On the second floor, in the living room, Illumi and Killua walked towards the balcony, but were stopped by four bodyguards.
"Sir, please wait a moment." Two bodyguards stood in the middle of the balcony entrance, blocking the four figures who were conversing on the balcony. Illumi couldn't see them, and they couldn't see Illumi.
"It's alright, we'll just wait here." Illumi pulled Killua to sit on the sofa in the living room. The four bodyguards then relaxed their guard, but still blocked the balcony, preventing anyone from entering.
"Why aren't they acting yet?" Killua asked, somewhat curious. Now was the perfect time.
"I'm very interested in what they're discussing," Illumi's mouth curved into a smile. A black line shot out from under the sofa, spreading along the wall to the balcony. A black ear emerged from the shadow, quietly listening to the conversation on the balcony.
"Today is your sister's eighteenth birthday." At this moment on the balcony, President Gade's face was displeased, his gaze turning towards the manor downstairs.
"I'm very sorry, but this matter cannot wait." Hilton pursed his lips and shook his head. President Gade turned and walked to the corner of the balcony, Hilton leisurely followed.
"Your people from the military intelligence agency probably can't be relied upon," Hilton said in a low voice, standing behind Gade.
"Hilton, all intelligence personnel in the country are unreliable," President Gade slowly turned around, facing his son, Hilton.
"One of our agents discovered an Adami United States intelligence agency agent in Greed Island," Hilton said, hands in his pockets. Gade simply said softly, "And then?"
Hilton pulled open his jacket and took out a black medal from his chest, handing it to President Gade. "That major general will no longer be useful to us."
"He's already been dealt with," Hilton twisted his neck. "I thought this matter should be told to you as soon as possible."
"Don't forget his family." President Gade took the black medal from his son, held it in his hand, and looked at his son, saying, "If you're going to silence someone, do it thoroughly, leave no loose ends."
"I know." Hilton pursed his lips and nodded. Gade patted his shoulder, signaling Hiram and Kamran to come to the second floor living room together.
The two bodyguards at the door moved aside. Hiram and Kamran walked, one in front and one behind Gade and Hilton.
"They're here, let's move." Illumi withdrew his ability and stood up from the sofa with Killua.
"Horky." As soon as Illumi stood up, Gade saw him and recognized him at once. He slowly walked over with Hilton, extended his hand for a handshake, and said, "Long time no see. Thank you for coming to Hina's birthday."
"Uncle Horky, thank you for coming," Hilton also nodded slightly to him in thanks.
"You're welcome." Illumi chuckled softly as he shook his hand. "Actually, I have another matter for coming this time."
"What is it?" Gade frowned.
"We want your security..."
"Whoosh~!"
Before Illumi could finish speaking, a whooshing sound came from outside the window. Illumi and Killua, who were about to make their move, paused. Everyone present, except for Gade, was extremely familiar with this sound.
Hiram and Kamran rushed towards Gade and Hilton respectively, while the four bodyguards in the living room ran to the balcony, wanting to see what it was.
"Boom!!!"
The moment everyone began to move, a crimson light flashed outside the window, bursting into a dazzling white light. In an instant, a powerful shockwave was released throughout the entire manor, spreading in all directions.
Illumi's body was immediately covered by the strongest shield, but he could still clearly feel a powerful shockwave sweep over his body, "boom"-ing and collapsing all the ground and walls around him.
A small mushroom cloud rose from inside Fort Gade, and the entire city of Gademixia could feel the violent tremor, as well as the rising mushroom cloud.
Three minutes passed...
"Crash..."
A fallen wall was pried up, then "thump"-ed into the air, and crashed to the ground in the distance with a loud bang.
"What bad luck, to encounter a military attack." Illumi stood up from the rubble, shook his body, and brushed off the dust and grit.
"Killua!" Illumi shouted, dispelling the strongest shield, and surveyed the current Fort Gade. Bodies and severed limbs were everywhere, and even many internal organs were scattered on the ground. Some people were blown to pieces, leaving only their heads, their bodies nowhere to be found.
"Killua?"
Illumi looked down and saw a section of long, straight black hair pressed under a wall. He walked to the wall, "thump"-ed it with his foot to flip it up. The lifted wall spun in mid-air and landed on a corpse. With a "thump," it crushed the corpse into minced meat, splattering blood and gore.
Illumi stared at the ground before him, his eyes narrowed. It turned out the wall wasn't covering Killua, but just the head of a young woman with long, straight black hair. Her face was covered in blood, and her eyes were wide open. She looked horrifying, as if she had died with unfulfilled wishes.
The entire manor had at least a thousand people, and now, it seemed almost all of them had died.
"Thump!"
A sound of a wall breaking came from the rubble behind Illumi. He turned to look, and a slender arm broke through a wall from the middle. A small, dark head emerged from the rubble.
"Target? Is he dead?" Killua's head poked out, looking around, not seeing the target.
Before Illumi could speak, from the rubble not far from them, a wall "crashed" upright. A man with ragged clothes and ash all over his head supported himself against the wall and stood up.
"Cough, cough..."
The man coughed dryly, pushed the wall that had been pressing on him, and knelt in the rubble.
"President, Mr. President..."
The man ignored the dust and grit on his body. He knelt in the rubble, calling out to the President with his hoarse voice. Illumi tilted his head and walked over. He saw a middle-aged man with white hair, bleeding from his nose and mouth, lying unconscious beneath the kneeling man. It was President Gade.
"Wake up, Mr. President! Wake up, Gade!"
The kneeling man gasped for breath, patted the President's cheek, and pinched his philtrum, but the President still wouldn't wake up.
"He's the President, so you are..." Killua stood in front of the ash-covered man, a smile on his lips. "Hiram Hobart."
Hiram suddenly looked up at Illumi, his gaze sharp and decisive: "You are not Horky. Horky couldn't have survived an explosion like that without any protection!"
Moreover, Illumi's condition looked far too good.
Hiram stood up and blocked Illumi, shielding the President behind him. He looked at Illumi, his heart feeling a bit bitter. Looking at Illumi, his slanted bangs were swaying in the wind, his clothes were neat and clean. Far from being unharmed, he hadn't even gotten a speck of dust on him.
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