Chapter 2043: The True Face
On the other side.
Joyce ran to the gate of the East Palace, where two rows of heavily armed guards stood.
The guards stepped forward to block her.
“No one leaves without the prince’s order!” the head guard shouted.
Joyce spun lightly, her hand brushing against one of the guards’ waists. In the next second, his gun was in her hand.
Tadasuke, who had been running after Joyce and was out of breath, shouted, “Don’t let her go! Don’t let her go!”
The head guard was stunned as Joyce took the gun. What was a woman doing with a gun? And this was the woman the prince had brought back. Instinctively, he drew his own gun and pointed it at Joyce, shouting, “Drop the gun!”
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A gunshot rang out, echoing through the air.
Tadasuke fell to his knees in fright, his legs giving way.
The head guard was knocked back several steps by the recoil of the bullet and fell to the ground. His gun had been shot out of his hand, the bullet hitting its barrel precisely, rendering it useless.
In the next moment, a cold gun was pressed against his temple.
The other guards, although they drew their guns upon hearing the shot, were too late.
Joyce already had her gun against the head guard’s temple.
“Nobody move!” Joyce commanded, “Drop your guns and raise your hands! Or else!”
Intimidated by Joyce’s aura, the head guard raised his hands obediently.
He was shocked. This woman was terrifying. Her speed and accuracy were impeccable; she had hit his gun’s barrel without harming him while gaining control.
He had never seen a woman like this.
The other guards exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. If they dropped their guns and let her escape, they would have to answer to the prince. If they didn’t, their leader was being held hostage. What should they do?
Joyce frowned and pressed the gun harder against his temple. “Tell them to drop their guns.”
The head guard had no choice but to order, “Drop your guns.”
The guards complied, placing their guns on the ground and raising their hands.
Tadasuke watched in disbelief. What kind of person had the prince brought back? Joyce could shoot and was far superior to these guards.
Tadasuke collapsed to the ground, not knowing what to do.
Joyce kicked the head guard. “Get up and walk with me to the gate. Once I’m safe, I’ll let you go.”
The head guard stood up reluctantly. He felt humiliated. To reach his position, he had undergone rigorous tests and training. Now he was being held hostage by a woman. How could he face anyone in the palace after this?
Joyce pushed him forward with the gun, step by step toward the gate.
She wanted to go home. She didn’t want to stay in this place any longer. She needed to contact the outside world.
As she stepped out of the East Palace gate.
Suddenly, a loud clapping sound came from behind her.
The claps were slow but powerful, sending chills down her spine.
“Impressive. Truly impressive. As expected of the world’s top sharpshooter. So, how does it feel to witness this today?”
A familiar voice-Clint’s.
Joyce paused.
She turned around, her eyes narrowing.
It seemed someone had informed Clint as soon as she left Imperial Villa. Clint had arrived immediately.
The guards knelt upon seeing Clint, respectfully calling out, “Your Highness.”
Clint did not tell them to rise but continued walking toward Joyce.
“Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill him,” Joyce warned.
Clint smiled. “Do you think I care?”
Joyce gritted her teeth. Clint was too cunning to care about a guard’s life. But pointing the gun at Clint wouldn’t work either; she wasn’t a match for the head guard in combat.
She was in a difficult position.
The guards were astonished. So she was a world-class sharpshooter. No wonder her actions were so fast that they couldn’t see how she did it.
“I want to leave here. Don’t think I won’t do it,” Joyce said determinedly.
Clint smirked. “You may be a sharpshooter, but you won’t kill.”
“You’re wrong. I have killed,” Joyce said, recalling Ricky’s face. It was her first kill. Even Charlotte hadn’t died by her hand but by Yu Chengxian’s.
“You won’t kill an innocent person,” Clint said calmly.
“Stop talking nonsense. Let them let me go. I must leave today! Clint, whatever your purpose is, capturing me involves two countries. Don’t make things worse. What do you want? We can negotiate,” Joyce pressed the gun harder against the head guard’s temple. “If I kill him, it will cause a commotion. The royal family will lose face, and the media will find out. Think carefully.”
Clint extended a hand into the sunlight, admiring his fingers gracefully.
“No one has ever threatened me before. Interesting. You do suit my taste.”
His calm demeanor made Joyce uneasy. She feared her threat might not work but was desperate to try anything to return home.
“Joyce, I can let you go,” Clint said lightly as if discussing the weather while rubbing his long fingers.
He pointed at the head guard, then at all the guards, and finally at Tadasuke on the ground.
“But after you leave, he, they, and she will all die for their failure.”
Clint’s pale yet handsome face wore a slightly evil smile. “You may not understand our country’s spirit well. They made such a grave mistake by letting my most important person escape. They must atone with their lives.”
Joyce was stunned. Atoning with death? She had heard of seppuku but didn’t think it would be real here.
Clint spread his hands casually. “As long as you don’t mind having so many people die for you, you can walk out of that gate without holding anyone hostage.”
Joyce was dumbfounded.
His light tone and pleasant voice were filled with killing intent. This side of him was hard to reconcile with his seemingly frail appearance.
Yet this was Clint’s true face!