Ch. 531..540
Chapter 531 Five Valley Mountain.
Seeing James‘ furious expression, Ronald could not help but comfort him, “Everything will be fine. Their target is you and will definitely not hurt Thea.”
James already predicted that someone would outrageously kidnap Thea to threaten him regardless of ethics just to kill him. He already sent 100 people to protect her in secret, but still, she got kidnapped.
He had to calm down and not lose himself.
The enemy‘s purpose in capturing Thea was to kill him. They would not hurt Thea apart from using her to threaten him.
He believed that the enemy would call him very soon.
At this moment, his phone rang.
This was an encrypted number.
He answered the phone calmly, “Who are you?”
A hoarse voice transmitted through the phone, “Black Dragon, get rid of all your people in the Mount Five Valley and surrender to us. Otherwise, you can wait to collect Thea‘s corpse.”
The caller quickly stated his purpose and hung up the phone.
Ronald shook his head and said, “It‘s a virtual call number. The IP address has been changed several times in between and we can‘t trace the specific location.”
“Have you tracked Thea‘s phone location?” asked James. “Thea‘s phone was left in the BMV, and the location remained in Nine Dragons Tunnel.” Ronald shook his head.
“Dismiss everyone from Mount Five Valley.”
“Understood.”
Ronald quickly passed on the order. Soon, everyone hidden in Mount Five Valley left. Then, James got up and walked toward May‘s hiding spot.
He arrived in the cave May was hiding very quickly.
May pretended to be injured by a gunshot and hid in the cave.
James appeared, and May quickly revealed herself. She asked, “James, why did you come early?”
“The operation has failed. They took my wife,” James said gloomily,
“What?!!”
May‘s expression changed and she asked, “What are they trying to do? Why did they violate even the most basic rules? Do they want to be banned by their peers?”
“I‘m their target. You should leave first. It‘ll be dangerous to continue staying here,” James said calmly.
“How can I leave?”
May shook her head.
It was her fault. Thea would not have been kidnapped if she did not suggest to lure the Black Snake over earlier.
“I‘m telling you to leave.”
James spoke decisively.
May was stunned.
She went blank for a few seconds, then recollected herself.
She nodded. “Okay.”
Then, she quickly left the place.
James waited alone in the cave.
He sat on a rock at the cave‘s entrance and smoked a cigarette.
There was a faint red glow of the burning cigarette butt in the darkness.
After a while, James noticed someone approaching. He glanced into the darkness and said coldly, “Come on out.”
“Haha…” A loud laugh resounded. “As expected from the Black Dragon, you immediately noticed us as soon as we tried to get closer.”
As the laughter echoed, a few figures revealed themselves from the darkness.
These people consisted of men and women, old and young people.
James knew that these people were the top assassins and that their current appearances were a disguise.
At this moment, James‘ phone rang again.
“James, you better not resist and surrender to them if you want Thea to survive. You‘ll be able to see her very soon.”
The other party finished speaking and hung up.
James glanced at the seven to eight people in front of him calmly. He finished smoking his cigarete and stood up. As soon as he stood up, the eight people quickly took a few steps backward. “Don’t worry, I‘m not going to attack. Let‘s go,” James said coldly, An old man walked near him, threw a rope, and said coldly, “Tie yourself.”
James glanced at the older man
With one glance, the older man felt like he was being glared at by a beast. Despite being in
countless life–and–death situations, his heart could not help skipping a beat.
James said disdainfully, “How about demonstrating how to tie yourself? I‘ll learn the skill from you.”
Chapter 532
The older man who spoke first was not just anybody. He was a well–known powerhouse on the assassin leaderboard.
He glanced at James and sneered. He walked over, picked up the rope on the ground, and started wrapping it around himself. Soon, he had tied himself up. “Do you know how to do it now?” The older man sneered.
James smiled nonchalantly.
He took a few steps forward. When he advanced, the assassin in front of him would step back.
Although the Black Snake had called to inform them that the Black Dragon‘s wife had been captured and that he would easily surrender, this was still the Black Dragon they were facing.
All the 28–nation martial arts gurus joined forces against him but were slaughtered by him.
Hundreds of thousands of troops attempted to kill him but to no avail.
Death would come unexpectedly if one were not careful against such a person.
The old assassin quickly untied himself, took the rope, and walked toward James to tie him up. James did not resist and allowed him to do as he pleased. Soon, he was completely immobilized.
“Haha.”
“Black Dragon, that‘s it?” “He fell into our hands so easily.” “I did not expect the ten billion to be so easy to earn.”
