Everything was making sense to Jack now."Irvin deliberately organized this palace auction event to lure Jeremy out of Calder Manor!" murmured Jack.That's why the gatekeepers earlier prevented Jack from entering. It was because those who attended this event were not ordinary people. They were all invited guests who, of course, were either mafia members or people supporting Irvin.Not only that. "Irvin also invited people who support Mr. Calder so that he can kill them all at once!"Besides the mafia members, important people who had been supporting Jeremy, both covertly and overtly, also received invitations."This is a trap! This is a massacre!" muttered Jack. "They must be warned to leave this place immediately!"As Jack muttered, Quantara said in his ear, "It seems we're a little late, Jack! Try to look at the eight o'clock direction!"Jack directed his gaze to another room inside the palace as Quantara indicated.It was a very spacious private room equipped with luxurious furnitu
Jack felt that the voice wasn't unfamiliar to him. He knew whose voice it was.As he turned his head to look in the direction of the voice, a beautiful girl in a knee-length red dress stood before him.Jack didn't need much time to realize that the girl was the same one he had seen at the opera house.Maartje Dujardin, the daughter of Governor Crystalbrook."Musician? Singer? A Warrior?" The girl spoke those words without shifting her gaze from Jack. "I wonder how someone with extraordinary talent like yours hasn't stood out much until now?""What are you trying to say exactly?""At first, I thought you were just a simple figure, a highly talented piano expert or a singer with a golden voice! But, it seems your identity isn't that simple!"Jack still didn't understand what the girl was trying to say. "Please, can you be more to the point? I'm having a bit of trouble understanding your speech!" Maartje narrowed her eyes. Jack's disrespectful demeanor slightly offended her. She took
As Jack's lips landed on Maartje's cheek, Quantara spoke with a hint of surprise, "Ummm, seems like there's a misunderstanding between you two?""What do you mean?" Jack, still pressing his lips against the soft and fragrant cheek of the girl, wondered."What she means is she's willing to help you as long as you report directly to her and not to anyone else!""What?" Jack quickly drew back his face.In front of him, Maartje still appeared very surprised by what Jack had done."You..." That's all that came out of the girl's mouth. Her face turned very red, especially her cheeks.Whatever happened between the two seemed to have angered Wim, who had been watching them since earlier."Bastard!" he cursed. Wim, who had locked Jack's chest as his target, no longer hesitated to pull the trigger.Bang!"Jack, move now! He's firing!" Quantara reminded him.Jack would move at that moment, but his brain could think quickly. "If I dodge now, the bullet will definitely hit Lady Maartje!"Without a
A few minutes earlier.Jack and Maartje had agreed to divide the tasks."You will attend the auction event, then take Jeremy out, while I will take Rebecca away!" That's what Maartje said before the auction event started."If you have a good enough opportunity, you might ask Jeremy to cancel the engagement event and ask him to attack Irvin together!" the girl continued.Both Maartje and Jack had decided that they would also attack Irvin and all his people tonight."Lady, may I ask one thing?""Of course! Just say it!""If you agree with me to attack Irvin tonight, you surely won't come alone, right?"Maartje looked at Jack, seeming to admire his way of thinking. "You don't need to worry! I've brought enough troops to crush them all!"Back to the present."Lady, have you managed to get into Rebecca's place?" Jack spoke through the device in his ear."Be patient, Jack! It's tougher than I imagined!" Maartje's voice came from the other end."The auction event will start shortly, I'm worr
"What? You came here by accident?" Red Hair, who had been sitting in the chair, immediately approached them."Miss, is what you said true? Can you convince us that you really entered accidentally? I'm worried you're just pretending?" Red Hair, who had also not taken his eyes off Maartje, became even wilder when he was near the girl."True! I meant to go to my friend's room, but I ended up here! So let me go now!""Oh, is that so!" Red Hair then walked towards Yellow Hair and slapped his head. "Stupid! Can't you hear that this girl is just lost? Why are you still standing there? Go! Let the girl pass!""But, ..." Yellow Hair seemed reluctant."What else do you want to say? I said go, so go!" Red Hair pushed Yellow Hair to move his body away from the door.With a heavy heart, the youngest brother finally did it."Miss, no one will disturb your path now! You may go.""Thank you!" That's all Maartje said. She then quickly approached the door where Red Hair stood right beside it."But of c
Those words certainly furrowed the brows of the people even more. "He dares to defy Mr. Wigram's orders? Is he tired of living?" they thought.The same thoughts were mirrored by the host, who stared at this mysterious man with a furrowed brow. "How insolent! Who is this man, really? What is he thinking? Does he want to challenge Mr. Wigram's orders?""Sir, I must apologize for this inconvenience!" The host said, trying to put on the friendliest expression he could muster. "I don't mean to disregard your offer, but Mr. Calder has already agreed to purchase it beforehand! So there's nothing I can do except to hand over this palace to him!""Hand over this palace to him?" The mysterious man asked. "Sir, were you planning to sell it to Mr. Calder from the beginning?"That question immediately caused the atmosphere to grow more tense. "How dare he speak like that? Does he want Mr. Wigram to cut his throat for leaking this big secret to Jeremy?" they pondered."Sir, please refrain from caus
Moments earlier.After Jack and Maartje set their respective plans, the young man immediately moved towards the hall."Jack, stop!" A man's voice sounded from behind him, causing him to halt his steps."You called me?" Jack was still somewhat annoyed by Wim's behavior of shooting him without waiting for Maartje's orders first.Not that Jack minded. But wouldn't it be regrettable if it concerned Maartje? Right now, Jack needed Maartje, not just to eliminate Irvin, but also to get information about Gunnar."I know you're still a little mad at me! But this time, I need you to guard Lady!""Why do you say that? Isn't it your duty to guard her?"Wim shook his head. "Irvin knows our arrival! I got reports from some spies that the old man is also targeting her!""Then why did you tell me?""Because it seems like only you can fight him!" At this moment, Wim's gaze turned serious. "Irvin paid a hefty sum to bring forth the Shadow Warrior!"Jack furrowed his brows. "Shadow Warrior?"Wim nodded.
"Do they know of my arrival?" Maartje thought to herself. "That's impossible, isn't it?"Jack could see that the girl was pondering deeply. "Lady, it's pointless to dwell on that! We need to find Rebecca right away!""Yeah!" That was all Maartje said as Jack led her away from the spot.But only about ten steps later, a hoarse and deep voice sounded in their ears. "Lady Maartje Dujardin!"Maartje was startled. "Who is that?" she thought. The girl then looked around, unable to discern where the voice was coming from."Do you think by putting on a human mask on your face, you can fool me?" The same voice echoed, reverberating throughout the northern corner of the vast and grand palace."Who are you? Don't speak in the dark! Show yourself if you dare!" Maartje didn't expect someone to recognize her disguise.There was no more sound from the man.But this time, it was Jack who was slightly surprised. "Lady, what does he mean? Is what he said about you true?""I had to do it!" Maartje said,