Chapter 97: Hostage

These six men were the gray-haired man's ace close-combat executioners.

They abandoned their guns, gripping Khukuri blades in a reverse grip made of high-carbon steel that gleamed with cold light. Each had been injected with some kind of nerve-enhancing serum, giving them explosive muscle power, specifically trained to deal with top-tier fighters that firearms couldn't handle.

Six blades, from six deadly blind spots, sealed off every possible escape route for Leo!

If Leo hesitated for even a moment, these six tactical blades, sharp enough to cut through bone, would tear him apart instantly!

"You're asking for it."

Facing this killing formation, Leo didn't retreat. Instead, his deep eyes erupted with a chilling, murderous intent.

He suddenly kicked a rusty oil drum beside him, using the recoil to lean backward at an impossible angle. The six deadly blades barely grazed past his nose and the hem of his coat, even cutting off a strand of his black hair!

In that half-second pause when the six executioners missed their strike.

Leo's hands flashed like lightning to the tactical holster at his waist.

Without even needing to aim, Leo's hands produced a heavily modified Glock 18C full-auto pistol equipped with an extended 33-round magazine!

With a terrifying fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, at a distance of less than 10 feet, it instantly became a metal storm woven by death!

The executioners were horrified, instinctively swinging their high-carbon steel blades, trying to block the bullets.

Their neural responses were indeed incredibly fast--they could even deflect one or two Parabellum rounds with their blades the instant the muzzle flashed.

But this was a full-auto pistol with a fire rate faster than a submachine gun! How could they possibly block a rain of bullets pouring out like water?

The hollow-point rounds fired at close range, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, tore straight through their prized Kevlar vests!

Once hit in the torso, the cavitation effect from the tumbling bullets inside their bodies instantly turned their organs into mush!

Less than three seconds.

He emptied all thirty-three rounds! The barrel even glowed dark red from the rapid firing.

In front of Leo, the six top executioners who had seemed invincible moments ago had become six riddled, mangled corpses, crashing heavily onto the oil-stained concrete floor.

The air filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder and the thick scent of blood.

Leo pressed without expression the magazine release, the empty mag dropped, he pushed in a new one with one hand, gun barrel lowered, his eyes like a Reaper emerging from the depths of hell.

The gray-haired man standing in the distance saw this scene, and his hand, which had been toying with the pocket watch, suddenly stopped.

On his originally elegant and composed face, a trace of undisguised horror finally appeared.

His ace squad, which he had spent tens of millions of euros to cultivate, couldn't last three minutes against this man?

"Retreat!"

Without any hesitation, the gray-haired man decisively gave the order. He knew that even if he threw everyone at Leo today, they still couldn't kill him!

Taking advantage of his remaining men releasing smoke grenades for cover, the gray-haired man turned and melted into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.

"That gray-haired bastard ran west!"

Olivia had been watching the gray-haired man's movements. After clearing out the last few assassins, she immediately reported to Leo.

"According to intel from Shadow Squad, these assassins are all wearing Black Mountain Group badges. That gray-haired man is definitely a high-ranking Nightfall operative in Europe!"

After checking several corpses, Vance told Leo.

Leo knew the gray-haired man's importance and immediately gave chase, passing right by the still-struggling Hades.

Hades thought Leo was coming to kill him. Greatly alarmed, knowing he couldn't escape, he gathered his last courage, ready to fight to the death.

"Come on! Even if I die, I'm taking someone with me!"

Hades roared, his killing intent fully unleashed.

Olivia kicked Hades, sending him stumbling to the ground. Leo rushed past him without even a glance.

Leo's target was the gray-haired man. Compared to Nightfall's European headquarters, a North American remnant force like Hades wasn't even worth mentioning.

One was a top-tier assassin organization controlling a global intelligence network, the other just a regional boss sent to North America--they weren't even in the same league.

Seeing Leo didn't even glance at him, Hades first froze, then flew into a rage.

His blood boiling, ignoring the huge gap in their strength, he moved to chase Leo.

Olivia kicked again, straight at Hades's lower back.

Hades turned to block, and seeing that it was Olivia stopping him made him even angrier.

"A woman dares to stop me!"

With that, Hades swung his broken arm, wanting a quick victory.

Olivia showed no fear, her form flashing like a ghost, her black tactical knife slashing straight for Hades's throat.

Hades was shocked--Olivia's knife was too fast. If he didn't pull back this punch, before his fist landed, his own neck would be cut open.

Olivia pressed her advantage, the knife dancing continuously. Hades focused all his attention on dodging desperately, barely managing to save his life. But even so, the knife opened several bloody gashes on his body.

No matter what special alloy Olivia's knife was made of, even small cuts wouldn't stop bleeding.

Hades finally understood--he had misjudged her. This woman was extremely dangerous; one wrong move and he'd die by her hand!

This woman's close-combat skills were terrifying. Continuing to fight was dancing on a knife's edge--death was just a matter of time.

Realizing this, Hades turned and ran. Naturally, Olivia wouldn't let him go and pursued him closely.

"These damn bastards!"

Leo chased to a residential community at the edge of Staten Island, where seven or eight Nightfall assassins had fled.

These were the elite from that batch of "Shadow" killers. Seeing the gray-haired man retreat, they had all followed and escaped here.

"What's the situation?"

Just then, General Vance and Lieutenant General Hayes arrived in an armored Maybach.

"They went into the community--it's full of civilians, we can't open fire."

"And these bastards took hostages."

Leo hid behind cover outside the community. The Nightfall assassins inside hadn't spotted him yet.

"There's an M110 sniper rifle in the car. Try to take out a few before they react. Hayes and I will evacuate the residents, then we'll figure out how to handle the rest."

General Vance opened the trunk and handed Leo a sniper rifle equipped with a high-powered scope.

"That's the only way. You two get into position without being spotted. After I take my shots, I'll come support immediately."

Leo took the sniper rifle and nodded. This was the only option--they had to end this quickly. The longer it dragged on, the more danger the hostages faced.

Soon, Generals Vance and Hayes were in position, making a hand signal from behind an abandoned car at the community entrance.

Leo understood, aiming the sniper scope at the Nightfall assassins in the community.

Three shots in succession--before the Nightfall assassins could react, Leo dropped three of them.

Hearing the gunfire, Vance and Hayes raised their M4 carbines and charged forward.

After being sniped, the Nightfall assassins scrambled for cover while grabbing several civilians and rushing into a house.

During this, Leo took out two more. Vance and Hayes eliminated the ones behind cover. What remained were just three assassins in the house.

These three had taken hostages, and knowing Leo and his team were coming, they pressed guns to the hostages' heads--they'd shoot at the slightest movement.

These Nightfall assassins had countless lives on their hands; killing a few civilians wouldn't make them bat an eye.

Leo arrived at the community and first directed General Vance to evacuate all residents to avoid casualties during the firefight.

"Please, you have to save my daughter! She's only five, please save her!"

A blonde woman grabbed Leo's arm, crying.

Though Leo and his team wore civilian clothes, they arrived in military vehicles and had just taken down several criminals, so the residents trusted them.

"Hayes, take them back to a safe distance. Those assassins have C4 explosives."

After speaking, Leo turned to look at the mother.

"I will get your daughter out safely. All the hostages--I'll do everything I can to rescue them."

After speaking, Leo and General Vance walked straight toward the house.