Arabella's punches and kicks were lethal weapons, her explosive strength and incredible speed making every move a potential death sentence for her opponent. When she fought, she never left room for mercy.
In her entire life, the only time she had hesitated before taking a life was for the sake of Cyrus.
So when she faced Julius, there wasn't even a flicker of hesitation. Her kicks came in rapid succession, each one forcing him back, his body stained with blood.
Julius was no slouch in combat, his skill rivaling Arabella's. But with the initiative lost, every strike he made was purely reactive.
"Get some help—" he gasped, blood pouring from his wounds.
It's not shameful to lose, Julius planned to wear Arabella down with a war of attrition.
However, outside, deafening explosions rang out one after another, shaking the ground like an earthquake.
Arabella's offensive didn't relent, clearly having anticipated this turn of events.
Julius's expression shifted instantly, and he retreated in silence, moving quickly with a feint before rushing out the door.
Seeing Julius flee when he couldn't win, Arabella didn't chase after him.
With a leisurely air, Arabella casually picked up the clothes Julius had discarded and put them on. She took his pants and wiped the blood that had dripped down her legs, then, using his shirt as a makeshift dress, she nonchalantly strolled out, her bare legs swaying with calm determination.
Outside, flames shot into the sky, and Julius could hardly believe his once-impenetrable fortress had been so easily breached.
"Norman!" In the chaos, Julius yelled into the intercom.
There was a quick response on the other end, but it wasn't Norman's voice. A laughing voice asked, "Boss Julius? Did you call for me?"
Calling him "Boss," but the voice wasn't one he recognized.
At this point, Julius had a faint sense that something was wrong.
But people like them had weathered countless storms, and this sudden turn of events only made Julius more composed.
"Are you one of Arabella's subordinates?"
"Bingo! Boss Julius, you're truly impressive."
"Have you been hiding in plain sight, using a voice changer, or did you eliminate Norman and take his place?"
"Since the start of your business expansion, I've always been Norman. Master Unknown said I should make more money with you."
At this point, there was nothing left for Julius to misunderstand.
The counterattack, executed in collaboration, was truly brilliant.
He had always wondered why Arabella didn't resist at all. In the end, it turned out he'd been playing tricks in bed, with Arabella playing along.
Arabella, this woman—if she isn't killed, she only comes back stronger.
Interesting, truly fascinating.
Julius looked at the wounds all over his body and couldn't help but break into a satisfied smile.
Arabella was truly an unattainable mountain. With every step climbed, one might think they were nearing the summit, only to find instead a vast expanse of valleys and peaks—realizing they were still merely halfway up the mountain, struggling to ascend.
The mountain stands tall, its summit unreachable, yet time stretches on, offering the luxury of patience. There will always be opportunities to climb higher, to reach once more for its peak.
This time, Arabella, she may have won, but escaping won't be so easy.
Arabella understood her situation as well.
She didn't linger on the battlefield, commanding her people to fight and retreat. Julius's subordinates were many, and although they were ambushed, once reorganized, they would trap her and her small group.
Arabella wanted to leave, but Julius would certainly not let her go easily.
Regaining his composure, Julius quickly organized his men for a counteroffensive.
"Hurry, Master Unknown. The explosives are set!" Bramwell shouted eagerly at the entrance of the secret tunnel.
Arabella led the way, leaping swiftly into the hidden passage. She was still wearing only Julius's shirt, her long, slender legs bare and unshod. As she ran, the gravel and stones scattered beneath her feet, cutting her skin, and blood flowed freely from the wounds, staining the ground with every stride.
Once inside, she set up a heavy machine gun and began spraying bullets toward the outside.
Her marksmanship was top-notch, not just limited to long-range sniping. She had an acute sensitivity to firearms, capable of being both a machine gunner and a sniper—two skills that complemented each other.
Behind her was Taras, with Raven covering the rear. Together, they seamlessly coordinated with Arabella, handling their light machine guns with precision.
When Raven also rushed in, Arabella put away the heavy machine gun, lifting it effortlessly with one hand, despite it weighing around fifty pounds. She moved gracefully, her steps swift as ever.
Bramwell was the last to enter the tunnel, pressing the detonator for the explosives.
