Under the intense barrage of gunfire, smoke billowed into the air. Elisa fled as soldiers fired indiscriminately. Under the rain of bullets, everyone was equally vulnerable; even her bulletproof gear wouldn't prevent pain.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of gunshots overwhelmed her senses. She could see and hear nothing. The soldiers fired for several minutes, emptying their magazines. As they reloaded, the hail of bullets finally ceased.

The gang leaders lay injured or dead, groaning and bleeding on the floor. They had submitted to Elisa, yet still faced the gunfire.

As the smoke cleared, Elisa searched frantically for Dustin and his group. They were nowhere among the corpses. Looking elsewhere, she gasped in shock. Dustin stood unharmed, as did the woman beside him and the others from Hell Hall. "That's... impossible..." Elisa whispered, her voice trembling.

The submachine and machine guns from the second floor had ravaged the first! How could they be unscathed? Were they even human? Elisa hadn't noticed the spent shell casings around Dustin and his group; smoke still curled from Myst's knives. Myst alone had ensured no bullet reached Dustin.

With a mocking sneer, Dustin waved his arm. A sound from the second floor, followed by thuds, drew her attention. To her astonishment, a group of Hell Guards had appeared, attacking the soldiers from behind. Their throats were slit instantly. Elisa's soldiers were dead within seconds, their threat eliminated.

Thud!

Elisa's face paled. Her legs buckled, and she fell. She never expected Dustin and his group to survive the onslaught. The vulnerability of her seemingly foolproof plan was devastating. Dustin's mocking sneer underscored the futility of her efforts. A profound sense of helplessness washed over her. She had to admit Dustin's superiority; she was powerless against him.

"Mr. Chad, have someone escort me out!" she pleaded, clinging to a desperate hope, giving the order. She needed to warn her sisters, Amara and her mother, so they could devise a plan to destroy Dustin, ensuring they didn't underestimate him.

Chad stood on the second floor, his face stony. "I'm sorry, Miss Elisa, the Chandler family is severing ties with the Wyatt family. We will no longer serve you," he stated grimly. Elisa's face hardened.

"You're betraying us? Don't forget who helped you rise to power!" she shrieked.

The betrayal was a crushing blow in her despair.

"Ungrateful?" Chad's face contorted with bitterness. "When you called, we came. When you arrived in Lannopolis, we obeyed your every whim. But what did you do? If it weren't for you, would Jaxon have lost his arms? If we continue to serve you, we'll be destroyed! You're arrogant, stupid, and unreasonable! We can't serve you!"