The assassins present laughed out loud.
“Take him to the Black Snake.” James was carried out of Mount Five Valley into a black car. His limbs were tied, and his face was covered in a black cloth, completely unable to see what was happening around him.
The road they traveled was incredibly bumpy. After an hour or so, the car came to a stop.
“Get ofl.”
James was dragged out of the car.
The black cloth on his face was removed.
They were no longer in Cansington. It was a small village and behind it was a massive mountain. There were hundreds of families living on the mountain foot.
They were at the village entrance. Woof! Woof! Woof!
A dog barked from inside the village.
There were plenty of people guarding the village entrance. The men were dressed in black, covering their faces with masks and holding on to weapons. James frowned at the scene.
He did not expect the Dark Castle to have a base in Sol. The base was in this village. Everyone living in this village was from the Dark Castle. They farmed on typical days but became merciless assassins when they accepted tasks. “Move.”
James had a gun pointed at his head. Without saying anything, he entered the small village. James was taken to the center of the village, where there was a basement.
There were more than 30 fully–armed assassins gathered around him. Their weapons were lethal and even rockets around him.
James was taken into the basement: Two people were tied to chairs inside the basement.
These two were Thea and Quincy.
“Thea.”
James walked in and saw Thea. His face immediately darkened, and he demanded coldly, “I‘m already here. Let them go.” “James...” Thea saw that James was also tied up and could not help shouting and struggling to free herself. However, she was completely tied up, and it was useless no matter how hard she struggled “Haha.”
A hoarse laugh echoed,
A man dressed in a black coat and hat with a black snake tattooed on his face walked in. He sat on the chair and glanced at James, who was tied up, with a playful smile. “The legendary Military God is nothing more than this. You fell right into my hands so easily.”
Chapter 533
James looked coldly at the Black Snake and said, “Let them go.”
The Black Snake‘s eyes stayed on James. He pointed at Thea and Quincy, who were tied up, and said with a playful smile, “I‘ll only let one go. You have the final say on who that will be.”
“Let Thea go.”
James did not hesitate.
The Black Snake gestured to his subordinates.
Immediately, one of his men walked over and untied Thea‘s ropes.
Thea quickly got up. Her limbs were numb from being tied up for so long, and she immediately fell to the ground. She stood up again and glanced at the fully armed assassins around her, and her face went pale.
Her lips trembled. “James...w–what are you doing? Let them release Quincy instead. I‘ll stay with you.” Quincy, who was tied to the chair, shouted, “Thea, what are you doing? Leave quickly. Do you not want to live?”
“Thea, leave!” James shouted. “I–I’m not leaving!” Thea‘s face went pale in fear. She knew that she would die if she stayed behind. However, she was unwilling to leave James. “James, please let them release Quincy, please? I can die with you,” Thea pleaded. James glanced at the Black Snake sitting before him with a playful smile. Then, he said coldly,” Black Snake, send off my wife immediately. If she loses even a strand of hair, I‘ll make sure to destroy the dark castle even if I die.”
“Alright. Send Thea away safely,” Black Snake nodded and ordered his subordinate.
“I-I’m not leaving!” Thea shouted.
She was forcibly taken away. “James! Honey…” Thea’s cry became weaker until it completely vanished. Quincy was still tied to the chair. However, she felt no fear at all seeing James, Instead, she was slightly happy
Who is he?
‘Who are these people? These were the two questions keep popping up in her mind Black Stake slood with a playful smile where is a saying that women can cause a hero’s fall As experted, the Black Dragon defeated the twenty eight nation martial arts gurus, and a one hundred thousand soldier armny is alwut to fall because of a woman”
The Black Snake mocked and pulled out a gun.
Bang! Bang!
He fired two consecutive shots. James was shot in both legs, and his body involuntarily slumped to the ground.
“Ah…”
Quincy‘s face turned pale from the fear. “James, a–are you okay?”
“I‘m not dead yet.” James sustained two gunshots, but his expression remained unchanged. Lying on the ground, he took deep breaths and controlled the blood flow in his body to stop the bleeding on his thighs.
Quincy sighed in relief. At this momentum, she was both surprised and happy.
‘James is the Black Dragon?
Thea‘s husband, James, is the Black Dragon? ‘H–How is that possible?’
Quincy thought he had misheard. However, the Black Snake laughed out loud again after shooting.
“Haha! The world will be at peace if I kill you, Black Dragon. Plenty of people will feel at ease with your death.”
