The Villain's Sister - Chapter 16

“Crazy bastards.”

The inside of Vermont was nothing short of a war zone.

With every step he took, marks spread across the floor tangled with blood, shards of glass, and dust.

Here and there lay corpses with holes in their heads or abdomens.

Judging by their appearance, they weren’t civilians.

“All dead.”

Bang! Bang! Bang bang bang!

Gunshots rang out in succession from the center.

A gang member came running out, blood dripping from his arm.

Liam chased after him, firing his gun.

Black Pistols immediately ducked.

The bullets passed right through where he had just been standing and struck a car parked by the roadside.

Madman.

No underground scum ever turns out normal.

Black Pistols moved with silent footsteps.

The gang member who had been shot in the leg and collapsed began to plead.

“P-please, spare—”

Bang!

The gang member’s body collapsed with the gunshot.

Liam didn’t stop and fired wildly at where Black Pistols was hiding with terrifying precision.

Casings dropped—plink, plink, plink—onto the ground.

When the bullets ran out and only dry clicks came from the trigger, Liam tossed aside the gun and pulled out a new one from his jacket.

Black Pistols had completely suppressed his presence; Liam couldn’t tell where he was.

If Red Shadow was the type to exhaust you by killing anyone noticeable, Black Pistols was the kind to obstruct everything the organization tried to do—equally a nuisance.

Liam held his breath and scanned the surroundings.

From inside a ruined shop came a faint sound.

He kicked the battered door, and it fell off its hinges.

He stepped inside, grabbed the collar of a chef hiding under the counter, and yanked him up.

At that moment, Black Pistols appeared from somewhere and hurled a throwing knife.

Liam ducked to dodge the knife, and in that instant, Black Pistols closed the distance, grabbed the hostage, and threw him out the back door.

“Cowardly bastard. Scum like you should die fast. Ah~ If I were just a bit nastier, I’d have slit your damn throat.”

Click. Click.

The gun was empty. Damn it.

Liam frantically threw the weapon aside and lunged at Black Pistols.

He managed to suppress his wrist to prevent him from firing, but then took a powerful elbow to the solar plexus.

“Ugh!”

The force was so great, he couldn’t breathe for a moment.

In that brief gap, Black Pistols swung a knee and struck his chin.

Blood gushed out inside his mouth.

With a sharp metallic taste stinging his nose, Liam spat out the bloody saliva.

Just as he reached for the knife at his waist—

“Don’t move.”

Black Pistols aimed a gun at him.

“You’re not Red Shadow, so you don’t pose any real threat.”

Black Pistols slightly twisted the muzzle and fired several shots in quick succession.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The first bullet hit the shoulder of a gang member who had been aiming at Liam. The second struck the foot of a Death Adder member who was coming to help. The third tore through Liam’s earlobe.

Blood from the torn ear dripped onto his shoulder.

“Shit.”

“I don’t kill people, but that doesn’t mean I avoid blood.”

You know damn well I use regular guns too, don’t you?

Liam twisted his lips.

Black Pistols tapped his chest with the muzzle.

“Take me to Raphael.”

“Might as well kill me.”

“Why? Doesn’t your boss value you a lot? He wouldn’t kill you just for escorting a guest.”

Liam responded with a snort.

Thanks to the Two Star gang’s infiltration of the house, Liam had been beaten half to death below the face.

“Hey. I’m asking nicely—guide me. If not, I’ll break your limbs and throw you into the underground prison.”

“You bastard.”

Breathing heavily, Liam began to walk.

Being killed by Raphael might be better than going into the central government’s underground prison.

Black Pistols followed him from behind and asked, “What’s the reason for this sudden shitshow?”

“Guess even a smartass hero like you doesn’t know that much.”

“You asshole. Do you want to die? Not talking?”

“Two Star touched the boss’s little sister. That’s all I’ll say.”

“Even a hedgehog protects its young. I guess even scum has a soft spot for family. So, why did Two Star go after the sister all of a sudden?”

“……”

“Hey. Talk unless you want a beating.”

Liam stayed silent.

Black Pistols smacked the back of Liam’s head, but he said nothing.

Black Pistols realized Liam wasn’t going to talk no matter what.

As far as he knew, Liam Fabian was someone who devoted his soul to Raphael.

Even what he’d just revealed was probably a tidbit anyone could dig up with a little effort.

Still, after surviving in Mist Island as a hero for this long, the pieces were easy to put together.

