Close Call with Death
The advantage reversed in an instant!
I threw myself backward. The knife sliced my clothes, leaving a small tear and a faint sting on my skin.
I checked—just a scratch, barely breaking the skin.
I kept my distance, but he came at me like a madman, the knife slashing wildly!
I scrambled backward, desperate for something to use as a weapon!
Nothing!
The empty parking garage offered nothing to fight back with. The wide-open space let him swing freely, while I had to watch out for the raised speed bumps on the ground as I retreated.
No matter how careful I was, I didn't have eyes in the back of my head!
My heel caught a speed bump. I stumbled backward.
I slammed into a car, hit it hard, and fell behind it.
Harlan Duke rushed around the vehicle, knife raised and coming straight at me.
I was done for!
I knew that once you go down—you don't get back up!
This damn incomplete intelligence... it was going to kill me!
"Hey."
Just as the blade was about to plunge into me, an ice-cold voice rang out.
A hand reached out and caught Harlan Duke's wrist.
The knife stopped mid-air.
Long, pale fingers gripped Harlan Duke's arm, holding him absolutely still.
I looked up in shock.
Another masked man. His mask covered his mouth and nose like a surgical mask, leaving his eyes exposed.
They would have been striking eyes, but a scar across his left eyebrow slightly marred the overall effect.
His gaze was glacial. He crouched behind me, gripping Harlan Duke's wrist, looking somewhat gaunt—almost sickly thin. His shirt was misbuttoned, revealing his collarbone and another faint scar that traced downward beyond view.
Before Harlan Duke could react, the man moved.
His free hand slammed into Harlan Duke's face, knocking him flat!
But the moment he struck, his body shuddered. He clutched his shoulder, struggling to his feet.
He was injured?
I swallowed hard. "Are you... Hemlock?"
He stood, glanced at me—just a glance—then stumbled past toward Harlan Duke.
This wound... was from the mission to save my husband...
I burned to ask him why that mission had failed.
Harlan Duke scrambled up, brandishing his knife like a lunatic: "Get back! Who the hell are you! Why are you interfering!"
Facing the knife, Hemlock didn't flinch. He walked toward Harlan Duke, step by step, and said softly: "I don't waste words on dead men."
Harlan Duke charged again!
I would never choose to fight an armed attacker in an open space like this!
But Hemlock did.
He dodged Harlan Duke's slash, then seized his arm and twisted hard!
The knife clattered to the ground. The sickening pop of a joint dislocating followed. Harlan Duke let out another shriek—how many was that now? He tried to retreat, but Hemlock grabbed his collar with his left hand and balled his right fist.
BAM! BAM!
Punch after punch, into Harlan Duke's nose, throat, ears.
Every blow targeted a vulnerable point. Every strike was meant to kill!
His strikes were far heavier than mine. In seconds, Harlan Duke lost all capacity to resist, crumpling like a dead dog.
Hemlock turned and picked up the knife.
I couldn't help myself: "You're not going to kill him here, are you?"
Hemlock walked over to Harlan Duke and said quietly: "Sin Hunters don't kill. Life and death are fated... I'll administer one stab as punishment. If he survives, it means his fate is strong. If he dies, heaven wanted to collect him. If Judgment Tower asks—you can testify that I gave him a chance."
With that, Hemlock brought the knife down.
The blade sank deep into Harlan Duke's neck!
What...
All that talk about "giving him a chance"—wasn't he clearly going to kill him anyway!
He turned back to me, extending his hand: "Let me help you up."
I shook my head and stood on my own, muttering: "Valerian said Sin Hunters know everything, but he didn't tell me Harlan Duke had a knife."
Hemlock said calmly: "Intelligence isn't foolproof. That's why Sin Hunters are ranked by ability—only strong ones know how to adapt. Tap 'complete mission' on your phone. There will be follow-up instructions."
I tapped it, and a new notification appeared.
"Escort has been contacted. Thank you for protecting an innocent person."
Hemlock turned to leave: "I'll hide the body so no one stumbles across it."
"Okay."
I watched him drag the body away. I would have helped, but my phone buzzed.
Someone had messaged me. The app had a private messaging function—I hadn't expected that.
I opened it. Valerian: "I've been watching your account. I see you ranked up—did you finish a mission?"
I replied: "Yeah. Ran into Hemlock."
"Congratulations! I knew you'd make the right call! What's Hemlock like?"