James‘ body fell to the ground. He was shot twice, but he maintained the same expression. He said coldly, “Black Snake, I hope you abide by your professional ethics. Your goal is to kill me. Don‘t touch anyone irrelevant or else you will die without a place to be buried.”
“Don‘t worry. I understand the rules. I‘ll let Quincy go after I kill you. I won‘t touch even a strand of her hair and send your wife back safely. You‘re the only one I‘ll kill,” said the Black Snake,
“Lock him up,” he ordered. After saying that, the Black Snake turned around and left.
The people in the room turned around and left.
After leaving the basement, they locked it up. Walking out of the basement, the Black Snake made a phone call. “The Black Dragon is with me He will die any time with one word from me.”
A hoarse voice came from the phone. “What‘s your condition? Go ahead and tell me, I want the Black Dragon’s head in exchange.”
“I only have one request. Let my boss go. Before dawn, send him to the Michenton Village and prepare a helicopter As long as my boss and I leave safely, the head of the Black Dragon is yours to claim. However, play any tricks against me, and I‘ll release him immediately.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
Ten seconds later.
“Okay, I promise you.”
“I‘ll be waiting for your good news.”
The Black Snake hung up the phone. “Black Snake, it‘s up to you whether the Black Dragon lives or dies since we‘ve already caught him. Our mission has been completed, so when will our bounty be given?”
The Black Snake waved his hand slightly. “Be patient. Wait until dawn. After dawn, whether you escape from Cansington depends on everyone‘s skills. You will get the bounty if you survive, and if not, you won‘t have anything.”
Chapter 534
Michenton Village, underground basement.
The iron door was locked, and there were many fully armed assassins standing outside.
Quincy was tied to a chair and could not move. “James, a–are you alright?” Her worried face was pale as she kept checking on James. James was bounded by ropes, and his left was shot. Although he could control the blood flow in his body and prevent a hemorrhage, he was still bleeding a lot. Lying on the ground, he said, “I‘m alright. I‘m sorry I could only save Thea.” Between Quincy and Thea, he chooses to save Thea.
Thea had a miserable life. After being burned and disfigured, she endured the ridicule of others and lived in sorrow.
He felt guilty toward Thea. Instead of giving Thea a happy life, he got her involved in the mess. He had no idea how long these days would last, nor did he know what would happen in the future.
“I–I don‘t blame you,” Quincy replied weakly. She took a deep breath. “I just didn‘t expect you to hide it so well. Not only are you the secret boss of the Transgenerational Group and the Black Dragon. Haha. I even stupidly erected a monument for you. I‘m so embarrassed.”
Quincy chuckled as she recalled the time when she erected a monument for James.
James remained silent. Faced with Quincy, James did not know what to say. The dark basement was filled with a brief silence. After a while, James opened his mouth and promised, “I‘ll take you away, safely.” “Alright. I trust you.” Quincy had inexplicable trust in James. He was the Black Dragon.
The 28-nation martial arts gurus joined forces to kill him, and a hundred thousand troops were dispatched to hunt him down. Still, he survived.
He was the guardian of Sol.
Such an incredible man was not going to be brought down so easily.
Soon, the iron gate opened.
The Black Snake walked into the basement,
He turned on the lights.
The dark basement was illuminated.
Clomp! Clomp! Clomp! His leather shoes walked down with a heavy thread as they made contact with the ground,
Two people came in and helped James up froin the ground. James sat on the ground, glanced at the Black Snake calmly, and said, “Black Snake, you‘re playing with fire. Do you know where this place is? It‘s Cansington, the headquarters of the Five Armies, where the Blithe King is in charge. You‘re currently provoking the Blithe King‘s authority.”
The Black Snake smirked and said, “Black Dragon, I was already prepared for failure since I dared to take action. I didn‘t plan to leave alive. However, it seems I‘ve succeeded in more than half of my plan, judging by the current situation. Now that you‘re in my hands, I‘ll be able to leave safely.”
“Is that so?”
James smiled and changed the subject. He asked, “Where did you send my wife?”
“Don‘t worry. There are rules that I abide by. I won‘t kill your wife if I say I won‘t kill her. I‘ve already sent her out safely.”
James sighed in relief.
As long as Thea was safe, he was confident to fight his way out of this place.
“Black Snake, you know about me, so do you think tying me up and shooting me twice will restrain me? I could fight my way out if I wanted,” James said casually.
“I know.”
Black Snake replied calmly, “There are three layers of defenses outside with armed assassins. Additionally, the top ten assassins are watching the place. None of them is weaker than May. You‘ve been shot twice, and if you can fight your way out, you must be incredibly capable.”
