Chapter 191: Surprise Attack

The villa stood silent. Not a sound.

Julian's patience snapped.

"Playing dead, huh? Ram the door! Get in there! I don't care if they're dead or alive!"

His guards were about to move.

That's when it happened.

On the service road behind the villa, a wall of headlights suddenly blazed to life.

Brighter than their own. So bright you couldn't even keep your eyes open.

The roar of engines shook the air.

A massive convoy rolled in from behind, boxing Cedric's Royal Guard right in the middle.

Julian froze.

"What the hell? Where'd they come from?"

His lieutenant panicked beside him.

"Prince Julian, it's Marius's security detail! About three thousand men! They've got us surrounded!"

"What?"

Julian's mind went blank.

Marius's people?

How'd they get here so fast?

Had they been waiting all along?

His stomach dropped.

They'd come to surround someone else, and now they were the ones trapped.

Two thousand men boxed in by three thousand. Couldn't advance, couldn't retreat.

The Royal Guard soldiers started to panic.

They turned, whispering to each other, fear spreading through the ranks.

Behind the villa's outer wall.

Iron Wolf watched the headlights and burst out laughing.

"Perfect timing! Now those idiots are the ones sweating!"

Kevin grinned too.

"Eldon's got good timing."

At a second-floor window.

James stood there, looking down at the sea of people below, his face expressionless.

Everything was going exactly as planned.

Julian snapped back to reality, furious and desperate.

He knew if he backed down now, he'd lose all face.

And he'd have no way to explain it to Cedric.

No.

He couldn't retreat.

If they could just bust in and grab James, Marius's people wouldn't dare do anything.

Right. Take James hostage.

The thought made him grit his teeth.

"What are you panicking for! We've got two thousand men! Give me that battering ram! Break down that gate and grab James! First one to get him gets a hundred grand!"

Money talks.

The guards up front heard "hundred grand" and their eyes lit up.

They grabbed the battering ram and slammed it into the gate.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Every hit made the whole gate shudder.

Bullets followed, pinging off the wall, sending chips of stone flying.

"Return fire!"

Iron Wolf's shout rang out.

Behind the wall, Specter Syndicate members and Fuller family guards opened fire simultaneously.

Every shot found its mark.

Several guards at the front dropped instantly.

The ones behind them hesitated.

"Keep going! Anyone who retreats, I'll shoot you myself!"

Julian screamed from the back.

The guards had no choice but to push forward.

Bullets flew everywhere. Shouts and screams mixed together.

Plaster kept falling from the wall.

One Specter Syndicate member took a bullet to the arm. He bit down hard, wrapped it quickly, and kept firing.

Iron Wolf crouched behind sandbags, one shot, one hit. Perfect accuracy.

While firing, he turned his head to the Specter member beside him.

"Scared?"

The guy was young, maybe early twenties, but he shook his head.

"No way! Following Mr. Anderson, there's nothing to be scared of!"

Iron Wolf smiled.

"Good. Got guts.

Watch your front. Don't stick your head out too far."

"Got it!"

Just then, a bullet slammed into the sandbag next to them, kicking up dust.

The young member flinched, then immediately popped back up and returned fire.

His aim wasn't great, but his spirit was there.

Iron Wolf said nothing.

Everyone starts somewhere.

After a couple firefights, the fear goes away.

Kevin was on the other side, watching the gate.

It was already warped from the battering. Wouldn't hold much longer.

He pulled out his radio to contact James.

Just as he pressed the button.

He saw a figure climb out the second-floor window.

It was James.

He grabbed the windowsill, let go, and dropped.

The moment he landed, he pulled a knife from the small of his back.

Without breaking stride, he plunged straight into the front line of guards.

Everyone froze.

Nobody expected him to come out on his own.

Just one guy?

Was he insane?

Max, a guard in the front line, was holding his rifle, pushing forward.

Suddenly he saw someone jump from the second floor.

Before he could process what was happening.

The guy was right in front of him.

The back of a blade slammed into his wrist holding the gun.

CRACK!

His wrist snapped.

The gun clattered to the ground.

Max opened his mouth to scream in pain, but James's elbow smashed into his face.

Max's nose collapsed instantly, blood gushing.

He clutched his face and went down.

Two guards beside him lunged with bayonets.

James sidestepped, grabbed both their arms, and slammed them together.

Their heads cracked against each other. They groaned and crumpled.

He didn't stop moving.

One step forward, knee driving into another guard's stomach.

The man doubled over like a shrimp and collapsed, convulsing in pain.

Every move was clean.

No wasted motion.

He wasn't killing anyone, but each strike left them completely unable to stand.

Broken hands. Shattered ribs. Dislocated jaws.

Bodies littered the ground.

Screams filled the air.

Less than three minutes.

Over thirty men around him were down.

Not one left standing.

The remaining guards backed away in terror.

Nobody dared rush him.

They all stared at James standing in the center, their eyes filled with fear.

What kind of monster was this guy?

Bare-handed, taking down over thirty men in three minutes?

This was insane.

The Royal Guard stood frozen, looking at each other. Nobody moved forward.

Julian, in the back, was shaking with rage.

"Useless! All of you useless! Get him! He's just one man!"

He yelled several times. Nobody moved.

Julian was furious and terrified.

He saw James's gaze sweep toward him. Unease crept through him.

Instinctively, he took a step back.

No.

Can't let him get closer.

Julian gritted his teeth and pulled the pistol from his waist.

He raised it, aiming at James's back.

His finger rested on the trigger, eyes filled with venom.

Die.

James.

Just as he was about to squeeze the trigger.

Kevin burst out from the shadows on the side.

His whole body slammed into Julian's arm.

BANG.

The gun went off.

The bullet grazed James's shoulder and buried itself in the wall nearby.

Stone fragments peppered James's shoulder.

James turned his head, glancing at the bullet hole in the wall.

His eyes went ice cold.

Kevin hit the ground, his arm scraped raw, blood seeping through.

"Mr. Anderson, watch out!"

Julian stumbled from the impact, nearly dropping his gun.

He steadied himself and tried to raise the weapon again.

But his vision blurred.

James was already in front of him.

Impossibly fast.

Julian's pupils contracted sharply.

He hadn't even seen James move.

James reached out, his hand clamping around Julian's gun hand.

A slight twist.

CRACK.

The gun fell apart.

Parts scattered on the ground.

Julian's face went white with pain. He tried to pull his hand back but couldn't.

"You dare touch me? I'm a prince!"

He shouted, all bluster and no bite.

James said nothing.

He reversed his grip and locked his hand around Julian's throat.