mr. Snyder Sr. burst into laughter. “If that’s true, then I can finally retire in peace!”
Realizing she’d been seen through, Felicity pouted. “Fine. Don’t believe me. Anyway, I have business in Jonford tomorrow. I’ll look into it while I’m there.”
She had just claimed Nash was the killer—and now she was talking about investigating who did it. Even she realized how ridiculous that sounded.
Blushing, Felicity turned and scampered off, muttering under her breath as her father and grandfather shook with laughter behind her.
The pieces were moving.
And Jonford was about to become the center of a storm.