“Ha”
James smiled lightly.
The Black Snake was confident.
He was confident with his strength, the top ten assassins, and all the armed assassins around the place
An army of a hundred thousand people could not stop him, let alone these people.
James closed his eyes and stopped talking
“James, I don‘t want to kill you You‘re one of the strongest people, perhaps number one in the world. No one is your opponent in a one on one fight As long as you‘re willing to join the Dark Castle and become the boss, I believe it will surely become famous globally under your leadership”
Chapter 535
“Oh?”
Sitting on the ground, James could not help but look at the Black Snake.
‘What is the Black Snake playing at? ‘He wants me to be the boss of the Dark Castle?‘ “You want me to be the Dark Castle‘s boss? Are you handing over the Dark Castle to me? Are you not afraid I‘ll purge the Dark Castle after you hand it to me?” The Black Snake burst out laughing. “Haha, that won‘t be a problem.” James also laughed. “Okay, I agree. Loosen the ropes.” The Black Snake motioned to his subordinates. Two men in black clothes and hoods approached and untied James. James stood up, moved around his limbs, and glanced at the Black Snack with a playful smile. “You really let me loose? You‘re not afraid that I‘ll suddenly attack you? You know my strength. You would not last three moves in my hands if I attacked you seriously.”
The Black Snake smirked. “The entire Dark Castle belongs to you now, and I work under you. I‘ve nothing to say if you want to kill me.”
James was perplexed. In the past, he had the confidence to control everything. Now, he was unsure of what the Black Snake was doing. He looked at the Black Snake for a few seconds. Then, he walked toward Quincy and loosened the ropes on her. Quincy had been bounded for a long time, and her limbs were stiff. As soon as she loosened the binding, she instantly fell into James‘ arms. A pleasing fragrance spread into his nostrils.
James helped her sit up properly.
At the same time, he sat down on a chair beside and tore his trousers, revealing the two gunshots on his thighs. He clenched his fists, and a small wire fell from his arms instantly. He took the wire and placed it on his wound.
The iron wire in his hands nimbly sank into his wound and quickly pulled out the bullet from his body
Seeing this sight, the Black Snack was shocked.
The Black Dragon was the strongest in the world and had unparalleled medical skills.
He was extraordinary,
After taking out the bullet, James glanced at the Black Snake and asked, “Do you have cigarettes?”
The Black Snake took out a cigarette and handed it to James. He also threw him a lighter. James lit it and asked indifferently, “For what reason did you risk your life to sneak into Cansington, spend a lot of effort to capture my wife to threaten me, and then ask me to be the Dark Castle’s boss?”
The Black Snake also lit a cigarette and wore a serious expression.
“You used to be one of the Five Commanders of Sol, the Black Dragon of the Southern Plains, and commanded the Black Dragon Army of one million soldiers. On top of that, you‘re the strongest person in the world. You must‘ve heard of Blake Davis, right?”
“Hm?”
James squinted his eyes. “Blake Davis?”
It was impossible for him not to know this man. Before James was appointed as the commander three years ago, he had received a secret mission. All the elite fighters of Sol were dispatched.
The whole group added up to more than 100 people.
More than 100 elite fighters were sent out to catch one person. Blake Davis. In that battle, more than 30 out of the 100 people died. In the end, he turned the situation around and defeated Blake, capturing him with his own hands.
Blake was incredibly strong. James had fought countless strong people in the Southern Plains, and if he were to name one of his strongest opponents, it would be Blake.
Black Snake nodded and said, “The founder of the Dark Castle is Blake. He entered Sol three years ago, and the news got out. Then, he was surrounded by elite fighters of Sol. You were there in that battle. To be honest, if not for you being there, that group of people might not have caught him.”
“I never expected Blake to be your boss and the Dark Castle‘s founder.” James took a deep breath
“That‘s right.”
The Black Snake nodded. “The boss has been detained in a secret prison by the Emperor, the leader of the Five Commanders. I‘m not going to hide it from you. There are countless bounties to kill you on the dark web, and one of them was issued by the Emperor. I captured you and requested the Emperor to let the boss go. However...”
The Black Snake’s expression became serious.
“I don’t know what kind of person the Emperor is. I only know that he wants to kill you, and I wanted to save my boss in exchange for you. The Emperor promised to bring my boss here before down, but I‘m a little worried.” “So, you want to cooperate with me?”
“Yes.”
Black Snake did not deny it. He nodded and said, “Three years ago, my boss returned to Sol to retire. However, the information got leaked, and he was ambushed. Over the years, I‘ve constantly been trying to save him. May joined you and sent me a message to lead me into Sol. I saw it as an opportunity and decided to take a risk.”
