Emperor Of War

Chapter Three: The First Target

Adam Swift's POV

The cold wind swept across the cemetery as I stood before my father and brother's graves.

For ten years, I had dreamed of this moment. For ten years, revenge had been the only thing keeping me alive. Now I was finally home. I adjusted my black coat and turned away from the graves.

A convoy of luxury vehicles was waiting outside the cemetery gates. Several men dressed in black suits stood beside the cars. The moment they saw me approaching, they lowered their heads respectfully.

"Boss."

I gave a slight nod.

Among them, one man stepped forward.

Dax. My most trusted subordinate. He had followed me through battlefields and bloodshed. If there was anyone in the world I trusted, it was him.

"Welcome back, Boss," Dax said.

"Any updates?" I asked.

Dax immediately handed me a tablet. "We've been monitoring Jackson Carter's activities for the past six months."

I took the device and reviewed the information. Jackson's face appeared on the screen. Older. Wrinkled. But still breathing. Unfortunately.

"Where is he?" I asked coldly.

Dax's expression darkened. "He still resides in Quinzerland."

My eyes narrowed. The city where everything had begun. The city where my family had been destroyed. The city where Jackson had built his empire upon my father's grave.

A faint smile appeared on my face. "Good."

Dax looked at me. "Boss?"

I closed the tablet and handed it back. "We're going to pay him a visit."

The men exchanged glances. They knew exactly what that meant. The hunt had begun. Before entering the car, I stopped.

"There was another man involved that night."

Dax nodded. "I know."

My gaze hardened. "General Otti."

The name alone filled me with disgust. Ten years ago, Jackson Carter had ordered the massacre. But General Otti had led it.

He had commanded the men who hunted my family. He had personally overseen the ambush. Jackson might have been the mastermind. But Otti's hands were equally stained with blood.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

Dax smirked. "As arrogant as ever."

At that very moment… Across the city. Inside one of Quinzerland's most luxurious bars.

General Otti sat comfortably on a leather chair. The establishment had been cleared for his private gathering.bMusic echoed through the room. Expensive wine covered the tables. Armed guards stood at every corner.

The fifty-year-old general looked more like a king than a soldier. Years of corruption had made him wealthy. Years of serving Jackson Carter had made him powerful. And he enjoyed every second of it. Unfortunately for him… His reign was about to end.

Several men knelt before him. Among them was one of Quinzerland's most respected businessmen. Wilson Carter.

Head of the Wilson Family. A family that had dominated the city's business sector for decades. Yet at that moment, Wilson looked helpless.

General Otti swirled the wine in his glass. "You disappoint me."

Wilson clenched his fists. "General Otti, I've already paid what you demanded."

Otti laughed. "And I want more."

The room fell silent.

Wilson's face turned pale. "You can't keep doing this."

Otti leaned forward. "Oh?" His voice became dangerous. "And who exactly is going to stop me?"

Nobody answered. Nobody dared. Everyone knew Otti's influence. He controlled military connections. Political connections. Business connections. Most importantly… He had Jackson Carter standing behind him. That made him untouchable. Or so he believed.

Otti slammed his wine glass onto the table.

"Jackson Carter wants my attendance at tonight's gathering." His eyes locked onto Wilson. "And I don't like being disappointed before important events."

Wilson swallowed nervously. "What else do you want from me?"

"Everything."

The businessman froze. "My company?"

"Everything."

"My properties?"

"Everything."

Wilson stared at him in disbelief. "That's impossible."

A cruel smile appeared on Otti's face. "Then perhaps your family can compensate."

Wilson's eyes widened. Fear immediately filled his expression. "No."

Otti snapped his fingers. Several guards stepped forward. A woman was dragged across the floor. Her face was covered in tears.

"Mom!" a young girl cried.

Wilson immediately tried to stand. The guards forced him back down. His wife continued sobbing.

"Please..." she begged. "Please leave us alone."

General Otti remained unmoved. The young girl ran toward her mother. She couldn't have been older than sixteen.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "What did we do?" she cried.

Otti stared at her without emotion. The scene amused him. Power always did.

Wilson finally dropped to his knees. His pride completely shattered.

"General Otti." His voice trembled. "Please."

The powerful businessman lowered his head. "I beg you."

The room watched in silence. No one dared interfere. No one dared challenge Otti.

Wilson clenched his fists. "I am one of the most influential businessmen in Quinzerland." His voice cracked. "I have served this city for years."

Otti smirked. "And yet here you are."

The words struck harder than any punch.

Wilson lowered his head. Defeated.

Broken. Humiliated. His daughter rushed toward him.

"Dad!"

She wrapped her arms around him. Tears flowed uncontrollably down her face. "Please don't hurt my father!"

She looked directly at Otti. The fear in her eyes was heartbreaking. But Otti simply laughed. The sound echoed through the room. Cruel. Heartless. Monstrous.

Wilson's wife continued crying on the floor.

His daughter refused to let go of him. Yet none of it affected Otti. Because men like him had long forgotten what mercy looked like.

Outside the bar… A black luxury vehicle slowly pulled to a stop. The rear door opened. A polished leather shoe touched the ground. Then another. I stepped out.

My eyes moved toward the brightly lit building.

The sound of music drifted into the night air. Dax approached my side. "Boss."

I remained silent.

My gaze fixed on the entrance. Several armed guards stood outside. Completely unaware. Completely unprepared.

Dax smiled. "Looks like General Otti is having a good evening."

I looked at the building. Then at the guards.vThen back at the entrance. A cold smile appeared on my face.

"No." My voice was calm. Deadly calm. "He's having his last one."

For ten years, I had carried the pain of that night. For ten years, I had buried my hatred. But tonight… One of the men responsible for my father's death would finally learn the cost of his actions. And General Otti was about to discover something terrifying. The boy who escaped the forest ten years ago… Had returned as a nightmare.