Chapter 1323
The man in black, his face a mask of indifference, advanced quickly, pinning Bernard to the ground,
immobilising him and giving him no opportunity for counterattack.
Bernard could have reacted when the man first approached, but he chose not to. He was waiting for
something. His mission will remain incomplete until that moment arrived.
1-2 interpreted Bernard’s non-resistance as a sign of defeat. He saw it as an uncharacteristic lack of
fire, and his respect for Bernard diminished slightly.
“According to the rules of Area Opaca, anyone who tries to breach the lower districts must be
electrocuted as punishment. But considering your obstinacy, I’ll make an exception,” 1-2 said, a hint of
mockery in his tone.
1-2 beckoned to the man in black. After forcing Bernard onto the ground, he pulled a small knife from
his pocket. The blade shone ominously under the dim light as he approached Bernard, crouching
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtbeside him.
Underneath his mask, 1-2 observed Bernard through unfeeling eyes. He held the knife against
Bernard’s back and began to cut, slowly and deliberately, close to his waist.
Bernard clenched his fists, his neatly trimmed nails embedding into his palm, which was painful. But it
was a pain that was nothing compared to the piercing agony from the knife on his
back.
Throughout this, he remained silent. His head turned slightly to the side, his gaze fixed on the wall. His
mind was elsewhere, though. He thought of Eleanor, his beloved, who was five months pregnant. In
another five months, he would become a father.
He wondered if his child would look more like him or Eleanor. No matter who the child took after, he
was sure they would be beautiful.
As these thoughts occupied his mind, 1-2 pressed harder with the knife. Bernard grunted in pain but
remained resolute, biting his lip to keep himself from making a sound.
Sophie, watching from a distance, couldn’t bear the sight of Bernard in pain. She moved towards him,
hoping to give him some comfort. But the moment Bernard saw her, he closed his eyes, shutting her
out. Sophie’s face twisted in anger and frustration.
“Serves you right!” she spat out, turning to 1-2. “Sir, let me do it. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.”
1-2 glanced at her dismissively, making no attempt to acknowledge her offer. He continued to carve
into Bernard’s back, treating it like a piece of artwork.
“I’m just getting started. Once 1-1 arrives, we can really get to work, 1-2 said, wiping his hands clean
with a towel handed to him by one of his cohorts.
“Doctor, stitch him up. Make sure he recovers,” he commanded, to which the doctor, who had been
standing quietly in the corner, nodded in agreement.
As the doctor worked on Bernard, without the use of anesthetics, Bernard passed out from the pain.
When he woke up, he found Sophie standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and a cold look on her
face.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmDespite the pain he was in, Bernard managed to maintain his composure. His face was pale, but his
features remained unchanged. His hair was slightly disheveled, but there was no sign of the distress he
had just experienced.
He sat up straight, leaning his head against the wall. His movements were casual but there was an air
of arrogance about him. His aloofness and detached demeanor made him seem even more attractive
to Sophie.
It was a love-hate relationship for Sophie. She was drawn to him, yet he infuriated her, mainly because
he never seemed to notice her.
“Bernard, I have some news for you,” Sophie said, striding towards him with a triumphant smile on her
face, “Eleanor is dead.”
Bernard froze, his already pale face turning ghostly white. He lifted his eyes to look at Sophie, his gaze
filled with a deadly intent.
Ignoring the danger in his eyes, Sophie pulled out her phone and showed him a video.
“See for yourself,” she said, pleased with the shock she had caused.
Slowly, Bernard shifted his gaze from Sophie to the video on her phone…