Seeing Ryan glaring at her, Echo noticed that his face wasn’t awkward-it was downright angry. It was pretty clear he didn’t know how to dance. But at this point, she couldn’t let him back out. Besides, if Ryan didn’t want to, he wouldn’t have let her pull him onto the dance floor in the first place.
She looked up at him, beaming with a bright smile, and wrapped her arms around his waist, guiding him to sway slowly to the music.
Ryan looked down at Echo, and when he saw her snuggling into his chest with a sweet smile, it hit him. Her smile was so pure and beautiful, it made him feel at ease. Without thinking, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer, letting her lead their steps as they moved together.
There were no complicated dance moves, no fancy techniques-it wasn’t even really a dance. It was more like two people walking together in an embrace, moving gently and gracefully to the music.
It wasn’t complex, nor simple. It wasn’t strong or passionate. But it was warm, comfortable, and it softened the usual toughness Ryan carried. For a moment, everything was melted away-only the two of them existed in the music and in the peacefulness of the moment. The people who had stepped aside from the dance floor exchanged glances and started to make their own plans, while Kevin, watching from the highest point, raised an eyebrow in mild surprise but kept his smile intact.
Nearby, Adolph, seeing the scene, casually grabbed a woman from some unknown family, and with a misstep, slipped into the dance floor, stirring things up.
King George laughed heartily and called out, “Everyone, let loose and enjoy yourselves!”
At his command, groups of people started slipping onto the dance floor, surrounding Ryan and Echo, and the hall was immediately filled with the sound of celebration.
As the night grew more enchanting, the sky above Italy was dotted with clear stars, lighting up the horizon and making the moonshine so bright it almost illuminated everything below. The full moon hung high, casting a cool, piercing light over the land.
Meanwhile, the festivities in the hall continued to thrive, the second half of the wedding unfolding in a lively, joyous atmosphere. The dancers twirled, conversations bubbled up everywhere, but only a few were truly lost in the revelry-that much was obvious to anyone paying attention.
By now, Ryan, Echo, and the others had exited the main hall and were heading toward the castle’s meeting room, where several heads of state were waiting to meet Ryan. It was something that was bound to happen sooner or later. They had all been prepared for this meeting, so Ryan didn’t hesitate and followed King George without a second thought.
Behind them, Edward trailed Echo, and the others from the underworld noticed that the last surviving member of the Street family, after the entire branch had been wiped out, was now walking closely behind Echo. They didn’t even bother giving Kevin a second glance. His boldness seemed out of place compared to Ryan’s usual ruthless style. Everyone knew Ryan was all about going for the kill, so they shot puzzled looks at Edward, who was now clutching onto Echo even tighter, looking more nervous than ever.
Adolph, on the other hand, didn’t follow. Even though he and Ryan were on good terms, as a representative of the Italian mafia, he couldn’t just tag along.
“Mr. Ryan, right this way,” King George said, leading Ryan through the castle.
The place was massive, with rooms and hallways branching off in every direction. Without someone guiding the way, it’d be easy to get lost in what felt like a labyrinth of doors.
“Mr. Ryan, what about this?” Prince William, who was standing at the door to the meeting room, hesitated as he glanced at the group following Ryan.
Ryan waved his hand slightly, coldly saying, “You all stay here.”
Hawk and the others nodded in unison, including Echo, who was left behind with them as Ryan walked in alone. Once Ryan entered, King George and Prince William, out of sight, quietly let out a breath of relief.
Inside, the heads of several major nations were gathered. Politically, they were often at odds or at least neutral, and it was nearly impossible for them to gather in one place. The mere fact that they were all there was because of Ryan, Kevin, and the issues surrounding them. It was a delicate situation, almost a taboo. As a result, only those with a direct role could enter, and others were kept outside as much as possible. Initially, King George and the others had been concerned about Ryan’s serious demeanor, but seeing how he handled things, they all felt reassured.
Echo, Hawk, and Tiger stood outside.
Prince William, who was in charge of guarding the area, smiled and said, “The garden’s right over there. There’s a place to rest. You all should sit there for a bit. Standing here puts a bit of pressure on me.”
Hawk gave a slight smile and said, “Alright.” He and the others walked toward the garden.
The garden was just a few meters away, right beside the door. Through the window, they could almost see the light inside. This was why Hawk had agreed to stand here-it was a careful, strategic choice. This spot gave them a good view of the situation inside without hindering their ability to act, making it an ideal location.
Meanwhile, Edward kept up his act of weakness, holding onto Echo’s hand, staying close to her. Noticing this, he gently tugged on her, signaling for Echo to step back a little. She moved to stand by a row of rose trellises at the edge of the garden.
Just as they moved back, a few maids arrived with coffee and snacks, setting them on the stone table where Hawk and the others were. Prince William smiled and made a gesture, to which Hawk nodded politely in return. It was a matter of courtesy, and whether they drank or not was up to them.
Silence settled in. The room inside was completely sealed off, with excellent soundproofing. Hawk and the others stood alert, ready to protect at a moment’s notice.
As everyone’s attention was focused on Ryan’s entrance into the room, Echo, who had been pulled to the edge of the garden by Edward, took advantage of the situation. She leaned in and whispered into his ear, just loud enough for him to hear, “What’s going on?”
Edward’s eyes flashed with intelligence. Quietly, he wrote a few characters in the palm of her hand.
Echo immediately furrowed her brow, glancing down at the stone table in front of them. In the dim moonlight, it seemed perfectly ordinary, with no sign of anything unusual. However, what Edward had just told her was that the table was coated with a highly toxic substance-No. 9 Toxin.
This toxin was colorless and tasteless, and it reflected light in daylight. Ryan had told her about it. At night, it was harder to detect without light. From where Hawk and the others were standing, nothing was visible. But from her position, Echo could barely make out a faint reflection, which confirmed what Edward had said. Given that he was skilled with this toxin, she had no reason to doubt it.
Echo raised an eyebrow. Though it wasn’t harmful unless injected into the bloodstream, the fact that such a dangerous substance was being used here was definitely suspicious. With that thought, she quickly turned and made her way toward Hawk and the others.
Bang!
The sound of a gunshot broke the silence, so sharp and clear it cut through the air. Even though it was muffled by the soundproofing of the room, it was still loud enough to be heard by Hawk and the others.