In ten seconds, the hall was filled with fresh corpses.
The only one still standing untouched was Johan Fox.
Greg was in critical condition. A bullet had torn through his left chest, flooding his lungs with his own blood.
As for Jacob, though he was curled up in the corner of the stage in severe shock, he had not suffered a single wound. Lucky bastard.
Johan slowly walked toward Greg. He looked down at the man without expression, only to be met by eyes overflowing with fear.
"You little devil…" Greg stammered, coughing up a mouthful of blood. "You planned all of this… savage…"
Johan replied calmly, "This savage can end all your suffering with one shot. Otherwise, you'll drown in your own blood. It's hot. Suffocating. A terrible way to die, isn't it?"
Greg snorted weakly. He knew Johan was not bluffing. Dying from a ruptured lung really felt like drowning in the ocean.
"What do you want?" Greg asked.
"My wife," Johan answered. "Where is she?"
Greg chuckled softly and glanced toward Jacob.
"So that's why you came here, huh?"
Johan did not answer.
"You know," Greg continued mockingly, his voice low, "you're not exactly a perfect husband. You left your wife for years and still think you own her. How ironic. Want to know where she is?"
Johan raised his pistol to Greg's face.
"Speak."
Greg's mouth was full of blood. His breath stopped there. But his finger still twitched, pointing at Jacob, as if telling Johan that only that man had the answer.
Johan smiled faintly before pulling the trigger, ending Greg's suffering on the spot.
He then walked toward Jacob, who was still cowering in terror at the corner of the stage.
"Stay away from me!" Jacob screamed hysterically.
Johan stared at him coldly. "You killed my brother. Why should I spare you?"
Jacob trembled harder as he realized his life was definitely ending here.
"I was ordered by Greg! He would've killed me if I refused him!"
"That doesn't matter anymore. Andrew is dead either way." Johan shook his head slowly. "It's hard to believe. You and Andrew were close. Childhood friends. I never thought he'd die by your bullet."
Jacob broke down crying.
"I could shoot you right now." Johan pressed the gun against Jacob's forehead. "But I don't like losing old friends. So tell me. Where is Christina?"
Jacob's jaw trembled violently. His eyes widened. He clearly knew the answer, yet chose to stay silent.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Johan continued. "You… did you do something to my wife?"
"Johan, listen to me. It's not like—"
"What did you do to her?" Johan's voice began to shake. His fury was visible as his face flushed red. "If you've touched her even with a single hair, I swear to God, I will give you a very-very worst death."
Johan's finger hovered over the trigger. One pull, and their entire friendship would end.
However, a familiar voice stopped right away.
"Johan, I'm here."
Johan lowered his gun and turned around.
"Christina."
A smile spread across Johan's face. Genuine. The first in five years.
But something was wrong.
Something was off about Christina's body.
"You want to shoot him?" she asked flatly.
Johan did not respond. He was still processing what he was seeing.
Christina repeated, "You want to kill Jacob and make my baby grow up without a father?"
Johan swallowed hard.
It was true.
Christina's belly was swollen. Six months pregnant.
Johan had always wanted a child. He promised himself he would be a good father after early retirement.
But the baby she was carrying now…
…was definitely not his.
"Tell me…" Johan trembled, forcing himself not to cry. "Who did this to you?"
Christina saw the pain in his eyes. Something she had never seen from the man who was always strong and protective like him. She knew how broken he was.
"I disappointed you," she said.
"Who forced you, my love? Tell me. I'll do anything for you," Johan said quickly. He already suspected who it was. He only needed confirmation.
"No one forced me," She taking a deep breath. "I'm doing this of my own free will. I want to. And I..."
Christina paused.
"I love him. I love Jacob."
The words froze Johan completely. His eyes widened and his jaw locked.
At this moment, he did not notice a golden line forming and aimed directly at his chest. A severe warning from the system. He just ignored that.
"But… Christina, why?" Johan asked weakly.
"I already told you. I love him," Christina answered without emotion. "Besides, what else did you expect from me?"
Johan couldn't move.
"All you ever cared about was f*cking war. I once begged you to stay, but you still left. I couldn't keep waiting, worrying every day, not knowing how it would end. Sometimes I wished you were dead, so I wouldn't have to wait anymore."
Tears streamed down her beautiful face.
"One day, I heard you were shot. I wished you had died. I thought our relationship ended there. But somehow, someone brought you to the hospital and kept you alive in a vegetative state for five years. I can't wait that long for you.
"Let's ended this, Johan," Christina sobbed. "As my last request, please spare Jacob. You've already taken everything from me so please don't take my last happiness."
"Your last happiness you said…" Johan's voice broke halfway through the words. He swallowed hard, forcing the rest out. "I tried, Christina. I really did. Every second of my life, you were all I thought about."
His fingers curled into his palm.
"So tell me… why is that never enough for you?"
"WHY?!"
BANG!
The gunshot echoed through the hall, ringing for several seconds.
Johan touched his chest. Fresh blood spilled out. He had been shot from behind.
He coughed violently as he looked at Christina. She didn't look surprised, as if she had expected it but chosen to stay silent.
"You should've died for us, Johan." Jacob's voice came from behind him, close enough to feel his breath. "Didn't you see your status? Now you're nothing but trash. No one needs you anymore. So relax on your way to hell. I'll make sure your wife doesn't feel lonely after you're gone."
As Johan staggered to his knees, Jacob walked to Christina and wrapped his arms around her.
"She's mine now," Jacob said coldly.
Returning the embrace, Christina added, "If it weren't for my grandfather, I would never have married a butcher like you Johan. A man who only knows how to kill. Poor and undisciplined. I hope you rot in hell."
Johan laughed softly. Blood leaked from the corner of his lips. Breathing became harder.
At first, he thought the betrayal would end once it reached its peak.
But now, everything had become worse. Far worse.
Even his wife had betrayed him.
His world had completely collapsed.
There was nothing left.
"Christina… I hope we still had time to file for divorce. How am I supposed to face my ancestors with this kind of disgrace?" Johan murmured bitterly.
He collapsed onto the floor. His eyes remained open as he watched Christina and Jacob leave the hall.
"You're an idiot, Master."
Airen appeared before him, her face flushed and her lips pressed downward.
"Don't let your emotions control you. Fool! You even ignored the system's warning entirely! What the hell were you even thinking?"
Johan only laughed inside his mind.
"Consider my death a f*ck-you sign to the gods. They bet on the wrong man," Johan replied with satisfaction.
But Airen shook her head.
"Nope. This isn't over. Not even close from the beginning."
Footsteps echoed from afar. Fast, panicked and rushing.
Through his blurring vision, Johan saw a young woman hurried into the hall. The only thing he could clearly see was her high heels, stepping through blood without hesitation.
"Master Archie, how did you end up here?!" her voice sounded distant. "You were supposed to be in the hospital. Why did you disappear?" She grabbed his arm. "We have to leave. Now. They're hunting your head."
Johan heard more footsteps approaching. Several men moved in a rush.
Then hands grabbed him, lifting his body onto a stretcher.
He was carried out of the room at full speed.
The words echoed in his mind: "Who the fuck is Archie?"
Johan lost consciousness.