Calf hadn't even made a move—he'd only threatened verbally. And yet, this guy didn't bat an eye before stabbing someone?!
That knife strike was way out of line!
Tiger was stunned too. His mind blank, he swallowed hard and quickly pulled the sock from Damon Murphy's mouth. "Stop! Make him stop!" he shouted in panic.
Damon, breathless with fear, immediately yelled out, "Roy! What the hell are you doing?! You trying to get me killed?! If you've got the balls to come rescue me, then take off that damn mask! I know it's you, Roy!
You think you're tough? Then drop the act! If something happens to me, my father will never let you off the hook!"
Shhk!
Without warning, Veil drove the knife into the thug's chest again—another gaping wound gushing blood.
The man looked up at Veil, face ashen, eyes welling up as he whimpered, "Boss…"
Veil just offered an awkward little smile. "I've got a bit of OCD. I stabbed the right side—leaving the left side unbalanced just felt… wrong."
Damon Murphy was completely dumbfounded.
He knew Roy. His father had brought Roy to a dinner once. They didn't talk much, but it was obvious how much respect his father had for him.
But now? Even an idiot could see—this guy wasn't here to save him. Not at all.
"I get it now!" Damon's eyes widened in horror. "You're working with those two sisters, aren't you?! You want me dead so they can inherit the Murphy fortune, is that it?!"
Seeing the knife graze his neck and draw blood, his tone shifted immediately. Panic took over. "Please! Just save me! Whatever you want, money—I'll give it to you! Just get me out of here!"
Veil twirled the bloodied blade between his fingers, giving Damon a look of playful disdain. "You think you can compete with Jodie and Julia? You might be into fencing, but I'm not."
No more words were needed. Damon had said everything useful, and before he could say anything more, Veil flicked his wrist. The knife flew straight into Damon's chest, burying itself deep in his heart.
Even in death, Damon Murphy never saw it coming—never believed that Roy would be the one to kill him.
And just like that, without hesitation, as if afraid the thugs wouldn't do the job properly, Roy came to deliver the final blow himself.
Damon's eyes bulged wide, his body slumping in Calf's arms. For a second, their gazes locked—one full of disbelief, the other blank with shock.
The other thug didn't fare any better. His neck was snapped clean with a brutal twist.
Calf stumbled back, panic written all over his face. He didn't even get the chance to name names before a kick slammed into his chest and snuffed out his last breath.
Afterward, Veil moved with calm precision, like someone arranging a crime scene. He pressed their fingerprints onto the blades and the wounds, leaving behind just enough mess to tell a convincing story—then vanished into the night, pretending not to notice the scorpion hiding in the restroom who'd witnessed everything.
Huff…
Once the sound of footsteps faded, Scorpion slumped against the cold restroom wall, sliding down onto the floor. His back was drenched in sweat.
"Insane… absolutely insane. Borrowing a knife to kill? That damn Roy used us as scapegoats—just to seize the Murphy fortune… what a move…"
He swallowed hard. Without hesitation, he wiped the scene of any trace of his own involvement and slipped away into the shadows.
Seek revenge against Roy?
He'd have to be a complete idiot. That guy was on another level—snapping necks like twigs. His two brothers were both over six feet tall, yet in that guy's hands, they were like helpless rabbits. How could he possibly win?
Even if he could… why take the risk?
Go snitch to Kosdy Murphy?
That was an even dumber idea. Roy had killed Damon Murphy. That made Scorpion an accomplice. There was no walking away from that one.
Scorpion had been in the game a long time. His head was sharp.
If he reported Roy, sure, Kosdy might take revenge—but he'd get dragged down with him. Dead either way.
So after weighing every option… he chose to run. That was the only smart move.
Under the cover of night, Veil stood hidden in the shadows, watching Scorpion flee the scene. He peeled off his black gloves, then stowed away the skin mask back into the system's inventory.
It didn't serve much use anymore—but hey, no littering. Best not to leave behind any trace.
As for the chaotic scene behind him? He couldn't care less. If someone investigated, Scorpion's half-hearted cleanup wouldn't be enough to erase suspicion. No way anyone would believe it was just a fight gone wrong.