Chapter 536
The Black Snake knew it would be difficult to rescue his boss. Although the Emperor had agreed, he could not completely trust the other party‘s words.
This was Cansington— it was the territory under Sol.
The Emperor was the leader of the Five Commanders and was in charge of the army troops. As long as the Emperor surrounded this place, not only would he be unable to save Blake, but he would also die here.
He thought about it and realized he would have a better chance if he cooperated with James instead of using his life to threaten the Emperor.
James fell into thought while smoking a cigarette. He did not know Blake but knew what kind of organization the Dark Castle was. This was an assassination organization. The hands of the people in the Dark Castle were covered in blood, and the Black Snake was definitely not a good person. The reason he lured the Black Snake to Cansington was to recruit some strong people to work for him.
James looked at the Black Snake. “How do you want to cooperate?”
“I know you have an extraordinary relationship with the Blithe King. He has already blocked off every route, and it will be impossible for us to escape. I need you to call him and give us a path to leave. I can promise you the Dark Castle, and all the assassins under it will belong to you as long as I successfully rescue Blake.” “Ha. Why do you think I‘ll cooperate with you?” James sneered and pulled Quincy up to leave. As soon as they walked out of the underground basement, dozens of guns were pointed at them.
“Let him go,” the Black Snake shouted.
“Understood.”
The men quickly put down their guns.
James walked out of the underground basement.
Outside were the top–ranked assassins.
These people were patiently waiting for dawn.
They would have to find ways to leave to receive the 10 billion at dawn. With this money, they could retire and live ordinary lives.
All these people stood up vigilantly after seeing James approaching.
The Black Snake also followed behind,
One of the assassins asked, “What is the meaning of this, Black Snake?” “There‘s nothing to it. Let him go,” the Blake Snake said indifferently. James ignored these people, dragged Quincy, and left.
However, Quincy‘s legs were numb. After only a few steps, her face had a pained expression. “What‘s wrong?” asked James. “M–My legs are numb. It hurts a lot.” James glanced at her slender legs, squatted down, and asked, “Which one?” “This one.” Quincy pointed to her right leg. James reached out and gently massaged her cálf a few times. “How does it feel now?”
“Much better.”
James stood up, pulled Quincy, and continued leaving the place. These were infamous and strong assassins gathered together. Yet, none of them made a move. They simply watched James and Quincy leave. There were many armed villagers gathered in the village. The village was heavily guarded, but James easily walked out of the village. After leaving the village, James stopped. He sat on a rock and fell into deep thought. “J– James, why aren‘t we leaving? Y–You aren‘t thinking of cooperating with these wicked people, right?” Quincy asked with a frown. James took a deep breath after a long time and replied, “You don‘t understand my situation. You head back to Cansington first. I‘ll stay behind to observe.”
James thought about it and decided to take a risk.
The Dark Castle was an extremely powerful organization.
The people in the Dark Castle were all experts. Taking control of the Dark Castle would benefit his future plans. “I‘m not leaving.” Quincy was like a child throwing a tantrum. She pouted and said, “I‘m not leaving if you‘re not coming with me.”
James glanced at her and rebuked, “Do you know where are we and who are those people inside? They are all assassins. It‘s very dangerous for you to stay here. More importantly, you will get in my way. Go back immediately.” Quincy was stunned
Tears welled up in her eyes,
Chapter 537
“Wait.”
James turned around and walked toward the village.
Soon, he returned there.
“Haha, black Dragon, I knew you would cooperate with me.” Seeing James coming back, the Black Snake walked over, opened his arms, and wanted to hug James.
“Get lost.”
James lifted his foot and kicked him. He had injuries on his leg and could not help grit his teeth in pain when he lifted it. The Black Snake took a few steps backward and dodged. “Prepare a car for me,” said James.
The Black Snake took out a bunch of keys and threw them to James. Then, he said, “The car is at the village entrance.”
James took the keys and left.
When he returned, Quincy had already come back to the village entrance. However, many armed men were guarding the place, so she did not dare enter.
She was unaware of what James was doing inside the village, so she could only pace around the village anxiously. “James...” Seeing James returning, Quincy rushed over happily and threw herself into his arms.
James reached out his hands to her chest to block her.
He wanted to stop Quincy from jumping into his arms, but he accidentally touched her chest.
Quincy‘s face blushed bright red.
With an embarrassed expression, James quickly retracted his hand and put the car keys into her hand. He smiled awkwardly and said, “You drive back first.”
