NovelE
Chapter 749
Chapter 749
Chapter 749 The Arm Out Of Nowhere
In the shooting room second floor of the banquet hall, Wilson was standing with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the railing. Watching Roderick approach, he scolded him in annoyance, “How many times have I told you, Roderick? You should have gone abroad to lay low. Why won't you listen? Why did you provoke Cayden again today? I heard he's secretly investigating the attack and the truth behind the plane incident. Even the most careful plans have flaws. You've never confronted him directly, you have no idea how terrifying he can be!”
Roderick stopped in front of the other man, wearing a cold smile on his face. “You're really making a mountain out of a molehill, aren't you, Wilson? Too fond of chasing shadows, perhaps? I told you I would handle everything. He won't uncover the truth. Even if he finds something, any leads will only point to the scapegoats.”
Wilson waved a hand while asserting forcefully, “You could do with a lesson in humility, Roderick, or you'll be bound to stumble. Regardless, after Grandpa's seventieth birthday tonight, you will go abroad. This is not negotiable!”
“I think you're losing your mind, Wilson,” Roderick said, irritated. “Since when is it your place to worry about my affairs? Are you so idle that you're going crazy? Does that woman, Evangeline, not satisfy you? I heard she is a wild one.”
Wilson scowled. “What does she have to do with this? Evangeline is not a woman you can mess with. Don't provoke her. I don't care what you have to deal with back home. Put it aside for now. Charlie has already arranged a private jet for you, bound for Italy quietly. You must leave tonight.”
“There is a way for me to concede and listen to you, Wilson. How about we make a bet?”
“What are we betting on?”
Roderick pointed at the target in the shooting room. “See the five rings on that target?” he said, his expression a mix of seriousness and amusement. “Let's have a shooting competition. Whoever hits the bullseye the most times wins.”
“That's all?” Wilson could not believe it.
Though Roderick was a renowned sharpshooter, few people know that he, seemingly frail, has also spent several years honing his skills in the military. His marksmanship was equally impressive, leaving people in awe, and it was not much different from Roderick's.
“Indeed, that's all. I'll go first.”
As he was speaking, Roderick smirked, picked up a pistol, and without any hesitation, fired at the target.
His marksmanship was impeccable. With six bullets fired, not a single one was wasted; every single one struck the dead center of the target.
After his shot, he swiftly loaded it with bullets and handed the pistol to Wilson. “It's your turn, Wilson,” he said with a mischievous smile. “You're a little rusty, aren't you? To avoid any claims of unfair competition, I've loaded this pistol with seven bullets. If you hit six, I'll consider it your victory.”
Wilson's brows furrowed even deeper. “So, if I beat you, you'll go with the arrangements Charlie and I
have made?” he asked skeptically.
He took the pistol and aimed at the target, but for some reason, a strong sense of unease surged within him.
“Of course,” Roderick said, his expression impassive. “If you lose, however, you are not allowed to interfere in any of my affairs. Moreover, you must convince Charlie not to meddle in my matters either.”
Wilson nodded. “Very well.”
He began to fire. In the aftermath of the reverberation of seven deafening bangs in a row, each one of the bullets was found stacked on top of the one before it, at the very center of the target. His lips curled with a satisfied smile.
Roderick applauded, a sinister smile on his lips. “I didn't expect your skills to still be intact after being inactive for such a long time. I truly admire you, Wilson! What a pity about the beautiful woman, though.”
A sudden heaviness weighed on Wilson's heart. His intuition told him that something was amiss yet he could not quite put his finger on what was wrong.
Roderick burst into hearty laughter, filled with a mix of sarcasm and triumph.
The look he gave his brother was one of contempt.
“You and Charlie are always so cautious, trembling with every step you take, afraid that if you move too fast, you'll shatter into pieces. But how can one stand at the peak of power without a bit of
ruthlessness? Without courage, how can you bring mountains of gold and silver to the Xenos family? I, on the other hand, have always been braver than both of you. I have single-handedly brought in nearly half of the Xenos family's wealth. You two don't have what it takes!”
Roderick walked over to the target and whipped away the white cloth with a flourish.
Reflected in Wilson's pupils was the sight of a beautiful woman, her body drenched in fresh blood.
Her mouth was tightly gagged, and her pupils dilated in fear. Having been shot seven times, her body was a horrific sight to behold.
The woman looked somewhat familiar. It took Wilson a while to recall—she seemed to be Yana, the female singer in the entertainment industry known for her stunning figure.
Wilson's heart was cold as ice. He closed his eyes in pain.
In a fit of rage, he grabbed Roderick by the collar and pressed the muzzle of his gun at the latter's head. “The Xenos family has always been known for its integrity and righteousness,” he roared. “How could someone as cruel and unfilial as you emerge from us? You treat human lives like disposable pawns. You're not fit to be a soldier! Why would you do this?”
Roderick chuckled sarcastically. “Ha! The Xenos family being righteous and upright is the best joke I've heard! It is full of internal strife, with everybody preying like wolves and tigers with all kinds of dirty tricks. When we three were almost killed by the legitimate line, where was this righteousness then? Besides, I've long since retired from the military, and money is king in society today. What use is there in being upright? I don't care what means I have to resort to as long as I can make money.”
He walked up to the lifeless body of the female singer, covering his nose in disgust. “As for this woman, I've had my fill of her long ago; she dared to use her pregnancy to blackmail me into marriage, threatening to expose our relationship and even my criminal evidence. She truly deserves her fate. Killing her like this is actually letting her off easy! Don't even think about meddling in my affairs, Wilson or I would be forced to do something I don't want to do.”
He glanced at his watch and realized that an hour had already slipped by.
He speculated that the woman named Avery was about to succumb to the effects of the drug. Without a backward glance, he left, leaving Wilson alone and staring in shock at the bloody corpse of the woman. Overwhelmed by pain, he squatted down and clutched his head.
...
The night grew increasingly enigmatic.
It was hot, so hot it felt like it was on the brink of explosion. Wave after wave of the surging heat within her body grew more intense with every passing minute. novelbin
Avery's mind was in complete disarray. Devoid of any strength from head to toe, even the slightest movement felt like a struggle.
The intense heat and restlessness coursing through her body almost seemed to sear, melting her from within.
Instinctively, she curled up her body, desperately rubbing it against the icy cold wall. She even turned on the faucet and doused her head with water, but it did nothing to alleviate the turmoil within her.
Instead, it seemed to intensify with every passing moment.
What on earth is going on?
After an indeterminate amount of time, Avery finally came to her senses in a daze. She realized she had been drugged.
Staggering as she opened the bathroom door, she tried to head toward the banquet. Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, however, she was seized by a powerful arm around her slender waist, which pulled her so forcefully that she collided with a chest as hard as an iron wall.