"This time, it wasn't just the organization that was destroyed," Selene said coldly. "It was also their protector above them. This group survived only because the mayor sheltered them. They targeted foreign tourists, never locals, so no scandals ever broke out. And this man—" she pointed at Zheng Hanshou's headless corpse, "—was the mayor's secretary. The mayor's heart was failing. He needed a transplant. Li Zhongzhi's daughter was a perfect match. If we'd come one hour later, that little girl would never have woken again."
John Wick's voice was ice.
"When do we deal with the mayor?"
Eddie Brock added, his symbiote stirring restlessly.
"He doesn't deserve to die in a hospital bed. Letting him cling to life with machines is an insult to every victim."
Selene nodded.
"We'll handle him next. I know where he is."
The ability she carried—to draw memory from blood—was invaluable. No need for prisoners. No need for interrogation. But none of the others were tempted by the curse of vampirism.
Moments later, Li Zhongzhi burst into the room, eyes wild. He saw only corpses—and then his daughter, unconscious but breathing, in Wesley's arms. He rushed forward, trembling, and held her tight.
"Thank you! Thank you for saving my daughter!"
Selene's voice softened slightly.
"She's safe now. The anesthetic will take time to wear off. Let's leave this place."
"Good, good… let's go," Li Zhongzhi stammered, eyes wet.
The six of them exited the slaughterhouse. An hour later, Chief Chai arrived with a full SWAT force. His face betrayed nothing as he surveyed the carnage. He took the surveillance copies, led officers through evidence collection, and locked the place down.
······
Back at the Assassin Brotherhood, Selene arranged for Li Zhongzhi and his daughter to be escorted straight to the airport. Within hours, they were on a flight back to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, John Wick infiltrated the mayor's hospital chamber. The man lay pale, strapped to machines, waiting for a heart that would never come. Wick stood over him. His whisper was colder than the steel he carried.
"You won't live to see another heart."
He twisted the man's neck with a clean crack. The monitors flatlined. Wick left without a trace.
Half an hour later, he returned.
Selene asked, "Handled?"
Wick nodded.
"Done. No one noticed."
Wesley sneered.
"Dying quietly in bed… that's too merciful."
Selene's smile was razor thin.
"Perhaps not. It depends if Chief Chai lets him be buried with honor… or disgrace."
Her tone hardened.
"Li Zhongzhi's case is over. Now we face the larger threat. The organ traffickers. The scam networks. We strike their camps first. Wipe them out. But to stop them from rising again, we need more than us. I propose a wanted order."
She laid it out:
"All fraud and organ-trafficking syndicates are marked. Henchmen—$10,000 each. Small bosses—$50,000. Managers—$100,000 and one gold coin. Leaders—$1,000,000 and three gold coins. All registered members can take the contracts."
Wesley nodded first.
"I agree."
Wick: "I agree."
Eddie: "Me too."
Selene's eyes gleamed.
"Then I'll report this to HQ. The order will go out. Prepare for Myanmar. In one week, we grind them into dust. After that, we return to New York—for Xu Wenwu's induction ceremony."
······
At headquarters, Smith Dole reviewed Selene's proposal. He approved instantly. These syndicates were parasites—profitable to themselves, but a long-term cancer. Funding their destruction with bounty rewards was simple math.
Soon, every registered killer under the Brotherhood received the wanted order.
One mercenary chuckled at his phone screen.
"Been a while since a job this big. Time to join in. Gold coins don't come easy anymore."
The wax-bath miracle still drew countless assassins into their fold. Registration was stricter than ever, but demand never waned.
While Selene's team advanced south, killers across Southeast Asia already mobilized.
And as the order spread, far from Earth, a cloaked Eternal ship descended.
Ajak, leader of the Eternals, materialized at the gates of the Assassin Brotherhood HQ. She approached calmly, hands folded, speaking to the guards.
"I am Ajak of the Eternals. I've come to see Smith Dole. Please announce me."
She could have appeared inside, bypassing all barriers. She could have sent Makkari to deliver her in a heartbeat. But she chose respect.
Step by step, the web of worlds drew closer together.
······
(End of Chapter)
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