The socialites panicked and frantically chased after Debra. Her white dress was too conspicuous, attracting those hunters too.Liza seized the moment and took the elevator to the second floor. In the seating area, those masked figures were still watching the game unfold.Liza steadied her breathing and hid in the corner. Everyone's attention was focused downstairs, so no one noticed her."Help!" screamed one of the socialites as she was dragged away by the hunters.Liza's heart was in her throat until Debra ran out of sight.The socialites had no idea that once Debra was caught, the game would end early, and everyone would die.Soon, Liza noticed that Cathryn was gone. Before she could look more closely, another scream echoed from the hall. "Help! I don't want to die."Liza clenched the hem of her dress, her breathing becoming shaky.In the meantime, two socialites cornered Debra."We don't want this, but there are no other choices," they said, lunging at her.These socialite
"Be careful. If necessary, I'll step in," Frederic said."But most of the time, you can't, right?" Debra replied.There were too many hunters here. If Frederic's identity was exposed, it would only complicate things further."Don't worry. I can take care of myself," she said, glancing at her secret weapon.It was a watch given by Juan. It had a built-in emergency alert system but required a signal to work. Now the entire venue was under a signal block.Earlier, she had been running around the second floor not just to buy Liza time, but also to search for a signal and track down Cathryn.Now that she knew Cathryn was on the fifth floor, there was no need to linger on the second."Thanks. I owe you one," Debra said.Frederic tossed her a small folding knife. "Just remember that."Then he hoisted one of the fainted socialites onto his shoulder.Debra frowned. "What about them?""Relax," he said. "I'm just putting on a show. I'll leave them somewhere safe.""Alright." Debra kic
In the restaurant's private room, Drake glanced at his watch. It was already 9:15.Over an hour had passed, and he still had no idea what was going on at the party."Mr. Lowe, with Mrs. Houston's and your support, Ivan will have a bright future. Let me offer you another toast," Grover said enthusiastically.Drake only found him loquacious.Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked down and saw a number flashing on the screen. The contact was not saved, but he knew the number all too well.As soon as he answered the call, Marion's anxious voice came through."The party is a trap. Get your people inside now.""What?"The air around Drake instantly turned cold.Grover noticed the change in his expression and asked, "Mr. Lowe, what's going on?"Drake abruptly grabbed him by the neck, seething. "You old fool, how dare you play tricks on me? If anything happens to Debra, your family will be buried with her."He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and barked at Kale, "Get the car
Before the four bodyguards could move, Debra shouted, "Cathryn, the rules of the game only say the hunters can chase, but it never said the bodyguards could join in."Cathryn snorted, "I made the rules. I can change them as I like. Grab her!""Yes, ma'am." The four bodyguards charged at Debra.She took a few steps back and said, "Have you thought about the consequences?"The bodyguards didn't flinch. She continued, "How much did Cathryn pay you? I can double it."But they were not swayed.Cathryn laughed out loud, "Stop wasting your breath. No one is going to help you tonight. You're dead meat."As the four bodyguards closed in, Debra took a deep breath, ready to fight.Unfortunately, the staircase was too narrow for her movements. Within minutes, she started to sweat.Just then, a figure appeared in front of her, kicking the hunters rushing up the stairs back down. He grabbed Debra's hand and pulled her toward the exit, with the bodyguards hot on their heels."If this goes o
The door was booted open, and the security guards were sent flying. The sudden commotion caused the masked attendees on the second floor to scatter in panic.Cathryn snapped her head toward the source of the noise. Standing at the entrance was none other than Marion. His white shirt and face were stained with blood.Cathryn hadn't expected to see him again, but where love once filled her eyes, now only hatred remained."Kill them all!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the hall.The hunters charged toward the entrance, but they were quickly overwhelmed as a wave of reinforcements poured in. One by one, the hunters were knocked to the ground.A line of black-suited bodyguards marched into the hall, forming two imposing rows.Drake strode in, his boot pressing down on one of the fallen hunters. He reached down and yanked off the man's mask, revealing an unremarkable face beneath.He snarled, "How dare you stir up trouble on my turf?"The hunters trembled. "We're just hired
"Marion...""Tell your people to find her. I have something to take care of.""What could be more important than finding Debra?"Marion's eyes glinted with coldness. "Whoever hurts her won't get away with it."When he arrived on the fifth floor, everyone else scattered in panic.Cathryn stood her ground, yelling, "You ruined my plans over and over again. Is Debra so important that you ignore your injuries and come to save her?"At some point, Debra had crept to her side."The game's over," Debra said, a bit breathless.As soon as Cathryn turned around, Debra slammed her to the ground.Cathryn couldn't match Debra's strength. She was easily pinned down."Is playing with life fun for you? Do you get a thrill from killing? This time, I won't show mercy because of Marion and your connection. Tell me everything you know. Don't try anything stupid," Debra said, knowing this was Cathryn's last desperate struggle.Everything that happened tonight wasn't something Cathryn could've or
