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Beneath the Night Sky, Shadows on the Run
The speedboat sliced through the endless ocean like a phantom, its motor roaring against the howling sea breeze, churning up white foam in its wake. Aaron leaned back in his seat, his breathing gradually steadying, though his heart still pounded like a war drum.
He had survived.
But that didn’t mean he was safe.
The cold blue glow of his terminal screen flickered with a message from L.S.:
[Safe Zone: E-27]
[Estimated Arrival Time: 40 Minutes]
[Status: Extraction Arranged]
Aaron narrowed his eyes, his vigilance never wavering.
He trusted L.S.—or at least he wanted to. But in a world driven by money and betrayal, trust was the most expensive commodity.
Five hundred million dollars had already turned the world against him. Would L.S. really help him without a price?
Or was he simply waiting for the perfect moment to strike?
Aaron tapped open the terminal. The Black Alliance’s kill order still loomed over the underground marketplace.
But then, something made his breath hitch.
The bounty had doubled.
Ten billion dollars.
This wasn’t just about wealth—it was a sum that could shatter the balance of power among the world’s darkest forces.
Worse yet, the Alliance had just updated their terms:
[Emergency Update]
[Bounty Payout: Smart Contract Settlement]
[Successful Hunters Can Claim Crypto Rewards Instantly, No Identity Verification Required]
Aaron’s grip tightened around the device.
They had turned blockchain into the perfect assassination tool.
Anyone could be a hunter.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Anywhere could be a battlefield.
And he… was the prey.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears, but his gaze remained cold as steel.
If he wanted to survive, he couldn’t just keep running.
He had to take control.
Forty minutes later, the boat finally docked.
L.S. stood by the pier, his dark trench coat billowing in the night wind, that same unreadable expression on his face.
Aaron stepped off the boat but didn’t lower his guard. His voice was quiet but firm.
“Is this ‘safe zone’ really safe?”
L.S. took a slow drag from his cigarette before exhaling a cloud of smoke. “Safer than you think. And more dangerous than you realize.”
Aaron remained still, his sharp gaze locked onto L.S.
“I’m alive because of the boat you arranged,” he said. “But now that I’m here… am I an inconvenience to you?”
L.S. chuckled, raising his hands slightly.
“Aaron, you’re as sharp as ever.”
He paused. Then his voice dropped to an eerie calm.
“But you got one thing wrong… I want more.”
Aaron’s pulse spiked. His terminal flashed red with an urgent alert.
[Smart Contract Execution Request Detected!]
[Contents: Asset Lock & Collateralization]
[Status: Awaiting Target Confirmation]
L.S. was trying to freeze his assets through a blockchain contract.
He wasn’t just after the bounty—he wanted everything!
Aaron’s breath slowed. His fingers danced across the terminal as he activated his own countermeasures.
[Manual Contract Rejection]
[Executing Smart Counter-Protocol]
L.S.’s device blinked in response. For the first time, his smirk vanished, replaced by a frown.
“You… planted a backdoor in the contract?”
Aaron let out a cold laugh. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared?”
L.S.’s expression darkened. His hand inched toward the weapon at his waist.
But Aaron’s fingers moved faster.
[Initiating Cyber-Attack: Locking L.S.’s Account]
A sharp beep sounded from L.S.’s terminal.
His account was now frozen.
L.S.’s face twisted in fury. “You crazy bastard—”
But Aaron was already aiming his gun at his forehead.
“This time,” he said, voice like ice, “I win.”
L.S. let out a hollow laugh. “You won’t pull the trigger.”
Aaron’s finger twitched.
And in that split second—
BANG!
A gunshot rang out.
Not from Aaron.
L.S.’s body jolted violently. A crimson stain spread across his chest.
Aaron’s instincts screamed. He threw himself into a roll, dodging any potential follow-up shots.
L.S. dropped to his knees, blood bubbling from his lips, his expression frozen in shock and pain.
He locked eyes with Aaron one last time, voice hoarse with bitter realization.
“You… should never… trust anyone…”
Then, he collapsed.
Dead.
Aaron’s pulse thundered. He checked his terminal.
A new notification flashed across the screen.
[Bounty Update: $2 Billion]
[Status: L.S. Eliminated]
[New Target: Aaron]
His fingers trembled.
Not with fear.
With rage.
The Black Alliance wasn’t just hunting him.
They were toying with him.
L.S.’s death was just another move in their game. They were raising the stakes, feeding the frenzy.
Aaron took a deep breath, his eyes dark as a storm.
They wanted to use money to turn the world against him?
Then he’d use blockchain to bring the entire Black Alliance to its knees.
The hunt wasn’t over.
It was just beginning.
