Chapter 7: Top Dark Web Assassin, Blackfire!

Catherine did not speak for several seconds.

“Who placed the order?” she finally asked.

“Unknown. The account is fully encrypted.”

Her fingers pressed against her temples, slow and deliberate, as if forcing her thoughts into alignment.

“Reject it,” she said. “Then trace the IP. I want a name, a location, and a breathing body behind that account.”

A pause crackled through the line.

“Yes… but there’s a complication. The client posted multiple identical contracts. Besides the one specifically addressed to you, several open contracts have already been claimed.”

Catherine’s gaze darkened.

On the dark web, only a handful of assassins — herself included — received fixed-price contracts. Everyone else fought over open listings like predators over fresh blood.

.

To kill Marcus, they'd actually arranged over a dozen assassins!

“Send me the list of those who accepted,” she ordered.

The call ended.

"This is the place, right? Tip says Marcus Windsor is hospitalized here — Building Three, third floor, room three.”

"Correct. Snipers in position, everyone else follow me into the hospital."

Across from Bright Heal Hospital, , three snipers settled into hidden vantage points, rifles angled toward the illuminated hospital window where Marcus paced slowly inside his room.

Six assassins entered through the main doors disguised as visitors, delivery personnel, and medical staff. Once inside, they split in different directions, vanishing inside the building .

On the rooftop of an adjacent building, Catherine lay prone behind her suppressed sniper rifle.

Her scope aligned with three separate windows.

Her breathing slowed.

She was calculating trajectories.

The snipers were 1000 feet away—within her range!

She pulled the trigger. Three bullets fired simultaneously, following their predetermined paths without deviation, hitting all three snipers right between the eyes!

Before they could even send a distress signal, the snipers dropped dead.

Catherine on the rooftop acted as if she'd known the outcome all along. Without a flicker of emotion, Catherine dismantled the rifle in practiced motions, slid the components into a slim case, pulled on a cap, and headed downstairs.

Third floor—a group of people appeared in the hallway!

At their center walked a man who drew attention without trying.

He wore a black shirt with sleeves rolled to the forearms, revealing lean strength and clean lines of muscle. His brows were sharp, his eyes bright and cold, his face sculpted with a ruthless precision that seemed almost unreal.

He looked like a masterpiece carved by a merciless god.

A faint smile rested on his lips — elegant, restrained.

Yet an invisible chill radiated from him, warning others not to come closer.

At 6 feet 2 inches tall, he carried an aura of coldness—a presence that could only belong to one person!

Alexander, head of the Howard family, one of Imperia City's great families!

The Howard empire stretched across continents — real estate, healthcare, finance, education, global investments. Every year, Alexander topped the world wealth rankings… and those figures represented only what was publicly visible.

No one dared estimate the Howard family's true power anymore.

In Stellara, they straddled both political and business worlds, with fingers in real estate, healthcare, finance, and education.

Every household in Stellara was bound to have something from a Howard family enterprise!

The moment Alexander appeared, the entire floor fell silent.

His gaze swept the corridor once.

“Excuse me,” he said mildly, “has the medical staff been changed?”

The head nurse hadn't expected Alexander to be so perceptive. She quickly explained, "Yes, there was an issue with Mr. Windsor's medication."

A barely perceptible cold gleam flashed in Alexander's eyes before he looked away.

A faint sound—a bullet cutting through air—suddenly reached Alexander's ears!

He had undergone elite training since childhood. He knew the sound signature of every caliber and firing mechanism.

This sound was one he'd heard before!

"Protect Mr. Windsor."

He gave the order and turned toward the corridor behind him.

Catherine’s hand clamped around an assassin’s throat. Her blade flashed upward. An artery opened. Blood sprayed the wall in a thin arc.

Her movements were economical, almost elegant. No wasted motion. No hesitation. No sound beyond the soft collapse of bodies hitting the floor.

"That technique—you're Blackfire? Blackfire didn't accept the contract! What are you doing here!"

“Retreat! Retreat! Blackfire’s here — it’s a trap!"

Catherine ignored them. A bullet flew from her gun, hitting an assassin right between the eyes!

The remaining killers froze for half a second — long enough to understand.

No escape. Only a last stand. They drew their weapons. Eyes bloodshot. Fingers trembling on triggers.

"Your opponent is me."

A calm male voice came from deep in the stairwell!

