Chapter 143: Rat Enters the Trap

Germany, Hamburg.

The icy sea wind, thick with the heavy stench of brine and bone-chilling cold, howled across this industrial dock that had been abandoned for years.

A derelict dock at the mouth of the Elbe River.

Rusted shipping containers sat stacked haphazardly across the desolate port, and dilapidated cranes loomed like skeletal remains of steel in the bitter wind.

Operations here had ceased a decade ago, leaving behind only flocks of seagulls and the occasional passing vagrant.

Several assassins in black windbreakers huddled behind an abandoned metal guard post, rubbing their frozen hands together while cursing under their breath.

"What the hell! Have those Nightfall higher-ups lost their minds? Europe's top assassin organization, and they pick this dump to make landfall?"

A bearded assassin spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground, grumbling, "Not only are we freezing our asses off, but there's not even a decent target to shake down for cash. I could be in Italy drinking wine with women in my arms, but no—I get shipped to this hellhole to freeze while playing advance scout!"

"Enough. Keep it down."

Another tall, lean assassin glanced warily at the surrounding darkness. "Word is the boss, 'Mourner,' is personally leading this operation. The entire force deployed from the Norway headquarters. To avoid US military and European radar, they're taking modified submarines to the North Sea, then switching to stealth speedboats for a covert landing here. They'll rip through Hamburg port and drive straight into the heart of Central Europe."

"Once the boss arrives, we can finally—"

The tall assassin's words died mid-sentence.

Shhk.

An extremely faint sound—like a blade slicing through fabric—flickered past in the howling wind.

The tall man looked down to find a scarlet line suddenly appearing across his throat.

He hadn't even caught a glimpse of his attacker before his windpipe and carotid artery were completely severed!

Spurt.

The tall assassin clutched his spurting neck and toppled over stiffly.

"Enem—"

The bearded assassin's face drained of color. He'd barely reached for his gun when a hand like an iron vice clamped over his mouth from behind. An instant later, a military knife plunged into his back, piercing straight through his heart!

In less than ten seconds.

All twelve Nightfall advance sentries stationed around the abandoned dock had their throats slit by the Shadow squad in complete silence.

The bodies were swiftly dragged into the shadows between containers, the thick scent of blood quickly dispersed by the sea breeze.

Accompanied by the steady sound of leather shoes on pavement.

Leo emerged from the fog wearing a custom black trench coat, a lit cigar between his lips, stepping over rust-covered ground and dried bloodstains. He gazed coldly toward the dark, churning sea ahead.

"Boss, all lookouts in the perimeter have been eliminated."

Olivia hurried forward, reporting respectfully. "According to intel, Mourner's Nightfall main force will reach these waters in four hours."

Leo exhaled a stream of smoke, his lips curling into a bloodthirsty smirk. "Proceed as planned. Tonight, I'm turning this dock into their graveyard."

"Yes, sir!"

Just then, three alluring silhouettes swayed gracefully from the shadows behind him.

After last night's wild 'nourishment,' Ivy, Serafina, and Charlotte practically glowed with vitality.

Even in cold, hard black tactical gear, they couldn't suppress the overwhelming sensuality radiating from within.

"This Nightfall organization really lives up to the rat comparison."

Ivy cast a disdainful look at the oil-stained, rust-covered dock, mockery filling her azure eyes. "They could take the wide, well-lit road, but no—like sewer vermin, they'd rather crawl in through these dark, damp places."

Serafina stretched languidly, her perfect curves breathtaking even through her gear.

She purred with a coquettish laugh, "What good does hiding do them? They're still crawling straight into the trap Reaper set for them. What pathetic fools."

"Enough." Leo cast the three women a brief glance. "The prey's about to land. Snipers, get into position."

At his command, the playfulness vanished from their faces instantly, replaced by the bone-chilling killing intent of elite assassins.

"Leo, that 'Mourner' guy's head is mine."

Ivy pulled a heavily modified Barrett heavy sniper rifle from the weapon case on her back, expertly racking the bolt. Her red lips curved into a confident smirk. "I want to see if his skull's harder than my armor-piercing incendiary rounds. One headshot, straight to hell."

"Dream on. That head's mine."

Serafina wasn't backing down either, raising a German DSR-1 sniper rifle equipped with night-vision thermal imaging scope. "How about we make a bet? See whose bullet punches through that rat boss's forehead first?"

