Isn't it very scientific to use the Death Note to kill people?

A moment later, the mansion gates fell silent once more.

Only the lingering smoke in the air and the gradually expanding dark red pool of blood on the ground proved that a brief but brutal massacre had just taken place here.

After killing the people who tried to escape, one of the figures in black combat uniforms immediately pressed his earpiece and calmly reported: "Lord Rum, the target has been eliminated, the outer passage has been sealed off, and no one has escaped."

Several blocks away, Rum, hidden inside a modified command vehicle, was watching the brief battle and the quickly returning silence outside the mansion's gates through the electronic cameras worn by his men.

"very good."

Rum's single eye gleamed with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He unconsciously rubbed his rough fingers, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, and his legs trembling uncontrollably.

He forced himself to take a deep breath, suppressing the inappropriate excitement and fear he felt.

(Success...the first step was a success!)

He spoke into the communicator, his voice slightly hoarse with excitement, yet carrying an undeniable command: "Team A, Team B, proceed as planned, infiltrate from the east and west! Team C, occupy all the high ground on the perimeter, use thermal imaging cameras to keep a close watch on those connected residences around here! Don't let a single rat escape to call for help. That old fox Karasuma Renya has definitely set up more than one den around here."

He sneered, his gaze sweeping across the screen over two other neighboring houses that were also shrouded in darkness and silence.

These three buildings formed a delicate triangle, interlocking with each other. But in the current electronic silence, their connection has been completely severed, turning them into three isolated islands.

According to Vermouth's intelligence, Mesa, the head of Karasuma Renya's guards and head maid, must be by his side.

So, with all three residences unable to communicate, which one will be the first to react in an orderly manner and organize an effective defense... that one will be Karasuma Renya's hiding place!

After all, without the global perspective of electronic eyes, the efficiency of the command system will inevitably be greatly reduced. Only the core command with the highest commander in charge can stabilize the situation as quickly as possible with its authority and on-the-spot adaptability.

The mansion in front of him, which had just repelled the reinforcement team and was emitting faint but orderly sounds of mobilization, was undoubtedly his target!

(Mezo...is it a drink that will disappear?)

As Rum pondered the code name, he chuckled inwardly.

Merzo, an Italian legendary "moonlight grappa"—a type of spirit distilled from the pomace left over after grape winemaking, while moonlight refers to illicit brewing, which refers to the practice of secretly brewing wine under the moonlight during the Prohibition era, hence the name "moonlight wine".

Mezzo is a type of moonlight grappa, with no fixed recipe, making each bottle unique, and it is also known as "the wine that disappears".

Indeed, even Rum, the second-in-command, had never heard of the codename Mezo.

"All assault teams!"

Without further hesitation, Rum issued the order for a general assault into the communicator: "Target confirmed! It's the building in front of you! Attack! At all costs, find the target!"

"Team A, received!"

"Team B, received!"

"Team C, attack!"

The moment the order was given, the armed forces that had been lying in ambush in the shadows around the mansion launched their attack like sharks that had smelled blood!

In addition to the armed personnel who were quickly organized to prepare for the assault, vans were speeding towards them from a distance.

Several assault team members wore high-precision thermal imaging goggles unaffected by pulses; in their cold field of vision, the heat distribution of the human body behind the wall was clearly visible.

They accurately fired grenades at areas of concentrated heat—clearly guarded outposts—or fired precise shots through windows.

boom!

boom!

The explosions and gunshots instantly shattered the silence around the mansion!

Meanwhile, other squads used grappling hooks and throwing knives to scale the mansion's exterior walls like agile monkeys, quickly taking control of second-floor windows and balconies to establish firing positions. They unleashed a barrage of fire on any moving shadows inside the mansion using submachine guns and shotguns equipped with silencers.

The guards inside the mansion also reacted extremely quickly.

Even without electronic advantage, they still demonstrated remarkable training and combat instincts.

"Two people at the second-floor window on the left!"

"At least one squad is attempting a direct assault on the main gate!"

"Guard the stairwell! Don't let them go up to the third floor!"

Mezzo's cold voice echoed in the darkness. Although she couldn't use a headset, she managed to maintain command thanks to her previous arrangements and her subordinates' efficient relay of messages.

