Bullets began raining down inside the inn, causing Cian and Maya to quickly get out of bed and drop to the floor.
"What's happening?" Maya asked.
Cian glanced around, trying to make sense of the chaos. "I think the Black Dogs have found us, Maya," he replied, noticing the distinctive tattoos on the gunmen that resembled the ones they had fought hours ago. "And it looks like our friendly innkeeper sold us out. Somehow, news about us must have spread here already. He must have identified us after receiving information about what happened in the capital."
Maya nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "That explains why he was eyeing us so intensely earlier and counting heads. This inn must be under the Black Dogs' control."
Cian crawled towards the door, keeping a low profile. "Maya, stay down and crawl out of the room. We need to get to the next room."
"Yes, Master."
As they crawled towards the door, it suddenly swung open on its own, revealing a black-haired young woman named Charlotte.
"T-They're here!"
Cian acted quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling her down to protect her from the hail of bullets.
"Get down!" he urged, his voice urgent but steady.
"Hiii!"
Charlotte shrieked in surprise, but before she could comprehend the situation, Cian shielded her with his body. Confusion and embarrassment crossed her face as she felt something pressing against her thighs. It didn't take long for her to realize what it was—Cian's penis.
Her face flushed bright red, and a mix of shock and embarrassment filled her thoughts. 'His... his dick is hitting me! Oh my god!' she screamed internally, her mind racing with a flurry of emotions.
Cian, sensing her distress, tried to reassure her amidst the chaos. "Don't panic," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the gunshots.
The soft whisper from Cian sent a shiver down Charlotte's spine. Her mind raced with a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. 'Why am I in a situation like this?' she thought. 'And wait, he's still naked?! I thought they were already dressed since there were no more moans coming from their room. Stupid Charlotte, why did you act impulsively?'
Realizing the gravity of the situation and trying to distract herself from the intimate contact, Charlotte's thoughts wandered. 'I guess it's only normal to act on impulse given what's happening, but... And wait, are men's penises really this huge?' she wondered, her experience limited to fictional depictions and self-indulgence. It was her first encounter with a real penis, and feeling its size pressed against her thighs left her in awe and a little fearful. 'If something like that were to enter me, I think I would be destroyed!' she contemplated, even though she couldn't see it, she could still sense its significant size.
Suddenly, Maya's urgent voice snapped Charlotte out of her thoughts. "Master! I think they're going to throw grenades at us. We need to get out of here. Now!"
Cian immediately stood up, carrying Charlotte outside the room, with Maya close behind. They quickly made their way into the room next door, where they found Mila and Freya huddled together, trembling with fear.
"Both of you, let's go!"
Both Mila and Freya were startled at first when Cian and Charlotte entered the room, but their expressions quickly shifted to relief upon seeing them. However, their relief was short-lived as their eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment when they noticed that Cian and Maya were both completely naked.
Mila's mind raced, and she couldn't help but think, 'Did these two just have sex?' Since she had been peacefully sleeping, she hadn't heard Maya's passionate moans from the wall separating their rooms.
Meanwhile, Freya's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. Actually, she had been awake and heard Maya's passionate moans. Even though she had no personal interest in such matters, the intensity of the sound had left an impression on her.
Cian interrupted their thoughts, his voice filled with urgency. "What are you waiting for? The enemies are—" Before he could finish his sentence, an explosion rocked the room next door. "Damn it... It seems they're willing to destroy the entire inn just to eliminate us. We need to get out of here."
"Right!" Maya affirmed, turning to Mila and Freya. "Mila, Freya, hurry!"
Without hesitation, both Mila and Freya quickly stood up and joined the group, understanding the severity of the situation. They needed to escape the inn as soon as possible.
•••••
The innkeeper's heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted through the dimly lit alleyways. His pursuer was relentless, and it was clear that they had deadly intentions. It didn't take much guesswork to realize that they were out for his blood.
Why was he running, you ask? Well, the innkeeper had recently made what he believed to be the worst decision of his life.
News had spread like wildfire through the underground, reaching his ears as well. The whispers spoke of a group of individuals wreaking havoc in the capital, targeting corrupt nobles. They were like ghosts, wearing masks to conceal their identities. The rumors said they had successfully eliminated corrupt nobles, including Pigman, Zolgar, and Bluewolf. Not only that, but they had also managed to free three captive women.
At first, the innkeeper didn't pay much attention to the rumors. After all, he was just an innkeeper, minding his own business. But then, at that very moment, six individuals entered his inn. It struck him as odd because they fit the exact description of the group he had heard about. Three masked men, comprising one man and two women, accompanied by three newly freed women. Could it be them?
But as he studied their unmasked faces, he was struck by their remarkable beauty. Each of them possessed an undeniable allure that captivated him. His thoughts couldn't help but wander to forbidden desires, a hunger that stirred within him.
Pushing those dark thoughts aside, the innkeeper focused on his duty. He handed them the keys to their room and discreetly reached out to his contact in the Black Dog, the second largest organization in the world. The inn had the protection of the Black Dog, safeguarding it from bandits and rival organizations, and the innkeeper had established a connection with them.
