Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Meeting
Fortunately, neither of them was injured. They slipped inside the villa and began their search. According to the Francelian’s testimony, Asher was supposed to be on the top floor, but there was no way to know if he was telling the truth.
Even if it meant walking into a battle they couldn’t be sure of winning, they had to press on.
Top Floor
Asher had heard the commotion below for a while now, but he didn’t care. It was only a matter of time before they found him. It was time for his midnight snack, and nothing was going to disturb his peace.
After fighting their way through countless obstructions, Ronan Jenkins and Sean Murphy finally reached the top floor. Its decor was completely different from the other levels. Black dominated the space as far as the eye could see. Even the chandelier was made of black crystal, providing almost no light. This put Ronan and Sean at a severe disadvantage; in the oppressive darkness, they couldn’t get their bearings.
Asher had just finished his midnight snack. He took a handkerchief, dabbed the corner of his mouth, then slowly rose to his feet and pushed the door open...
Ronan Jenkins and Sean Murphy were still in the corridor. They had clearly heard a door open, but they could see no one. The two advanced cautiously. A sudden gust of wind swept past, and several strands of Sean Murphy’s hair were sliced clean off, drifting to the floor.
"Ronan, someone’s here!" Sean Murphy exclaimed, grabbing the severed strands of his hair. A sharp blade had cut them, yet he hadn’t sensed anyone approach. In the pitch-blackness, Asher stood with his back to Ronan and Sean, clad in a black trench coat, but the two of them still hadn’t seen him.
Black was already difficult to discern in the darkness, and he was deliberately suppressing his presence. No wonder they hadn’t spotted him.
Suddenly, a pair of green eyes, glowing like luminous pearls, pierced the darkness. Asher turned around, a horrifying smile spreading across his face.
Sean Murphy and Ronan Jenkins drew their guns on him in unison. He didn’t flinch, instead striding right up to them. "I was in front of you the whole time. Didn’t you see me? What a bunch of useless fools! Why would Kenneth Yates ever befriend you?! Hahaha!" Asher’s laughter thundered through the air, seeming to echo from every corner of the villa.
"Think you can look down on us? We’ll show you what we’re made of!" Ronan Jenkins holstered his pistol and whipped out a dagger, slashing at the man’s green eyes. Asher hadn’t expected him to pull a knife. Unable to dodge completely, his cheek was grazed, and bright red blood trickled down his face.
Asher wiped the blood away with his sleeve, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "You do have some skill. I underestimated you. But are you certain you want to make an enemy of me?"
Another gust of wind blew past, and the green eyes vanished into the night, plunging them once again into absolute darkness.
They pressed forward, but the corridor was like a maze. No matter which way they went, they couldn’t seem to find its end, let alone an exit.
Kenneth Yates had searched every room on the second floor but had come up empty. Now, only the top floor remained. He looked up. It was unlit, a pitch-black void. ’What could possibly be waiting for me up there?’
Upon reaching the top floor, Kenneth Yates went straight into one of the rooms. It was a peculiar room; while all the others were pitch-black, this one was filled with a faint red glow.
"So, you’ve arrived. How about you stop sending your friends to deal with me? If you have business with me, you can say it to my face." Asher appeared before Kenneth Yates in an instant, standing incredibly close.
"Friends? Are you saying you’ve already met Ronan and Sean?" Kenneth Yates tightened his grip on his gun, discreetly hiding it behind his back.
"Oh, yes." Asher sat back down on the bed, watching Kenneth Yates from a distance with a cold, detached gaze. "Don’t you worry, I haven’t done anything to them. It’s just... I’m afraid they won’t be coming to find you for a little while!"