The guards put up a fierce resistance, relying on the familiar interior layout, sturdy furniture, and pre-set makeshift fortifications.

Bullets flew through the dimly lit mansion, shattering expensive porcelain and tearing exquisite wallpaper, instantly transforming the once elegant environment into a bloody battlefield. Occasionally, flashes of light from gun muzzles briefly illuminated faces contorted in rage, composure, or agony.

Chapter 119: Gin's Suspicion

The classic Japanese-style mansion has been completely turned into a battlefield.

The muzzle flashes flickered frequently in the dim light, each flash accompanied by the whistling of a bullet tearing through the air, the muffled thud of a bullet hitting flesh, and the agonizing screams of the dying.

In addition, the roar of helicopter rotors gradually came from above the courtyard. Under the strong wind pressure, the searchlights of the armed helicopters that arrived at the scene cast a pale beam of light, sweeping across the roof and courtyard of the mansion, providing illumination and deterrence for the ground assault team.

"Team A has breached the east wing, but is encountering fierce resistance and is currently clearing it!"

"Team B, the west wing stairwell has been secured; advancing towards the main hall on the second floor!"

"Team C reports: The backyard guards have been cleared; we are searching for the entrance to the underground area!"

A brief report came through Rum's communication channel.

Thanks to the field-of-view advantage of the thermal imager and the firepower suppression of the armed helicopters, the commando team sent by Rum cut through the mansion's defense system with precision and ruthlessness, like a scalpel.

The members of Group A, who burst in from the side hall, launched a fierce attack as swiftly as a black tide. This place was originally filled with countless precious antiques and oil paintings, but at this moment, no one cared about these things. The guards stationed here used the huge marble pillars and heavy furniture to fight back. Bullets hit the stone pillars and set off a series of sparks. Many valuable oil paintings were instantly torn apart by stray bullets.

One of the assault team members used thermal imaging to accurately locate a guard through the screen. With a precise shot, the bullet pierced the screen, leaving a spray of blood.

"Watch out for grenades!"

Another team member yelled, his eyes catching sight of a grenade rolling around the corner of the corridor.

boom!

The blast wave overturned nearby tables and chairs, scattering debris everywhere.

Before the smoke had cleared, two assault team members had already charged across the blast site without fear of death. Their submachine guns spat fire, knocking down two guards who were dizzy from the shockwave.

The gunfire in the side hall gradually subsided, leaving only sporadic resistance and follow-up shots.

Before long, the guards' corpses lay scattered on the ground, their blood staining the expensive handmade carpet, mixed with scattered porcelain shards and torn paintings, leaving only the intruders' cold and calm report.

Meanwhile, Group B, located a little further away from the side hall, engaged in a battle of wits with the guards on the stairs leading to the second floor in order to advance into the main hall.

The guards above, occupying a strategic position, used crossfire to tightly block the stairwell entrance.

"Smoke bomb!"

With a few loud bangs, several smoke grenades were thrown up the stairs, and thick, grayish-white smoke quickly spread out.

"on!"

Taking advantage of the obscured view, Team B launched a strong attack.

They were all wearing goggles with thermal imaging capabilities, so the smoke had limited effect on them.

Intense firefights erupted amidst the smoke, bullets whistling as men fell, tumbling down the stairs. A commando, shield in hand, charged onto the platform, blasting a guard away at close range with a shotgun, but was immediately struck in the side by a bullet fired from the flank, collapsing with a muffled groan.

"Suppress the flanks!"

The squad leader roared and fired several rounds from his grenade launcher toward the flank firing positions.

Boom! Boom!

The explosion temporarily suppressed the firepower on the flanks, and the assault team took the opportunity to swarm in and finally completely captured the second-floor stairwell, but at the cost of leaving behind three corpses and several wounded.

After the team leader finished his report, he continued to advance into the main hall.

In contrast to the intense firefight inside the house, Team C was responsible for the encirclement and search operations inside the courtyard. Using grappling hooks and night vision equipment, they silently cleared out any lone guards or sentries inside the courtyard, while searching for any possible secret rooms or passages.

"Wait, I've found what appears to be the entrance to an underground passage."

One of the team members noticed something unusual while inspecting a structure disguised as an artificial rock formation, and he quickly signaled to his companions.

Two team members stepped forward and carefully inspected the mechanical locks at the entrance.