"You're on. Bring it."

"Don't kill him too quickly."

Leo turned toward a high vantage point atop a container stack. "I need him alive. Got questions for him."

...

Night fell completely.

Fog blanketed the sea at the mouth of the Elbe River.

Vrrrrr...

A low, muffled engine sound—clearly suppressed—finally broke the dead silence over the water.

Six pitch-black military stealth speedboats cut through the fog, gliding silently toward the abandoned dock.

On the centermost boat.

A man nearly seven feet tall, his entire body shrouded in a black waterproof cloak, stood at the bow.

Nightfall's supreme leader—Mourner!

"Boss, we've arrived."

A trusted lieutenant standing beside him glanced at the coordinates on the radar screen and breathed a long sigh of relief, his face relaxing into a smile.

"The German Coast Guard didn't detect us at all. Once we land here, we can immediately switch to the vehicles we've prepared and head straight for Vienna. You don't need to stay so tense."

However, Mourner's eyes beneath his hood remained locked on the dock deep within the fog, his brow furrowed tightly.

As a supreme fighter who'd clawed his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his instincts far exceeded ordinary men's.

"Shut up."

Mourner's raspy voice carried a trace of deep unease. "Something feels wrong."

"Boss, you're overthinking this. This place is—"

The lieutenant's words cut short.

Ahead at the abandoned dock, a faint flashlight beam suddenly flickered to life.

The light blinked through the fog: three long, one short.

The internal Nightfall code for 'safe landing.'

The lieutenant's face lit up immediately. "See! That's our advance scouts' safety signal! The dock's all clear!"

Seeing the familiar signal, Mourner's furrowed brow relaxed slightly, though the unease in his heart didn't completely dissipate.

"Pass the order."

Mourner issued his command coldly. "Everyone stays alert. Land in waves! First squad goes ashore first, establishes a perimeter. After confirming absolute safety, subsequent boats follow!"

"Yes, sir!"

The six boats quickly decelerated. The first boat approached the barnacle-encrusted concrete pier.

Without hesitation—relying on his exceptional skills—Mourner followed the first squad, leaping down and landing steadily on the dock's hard surface.

However.

The instant his heavy combat boots touched the dock pavement!

An unprecedented sense of mortal danger surged through Mourner's entire body like an electric current!

Something's wrong!

The wind carried more than just brine.

There was also an extremely faint scent of blood!

"Wrong! Ambush! Scatter—"

Before Mourner could finish, two large-caliber sniper rounds were already screaming toward him!

BANG!

BANG!

Two heavy sniper rifle reports thundered simultaneously across the silent dock at night.

In that split second!

Mourner yanked his lieutenant in front of him as a shield!

Splat!

The two heavy sniper rounds hit the lieutenant without mercy.

One round obliterated the man's head like an overripe watermelon, spraying blood across Mourner's face!

The other punched clean through the lieutenant's chest, the massive kinetic energy carrying the mangled corpse backward and forcing Mourner to stumble five or six steps!

Using his subordinate's body, Mourner escaped death!

But his men weren't so fortunate.

"Open fire!"

Olivia's cold, merciless voice rang out from the darkness.

Instantly!

The previously silent abandoned dock—from containers, cranes, and high points all around—erupted with a dense, despair-inducing crossfire network!

Heavy machine gun roars, assault rifle bursts, even single-soldier rocket launcher blasts converged in that moment into an utterly brutal symphony of death!

This was a one-sided massacre, no question.

Those Nightfall elite assassins who'd just landed—or were still on their boats—had no chance to even seek cover under this airtight, terrifying fire coverage!

"Aaahhh!"

"Enemy attack! Return fire! Return fire!"

"Help me... my leg..."

Piercing screams, the sounds of flesh torn apart by large-caliber rounds, and the thunderous explosions of speedboat engines transformed this section of Hamburg harbor into hell itself.

In less than three minutes.

The hundreds of Nightfall elites—who'd arrived with such swagger, supposedly Europe's premier assassin organization—were decimated in this perfectly executed ambush, trapped like fish in a barrel.

Four of the six speedboats were blown apart on the spot by rocket fire, flames shooting skyward.

Thick smoke mixed with gunpowder smoke, the stench overwhelming.

The gunfire finally began to taper off.

Across the entire dock, only scattered limbs remained, along with weak moans from behind containers.