Each victim was marked with a triangle tattoo, a calling card that did not go unnoticed. Someone had snapped a picture of it before the hotel staff even showed up and had split.Liam passed the photo to Cirocco and Calum, and it hit them like a ton of bricks. Calum scrunched up his face and said, "Sir, this is Alpha's tag. They're big-time hitmen around Rasford City."They're known for their love of curved blades, and that triangle is their signature."Cirocco had been doing some digging too and came back with chilling news about Noel. "Sir, we got the why. Someone's put a three million dollar price tag on your head, right there on the hit list!""Moreover, the bounty was so colossal that it had all the shadowy players in Rasford City licking their chops. A coalition of forces was now banding together, plotting a takedown that had you in their crosshairs."Cirocco's face was a mask of ice as he spoke, and Calum's features were twisted in a scowl.Liam chuckled darkly, the quint
Liam saw Sunniva was up and wasted no time, saying. "Ms. Bristow, we've got gang trouble at the hotel. It's not safe. We're bailing to a new place," he said.Without skipping a beat, Liam and Sunniva were out of there, speeding off to another hotel in the car.Little did they know, as soon as they left, a convoy of black SUVs pulled up ominously at the hotel's grand entrance.The streets surrounding the hotel suddenly buzzed with the arrival of several new cars. Their occupants spilled out, pacing the perimeter with a clear intent to surveil.From the lineup of rugged SUVs at the hotel's entrance, a squad of men clad in black, brandishing weapons burst forth. They stormed the hotel, their presence ominous and unchallenged.The receptionists, staff, and patrons were petrified, cowering in corners, none daring to confront the intruders.The men made a beeline for Liam's last known location, only to find the room deserted.The ringleader cursed under his breath, "Damn it! He's slip
Night fell swiftly, and the combined forces of the three factions were in position, encircling the villa.Unbeknownst to them, Liam had already scaled the villa's roof, his black attire melding with the shadows.With swift, practiced movements, Liam assembled his arsenal, fitting his gun with the latest in silencing and flash suppression tech.Liam had the perfect perch, with a crystal-clear view of the villa and its perimeter. Unbeknownst to the hitmen skulking in the shadows, he had them all in his sights.The clock had crept past midnight. Ellison cast a look at the villa, swallowed by darkness, then checked the time."It's time, move out!"With that order, a swarm of assassins burst toward the villa.Perched on the rooftop, Liam watched the assailants with a sinister grin. "Let the games begin."He spoke, his sniper rifle trained on the head of the lead assassin. Without hesitation, he squeezed the trigger.Bang!A dull thud echoed as the assassin's head exploded like a r
The hitmen were armed with nothing but pistols, a few with submachine guns. They were outgunned and clueless about Liam's whereabouts, easy prey.As more fell, panic set in. Ellison's and Ashwin's hands were slick with sweat on their pistols, and they scanned their surroundings with wide, frantic eyes.In under ten minutes, the tide had turned drastically; of the one hundred and fifty assassins that swarmed in, over half lay dead or wounded.Ellison barked orders at his crew, "Pull out! Now! Abort mission, full retreat!"Ashwin, equally rattled, shouted to his dwindling forces, "Fall back, everyone!"It was a massacre, pure and simple. Staying meant certain death, a valiant but pointless end.Alpha was a mix of terror and fury, his eyes sweeping over his fallen comrades. He bellowed, "Find that sniper! Once we do, they're no longer a threat!""Exactly! Locate the sniper, or we're all goners tonight!""Sniper!!"At that moment, Alpha, Ellison, and Ashwin all fixed their stares
With that, the trio locked eyes, their shared resolve erupting into a chorus of sinister laughter.In the glittering city of Rasford, three million dollars was pocket change to the elite.However, losing nearly a hundred operatives over that sum was a bad deal for an assassination organization. Manpower was their lifeblood, after all.Yet, tonight was an exception. They had already sacrificed too many in the hit, and regardless of cost, they needed to pocket that cash.Plus, with so many of their own taken out, if they did not retaliate, they would be finished in Rasford City.Alpha and his crew swiftly devised a fresh attack plan. Once settled, they lounged in a swanky Lincoln outside the villa, toasting to their imminent victory."Here's to us! To tonight's triumph!" Alpha exclaimed, lifting his glass."Ha! To our victory, let's drink to that!" another chimed in."Cheers!"The conversation turned casual as they relaxed in the car."Did you hear about the stir in Biskeland?"