Julius's main fortress trembled as the ground shook, with explosions rocking the area, sending his pursuing soldiers into chaos.
But Julius didn't care. He stood at the high ground, lifting his sniper rifle, aiming at the target in the tunnel.
The underground passage was narrow, and everyone entered one after another. Even with all her abilities, it was difficult for Arabella to avoid them.
He locked onto Arabella's back and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger.
After two gunshots rang out, he lowered the sniper rifle and revealed a confident smile.
These two shots were his farewell gift to Arabella.
Their first encounter had been more or less a tie.
He looked forward to their future confrontations—they should be extraordinarily exciting.
Arabella and her group followed the hidden underground route, driven directly by the ever-present Norman to the border of Doma.
"Master Unknown, should we take a break when we reach the border?" Norman asked, glancing back at Arabella as they sped down the road.
Arabella led the way, leaping into the secret passage. She was still clad only in Julius's shirt, her long, slender legs bare and unshod. As she sprinted, the gravel underfoot tore at her skin, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.
She exhaled and watched as Bramwell tended to her wound.
It was just a graze, but the sniper rifle used by Julius had been modified, causing a large wound, and her whole arm was covered in blood.
Bramwell's hands were covered in blood, his heart filled with impatience, and his hands were trembling.
Arabella smiled as she reached out, pressing her hand gently on his head. In a soft voice, she said, "Can't even bear to see this little blood?"
Bramwell didn't speak, his head lowered in silence. It wasn't the blood he feared; it was the blood flowing from Arabella's body that terrified him.
"It wasn't me who was shot, it was your leader," Arabella murmured softly. "He took the bullet for me."
The leader wasn't sitting in this vehicle, as he had been injured and had fallen behind. He was in the last armored vehicle, together with Raven, who was covering their retreat.
Sitting in the passenger seat, gun ready in hand, Taras had been watching Arabella through the rearview mirror. Noticing the unusual sweat on her brow, he furrowed his brows and asked, "What did Julius give you to eat?"
Arabella looked up calmly and replied, "A dozen or so strong aphrodisiacs, I suppose."
The men in the vehicle immediately changed their expressions upon hearing her answer. Thinking back to how Arabella had been charging into battle just moments ago, their hearts sank with confusion and worry.
"Arabella! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Taras nearly shouted in frustration.
While aphrodisiacs alone wouldn't kill a person, every kind in Julius's possession was a deadly poison.
A dozen pills would've driven any ordinary woman mad, causing her to lose all sense of reason and uncontrollably desire any hard object thrust into her.
Yet Arabella remained calm, charging ahead at the front of the battle.
"Bramwell, wash your hands and help her."
"No need, I'm injured," Arabella said, holding Bramwell's hand back with a simple and clear reply.
Injured!
The men didn't need to think to know where she was hurt. There was a moment of heavy silence.
Arabella was still bare from the waist down, her body drenched in sweat, yet she remained seated without a hint of movement, not allowing anyone to look down on her.
Taras once again scrutinized Arabella through the rearview mirror.
A strange, indescribable feeling stirred in his heart, like a tiny needle pricking him—sharp and fine, yet upon contact, it seemed to have no pain at all.
What kind of brutal past must a woman like Arabella have lived through to develop such an unshakable composure?
In reality, Arabella wasn't as uncomfortable as Taras thought. That was just her survival skill, one she never spoke of to others.
Years ago, the Ackerley family captured her and injected drugs into her, trying to control her. It was easy to get addicted, but quitting was hard. Even with her strong will, it took a lot of time to detox.
However, she also discovered that her body reacted slowly to drugs, with a very high tolerance.
She deliberately tested her body with various drug injections.
For example, muscle relaxants. The first time they worked, but the effects were slow. The second time, their effectiveness was halved, and by the third time, the effect was almost nonexistent.
No one in the world knew about her constitution. Even Nicholas, who understood her like the back of his hand, couldn't see through the complexity of it.
Bramwell kneeled down on one leg and gently lifted Arabella's bloodied legs, speaking softly, "Master Unknown, let me disinfect your wounds and clean them up."
"Alright." Arabella relaxed her body, though she still felt unwell. The medicine was too potent, and she could feel the heat in every breath she exhaled, rolling like boiling water, intense and searing.
