Chapter 450

Their leader and top men were gone. To draw weapons now would be pure suicide. None of them were that foolish.

A silent glance passed between them, and in the next second, they dropped their weapons and knelt without protest.

Joshua lifted his eyes with lazy indifference, tossed his gun aside, and pulled a cigarette from his pocket.

A blue flame flickered to life, and then the tip glowed red, pulsing faintly in the dimness.

He exuded a cold, unrelenting menace. But there was something else beneath it, an aura that didn’t quite fit the profile of a killer.

The silver-haired assassin, Zane Shaw, swallowed hard and ventured to speak. “Sir… may I ask your name?”

Joshua exhaled a thin stream of smoke. His lips were pale, his gaze distant, the very image of restrained power, sharp-edged, dangerous, and yet impossibly composed.

“Cain Reaper.”

“Mr. Reaper.” Zane inclined his head respectfully. “What would you have us do?”

“Take stock of everything—assets, operations, intel. I want it all handed over to me.” He wasn’t here to play foot soldier. He was taking the place over.

This wasn’t Earth. There were no laws, no limits. Power was its own law here, and Joshua had never been one to play by someone else’s rules. Carving out his own empire was not only possible, it was inevitable.

But none of it mattered, not really, until he found Shermaine.

He had no idea where she was or what kind of situation she was in. And with their child growing inside her, his worry gnawed at him constantly.

The thought that she might be alone, afraid, possibly in danger, left a storm brewing behind his calm facade.

“And one more thing,” he said. “Find someone for me.”

Zane looked up. “Who?”

Joshua pulled out a small, folded sketch and handed it to him.

Zane studied it for a moment, then frowned. “Isn’t this the woman on the military’s most-wanted list?”

The bounty had come directly from Judy’s command center, high-priority and high-reward.

The assassin world had been buzzing about it for weeks.

Zane glanced up again at the man before him. Even through the mask, there was something eerily familiar, features that bore an uncanny resemblance to another name on the list.

His stare must’ve lingered too long. Joshua’s gaze met his, and in that instant, Zane froze.

Those eyes, deep and glacial, were the kind that looked straight through you.

“What woman on a wanted list?” Joshua’s voice was calm but razor-sharp. “That’s my wife. I lost her. And I intend to find her.”

Zane didn’t dare press further. Whatever suspicions he had, none of it was worth dying over.

He quickly lowered his head. “Apologies. I must’ve been mistaken.”

But inwardly, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of couple would make Judy go to such extremes to capture them.

He glanced again at the sketch. It was far more vivid than the official one circulating in the mercenary world. This version was softer, more alive, and frankly, more beautiful than any celebrity he’d ever seen.

No doubt many would be chasing that face. But he didn’t need to catch her. He only needed to follow the scent.

In truth, Shermaine had never left Yorksland that night. Instead, she’d quietly checked into a different inn, far from prying eyes. Early the next morning, she’d gone for a medical exam and only after that did she buy a ticket to another city.

The results were reassuring. The little girl in her womb was strong.

Despite being thrust into an alien world, the child was thriving inside her.

The city she chose next was one she’d always liked—mild climate, endless flowers, a softer rhythm to life. It was a Tier-B city, far more developed than Yorksland, but not too overwhelming.

One thing was immediately noticeable, though. The number of patrol bots was significantly higher.

After disembarking, Shermaine made her way calmly through the terminal. A wide-brimmed hat shielded her face. She slipped into the restroom, careful not to draw attention.

Seconds later, someone else entered behind her.

Shermaine kicked the stall door shut with one sharp motion. “You’ve been tailing me since this morning. Want to explain why?”

The woman, hair tied into two playful buns, gave a mischievous grin. “Relax, Ms. Hanks. I just came to ask if you’d be interested in joining me for the International Gambling Tournament.”