"Lights! Lights!"

In the darkness, someone shouted urgently, while others kept reciting rules like a chant.

"No attacks allowed here!"

"No firearms allowed here!"

"Protect the Princess!"

After a brief chaos, the lights finally came on.

The auction hall looked ready and alert.

The guards hidden in the shadows rushed out, surrounding the crowd, while from within the crowd, some people drew their weapons, ready for self-defense.

Fortunately, it seemed like no one was injured or bleeding.

The danger did not appear to have occurred here...

Wait.

"Where's Ethan?!"

Sofia was the first to speak.

At the moment the gunshots rang out in the dark, Anya had instinctively protected her, drawing her white ivory pistol.

She didn't first look for Ethan because she knew Ethan was much stronger than her.

As it turned out, Ethan was missing.

"The Princess is missing?! Find her!"

Along with Ethan, Princess Aine Beize was also missing.

This was no small matter; many people's expressions changed.

The auction could not proceed, and everyone present was ordered not to leave, ready at any moment for investigation.

The entire Kingdom Grand Hotel was completely sealed off.

Naturally, this drew the attention of the reporters surrounding the hotel, who were waiting for auction results to write tomorrow's news.

No one expected something more explosive to occur.

Especially since, even outside the hotel, many had heard those few gunshots.

There were reports that a shooting incident seemed to have occurred at the Kingdom Grand Hotel, leading to its complete lockdown.

Many newspapers immediately began working on special editions, and some radio stations were speeding up to broadcast breaking news.

For a moment, the entire Royal Capital's attention was drawn back again.

No one expected such developments at the widely-watched Ethan auction.

Moreover, there was an even more important core event that the reporters outside were unaware of.

Which was those gunshots.

Their true target was the Eldest Prince Havenius.

He was assassinated in his secret chamber.

It's as serious as the Princess's disappearance, if not more so.

The Kingdom Defense Bureau took over the Kingdom Grand Hotel immediately, thoroughly investigating the hotel but finding no trace of the Princess or Ethan.

However, they discovered something very intriguing—

A black bird-beak mask.

This is the mark of Johnny Blackbird.

Could this really have been done by Johnny Blackbird?!

Has this guy grown so bold?

Assassinating the Prince, kidnapping the Princess?

In this matter, Ethan seems to become a much less important person.

Naturally, like those matters that should have been kept secret but weren't kept secret at all.

These messages, which should not have left the Kingdom Grand Hotel, spread across the Royal Capital along with the special editions and breaking news.

Johnny Blackbird, the bird notorious for its swift bank heists, has finally spread its wings, flying to heights difficult to see.

He still remains the Kingdom's number one public enemy.

"What about Ethan?"

Sofia started feeling anxious, seeing the Kingdom Defense Bureau personnel relentlessly searching for the Princess in the hall but barely mentioning Ethan.

Anya remained calm, surveying her surroundings, and then whispered, "Don't worry, young master cannot possibly be in trouble."

At that moment, the crowd suddenly parted, and a member of the Kingdom Defense Bureau walked over, looking at Sofia and said, "Is it Miss Sofia? Your mother has sent me to take you away."

"Mother?" Sofia was taken aback for a moment, then glanced in the direction the Kingdom Defense Bureau member indicated.

She saw a faintly visible figure, her mother whom she hadn't seen in years.

A glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in her eyes. She nodded, then said, "She is coming too; she's my friend."

She grabbed Anya's hand.

——————————

While the entire Royal Capital was in tumult over the Kingdom Grand Hotel incident.

The South District seemed to be a region outside the Royal Capital.

Especially Little Ibia.

Little Ibia was also in chaos over another matter.

Someone had invaded.

This hadn't happened in years.

Everyone knew this place was as impregnable as a fortress.

And everyone also knew there wasn't much profit here, so even territory snatchings wouldn't extend here.

Yet long-lost sounds of intense gunfire erupted here once more.

Fortunately, Little Ibia wasn't truly a haven of safety anyway; firefights were common, and those who clashed idly on ordinary days now all armed themselves and started retaliating.

For a moment, gunfire incessantly resounded in the narrow alleys.

Relying on familiarity with the terrain, former allies of Little Ibia actually managed to apply some pressure.

"Damn Femgcui Men, don't think having the Wenster typewriter makes you arrogant; can you hit me?!"

In the cramped street battles, the power of the Wenster typewriter indeed was somewhat diminished.

Facing obstruction in their attack, members of the Martinos Clan felt restless, except for Vasini who appeared calm, not even employing Throat-Cutter Neil, as if he was waiting for something.

Meanwhile.

In the depths of Little Ibia, at the headquarters of former allies.

An old man with a face full of white beard but muscles so robust they stretched the captain's garb he wore, seated on a massive navigator chair draped with shark skin and seemingly taken directly from a pirate ship, sipped from a golden goblet, then glanced sideways at an attendant standing by, asking, "How's it going, are the kids fighting well?"

"This is our turf, those Femgcui Men can't even recognize paths here; what does it matter if their guns are better? They're doomed, Old Xi Wen."

Old Xi Wen coldly smiled, merely drained his goblet, then said to the attendant, "Then let's begin, tell Travis that it can't always be our people bleeding while he just waits for the spoils. Once that Vasini brat is out of the picture, we'll need strength to compete with him for the territory."

Shortly after finishing his words with his attendant.

Flashing signal flares soared within Little Ibia.

Outside Little Ibia, Travis leisurely whistling in his hat, unsheathed his revolver.

"Guys, it's time to show these Old Continent hicks what real Western man's prowess looks like! Go, yahoo!"

His revolver spun quickly in his palm.

Yet the cowboys who charged behind him forsook tradition, wielding the latest Wenster typewriters.

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