Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

Where did they get the confidence to live peacefully until then?

What are you looking at?

Kane, with his keen intuition, caught a glimpse of Monique's pitying gaze in the rearview mirror. His heart skipped a beat, his expression shifting as if he'd guessed something. But instead of calming down, he raised his voice even louder, using an angry tone to mask the fleeting tension that had crossed his face.

"What kind of look is that? You think I can't do it?"

Distracted by driving, Monique didn't notice the fleeting realization in Director Kane's eyes. Startled by Kane's shout, she immediately looked away and apologized:

“I’m sorry, Director, that’s not what I meant. The other four directors said similar things. I naturally trust their wisdom.”

Kane feigned anger and snorted, turning his head away and looking out the window, remaining silent.

Monique was focused on driving and no longer noticed the lingering gloom in Kane's eyes.

The vehicle traveled for a long time along the narrow road that had been scouted by the Undead Alliance, and soon arrived at the agreed meeting point, where an off-road vehicle bound for Colombia was already waiting. But when Kane saw him, there was not a trace of joy on his face.

Because he didn't see the remaining directors that Monique mentioned at all.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Golden Eyes of "Mysterious Iron"

"Sir, we've arrived."

Monique whispered a reminder, like a mother lullaby to her child, or a priest's farewell prayer to the dead. But to Director Kane at that moment, it sounded like a devil's death knell.

He looked at the empty plain in the distance and asked, forcing himself to remain calm:

"What about the other directors? Didn't you say there were four others besides me?"

"Oh~" Monique nodded nonchalantly, casually making up a story, "They probably haven't arrived yet, after all, I only heard the news from the radio. Or maybe they've already boarded the train and are waiting for you there? Why don't you go and see for yourself?"

As she spoke, Monique got out of the car, walked around to the side and rear, opened the back door for Kane, and gestured for him to enter.

"Let's go, Director Kane. Let's get on the bus and hit the road as soon as possible, lest something unexpected happens."

Kane stepped out of the car with a stiff expression, straightened his clothes, and ordered with a stern face, "Qingjin, I've changed my mind. I want to change the mode of transportation. It's too dangerous to leave Kazimierz by car. The speed of Silver Spear Pegasus can even catch up with a car traveling at high speed."

Monique chuckled, maintaining a humble attitude but with a hint of impatience in her expression: "Director, there's no use in telling me this. I'm just following orders. If you want to change vehicles, you can discuss it with Lord Xuan Tie, can't you?"

Find Xuan Tie? Easier said than done. Where would Kane possibly find Xuan Tie right now? To prevent some directors from arbitrarily deploying members of the Unarmored Alliance, the Business Federation has established a liaison officer position between the directors and the Unarmored Alliance. The highest level a managing director can privately deploy members of the Unarmored Alliance is only Platinum. Those at the higher levels, like Azure Gold and Xuan Tie, are said to be powerful enough to kill "any target in Kazimir." Therefore, while the directors use them, they also fear them. No one will allow a single director to have the power to deploy them without authorization; otherwise, what if they accidentally move out of their minds one day? Who would they complain to?

Even an ambitious man like Kane had to obtain approval from the entire Business Federation when mobilizing the Black Iron.

Now, the Business Federation's headquarters has been completely occupied by those conquering knights, so where am I supposed to find a liaison? Monique's words were nothing more than a sarcastic remark made out of ignorance.

I am now nothing more than a caged beast, and from the moment I stepped into the car leaving the city, I had already begun the countdown to my death.

Kane clenched his fists, his teeth chattering, trying to fight off the fear of death with the burning rage within him. He was unwilling to accept it. Everything had been planned perfectly. If he had just followed the plan, he could have become the uncrowned king of Columbia and Casimir. Why did it have to be at this moment? The people he had been fooling seemed to have suddenly seen the light, either abandoning their compromises and launching a surprise attack on the Federation headquarters, or betraying him on the spot and trying to kill him.

Why? Did someone do something?!

