Chapter 65: The Pursuit of Death

"Am I really going to die here today?"

Sophia watched the masked men descending from the truck approaching closer and closer, a flash of powerlessness in her eyes.

The sound of gunfire echoed incessantly in her ears.

"Miss, leave quickly! We'll stay here and cover you." shouted a seriously wounded bodyguard in a suit beside her.

However, before his words had fully left his lips, his body jerked violently and a bloody hole opened up on his forehead. A viscous mix of red and white matter flowed out instantly, his eyes gradually losing their luster.

"Move! If you don't move now, it'll be too late." the remaining two bodyguards urged, unable to spare a moment for grief. They used the overturned black business vehicle as a shield, resisting the attackers as much as they could.

But their firepower was no match for the well-prepared masked men. A round of heavy fire had them pinned down, unable to raise their heads.

Sophia clenched her teeth. Her arm had been hit by a bullet and she was unable to use her abilities. She glanced around the unfamiliar surroundings - even if the two remaining bodyguards could buy her some time, where could she escape to?

"Miss, the hope of our entire family now rests entirely on your shoulders." One of the bodyguards, sensing the imminent arrival of death, said with teary eyes, "You must escape and avenge us!"

The next moment, as if making a resolution, that bodyguard charged out from behind the vehicle, running straight at the masked men.

"You bastards, I'll fight you to the death." He roared with a mouthful of blood, quickly pulling the pin on the grenade in his hand.

But the leading masked man looked on with disdain, "Insignificant ant, you're courting death!"

Irving, sitting inside a Maybach S680, saw everything clearly through the car window. The bodyguard who was prepared to sacrifice his life didn't even get close to the masked men when thick vines suddenly sprouted beneath his feet.

The bodyguard tripped and fell, his bloodshot eyes filled with regret just as the grenade in his hand detonated.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed, accompanied by a shower of smoke and flesh debris.

The scene was so bloody that even the bystanders hiding in the dark and secretly filming were scared almost to the point of wetting their pants.

"I didn't expect there to be a mage among them." Irving's deep eyes were locked onto the lead masked man. He also spotted a very familiar tattoo on their wrists.

The same tattoo had appeared on the men in the mine before...

As another bodyguard from the family died in front of her, Sophia's mental defenses were crumbling. As the smoke began to disperse, the masked men had completely surrounded the black business vehicle.

"Sophia, step out now and come back with us. It's not too late, otherwise..." the leading masked man said coldly, "you know the consequence of betraying us!"

The air was filled with the smell of blood, making the atmosphere oppressive.

The frost masking Sophia's face gradually melted, replaced with a look of powerlessness. Thinking of her family members trapped back home filled her with a heart-wrenching pain.

She managed to narrowly escape through multiple layers of blockade. She thought that once she reached the capital, they wouldn't dare to pursue her. Who would have thought... all her efforts had been in vain.

"Heavens! Are you really going to let these people run wild? Are you going to let the Green family perish entirely?" Sophia looked towards the sky, filled with defiance.

"Miss..." The last remaining bodyguard's legs had been riddled with bullets, his blood pooling on the ground. He continuously shook his head at Sophia, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Do I even have a choice?" Sophia let out a bitter laugh. Just as she was preparing to surrender, something unexpected happened.

"Stop!" A sharp voice rang out.

Not only Sophia, but even the masked men were drawn to the sound. From a nearby Maybach S680, a young man stepped out and started walking towards them. seaʀᴄh thё nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"What..." Sophia rubbed her eyes from behind the car, unable to believe what she was seeing.

She didn't know that Irving lived in the capital city. As the familiar figure approach, a wave of excitement wash over her desolate heart.

"It's him! It's really him!" A glimmer of light flashed across Sophia's dimmed eyes.

The leading masked man glared at the unfamiliar face, shouting angrily, "Kid, are you seeking death too? I advise you to mind your own business. You still have time to get lost."

"You should keep those words for yourself." Irving replied with a faint smile.

