Chapter 4

I have been held captive in the basement of the family estate for three days.

Over the past three days, Antonio has used countless methods to try to see me break down, beg for mercy, and grovel.

But all he saw were a pair of eyes that looked down on him with cold indifference, as if he were looking at a clown.

He thought he held the power of life and death, but little did he know that the branding iron in his hand was merely accelerating the countdown to my departure from this world.

[Alert: Host's vital signs have fallen below the danger threshold.]

[Extensive organ failure, with 85% of the body damaged.]

[Progress Exit: 90%...]

The system's mechanical voice broadcast precisely in my mind.

Seeing that he couldn't get any satisfaction from this, Antonio narrowed his eyes menacingly: "Adrian, do you think I can't do anything to you just because you don't speak?"

He leaned close to my burned ear, lowering his voice, his tone filled with venomous malice: "Valentina will be coming down to inspect soon. But don't worry, she definitely won't recognize you. Because in my report, the real 'Adrian' has already fled to escape punishment and is wanted throughout the city. And you..."

He patted my charred cheek and laughed cruelly:

“You are just a die-hard ‘accomplice’ who refused to reveal his whereabouts in order to cover up for his master, and even set himself on fire in the prison, burning his face.”

The heavy cast iron door at the far end of the basement was pushed open.

The sound of high heels striking the stone slabs was crisp and sharp, each step carrying the unique oppressive aura of the Kolob family's godmother.

Valentina has arrived.

The madness in Antonio's eyes vanished instantly, seamlessly transforming into a look of heartbreak and weakness.

He even covered up a non-existent "old wound" and quickly went to meet him.

“Godmother, you shouldn’t be in such a filthy place.” Antonio blocked her way, pretending to report, “Adrian has fled to escape punishment and hasn’t been caught yet. But we’ve detained his most important accomplice. He’s very stubborn and refuses to reveal Adrian’s whereabouts. Last night, he even broke a light bulb and set fire to a haystack in an attempt to set himself on fire. He’s been saved, but his face and voice are completely ruined.”

Valentina, wearing that sharply tailored black trench coat, stopped three meters away from me.

In the dim, dappled light, her gaze pierced through the iron bars and landed unguarded on my disfigured body.

In those amber eyes that I've looked into for fifteen years, there wasn't a trace of doubt or excitement.

Only those in positions of power feel pure indifference and disgust when looking down upon filth and garbage.

At this distance, if she were to take just half a step closer, she would discover that the scars covering her body could not possibly have been caused by an ordinary fire.

But she didn't.

She believed Antonio's lies without a doubt.

She had no patience whatsoever for scrutinizing me, this "hard-boned comrade" with a face full of festering sores.

"Where's Adrian? He doesn't even dare to show his face?" Valentina said coldly, her tone revealing undisguised disappointment and contempt.

Fifteen years of companionship, the blood oaths forged amidst the clash of swords, couldn't withstand a forged confession.

I stared at her intently, a short, suppressed laugh escaping my throat like a broken bellows.

Is it sad? No, I just find it ridiculous.

Valentina frowned in disgust, turned around, and issued an ultimatum to the law enforcement officers behind her.

“Since Adrian refuses to show himself, let’s establish our authority by targeting his confidants. Tomorrow morning, summon all the core members of the family to the underground church.”

She turned her head, her profile cold and aloof: "According to the rules, I will personally carry out the execution."

The sound of high heels gradually faded away until the iron gate slammed shut with a loud "bang," completely separating her from the truth into two different worlds.

[Warning: Signs of organ failure have reached a critical point.]

[Progress: 98%]

underground chapel of the family manor , beams of light shone through the stained-glass windows high above.

I was tightly bound to an execution chair by thick steel chains, and a suffocating black cloth bag was tightly covering my head.

“Execute them, for the honor of the family,” an elder coldly echoed from the side.

The sound of high heels stopped two steps in front of me.

Then came the crisp metallic clanging sound – “click”.

I know that voice all too well.

Pull back the slide to chamber the bullet.

It was a custom Colt pistol made entirely of pure silver and inlaid with an ebony grip.

That gun was a coming-of-age gift that I personally crafted for her. She cherished it and even named it "The Executioner."

And now, the "executioner's" gun is coldly pressed against my forehead, which is covered by a black hood.

A hand roughly grabbed the collar of my black cloth bag and yanked it upwards.

Eyes that have been in darkness for a long time are suddenly dazzled by the bright light.

I squinted slightly, staring intently at the woman standing in front of me through the dim light filtering through the stained glass.

Valentina looked down at me from her elevated position.

She wore her favorite fitted black trench coat, her beautiful face expressionless, and her amber eyes held not a trace of the tenderness and warmth that once belonged to her partner.

Her gaze swept lightly over my face, which was disfigured and peeling from repeated burning.

Valentina gripped the "executioner's" hand tightly, her voice as cold as a poisoned icicle, echoing mercilessly in the church that had witnessed a century of her family's history:

"You betrayed your family, and the evidence is irrefutable."

Her gun barrel pressed forward mercilessly, the hard metal striking my brow bone squarely.

“As your godmother, I must execute you myself.”

Valentina pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Bang--!"

Gunshots rang out.

The bullet ripped my heart apart with perfect accuracy.

Blood splattered on the hem of Valentina's trench coat.

The pain reached its peak in an instant, and was then enveloped by absolute nothingness in the next instant.

[Warning! Host's vital signs have dropped to zero!]

[Main quest completely abandoned; execution completed outside the program!]

The system's electronic voice exploded deep within my consciousness.

My perspective began to detach from the physical body, floating into mid-air.

Because the muscles had completely lost their vitality, my left hand slid limply from the shadows, and as the body fell, it twirled and hung down.

It happened to fall into a beam of pale sunlight projected through the stained glass.

In the very instant Valentina turned her head—

Out of the corner of her eye, she involuntarily glanced at the left hand bathed in the beam of light.

It was a hand covered in dried blood and dust.

His palms were limp and facing upwards, with four intact vertebrae clearly visible.

The only place where the index finger should be is empty.

Clang—

Without warning, the pure silver "executioner" slipped from Valentina's hands and crashed heavily onto the stone floor.

The godmother, who was aloof and cold just a moment ago, seemed to have been hit in the face by an invisible giant hammer, and she staggered back a step.

"Adrian?"