"Kind of ruthless."
"He's always like that. Every time he takes someone down, they die. And he's cold—never talks to me."
I stopped replying to Valerian and watched Hemlock's back.
Even with his left arm injured, he used only his right hand to load Harlan Duke into the car.
Maya Duke was still inside. She was clearly conscious but couldn't move.
When she saw Harlan Duke's body, she went rigid.
Hemlock's voice was gentle—not artificially deep or showy, but clean and sincere: "I killed your father. Do you hate me?"
Maya Duke couldn't move, only shed tears.
"If we hadn't come tonight, your whole life would have been ruined..." Hemlock continued. "You can call the police, or you can keep quiet. I understand how you feel—life is hard. You might wonder why it seems like only you suffer, but sometimes life is just full of darkness."
He reached out with a gloved hand and gently stroked her head: "But no matter how dark the night, dawn always comes. The moment the light breaks through is beautiful. When you feel its warmth, you'll realize... that's what makes living worthwhile."
Maya Duke forced out, her voice barely a whisper: "Thank you..."
I watched Hemlock's back, aching to ask him why he'd failed the mission to save my husband.
You're the strongest Sin Hunter, aren't you?
You saved this girl. You saved me too.
Why did you fail that time? What happened that day?
But I couldn't bring myself to ask.
For one thing, it might expose my identity—I didn't want strangers knowing my real information. For another, if he really had tried his best, questioning him would be like pressing salt into an open wound.
And most of all... I didn't want to know the details of my husband's death.
Not at all. I was afraid that knowing more would only make the pain worse.
He finished up and turned to me: "I came here on short notice—can I ride in your car? The escort will handle the body. We can leave."
"Okay."
I unlocked the doors and Hemlock climbed in.
I started driving back the way I came and asked: "Where should I drop you?"
"Just get us out of here first. I don't have a destination."
"Okay, get out whenever along the way. I don't want anyone knowing where I live."
I heard him chuckle. Then he said: "You really are a cautious woman... but caution is the best quality."
We were almost at the parking garage exit when I froze.
A car was parked across the exit, blocking the way—even though it was late.
I honked, hoping the driver would move, but the door opened instead.
Someone stepped out, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.
It was Adrian Cross!
He walked toward our car. I swallowed hard, my pulse racing.
Why?
Why was Adrian Cross always around whenever something happened!
My mind raced for a plan as he approached the car and knocked on the window, signaling me to roll it down.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hemlock grip the door handle. I rolled the window down first.
Adrian Cross leaned against the door frame and said: "You two—what's with the masks in the middle of the night? Police business. Please remove your masks and accompany me for a short investigation."
I fought to keep my heartbeat under control. There was no way I was taking off this mask!
How could I? If I went down there with him, the body might have been moved to the car, but the blood was still on the ground!
The parking garage had plenty of empty spaces—no casual person would wander into the corner. But Adrian Cross was sharp. Would he really miss it?
We had to run!
I threw the car into reverse and floored it. Adrian Cross sprinted back to his own vehicle!
Within seconds, his engine roared to life!
Damn it!
What the hell was wrong with this intelligence? Why was the captain of criminal investigations here!
Hemlock said coldly: "I'll hold him off. You get out of here!"
"Hold him off how? You're already injured, and he might have a gun! No—we're going to the pedestrian exit. There are stairs—cars can't follow!"
I reversed fast back into the underground garage. I'd memorized the pedestrian exit earlier—now I sped in that direction!
Adrian Cross couldn't take the downhill slope too fast—probably worried about losing control—so his car moved slowly!
When we reached the exit, Hemlock and I bolted from the car. I glanced back—Adrian Cross's vehicle had just entered the ramp—so we ran for the pedestrian stairs!
Hemlock reached the exit first. Just as he was about to step through, a figure appeared out of nowhere!
A kick slammed into Hemlock's chest. I watched him fly backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing hard to the ground!
That person was... Adrian Cross!
No!
Wasn't he in the car chasing us? How did he suddenly appear here?
BOOM!
The car—after coming down the slope—had crashed straight into the vehicle in front!
He'd left the car in neutral and let gravity bring it down! He'd predicted we'd take the pedestrian exit and abandoned his car to cut us off!
My god... how fast was this man!
I scrambled backward—Adrian Cross stood above me on the stairs. I could only reach his legs, while he could kick my head and chest at will!
