"Dalzollene," Neon commanded coldly, "pay him."
"Yes, Miss Neon," Dalzollene replied without hesitation. He signaled to Shachmono with a glance.
Shachmono understood, bringing over a suitcase and placing it on the ground in front of the short man, who was still lying down.
He laughed mockingly, "Look at you, you coward! Count your money and scram!"
The short man looked up in surprise, clearly not expecting the Nostrade family to actually pay him. He quickly reached for the suitcase, his hands trembling as he opened it.
When he saw the neat stacks of cash inside, his eyes widened with greed, just like they had the day he first laid eyes on the Scarlet Eyes at the car crash.
Without even counting it, he shut the suitcase, scrambled to his feet, and bowed repeatedly to Neon, muttering a few flattering words before turning and fleeing, tripping several times as he ran off.
The Nostrade family found this amusing, their tension easing a little.
"Miss Neon," Dalzollene said, smiling, "Shall we head back?"
"Alright." Neon smiled and turned to her maid. "Eliza, hold the Scarlet Eyes for me. I want to take a good look at them on the way back, and maybe send a few photos to my father…"
Before Eliza could respond, they heard a strange "pop" sound from not far away.
Dalzollene's smile vanished. He turned toward the sound just in time to hear another "pop." This time, he could see what had happened.
One of the streetlights had exploded, scattering sparks like stars in the night. The area around them went dark.
**Puff!**
Another streetlight burst, and the darkness seemed to be closing in on the Nostrade family. It felt as though the shadows were slowly swallowing the light.
"Something's not right!" Dalzollene frowned, his voice sharp as he warned, "Everyone, stay alert! Watch out for any enemy attacks!"
He couldn't detect any hostile aura or see a physical presence, but his years of experience, surrounded by blood and death, told him that something was definitely approaching.
The Nostrade family members tensed up immediately. They pulled out their pistols, ready for a fight.
Eliza, who served both as a maid and a shield when needed, instinctively stepped in front of Neon, ready to protect her.
Neon, used to constant assassination attempts, remained calm. She even smiled and said, "Why is everyone so jumpy? It's just a streetlight blowing out..."
She wasn't scared. Over the years, many had tried to kill or kidnap her, but none had ever succeeded. She always managed to escape, and often, there wasn't any real danger to begin with.
At worst, a few of the Nostrade family guards would die. Some were strangers, others were familiar faces—Dalzollene, Shachmono, Linssen. But in the end, it didn't matter to her.
If they died, she could simply replace them with a new group of guards... Well, Eliza couldn't die. She had been with her for so long. It would be a shame to lose her...
As Neon entertained these innocent thoughts, she giggled lightly.
Suddenly, two more streetlights exploded one after the other. The darkness crept closer, now giving off a menacing feeling, like a giant beast closing in on its prey.
But what Dalzollene saw wasn't a beast. It was a slender figure. And he heard the distinct clanging sound of metal chains being dragged along the ground.
The Nostrade family guards saw him too—a young man with blond hair, standing in the shadow of the streetlamp. He stared at them, eyes filled with hatred.
"Vermin..."
"You scum..."
Dalzollene heard the young man's low growl, felt the overwhelming hate in his voice. Without wasting a second, Dalzollene shouted, "Fire!"
The guards, all with pistols drawn, didn't hesitate. They opened fire immediately, the sound of gunshots filling the air.
The blond man moved with incredible agility, dodging the bullets with ease. Then, he raised his right arm—and from it, a silver snake shot out.
In the moonlight, the snake revealed its true form: an interlocking silver chain.
It slithered as if it were alive, deflecting every bullet aimed at the young man. Sparks flew as the bullets ricocheted off the chain!
"He's a Nen user, isn't he?" Shachmono grinned, glancing over at Dalzollene. "We don't have enough firepower for this. Let me handle him?"
Dalzollene studied the figure hidden in the shadows for a moment before nodding. "If we can keep him alive, then do it. We need to find out who has the guts to attack the Nostrade family."
"The ones who can afford to hire a Nen user are most likely another mafia family... Damn bastards. If I find out who they are, they won't get away with it."
Shachmono signaled an 'OK' with his hand, confidently ordered the guards to stop shooting, and then stepped forward.
********
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