THE KUZNETSOV FAMILY YOUNG MASTER
FAILED ASSASSINATION
Victor Kuznetsov's piercing gaze bore into the captured assassin, his eyes seeming to see right through the man's facade. The assassin's desperation was palpable, his eyes darting around the dimly lit room as if searching for an escape.
"You were sent to kill me," Victor stated, his voice cold and detached, devoid of emotion. "Why?"
The assassin spat at Victor's feet, a defiant gesture that only seemed to amuse him. "You'll never know."
Victor's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of interest sparked in his eyes. He nodded to his guard, who stepped forward to search the assassin's pockets. A small piece of paper was retrieved, bearing a symbol and a message.
Victor's eyes narrowed as he read it, his mind racing with connections. "The Red Vipers. I should have known."
He turned back to the assassin, his gaze intensifying. "You're just a pawn in a larger game. Tell me, who hired you?"
The assassin's jaw clenched, but Victor could see the fear lurking behind his eyes, a fear that seemed to grow by the minute.
"I'll give you one chance to cooperate," Victor said, his voice dripping with menace. "Refuse, and you'll rot in my dungeon forever."
The assassin swallowed hard but remained silent, his resolve seemingly strengthened by some unseen force. Victor's gaze never wavered, his determination to uncover the truth burning brighter than ever.
"I'll find out what I need to know," Victor said, his voice low and deadly. "One way or another."
As he stood there, Victor's thoughts turned to the reason behind the assassination attempt. His enemies feared that if he got married and inherited the family business, he would become stronger—a threat to their very existence.
The old man, his grandfather, had promised to hand over the family business once Victor got married. But the old man had been reluctant, fearing Victor would never settle down and have children to look after him when he was gone.
Victor's motivations, however, were different. He had been investigating his parents' brutal murder since he was five, and he believed inheriting the family business would give him the power and resources he needed to finally uncover the truth.
The idea of getting a bride was his own—a calculated move to gain power and leverage. He knew he could be married in name, even if the thought of a lady's touch repulsed him.
With a renewed sense of determination, Victor turned to leave, the assassin's fate already sealed in his mind. He would get the answers he needed, no matter the cost.
Before leaving, he ordered his subordinates to throw the assassin into the dungeon, where he would wish for death but never find it.
Outside the city, a mysterious man was seen in his office, throwing things off his table in anger. While his subordinates bowed their heads, trembling in fear, none of them dared to utter a word, afraid they would be made scapegoats.
"Damn it!" the man cursed. "How could they fail to kill him? Weren't they renowned top assassins the organization spent years and money training? How could they be so careless and useless?"
This mysterious man was the one the organization ordered to take care of the Kuznetsov family's young master, Victor.
His name was Malcolm, a ruthless and cunning man who climbed to power by secretly killing the master who brought him into the organization. Although the main boss found out, he said nothing because of Malcolm's potential.
Malcolm had been thrilled when the main boss gave him the responsibility of silencing Victor Kuznetsov. He saw it as an opportunity to climb higher. But now that the people he sent had failed, he feared what awaited him.
"No! We can't give up now. We might lose everything if we fail to kill Victor Kuznetsov," Malcolm said to his subordinates in a cruel tone.
"Arrange a meeting with Victor Kuznetsov tomorrow at Hills Mountain. We must kill him there at all costs. Prepare the trained killers to act at my command," he ordered his trusted subordinate with a chilling look.
"Let's see if he can escape this time around."
"I will see to it, sir," Oslo replied.
"Good. You can all get lost now," Malcolm dismissed them as they trembled in fear.
The next day, following Malcolm's order, Oslo prepared a meeting with Victor Kuznetsov. He sent a mysterious message:
"If you want to know who killed your parents, meet me at Hills Mountain."
Victor Kuznetsov squinted at the message. "Who do you think sent this?" he asked his assistant, Paul.
"I don't know, boss, but I think it's a trap. You shouldn't risk it," Paul warned.
"Heh. If I don't go, will I still be the rumored young master? Won't I be seen as a coward?" Victor said with a smirk. "Who knows, the sender might be telling the truth."
"But boss—" Paul tried to continue, but his words were cut short.
"Paul," Victor called in a cold tone. "Get the car ready. We're leaving for Hills Mountain. Also prepare backups in case anything goes wrong."
"Yes, boss!" Paul answered uneasily.
Within minutes, Paul prepared the car and arranged for backup to follow them secretly.
Despite that, Paul still felt uneasy. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being lured into a trap. After what felt like an eternity, the car stopped on a deserted road. Above them towered a mountain with a man-made staircase and a bamboo hut at its peak.
Paul shivered. If someone fell from this mountain, it would be impossible to survive.
In contrast, Victor remained calm. He sensed killing intent all around. He counted them silently—twenty trained killers hidden in the bushes.
Paul was right. It was a trap. But since I'm already here, escaping is impossible.
With a smirk and a calm tone, Victor ordered, "Let's go."