“What about you?” Quincy asked with a blushed face. “I have important things to settle. After you go back, head to the Callahans to check on Thea. She must be terrified. Please help me comfort her but don‘t tell her about what happened,” said James. Quincy bit her lips and thought about it for a while. “Okay.” She nodded
She pressed the car keys.
One of the cars at the village entrance lit up, she walked over and opened the door.
After getting in the car, she rolled down the car window and reminded James, “Be careful.”
She started the car and drove away after finishing her words. James watched until Quincy left and returned to the village. In a bungalow in the village. James sat on a shabby sofa. Sitting opposite him was the Black Snake. .
“What exactly do you need me to do?” James asked casually.
The Black Snake replied, “The Emperor promised to bring Blake here before dawn. He will be coming alone. Also, he will prepare a helicopter for us to leave. In exchange, I have to hand you over. However, I don‘t trust him, so I need you to cooperate with me and show me the safest escape route. As for you...” The Black Snake glanced at James and snapped his fingers. The door opened, and a man walked in. The Black Snake pointed at him and said, “I‘ve already found a replacement for you. All you have to do is make a human mask like yours and hide in the dark. Then, I‘ll pass this man to the Emperor.”
The Black Snake paused for a moment and continued. “It would be best if I can leave with Blake smoothly. In the case that it doesn‘t, I need your help if we are ambushed.
“Don‘t worry. I‘ll keep my word. You will be in complete control of the Dark Castle in the future as long as we leave safely.” “What about those guys outside?” James glanced outside. “Them?”
The Black Snake‘s face darkened, and he replied, “Their mission has been completed, and they can leave at dawn. As for whether they manage to escape depends on their abilities.”
James understood the situation immediately.
The assassins outside have been abandoned.
Whether they lived depended on themselves.
“Alright, we have a deal.”
James agreed without hesitation. It was a big gamble.
He would acquire the Dark Castle and countless assassins if he won the gamble.
Losing would mean that he let a powerful enemy slip away.
It was a worthy gamble.
Chapter 538
James glanced at the time. It was midnight.
He pondered for a moment and instructed, “I will need some stuff. Get me a pen and paper so I can write it down. Quickly prepare them for me.” Black Snake immediately ordered, “Prepare pen and paper.”
Soon, someone brought a pen and paper.
James wrote down the materials he needed to make the human mask and some medicinal materials.
Seeing the list James‘ wrote, the Black Snake frowned and asked, “What do you need medicinal materials for?”
“There‘s no need for you to ask about it. Just prepare it as soon as possible. Our time is running out.”
The Black Snake immediately made arrangements.
On the other hand, James closed his eyes to rest. The Black Snake prepared the things quickly. In less than an hour, everything James needed had arrived.
James started to make the human mask. Afterward, he started to fiddle around with the medicinal materials and worked until four in the morning. There were only two more hours before dawn.
James walked out of the house.
Outside, there were many assassins.
None of the assassins slept because they knew that this night was very crucial for them. The village was likely to be surrounded by the army, so they would have to be in their best forms.
James walked out, and these assassins stared at him vigilantly.
He sat at the door and glanced at the assassins outside the house. He smiled and said calmly,“ We’re on the same boat now. You don‘t need to be so nervous. Let‘s chat.”
“We‘ve got nothing to say to you,” A twenty–seven or twenty–eight–year–old man replied. There was paint smudged on his face, so his exact appearance was not visible. When James was making the human mask, he had already called May and asked for some information about the top-ranked assassins. He glanced at the man who replied, and through the way he was dressed, James recognized him
His real name was unknown, and his codename was Midnight Wind. He was an SSS–ranked assassin, number five on the assassin leaderboard, and was incredibly strong.
James glanced at him and smiled, “Midnight Wind, ranked fifth on the assassin leaderboard.”
“Hmph.” The Midnight Wind snorted coldly.
James glanced at the assassins and said with a smile, “Didn‘t you guys know that coming to Cansington would be risky? The Blithe King currently resides in Cansington, and all five provinces have been blocked off. It was easy for you all to come in, but it‘s not going to be easy to leave. The Black Snake has already given up on you.”
James said casually.
“You might still be unaware that the Black Snake has no plans to take you all away. The purpose of his trip is not to kill me. His real purpose is to save his boss, Blake. He has reached an agreement with the Emperor. The Emperor will bring Blake in exchange for me and prepare a helicopter for the Black Snake to leave safely.”
The assassins had serious expressions.
There was no need for James to tell them. They were well aware of the situation.
