The soldiers moved with terrifying speed and efficiency. They loaded the mafia corpses into the vans, collected the scattered weapons, and sprayed a special chemical solution over the asphalt to eliminate all traces of blood. In less than the allotted time, every remnant of the silent massacre had vanished completely, as though the Black Cobra gangsters had never set foot on the bridge. The vans immediately sped back into the darkness of the Northern Sector.Raymond let out a long breath as he looked at the asphalt, now clean and perfectly dry once more. The icy expression on his face gradually relaxed, replaced by the natural look of an ordinary husband who appeared mildly confused. He gently knocked on Natalie's car window."Natalie, everything is safe now. You can open your eyes," Raymond called, his tone softening once again and radiating a comforting warmth.Inside the cabin, Natalie Sterling stopped counting when she had only reached twenty-five. Upon hearing Raymond's familiar

The strong aroma of roasted coffee beans filled every corner of that small cafe on the outskirts of the mortal city, trying to dispel the remaining cold air left by the afternoon rain. The clinking of spoons against porcelain cups blended with the low-necked instrumental jazz music, creating an atmosphere of pseudo-tranquility for the customers. Behind the clean teak wood bar counter, Raymond stood calmly. His sturdy fingers moved in a constant rhythm, wiping the surface of a glass cup with a piece of white cloth, displaying the figure of a househusband servant who was exceedingly simple and obedient to mortal routines.However, in the corner of the room near a large window blurred by mist, a pair of eyes behind a gray flat cap kept locking onto every inch of Raymond's movements. The foreign man in a thick coat sat alone, pretending to read while enveloped by a daily newspaper while occasionally sipping his drink. He was a high-profile international hitman contracted by Hendra Sterlin

The darkness of the night in the Northern Sector felt even heavier inside the underground tactical military command headquarters. The glow from dozens of massive monitors reflected graphs of stock movements, shipping container routes, and financial data from the city's major factions. At the center of the room stood a round table made of polished black steel beneath the beam of a single fluorescent light. The atmosphere was cold, silent, and filled with a suffocating tension that weighed on the chest of anyone who stepped inside.Raymond stood upright at the end of the table, no longer wearing a café apron or his casual shirt. The humble waiter had completely vanished, replaced by the overwhelming and deadly aura of the supreme ruler. The pitch-black eyes of the God of War stared directly at the digital map of the national supply chain, its indicators flashing red. Behind him, General Yudha Negara stood at perfect attention, his hands clasped behind his back with profound respect."Al

The executive office of the Central Bank's president gleamed luxuriously beneath the glow of a magnificent crystal chandelier. The walls, lined with mahogany wood carrying a masculine fragrance, and the thick velvet carpet that muffled every footstep seemed to affirm that this place was one of the most powerful centers of the mortal world's financial system. Yet, all of that luxury felt suffocating to Julian Vance. The young man stood before the president's black marble desk, breathing in short, hurried breaths. His formal suit, usually immaculate, was now slightly wrinkled, reflecting the storm of emotional panic that had consumed him since dawn.Across the desk, the President of the Central Bank, Mr. Gunawan, sat with an exceptionally rigid posture. The expression on his middle-aged face was as blank as a chalkboard, devoid of the warmth he usually showed the heir of Vance Corporation. His sharp eyes stared at the stack of Julian's emergency bailout application docum

The golden afternoon sunlight streamed through the large glass windows of the Sterling Group CEO's office, casting a warm glow across Natalie Sterling's white marble desk. The silence that usually filled the room with the pressure of work was suddenly shattered when the double teakwood doors at the far end of the office were pushed open forcefully.Bang!Alena, Natalie's personal secretary and most trusted confidante, rushed inside, breathing heavily. Her face was flushed from running up from the lower floor, but her sparkling eyes radiated pure excitement that she could no longer conceal. In her hands, she clutched a digital tablet tightly."Miss Natalie! This... this is truly a miracle!" Alena exclaimed, her voice rising excitedly as it broke the tension that had lingered in the office since morning. She hurried toward Natalie's desk without paying any attention to the formal office etiquette she normally observed.Natalie Sterling slo