“Director?” Monique spoke up. Her smile vanished completely, replaced by a sigh. “Looks like you already guessed it?”

"Actually, wouldn't it be better if you were like the previous ones, knowing nothing and dying easily in a daze? Now that you know, aren't you even more afraid?"

Monique drew her bow, aimed at Kane's head, and said:

"However, I advise you not to resist. My archery skills are quite good, and it won't hurt. Now, get in the carriage. You have one last chance."

"An opportunity?" Kane gave a bitter laugh, but faced with the alloy arrow that was about to be stuffed into his mouth, he still obediently nodded and got into the car.

When Kane first saw the scene inside the car, he couldn't help but gasp. The interior was a mess—splattered blood and dried, unidentified white gel-like substance mixed with clear mucus were everywhere. The four directors lay sprawled haphazardly in their seats, their faces frozen in the shock of their deaths. Clearly, when they opened the car door and saw the scene inside, their hearts were filled with turmoil. But as Monique said, surprise is a good thing. The assassins of the Unarmored Alliance had precisely seized the moment when people's surprise turned into fear, splitting the directors' heads open. The technique was clean and efficient, the experience familiar and seasoned. Even a professional butcher in a slaughterhouse would probably be ashamed of such a one-hit kill.

Although he had mentally prepared himself, when he actually saw the scene inside the car, Director Kane was still choked by the lingering stench of blood and coughed repeatedly. His tear-filled eyes reflected the faces of those who were far from peaceful; not long ago, they had been questioning him in meetings, cheering and voting for him, but now they were cold, lifeless corpses.

"Is your mental resilience that weak? The ordinary people and knights who were driven to suicide by you and your Red Wine Newspaper looked far worse than these. Those were real, desperate, utterly hopeless eyes."

A strange voice came from beside him. Kane turned his head sharply and saw an old man dressed as an old hunter, his face covered in scars, some of which were even bandaged, staring at him with his lifeless eyes.

"Mysterious Iron..."

This was the first time Director Kane had seen Xuan Tie in person, but he recognized him instantly. He looked exactly like the legendary figures of the Unarmored Alliance from Kazimir: carrying a longbow, dressed like a hunter, appearing at first glance like an ordinary old hunter, yet concealing unfathomable strength. If it weren't for the hideous scars and bandages on his face that detracted from his overall demeanor, he would have seemed like a reclusive old man straight out of a novel.

“It’s me.” The Unarmored Alliance member [Xuan Tie] nodded emphatically, confirming Kane’s identity. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Director.” [Xuan Tie] extended his hand, his eyes, which were as dull as a dead man’s and devoid of any light, staring intently at Kane.

Kane swallowed hard, his gaze briefly meeting Xuan Tie's. He noticed that it had a pair of lifeless golden eyes.

Kane didn't shake hands, but quickly turned his head away. He dared not meet Xuan Tie's gaze; those eyes were simply too terrifying. Kane wasn't unfamiliar with the eyes of those who claimed to be dead, but only now, after meeting Xuan Tie's eyes, did he understand what eyes that could be completely devoid of any emotion, not even the slightest fluctuation of thought or the flicker of physiological reaction, truly looked like.

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the black iron has undoubtedly locked those windows shut. Those eyes will probably only be used to aim and kill, not to observe the world around them.

A pair of seemingly lifeless eyes paired with a pair of captivating, dazzling golden pupils—how could such a contradictory combination exist in the world?!

Chapter 40 Monique: I finally got serious for once... ugh!

Kane refused to get close to Xuan Tie and went straight to the point.

"Just say it directly, Monique said you gave me a chance, what was it?"

“It’s very simple,” [Xuan Tie] said in a hoarse voice, as if he hadn’t had a sip of water for days. “Transfer all of the Business Federation’s shares, plans, and arrangements in Victoria to the Unarmored Alliance.” He paused, then emphasized, “Especially the things that Victoria gave you.”

"Give them to me, and I'll spare your life."

