Brian pulled Molly out of the way and raised his arm to fire twice. A bullet intended for either of them
missed its target. Brian's first shot caught the man who was aiming at them. He died quickly and was
never able to fire back. Another sniper, who was getting ready to use his machine gun, was Brian's
second victim in the dark.
His practiced eyes roamed the area as they continued to move forward. Brian wanted to make sure no
one was hiding in the dark ready to surprise them. Even though the path was rough and dangerous,
Brian estimated they could reach the peak near L City once they come through the forest and pass the
river basin.
Howard may be smart, but he had a fatal weakness. He was conceited.
Having lost out twice to him, Brian was determined to get even this time. Anyone familiar with Phoenix
Mountain should know the path that led out of it. But it required passing the river basin, which had too
many hidden spots that were dangerous.
The sound of gunfire from the foot of the mountain faded then finally disappeared as Brian and Molly
kept on climbing. The only sounds now were the whisper of the wind blowing through dried grass. Molly
had no idea how long they have been traveling. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could
make out vague outlines around her. She stumbled, slowing down her brisk pace. Just ahead was a
desolate land area, but the well-worn path they passed earlier was no longer there. Brambles crunched
loudly as she and Brian stepped on them, making the situation more creepy.
No longer able to feel her legs, Molly trudged after Brian mechanically. She didn't know where he was
leading her to, but she felt safe with him.
Suddenly, Brian stopped and turned around. He looked at Molly's tired face, glistening with sweat. "Get
on me!" he commanded.
"What?" She gave him a confused look.
"Let me carry you," he offered. It embarrassed him to make the offer and thought it was weird why he
felt that way all of a sudden.
A wave of happiness flooded her, but Molly twitched her nose and haughtily replied, "I can walk by
myself!" She bit her lips again.
Their condition now was harsh enough, and Molly didn't want to add to Brian's burdens. He already
gave his word to keep her safe, and Molly didn't want the man protecting her to get hurt as well.
Holding back her sadness, Molly quietly asked, "Bri, we can make it. We can escape from this hell,
right?" Through his night vision goggles, Brian could see her face clearly.
Stroking her face, now cold from sweat and fear, Brian vowed, "I will get you out of here safely. Do you
believe me?"
Nodding, Molly jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around Brian's waist. "I believe you, Bri. I
believe you," she said in a voice choked with emotion.
Unable to control herself any longer, Molly broke down since accepting the mission from Jenifer. She
blamed herself for being stupid and for allowing others to manipulate her. Had she told Brian everything
from the beginning, things could have turned out differently.
Sensing her remorse, Brian said nothing but just stroked her back to console the woman. He needed to
take care of something immediately. Otherwise, it may be another bomb that could explode this time.
He was determined to do everything to protect Molly after it became clear to him she was the one he
truly loved.
The tension and hostilities in the mountainside have not abated. Near the foot of the mountain, Jenifer
and Edgar were still tussling with each other. Equally adept, no one could get the upper hand for long.
The difference between them was that Edgar came alone while Jenifer had a team with her. The man
almost lost after other girls joined in the fray.
Meanwhile, Lenny and his men still couldn't find a way to infiltrate enemy territory. What made their
situation worse was the wounding of some members of the team. Eric was extremely anxious about his
brother, but could only grit his teeth in frustration. He was about to make a call, but even before he
could dial, a convoy of black cars arrived.
Apprehensive, Eric had no idea who had arrived. His mind raced while cold sweat beaded on his face.
The lead car stopped, and a man with a silver mask stepped out. He came up to Eric and asked
brusquely, "Is Brian in the mountain?"
"Mr. Shen?" Eric gasped. He had recognized the man because of the silver mask. His hands turned
clammy.
It was only last month when Eric and his brother learned of Mr. Shen, the boss of Sacred Domain, an
all-powerful organization in A City. He also had a history with Shirley.
He nodded in answer to the question. "There are two people trapped in the mountain, Brian and Molly,"
Eric said, trying to look calm.
Mr. Shen looked grimly at Eric. Known for his notoriety, the man knew everything that was happening in
A City and would have preferred to stay away from the place were it not for Shirley. And while he knew
Brian could handle matters himself, Mr. Shen did not want him to risk his life.
With Sacred Domain's help, there was no need for Eric to dial the number that he was hesitant to call
earlier. Justin didn't expect a gangland organization to dare go up against the government because
they would not win. But something changed after they got involved.
The gunbattle at the foot of the mountain was still raging. But there was now a ray of hope for Brian
and Molly, who were trapped inside.
Tightening his hold on Molly, Brian led her to safety. Molly gritted her teeth in exhaustion and only kept
her chin up through sheer willpower.
They made it through the mountainside when Brian suddenly halted. They only had to cross the basin
to reach L City. The problem now was navigating the steep slope ahead of them. Molly and Brian had
to be very careful because the danger was slipping and getting entangled in prickly shrubs. And getting
caught in brambles made them an easy target for the enemies.
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