Chapter 13

Ares glanced at his disconnected phone and scoffed.

"Interesting. Looks like he's pissed off."

Before he could finish, a roar erupted from the heavens.

A volley of ten shoulder-fired rockets streaked from the containers in unison.

"Enemy attack!" the guard's deputy commander roared.

Explosions merged into one continuous blast, and the soldiers below Celestial Temple were instantly blown away.

A white flash cut through the darkness as Rage Tiger got out of his vehicle.

He carried a Gatling gun and grinned at Ares across from him.

"Fire!" Rage Tiger pulled the trigger.

A dense metal storm poured down, and Tiger Strike Squad pressed in from all directions, completely ignoring tactics.

Under the weight of relentless suppression, the containers were shredded.

Ares's expression soured.He hadn't expected Damien to move so fast. Good thing he was prepared.

Since when did Shadow Sect become so aggressive?

"Defensive formation! Retreat!" Ares drew the heavy sword from his back, slashing through an incoming piece of shrapnel with one strike, and decisively ordered a retreat.

He came here to get blood, not to fight a war of attrition.

The guards of the Celestial Temple were disciplined.They quickly established a defensive line using the containers as cover, protecting Ares as he boarded the other two helicopters.

The helicopters forced their way up.

Damien’s convoy thundered onto the docks.

Damien pushed open the car door and grabbed an anti-materiel sniper rifle from a nearby Iron Bears member.

Dropping to one knee, he sighted the rifle and squeezed the trigger, shattering the helicopter’s tail rotor.

The helicopter spiraled, spewing black smoke as it plummeted toward the cross-sea bridge.

"After them!" Damien discarded the rifle and seized a nearby helicopter, launching into pursuit.hase," Damien dropped the sniper rifle, commandeered a helicopter, and took off in pursuit.

Safe House Number One.

The rain was getting heavier. Fifty Eagle Special Forces members were hidden at lookout positions, with Caucasian dogs lying on the ground.

The rhythmic tread of the patrol was the only sound, lending the estate an air of absolute security.

On top of the building.

A black shadow climbed rapidly along the wall, wearing tight night clothes, making no sound.

One of the twelve main gods of the Assassin Alliance, Shadowblade.

Shadowblade vaulted onto the balcony, unsheathing a pair of venom-tipped daggers. His targets were Sophia and Faye.

With them as leverage, Damien would be forced to capitulate. He would complete the Assassin Alliance's kill order.

He reached out to push the sliding glass door.

"I believe you're at the wrong entrance."

In the darkness, a low voice spoke.

Shadowblade spun around sharply. Falcon sat in a wicker chair in the corner of the balcony, playing with a military dagger.

"Shadow Sect's watchdog," Shadowblade sneered, his figure instantly disappearing from where he stood.

Speed assassination was his specialty, this was why he could become one of the twelve SSS-level assassins on the Assassin Alliance council.

Two daggers shot straight for Falcon's throat.

Falcon didn't dodge. He raised his right arm.

The dagger struck the special bulletproof armor on Falcon's forearm, sparking.

When his opening strike failed, Shadowblade pivoted, driving his blade toward Falcon's midsection.

Falcon grabbed back with his hand, quickly gripping Shadowblade's wrist.

Shadowblade was shocked. He tried to pull back and retreat, but his strength couldn't match his opponent's.

Falcon's military dagger was already thrusting upward from below, cutting through Shadowblade's carotid artery.

Shadowblade gasped, clutching his throat as he collapsed.After twitching twice, he went completely still.

Even in death, he couldn't understand why he was so easily defeated.

Falcon stood up and took out a white cloth to wipe his military dagger.

"Clean it up," Falcon spoke into his communicator.

Two Eagle team members appeared and quickly dragged the body away.Moments later, the area was pristine, leaving no trace of the brief, lethal encounter.

Falcon turned to look at the master bedroom window, and only after confirming that the people inside hadn't been disturbed did he retreat with peace of mind.

Inside the master bedroom.

Faye rolled over in bed and opened her eyes.

"Mommy, was that thunder outside?" Faye rubbed her eyes.

Sophia sat on the edge of the bed, gently patting Faye's back.

"Yes, it was thunder. Don't be afraid, Mommy's here," Sophia's voice was gentle.

"Hasn't Daddy come back yet?" Faye asked.

Sophia glanced at the clock on the wall—three AM.

"Daddy is fighting bad guys. He'll be back soon. Faye, be good and close your eyes and sleep."

Faye obediently closed her eyes.

Sophia walked to the window, looking out at the rainy night, her hands clasped tightly at her chest.

Damien had blocked all the danger outside the door. She didn't know what he was facing now.

"Damien, you must be safe," Sophia said softly.

Cross-Sea Bridge.

The helicopter Ares was on made an emergency landing on the bridge surface. The vehicles on the bridge had already been cleared by Ghosthand's people.

The Celestial Temple guards quickly established a defensive position.

Damien's convoy stopped a hundred meters away. Iron Bear Squad got out and advanced with guns raised.

Damien walked at the front, the king-like aura about him commanding respect.

Ares emerged from behind the helicopter wreckage, carrying his heavy sword.

"Damien, you really think you've got me cornered?" Ares's eyes were full of killing intent.

Damien stopped.

"You're not leaving San Francisco today," Damien said.

Ares suddenly laughed. He pulled out a remote control and pressed the button.

Under the bridge piers, a row of red lights lit up.

"I wouldn't have stepped onto this bridge without an ace up my sleeve." There are ten tons of explosives strapped under this bridge."

Ares stared at Damien, "Now, have your people back off, or we all go into the sea to feed the fish."

Damien looked at those flashing red lights. He didn't retreat, but instead took a step forward.

Ares frowned. Damien raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

A drone dove down from the clouds, hovering between the two men. Ghosthand's voice came through the drone's speaker.

"Boss, all the explosive fuses under the bridge have been cut."

"This idiot bought the explosives from me—he doesn't even know the password."

The color drained from Ares's face.

Damien drew his military dagger, pointing it at Ares.

"Your trump card is gone," Damien leaped into the air, instantly crossing more than ten meters, his military dagger aimed straight at Ares's heart.

Ares raised his heavy sword to block.

The sheer impact staggered Ares, forcing him back as his grip faltered.He frowned at Damien.

"What level have you actually reached?" Ares exclaimed.

Damien didn't answer. He lifted his leg and kicked hard at Ares's chest.

Ares flew backward, crashed into the bridge railing, and coughed up blood.

Damien walked closer step by step, about to deliver the killing blow.

Suddenly, three mini-submarines surfaced from below. The submarines fired blinding bright lights, and several smoke grenades landed on the bridge surface.

Thick smoke instantly swallowed Ares's figure.

"Sir, they're escaping by sea!" Ironclaw barked, rushing forward.

Damien raised his hand, stopping Ironclaw's pursuit. He looked at the whirlpool where the submarines had submerged.

On the submarines' hulls was a special symbol.

It wasn't Celestial Temple's symbol, but the exclusive emblem of the International Assassin Alliance's Supreme Council.

"The Assassin Alliance and Celestial Temple have joined forces," Damien put away his military dagger, his eyes cold.

It was a coordinated front—an alliance forged specifically to bring him down

He turned and walked toward the SUV.

"Notify Ghosthand—find out where these three submarines end up. Since they like playing conspiracy games, turn the entire deep sea upside down for me."