Let Kosdy Murphy deal with the aftermath.
Veil was happy to keep his hands clean.
Heh… "Child of Destiny," huh?
Getting smacked around again and again… Veil couldn't help but wonder what Roy was thinking now. Wasn't something starting to feel… off?
Maybe Roy still dreamed of rising to power under Kosdy Murphy's support. Maybe he even planned to turn on Veil one day.
But what Roy didn't know was… he wasn't the only one with that idea.
As a true villain, if Veil didn't understand the rule of strike first or be struck, he might as well blow himself up and let Roy earn the XP.
In the sprawling Murphy estate, dawn was just beginning to break, a faint glow creeping across the horizon.
Inside the study, Kosdy Murphy hadn't slept a wink all night. Yet his energy was anything but drained—he was running on sheer adrenaline, or more accurately, on a blazing fury.
The whole night had passed, and still not a word from the police. The Black Dragon Society had gone completely silent as well.
And after all the chaos that erupted last night—half of Veyport City had been turned upside down.
The city's airports and high-speed rail stations had all been locked down tight.
His son had been kidnapped just hours ago. Where could they possibly have escaped to?
"Damon… I swear I won't let anyone who hurt you get away with it!" Kosdy Murphy clenched his fists, grinding his teeth as his reddened eyes brimmed with rage.
Just then, the study door creaked open. Roy stepped inside, his face noticeably pale.
Kosdy immediately stood up and hurried over, a flicker of hope lighting up his worn face. "Mr. Roy, any news about my son?"
He knew Roy's background—his influence, his connections. If anyone could pull strings, it was him. Kosdy still held out hope.
Roy shook his head. "Nothing yet. What about the police? Or the Black Dragon Society?"
Truth be told, he hadn't even bothered to look. First, his mood had been terrible lately—he didn't want to deal with this kind of mess.
And second, something he ate the night before had done a number on him. He'd spent the whole night in the bathroom, vomiting and with diarrhea so bad he felt like a shell of a man.
Everything lately felt off. He'd been irritable for no reason, his emotions swinging wildly. Sometimes, he'd spot a pretty woman and get the gut feeling she'd be into him—only to be coldly ignored the moment he tried to flirt.
And his luck? Terrible.
Food poisoning, scam artists faking accidents to extort him, even getting bird poop dropped on his head while walking under a tree. Absolutely cursed.
Kosdy took a long look at him and, seeing Roy's pale complexion, assumed it was from searching all night. He managed to suppress his own frustration and gave a weary sigh. "Still no word… Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Roy. I know I've already asked a lot of you, but I must trouble you further. I promise, you'll be handsomely rewarded."
Roy nodded, offering a few words of comfort. "Don't worry. It's likely the kidnappers were after money. They wouldn't risk killing Damon Murphy."
Just as those words left his lips, Kosdy's phone rang. It was the police.
He picked up, and as he listened to the officer on the other end, his face went blank.
Then came the part that hit like a thunderclap.
The phone slipped from his hand and crashed to the floor with a sharp clack.
His eyes glazed over, pupils dull. His whole body seemed to age ten years in an instant. And then, without warning, an uncontrollable, burning fury erupted from within.
"Who was it?! WHO KILLED MY SON?!"
His roar echoed through the study as he stormed out without even bothering to change clothes.
Roy stood there frozen, face twisted in frustration.
You've got to be kidding me…
He had just said Damon was going to be fine—and the very next second, they call to say Damon had been murdered?!
Could his luck get any worse?
...
Meanwhile,
In the villa district.
Inside Lisa's home—
A girl wearing a white panda-print T-shirt was lounging on the couch. The panda printed across her chest looked extra chubby thanks to her ample curves. She gently massaged Lisa's shoulders with her slender hands, her tone soft and coaxing.
"CEO Lisa… Lisa sis… You're not going to work today anyway, right? Come shopping with me! It's been forever since we went out together!"
Lisa gave her a sideways glance and let out a weary sigh. "Not interested."
Daisy wrinkled her delicate nose playfully and clung to Lisa's arm, gently shaking it back and forth.
