"Boom!"
The force of the explosion, its scope unclear, shook the mansion, disturbing the sleep of the girl with golden hair. She opened her eyes calmly and slowly lifted the blanket before rising to her feet. Walking toward her bedroom door, she opened it and found a guard standing before her.
"What was that?".
The guard turned to block her path, preventing her from stepping outside.
"My lady, under the sir's orders, I've been instructed not to let you leave your room,"
"I asked you, what's happening?".
"I don't know, my lady. All I've been told is that the sir insisted you must not appear before the guests,".
She accepted his explanation with an icy calmness, turning away and returning to her room. Before her thoughts could wander far, her phone began to ring.
A bomb had shaken the mansion. Despite the chaos, she showed no visible concern. But as soon as she saw the caller's name, she picked up the phone quickly, her otherwise cold face betraying a flicker of unease.
"Mother, what happened? Is everything okay?".
"I should be the one asking you! What is all this chaos happening in your mansion?"
Her mother's words drew a curious expression from her.
"How do you know about this?".
"Ren, send those clips to your sister,"
"Okay, Mother,".
Her mother seemed to be speaking to someone next to her. Barely a second passed before another voice came through Ivana's phone.
"Look at what your sister just sent you,".
Ivana ended the call and opened the message.
Only to raise her eyebrow that had never been raised before, and her beautiful eyes widened.
"What is that crazy planning now?"
Meanwhile, in the same mansion, near the grand entrance, I stood surrounded by my men. We were positioned in a tight circle, our weapons drawn and aimed at Null's men. Their stance mirrored ours, fingers poised on triggers, awaiting any sudden movement or a command to fire from their leader. If the standoff escalated, the pristine marble floor would soon be stained with blood.
"Timeout! Timeout!"
I called out, raising my hands high into the air for everyone to see. My voice was loud, echoing through the hall so that all could hear.
"What's the meaning of this? Are you attempting to assassinate a government official? And where? In your own home! Does the kingdom mean so little to you?".
Son of a bitch, he's pushing the issue to this point.
"Enough of this nonsense! Someone go outside and find out what's going on,".
Before anyone could move, one of his men burst through the door, his face pale with panic, shouting hysterically.
"A bomb! A bomb has been planted in one of the Deputy Chief's cars!"
The announcement sent a ripple of unease through the room. The faces of Null's men darkened, and their eyes, filled with hatred, locked onto me as though they wanted to tear me apart.
"You coward! If you want to kill someone, face them directly instead of resorting to dirty tricks!".
The words weren't meant for me.
Null was trying to manipulate his men, most of whom were members of the Investigation office—trained professionals with a code of honor similar to soldiers and police. They valued integrity and would not act recklessly without provocation.
He's trying to rile them up, pushing them to fire without hesitation.
He wants to kill me right here.
But this is good—it shows he doesn't have complete control over his men. That's why he's resorting to this assassination narrative.
"What proof do you have?".
"Proof? Is there any proof greater than my car exploding? And what a coincidence—it almost went off, but I was delayed in the bathroom!".
The bathroom. That's why he had asked to use it—to set the bomb's timer. A clever move. His confidence and audacity have grown since he took this position.
"Why wouldn't I have done it after you left? Why would I incriminate myself in my own home? And besides, how could a simple businessman like me infiltrate and plant a bomb? Look at my capabilities—I even knew which car the Deputy Chief would use!"
High-ranking officials like the President and his entourage typically have at least three cars assigned to them. No one, except for the security team and the individual themselves, knows which vehicle will be used, minimizing the chances of a successful assassination.
"Still playing the 'simple businessman' card? That's getting old,".
"I wonder who's really trying to assassinate who here,".
The expressions of his men shifted as confusion spread among them. Their faces seemed to ask, What is he talking about now?
"What tricks are you trying to play this time?".
"Me? Tricks? Let's think about this logically,"
raising a single finger in front of everyone's eyes dramatically, we must make the viewers enjoy the show.
"Legally, what should we do in a situation like this? We should call in an investigative team to examine the bomb, trace where it came from, and determine when it was planted,".
The Nameless Kingdom is considered the number one producer of all types of parts for weapons and explosives. It's impossible for Null to have brought it from outside the kingdom.
He wants to resolve the matter here and now, making it easier to cover everything up.
