Drip…The sound echoed in his ears.Austin was no stranger to this sound, having spent years caring for Dahlia during her illness in the hospital. It was the sound of a heart monitor.He slowly opened his eyes.He found himself still in the bedroom at the Bamboo Parlor. But what he saw was entirely different from before he had lost consciousness from his injuries.An IV pole stood upright, with fluid bags hanging from it. And… the strong smell of disinfectant.Austin couldn't help but smile faintly. It seemed that anything related to medical care always involved the smell of disinfectant.Various medical instruments were arranged around the bed, all in place.Looking down at himself, Austin chuckled helplessly.His entire body was wrapped in white bandages, giving him the appearance of a mummy.Any slight movement sent waves of intense pain throughout his body, making him grimace and gasp.The room was empty.Austin lay there helplessly, silently replaying the details of th
Austin couldn't hold it in anymore and cried out in pain."Sorry, honey." Cecily's face turned pale with fright, and she quickly started gently rubbing Austin's chest."Are you so mad that you'd murder your husband?" Austin joked, pretending to be in pain."It's because you lied to me!" Cecily's face was flushed with anger."You're always like this, carrying everything on your shoulders, whether in the past or now. Do you even consider me your wife?""Of course, you're my wife!" Austin said seriously."Then why do you carry everything alone? I'm your wife, I want to face things with you!" Cecily said earnestly.Austin was momentarily taken aback, then gave a bitter smile. "Because you're my wife, I want to bear everything myself and keep you away from all the troubles and dangers.""So you lied to me? You tricked Raquel and me into going to my parents? And then you almost got killed here?" Cecily's anger grew with each questionCalled him a "big liar," she raised her hand as i
The room was silent.Austin slowly shifted his gaze toward the phone Ezra handed him.It displayed a dark web page, the Shadow Web Syndicate's assassination assignment.Three more death scythes had been added.In just one week, three more top assassins from the Death List had taken an interest in this job!Unlike the previous fear and dread, Austin now felt an eerie calm.He looked at Ezra. "Did you find out anything about these top assassins from the Death List?"Everyone was stunned.Austin's calmness was beyond everyone's expectations."Yeah, we did," Ezra said, his expression complex. Though shocked, he quickly continued, "Two of them aren't ranked very high on the Death List, but one of them..."He deliberately paused.He took a deep breath and said, "This one is ranked 10th on the Death List, known as Nether.""Nether? 10th? Interesting." Austin rubbed his chin and gave a peculiar smile.This scene left Ezra, Cecily, and the others dumbfounded.What kind of reaction
Raquel gave Cecily a meaningful look and a teasing smile."Cecily, I truly believe in your sixth sense now. Your instincts about your husband are spot on!""Raquel, stop teasing me," Cecily replied, blushing and lowering her head.Sixth sense?!Austin was stunned and gave Cecily a deep look, feeling a warm current in his heart. He hadn't expected that what started as a deceptive game would end in such an almost "absurd" way.However, the sixth sense was something intangible. Cecily's suspicions were probably due to her close observation and deep understanding of him.At that moment, a low voice suddenly echoed in the room."Raquel, you never told me you're Charon, ranked 20th on the Death List. Have you been deceiving me all along?"The atmosphere in the room instantly became tense.Everyone, including Austin, turned to look at Aldus.Aldus sat upright in his wheelchair, head lowered, his face unreadable. But the suppressed anger in his voice was unmistakable."Aldus…" Raque
In the Bamboo Parlor, the atmosphere was serene and elegant.Austin could now barely sit up. With Cecily's help, he sat in a wheelchair and moved to the main room.Cecily brewed a pot of fine coffee and lit a sandalwood incense stick.Aldus and Ezra were also present, quietly waiting.The coffee aroma drifted gently, and the atmosphere was peaceful."They should be back by now, right?" Austin asked calmly, taking a sip of coffee."They've been gone for half an hour, they should be back soon," Ezra nodded.Austin smiled slightly and put down his coffee cup. "I didn't expect the assassin to come in just three days. Who is it this time?""Sir, it's the 72nd on the Death List," Ezra replied.Austin sneered, "I wonder if he'll be scared stiff when he sees Raquel."Raquel's injuries weren't severe; though her combat strength was reduced, she still could fight.On the other hand, Wolf lacked the experience to handle such situations convincingly.The bodyguard team had many members
An unknown number suddenly called.Austin answered the phone.A slightly raspy, incredibly magnetic voice came through, "Come out and meet me!"Austin's body jolted, and he stood frozen.That voice... Alexander?!In an instant, a storm of emotions surged in Austin's heart.He couldn't believe it and asked, "You got out? That place…""I come and go as I please. The world is vast, who dares to me, Alexander?"The sheer arrogance and confidence in that statement were unmistakable.But Austin knew that this man, who had single-handedly dominated an entire prison, had the right to say such words!Taking a deep breath, Austin's thoughts swirled, and he felt a surge of excitement and joy.He quickly asked, "Where?""At your mother's grave!"Click!The call ended.Austin showed a relaxed smile. "Mr. Lockwood, prepare the car. I'm going to pay my respects to my mom."Boom!It was like a thunderclap. Everyone present was stunned.Was he crazy?With assassins lurking everywhere
Wolf and Raquel looked puzzled.Sitting in the passenger seat, Ezra was already stunned.Alexander. Only one towering figure came to mind when he thought of Alexander.Could he really be back?For a moment, Ezra's face turned pale.Taking a deep breath, he said with relief, "Maybe this time, Sir's protection mission is secure!"Wolf and Raquel's expressions changed simultaneously.Despite having Aldus and Raquel's protection, along with Walter's bodyguard team and the Tetra Club's bodyguard, they still felt uneasy.Could one person truly make Ezra so assured?Suddenly, the atmosphere in the car became tense.The grand convoy drove toward Dahlia's cemetery, naturally attracting everyone's attention.Many people took photos and uploaded them online, but Austin couldn't be bothered. For the sake of safety, a bit of high-profile attention was unavoidable.As Austin led the convoy away from the Tetra Club, shockwaves rippled through all the major families.In the Capital, at th
The assassination contract by the Shadow Web Syndicate instilled fear in both the Clarks and the Coopers.Right now, the most critical thing was to keep Austin safe!As long as Austin was alive, there was hope for both families. If Austin died, the Clarks and the Coopers would be in grave danger.Austin leaving the Tetra Club now was practically a death wish. How could the families not be anxious?With a cold and stern expression, Jennie lowered her head and said, "I don't know, no one informed me!"Terrence and Nelson both turned to Yannis."Yannis, what did Vincent say?" Terrence asked in a serious tone.Yannis sighed and said, "Grandpa, I contacted Vincent immediately when it happened, but he doesn't know what's going on either.""What…" Terrence and Nelson were both stunned, their minds buzzing.Meanwhile, at the Redmont residence in Basin City, all was calm.When Morgan, with Jade Cutter, died in front of Austin, the once richest family in Basin City, the Redmont family,