Since Raphael’s sister was involved with Anti-Venom, Big Bear must’ve tried to pressure them by targeting her.

As they reached the central area, the sound of machine gun fire had subsided, and amidst the dust-filled bar, they could finally spot Raphael.

“Hhhhk… Aaaagh!”

Raphael pressed down on Julio Guerra’s shoulder, pierced through by a bullet wound, and dug into the wound with the muzzle of his gun.

Shell casings rolled over the pool of blood that soaked the floor.

One, two, three… as many as twelve bodies lay dead from headshots.

It seemed the underlings had already fled the scene.

What a tenacious bastard. Still hanging around and doing this.

“You must’ve expected this when you messed with me. Yeah, how dare you. How dare you.”

“Hghh… khhh… Raphael Moltke. Are you declaring an all-out war against us?”

Julio Guerra trembled uncontrollably in pain.

His blazing blue eyes and the cruel upward curl of his lips proved just how furious Raphael was.

“One of us has to die for this to end anyway. Did you think I’d be afraid just because it started a bit early?”

“Khhhk.”

The blood Julio Guerra vomited splattered across Raphael’s face.

His broken-nailed hand clawed at the ruined floor.

“Whatever the case, I should make a proper example of you. I’ll hang your corpse on the roadside where it’s clearly visible from Big Bear’s office. That’s more useful than getting bloated in the water and turning into fish food.”

Just as Raphael was about to pull the trigger, Black Pistols fired a shot at his feet.

The bullet struck the ground right next to his shoe with not even an inch of error.

“That’s enough. Raphael Kapuzen. This should be plenty. Hand that bastard over to me and get lost.”

“You’re later than expected.”

“Guys, let me sleep, will you? It’s a mess day and night. Isn’t one nighttime chaos enough already?”

Without a word, Raphael gave a small smirk and slowly turned his body.

The ease in his movements showed his comfort in a battlefield where life and death crossed paths.

“Interfere, and I’ll hang your corpse up today too.”

“How cold. As if you’ve never had your sights on my neck before.”

“Yeah. It’s about time we settled this. After bringing down Lucky Ginger, it’s been a year. Haven’t we both been patient long enough?”

“I’ll put you in jail today. Go eat bread side by side with Lucky Ginger’s boss.”

Black Pistols struck the back of Liam’s neck and knocked him out.

At the same time, Raphael charged at Black Pistols, and the second round began.

***

“I never said I’d hire a bodyguard.”

“It’s already settled with Mr. Raphael.”

“What about my opinion?”

“Does that matter? What matters is your safety.”

I hadn’t been unaware that Raphael might pull something like this, but I didn’t expect him to assign Johan, not Liam, as the bodyguard.

I pushed Johan’s arm that was holding the door, but it was so solid, it didn’t budge.

“Move.”

“Please step inside.”

“If you want to play bodyguard, you should finish treating that hole-ridden body first.”

“This hole-ridden body saved your life.”

Seriously, this bastard never lets anything go.

Are all heroes this damn irritating?

Well, with that temper, no wonder he beats up criminals every night in this city.

“Whatever Raphael was thinking when he hired you, I don’t like it.”

“Is it me you dislike, or the fact that you’re being guarded?”

“What answer will make you step aside?”

“Whatever it is, I’m not letting you out.”

“Unbelievable. We can’t even have a conversation.”

Whatever happened yesterday or today, I wasn’t going to postpone my meeting with Tristan.

Raphael’s downfall is steadily approaching.

I don’t know the exact date, but the circulation of blue gas in Mist Island is a sign that the original story is about to begin.

So there’s no time to hide at home. I have to do something as soon as possible.

Whether it’s coaxing Tristan or finding a weakness—anything.

‘Still, I can’t exactly turn Red Shadow into an enemy.’

What’s this man’s real motive for approaching me?

Why did he save me, and what is he trying to gain by getting close to me and Raphael?

While I was deep in thought, chewing on my lower lip, Johan grabbed my shoulder and pulled me inside.

As my body was pulled, I slapped his hand. It was a reflex.

“Don’t touch me.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“I have an important appointment.”

“That’s not my concern. What matters to me is your safety.”

“Then choose. Either come out with me, or let me go.”

Johan’s brows furrowed.

As his cold gaze fell on me, my own breath felt too loud.

I glared at him straight in the eye.

“Choose. Come out with me? Or move aside? Oh, there is one more option.”

I continued while looking at his raised eyebrow, “Be my illicit lover.”