Ellison felt a chill of foreboding and hastily pulled out his phone to call his guys inside the villa.However, the call just rang out into the void, unanswered.Alpha and Ashwin, too, tried their luck, dialing their own crews. No dice. Silence on the line.What they did not realize was that inside the villa, the phones they were trying to reach were abandoned in a crimson tide on the floor, buzzing for attention, while their owners lay lifeless nearby, eyes frozen wide in death.From the villa's courtyard to the grand hall within, blood painted the scene, and bodies were strewn about like discarded dolls.The hitmen lay sprawled, their throats slashed, terror etched on their lifeless faces, eyes frozen wide in shock.The villa reeked of blood, transformed into a charnel house.Outside, Alpha and his buddies were kicking back in their Lincoln, clinking glasses, unfazed by the silence from their crew's phones. They figured the job was just taking longer than expected.Alpha grin
Ashwin was always one to care deeply about his image. When Alpha's taunts hit his ears, his cheeks flushed with irritation. "Oh, please! I was just talking big. And who knows? If that big-shot Commander-in-chief of Pendragon dared to show up in Rasford City, maybe we could be the ones to take him out!"The other two caught each other's eye and erupted into boisterous laughter.Crash!Out of nowhere, a thunderous crash jolted them, the sound of something heavy landing near their car, sending a shiver down their spines.Before they could even get a good look outside, a chilling voice cut through the darkness."Well, well, I'm quite surprised. Our Pendragon's fame has even reached Westernia. Seems like we're quite the celebrities!"Alpha and his companions were shocked, their eyes darting to where the voice had come from.Their bodyguards, quick on their feet, formed a protective ring around the car, eyes darting, muscles tensed for a fight.How did that guy just appear out of now
Ashwin's eyes finally focused on the weapon in his adversary's grip, and a shiver of dread coursed through him. "A quintuple-edged dagger... you... you're King Pendragon..."He could not believe that the man he had been plotting against was then standing before him; his earlier bravado evaporated.With a bow of submission, Ashwin's voice quivered with fear, "King Pendragon, have mercy! Please, spare me. The Ashwin organization will surrender to you without conditions!"Alpha and Ellison stood frozen, their faces etched with astonishment. They had never imagined that upon meeting the Commander-in-chief of Pendragon, Ashwin would capitulate so easily.Alpha's ranks had been decimated, and he was seething with fury, ready to command his remaining men to swiftly eliminate the threat.However, in a heartbeat, the enemy moved like a wraith, a blur of motion, and suddenly, Alpha's men were sprawled on the ground, their necks gushing blood.Simultaneously, Cirocco emerged, his presence c
However, Andy was a smooth talker, so the eldest member of the Drayton family liked him. Because of that, the head of the family tolerated him. That was why Andy, who was just a member of the branch family, dared to be so cocky.Andy saw Howard standing at the side from the corner of his eye as he spoke. He thought of what Howard said earlier, and that made his blood boil.He pointed at Howard and bellowed, "Uncle Derrick, this Howard is trash as well. You have no idea. I told him I was a member of the Drayton family, yet he did not take our family seriously at all."Not only did he have his men capture me, but he said cockily that he wanted to lock me up forever, and nobody could stop him."Weren't you very cocky before this, Mr. Mosier? Go on. Continue acting cocky in front of my uncle now. Detain me and lock me up forever."Andy took a couple of steps closer to Howard as he said that. He extended his hands arrogantly and said, "Come on. I have my hands stretched out for you. Hu
Soon, Andy and the thugs from the nightclub yesterday were released.Andy saw Derrick standing at the entrance of the police headquarters at a glance. He got so excited that he shouted, "Uncle Derrick! Uncle Derrick!"Fletcher's subordinates were incredibly excited to see Derrick as well. All of them shouted, "Mr. Derrick Drayton!"One of the subordinates was in Drunham City because Derrick arranged for him to be there. After he was brought to Derrick's side, he smiled apologetically and said, "Thank you for saving me, sir. Don't worry. Fletcher's faction and properties are all here. I'll be able to rebuild the faction here very soon."In other words, even if Fletcher was out of the picture, he would be able to thrive in Drunham City and replace Fletcher.However, Derrick shot an icy glare at him and sneered. "Hmph! How shameless of you to say that? There are so many of you, yet you can't deal with a small loser who only married into the Stone family."If it wasn't because this w
Howard did not expect that the Drayton family would have a connection with the Carter family. They could even produce a token from the Carter family."Mr. Derrick Drayton, I didn't expect that your family and the Carters go way back. You even got the Carter family's token out," said Howard.Derrick sneered and said, "Enough with the nonsense. Howard, my family did the Carter family a favor back then, that's why the general of the Carter family gave this token to us. He promised us that we could take out this token if we were ever in a bind in the future, and they would help us!"I'm taking out this token today to tell you that I'm going to bail Andy out of here. I'd like to see who in Drunham City has the guts to stop me!"Howard was stunned, and then he fell silent.He did not think that Derrick would take out a token from the Carter family.The Carter family was the top family in Mirstone. Nobody in Mirstone would dare to go against the Carter family. Derrick became even more