Additionally, there are rumors circulating that I am an enemy of the kingdom. It's a solid plan.
"So, why have your men raised their weapons against government officials?".
"They didn't raise their weapons until your men did first,".
"Show your intentions. Order your men to lower their weapons, and we'll discuss how to proceed,".
"Unfortunately, I'm beginning to feel my life is in danger. So, things will remain as they are until a joint team of police and media arrives,".
"We won't be calling anyone!".
Pointing my finger directly at him, I yelled,
"See? He's trying to frame me!"
"This is the perfect opportunity to rid the kingdom of its threats,".
The room seemed to divide, with expressions of both anger and support. My men looked outraged, while his seemed emboldened.
"This goes against the law and is an abuse of power,".
"The law exists to protect the kingdom. If it fails to do that, what's the point of following it?".
Their shoulders squared, their grips on their weapons tightening. Those who had hesitated moments ago now looked ready to act. They were motivated by the idea of achieving something "great" for the kingdom, even though it was based on a mere rumor.
"The law exists to protect everyone, not just the kingdom,"
I shot back, addressing his men directly.
"Charges could be brought against you or your families. The law is there to protect you if you're innocent,".
Sensing the effect of my words, Null interrupted,
"You're right."
Of course, he knew I was right. And he knew his guards could sense it too. To prevent me from swaying them further, he shifted the focus.
"But look at you—a man who should be in prison walking free. Isn't that dangerous for the people?".
"Again, you're throwing baseless accusations. Where's your proof? My partners died because of unproven claims. Their belongings were searched, and nothing incriminating was found. They were killed for nothing,"
I shot back, speaking quickly to deny him the chance to interrupt.
"Do you know how many guilty souls wish to repent but won't dare because of what happened to my partners? Their hatred for the kingdom will only grow. And you call me the threat? No, what you're doing is the real danger. Who will trust the law now?".
I leaned forward, letting my words carry weight.
"You can't answer. The spirit of the people didn't die for nothing—it died because of people like you who exploit the law for fame."
"Kill this insolent man! Kill him!".
Damn it. He used the moment I paused to catch my breath.
No matter what I say, it seems they either won't believe me or refuse to admit the truth.
I noticed they were determined. My mind raced: Should I act now? No, no. Let me add fuel to the fire.
"See? He doesn't even consider your blood. What do you think of this: If you prove to them that I'm a criminal, you can do whatever you want."
To be honest, they didn't need to follow my lead. The real reason for their hesitation was the undeniable fact that none of them could guarantee their own survival. Among their ranks, there would surely be casualties. As visions of their families flashed before their eyes, they would take the bait.
Even Null wouldn't refuse this offer; he had no reason to.
"All right then. You're saying that if I prove to my men you're a criminal, you'll order your men to lay down their weapons and surrender?"
"Of course. Even though I'm under no obligation to, I'm confident in myself—and in the integrity of your men, unlike you."
Ignoring my taunt, he began organizing his thoughts. He looked self-assured, blinded by his own overconfidence. Why would I agree to such conditions? What's in it for me? Truly, the biggest killer of brilliance is arrogance.
This is where the difference between intelligence and cunning comes in.
With my cunning, I exploited his arrogance, rendering his intelligence useless.
His men outnumbered mine, and their training, naturally, far surpassed that of the bandits I employed. Add to that their advanced and diverse weaponry. Of course, he saw himself as superior. All he needed now was to convince his men that killing me was in the public's best interest.
"So, what's a businessman doing in underground fight rings?"
He's starting with this, huh? Fine.
"Again, where's your proof?".
"The plate number of one of the cars parked outside."
"And? Did you find it registered in my name?"
"No, it was registered under the name of someone who turned out to be deceased."
"I'm still waiting to hear how this links back to me."
"I personally met with a police officer, who provided me with the information."
He turned to address everyone, his voice rising as he began his speech.
"That officer was later killed, and the case was filed against an unknown suspect."
It was no surprise to see the anger on their faces upon hearing about a fallen officer. After all, the Investigation office is an extension of the police force.
He gestured to one of his guards.
"Tell me the plate number of the car that had the bomb planted in it."
Damn it. That's how he'll connect it.
"So, the same car I met the officer in is the one that was bombed? You killed the officer first because he was an easier target, and now you're coming after me?"
