Chapter 34: Killer

The night was deep, autumn rain drizzling down.

In Sophia's private villa, the master bedroom is on the second floor.

Sophia lay on the floor in a black silk robe.

Four bodyguards, guns in hand, stood back-to-back in a tight circle around her, while heavy furniture blocked the doorway.

"Ms. Vanderbilt, don't worry, we..."

Before he could finish.

A muffled gunshot rang out. The bullet pierced through the thick oak door and hit one bodyguard precisely in the calf.

"Ah!"

The bodyguard groaned, dropping to one knee as blood quickly stained the carpet.

"Damn it! He's outside the door, he's toying with us!" Another bodyguard gritted his teeth, forehead covered in cold sweat.

They didn't dare open the door, because the person downstairs could always find weak spots in their defense.

They couldn't even figure out where he was.

Another shot.

Another bodyguard's shoulder exploded in blood, his gun clattering to the floor.

Fear spread through the room.

But Sophia's face showed no panic, only ice-cold calm.

"Sophia."

A hoarse, low voice came from downstairs, echoing through the empty villa.

"I know you're upstairs. Come down. I won't hurt you."

"My target isn't you--it's Leo."

The owner of the voice, his boots clicking heavily against the hardwood floor.

"But if you don't cooperate..."

Another gunshot.

A scream came from downstairs, then fell silent.

"Your remaining bodyguards will all die like them."

Killer couldn't assassinate Leo directly anymore, because Leo was too strong, too alert--getting close without being noticed was nearly impossible.

So he changed his strategy.

The only way was to use the people around Leo to force him out.

And Sophia was clearly the best target.

"I'll say this one last time."

The footsteps stopped outside the bedroom door. "Come out. Otherwise, I promise you'll see something more brutal than what just happened."

"Bang!"

Another thud came from downstairs--another bodyguard down.

Sophia bit her lip, about to go downstairs to negotiate.

Just then.

The bedroom's floor-to-ceiling window suddenly shattered as someone kicked it in from outside.

A dark figure flipped in from outside the second-floor window, landing steadily inside the room.

It was Leo.

He wore a black trench coat, soaking wet--clearly he'd climbed up the outer wall.

"Are you okay?"

Leo walked to Sophia, positioning himself protectively in front of her, his cold gaze sweeping toward the door.

"Leo! How did you..." Sophia looked at Leo's sudden appearance, eyes full of shock.

"I knew he'd do this."

Leo pulled a handgun from his waist, checking the magazine. "Someone like Killer--when a direct hit doesn't work, he'll definitely try to draw me out."

"You... you did this on purpose?" Sophia's eyes widened.

"Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Leo turned his head, his expression unusually gentle. "That's my promise."

Downstairs, Killer's voice rang out again.

"Leo, I know you're upstairs. Come down. Let's have a chat."

"What do you want to chat about?"

Leo walked to the stairway, looking down from above. "About how you killed Emily twenty years ago?"

Silence.

A moment later, Killer laughed coldly.

"Didn't expect you to dig that up. Yes, I killed Emily. It was a perfect job--clean, efficient, no traces."

"To this day, I consider it the peak of my career."

"Good. Then today, I'll make you pay for what you did twenty years ago."

With that, Leo strode down the stairs.

As Leo descended, Killer silently backed away, passing through the living room and pushing open the glass door to the back garden.

The garden in the autumn rain was pitch black, with only faint light from the villa casting mottled shadows on the wet stone path.

Leo reached the first-floor hall to find the living room empty.

His gaze passed through the open glass door to see Killer standing in the garden.

Suddenly, a muffled gunshot came from the distance, the bullet hitting the doorframe beside Leo.

"Leo, did you think I came alone?"

Killer's face broke into a smug smile. "1000 feet away on high ground, I've positioned a top-tier sniper. Right now, you're in his crosshairs."

"Any sudden move will turn you into a corpse."

"Is that so?"

Leo stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, completely exposed to the sniper's view.

"Come on then. Let me see how strong the so-called King of Killers really is."

Killer frowned slightly, sensing something was off.

Why was Leo so calm?

Didn't he know he was in the sniper's crosshairs?

"Leo, I admit you're strong."

Killer looked at Leo. "But you're too arrogant. No one can dodge a sniper rifle."

Leo laughed--a disdainful laugh. "Then let him try shooting."

"Fire!"

Killer shouted.

Another gunshot--the bullet tearing through the rain with a deadly whistle!

However.

Leo's body suddenly twisted, dodging the sniper bullet.

The bullet grazed his cheek and left a hole in the floor behind him.

"Impossible!"

Killer's eyes widened in disbelief.

Someone dodged a sniper shot from 1000 feet away?

Was he even human?

"Sophia, find somewhere to hide."

Leo didn't look back, his voice ice-cold. "What happens next isn't suitable for you to watch."

With that, Leo pulled a handgun from his waist and, without even aiming, casually fired a shot toward a certain direction outside the window.

Three seconds later.

A scream came from the distance, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

The sniper had been shot in the head.

"Damn it!"

Killer's expression changed drastically as he immediately pulled two handguns from his waist. "You monster!"

"Monster?"

Leo sneered. "Killer, seems you don't know me well enough."

"I'm not a monster. I'm just... stronger than you imagined."

Killer gritted his teeth and fired both guns.

Continuous gunfire exploded in the living room.

However.

Leo's figure moved like a ghost through the living room, perfectly dodging every bullet.

After a dozen shots.

Killer's magazines were empty.

And Leo stood before him, completely unharmed.

"Now..."

Leo rolled his neck, bones cracking.

"We can have a proper chat, King of Killers."

Killer took a deep breath and slowly drew a black military knife from his waist.

"Leo, I admit I underestimated you."

"But that doesn't mean you've won."

He gripped the knife with both hands, assuming a fighting stance.

"I've been in the assassin business for thirty years. Over a hundred experts have died by my hand. Today, I'll make you number 101."

"Let's see you try."

A cold smile curved Leo's lips.