96 The Mantis Preys on the Cicada (2/2)

”Black-black-black Hand Gang…” The bum finally processed the situation and screamed as if he had seen a ghost. The young man loosened his grip, and the bum collapsed on the ground. He scrambled up, stammering, ”I—I—I…”

The young man did not care about him and waved his hand, telling the bum to get out of his sight.

The bum hurriedly crawled forward, and when he was far enough, he scrambled up and fled. He did not even dare to pick up the money on the ground.

Now, there was only the surrounded Professor and the young man leading a group of thugs.

”It seems that I’m surrounded.” The Professor did not act as if he were surrounded, and just gazed at his unfriendly ”friends.”

”Nice to meet you, Mr. Professor. I am the second son of the Luco family. You can call me Lorenzo, Palermo Eagle Lorenzo.” The young man put a hand to his chest like a gentleman. But when he looked at the Professor, his eyes were taunting. ”The legendary Viper just jumped into a trap without even realizing? This is surprising.”

”Lorenzo? Schwartz’s son?” The Professor studied the man as if he had expected this. ”You’re faster than I had thought. I thought the first to arrive would have been the Indians.”

”Actually, they were indeed the first.” Lorenzo shrugged and looked back. Behind him, blood flowed under the feet of the Sicilian thugs. The blood had come from another alley, and flowed into an open sewer.

Some burly men were still tidying up the site. They threw two mutated corpses into the sewer and watched as they disappeared into the darkness. It was clear that the Indians had been taken care of by the Sicilians.

They did not even have the time to realize they had been ambushed before they had been completely destroyed by an attack.

At the back was a fat corpse with his eyes still open in shock. Shahrukh, one of the Indian leaders, had been slashed like a crazy painter’s canvas. He had died without a sound.

--

”Seems like I’ve underestimated you.” The Professor looked back from the sewer. ”It seems like you had prepared beforehand. Did you think like the Indians, waiting here and capturing your supposed partners? You also want that kid?”

”Are you trying to make time?” Lorenzo saw through the Professor’s thoughts and laughed, cocking his head. ”There’s no use. We’ve already cleared out everything within a few hundred meters of here. Now, Professor, you better understand this clearly. We are enemies, but seeing that you once helped us with our business, we can let you leave here unharmed. What do you think of my offer?”

”Oh? I must thank you for your pity,” the Professor said lightly, ”but I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave.”

”You’re worried that I’m not trustworthy?” Lorenzo furrowed his brows, his eyes cold. ”I am the second son of the Luco family. Keeping my word is something that my father has taught me. We Sicilians never break promises. Because of Ghosthand, I’m willing to let you go if you promise to never interfere with this again.”

”Idiot.” The Professor sighed. ”You thought I was talking to you?”

Lorenzo blanched. He opened his mouth to say something, but his expression changed. Suddenly, he felt the ground shake. In the stillness, the tiles beneath him trembled as if hammers were pounding the ground. Heavy footsteps came from both sides of the alley. The footsteps were sharp like metal scraping against stone. Lorenzo looked up in all directions in shock. It was like a nightmare. Metal shone from both ends of the alley. It was the color of heavy plate armor!

”F*ck,” Lorenzo could not help but swear when he processed what it was.

--

Defenseless, he waited as the group of armored men rounded the corner. It was as if the hungry wolves meant for battle had taken a wrong turn and ended up the alley. The fully armored men walked in synchronization, like an army parade! The axes and swords in their hands shattered the tiles, creating fierce and piercing sounds.

But this was not a battlefield! This was Avalon! Why would heavy armored soldiers be here?!