A Shocking Revelation

A shiver of dread ran down his spine.

Cohn dared not look at the faint smile gracing the other man’s lips again, quickly striding forward to lead the way.

Meanwhile, his mind raced furiously.

What if something happened to those two girls, and this lunatic went mad, deciding to simply shoot him in a fit of rage?

This was his territory, and his subordinates had long since aimed their weapons at the man’s head from the shadows, but he dared not bet his life on whether he or his men would be faster.

He needed a plan.

Cohn concealed the dark glint in his eyes, leading Ming Yu to the door of Room 404. He deftly opened the tightly sealed electronic lock, then kicked the door open.

The crashing noise abruptly ceased, replaced by a faint sobbing, thin as a mosquito’s whine, which subtly spread through the air and reached Ming Yu’s ears.

He pushed Cohn, who was blocking his way, aside, then lunged forward, his eyes taking in the scene within the bedroom.

The girl, still capable of tears, was tied to the foot of the bed, silently weeping. The man, still capable of movement, sat by the bed, lighting a cigarette.

The other girl lay naked and still on the blood-stained sheets. Her delicate body was covered in wounds, and her chest no longer rose and fell.

The muscular man, a snake tattooed on his forearm, exhaled a puff of smoke. He stared at Ming Yu, who had burst through the door, his face clouded with anger and his eyes filled with ill intent.

He had just finished with one and was about to try the other when an uninvited guest unexpectedly showed up at his door.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to question him, the weapon in the other man’s hand instantly drew his attention and caution.

Ming Yu stepped forward and checked the girl’s breathing; the result was just as he had expected.

She was already dead.

Ming Yu pulled out his phone and opened the photo album, his gaze darting between the girl’s face and the images on the screen, comparing the vibrant past with the withered reality.

He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of relief, but the very next second, a pang of guilt washed over him for the thought.

The comparison failed; this was not Viktor’s daughter.

Yet, a budding flower, a life yet to blossom, had tragically withered under the malice of an adult.

Her eyes were open in death, unwilling to close.

He withdrew his gaze, turning his attention to the girl at the foot of the bed. He looked at her pretty face, which bore a striking resemblance to Viktor’s, and stared at the thin chain fastened around her neck, his fingertips involuntarily digging into his palm.

The light in her eyes had completely faded.

Similarly, Ming Yu’s eyes were also clouded with shadows.

“Tsk.”

A cold scoff echoed behind Ming Yu, and the frigid touch of metal pressed against the back of his head.

Those in the underworld always kept a weapon close at hand.

Cohn’s lips curled into a smirk as he pulled out a “Desert Eagle,” a weapon whose power rivaled a standard revolver. He pressed it against the back of Ming Yu’s head, his heart swelling with the pleasure of turning the tables.

“Leaving your back wide open… are you that stupid, or do you just not see me as a threat?”

Having said his piece, Cohn had no intention of wasting any more words. His index finger curled around the trigger, and a savage smile stretched across his lips.

“Bang—”

In an instant, that savage smile froze.

In Cohn’s eyes, Ming Yu moved with incomprehensible speed, dodging the bullet by a hair’s breadth. He then turned, raised his gun, aimed at Cohn’s face, and pulled the trigger, all in one fluid motion.

His movements were clean and decisive, akin to an Iaijutsu sword draw.

“Boom—”

Cohn’s expression froze for a moment, then abruptly shattered.

Had anyone ever seen a watermelon plummet from thirty stories high?

Facing an oversized, large-caliber revolver renowned as a “hand cannon” capable of obliterating sea beasts, his head suffered the same fate as that falling watermelon.

A spray of blood erupted.

Ming Yu brushed off the drops of blood that had splattered onto his face, then shifted the revolver’s muzzle towards the muscular man on the bed, whose face was now etched with horror.

He didn’t know the man, nor did he hold any grudge against him.

“Boom—”

On the pristine white sheets, a dazzling crimson flower slowly bloomed.

