The dark world around Ethan Vance seemed to stop spinning in an instant. The cool rain mist falling on his face felt like sharp needles, but he did not feel the cold. The heavy notebook full of corrupt names in his coat pocket suddenly meant nothing to him. His sister Lily was the only thing that truly mattered in his life."What do you mean mutating?" Ethan asked, his voice dropping into a low, terrifying growl. He grabbed Thomas by the collar of his wet suit coat, pulling him close. "The medical team said she was stable two hours ago! Speak clearly, Thomas!"Thomas gasped for air, his chest heaving under the weight of Ethan's powerful grip."The doctors do not know what is happening, sir! Her heart rate shot up to two hundred, and then it plummeted! Her skin is turning completely blue! Dr. Evans said the green poison inside her veins is shifting its form! If we do not stop it right now, her organs will shut down before dawn!"Ethan released Thomas so fast that the loyal secretary s

The loud, roaring screams of the wild crowd echoed against the low concrete ceiling of the underground pit. Thick smoke from cheap cigarettes hung in the hot air, making it hard to breathe. Hundreds of rough border criminals pounded their fists against the iron bars of the cage, their faces twisted with greedy excitement. They waved stacks of dirty money in the air, shouting for a brutal bloodbath.Ethan Vance did not flinch. He looked at the heavy steel door of the cage standing wide open in front of him. He did not look at the dirty floor covered in fresh red blood stains from the last fight. His mind was completely focused on his little sister, Lily, who was lying in a hospital bed miles away, fighting for every breath. Every second he wasted here brought her closer to death.Without a single word, Ethan took a calm step forward and walked right into the steel cage.The heavy iron door slammed shut behind him with a loud, metallic crash. A large guard quickly locked the door from

The thin steel blades glinted under the dim overhead light. The Viper moved like a dark shadow across the metal floor, stepping lightly from left to right. He kept his body low, his hooded face turned down, waiting for the exact moment Ethan Vance would let his guard down. The crowd above screamed and cheered, but inside the ring, everything felt tight and sharp.Ethan did not move away. He did not drop his arms or panic. His eyes stayed locked on the subtle shift of the assassin's shoulders. Every second ticking away was another second Lily’s weak heart struggled against the mutating poison. He had no time to dance around inside this dirty iron ring.With a sudden, hiss-like breath, the Viper sprang forward. His thin body shot across the gap, his right hand flashing through the air like a striking cobra. The sharp razor steel aimed straight for Ethan’s throat, fast enough to slice right through skin and bone before a normal person could even blink.Ethan did not step back. Instead,

The small spit of dark red blood hit the dusty floor tiles with a quiet splash. Inside the hot underground pit, the wild screams of the spectators began to drop into a shocked silence. The border thugs stared at Ethan Vance through the iron bars of the heavy cage. His shirt was torn and stained with red, his cracked ribs burned with a deep, hot pain, but his dark eyes were burning with a terrifying, pitch-black fire.The Executioner did not say a word. His long arms remained low, his bare feet gripping the cold metal floor. He saw the dark smile on Ethan’s face, but his cold martial arts training kept him from showing any fear. To him, Ethan was just a wounded animal making a final, desperate stand before dying.The tall master moved again. He vanished from his spot with blinding speed, his bare feet making zero noise against the iron plates. He shot forward like an arrow released from a heavy bow, bringing his right leg up in a lethal roundhouse kick aimed straight at Ethan’s neck.

The dark words echoed inside the quiet room like a heavy iron hammer smashing against glass. Ethan Vance stood frozen in the center of the luxurious office. The pain from his cracked ribs vanished in a single second, replaced by a cold, terrifying rage that made his entire body burn."Silas..." Ethan whispered, his low voice shaking with a deep, dark fury.Silas Vance was his father's elder brother. Five years ago, after Ethan's parents died in a sudden car crash, Silas had disappeared from the family estate with half of the family fortune. Everyone thought Silas had fled the country to escape debt. But now, the terrible truth was exposed.Silas had not just fled. He had planned the entire destruction of Ethan's family from the dark shadows. He had bought the deadly poison, ordered the hit on his own brother, and arranged for little Lily to be infected so that the main Vance bloodline would be wiped off the face of the earth forever."My parents..." Ethan said, his voice dropping an