The energy of the Black Lantern Ring had been momentarily drained. For a moment, Lance's soul felt the aura of death clinging to Mr. X's eternal shell, then it vanished as regeneration began. Not much, but enough for the ring's owner to realize... someone was trying to destroy what was his.
The energy used to maintain immortality was not cheap. Even long-distance transmissions had to be conserved.
The total energy from the Black Lantern Beast was still limited. The ring was merely a conduit—and the mortal bodies blessed with immortality were just vessels. Too much energy, and that vessel would collapse... or explode.
That was why Lance had to choose.
Only a handful of The Fraternity's killers were worthy of becoming Black Lantern Messengers. The rest... were just pawns. Disposable. Victims.
Mr. X continued, "Sir, I will be disappearing for a few days. Without me, the only threat to Cross, Sloan will surely pull all his killers back. When they gather... we can close his net."
Lance smiled faintly. "Are you sure you can fool the old fox Sloan?"
"I'll arrange for them to think my body was taken by Cross. As if I were truly dead. Sloan won't suspect a thing," Mr. X quickly replied.
"...It's up to you. Contact me when everyone is gathered." Lance responded in a calm tone.
Click. The call ended.
Lance looked up.
In the distance... a figure of white light shot through the night sky, like a holy comet piercing the darkness.
Christine.
Unlike Vivi, the cold-blooded spy with a false smile and a hidden dagger, or Nancy, who had been shaped into a killing machine since childhood—Christine was a true White Lantern Messenger. Since receiving the White Lantern Ring, Christine had never slacked off. Never wavered. Never delayed.
However, Christine was not the typical chatty hero who meddled in trivial matters.
Christine was not Superman rescuing cats from trees, or Spiderman helping old ladies cross the street.
Christine only appeared... when a great disaster occurred. When the lives of many were at stake.
That is why the New York police and the public have nicknamed her Miss Platycodon—the flower of the night savior. Unlike the unfortunate Spiderman, who is always chased by the police like a thief, despite having saved the world countless times.
Christine's arrival tonight only means one thing.
A great threat. Terror. Perhaps even a massacre.
Lance sighed and raised his hand high into the air. Behind the leather glove, the Sling Ring. With a circular motion, Lance opened a swirling white portal like a dimensional vortex.
Then, Lance swung his hand down—the portal fell from the sky like the hammer of the gods, right in front of Christine.
Startled, Christine dove in with sharp reflexes, her body piercing through the light vortex like a bullet returning to the muzzle of a gun.
In the next instant, Christine appeared beside Lance, her hair billowing, her sharp eyes filled with questions—and determination.
"What is happening?" Christine squinted, her steps halting. The air around Christine suddenly changed—as if the world had momentarily stopped breathing. An unfamiliar aura enveloped the space around them. Christine's reflexes as the White Lantern Messenger made her immediately alert.
Someone appeared before Christine.
"Christine, it's me," greeted the figure with a familiar and calm voice.
Christine raised an eyebrow, a curved smile appearing on her beautiful face. "Mr. Lord of the White Sky!" Christine exclaimed happily, "Why are you here? Did you come because you heard about the terrorist attack?"
"Uh, yes," Lance replied, slowly raising his hand and forming a circle of light in the air. A projection spell appeared, displaying a detailed three-dimensional image of the hotel situation—from the location of the hostages, the armed perpetrators, to a point highlighted with soft white light.
One female figure was clearly marked.
"I'm not here for those criminals," Lance said quietly, "I'm here for that woman."
Christine tilted her head, then smiled mischievously. "A very beautiful girl."
"Her name is Nancy, or Maxie. She is the third White Lantern Messenger I have chosen," Lance said meaningfully, his eyes considering the holographic shadow of Nancy.
Christine's gaze instantly changed. Her interest was piqued. "Another Messenger? Huh… interesting."
But before Lance could respond, he glanced down, his brow slightly furrowing.
The roar of heavy machinery echoed. In front of the hotel, six armored personnel carriers stopped simultaneously. Hatches opened. Almost a hundred fully armed soldiers jumped out with perfect coordination, forming a tight perimeter in the blink of an eye. Gun barrels swept in all directions with cold precision.
Christine squinted, a look of confusion gracing her face. "They aren't ESU!"
"Yes," Lance murmured without averting his gaze, his tone flat but containing something unspoken. "Not the Emergency Service Unit... This means something embarrassing is about to happen."
Christine turned quickly. "What do you mean?"
"The situation is no longer being handled by the police. It has entered a military scenario," Lance replied. A thin smile appeared on Lance's face, but it felt bitter. "And that means… the government is starting to play like Russia."
"Russia?" Christine was increasingly confused.
Lance shook his head slowly, then looked into Christine's eyes calmly. "This issue involves Nancy. Let Nancy handle it. You should go. I just received a report—a series of accidents have occurred in the Lower West District. You can handle that, right?"
Christine frowned. She understood what Lance meant: to keep her away from this conflict. From Nancy. From... something darker. However, Christine did not argue. Although there was a flash of displeasure in her eyes, she said nothing, only summoned the power of the White Lantern Ring. White light enveloped Christine's body before she flew like a meteor toward the western horizon.
Once Christine left, the atmosphere changed drastically.
The hotel had been completely surrounded. The thugs inside began to panic. Desperate actions were taken.
John Darius, a burly man with disheveled hair and wild eyes, stood by the window with a cellphone in hand. John Darius was panting.
"We have weapons and thirty-five hostages!" John Darius shouted angrily. "If you come any closer, they all die! Do you hear me?!"
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
[Note: 290+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]