Chapter 1969


    Zack''s eyes bulged with shock as he stared at the man''s familiar face.


    Jonathan raised his gun again, aimed at the man, and with a deafening st, the man''s head exploded


    in a spray of crimson.


    Dropping the gun, Jonathan stepped over the grotesque remains of the man''s face, his voice indifferent


    as hemanded, "Notify Raiden, tell him toe clean up this mess!"


    Mark immediately acknowledged the order.


    Ten minutester, Raiden arrived at the vi.


    He gave Zack''s body only a cursory nce before entering the vi to find the man sitting on the


    couch, puffing on a cigarette.


    Mark pulled up the surveince footage for Raiden to see.


    In the video, Zack''s car pulled up outside the vi. He scaled the wall, skulking in the shadows of the


    trees, and then began to climb up towards a second-floor window.


    The footage went dark after that, leaving only the sounds of a woman''s scream and gunshots.


    Zack was shot and fell from the balcony.


    "This window," Mark said to Raiden, "leads to Ms. Beverly''s room."


    Even behind the mask, it was clear that Raiden was visibly upset.


    Jonathan extinguished his cigarette and said coolly, "Beverly was startled, so I didn''t hesitate to shoot. I


    wasn''t aware that Mr. Zack was one of your men, Mr. Raiden. My apologies!"


    His mouth said sorry, but his tone carried not a hint of remorse, and even a touch of anger.


    Raiden, feeling even more embarrassed, replied, "No, this incident is a disgrace. It''s I who should


    apologize to Ms. Beverly."


    "There''s no need!" Sylvia appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed conservatively with a veil softly


    framing her face. "I believe this was Zack''s own doing, unrted to Mr. Raiden."


    Standing up, Raiden said, "Anyway, I''m sorry for the trouble caused to Mr. Alvis and Ms. Beverly. Mr.


    Alvis, I am prepared to meet any demands you might have."


    "No demands," Jonathan leaned casually against the couch, his voiceced with a venomous chill,


    "just tell your guys to be more careful and not to mess with me!"


    "Rest assured, Mr. Alvis, nothing of this sort will happen again," Raiden said gravely, "I''ll deal with


    Zack''s body now and leave you two in peace."


    "Hmm," Jonathan hummed nomittally.


    As Raiden turned to leave, his expression darkened the moment he stepped outside. He nced coldly


    at Zack''s body and ordered, "Useless trash. Dump him in the woods behind the castle for the wild


    dogs!"


    "Right away!" Winston replied, and immediately had Zack''s body carried off.


    Raiden walked out of the vi, and it wasn''t until he was in the car that Winston spoke up, "Such a


    waste for Zack to die like that."


    "There''s no waste in losing the useless," Raiden''s voice was deep and resolute.


    Winston didn''t press further and opened the car door for Raiden.


    Estelle returned to the vi to find Lambert waiting for her in the living room.


    Seeing her, he stood up anxiously, "Where have you been?"


    "To the bar!" Estelle replied.


    Lambert frowned, "Tonight, one of Raiden''s men was killed."


    In Zion, life was the cheapestmodity, not even Christmas Eve was safe.


    Lambert approached, "But the man killed was one of Raiden''s trusted lieutenants, shot point-nk in


    the head."


    "Did you see it happen?" Estelle inquired.


    "My people saw the body."


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    "Hope they don''t have nightmares about it." Updated at Dr?manovеls.cоm


    Caught off-guard, Lambert gazed earnestly at Estelle, "I can stop seeing other women!"


    Right then, Estelle''s phone buzzed. It was a message from Jonathan.


    [Don''t talk to him!]