"Lisa, come on~ How about we go catch a movie together? There's a new comedy out, and the reviews are great! It'll be the perfect way to lighten the mood, don't you think?"
"Not in the mood," Lisa replied flatly, rolling her eyes with visible annoyance.
"And Daisy, will you stop calling me 'big sis'? You're literally a month older than me."
Daisy pouted internally. Sure, she was older, but she looked younger! With the right playful outfit, people often mistook her for a high school student.
She'd called Lisa "big sis" for ages, and never once had Lisa snapped at her for it. Today was a first.
Clearly, Lisa was deeply hurt by that scumbag.
With a huff, Daisy crossed her arms and grumbled, "So what if it's just a man? Is he really worth all this heartache? Skipping work is one thing, but now you're ignoring me too? Seriously, am I even your bestie anymore? Do I even count as someone who matters to you?"
Lisa kept her eyes glued to the television, her voice dull and hollow.
"If it weren't you, do you think I'd have told anyone about Veil?"
In Lisa's heart, Daisy held a place no one else did. She wouldn't have shared something like that otherwise.
"Is it worth it? He's just a guy, Lisa. You're amazing—why hang yourself on a single tree? Men like him are all the same. If he knew you were this broken over him, he'd be smug as hell. Probably even brag about it to his buddies!"
Daisy's tone carried the weight of bitter experience. She'd seen her fair share of heartless jerks—especially in the capital's socialite circles. They were everywhere. Shallow, arrogant men who thought money could win any woman over. Disgusting.
She had honestly believed Lisa wouldn't fall for that type. Just two weeks ago, Lisa couldn't stand Veil. She'd rant about him all the time!
And now? Now she looked like she'd been hit by a truckload of heartbreak.
All because of him?
"Come on, it's Veil we're talking about! He's totally doing this on purpose—trying to keep you on a string. It's classic 'play hard to get'—one of the oldest tricks in the book! You're so busy running your company, you don't even see it. Any girl who's had a couple relationships wouldn't fall for this nonsense!"
She crossed her arms dramatically, "You bring Veil out in the open, and I swear, I've got a hundred ways to expose him for the jerk he really is."
Lisa turned to her, frowning.
"Don't you dare. This has nothing to do with you, Daisy. Don't make things worse. I've got enough on my plate already."
Lisa knew Daisy meant well, but also knew exactly what kind of person her best friend was—lively, impulsive, always full of wild ideas. She claimed to be some love expert, but in reality? Zero relationship experience. Just a head full of theory and drama.
Daisy waved her off with a huff, turning to Lisa's assistant with a gleam in her eye.
"Hey, sis, are you really going to sit there and watch Lisa spiral like this? You know what kind of guy Veil is, don't you? You've seen it from the sidelines!"
She pointed at Lisa dramatically, "Even if Lisa's going through her hormonal phase, that doesn't mean she should waste it on that kind of trash. Help me out here—let's team up and give her a proper intervention. Once we expose Veil's true colors, she'll thank us!"
Lisa shot them both a glare.
"I dare you to try."
Daisy instantly launched herself at Lisa, puffing out her chest.
"Dare accepted! And don't forget—I took two years of Taekwondo!"
—
A few minutes later—
Lisa was restrained. Her assistant stood by with an exasperated look.
"Honestly, Miss Lisa… Even I'm starting to worry. From an outsider's point of view, it really does look like Daisy might be right. What if Veil is just another player who can't resist temptation?"
"Stop struggling already, Lisa. This is happening," Daisy said with a smug grin, playing with Lisa's phone. After a moment, she lifted the screen in triumph.
"Done. I've already set the meeting. Location? My hotel. And today—Veil's true face will be revealed to the world!"
Her eyes sparkled with pride, practically overflowing with confidence.
She had dozens of tricks up her sleeve—each one capable of ripping Veil's mask off completely.
A scumbag like him? Please. Daisy would have him exposed in minutes.
Messing with other girls was one thing. But messing with her best friend?
That was a whole different level of stupid.
Daisy's eyes gleamed with sly amusement as she muttered to herself,
"Veil, don't blame me for not giving you a chance. You just messed with the wrong girl. Let's see how I ruin your little façade today!"