“Can you believe it? Black Snake just took the mission!”
“Oh my God! Even though Black Snake isn’t active in our circle anymore, their legend is still strong. If Black Snake returns, it’s going to be chaos.”
Ignoring the ongoing discussions, Marissa closed the session after accepting the mission. Silver Fox sent a shocked emoji and typed, “Black Snake, I don’t understand. Aren’t we supposed to be targeting Amiri? Why did you accept this mission? The enemy of our enemy is our ally. Shouldn’t we team up with Connor to take down Amiri?”
Marissa replied with a laughing emoji and typed, “I’ll kill Connor for the two billion dollars, and then I’ll eliminate Amiri to avenge Red Thunder.”
Silver Fox responded, “Damn it! You’re really ambitious. You shouldn’t be calling yourself Black Snake. Black Python would be more fitting.”
Feeling no desire to continue the conversation with Silver Fox, Marissa closed the chat. When she accepted the mission, her hands shook with anxiety. She worried someone else might grab it first. It was uncertain how long Connor could keep his head if someone as formidable as Lone Wolf had accepted the mission. Her sleep aid could only be harmed by her, and no one else could lay a finger on him. Just then, Lone Wolf sent her a message, saying, “Are you planning to kill Connor?”
Reading Lone Wolf’s message, Marissa felt relieved that she had acted quickly. If she had delayed, Lone Wolf would have claimed the task. Lone Wolf enjoyed tackling challenges that others found too daunting. Though they were set to collaborate on the same mission soon, Marissa doubted she could ever be truly open with him. They respected each other’s skills, yet they were unlikely to forge a deep friendship. Hidden behind their avatars on the Dark Net, their real identities remained unknown to one another
Partnership was possible when interests aligned, but different interests could turn them into adversaries another day. Thus, Marissa responded with a playful tone, “I’ll cut off Connor’s head and claim the two billion Amiri is offering. Then, we can team up to take him down.”
Lone Wolf retorted, “Are you out of your mind because you’re short on money?”
Marissa replied, “Are you just upset because you didn’t land the job? You missed a golden chance to earn big.” After that, Lone Wolf went silent
Marissa wondered if it was just her imagination, but she sensed his anger. However, she wasn’t concerned about him breaking his promise. They were all true to their word. Breaking a deal meant risking their reputations and future opportunities
Shortly thereafter, Marissa put her phone away and went to meet Connor. Meanwhile, Connor sat fuming in his car, a strange thought nagging at him, sparked by Black Snake’s greed. It reminded him of a village girl from years earlier. When Connor first encountered Black Snake, they were both dressed in black, their faces hidden behind masks and their voices altered by technology, making it impossible to discern their genders. Black Snake was shorter and more slender than him. During a chase, her light footsteps carried a subtle scent, leading him to believe she was a woman
Connor was morbidly curious about how Black Snake might attempt to decapitate him. Meanwhile, Marc and Terry, former elite soldiers from Doomsday Base, were stunned to see Black Snake take the job. In their eyes, she was in a league of her own
Marc’s voice shook as he warned Connor, “Mr. Daniels, Black Snake has claimed the task.”
Connor responded coolly, “I saw it.”
“What should we do, Mr. Daniels?” Terry asked, his voice laced with panic
Connor looked at them as though they were missing the obvious. “You two get a salary of a million dollars yearly. You are my weapons at a critical moment. Why are you asking me what to do now?”
Marc quickly responded, “Mr. Daniels, we’re here to serve you. Of course, we’ll risk our lives to protect you when Black Snake comes. But let’s be honest about our abilities. Even together, we can’t take Black Snake down.”
“That’s right, Mr. Daniels. We don’t fear dying. Our concern is what you’ll do after we’re gone,” Terry added
“You’ve never faced what we have in the mercenary world, so you don’t understand how formidable Black Snake is. This is a monster who once single-handedly defeated an entire army. Even with hundreds of top-notch bodyguards, you’d just be increasing the body count in Black Snake’s wake.”
“Mr. Daniels, no one has ever beaten Black Snake. We need to be cautious,” Marc insisted. “I suggest you find a bodyguard as capable as Black Snake. In this world, only Lone Wolf could stand a chance against Black Snake.”
“But Lone Wolf has been off the grid for years. No one can track him or her down,” Terry pointed out
Connor raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the challenge Black Snake presented. He wanted to test his own limits against hers, to see who was truly superior. Lost in thought, Connor was suddenly pulled back by Terry’s excited shout. “There’s someone else who could match Black Snake. Let’s bring her in to protect Mr. Daniels. She might just be the one to defeat Black Snake.”
Intrigued, Connor asked, “Who is she?”
“Our chief instructor from Doomsday Base!” Terry declared with pride
“Exactly!” Marc replied, slapping his thigh in excitement. “How could I forget? The sight of Black Snake accepting the task was so startling that it slipped my mind. If we manage to bring in our chief instructor, we won’t have any worries.”
Connor turned to his two bodyguards and asked, “Are you talking about the woman known as Black Mallow?”
“Yes!” Terry confirmed with a nod
Connor now understood exactly whom they were discussing. He had heard tales of Black Mallow from Doomsday Base. It was said she had exceptional skills and that Zyair Ortiz, the King of Doomsday Base, had appointed her as his successor. Rumors had swirled that Black Mallow had vanished from public view, leading Connor to speculate that she might have either died or suffered crippling injuries from intense martial arts training. Now that Marc and Terry had brought her up, his interest was reignited
“Where is your chief instructor currently?”
Marc and Terry both shook their heads. “We’re not sure.”
Connor sneered, a trace of scorn flickering in his eyes. “You don’t know her whereabouts, yet you propose I hire her. How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“Mr. Daniels, please calm yourself,” Marc replied. “While it’s true we don’t know the chief instructor’s current location, we could request King to summon her from her retreat. Our King is quite fond of wealth. Offer a substantial sum, and he’ll surely be swayed.”
Connor was amused by the suggestion. In the martial realm, the Doomsday Base and its founder, Zyair, were regarded with fear, yet these two who trained under him viewed him as nothing more than a greedy elder ready to trade his student for cash. When Marc and Terry applied for their bodyguard roles, they presented gold-level credentials from the Doomsday Base. Such credentials not only qualified them to meet both King and the elusive chief instructor, Black Mallow
Curiosity piqued, Connor inquired, “And just how formidable is this chief instructor?”
At his question, Marc and Terry grimaced, their bodies tensing as if recalling a deep-seated pain. “It’s best we forget those memories,” Terry muttered, massaging his forehead
Taking a deep breath, Marc explained, “Well, all of our chief instructor’s techniques were imparted by King, yet she exceeded him. Each sparring session they had ended with King in agony.”
Connor’s smile twitched, bemused by the notion of a student besting her mentor at Doomsday Base. “And what do those pained expressions of yours signify?”
“It’s an instinctive reaction,” Terry replied, dabbing at a tear. “The chief instructor not only possesses unmatched martial prowess but also a fiery temper. Cross her, and you’re in for a severe thrashing. Almost every student at the base has endured her wrath. We’ve taken to calling her the Mad Reaper in whispers.”
Connor let out a soft chuckle. “Did she really beat both of you?”
Marc winced. “She broke three of my ribs.”
Terry grimaced. “And I ended up with a fractured leg.”
Connor’s lips twitched slightly as he tried to picture the chief instructor. “You guys don’t hate her for that?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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