Ming Yu lifted his trench coat, revealing the syringe concealed beneath it, and withdrew the needle from his vein. Out of necessity, he had chosen an intravenous injection for its faster efficacy, rather than the usual subcutaneous route.

The effect was immediate and profound.

“Cough, cough—”

Another mouthful of dark red blood splattered onto the sheets.

Meanwhile, scattered, hurried footsteps were converging on their location. The three gunshots from the room had naturally attracted the attention of many, including the armed thugs waiting outside.

Ming Yu casually snapped the thin chain from the girl’s neck. He then picked her up, climbed through the fourth-floor window, and leaped directly onto the third-floor balcony across the way.

With the tacit approval of the management, the vicinity was practically a hub for illicit activities, where law enforcement was almost nonexistent.

The local gangs were far less troublesome than the enforcers.

After a series of maneuvers and evasions, Ming Yu expertly blended into the crowd, then skillfully extricated himself, weaving through the streets and alleys. Leveraging his superhuman physical abilities, he quickly escaped the Viper Gang’s territory.

****

Twilight deepened, casting long shadows.

Ming Yu returned to his temporary apartment. After gently setting the girl down, he locked the door from within, then slowly slid to the floor, leaning his back against it and enduring the tearing pain that radiated from every part of his body.

After a brief rest, he forced himself to gather his spirits, looking at the girl he had brought back, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

Viktor’s daughter possessed a truly memorable name: Nightingale.

He recalled his first meeting with Viktor, whose dashing, princely attire had been exceptionally eye-catching. Every gesture had exuded a blatant display of “elegance.”

Who could have imagined that such a man would become one of Pharos’s sharpest blades, engaged in the most perilous of professions?

It had to be said, though slightly inferior to himself, the man was indeed quite handsome. His daughter was just as remarkable. Even at her young age, her delicate features were captivating.

Her bright golden hair cascaded messily over her shoulders. Her beautiful blue eyes had lost their luster, and her complexion was so pale it evoked pity…

However, in comparison, Ming Yu’s condition seemed even worse.

This time, it was different from all the others.

Amidst the unbearable, intense pain, he felt as though something had permanently left him, something he could never retrieve.

He feared his condition was worsening.

He was well aware of his physical state; doctors had predicted he had at least a few more years. Why, then, at this very moment…

Had he miscalculated the dosage of the enhancement injection? That shouldn’t be…

His excessively high body temperature blurred his consciousness. A dizzying haze surged through his mind like a wave, lulling him toward sleep.

Ming Yu’s eyes fluttered shut. He tugged at his collar, his rapid breaths mingling with hot, raspy exhalations.

****

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

Ming Yu struggled to open her eyes, her hazy consciousness slowly sharpening. Night had quietly fallen, and a dense darkness enveloped her.

‘Did I fall asleep…’

She leaned against the door, pushing herself to her feet. Adapting to the dark environment, she fumbled for the indoor light switch.

Soon, the wall lamp and chandelier flickered to life, instantly banishing the darkness that had pervaded the room. The room’s furnishings were simple, lacking even a single decent appliance.

Ming Yu shook her head, feeling that something was amiss.

‘Why did the ceiling feel higher?’

She bowed her head in thought for a long moment. She didn’t realize certain changes had occurred in her body, only that her clothes didn’t fit well, feeling noticeably looser.

‘Right, where was Viktor’s daughter?’

Ming Yu snapped back to attention, looking around, but found no sign of Nightingale. The room wasn’t large, so she quickly spotted the girl curled up beside the bedside table.

Nightingale’s eyes were downcast, her hair tangled and dusty. She hugged her knees, her eyes as vacant as ever, her expression frozen, showing no change whatsoever.

“Cough…”

Ming Yu coughed lightly, then touched her throat. She felt that the inflammation seemed to have improved, and the stinging pain was less intense.

She should be able to speak normally now.

‘But why did her throat feel… strange to the touch?’

‘And why did her own voice sound so… unfamiliar?’

Slowly, she furrowed her delicate brows.

Huh?

‘Where was her Adam’s apple?’