The First Strike
Gerard makes his move. With the list in his hands, he selects his first target—someone weak enough to break but valuable enough to shake Madam Wei's foundation. But as he hunts, so does the assassin. The game has officially begun.
---
A Target is Chosen
The safehouse was silent except for the sound of Gerard flipping through the list again, studying every name.
Some were powerful. Too powerful to strike immediately.
Some were connected. Too many eyes watching them.
But then, there were the weak ones.
The ones Madam Wei kept close but never fully trusted.
And that's where he would start.
His eyes landed on a name.
Zhao Feng.
A mid-level financial officer in one of Madam Wei's front companies.
He handled the dirty money. The kind that couldn't be traced.
The kind that, if exposed, would put pressure on her entire operation.
Jian glanced over from the couch, chewing on a protein bar.
"So, who's the lucky bastard?"
Gerard held up the file.
"Zhao Feng. He works late. Alone. No security detail."
Jian whistled. "Easy pickings. You want him dead or just scared?"
Gerard shut the folder. "Scared. For now."
Jian grinned. "Then let's go ruin his night."
---
Meanwhile – The Assassin Closes In
The assassin wasn't following the list.
He was following the fear.
People talked when they were scared. And after what happened at the warehouse, whispers had already spread.
A man who should have been dead.
A man who shouldn't be able to fight.
A ghost tearing through the underworld.
The assassin knew that sooner or later, Gerard would strike.
And when he did?
He would be waiting.
He adjusted his gloves and disappeared into the city.
---
Zhao Feng was the kind of man who never stood out in a crowd.
He was average in every possible way—average height, average build, average face.
But it was in his eyes that you could see the truth.
Small, darting pupils that never focused too long on one thing.
A nervous twitch in his left cheek every time he was put on the spot.
A perpetual sheen of sweat on his forehead, even when the air was cool.
His expensive suit didn't fit quite right—a little loose around the shoulders, slightly too tight around the stomach.
The gold watch on his wrist screamed money, but the way he kept adjusting it screamed insecurity.
Zhao Feng was a coward, but a smart coward.
He knew how to survive.
He knew how to avoid conflict.
He knew that asking too many questions was a death sentence.
That's why he was still alive.
But tonight?
Tonight, his luck had run out.
---
Zhao sat frozen in his chair, his fingers trembling against the desk.
His lips parted slightly, like he wanted to speak, but fear held his tongue.
Gerard could see the calculations running through his mind.
If I lie, will they know?
If I tell them too much, will they kill me anyway?
If I refuse to talk, will it be quick… or slow?
Jian smirked, watching him. "I can practically hear the gears turning in your head, Feng."
Zhao forced a weak chuckle, but the sound came out thin, strained.
"Listen, I—I'm not important. I'm just an accountant. I don't—"
Gerard cut him off.
"You're not just an accountant. You're the accountant. The one who launders every dirty dollar that keeps Madam Wei's empire running."
Zhao's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.
He licked his lips, trying to wet his dry mouth.
"I—I don't know what you're talking about."
Gerard placed the stolen list on the desk in front of him.
Zhao's eyes flicked to the paper.
And in that moment, Gerard saw it.
That brief, uncontrollable flash of panic.
Zhao knew exactly what it was.
Jian tapped his chin. "You know, I almost feel bad for him."
Gerard leaned in.
"Madam Wei sent a killer after me. She will do the same to you.
If you run, you're dead. If you talk, you might live."
Zhao's entire body shook.
He knew the truth.
He had no good options.
But in the end, fear of the unknown was worse than fear of the man in front of him.
So he talked.
---
The First Crack in Madam Wei's Empire
Zhao broke quickly.
Gerard didn't need torture.
Just a promise.
"If you help me, I can make sure you disappear before she finds out."
Zhao's hands shook as he typed into his computer.
Financial records. Account transfers. Hidden shell companies.
Madam Wei's money flowed through layers of deception.
But now?
Gerard had the first thread.
And once you pull a thread, the whole thing unravels.
Zhao gulped. "That's everything I know. Please, I—"
Gerard raised a hand, cutting him off.
"Do exactly as I say. Walk out of here. Get on a plane. Never come back."
Zhao didn't need to be told twice.
The moment Gerard released him, he bolted.
Jian shook his head. "He's going to piss himself before he makes it to the airport."
Gerard wasn't listening.
His focus was on the data.
And the name that kept appearing over and over again.
---
A New Target – A Man Worth Killing
One name stood out.
A man who wasn't just a piece of Madam Wei's empire.
A man who was a pillar of it.
Zhang Rui.
A high-ranking fixer. The kind of man who made problems disappear.
He was richer than Zhao, more connected, more protected.
But not untouchable.
Jian peered over Gerard's shoulder. "That's a big move, Walker."
Gerard's voice was calm, steady.
"Then let's make it count."
---
Meanwhile – The Assassin's Patience Pays Off
Zhao Feng was sweating as he walked down the street.
He thought he was free.
He thought he was safe.
Then a shadow moved beside him.
The assassin didn't say a word.
He just walked alongside Zhao, matching his pace.
Zhao's breath hitched.
Then, the assassin spoke.
"You talked, didn't you?"
Zhao opened his mouth—
A single silenced shot rang out.
Zhao crumpled, dead before he hit the ground.
The assassin holstered his weapon and kept walking.
He didn't need to chase Gerard.
Because now, Gerard was walking straight into him.
---