Meanwhile, Derrick and his men were already at the entrance of the police headquarters.Derrick's eyes were burning with rage as he looked at the door that was shut tightly. A sneer appeared on his lips as he said, "Hmph. Looks like they already know I'm coming, so they are deliberately trying to assert dominance."Then, he asked his driver next to him, "Where are our men? Have they all arrived?"The driver nodded and said, "They're here, Mr. Derrick. They are all waiting at the side. We'll tear down the main door to the police headquarters once you give the command."Derrick nodded with satisfaction. Then, he shouted at the police headquarters, "Howard! You're just the chief of the police headquarters! How dare you lock me outside?""I'd like to see how powerful you are today, Howard! Come on, guys. Take it down!"At his command, a group of burly men rushed out of the black van next to him. They were all holding thick bats, and they rushed up to the door ferociously.Right at t
At first, Yafe and the rest of the Stone family were stunned after they heard what Liam said. Then, they all burst out laughing.Yafe looked at Liam with a mocking gaze and said, "Are you kidding me, Liam? You're going to get the Draytons to come and apologize in person? Come on, that's the Drayton family we're talking about! Do you think they are just some nobody?"Right now, I don't want to waste my breath anymore. As long as you're able to stop the Drayton family from targeting us, I'm more than grateful. Don't you forget that you're the one who wanted to leave the Stone family? So, stop dragging us into your mess."Liam shot the crowd with an icy glare and brought Celena out of the Stone Mansion.Celena was still in a slight daze after they got into the car. Liam put on her safety belt for her and asked, "What's the matter, dear? Are you still worried about the Draytons?"Celena nodded and replied, "Yes. After all, all these were caused by the conflict between Andy and us. Jus
Liam wanted to ask what the family heirloom was, but he had no choice but to let it be after he heard what Yonatan said.However, Liam heard Yonatan's voice again, saying, "I've never seen that thing, but I heard from the Drayton family members that it was from a big shot in the military."The military?Liam's eyebrows furrowed once he heard it had something to do with the military. Then, he kicked Yonatan away, making him land next to the thugs.Yonatan passed out because of that kick.Once the thugs saw their leader was out cold, they took a couple of steps back in fear.However, Liam did not care about them at all. He looked at Yafe and the others instead.Once the Stone family members saw that they were out of the woods, they became cocky again.Yafe and Sherah, in particular, were so cocky that they ran up to Liam and condemned him, "Look what you've done! You're bad luck! What else can you do other than cause us trouble? Do you know who that is? He is from the Drayton fam
Yonatan was infuriated and bellowed, "So this is how you're going to play! Alright! I'm not going to stop until I kill you today!"Yonatan was radiating an intense desire to battle. That was the air exuded by a fighter of Fourth Order War King caliber.The Stone family was so frightened by the air he exuded that their faces turned pale. All of them took more than ten steps back in fear, afraid they would be injured by mistake.Yonatan clenched his fist and charged at Liam like a ferocious beast. His fist was packing so much power that it created a sonic boom, cutting through the air and going for Liam's face.The punch was so powerful that it could kill a bull right away.The Stone family thought Liam was going to die. Nobody would be able to survive a punch like that.Yonatan thought the same. He was very confident in his ability. He looked into Liam and knew he used to be a soldier, as well as a good fighter. However, so what?No matter how skilled Liam was in combat, could he
The moment Liam stepped into view, the Stone family members lit up as if they had spotted their guardian angel. They pointed at him, their voices rising in a chorus of relief and accusation. "Mr. Yonatan, look over here! It's Liam! I said they weren't with us!""Exactly! Mr. Yonatan, see for yourself, Liam's not part of our family!""Mr. Yonatan, now that Liam's here, if you're looking to pin the blame on someone, he's your man!""Liam, you actually showed up. If you hadn't crossed the Drayton family, would we, the Stones, have ever been dragged into this mess?""Liam, Celena, you two are nothing but trouble. You've left the family, so why keep stirring the pot for us?"...The air crackled with the Stone family's collective outrage, their faces twisted in anger as if they were ready to rip Liam and Celena to shreds.Celena and Liam's arrival was pure happenstance. They were just in the neighborhood to check in on an old friend when they overheard Yonatan's boastful taunts.Lia
Yonatan did not even bother to look at him. He checked his watch with a chilling laugh and said, "You've got ten minutes for Liam to show up. Don't say I didn't warn you."The words sent a wave of shock through Yafe and the rest of the Stone family, who stared at Yonatan, panic-stricken.Yafe was a mess, desperate to explain, but the sight of Yonatan's henchmen, eager and ready for a fight, stopped him dead in his tracks."Mr. Yonatan, I swear it's the truth. Liam has nothing to do with the Stone family anymore. You've made a mistake!"Yafe's face was flushed with urgency as he tried to convince the unmoved man."It's true, Mr. Yonatan! Liam and Celena were kicked out of the Stone family ages ago.""That's right! He's got nothing to do with us anymore. If you're after Liam, go to the villa at Emerald Lake. He's there, not here with us.""Mr. Yonatan, if you head over to Drunham City and ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing: Liam and Celena have no ties to us Stones anymor