Chapter 67

Hera's lack of respect didn't bother him; he'd harbored a crush on her for ages. But Skadi's conceited tone? That was unacceptable.

Hunter shoved his hands in his pockets, brazenly gazing at Skadi's low-cut neckline as he grinned. "These are my eyes. I can look wherever I want."

"You fat ass... Are you trying to get beaten up...?"

Skadi gathered her skirts and strode towards him. She'd beaten countless young heirs, and Hunter felt a twinge of nervousness as she approached. Fortunately, his family's bodyguards intervened before she reached him.

Four bodyguards formed a protective barrier. Undeterred, Skadi curled her fists, ready to fight.

"Skadi, duck!"

A piercing scream from Hera cut through the air. Skadi paused, hearing an approaching rumble.

Boom!

The four bodyguards were sent sprawling. One collided with Hunter, sending them both to the ground. Shock rippled through the onlookers. They found an elderly woman in a janitor's uniform lying still, a bowl-sized wound bleeding on her chest.

Before anyone could fully react, nearly a dozen inspectors arrived, followed swiftly by Henderson, the chief inspector. In their wake came Zakariah, head of the martial arts association; Grant, from one of the highest-ranking families; Harold, Jonford's wealthiest man; and several masters from second-tier families. Each possessed the power to shake Jonford with a stomp.

Yet, they were all gathered around a slender, middle-aged man. A burly man in a windbreaker and fedora stood to his left, and a mysterious figure in a smiley-face mask to his right—his presence alone making breathing difficult for some.

Nash approached the woman, bending to wipe her face. The gesture tore away a human-skin mask, revealing a handsome face beneath.

Henderson inhaled sharply. "What a disguise... Even our high-precision facial recognition system failed to detect it..."

Twenty drones equipped with the system hadn't flagged any issues. Now, he understood Stellar's billion-dollar investment in the warden's protection. The inspection office was ill-equipped to handle assassins of this caliber.

Nash straightened, returning silently to the warden's side. Stellar smirked. "Can't you be a little gentler? Keep them alive for interrogation; we need to find their bosses!"

"I'll endeavor to next time!" Nash hummed, resuming his quiet vigil.

The warden glanced at Stellar, exasperated. "Do you think these assassins will betray their employers? Even if the Grim Reaper spares them, they'll kill themselves for failing their mission. No clues left behind!"

Mr. Lee's birthday celebration had taken a grim turn. The attendees dared barely breathe.

Skadi, back at Hera's side, nudged her. "Hera, is the masked man handsome?"

Hera rolled her eyes. "You can't even tell their gender, and you're asking about their looks? What's wrong with you?"

Skadi whispered, "He's definitely a man. And probably a hundred times stronger than my grandfather!"

Hera's eyes widened. "Even stronger than Nash?"

Skadi nodded. "At least ten times stronger. I think I've fallen in love..."