Chapter 5: One-Hit Kill

"It's Mr. Zorn!" "What an entrance. No wonder he's Nettle's most ruthless guy!" "Hmph, that cripple from the Jauncy family has a death wish." The Wokey family erupted the instant they saw Seth. "Mr. Zorn, he killed my father and cut off my hands. Kill him!" Kenneth, who had been drowning in despair moments before, immediately began yelling. Seth's brows furrowed as he took in Kenneth's blood-slick stumps. He nodded, slow and cold. "Kill me? You think you're even worth my time?" Taylor  Taylor turned toward Seth, cool and unruffled. When he'd first arrived at the banquet, he'd held back for Jacqueline's sake. He couldn't cut loose while saving her. Now, though Jacqueline was badly hurt, her life wasn't in danger. He didn't have to hold back anymore. "A cripple dares to mouth off?" Seth's face went icy, contempt curdling in his eyes. "End it yourself, or do you want me to send you flying with one slap?" The moment he said it, the temperature seemed to drop. Everyone knew how bloody it would get once Seth made his move. "Lay a hand on him, and I'll take your life!" A clear, fierce cry rang out across the hall. Heads turned. A woman in blue strode in. She had delicate, striking features and a willowy figure; as she walked, her hem rippled. She moved with an almost otherworldly grace. "Heh. And you are?" Seth turned at the sound. At the sight of her stunning face, a lewd gleam flashed in his eye. "Alchemist's Haven, Laurel Goodison." She snorted and lifted her chin, coolly. "Ms. Goodison from Alchemist's Haven? Valia's top female doctor, a master of acupuncture!" "No wonder that cripple from the Jauncy family dared to make a scene. So that's who's backing him." "So that explains how Taylor managed to kill Sullivan and Levi. Ms. Goodison must have been supporting him behind the scenes!" As a top-tier force in Valia, Alchemist's Haven had a sprawling network. They counted not only martial Grandmasters among their ranks, but even a regional lord in their circle. That alone put them above the Nettle Tiger Legion. Hearing that, Seth hesitated for a heartbeat despite himself. Alchemist's Haven was a force he truly couldn't afford to provoke. Laurel hurried to stand behind Taylor. "Taylor, don't worry. They won't dare hurt you." "I thought you left," Taylor asked, puzzled. "If I did, who'd clean up your mess?" She scolded lightly. "And you didn't even tell us and just showed up here alone!" Taylor smiled, warmth flickering under his cool gaze, but said nothing more. "Mr. Zorn, kill him now! No matter what happens, the Wokey family will take responsibility!" Kenneth bellowed. "Alchemist's Haven may be strong in Suther, but this is Nettle. Here, the Wokey family calls the shots." At that, Seth nodded. True, Alchemist's Haven was mighty, but they didn't rule Nettle. This was the Wokey family's turf. So what was stopping him from killing him? "In that case,  I'll make my move." He sprang forward, a human cannonball streaking for Taylor. He moved with blinding speed and power, a blur to everyone watching. "Taylor, careful!" Laurel gasped. She hadn't expected him to flat-out disregard Alchemist's Haven's reputation. "Relax." Taylor breathed out the word. He sat steady in his wheelchair, his gaze calm as ever. As Seth reached him, Taylor drew Laurel behind him with one hand. With the other, he flicked out as if brushing away dust.  Seth flew back a good forty feet. He'd just stepped into the banquet hall, and now he was slapped straight back out. Except that when he walked in, he was alive. Now, blood seeped from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. His stare went glassy. He swayed where he stood, then toppled into a spreading pool of red. Thud! Dust puffed up, then drifted down into the blood. Boom! It was as if a bomb had gone off in everyone's head. Another one-hit brutal kill. This was Seth, of all people. Across all of Nettle, aside from those reclusive monsters who never showed themselves, who could stand against him? And Taylor had killed him with a lazy flick of the wrist. It didn't get any more terrifying than that. Seeing Seth die on the spot, Laurel finally let out the breath she'd been holding. Taylor looked insanely cool just then. For an instant, she felt like she was staring at the martial prodigy who once took Nettle by storm. Kenneth, by contrast, went ashen. Among the Wokey family's retainers, Seth had been the strongest. If even he were dead, they were finished. Taylor turned his wheelchair toward Kenneth, looking at him like he was already a dead man. "D-don't come any closer." "Taylor, I'm begging you, I surrender, okay? Just please don't kill me..." Kenneth shook so hard he could barely keep his voice from cracking. His knees buckled, and he dropped with a thump. He'd truly fallen apart. Taylor's face stayed indifferent. From beside a Wokey thug's corpse, he picked up a pistol and turned it in his hands as if weighing it. "Talk. What did you say on that call with your contacts overseas?" "I don't know. I really don't know. Please don't ask me, I'm begging you..." Kenneth's guts had turned to water. Snot and tears streamed down his face. "Don't know? Then you can die." "No! You can't kill me!" As Taylor's finger tightened, Kenneth jerked his head up. "My grandfather has already mobilized tens of thousands of troops. If you kill me, he'll come for your life." Taylor's eyes narrowed a fraction. "So your grandfather knows. Call him. I'll ask him myself." "Y-yes, right away." Kenneth fumbled, then froze. Damn it. No hands. How was he supposed to take out a phone? "M-my phone is in my pocket..." His face twisted, his voice trembling. Taylor chuckled, fished the phone from Kenneth's pocket, and dialed Roland Wokey. Although Roland had passed the head of the family to his son, he remained the true power behind the Wokey family. "Grandpa, save me..." The moment the call connected, Kenneth broke into sobs. "Kenneth, what happened? Stop crying." An old, imperious voice filled the line. "Speak. What did your Wokey family discuss with foreign forces? Talk, and I'll make sure there's enough of him left to bury." Taylor's voice went ice-cold. "Who are you? You talk big. Harm my grandson, and do you understand the consequences?" Even over the phone, Roland's authority was palpable. "I don't care who you are. I'm marching troops back to Nettle right now. Lay a finger on my grandson, and you die." Kenneth bared his teeth in a grin. "Hear that? You cripple, if you kill me, you'll be cut down in a hail of bullets from ten thousand troops." "Haha, what's the matter, scared? Be smart. Kneel now, and maybe I'll let you die in one piece." Taylor didn't bother to answer. He raised the pistol and aimed at Kenneth's head. "Roland, since you refuse to talk, I'll kill your grandson and then come for you." "Ah..." Kenneth's laughter died in his throat. "I dare you!" Roland roared. Bang! The gunshot cracked. The hall went silent.