Chapter 8: CHAPTER EIGHT

In the dense forest

Nina ran for what felt like miles, her heart pounding in her chest as she fled from the eerie laughter echoing through the forest. Finally, she stumbled upon a tree that had shed its leaves, offering a small patch of respite from the muggy atmosphere of the forest.

Collapsing at the base of the tree, Nina sank to the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she recalled the terrifying encounter at the lake, the voice warning her of danger to her unborn child. She felt overwhelmed by the weight of her circumstances, the fear and uncertainty pressing down on her like a heavy burden.

"Why is this happening to me? One minute, I'm happy, the next, I'm back to square one." Nina whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of unseen creatures. She felt helpless and alone, a pawn in a game she didn't understand.

Exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, and despite her best efforts to stay awake, Nina succumbed to sleep. As she drifted into unconsciousness, her thoughts were consumed by the uncertainty about her future, and the dangers lurking in the shades of the forest.

In the other part of the dense forest…

Zoa had been searching hard for Nina in the forest, asking creatures and making offerings to find her.

One day, he finally found her sleeping. Quietly, he took out Nina's own knife and held it to her throat, ready to end her life.

But then, Nina moved in her sleep, revealing her big belly. Zoa was puzzled. "Did Chief Cody not know she was pregnant?" he wondered. He couldn't bring himself to harm a pregnant woman or an innocent child, no matter how skilled he was.

After thinking hard, Zoa decided not to kill her. He couldn't ignore his conscience.

Nina opened her eyes slowly and saw a man standing over her with a knife. Her heart raced with fear as she realized the danger she was in.

"P-please don't hurt me," she pleaded, her voice trembling as she recognized the face looming above her. She couldn't believe Zoa, the trained assassin, was here to kill her.

Her mind raced with thoughts of how to escape, but her body felt frozen with fear. All she could do was pray that Zoa would listen to her plea and spare her life.

Tears filled Nina's eyes as she pleaded for her life, her voice quivering with desperation. "Please, I beg you. I have done nothing wrong," she implored, her words choked with emotion.

Zoa remained silent, his gaze fixed on Nina with a mixture of pity and conflict. He knew what he was supposed to do, but seeing Nina's fear and vulnerability tugged at his conscience. It was totally against his work ethic, he doesn't get sentimental when he's doing business.

As Nina's pleas echoed in the air, Zoa wrestled with his inner turmoil. He couldn't ignore the humanity within him, despite his training to be cold and merciless.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the forest whispered secrets and shadows danced around them. Then, with a heavy sigh, Zoa lowered the knife, his decision made.

Nina's heart skipped a beat as she saw the knife drop from Zoa's hand. Relief flooded through her, mingled with gratitude for this unexpected mercy.

Zoa leaned down to Nina's level, his expression softened with compassion. "Don't worry," he said gently, his voice a soothing whisper. "I won't harm you."

Nina's breath caught in her throat as she absorbed his words, her heart still racing from the fear of moments before. She couldn't believe her luck, that this feared assassin had spared her life.

"Thank you, Thank you so much," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and disbelief. She couldn't comprehend why Zoa had shown her mercy, but she was grateful nonetheless.

Zoa gave her a reassuring nod before rising to his feet. "This is unlike me, I don't do my jobs like this," he advised. "Are you alright?."

Nina nodded, her mind reeling with the intensity of the encounter. With a final glance at Zoa, Nina muttered again. “Thank you.”

“It’s alright,” Zoa said while gazing at her intensively.

Zoa noticed Nina's frequent yawns, a sign of her hunger. Sympathy softened his gaze as he realized she must have been starving during her journey in the forest.

"Are you hungry?" he asked gently, reaching into his bag and pulling out some food.

Nina's eyes widened with surprise and gratitude as Zoa offered her the food. "Yes, thank you," she replied gratefully, accepting the food with trembling hands.

Zoa watched silently as Nina ate, his heart heavy with the weight of her struggles. He couldn't undo what had happened, but he could offer her this small comfort in the midst of her hardships.

As Nina finished the food, she looked up at Zoa with renewed gratitude. "Thank you for sparing my life and for this kindness," she said softly, her voice filled with emotion.

Zoa simply nodded, his expression unreadable. Deep down, he knew he had made the right decision, even if it went against everything he had been trained to do.

In the Yitta Clan…

Chief Cody paced restlessly in his study, his mind consumed by worry and impatience. He couldn't stand the uncertainty any longer. With a frustrated growl, he swept his hand across the table, sending books and glasses crashing to the ground.

"Ahh!" he shouted in frustration, his anger boiling over. He hated feeling powerless, especially when it came to matters as important as Nina's fate. It had been four days since Zoa had left, yet there was still no word from him.

Gazing out of the window, Chief Cody's face remained blank, betraying none of the turmoil raging within him. He knew he couldn't afford to make any mistakes, especially not now.

"Forty-eight hours, Zoa," he muttered under his breath, his voice a low growl of determination. "I'll give you forty-eight hours to find her and finish the job."

With that ultimatum hanging in his mouth, Chief Cody turned away from the window, his mind already sprinting with a second plan. Time was running out, and he couldn't afford to fail.