The Voice of the Oracle sneered. "You''ve already been marked. I''m giving you


    one chance-get on your knees now and ept the baptism. Otherwise, you''ll be


    dragged into a pit of eternal damnation!"


    Andrew replied tly, "Then I''ll give you a chance-take off that stupid hood and


    show me your damn face! And while you''re at it, drop to your knees and receive


    the gift of rebirth from me!"


    The Voice of the Oracle exploded with rage and reached for a weapon.


    Just then, a whistling sound could be heard, and a golden needle pierced straight


    through their palm. They only had time to let out a miserable scream before


    Andrew lunged in andnded a brutal kick across their face.


    The Voice of the Oracle spun a full 180 degrees in the air before crashing heavily


    to the ground.


    Andrew stepped forward, stomped on the person''s chest, and yanked the hood


    off.


    It was actually a bald man. Right in the center of his shiny scalp was a tattoo of a


    red venomous snake.


    The Voice of the Oracle, Nathan Fox, gasped, "Andrew, you''re the prey that the


    High Oracle has marked! No matter how much you struggle, you can''t escape..."


    After letting out a sinisterugh, Nathan threw up a mouthful of blood and died on


    the spot.


    Andrew crouched to inspect him. Just as he thought, the guy had poison hidden in


    his mrs, ready to end his life at the first sign of capture. Just like that, his only


    lead was gone, and he did not find a single answer.


    He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Howme."


    Scratching his chin, he debated calling Shiloh. She had a thingtely for flipping


    corpses for profit. She might even want to harvest this bald guy''s kidneys to sell


    on the dark web. After a second thought, he decided to skip it and head back.


    Just as he reached the mouth of the alley, a group of over a dozen men in ck


    suits rounded the corner. Each held a machete and moved in formation, their


    presence menacing and sharp.


    Andrew smiled and quickly bolted the other way. However, at the far end of the


    alley, another wave of men appeared, in the same suits, with the same des.


    He was boxed in with no way out.


    From their ranks emerged Ezra, dragging a massive morning star behind him.


    Sparks flew as it scraped the pavement.


    This thing had to weigh over 100 pounds, and it was covered in jagged spikes.


    This was not just a weapon; it was a murder device.


    "You chose to walk into this disaster. Whatever, I''m not here to chit-chat. Save me


    the trouble and bash your head against a wall, will ya? Don''t make me do it."


    Ezra spat into his palm and began cracking his knuckles, grinning like a maniac.


    Andrew grinned right back. "Marcelo sent you?"


    Ezraughed. "You cocky little punk, calling Mr. Byrne by his name like you''re


    pals? Are you going to kill yourself or not? If you''re not, I''m about to help you out."


    Andrew shrugged. "Then do it


    already. What are you waiting for?


    But let''s be clear-I''m empty-handed,


    and you guys are swinging murder


    toys. Kinda unfair, don''t you think?"


    Ezra was taken aback and then


    burst intoughter. "Mr. Lloyd, are


    you so scared that you''ve lost your


    mind? Of course we''re armed. We''re


    gangsters, killers. That''s kind of our


    thing, genius. And we''ve been


    ordered to chop you into pieces.


    Showing up unarmed would be


    disrespectful to the asion."


    Andrew raised a brow. "You sound real proud of being a thug, huh?"


    Ezra puffed out his chest, "Of


    course! Men in the underworld are


    nothing if not cool! And we can kill


    whoever we want, like you, Andrew.


    Aren''t you pretty arrogant? In a


    moment, you''ll be nothing but a


    dead mutt under my hand!"


    However, Andrew''s expression suddenly shifted. He looked past Ezra and


    shouted, "Mr. Byrne! I knew you''d show up. What an honor for someone like me!"


    Ezra flinched and spun around on instinct.


    Andrew''s expression suddenly changed dramatically as he looked behind Ezra.


    "Mr. Byrne, so you followed along, too. You''re really giving me quite the honor!"


    Ezra was startled and instinctively turned to look behind him, only to find that


    there was no one there.


    "You tricky bastard! How dare you trick me..." Ezra cursed angrily, turning back to


    He was furious at being fooled like that, but Andrew had already charged forward,


    throwing a punch straight at his face.


    Caught off guard, Ezra howled and raised his weapon to block. "Andrew, you


    dishonorable son of a-"


    His cursing ended with a scream as he threw his head back, blood gushing out of


    his mouth.