Chapter 2 Leon Winston

At the Interpol press conference, Victor looked terrible.

Facing reporters' tricky questions about the new Red Notice, he kept a straight face the whole time, saying nothing.

"There's such a dangerous killer out there, and Interpol never knew about it?"

"Are you sure you're not just wasting taxpayers' money?"

"We demand you release all the information about this killer!!"

Victor cleared his throat.

"For now, all we can reveal is that this killer goes by the codename 'Ghost Godslayer'. We've reopened investigations into all cases over the years involving sudden deaths, accidents, and mysterious deaths of government officials, heads of state, and leaders from various countries. We'll notify you when there's progress..."

As the press conference was wrapping up, Victor suddenly remembered something. He stared into the camera and said coldly, "Maybe this killer is watching all of this right now. You think you've won. We swear we'll investigate to the end. We will catch you, you ghost. Alright, that's it!"

At least Victor was right about that last part.

Leon Winston was indeed enjoying the fruits of his work.

He smiled and turned off the TV.

Ten years.

For ten years, he'd been a 'ghost' that didn't exist.

And on his final job.

He finally got a name.

But Leon wasn't worried about Interpol at all. That organization was basically just a bunch of amateurs with pathetically limited enforcement powers. Plus, his past work left no traces. Unless they could go back in time, there was no way they could pin anything on him.

The next challenge would be much tougher than Interpol.

Leon walked to the balcony, looking out at the endless beach.

Tourists were swimming, diving, parasailing--everything looked so carefree.

Leon casually pulled out a sealed letter.

The wax seal bore the family crest of the American 'Winston family'.

Seven days ago, it had been delivered to him through 'the Backstage' with a ten-million-dollar payment.

Yes.

Ten million dollars just to get Leon to accept the letter.

The letter's content was simple: Alexander Winston, the head of the Winston family, was begging Leon to attend a family meeting. His days were numbered, and he hoped to make up for past wrongs to family members.

"Wrongs?"

So that's what they're calling it now?

Leon sneered and crumpled the letter into a ball.

Buried memories stabbed into his mind like shattered glass.

More than ten years ago.

His father had broken off an engagement with the Augustus family to marry his mother, offending that super-wealthy American family.

To please the Augustus family, the Winston family used every means to destroy his parents.

Car accidents, shootings, acid attacks...

One "accident" after another, until his father jumped to his death, and all the torture and threats finally ended.

Leon's mother gave birth to him in that environment of torture and madness.

Every time Leon saw his mother's face, scarred by acid, his heart ached.

Though the Winston family was kind enough to take them in, they were constantly bullied and excluded from the family.

When he was seven, the Winston family finally formed a marriage alliance with the Augustus family.

Leon would never forget that day--a cold Christmas, snowflakes covering his clothes.

He and his mother were driven from the estate like dogs. The new Mrs. Augustus claimed his mother had an affair, that Leon was a bastard, and that he and his mother were never to set foot on the estate again.

His mother sold everything and went back to Italy.

Not long after, his mother died from lead poisoning after suffering terribly.

He remembered what his mother looked like in her final days.

No morphine, no painkillers left. She'd curl up in bed all night, biting her pillow to keep from crying out. In her rare lucid moments, she'd stroke his head and say, "Leon, when you grow up... don't hate the Winston family. That's your father's roots."

Don't hate them.

Mom, you were too kind.

Leon didn't feel any honor in that bloodline--he found it disgusting.

Lost in thought.

Suddenly, there was a tremor in the air.

A bullet whistled through the air.

Leon jerked his head back. The bullet grazed his cheek and pierced through a nearby potted plant.

Looking up, he saw a woman parasailing in the distance transform into a killer, with a handgun now in her hand.

She flew toward Leon's balcony, firing continuously.

Leon dodged into the room, casually tossing out a smoke grenade.

The woman released her parasail and landed on the balcony like an angel. As soon as she entered the room, a hand quickly intercepted her.

Leon's movements were like a python's.

After struggling briefly, the woman was pinned to the ground.

"Selena, so eager for the number one killer spot that you'd set up a meeting just to try this?" Leon smiled slightly.

The woman removed her goggles, revealing an angelic face.

"Darling, you're still so quick. I thought maybe you were retiring because you were getting old."

"Old? You can test whether I've still got it." Leon kissed her lips.

Selena dropped her gun and wrapped her arms around his head.

Their clothes came off.

After an intense session, Selena was too exhausted to move a finger.

"Darling, you're still so fierce. The killer world will be so boring without you." Selena whispered, "Why don't we team up for one more job? How about assassinating the Pope?"

"The Pope still owes me a favor. You can't touch him until he's paid it back." Leon said flatly.

"Fine, fine." Selena sounded disappointed.

"I'll give you the number one killer title from now on. I'm bored with it anyway."

"What are you planning to do? Found something more interesting?" Selena's eyes lit up.

Leon walked to the balcony, gazing at the vast ocean.

His gaze pierced through to that distant land known as a country where even sin is free.

Returning to that cold home as a ghost.

Now that would be interesting.

For the first time, Selena saw Leon looking troubled. She stopped smiling and quietly walked behind him, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Leon. You're always arranging other people's endings, like your own life doesn't matter. Whatever happens, I'll always be on your side."

Leon turned around, and Selena kissed him.

...

A few days later, Long Island, New York, USA.

The Gold Coast.

One of America's top luxury residential areas, where every mansion carried a family's century of glory.

The largest estate sat at the end of the beach on a cliff, surrounded by ocean on three sides and connected to a private road on the fourth.

This was the Winston Estate.

The Winston Estate's history dates back to the Mayflower. For a century, the family had deep roots in both politics and business. After the marriage alliance with the Augustus family, the current family head, Alexander Winston, controlled the vast Winston family empire.

But this glorious empire had reached its twilight years.

Alexander had recently survived an assassination attempt.

That was why Leon had been summoned back.

Only when they smell death do prey know to huddle together.

The taxi suddenly stopped.

Leon opened his eyes.

The driver said hesitantly, "Up ahead is the Winston family's private property. Taxis aren't allowed in."

"Go ahead, it'll be fine."

Leon closed his eyes again.

The driver hesitated, perhaps convinced by Leon's confident demeanor, and pressed the gas pedal.

Soon enough, the taxi was stopped by security.

"This is Winston's family's private property. Unauthorized persons, please leave immediately, or you'll face punishment from the Winston family for trespassing." The lead guard, a burly Black man, looked fierce.

The driver opened his mouth and looked at Leon.

Leon opened his eyes, rolled down the window, and handed over a sealed letter.

The security captain casually opened the letter, but the next second, his face changed dramatically. He waved his hand, signaling them to let the car through.

The others watched the car drive away.

A team member asked in confusion, "Captain, we're really not stopping them?"

"That's the family head's personal letter, the mark of a Winston family bloodline member. You think I can stop them?" The security captain broke into a cold sweat.

"Huh? Didn't everyone already arrive for today's Winston family meeting?"

"Never heard of any family member being so broke they'd need to take a taxi."

Everyone started talking among themselves.

But the security captain thought of a legendary figure.

His face changed dramatically. "It can't be that person..."