Fighting from below was the worst position!
I backed down several steps, but Adrian Cross leaped down!
I'd never seen such an aggressive move. I raised my arms to block, but his knee came down from above and slammed into my forearms!
The pain was blinding!
Even after everything I'd endured, the impact nearly made me cry!
If my arms hadn't absorbed most of it, I'd have thought they were broken!
He kicked me backward again and again. I barely stayed on my feet. Adrian Cross landed steadily and said coldly: "I'm Captain Adrian Cross of Criminal Investigation. Surrender immediately and lie face down on the ground."
Hemlock struggled to his feet and growled: "Sin Hunters don't surrender."
Adrian Cross said softly: "Sin Hunters... what a self-important name. As if you deserve it. In my eyes, you're just two masked clowns."
I swallowed the pain and attacked!
I hated this so much!
The first time I met my husband's idol, I'd accidentally killed someone. The second time, we were already trading blows!
Adrian Cross raised his guard. Fighting floods the brain with adrenaline, and under its influence, I couldn't even feel pain anymore. I struck at him again and again!
Side punches, elbow strikes, combinations—
Can't stop.
If I stopped, he'd find an opening!
I hadn't stopped—my speed was even faster than before—but Adrian Cross suddenly moved!
He took my punch to his chest on purpose. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward and grabbed my throat.
Before I could react, he hoisted me into the air, stealing my balance, then hurled me to the ground!
He even taunted me: "Combinations? Let me show you how it's done."
The pain I'd been ignoring came crashing back—that slam hurt like hell...
He yanked me up by my clothes without pause!
His fist drove into my stomach. I doubled over, fighting the urge to vomit, and then he brought his knee up hard into my mask!
The mask cracked. My vision flickered and went gray multiple times!
My husband's idol—the man he'd called legendary—fought with devastating precision!
Hemlock lunged to help, but Adrian Cross didn't even look. A reverse kick—
Hemlock raised his arms to block, but his left arm was already injured. The kick made his whole body shudder with pain!
I thought Adrian Cross would keep attacking me.
Instead, he let me go. He'd calculated that I was too stunned to move—or maybe he just didn't care. While Hemlock was still reeling, Adrian Cross twisted his body and launched a side kick at Hemlock's temple!
Hemlock forced his arms up to block!
BANG!
I couldn't gauge the force of that kick. Hemlock barely stayed on his feet—but before he could recover, Adrian Cross was already airborne.
Before his first kick had even landed, he'd spun and launched a second!
Hemlock couldn't raise his injured arm—only one hand to defend—and the kick crashed into his temple!
He went down. I lunged at Adrian Cross, but he was too fast. The moment Hemlock hit the ground, Adrian Cross drove a kick into my stomach!
Pain! Pure, blinding pain!
I couldn't breathe. I wanted to throw up!
I started to fall, but he caught my shirt again.
He stared into my eyes through the mask and said casually: "Hey. You haven't finished your combo yet."
Before I could react, he yanked me toward him.
RRIIIP—
The shirt that had already been sliced by the knife tore apart completely.
I instinctively clutched my body, but Adrian Cross was faster.
He'd been about to keep attacking, but when he realized he'd ripped my shirt, he instantly shifted—catching me before I fell and draping his own jacket over my shoulders.
He tucked my arms inside the jacket, zipped it up, and said gently: "Don't worry. I didn't see anything."
I was wrapped like a sushi roll—trapped inside his jacket, unable to move my arms.
He gave me a light push, and I fell to the ground.
He looked at the two of us and sighed: "This isn't my first time fighting Sin Hunters, but I have to say—you're getting worse with each generation. The old ones could at least hold their own. Now two of you together still can't beat me."
I could see Hemlock clenching his fists in fury.
Even though his face was hidden, I knew it was filled with frustration.
He was the strongest Sin Hunter—and today he'd been fighting injured.
Adrian Cross didn't rush to process us. He walked over to the BMW X5.
He'd spotted the blood.
He looked inside the vehicle, then drew the handcuffs from his belt and said calmly: "You're both under arrest for suspected murder. Lie face down on the ground. Or you can stand up and resist—though honestly, you two are pretty weak."
Resist how?
Neither Hemlock nor I had any strength left to fight.
Adrian Cross approached me and reached for my mask.
My heart hammered.
I can't be caught...
I have to raise his child...
I can't lose here!