"It needs to be cut."

"let me."

Another team member immediately stepped forward and took out tools from the backpack behind him.

Soon, the miniature acetylene cutter emitted a ghostly blue flame and slowly melted the latch.

Meanwhile, the armed helicopter hovering over the courtyard continued to exert pressure. Although the helicopter did not use heavy weapons to bombard the area, the loud noise from its hovering and the bright light from its searchlights greatly interfered with the judgment and morale of the guards inside the mansion. It also accurately used its vehicle-mounted machine gun to attack any guard positions that attempted to retaliate from windows or other locations.

Deep within the mansion, in a specially reinforced, windowless, secret room.

As the gunshots and explosions outside grew closer and clearer, Mezzo's face turned as cold as iron.

At this moment, fewer than ten guards remained around her; this was the last core line of defense. Communication was completely cut off; she had no way of knowing the situation at the other two residences, nor could she call for help.

"Head Maid, the east wing has fallen!"

"There's a firefight in the main hall on the second floor, and our men have suffered heavy losses!"

"The enemy has been spotted attempting to breach the underground passage in the backyard!"

Bad news kept coming in.

Their defensive perimeter is being rapidly compressed.

Mezzo's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes turned completely gloomy.

The enemy's offensive was efficient and deadly, and it seemed to be a targeted adjustment to the defenses here. This situation must mean there was a traitor within the ranks.

But who could it be?

She racked her brains trying to recall any potential issues that might have arisen within the mansion recently, but she couldn't find the answer. The only person who had gone out recently was the maid, Matsumoto, but she hadn't noticed anything unusual.

Or is the problem with Vermouth?

But Mezo knew that now was not the time to dwell on these issues. Hearing the commotion outside, she looked at her subordinates beside her.

"Everyone, stay at your posts."

Her voice carried an undeniable authority: "We will not allow this place to be breached even once!"

"Yes!"

All the guards' eyes narrowed, and then they all let out a low growl, like the roar of a dying beast.

Almost everyone in this mansion was a trained assassin intentionally cultivated by Karasuma Renya, and no one would choose to back down at a time like this.

After confirming everyone's condition, Mezo did not linger. She packed up her weapons and equipment and quickly left the room. The enemy had already invaded, and with no confidence that she could hold out any longer, her only mission was to ensure the safety of the gentleman. She decided to immediately take him away from here.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The air inside the organization's safe house was filled with the strong smell of disinfectant.

In the dim light, the few survivors looked like dolls that had been torn apart and barely patched up.

Tequila's left arm and shoulder were wrapped in thick bandages, and blood was still seeping out from inside. He leaned against the corner of the wall, his face ashen from blood loss, and he was now resting with his eyes closed in exhaustion.

Chianti had her forehead and arms bandaged and was resting on the sofa, while Cohen, whose condition was the most serious, had fallen into a coma. Although he was temporarily out of danger, he would probably have to rest for a while.

As for Rena Mizunashi's leg injury, it was also treated urgently, and the bullet was removed. However, the intense pain and subsequent high fever made her delirious. She leaned against the bed, her forehead soaked with cold sweat.

Gin sat in the shadows in the corner of the room.

His wounds had been treated—a deep cut on his left arm that exposed bone had been carefully stitched and bandaged, and there were multiple abrasions and burns on his forehead and cheeks. The most serious injury was a fracture in his ribs, which brought him needle-like pain with every deep breath.

After the medical staff finished bandaging him, Gin stood up, his movements slightly sluggish due to the pain, but he still took the black trench coat and put it on as if preparing to leave.

"Lord Gin, it is not a good time for you—"

Upon seeing this, the medical staff immediately stepped forward to try to tell him to rest, but they swallowed their words halfway through because of Gin's murderous gaze.

"Big brother?"

Vodka, who was lying on the floor having his bandages wrapped by the nurse, was taken aback when he saw this. He also had many injuries, but the most noticeable one was probably the thick bandage wrapped around his forehead.

Gin ignored him and walked straight toward the door.

"Big brother! Where are you going?"

Vodka, enduring the pain, snatched the unfinished bandage from the nurse and hurried after her, wrapping it himself as he did so, his voice filled with anxiety.

Gin continued walking, his voice cold and hoarse: "Go find Rum."