Quickly and cautiously, he relayed the information that the individuals they were seeking were present in his inn. In his mind, he saw this as an opportunity to claim the hefty reward that had been placed on the heads of these wanted individuals. Additionally, a sinister agenda lurked in his thoughts — a desire to possess the lifeless bodies of the women and indulge in his twisted fantasies.
To be clear, the innkeeper didn't particularly care if the people who had entered his inn were truly the individuals being sought. His ulterior motive revolved solely around his perverse desires for those women.
But...
"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" he cursed under his breath as he continued to flee from his relentless pursuer. Every gust of the night breeze sent chills down his spine, amplifying his fear. Each step he took on the cobblestone floor startled him, despite being the one making the noise. The sweat pouring down his face only served to heighten his anxiety. His mind screamed of impending danger, warning him that this pursuer was unlike any other; they meant to kill him.
The presence behind him emanated a palpable aura of lethal intent, aimed solely at him. His heart felt constricted as if gripped by a vice, and his lungs burned with each gasping breath.
Mid-flight, he suddenly tripped over an object protruding from the ground. With a jolt, he hit the pavement, and fear gripped him even tighter. As he mustered the courage to glance back, he saw a woman standing before him, her face concealed behind a fox mask.
His voice trembled, pleading, "Hiii! Pl-Please don't kill me! I-I haven't done anything wrong, I swear."
The woman remained silent for a moment, her eyes piercing through the mask. Finally, she spoke, her voice laced with a coldness. "You should also face the consequences for the crimes you have committed and the ones you intend to commit. I am a member of the Scarlet Lotus, a harbinger of death to those who commit atrocities. Now, let me send you to the afterlife."
With a swift, decisive motion, the woman carried out her grim proclamation, severing the innkeeper's head from his body. As his life slowly slipped away, the innkeeper felt a disorienting sensation, as if the world itself had turned. He briefly lost himself in the feeling of weightlessness, only to be abruptly pulled back by the harsh reality of gravity. The moon, casting its eerie glow upon the scene, appeared strangely beautiful to the innkeeper in his final moments. Suddenly, with a resounding thud, his head met the ground.
From his detached vantage point, he gazed upon his lifeless body, still standing as blood gushed from his neck like a macabre fountain. his final moments, the innkeeper's lips trembled, and he uttered a faint, resigned curse, "Fuck this life..." before succumbing to the inevitable embrace of death.
The woman in the mask silently gazed down at the severed head, her expression inscrutable. Without uttering a word, she abruptly turned and swiftly made her way back toward the inn.
•••••
Cian desperately held onto his handgun, engaged in a fierce firefight with the relentless mafia members who were hell-bent on capturing or eliminating them. Despite his best efforts, the onslaught of bullets from their opponents left him unable to even take a brief peek to return fire.
In a brief lull amidst the chaos, Cian turned to Maya, hoping she might have a solution. "Maya, do you happen to have a stun grenade?"
Regrettably, Maya shook her head in response. "I'm sorry, Master," she replied, her voice tinged with disappointment. "My weapons are stored within my garments."
Maya's attire concealed an arsenal of weapons, ranging from grenades to samurai swords and even a gatling gun and a chainsaw. However, she was not currently wearing her full armament, having removed it during her intimate encounter with Cian.
Cian sighed, realizing the gravity of their predicament. "...Yeah, looks like this is going to be a long night," he murmured, a hint of determination in his voice. He then turned his attention to the woman by his side, his gaze firm yet vulnerable. "The four of you, find cover behind the receptionist's desk," he instructed. "I'll handle them myself."
Mila's concern was evident as she questioned Cian's decision. "Alone?" she asked, her worry betraying her.
Cian nodded, his expression resolute. "We don't have much of a choice," he explained. "If I don't take out a few of them now, we'll be in even deeper trouble down the line. Plus, what I'm doing here is just buying us some time. Vera will be back soon enough."
Despite the rift that had momentarily driven Vera away, Cian's unwavering faith in her return remained steadfast. He held onto the belief that she would come back to his side.
As some of the mafia members momentarily ceased their gunfire to reload, Cian seized the opportunity. Swiftly and decisively, he unleashed a retaliatory volley of shots, each finding its mark as five of the assailants fell to the ground, lifeless.
Satisfied with his counterattack, Cian cautiously withdrew from his vantage point, no longer exposing himself to enemy fire. The concern in Freya's voice broke through the intensity of the situation as she asked, "Are you truly going to be alright, Lord Lambhart?" She noticed the wound on his shoulder had started bleeding again, likely aggravated by his movements.
Cian's resolve remained unshaken as he responded, "Yes, I can handle this much." Returning his focus to the ongoing battle, he resumed shooting, each shot precise and calculated. After a few more rounds, he shifted his back against the wall, seeking a momentary respite. He took a deep breath, allowing himself a brief moment to reload his gun, preparing for the next wave of the relentless firefight.