After snapping a few photos, Tony Scott pocketed his phone and turned to Clara. “We should leave now,” he said. “Lingering here any longer could get us caught. If someone finds us, we might get dragged into this mess.”
Clara’s eyes were fixed on Kayden. She recognized him.
No, not personally-but from a classroom video.
Her professor had once shown a lecture video during class. It was about traditional medicine. Though Clara wasn’t studying medicine, the speaker’s style had captivated her. His delivery was commanding, his words persuasive.
The man in the video was Kayden.
When she first caught a glimpse of him earlier, she thought he looked familiar. Now, seeing his face clearly, she was certain-it was him!
Even on video, Kayden’s teaching had left an impression on Clara. She’d never imagined someone so young could deliver such profound lessons with that level of authority.
Since that day, she’d remembered him, wondering if she’d ever have the chance to hear him speak again.
But she never thought their next meeting would look like this.
“Clara! Let’s go!” Tony Scott tugged at her arm again. “If we get caught, they’ll think we’re with them. Let’s head down the mountain, book a room, and come back tomorrow.”
Even as he spoke, his mind wandered back to Georgia. He wasn’t about to give up on her. First, he’d spend the night downstairs with Clara. Then tomorrow, Georgia would be his next target.
Clara hesitated, glancing back at Tony Scott. Curiosity crept into her voice as she asked, “Mr. Scott, do you think they’re filming a movie?”
“Filming?” Tony Scott blinked, then smirked. “Filming?”
From Clara’s perspective, it had to be a film. What else could it be? People wearing such heavy armor in weather like this-it didn’t make sense otherwise.
It never occurred to her that this man, so impressive in his lectures, wasn’t a professor but perhaps an actor.
“But why haven’t I seen him in any TV dramas?” she wondered aloud.
Clara loved watching television, but she’d never seen this man perform in anything before. Seeing him on what she assumed was a film set left her puzzled.
Tony Scott chuckled darkly. “You’ve got it all wrong. This isn’t a movie. This is real-life and death. Did you not see that woman lying on the ground? The knife’s still in her head, and the blood is everywhere.”
He pointed toward the woman Kayden had killed earlier, her skull pierced by a blade.
Clara followed his gaze, her breath hitching as she swallowed hard.
“There’s still fighting like this in this day and age?” she asked, her voice shaky.
Tony Scott nodded. “Of course. There’s a lot in this world you don’t know about. I once saw a man leap across rooftops. The world’s full of strange things.”
“Do you think he’ll survive? The man in the middle of all this?” Clara’s voice softened.
Tony Scott glanced at her, suspicious. “Why? Do you know him?”
Clara shook her head. “Not personally. I’ve just seen him in a video once.”
Tony Scott grinned coldly. “That guy? He’s a troublemaker! He’s here to stir up problems at Azure Cloud Resort. And anyone who does that is as good as dead. Look at how many people are surrounding him-he doesn’t stand a chance!”
Clara’s expression dimmed. “Maybe we should call the police?”
“Call the police?” Tony Scott scoffed. “They won’t help. The people here are connected with Azure Cloud Resort. The cops won’t touch them. Let’s stay out of this and get out of here.”
Clara swallowed again, her gaze lingering on Kayden. She felt powerless.
After all, she was just an ordinary woman. She didn’t know Kayden personally, and there was nothing she could do to help.
Fine, she thought, trying to convince herself. It’s like I never met him.
With that, she had no choice but to follow Tony Scott down the mountain.
—
Nearby, Gavin couldn’t help but laugh at the helpless expression on Wood Faulkner’s face. His laughter was loud, triumphant, and filled the air.
Pointing at Kayden, Gavin sneered, “That fool thought he could take down my Iron Guards with just a single woman!”
“Exactly!” Ryder chimed in, eager to please. “The Iron Guards of the Walsh family are invincible! That guy must’ve been scared out of his mind. That’s why he sent a woman to fight for him. What a coward, hiding behind her like a turtle!”
“But!” Ryder’s tone shifted, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Father, that woman is stunning. If you capture her alive, can I keep her as my bodyguard? I’ve always wanted someone like her as my guard.”
A bodyguard?
More like a plaything for his bed.
Gavin laughed indulgently. “Sure-”
But before he could finish, his voice abruptly caught in his throat.
Something had changed.
Not just Gavin-Ryder froze as well. The smug expressions on their faces vanished, replaced by sheer disbelief. Their mouths hung open as though they’d just witnessed something unthinkable.
Wood Faulkner, wielding a rusty, battered blade, had just slashed at one of the Iron Guards. The sound of metal striking metal rang out, sparks flying from the clash. At first, the Iron Guard seemed unaffected.
But within seconds, his armor cracked.
And then his chest split open, blood gushing from the gaping wound. The sight was gruesome.
The Iron Guard’s supposedly indestructible armor-capable of withstanding extreme temperatures-had been cut clean through by a broken blade.
What followed was even more terrifying.
Wood Faulkner, now emboldened, moved like a predator through the crowd. With each leap and strike, more Iron Guards fell. The once-imposing warriors, clad in their steel armor, were no match for his relentless attacks.
One by one, they collapsed, lifeless. In moments, the ground was littered with dozens of corpses. The stench of blood filled the air, spreading through the Azure Cloud Resort villa.
Kayden shifted his gaze away from Wood Faulkner, knowing the battle was over.
He turned his attention to Gavin, who was still reeling from the sight of his Iron Guards being slaughtered.
“Gavin!” Kayden’s voice thundered, snapping Gavin back to reality.
Kayden raised the short blade Wood Faulkner had used, his tone ice cold.
“Now, it’s your turn.”