The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

Husky sighed deeply, a tired but content smile playing on his lips. "Really? I guess I do feel pretty lucky too. Can I ask you for a favor?" Stirling nodded, "Sure, shoot."

"Cover Shiba's eyes for me, will you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Husky lunged toward a man preparing to attack Stirling, only to have a poisoned dart pierce his arm!

"Dad! Are you okay?"

Fireworks erupted outside the window, briefly illuminating the dim cabin before chaos ensued. Husky knew better than anyone how many assassins were lurking around, how many bombs were planted in the cabin. He could go down with the members of the Abyssal and Obelisk Organizations, but Shiba was still so young!

Pressing down on the person next to him, Husky, enduring the pain, stood up and said with a smile, "It's okay, buddy. You like fireworks, don't you? Close your eyes and make a wish. Don't peek until I say so."

Shiba, clearly enjoying the game, obediently closed his eyes, "I'm ready!"

Stirling's hand covered Shiba's eyes. Outside, the fireworks continued to explode, a dazzling destruction that seemed almost apocalyptic. The venue descended into chaos, the sounds of fireworks masking the noise of the fight and gunfire inside. In the darkness, the sound of bodies hitting the water echoed, as sharks circled the cruise ship.

Yasbel clapped, "It's quite the buffet, isn't it?"

In less than ten minutes, nearly all the assassins had been dealt with. The killers from Soaring Bird, under Husky's signal, stood aside. Husky, looking at Shiba who was well-protected, coughed up blood.

Noella stepped forward, her voice cold, "You've been poisoned."

"It's you... you're the girl from earlier, the Wise Fool..."

Husky had never met Wise Fool before, but he recognized her by the mask and her aura. Noella was the one who had been toying with him at the poker table!

"Wise Fool, my men will stand down. The target is yours! But there are still members of the Abyssal Organization here..."

"The Abyssal Organization listens to me."

Husky couldn't believe it! Only now did he realize that he was the most laughable player in this game.

"The target is yours, just please, protect my child. He's innocent; he knows nothing!"

Noella responded calmly, "I have no intention of saving you, but your child is obviously special. Without parental protection, he won't survive long."

"You could tell..."

Husky coughed twice, his blood black as night. He looked at Shiba, still with eyes closed, and managed a desperate smile.

"I wanted to be there for him. He's got autism, and his mom didn't want him, but I do! It's okay, Huskies can find a corner to quietly survive in, and even if he can't... I'll be waiting for him."

Noella flipped her palm, revealing two pills. "This poison might be lethal, but it's nothing to me. The choice is yours: take these and betray 7-Slayer to be with your child, or let him live a life worse than a dog's. After all, whether 7-Slayer would care for a child who can't fend for himself, I don't know, but you do."

Husky knew all too well what kind of man 7-Slayer was. "Betraying the boss, he'd kill me too..."

"Then go ahead and die now. Don't worry, once you're gone, I'll toss your kid into the sea."

"You can't do that! He's done nothing wrong!"

Noella smirked coldly, "So, you mean the target did something wrong? Why should he die?"

Husky was dazed, "You... you weren't here to kill him? But you took the job!"

Obelisk Organization's contracts were for assassinations, weren't they? Not protection!

Noella was indifferent. "Just kill the person who issued the contract. How much money did they think would buy a Schnabel's life?"

Stirling, observing the masked assassin, felt a strange familiarity. "Yasbel, doesn't she remind you a bit of our Noella?"

Yasbel shrugged. "The top assassin of the deep web, and you think she's our boss? Careful, or she might not appreciate the comparison and take you out!"

Stirling quickly shut up. She seemed like Noella, but the cold, sharp look in the assassin's eyes made him shudder. Too fierce, definitely not their sweet and innocent Noella!

"Didn't you say you saw Noella earlier? Where is she?"

With so many assassins around and a fight breaking out, it would be too dangerous for his sister to be here.

Yasbel's lips twitched. To be the cause of such chaos yet remain so blissfully unaware, Stirling was truly one of a kind.

"She's probably watching the fireworks with Mr. Pollack. During such a romantic time, she's obviously not going to be with you."

"Good point, as long as Noella is safe!"

Husky looked at the pills in his hand, torn. Betray his boss or choose his son?

Stirling, sensing Husky's dilemma, spoke up, "If it were me, I'd choose my family every time."

"Beliefs and bosses be damned! I'll tell you, if anyone tried to hurt my sister in front of me, or made me choose between her and my acting career, I'd choose my sister in a heartbeat!"

Shiba, still with his eyes closed, asked curiously, "Is your sister from the stars too?"

Children with autism were often described as 'children from the stars,' not of this world.

Stirling smited gently. "No, but my sister is an angel. Mr. Husky, I can see that Shiba's condition is improving. I didn't even notice he was on the spectrum at first That's all down to your intervention."

Helping a child with autism develop the ability to communicate requires unimaginable effort from a parent. For those more severely affected, they might never even learn to call out 'mom' or 'dad.'

"If you were... if Shiba was in a special school, it wouldn't have made things any better."

The scales within Husky's heart tipped even further. Gritting his teeth, he forced the pill into his mouth and with one hand, yanked off the mask on his head!

A somewhat simple and honest face

fel

of a middle-aged man came into view, Husky's expression a mix of relief and intense agony! The hitmen of Soaring Bird, seeing him actually choose to betray 7-Slayer, instantly erupted in chaos.

"Husky! You actually sided with the Obelisk Organization!"

"Traitors must die!"

As bullets were loaded, Husky's pupils dilated, and he lunged towards Shiba, who had just opened his eyes! The bullet trajectory

shifted, piercing through Hush nee

arm, Blood slid down his hand, but the child he protected in his arms was unharmed, bursting into tears at the sight of Husky's injury.

"Daddy! Don't bleed! Shiba will listen to you from now on!"ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

"Daddy's okay..."

Shiba wailed, "Shiba can go to the bathroom now, Shiba can use his own potty! But daddy isn't here!"

Shiba was following Husky onto a cruise ship, just to tell him about his progress! With bullets and shells flying behind them, Husky held the child tight

in his arms.

"Shiba, you're amazing. Even if daddy isn't here, you have to keep living, to see the sun of tomorrow..."

Soaring Bird's hitmen were held at bay by Noella's sniper fire. The top sniper, carrying her rifle with a disdainful look and murderous intent, her presence as imposing as a queen.

"Even if he's a dog, he's now the Obelisk Organization's dog! You punks, got that?"