Having finished speaking, Kane gritted his teeth in fury. Just as he had anticipated, the anger at the plan's failure, and even the possibility of being replaced and becoming someone else's pawn, overshadowed the fear of the countdown to death. He glared furiously at [Xuan Tie's] lifeless, eerie golden eyes and roared:

"What right do you have to do this!"

Do you think I would agree?

"You at least have to guarantee my safe departure from Kazimir, and guarantee that the Unarmored Alliance will not attempt to assassinate me, not just now, but in the future! Otherwise, don't even think about getting what I've worked so hard to earn!"

"Heh, do you think you're qualified to negotiate with me?" [Xuan Tie] shrugged as if he'd heard a joke, but there was no smile on his deadpan face, and his cold laugh was particularly chilling. Just as Kane was about to lower his demands, at least to the point mentioned earlier, [Xuan Tie] suddenly nodded unexpectedly and said, "However, I can promise you. I swear on the life of this body that after Director Kane truthfully hands over all the aforementioned items, I and the entire Wuzhou Alliance will not do anything to violate the contract against Director Kane!"

"You?" Director Kane stared in astonishment at Xuan Tie, who was raising his hand to swear an oath.

[Xuan Tie] glanced at him and asked in return, "Any other questions? If you wish, I can also provide other forms of oaths, whether it's an oath to the gods of Lateran, an oath to the ancestral spirits of Kazimierz, or an oath to the Cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster."

What is Flying Spaghetti?

Kane didn't understand the meaning of the convoluted words Xuan Tie uttered. But he knew that Xuan Tie had agreed to his conditions. Unbelievable!

Kane breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "No, that's enough."

If Xuan Tie were to break the agreement, no amount of swearing would matter. If Xuan Tie were not to break the agreement, a verbal promise would suffice. Although Xuan Tie's method of swearing was a bit strange, saying something bizarre like "I guarantee this body's life," Kane felt somewhat comforted as long as he said it.

"Then tell me, where are those things?" Xuan Tie lowered his hand from the oath and asked coldly.

Kane pursed his lips, staring into Xuan Tie's lifeless golden eyes, still unable to discern anything from the old hunter's mind, as if he had ceased to think altogether.

He finally told the truth:

"Most of them were in the packages I mailed to Columbia, sent by Mustang Logistics via a special courier service. They didn't have tracking numbers. You had to go to the Mustang Logistics mail point in the Wisconsin Central Block 3 with the code word 'Business Federation Kane 048' to get the package. I was planning to use those steam armor blueprints to try and replicate them to make a name for myself in Columbia, but now they're yours."

"Besides you, is there anyone else who knows about these things?" [Xuan Tie] asked.

Kane replied, "No, Wild Horse Logistics is my shell company; no one dares to open my packages. No one but me will know."

[Xuan Tie] then turned his head in satisfaction, took a clean contract from the passenger seat, and handed it to Kane:

"Very good, now, sign this, and you can leave."

Kane took the contract, his eyes already brimming with tears, blurring his vision. Even so, he knew exactly what those bold words on the contract meant—a share transfer agreement.

For a capitalist, having all his money stolen, all the wealth he'd accumulated through a lifetime of exploitation taken away, leaving him penniless, is more painful than death. But Kane wasn't a pure capitalist; he was ambitious and cunning. He believed that as long as he lived, even starting over, he could rise again and make a comeback. Although Xuan Tie had stolen the blueprints for the steam armor, he had already seen them. Relying on his memory, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to rewrite and redraw them. Even if he couldn't remember the complex parameters, the blueprints themselves were priceless, saving him countless detours in his research on this Victoria's Secret weapon, which held a position similar to that of firearms in Laterano.

Sign it, only by signing can you survive!

He warned himself, picked up the pen, and tremblingly wrote his name on the contract. He didn't dare to try anything clever; when it came to secrecy, no one was more familiar with it than an assassin, and he shouldn't even think about playing tricks on Xuan Tie.

