Chapter 24
Just when Max thought he had gained the upper hand, having completely overpowered Carl and sent him hurling across the room, he forgot one crucial detail — the army waiting outside.
Carl had already pressed the red button, the silent alarm that alerted his men. The double doors to the living room began to creak open.
The sound was slow, deliberate, like the opening of a tomb. The mafia boss rose from the ground with a twisted grin etched across his face.
He calmly adjusted his shirt, dusted off his shoulders, and strolled toward the sofa. With a deliberate slowness, he bent down, retrieved his gun, and took a seat.
His black eyes gleamed with malice as they locked on the panicked prostitute standing defenseless before him.
"You were making tall claims earlier, weren't you?" Carl sneered, spinning the gun lazily in his hand. "Now I want to see how you handle this."
"Carl, please, don't," Mia whispered, her voice trembling yet filled with defiance. She tried to move forward, but the sharp click of Carl's gun made her freeze.
"You take another step, I will erase you from existence," Carl threatened coldly. "Wife or not, don't test me." His finger pressed harder against the trigger.
"Please, Carl, don't do this. He did nothing wrong to you. If you want to punish someone, punish me!" Mia begged as she stepped forward again, her tears shimmering under the golden glow of the chandelier. "But let him go. Please."
"I said don't test me," Carl growled, his voice low and dangerous as his finger began to tighten on the trigger.
"Carl, please!" Mia cried out, her heart pounding as she refused to retreat.
"That does it. Don't say I didn't warn you." Carl's eyes darkened as he aimed directly at her.
The split second before he fired, Mia acted. With all her strength, she kicked the sofa Carl was seated on, sending him sprawling backward in surprise. She lunged forward, hands grappling desperately with his gun.
"Damian! Please, run!" she screamed, wrestling him with every ounce of strength left in her. The gun twisted between their hands, inches away from firing at either of them.
Max froze. His chest tightened, his mind screaming at him. 'What do I do? I can't just leave her here. If I run, Carl will kill her. I can't. I won't.' His eyes darted toward the door, now only a breath away from swinging fully open.
"Damian, run!" Mia roared again, locking eyes with him. Her face, pale yet determined, carried both fear and strength.
But in that momentary lapse with her eyes leaving Carl's, the mistake was made.
POW!
The deafening sound of a gunshot shattered the air.
"NOOOO!" Max roared, his voice carrying pure anguish as his hand instinctively reached out, though too far to stop it.
The double doors groaned as they opened completely. Fifty men poured in, one after another, boots thundering against the marble, rifles and pistols gleaming under the light. They spread out in formation like a swarm of vultures closing in on prey.
Carl rose to his feet, breathing heavily, his gun still in hand. Mia lay on the ground at his feet, blood seeping rapidly from her side where the bullet had torn through.
She clutched the wound desperately, her breaths shallow and ragged, her face twisted in pain yet still alive.
Max's heart pounded as rage boiled within him. 'No, no, no! This can't be happening. Why did she try to wrestle him? She had no reason to risk her life for me! What did she do to deserve this? What was her crime? Why?!'
"You see what you caused?!" Carl bellowed, his face twisted in fury. "Because of you, I had to shoot her. My own wife!"
"She was never your wife," Max said quietly, his voice calm but edged with fire. His golden eyes glowed faintly as he locked onto Carl. "The moment you laid your hands on her, you lost her forever."
"That's it!" Carl roared, raising his gun as he prepared to charge again.
But before he could move, he felt his leg being held tightly.
Looking down, his expression faltered. Mia, bloodied and trembling, clung to his ankle with all her strength.
Her lips quivered as she shook her head furiously, tears streaming down her cheeks. She would not let him move another step.
"Pl…please, no." Mia managed to croak out, her voice trembling, but…
WACK!
Carl swung his boot viciously into her already bleeding side, making her body twist unnaturally as she spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Just die." Carl said coldly as he cocked his gun and pointed it at Mia's head.
"NOOO!!!" Max roared, his voice shaking the air as his yellow eyes suddenly blazed crimson, instantly becoming bloodshot.
The veins in his clenched fists bulged thickly, throbbing with rage, and a violent aura surged from his body.
The entire room grew unbearably hot, as if a volcano had erupted within it. The walls groaned from the pressure, the air itself vibrating.
Max's teeth ground together as his glare swept across every single man present, his fury boiling over.
"I will kill you!"
Tring!
{New Sin acquired: Wrath!}
Carl felt the suffocating bloodlust in the air and his bravado faltered. Sweat poured down his forehead as he spun toward his men.
"What are you waiting for? Pump some damn bullets into him already!"
CLICK, CLICK!
Fifty rifles cocked at once, the metallic chorus ringing across the room. Fingers tightened on triggers, ready to unleash a storm, when…
{Draconic Force Palm Activated}
Energy surged violently in Max's hands, bubbling like molten fire. His eyes glowed so brightly red that the men froze in place, paralyzed. Their arms trembled, but their fingers refused to obey—they could not pull the triggers.
The energy gathered, focusing around Max's palms until they burned with a soft golden-yellow light. With a snarl of rage, he slammed both hands into the ground.
BOOOOM!!!
The shockwave tore through the room like a hurricane. Men were hurled screaming into the air before smashing into walls and furniture. The walls cracked, plaster rained down, and deep dents scarred the room's structure.
Even Carl was lifted and flung violently into a chair, splintering it into pieces as his body slammed to the floor.
Click. Clack. Tap.
The sound of footsteps echoed slowly across the ruined room. Carl twitched, struggling to push himself up, when a looming shadow fell over him.
He looked up and froze. A pair of glowing red eyes glared down at him, dripping with murderous intent. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"You shouldn't have done that." Max's voice was cold, each word like a blade.
His foot swung with brutal force, connecting with Carl's face.
CRUNCH!
Carl's body was sent crashing into the nearest wall, breaking it apart as rubble collapsed over him, leaving him unconscious like the rest of his men.
Tring!
{Men defeated}
{+300XP; +4 to STR Stat; Instant Level Up received}
Max didn't even glance at the system notifications. His focus was only on Mia.
"Mia!" He bolted to her side, scooping her fragile, bloodied body into his arms. Her breathing was faint, shallow, every exhale weaker than the last.
"Hang in there. I'll take you to a hospital right now." His voice cracked as he spoke, his movements frantic. He held her close, clutching her tightly as he dashed for the door.
But just as he reached the exit...
POW!
The gunshot thundered across the wrecked room.
Max staggered as a bullet tore into his thigh, hot blood spraying. He stumbled hard, crashing to the floor with Mia still in his arms.
One of the men, thought to be unconscious, had managed to lift his pistol. His hand shook, but the smirk on his battered face revealed his intent.