Marion rushed over to check on Debra, who was lying on the ground.After making sure she was uninjured, he heaved a sigh of relief. "You scared the hell out of me.""I'm sorry. I miscalculated."Cathryn was frustrated about their interaction. "You will never get the answer from me."With a bitter laugh, she stepped back, tilted her head back, and fell from the fifth floor.The crash startled Drake, who was still searching for Debra. There, Cathryn lay in a pool of blood.The scene reminded Drake of Yvonne, who had died in the same way.Maybe in their minds, suicide was a way to make the men they loved feel regret and sympathy.But in reality, it only earned them cold contempt. No one would pay attention to those who didn't even value their lives.A woman's scream suddenly rang out. Drake looked over with a frown."Boss, this woman is suspicious," reported a guard, dragging over the woman."Get your hands off me. I am Liza Eaton," she snapped, shaking off his hand.The bod
Liza pushed against Drake, tears streaming down her face. She didn't notice that with every word she spoke, his expression grew paler.Hunter's Game. The name hit too close to home. Games like this left few survivors. There was no way a weak woman like Debra could last two hours.She had found a safe zone but ran off to draw fire. Only a stupid person would do something like that."Find her!" Drake growled, barely suppressing his anger. "Tear this place apart if you have to, but find Debra."Liza collapsed to the floor, trembling. She never imagined she'd face something so terrifying in her life. Her world had been perfect, with all the glitz and glamour. She had no idea it could be so dark and horrifying."Found her!" someone shouted from upstairs.Marion appeared, carrying someone in his arms. Debra was draped in his coat, exhaustion etched on her face."Debra..." Drake started to move toward her but stopped.Debra tapped Marion's shoulder. "Put me down. I can walk now.""Al
Night settled in deep.Debra and the crew were still waiting for Michael's reply."Still nothing? They don't buy it, do they?" Erica paced, antsy."Give it time. They'll bite," Debra said, clutching her phone.She had promised Kale she would bring Drake back. No breaking that.A text finally pinged her phone. It was Michael.Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Like Debra said, the Illuminati couldn't rule out her having the real stone.If theirs was fake, Michael and his crew couldn't afford the fallout."Marion, it's on you now," Debra said.The Houston family had military muscle on tap. The Potter family owned elite guards and intel. Erica and Randy were solid backups.But this meeting? Debra had to go herself."Does it have to be now? Maybe wait till you're healed?" Erica said.Debra shook her head. "Drake is at risk every day he's with them. I can't take that chance. Just like they can't risk us holding the stone.""She's right," Randy jumped in. "Drag this out, and who
"What're you looking at?" Lara asked, stepping out and spotting Michael by the window."Debra says the stone Drake gave us is fake," he replied."What? No way." Drake shot up from his seat."Are you messing with us?" Lara's sharp gaze landed on him."No. Debra's talking nonsense," Drake insisted."We'll see," Michael said, unruffled.Debra was offering the stone on the condition of meeting with their leader. It fit her style."She thinks she can just waltz in and see our master?" Lara sneered."The stone's a big deal to him. I bet he'll agree," Michael replied, shutting his phone."Don't tell me you're sweet on Debra," she hissed. "You keep letting her off. Don't wanna kill her, huh?""Unlike you, I don't get off on killing," he countered. "If she's not in my way, why bother? You're out there slaughtering, just making enemies for the Illuminati. You're venting rather than serving.""You don't get it. I'm building fear for the Illuminati," she justified herself. "They need to
Oscar set down the receiver and threw his hands up. "I'm not resisting. Don't spook my staff," he said.Chace tried to step in, but Oscar's look stopped him.This incident was major. Almost half of Flesta's people had fallen victim.Everyone at the company, Chace included, got hauled in for questioning. As the head, Oscar was the main target.The line went dead, and Debra's heart sank."Those bastards," Randy cursed, "hitting us on both sides. No wonder the Illuminati has been quiet. They have been gunning for our partners.""They're smart," Debra said. "Can't take us head-on, so they go after our allies. They want everyone to see partnering with us as a dead end. If we let this slide, we're doomed eventually.""What should we do?" Erica stomped, fuming. "We just sit here and watch them pick off our friends one by one?""They're showing us what happens if we cross them. They want us to bow. The only way out is to flip the script and strike first.""Strike first? What does th
