A long, straight leg wrapped in black pants swung out in front of him.
It whistled through the air, striking Black Mirage squarely in the back.
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
Black Mirage staggered forward before being kicked flat on the ground.
Serena retracted her foot with a clean, fluid motion, then planted it firmly on Black Mirage's chest with an air of ultimate coolness.
However...
Just as Serena's foot landed...
A piercing red dot suddenly appeared on her forehead.
A direct lock.
Serena's eyes widened, and she quickly looked up.
On a distant high-rise, a long-range sniper had his rifle trained on her.
"Hahaha..... Demon, did you really think I didn't have a backup plan?" Seeing the red dot, Black Mirage let out a crazed laugh. "If I die, you're not getting out of here alive! So what if you're a good fighter? Are you faster than a bullet?"
This wasn't a movie.
There would be no cliché scene where the villain dies because he talks too much.
Nor would there be a scene where Black Mirage just keeps threatening Serena with the sniper rifle without acting.
The very instant Black Mirage's wild laughter erupted.....
Having locked onto Serena, the remote sniper pulled the trigger.
The bullet left the chamber, tore through the air, and sped directly toward her forehead.
No matter how fast Serena was, she couldn't outrun a bullet.
She could have easily grabbed Black Mirage to use as a shield.
But... Black Mirage was more valuable alive.
He still had his uses.
"Get down!"
Suddenly, a low shout rang out.
Everything happened in an instant.
The moment the red dot locked onto Serena's forehead...
Nicholas, acting almost on pure instinct, had already thrown himself toward her.
As the bullet was fired...
Nicholas had already pulled Serena tightly into his arms, using his own body to block the red dot.
At the same time, he executed a quick roll.
Bang!
The bullet grazed Nicholas's back and slammed into the spot where Serena had just
been standing, sending sparks flying.
It also narrowly missed Black Mirage.
Serena was held securely in Nicholas's arms, her cheek pressed against his heaving chest.
The man's tense muscles were as hard as iron.
His furiously beating heart betrayed his inner turmoil.
Serena was a little dazed.
In truth, she wasn't entirely helpless in that situation.
But Nicholas's unhesitating, purely instinctual act of protection...
It felt as though a crack had formed in the steel casing around her heart, singa vuliterability she'd spent years trying to hide.
It hit the softest part of her.
-Has anyone ever risked their life for you?
Yes.
Serena's long, dark lashes trembled.
A warm, tingling sensation spread through her heart.
Meanwhile...
Black Mirage watched as his last hope was extinguished. Even the sniper shot had failed.
That bastard was just too lucky!
He never imagined... that Nicholas would go to such lengths to protect her!
He glanced at the two of them, then immediately struggled to his feet, trying to use the opportunity to escape the villa.
His men were waiting outside to provide backup.
As long as he could get out of the villa, he still had a chance to make a comeback!
Suddenly, countless blinding headlights lit up the perimeter of the villa, turning night into day.
Amid the roar of engines...
Black Mirage vaguely saw
innumerable SUVS with special insignias arranged in rows completely surrounding the villa.
Scores of heavily armed tactical agents with grim expressions
disembarked in unison, instant
forming an impenetrable cordon around the villa!