For 10 billion dollars, it was worth the risk,
As long as they found a way to leave Cansington at dawn, they will receive the 10 billion dollars. They could retire after getting this 10 billion.
Everyone present had the same idea.
A young girl glanced at James and said, “You won‘t be living either if we die.”
The girl looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was wearing a school uniform and had long black hair. She had a very innocent appearance, and one would never associate her with assassins.
However, she was not as ordinary as she looked. From the information May provided, James knew she was also an SSS–ranked assassin, ranked third on the assassin leaderboard. Her nickname was Little Sis.
Her young and middle school student appearance was her disguise.
She was a ruthless assassin that would not bat an eye when killing.
James glanced at her and said with a smile, “You‘re wrong about that. The Black Snake didn‘t trust the Emperor and decided to cooperate with me. As long as the Black Snake doesn‘t kill me, I‘ll definitely be leaving alive. Plus, the Black Snake knows he can‘t kill me. That‘s why he
chose to work with me.”
“Black Dragon, why are you telling us this?” An older man asked.
The older man was the one who tied himself up at Mount Five Valley. He ranked fourth on the assassin leaderboard. His real name was unknown, and his nickname was Wanderer.
According to the information given by May, the older man was a lustful person and spent all his money on women.
James took out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked quietly. All eyes were on him, waiting for him to speak. After a long time, James parted his lips and said, “Let‘s talk about life. What‘s the reason you became assassins?”
Hearing this, everyone glanced at James doubtfully. They were unsure of what James was trying to achieve “How about I answer it for you? You all willingly go through death and life situations for money. I believe many of you have family members, and you want to make money to give your families a better life. Your plan is to earn enough money and retire to live an ordinary life,”.. said James.
The crowd was silent.
James was right.
Everyone was walking a dangerous path just to make money.
“The Black Snake promised to give each of you ten billion dollars. I trust he will not break his promise because the Dark Castle isn‘t short on money. However, you won‘t live to claim this money. As soon as the sun rises, it‘ll be the death of all of you,” said James. “Do you think you can really break out of the army‘s encirclement?
“Assassinations and duels are your specialties. “However, you have no chance of sạrviving against an army.”
Chapter 539
James spoke word by word. “What are you trying to say?” “Stop beating around the bush.” “Get straight to the point. Say what you have to say.” The assassins were impatient. James smiled lightly. “Actually, what I want to say is very simple. I can give you money if that‘s what you want. I can also give you an ordinary life if that‘s what you seek. As long as you put down your bloody knives and quit being assassins, submit to me, follow me, and serve me. Then, everything you wish for will be yours. The most important thing is you will survive.”
James stated his purpose. “Think about it yourselves. By the way, I must remind you that there are only two more hours until dawn. Time is running out.”
After James finished speaking, he stood up and walked back into the house.
Outside the house.
The group of assassins went silent.
What James had said made sense.
They were good at assassinations but faced with an army, they had zero chance of winning.
James entered the room, leaned on the sofa, and closed his eyes to rest. Soon, someone walked in.
He slightly opened his eyes. A tan-skinned man in his 40s dressed in a black coat that looked like he worked on a construction site, often exposed to the sun, walked into the house. “Black Dragon, I‘m willing to submit and follow you.” The middle-aged man spoke. James looked at him with a smile. Savage, an SSS-ranked assassin, ranked sixth on the assassin leaderboard. He did not expect the assassins to willingly submit to him so soon.
However, he did not let his guard down to these assassins,
He took out a pill he had made earlier and threw it.
Savage caught it, held it in his hand, and inspected it for a moment. He asked with a frown,” What is this?”
James said indifferently, “This is poison. I don’t completely trust you. I‘ll have to use poison
to control you first. You‘ll get the antidote if you‘re obedient. Otherwise, the poison will kill you. Think it through first. I‘m not forcing you either.”
Savage hesitated slightly, then ate the poison James made.
After eating it, he said, “I need ten billion dollars. I‘ll work for you the rest of my life if you give me ten billion dollars.”
James smiled lightly and said, “That‘ll be easy.”
Ten billion dollars?
James did not have the money. However, Black Snake had promised them 10 billion dollars, so as long as he could recruit these assassins, he could ask the Black Snake for money. “Go down and rest.” James waved his hand. “Understood.”
Savage turned to leave. Not long after he left, another person walked inside. This was a woman wearing a tight black leather jacket and pants. She had a great figure and long silver hair, which made her look incredibly sexy. “Death Dance, ranked tenth on the assassin leaderboard.”
James glanced at the woman that approached from head to toe.
