Niamh looked at Seraphina with deep concern in her eyes. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Seraphina snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head gently, forcing a small smile. "Mom, I'm fine. Just a bit tired lately."
But Niamh, having seen much in her life, could easily see the anxiety in Seraphina's heart.
She patted Seraphina's shoulder softly and said in a gentle voice, "Seraphina, don't worry too much. Zachary will come back safely. He's always been calm and collected; he'll be fine."
Hearing Niamh's words, Seraphina's eyes reddened slightly. She lowered her head and whispered, "Mom, I know. I just miss him. He's been gone for so long without any news. I'm really worried..."
That night, Seraphina lay in bed, unable to sleep. She hugged her pillow tightly, as if it were Zachary's warm embrace. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She silently prayed, "Zachary, where are you? Please come back soon..."
Just then, her phone buzzed. Seraphina sat up abruptly and grabbed her phone, only to find it was just a trivial message, not from Zachary. Disappointed, she put the phone down and lay back in bed, her thoughts even more consumed by him.
In the days that followed, Seraphina continued to live in a distracted state. She checked her phone countless times each day, afraid of missing any news from Zachary.
Meanwhile, in the deep canyons of Novaria, Zachary was climbing a steep cliff. The icy wind cut into his face like a knife, and his hands were numb from the cold, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on. Occasionally, loose rocks would tumble down with a dull thud, but he didn't dare lose focus.
Finally, he neared the entrance of a cave and could faintly hear sounds from within. He cautiously peeked inside, planning his rescue mission.
At that moment, the enemy seemed to sense something amiss and began to increase patrols near the cave entrance. Zachary pressed himself against the cliff, barely daring to breathe. He knew that if he were discovered, not only would his life be in danger, but the hostages' lives would be at great risk as well.
But his eyes were resolute, showing no sign of retreat. He was waiting for the perfect moment to storm the cave, complete his mission, and return to Seraphina.
The sky was dark with heavy clouds, and the cliff was completely covered in ice and snow. Snowflakes continued to fall. Near the cave, a few guards were trying to keep warm by blowing on their hands.
One of them, realizing his water bottle was empty, cursed under his breath and showed the bottle to his companions, indicating he was going inside to refill it. The others nodded, and he turned to enter the cave.
The remaining guards stretched their limbs. Just then, a stone fell from above. One of the guards instinctively looked up, only to see a dark figure swiftly descending upon him. The next moment, the sound of a neck snapping echoed, and he collapsed lifelessly.
Zachary quickly stripped the guard of his coat and hat, then kicked the body off the cliff. When the man who had gone to fetch water returned, he saw his companion standing at the edge and curiously asked, "What's going on?"
In the next second, Zachary turned and covered the man's mouth with one hand, while swiftly slashing his throat with a knife. The man's eyes widened, and his hand, reaching for his gun, fell limp. Zachary then kicked him off the cliff as well.
In the dim light, Zachary's rugged face, hidden under a heavy hat, was revealed. His high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, and cold, sharp gaze gave him a ruthless appearance. He pulled his hat lower and walked into the cave as if nothing had happened.
The cave was dark, with only the faint yellow light from the walls illuminating the path. Initially, the passage was narrow, but it gradually widened. At the end, a large hall that could accommodate hundreds came into view. The walls were smooth and decorated with faint carvings. The hall was filled with makeshift beds, stone tables and chairs, and even a complete set of kitchen utensils.
Despite the simplicity, the place had a lived-in feel. The hall was crowded with mercenaries, chatting and laughing to pass the time. They were armed, ready for any sudden situation.
Zachary, tall and wearing a coat and camouflage hat, blended in easily. He filled his water bottle and walked towards another direction. The mercenaries, relaxed in their secure hideout, were not very vigilant.
As he passed a drunken man, the man greeted him. Zachary mimicked the mercenaries' usual tone and responded. The man, in a friendly gesture, handed him a bottle of newly acquired alcohol, complaining about its poor taste. Zachary nodded with a smile and continued on his way, aiming to find the power supply.
At a fork in the path, Zachary spotted a door. He approached it calmly and knocked. When someone inside opened the door, Zachary held up the bottle of alcohol and said, "Just got this, thought you might like it."
Unfortunately, the man inside was in charge of the area and the surveillance equipment. He immediately recognized Zachary as an outsider and his eyes filled with suspicion.
In that split second, Zachary instinctively punched the man in the head. Taking advantage of the moment, he rushed into the room, closed the door, and locked it from the inside.
The man, startled, shouted, "Who are you?!"
Before he could draw his gun, Zachary moved swiftly, knowing he couldn't let the man fire. He closed the distance and delivered a series of powerful punches, disorienting the man. Finally, Zachary grabbed the bottle, smashed it, and drove the jagged glass into the man's neck, killing him instantly.
Zachary quickly moved to the power equipment, opened the panel, and poured water from his bottle onto the wires. Sparks flew, and the power in the cave dimmed, plunging it into darkness.
He opened the door to chaos outside. Angry shouts and the sound of things being thrown filled the air. The mercenaries were clearly unhappy with the sudden blackout.
Amidst the confusion, Zachary smirked and fired several shots into the hall. Screams followed. In the darkness, the mercenaries, unable to see, panicked and fired blindly. The cave turned into a chaotic battleground, with bullets ricocheting off the walls and the air thick with the smell of blood.