After taking one last deep look at all his assets, Director Kane returned the contract to Xuan Tie.

Xuan Tie examined the contract thoroughly, then took out his phone and photographed every single page. He handed the contract to Kane, had Kane point to the signature area and nod, photographed it, and uploaded it to his private account. Finally, he took the contract back and, in front of Kane, tore it into pieces.

Kane watched this scene indifferently, showing little surprise. Xuan Tie was meticulous in his actions; he naturally wouldn't keep paper contracts or anything that could potentially leave evidence. Taking a picture like this and storing it on his phone was the safest option. He could then have it notarized, spend some money to smooth things over, and easily get the money. After all, these capitalists had done this kind of thing many times before; they had already prepared the backdoors. He just never expected it would be used against him.

After completing all this, [Xuan Tie] looked at the uneasy Kane and suddenly revealed a chilling, forced smile, opening the car door for him:

"You keep your word, now you can leave."

Kane glanced at the black iron, closed his eyes, and after a long sigh, stepped out of the car.

The fresh air rushed in, washing away the stench of blood from his nostrils. The tears of fear in his eyes vanished, replaced by a look of relief. He strode off into the wilderness.

He knew where caravans would pass by. Although the conditions were poor, as long as he encountered a caravan, he wouldn't starve. As long as he could survive until he reached a nearby settlement, he could earn money again. Once he had money, he could go to Colombia and make a comeback with his inferior imitation steam armor.

At that time, although the process will be much more complicated, she will still be able to become the master of Casimir and Colombia. He is confident of this! He is confident!

His confident thoughts were abruptly interrupted, and the joy of being freed plummeted from the peak to the bottom in an instant. He looked down at the rope that had suddenly been hung around his neck and was gradually tightening, then looked at the old hunter holding the rope to his side and behind him, his face full of astonishment.

"Why—cough cough—because—didn't I already—agree—"

"Yes, I know, you promised me."

[Xuan Tie] still wore that forced, insincere smile.

"I also promised you, with the life of this body as my guarantee, that after you fulfill your promise, neither I nor the Wuzhou Alliance will ever lay a hand on you again."

[Xuan Tie] tightened the rope abruptly, supporting the struggling man's body, and walked to a nearby telephone pole. After attempting to hang him up, and finding his body still somewhat clumsy and his wounds reopening, he helplessly turned his head and called out:

"Monique, come and give me a hand. Hang him up."

Monique stared blankly at Xuan Tie Dawei, who had turned on her so suddenly, her lips twitching. As she stepped forward, she asked:

"Didn't we promise him? Wouldn't it be a bit wrong to go back on our word like this?"

"You're right, I also think this is wrong, and I'll feel guilty."

With Monique's help, Kane was quickly hoisted onto the lamppost. [Xuan Tie] clapped his hands, responding seriously.

“So, as agreed, I must also fulfill my promise. Monique, I hereby declare the Unarmored Alliance dissolved from today. You are a Victorian, right? Go back to where you came from.”

Monique blinked, her mind completely blanked by Xuan Tie's explosive statement, only managing to utter a sound like a computer crash warning: "Huh?"

The next second, [Xuan Tie] unexpectedly pulled out a dagger from his pocket and plunged it into his own heart with lightning speed, shouting, "I'm dead!" before collapsing to the ground.

For a moment, Monique was the only living creature left on the open ground.

The blue-haired Victoria curls-wearing assassin, Felin, stared blankly at the capitalist swaying in the wind from the lamppost and the [Xuan Tie] throne lying on the ground, tongue lolling out, dead on the spot. Her naive worldview was subjected to an unimaginable shock.

"The boss killed someone and then committed suicide?"

"I've been fired. My job... is gone?"

Monique suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She had been rejected from the Victorian army for insufficient military skills just a month ago. She had finally found a job that allowed her to prove her abilities and was planning to work hard, strive for excellence, and become a top performer, only to be fired again!