Meanwhile, bystanders hiding around the corner watched in shock. To them, the masked men were vicious criminals, and Irving's actions were tantamount to jumping into a pit of fire.

"Where did that kid come from? Is he blind? Can't he see that those guys are armed?"

"People these days, so many idiots. He dares to interfere in such dangerous situation."

"Playing hero needs an appropriate situation. Isn't this just seeking death?" The nearby onlookers whispered among themselves.

But then, a scene that shocked them even more unfolded. Several fireballs, seemingly appearing out of thin air, hurtled towards the masked men.

Bang! The massive fireballs, emitting bright light, enlarged in the pupils of the masked men.

"Damn! He's a mage, take cover!" The contempt in the lead masked man's eyes disappeared instantly. He hastily cast a spell, causing countless vines to spread in front of him, quickly forming a shield.

The other masked men, caught off guard by the sudden attack, sought cover but it was too late.

"Now you run?" Irving sneered. After two bouts of chaos, he had mastered his abilities. He immediately launched the[Gravity Swamp].

[Gravity Swamp]didn't have much destructive power, but coupled with[Fireball], it could maximize its power in a short time.

The masked men felt as if they were laden with lead, each step they took was difficult. The heat from the oncoming flames intensified.

Fear uncontrollably flashed through their eyes.

Boom!

The fireballs hit directly, killing the masked men who failed to escape. Even those lucky enough to avoid direct hit, their bodies were set ablaze.

As the odor of burnt flesh filled the air, the remaining masked men let out agonized screams, writhing in pain on the ground.

As for the masked man leading the group, although he had promptly released a shield made of vines, the moment it came in contact with the fireball, his body was flung backward like a kite with its string cut.

The formerly calm and peaceful street was now marred with several deep pits where the fireballs had struck. Scattered embers were everywhere, along with shell casings and bits of exploded flesh...

For most ordinary people, they had never experienced a sight like this. They stood dumbstruck, faces pale, eyes glazed over with shock.

"You... Who exactly are you?" The leading masked man struggled to his feet, wiping off the fresh blood at the corner of his mouth while glaring coldly at the approaching Irving.

"I just so happened to be passing by." Irving said with a laugh. He then looked over at Sophia, who was hiding behind him, his smile intensifying.

The leader's face darkened, threatening, "Kid, do you know who we are? Dare to interfere in our business, and even kill so many of us, you'd better watch out or you won't even know how you died."

"Who are you guys?" Irving retorted, amusement in his eyes. "Just The Brotherhood of Night Blades, right? A guild from a game acting so arrogant."

As the name The Brotherhood of Night Blades slipped out, the masked man's expression faltered. The coldness in his eyes was gradually replaced by surprise. Even if he racked his brains, he couldn't figure out how this young man who had suddenly appeared knew about their organization.

"And what did you say about killing so many of you?" Irving casually glanced at the corpses of the masked men on the ground, continuing, "A lot? Not at all, I killed just as many at the mine last time."

"The mine?" The masked man seemed to suddenly understand something. The shock in his eyes was once again replaced by terror, "Was it you? You were the one who Stole the mine and saved her?"

The Brotherhood of Night Blades sent squads to report back to headquarters every 24 hours. There had never been any accidents before, except for the squad sent to the mine, which had completely disappeared as if evaporated.

Upon hearing Irving's words, the masked man immediately realized that the missing squad had all been killed by this man.

"Stole?" Irving scoffed, "That mine was originally mine, and as for her..." He pointed towards Sophia, who was hiding not far away, continuing, "She's mine too, no one can touch her without my permission!"

His voice was cold as ice, chilling to the bone. Seeing Irving walk towards him, the masked man felt an immense pressure.

Just the Fireball from earlier had already made him realize how terrifying this young man was. But without completing the mission, he would face death even if he returned.

"Go to hell!" The masked man's expression turned ferocious.

The next moment, several thick vines pierced through the ground like steel spikes, stabbing towards Irving from all directions.