Footsteps followed.

Slow.

Measured.

Black leather shoes struck the tile with a steady rhythm, each step reverberating like something rising from the depths of hell.

A man in a black shirt emerged from the shadows.

A refined, composed smile played on his lips as he moved with invisible speed, striking out. The assassins stopped breathing before they even realized what happened!

Catherine's gaze fell on him.

She'd never seen him before.

But with those skills and that killing aura—if she wasn't mistaken—only one person in the world fit that description.

Nightfall, leader of Shadow Syndicate, ranked number one on the dark web assassin leaderboard!

Catherine frowned slightly, meeting Alexander's equally assessing gaze.

Alexander took down the assassin beside him with one hand, his wrist cracking as he smiled. "I heard your price went up again?"

Catherine did not respond.

Her bounty had climbed to terrifying heights.

Those who wanted her dead could form a line stretching from the Smith Mansion to Tranquilwave Ocean.

Clearly Alexander had guessed her identity too.

Catherine's knife efficiently pierced an assassin's neck as she said coldly, "No need for false modesty. Your life is worth quite a bit too."

Alexander paused, faint amusement flickering in his eyes.

He hadn’t expected the infamous Blackfire from the dark web assassin rankings to possess such a sharp tongue.

Catherine dusted off her hands, having taken down the assassins around her, then looked up at Alexander.

"Are you here to kill Marcus too?"

He withdrew a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his fingers with meticulous precision.

"What if I am? What if I'm not?"

He had seen the contract. Specifically requesting Blackfire.

He had not expected her to look this young.

This harmless.

But Alexander knew that age, gender, and appearance were the least important things!

In fact, they made the best disguises.

Catherine's gaze turned cold.

If Nightfall was also here to kill Marcus, she had no confidence she could escape unscathed.

"Drop this contract."

Alexander wasn't surprised. He leaned against the stairwell,his cufflinks caught the overhead light, each movement composed and effortless.

A gentleman in every visible detail. A monster beneath the surface.

Even Catherine, looking only at this man's appearance, couldn't guess he was Nightfall—a ruthless killer with brutal methods.

"I can, but you have to join Shadow Syndicate."

Silence stretched between them.

Was he sick or something?

Everyone on the dark web knew that her Faceless Ones and Nightfall's Shadow Syndicate were rival organizations, constantly stealing contracts from each other.

And now he wanted her to join Shadow Syndicate?

"I'll think about it."

“I await your answer.”

Her expression tightened. She gave him one final glance, then turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Behind her, Alexander lit a cigarette.Smoke curled upward.

His eyes darkened, turning cold and abyssal — like a demon remembering its true form.

Marcus took several phone calls. His face, which had softened considerably after seeing Catherine, immediately darkened.

He picked up his cane and went into the next room.

Inside, an old man in a hospital gown playing chess against himself looked up. "Felix Howard, what are you doing here? Didn't you say Catherine was coming to see you today? Where is she!"

Marcus almost whacked him with his cane.

"I sent her home."

Felix slapped his thigh. "You just let her leave like that! I haven't even seen her yet!"

Marcus snorted coldly and sat on the sofa. The old general who'd been through countless battles put away the kindness he'd shown Catherine, his presence commanding as a mountain.

"There are quite a few people in this hospital who want me dead."

Felix snorted. "What's that got to do with me? If you die, you die. Don't expect me to come to your funeral! Where's Catherine!"

He looked toward Alexander, who had just walked in.

"You've got some nerve showing up! Let me tell you, if you don't get married this year, I'll beat you to death!"

Alexander pressed his temples, smiling. "Grandpa, you can't beat me."

Felix threw his chess piece at him, which Alexander caught with one hand.

Marcus acted as if he hadn't seen anything, smiling. "I heard some commotion. They came to kill me, right?"

Alexander nodded. "Yes, all anonymous dark web assassins. I suspect Blackfire might also be targeting you. If you need, I can help investigate."

Marcus waved his hand, picking up a chess piece and making a move.

"No need. I know what's going on."

"Let's play chess. No more talk about unpleasant things."

Alexander said nothing more, maintaining his gentlemanly, composed demeanor, calm and collected.

Felix threw another chess piece at him. "Get lost! I'm annoyed just looking at you! Go take my granddaughter-in-law out to dinner and a movie, or I'll die right here in front of you!"