Bang!
A heavy door slam shattered the quiet, jolting Lisa awake from her sleep.
Moments later, she emerged from the bedroom, dressed in thin pajamas. As she stepped into the living room, she caught sight of Miles by the door, changing his clothes. A sweet smile bloomed on her face.
"You're back, Master?"
Freeze.
Miles froze mid-motion, one hand tugging at his pants. His head tilted slightly, his eyes landing on her long, pale legs…
"Had a drink and suddenly remembered your place again?"
Without missing a beat, Miles finished changing into his underwear, glaring at her. "Forgot the madness of yesterday already, have you?"
Lisa, pretending to be timid, fiddled with her fingers like a shy little girl. "I was just worried you'd think I was getting too bold…"
"Too bold? You've been floating for a while now."
Miles poured himself a glass of warm water at the coffee table. "Dinner ready yet?"
"Ah! I forgot…" Lisa stuck out her tongue, a guilty look on her face.
"You're really losing it." Miles sighed and pointed at her in mock anger.
"Punish me then, Master!" Lisa walked over, and out of nowhere, a small whip appeared in her hand. She bent slightly, presenting it to Miles.
What the hell?!
Miles stared at the whip, recognizing it immediately. "Where did you get this?"
"I asked Sister Betty for it. She said it used to belong to Ryan. Something a former fling left behind…"
Lisa held up the whip, feigning innocence. "Please, Master, discipline me!"
I swear to God…
Miles mentally cursed Ryan a thousand times over before sighing. "Are you role-playing with me now? Go make dinner already. You've been asleep all day—aren't you hungry?"
"I couldn't get up without your permission." Lisa bent lower, her tone that of a remorseful schoolgirl.
Miles, exasperated, lightly smacked her behind. "You're 23! Stop acting like a kid, alright? Go cook, please? And drop the act."
"Okay, okay!"
Lisa finally straightened up, grinning as she gave him a playful salute.
"What do you want to eat?"
"Whatever."
Smack!
A dishcloth flew straight into Miles's face.
Lisa's voice rang out from the kitchen, half laughing and half scolding. "Try giving me that lazy answer one more time! What do you want to eat? Speak up!"
"Beef noodles!"
"Got it!"
…
Night fell, moonless and windless, shrouding the villa in silence.
Miles lay on the bed, unable to quiet his thoughts.
"…Was it really that serious, though?"
"…A month ago, would you have cared about their survival?"
"…We can't live in solitude forever. Even if this is paradise, it's still a prison-like paradise."
His mind spiraled until his breathing gradually steadied.
In his dream, he found himself by a serene pool, surrounded by the lively chirping of birds and vibrant blooms. Lisa's face appeared before him, so vivid and clear it felt like he could reach out and touch her.
The scene shifted. Mary's cold expression pierced the idyllic dreamscape. "Miles, who are you going to fight this time?"
"Damn it!"
Miles shot awake, his chest heaving. He glanced at the dimly lit room and the sleeping Lisa beside him, finally releasing a long breath.
"Damn you, Mary. Can't you just let me rest?"
Unable to sleep, Miles quietly got out of bed and made his way to the kitchen. Pouring himself a warm glass of juice, he leaned against the counter, lost in thought.
Bang!
The sound of a gunshot tore through the night.
Miles snapped to attention, rushing to the second-floor window. Grabbing the intercom, he barked, "Anthony! Anthony! Where did that gunshot come from?!"
Bang! Bang!
Before Anthony could respond, two more shots echoed through the villa complex.
Miles's expression darkened. Just then, the intercom crackled to life. "Boss Miles, it's Aaron!"
Miles hesitated, then asked, "Wasn't Anthony on duty tonight?"
"I couldn't sleep, so I came to the guard post to play cards with them…" Aaron's voice was frantic. "Anthony's been hit! There's an unknown force outside with heavy firepower. One of our guys is already dead! They're breaking through the gate—we can't hold them!"
"Sound the alarm! Hold the gate—I'll be there in a minute!"
Beep! Beep!
The sharp, piercing alarm echoed throughout the villa district.
Lisa woke up with a start. Clutching her pillow, she ran out barefoot, her face pale with panic. "Miles! Miles! Where are you?!"
"I'm here!"
Miles hurried downstairs, pulling Lisa into his arms. "Someone's broken in. Stay here and don't leave the house. I'm going to help Aaron and Anthony."
"No!" Lisa instinctively grabbed his arm, her voice trembling. "Let Ryan handle it! Please?"
Miles chuckled, brushing a hand over her cheek. "Didn't you tell me yesterday that I needed to change? Isn't this the change you wanted?"
Without waiting for a response, he donned his protective gear, opened the door, and stepped out into the night.
Behind him, Lisa's voice rang out, desperate and pleading. "Miles, be careful!"
"Got it!"
…
Ryan had also been awakened by the gunfire. By the time Miles stepped outside, Ryan was already dressed and waiting by the door.
"What the hell is going on?" Ryan's face was grim. "I just checked the perimeter earlier—everything was fine!"
"It's probably the people from the base. Grab your sniper rifle and get to higher ground. Once we start firing, suppress them as much as possible!"
Miles retrieved weapons from his storage space, holding an assault rifle. "These aren't amateurs. We have to be extremely cautious."
It was Ryan's first time facing a professional force, and he couldn't hide his nerves. "I'll call Isaac and Thomas right away. We'll need backup."
"Good. I'm heading out."
Before Ryan could stop him, Miles had already sprinted off, gun in hand.
At the main gate, a group of military academy students, led by Thomas, was already gathering.
Bang! Bang!
Bullets rained down on the gate, sparks flying as the metal creaked under the assault. At the guard post, Aaron was firing back with a handgun, crouched near the side door.
Whizz!
A bullet grazed Miles's arm just as he was about to move forward.
Activating his heightened senses, Miles took in every detail of the battlefield. With a few quick steps, he dashed into the guard post.
"Take this!"
Miles tossed an automatic rifle to Aaron, who caught it without hesitation and began firing back.
"Damn it! These bastards came so fast. I thought we had a few more days!" Aaron cursed as he sprayed bullets outside.
Miles held his position at another corner, firing controlled shots into the darkness.
The faint muzzle flashes of enemy gunfire were the only way to pinpoint their locations.
"Boss Miles!"
Thomas arrived with Isaac, Nathan, Anthony, and several others.
Miles quickly handed out additional weapons. "Suppress their fire! Don't let up!"
"You got it, Boss!"
Nathan's eyes lit up as he grabbed a rifle and started firing wildly.
"Boss!"
Ansel arrived, crouching behind the barricade, shouting, "Give me a gun! I'm going to take out these bastards!"