She was gorgeous and had a great figure. “Black Dragon. I‘ll work for you. The premise is that you give me ten billion dollars and keep me alive.”
As soon as Death Dance entered the room, she directly stated her conditions.
“No problem,” James nodded and agreed.
He took out the prepared poison and threw it to Death Dance. “Eat it.”
“What is this?”
“This is poison. After taking it, you will need to take an antidote every week. Without the antidote, the poison will spread, and your body will rot from within. In three days, you‘ll die.”
Death Dance’s face changed slightly. “Think it through before you eat it. I‘m not going to force you,” James said indifferently. Death Dance hesitated for a moment, then directly consumed the poison James made. James smiled lightly and said, “Alright. Go down and rest. I‘ll take you away after dawn.” Next, the top assassins on the leaderboard came to see James one after another. They carefully weighed the pros and cons. They were in a very dangerous situation where the odds of surviving were very small, Moreover, James’ conditions were attractive. In order to survive and earn money, they all compromised. They chose to follow James and willingly took the poison.
James recruited a few strong subordinates effortlessly. With these powerhouses, it would be easier for him to carry out his plans.
Chapter 540
In the village, another house. The Black Snake sat on the sofa, slammed his hands on the table, and gently rubbed his temples.
Standing beside him was a subordinate.
“Black Snake, the Black Dragon has recruited several of the assassins we hired.”
Hearing the subordinate‘s report, the Black Snake had a darkened expression.
The Black Dragon was indeed terrifying. These assassins were on ranked on the top of the assassin leaderboard. Each of them was incredibly strong. It was impossible to gather all of them if not for the offer of ten billion dollars.
James’ means were extraordinary for him to recruit them easily.
“Let them be.”
The Black Snake waved his hands.
He did not care who James recruited as long as he could save Blake.
Black Snake was the Dark Castle‘s founder.
It had been almost 30 years since the Dark Castle was established.
Over the past 30 years, Blake had accumulated a great amount of wealth. His assets were enough to rival a country. However, with his arrest, this money had become dead, and no one knew where it was hidden.
In order to get the money, he decided to take a gamble.
Even if he had to use the entire Dark Castle as a chip, he did not hesitate.
This was not a simple one or two hundred billion dollars.
One or two hundred billion was only a fraction of Blacke‘s fortune.
“Okay, you can leave. Inform the others to hide their weapons and act normal. It‘s almost dawn. Make sure outsiders won‘t be suspicious of them.”
“Understood.”
In the other room.
James closed his eyes and rested.
At the same time, he was also thinking about the Black Snake‘s real purpose.
He did not believe that the Black Snake would make him the Dark Castle‘s boss just to save Blake.
Just what is the Black Snake’s motive?‘
James did not understand.
James‘ goal had been achieved. He lured the Black Snake to Cansington to recruit some assassins. The empty position of the Dark Castle‘s boss did not matter to him. That being the case, then... James’expression darkened.
The Black Snake was hard to see through.
Blake would never be released. He would be a şcourge otherwise.
James took a deep breath.
At the same time.
Cansington, the Callahans house.
Thea had been sent back home safely.
Quincy also arrived.
Quincy accompanied Thea to her room.
“Quincy, what happened after I was sent away? How did you leave? What happened to James? He was shot, right? Is he okay?” Thea kept asking.
Thea‘s face was full of concern.
Although she came back safely, her face was still pale. Quincy took her hand and comforted her, “It‘s alright. James will be back at dawn.” “What is going on? Who are those people? Why did they kidnap me? Why did they capture James? Did James offend someone?” “N–No,” said Quincy.
James instructed her not to tell Thea about anything.
Moreover, she also did not know how to explain.
“I don’t know what‘s going on, but I believe James is a good person.”
*I–It‘s almost dawn. Why hasn‘t he come back?”
Thea was anxious.
Quincy comforted her repeatedly.
The sky gradually showed a trace of sunrise.
The sun rose slowly from below the horizon, illuminating the dark earth.
Just after dawn, a car appeared outside the village.
A man stepped out of the car.
The man looked to be in his 30s and had an ordinary appearance. He was the kind of person that would not attract attention when standing in a crowd. At this moment, an old farmer came over with a gardening tool. He glanced at the middle aged man who got off the car and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Seeing that it was a farmer, the middle–aged man did not answer. Instead, he muttered, “I‘ve arrived at the destination. However, it‘s a small village, and everything seems normal. There isn‘t anything suspicious.”
“Wait.” A hoarse voice transmitted from the earphones plugged into his ears.