He shifted his posture, directing his full attention toward me.
"Now, I'd love to hear your explanation for all of this. Don't tell me it's just a coincidence."
"Maybe you stepped on someone else's toes, and they're the ones seeking revenge. Why does it have to be me? Feels like you're tailoring this suit to fit me perfectly,".
"Of course, of course. The entire universe is conspiring against you. Everything is being orchestrated to make us doubt you. Come on now, there's no smoke without fire,"
Once again, the art of breaking a serious person.
"There is."
Everyone, including my men, looked at me with confusion etched across their faces.
"Ice. Ice also produces smoke."
"..."
Silence blanketed the room, even encompassing Null. It's amusing how their entire system can crash simply because I threw in a joke.
It wasn't about the joke itself, but about the sheer unexpectedness of it in a life-or-death situation.
Even my men gave me a look that screamed, Are you serious? Just as I thought the moment had passed, one of his men spoke up.
"The smoke produced by ice is a phenomenon observable under certain conditions, but it isn't true smoke in the traditional sense. Here's some clarification on the subject—"
And he began reciting what sounded like an article, as if I'd asked an AI to answer my question.
"Are you done?".
Null shot him a single withering glare before ignoring him entirely, leaving the man to stew in shame.
"If you're finished with your jokes, do you have an actual response or not?".
"All right then. You're accusing me of killing the officer and nearly killing the Deputy Chief, all to avoid being accused of attending illegal fights? Remind me, what's the penalty for that again?".
"A fine no less than 100,000 and no more than 200,000,"
another one of his men answered, again without Null's permission.He started to lose control of them
"Where's the girl?"
He knew this line of argument alone wouldn't suffice, so he leveraged the girl's disappearance to bolster his case.
I feigned ignorance.
"Excuse me, which girl are you talking about? My life is full of Ladies and…"
I paused, placing a hand on my chin as if deep in thought.
"No, no, there's nothing else. Just Ladies. You'll have to be more specific."
"Play your games all you want. The missing girl didn't leave the mansion, did she?"
"The girl left with my partners".
"Your proof?"
"You're the one accusing me here. Show me your proof."
"You want proof? Allow me to search the mansion."
"That's against the law—"
He lunged forward, clearly running out of patience and eager to end this quickly.
"The law stopped mattering a while ago. What are you afraid of? Let me search the mansion. Here's the deal: if I find nothing, we'll consider you an upstanding citizen. I think it's a fair offer."
If I refused, he'd claim I had something to hide. There was no way out of this.
"You'll choose one person from your side, and one person from my side will accompany him. No one else moves".
He was about to argue, but I cut him off.
"I'm compromising from the beginning"
They began to feel slightly guilty and didn't press further.
The individuals were selected, and their "exploration" began.
Roughly thirty minutes passed. My men were starting to show signs of exhaustion, while his men remained annoyingly fresh. Damn it—was the gap really this wide?
They returned, quicker than I expected. The mansion is massive, even I haven't had the time to fully explore it. How did they finish so fast?
"Is the device malfunctioning?".
The man I'd sent with them stepped forward.
"Sir, they had some kind of strange device, but even with it, they found nothing."
Frustration spread across Null's features. Delightful. Watching him like this was a treat. I wanted more.
"Kill them all".
Everyone froze, except me. I knew he wouldn't keep his promises unless absolutely necessary.
"We'll never get a better opportunity than this. If we let it slip, we might regret it for the rest of our lives."
"He's just using you. I bet he's behind the explosion and is scared his plan will be exposed,".
Null raised his hand toward me.
"Fire. That's an order."
I raised my own hand toward my men.
"Don't fire. Do not fire."
I saw it in their eyes. I wasn't counting on their conscience or humanity. You can't rely on something that doesn't exist.
"Stop!"
A voice came from beyond the door, followed swiftly by its owner. Null recognized him immediately—Assistant Chief of the Investigation office.
"Zane, now—"
The man didn't stop moving, rushing straight to Null and whispering something in his ear.
Null's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Quickly, he pulled out his phone. After a few taps, he stared at the screen.
He froze for several seconds, his eyes glued to whatever he saw. Without looking away, he moved his hands, signaling for someone to confirm he wasn't imagining things.
Finally, he glanced at me with a look of utter disbelief.
"All right, all right, all right…".