Chapter 20: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind It
The night was pitch black, on the outskirts of Long Island.
A black Maybach silently followed behind an armored Mercedes, maintaining a safe distance of 0.5 miles.
"Boss, your plan is brilliant!"
Olivia sat in the passenger seat, staring at the red dot on the screen, her eyes full of admiration. "We deliberately didn't kill that gunman Nick, just locked him up. The Drake family must think Nick has turned traitor. To prevent him from revealing more secrets, they'll definitely move first to eliminate everyone who knows about that assassination from twenty years ago."
Leo gripped the steering wheel with one hand, a cigar in the other, the orange glow flickering in the dark interior.
"A useless dog's only value is being killed by its own master, to warn the other dogs."
Leo took a deep drag on his cigar, the smoke blurring his stern profile. "And we're going to find that dog!"
North Shore of Long Island, suburbs.
As night fell, a European-style villa hidden deep in the woods lit up with dim yellow lights.
This place was far from the city, completely isolated.
Inside the villa.
An old man wearing reading glasses sat by the fireplace, holding a thick Bible in his hands.
This was Manuel.
The Drake family's former butler, and the executor of all of Evan's dirty secrets.
The assassination of the Rosenberg family heir over twenty years ago was planned by him.
The iron gate of the villa was pushed open.
Manuel looked up and saw through the window three black SUVs pulling into the courtyard.
The car doors opened, and seven or eight burly men in black tactical gear jumped out, led by a bald, heavily-built man.
His name was Parker, Evan's personal bodyguard and the enforcer of the Drake family's underground operations.
"Parker, it's so late. Does Evan have orders?"
Manuel put down his Bible and adjusted his reading glasses, a gentle smile on his face.
However.
Parker didn't answer. He just stared at him coldly, his hand already reaching for his holster.
Manuel understood instantly, his face turning deathly pale.
"Parker... what... what are you doing?"
"Sorry, Manuel."
Parker pulled out a pistol with a silencer from his waist and aimed it at Manuel's forehead. "Mr. Drake said some people know too much and should go meet God."
"Wait!"
Manuel jumped to his feet, backing away in terror. "I've served the family for forty years! I've never betrayed you!"
"I know."
Parker's face was expressionless. "So I'll make it quick. The family will remember your contributions."
Manuel closed his eyes, his face full of despair.
At this critical moment.
The villa's glass window suddenly shattered, countless shards falling like rain.
A black figure dropped from above.
Leo landed heavily in front of Parker and threw a punch!
A bodyguard was sent flying by the punch, crashing through the solid wood bookshelf behind him.
"Who are you?"
The other seven bodyguards instantly drew their guns.
However.
Before they could pull the triggers.
Several whooshing sounds rang out.
Shadow team members flashed in through the windows like ghosts, all at once.
Olivia fired both guns, and two bodyguards fell instantly.
In less than ten seconds.
All the fully armed bodyguards behind Parker were down.
Only Parker remained.
"You're Leo, right?"
Parker looked at Leo and laughed instead of getting angry. "I was just looking for you! I heard you had quite a killing spree in Chicago? Too bad, this is New York! And you've run into me!"
"You know me?"
Leo lit a cigar and walked slowly toward Parker. "That's good, saves me the introduction."
"I know you're strong, wiped out those losers from the Romano family, but you're no match for me."
Parker tossed aside his gun and cracked his knuckles. "I, Parker, was a member of SEAL Team Six! After retiring, I fought in underground boxing rings for five years, eighty-three fights, all wins! Three-time freestyle fighting world champion!"
With that, Parker assumed a fighting stance.
His injured subordinates behind him still excitedly shouted.
"Parker's making his move!"
"He's dead!"
"Parker's a monster who can tear steel plates apart with his bare hands!"
"Three-time world champion?"
Leo just exhaled a puff of smoke and sneered. "Then let me show you what a real powerhouse looks like."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Leo moved.
His figure vanished like a ghost.
Parker's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively raised his arms in defense.
Leo's heavy punch slammed into Parker's forearms, and a crisp sound of breaking bones rang out.
Parker's arms instantly twisted and deformed, and his entire body flew backward like a cannonball, crashing through the villa's interior wall.
"Im... impossible..."
Parker lay in the rubble, his arms hanging limply at his sides, blood continuously spilling from his mouth.
Three-time world champion?
Navy SEAL?
Before this man, none of it mattered!
One punch!
Just one punch!
He'd completely lost his ability to fight!
"You're not human..."
Parker stared at Leo in terror, his eyes full of fear.
Olivia just smiled dismissively, because they really weren't human—they were successfully modified super soldiers.
Not something normal people could fight against!
Leo walked up to him and stepped on his chest.
"I told you, I'd show you what a real powerhouse looks like."
Then Leo turned to look at the bodyguards still groaning on the ground.
"Olivia."
"Yes!"
"Kill them all!"
"Yes!"
Olivia raised her gun without hesitation.
"Wait!"
Parker shouted in terror. "You can't do this! We're from the Drake family! If you kill us, Mr. Drake won't let you go!"
"The Drake family?"
Leo's lips curved into a cold smile. "I came to New York to destroy the Drake family. You think I care?"
"I can tell you the Drake family's secrets! I know a lot!" Parker struggled desperately.
"Really?"
Leo looked at him with interest. "Then let's hear it. One secret, one life."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Parker's eyes, and he was about to speak.
Suddenly.
Leo raised his hand and shot him in the head.
Parker's eyes widened as his body fell heavily to the ground.
Then three more gunshots, and the remaining bodyguards were all dead.
Olivia was stunned. "Boss, why did you..."
"I only said one secret for one life."
Leo put away his gun and said flatly, "But I didn't say it was his life."
With that, he turned to look at the trembling Manuel.
"Now, it's your turn."
Manuel's legs gave out in fear, and he collapsed to his knees.
"Mr. Ashford... spare me... please spare me..."
"Spare you?"
Leo walked up to him, yanked off his reading glasses, and crushed them under his foot. "Twenty years ago, the Rosenberg family heir Emily, holding her newborn baby, was assassinated under your planning. Did she beg you to spare her?"
Manuel was terrified, but his mouth remained stubborn. "I don't know anything! Just kill me!"
"Kill you?"
Leo laughed and pulled out a folder from his pocket, throwing it in front of him.
The folder opened, revealing over a dozen photos.
"Your son is a lawyer in Miami."
"Your daughter is a doctor in Los Angeles."
"And your three grandchildren, the youngest is only five."
Leo crouched down, picked up a birthday photo of the little granddaughter, and used the cigar's glow to illuminate the innocent, bright smile in the photo. "They're adorable, aren't they?"
"What... what do you want..."
Manuel's body shook violently as he stared at Leo, his eyes full of fear.
"When you planned that assassination, the baby Emily was holding had just been born, too."
Leo stood up and slowly set the photo on fire, dropping it in front of Manuel. "You killed someone else's family, now it's your turn. What? You can't accept it?"
"No! Don't!"
Watching the photo turn to ash in the flames, Manuel's last psychological defense completely collapsed. "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Please spare my family!"
Leo straightened up and exhaled a puff of smoke. "Wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier?"
"Now, tell me, who planned it back then? Who was the killer? Who from the Rosenberg family was involved?"