Seeing Debra's worried look, Marion said, "You should just focus on healing and leave the rest to us. We might not match the Illuminati, but they won't mess with us randomly here in Seamar City."The Four Great Families had ruled Seamar City for a century. Although the former heads had faded, the new generation was sharper and stronger. They could hold off the Illuminati's push.Debra's phone rang. It was Oscar calling."You free? I've got something to tell you," he said.Debra put it on the speaker. No one could guess the aim of his call.In Flesta, the Odom family's business was booming again. He should have been busy with work."What's up?" she asked."There's big trouble in Flesta," he replied. "We didn't want to bug you, but it's spiraling out of control. We're out of moves.""What happened?" She had a bad feeling.Oscar paused. "A new drug has popped up in Flesta. Tons of our staff got hooked, just like regular folks. The police are on it now. We checked our products and
Debra stared at the pendant.What had happened yesterday came flooding back.Kale was gone, and the fact hit her hard."It's my fault," she said in agony. "If he hadn't gone with me, he would have been alive.""Everyone makes their calls," Marion soothed her. "If there's blame, it's on the Illuminati. I was terrified, almost losing you.""I felt like you were nearby, so I wasn't afraid," she said, leaning into him. "They'll pay for hurting Drake and killing Kale. I'll make sure of it.""No matter what happens, we're in this together," he said.Exhaustion took over. She closed her eyes and drifted off.When she woke up, it was already noon the next day. Her injury kept her from moving much.Everyone gathered outside her bedroom. William came in to check on her."You're fine. Just change the dressings on time," he said, packing up his kit. "You guys can come in now."Debra adjusted her clothes and leaned against the headboard. "Sorry to trouble you.""We're in this together,"
William left quickly.Marion got up to lock the door and returned to the bedside.Sitting back into the chair, he switched on a dim lamp, making sure Debra would see him first thing if she woke up."Brother..." Debra mumbled.Marion leaned in. "I'm here."Her murmurs stopped, but her hands shot up, grasping at the air. "It's so dark. Save me."He grabbed her flailing hands right away. "Don't be scared. I'm right here."But she didn't calm down. She clutched his hand, her nails scratching at his skin. "Brother, save me," she murmured, feeling like she was trapped in a pitch-black hold.Cold seawater seemed to swallow her whole. The biting chill seeped into every crack of her body. The stench of the ocean made her gag.The water was up to her chin. She stood on tiptoes, desperate for a breath in that tiny space."Save me." Her eyes flew open.Familiar surroundings came into view. Her pupils darted until they landed on Marion. Her racing heart finally slowed."Marion?" Her v
Not long after, Marion came out with Debra.William nudged Erica and Randy. "Told you it would be soon.""How's she out here fresh after surgery?" Erica gawked.Debra was supposed to recover in the hospital, but seeing her unconscious form on the stretcher, Erica figured he had his reasons."Let's go back," Jordan chimed in. "The Potter Mansion's got a top-notch medical team. If we need gear, I'll grab it.""Yeah, hospitals suck anyway," Randy said. "Let's head back. It's freezing out here."They'd planned to grab food and head in, but Erica had made them wait so Marion could have more time with Debra. Now they were all sniffling."I'm... Achoo." William sneezed again, then bolted for the car. "I'm out of there. It's freaking cold."He had treated so many patients, but this was the first time he had fallen ill.Debra, still out cold, was loaded into the back. Marion stayed close, tending to her.By the time they reached the Potter Mansion, it was the middle of the night.Wil
William rubbed his eyes in disbelief.They had taken the emergency lane to the hospital, but Marion and the others arrived right behind their heels after going through a battle."We floored it. That's not the point," Erica replied.Marion and Jordan were already striding into the hospital.Randy grabbed Erica's arm. "Come on. Let's go.""Huh? William is still here." She was puzzled.Inside, the operating room's red light glowed.Marion arrived first. The hospital director greeted him, saying, "Mrs. Houston is in surgery now. Our top doctors have assessed her. The wound's been handled perfectly, and she is out of danger."Marion's face softened a bit. Erica heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God. She's fine now."They'd been terrified seeing Debra collapse in a pool of blood."You're wiped out. Why don't you rest a bit?" Erica said, turning to Marion."I'll wait here," he replied, his eyes glued to the red light.Until it turned green, he couldn't rest his mind at ease."Well
Michael raised an eyebrow. "My plan never included you. Does our master know you snuck here from Orkgate? And you've got the nerve to question me?"Lara glared at him, her body aching from the burns. Her face twisted with anger."Take Miss Sharp back for treatment. It will take two hours to get back, so she'll have to tough it out," Michael ordered, unfazed.Before leaving with his crew, he lamented sanctimoniously, "Such a shame, ruining a pretty face like that."Lara clenched her fists, incandescent with rage....In the ambulance, Debra coughed up another mouthful of blood. It splattered right onto William's white coat."Aw." William almost griped about the mess, holding back only at the sight of her bad condition.He had to save her, no matter what. It was a promise he'd made to Andrew.He didn't even want to think about what would happen to him if Debra didn't make it today."Maybe another shot of painkiller? We've gotta get that bullet out fast," a medic suggested."Yo