"Damn it! Are these cookies made of gold or something? And this cake—were the eggs laid by the king himself? This is outrageously expensive!!"
Yago came out of the dessert shop with an ugly expression, carrying a small basket. The moment he stepped outside, he muttered angrily under his breath, cursing the shop owner's black-heartedness.
Of course, he cursed very quietly, and hardly anyone heard him.
Who would've thought that a few cookies plus some cream cakes would be this damn expensive? Yago's wallet had been squeezed dry by half. You had to know—this was a whole year's worth of subsidies he'd saved up!
At this moment, a tall man wearing a top hat walked past Yago. Yago frowned. This man—such a cold, sinister aura. It gave Yago a sense of danger. His rational mind told him not to have any contact with this man.
Yago glanced once more at the man's back. As he turned away, Yago exclaimed in surprise, "Annie?"
A petite figure dressed in a white hoodie, wearing a cap, was quietly following the top-hatted man from earlier.
With his exceptional eyesight, Yago recognized her at a glance. Beneath the hood was Annie's cool, indifferent little face.
Why would Annie be here? Yago couldn't figure it out, but he still hurriedly followed after her.
...
Annie stared fixedly at the man ahead. This was her fourth time infiltrating Wall Sheena. The previous three times, she'd almost gained no useful intelligence. This time was also the last infiltration she had promised Reiner and the others. She was sick of this kind of life. If it weren't for her father waiting back home, and that guy who always skipped class, Annie might have already collapsed.
The man in front of her was the final target Annie had confirmed. She had been tailing him for two days and had personally seen him enter and leave the Military Police and the royal palace. As for the royal palace, Annie didn't yet have the courage to infiltrate it—she couldn't confirm whether the king within the walls truly possessed that legendary power.
Annie pulled up the hood of her white hoodie. On the surface, she seemed casual, but in truth she was tightly following the man. After twisting and turning through several paths, the surroundings grew quieter and quieter, with fewer and fewer pedestrians. Yet Annie was completely unaware—or rather, her formidable strength made her confident.
Finally, the man arrived at a dead-end alley. There was no way forward. Suddenly, he stopped.
Annie reacted quickly and hurried to dodge to the side.
"Stop hiding, little girl. You've been following me all this way—what exactly are you trying to do?" The man slowly turned around, revealing eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
A slender nose bridge, a short layer of stubble on his chin, and a trace of a wicked smile at the corner of his mouth—he was now looking at Annie with an amused expression.
Annie was startled. When did he notice her? She tensed her muscles warily. This man, who didn't even look like he stood properly, made her feel as though she were being watched by a predator.
"You've misunderstood. I just thought you looked very much like my missing father," Annie said as she explained, slowly shifting her body, trying to leave the alley. She couldn't guarantee she could take this man down without using that power.
Kenny seemed to hear a joke and burst into laughter.
"Little girl, you're really interesting. Even if you're lying, you can't lie like that, can you? Look at your blond hair and blue eyes, then look at my black hair and black eyes. You can't acknowledge relatives like this."
Annie said coldly, "Believe it or not! I've confirmed it now—you're not my father. In that case, goodbye!"
After speaking, Annie turned and ran. But several piercing sounds cut through the air beside her ears. Annie instinctively dodged.
"Bang! Bang!"
Two holes were blasted into the wall in front of her. Annie frowned and turned around. Kenny was holding two strangely shaped weapons—it looked like the pistols she'd once seen.
"Huh? Missed?" Kenny was a bit surprised. This girl's reactions were pretty quick.
"But that's fine too. Using guns to kill a kid—though I don't mind, it does sound a bit bad."
Kenny put away the two guns as he spoke with a smile, but his eyes were filled with cruelty and killing intent.
Annie silently raised both hands. It seemed there would be no peaceful resolution today.
Kenny smiled. It had been a long time since anyone dared to face him like this in open provocation. It made him a little nostalgic for that little nephew of his—by now, that kid should already be humanity's strongest soldier, right?
Just how easy would it be to kill humanity's strongest? As Kenny thought about it, he actually got distracted for a moment. Annie seized the opportunity and lashed out with a sweeping whip kick at his leg. Don't ask why she didn't aim for the head—the answer was simple: she couldn't reach it.
Kenny dodged easily. Annie pressed the attack relentlessly—straight punches, whip kicks, elbow strikes—each move vicious, all aimed at Kenny.
Kenny only evaded and didn't counterattack, instead watching Annie's techniques with interest. As he watched, he even talked.
"Little girl, your fighting skills are pretty good. Who taught you? To reach this level at such a young age—impressive. What a pity though—does practicing martial arts stunt your growth? It reminds me of my little nephew too. He's a short one as well..."
Kenny's nonstop chatter annoyed Annie, but she was also deeply shocked. This guy was terrifying. After attacking for so long, she hadn't even touched him once. If this continued, things would definitely go badly.
Finally, Kenny struck back.
His moves were even more vicious and terrifying than Annie's. With just a twist along Annie's arm, he dislocated her entire wrist, showing not the slightest mercy just because she was a child.
Kenny had always been like this. When facing anyone who posed a threat, he would do everything he could to kill them. Male or female, old or young—it didn't matter. As long as they were an enemy, Kenny believed they should be killed with full force.
Annie's face turned pale from the pain. She jumped back to create distance, clutching her right hand and gritting her teeth as she endured the pain, forcefully snapping her dislocated wrist back into place. In doing so, she also expended a great deal of stamina.
Meanwhile, that man still looked as if nothing had happened at all. There was even an eager, excited gleam in his eyes. Annie clenched her teeth. If this kept up, she might really have to use that power near the royal palace—but doing so could expose her identity.
Annie's eyes showed anxiety and helplessness. After all, she was only a fourteen-year-old child. Kenny rolled his neck.
"Ah, looks like our little girl has reached a dead end. How about you be honest and tell me—who sent you? Maybe I'll let you go."
Let Annie go? Of course that was impossible. Kenny's creed was never to leave behind hidden dangers. After all, he would grow old someday, and once he did, he wouldn't be able to stop others from seeking revenge.
Kenny advanced step by step toward Annie. Annie slowly retreated, her eyes gradually losing focus, filling with confusion and fear. Her right thumb gently flicked the ring on her index finger, and a sharp hooked spike popped out.
On her right middle finger, there was also a plain ring.
"Annie! What are you doing here?" Annie turned her head in disbelief. Standing at the entrance of the alley was someone she thought almost impossible to appear—carrying a small basket, Yago calmly looked at Kenny.
Kenny Ackerman.