I’m not the kind of person who gets easily provoked or loses control. But facing such petty and vile behavior, it’s impossible to hold back. Just as I was about to throw another punch at this useless fool, Liam Brooks raised a gun and pointed it at my brothers.

“I know you’re good with your fists, but I’m curious—let’s see which is faster, your punches or my bullets?”

I stared at him with burning fury, and the more angry I got, the more smug and self-satisfied he became.

“Spit!”

He spat in my direction, and with my brothers' lives in his hands, he threatened, “You make one move, and they’re dead. You wanted to kill me, didn’t you? Haha!”

“I know you’re pissed and want to kill me, but if you move even a little, I’ll blow their heads off.”

He swaggered, twisting his hips and sneering at me.

“I never expected that the undefeated Nightshade would be caught by the throat by me. Just give up.”

“Listen, Ethan Blackwell, your time is over. This is my world now. You’d better recognize your place. If you don’t, you’ll have to deal with the consequences.”

“Boom!”

He shot at the flag that symbolized my title, tearing it down, and then stomped on it with his boot.

“Whoever needs to take a crap now can use this flag to wipe. I’ll reward whoever does it the best.”

Immediately, everyone scrambled to be the first to humiliate me and earn his favor.

I couldn’t believe how bold these fools had become, forgetting my brutal methods of revenge.

They thought they could threaten me with a lousy gun? They were dreaming.

I suppressed my anger and, watching as the mercenaries fought to get the flag, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You think I’m finished? You think my time is over? Ha, how could it be.”

“Boom!”

I raised my gun and shot a bullet into the foot of the new recruit who was stepping on the flag.

He cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Despite being surrounded by guns, I stood there calmly, coldly watching.

“You bastard, how dare you injure my people? Who gave you the nerve?”

“Ha, I’ve been living on the edge since I was a kid. No one has to give me the guts.”

“Don’t think you can threaten me with a gun. If you kill me, my brothers outside will tear your skin off, believe it or not?”

“I don’t believe it.”

“Well, you should. Our strength is not to be underestimated. We’ve got enough power to take you down.”

“And my reputation as the ‘Venomous Spider’ isn’t just for show.”

Just as I finished speaking, a cold, beautiful woman in military gear stepped forward. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her. It was my fiancée, Sophia Frost.

The entire mercenary group bowed their heads respectfully and called her “Frost Master.”

That single title struck me like a slap in the face.

Until now, I was the one everyone respected.

Sophia Frost, hearing them address her, stood even taller, her disdain and weariness for me plainly visible in her eyes.

She thought her wings had grown strong enough, that she now controlled the whole mercenary group and no longer needed my help to do whatever she wanted.

“Ethan Blackwell, don’t even think about stealing credit from Liam Brooks.”

“You’ve received plenty of rewards before. You don’t need this one. Let him take it so he can make a name for himself and let more people know about him.”

“If you keep opposing me, it will be war between us.”

“And I will not allow anyone to defy my orders. Anyone who goes against me is seeking death.”

The implication was clear—it was a threat, demanding that I swallow my pride.

“Sophia Frost, this world is one where blood is shed. If he's a real man, he should go out there, fight, and make a name for himself. Instead, he hides like a coward and steals the credit from others to grow stronger.”

"Do you understand?"

The thing I hated most was cowardice. What’s the point of being a mercenary if you’re just playing at it like a market stall? This is a job where you’re paid to risk your life in high-stakes missions.

And that coward—Liam Brooks—had disobeyed my orders during the mission. He exposed our position, which led to my men getting shot.

"Heh, I know, but I won’t let him risk his life and get hurt," Sophia Frost replied.

"Because he’s my stepsister’s brother, I only need him to use your credit to make a name for himself. I won’t let him risk his life on a mission. Understand?"

Hearing these words, I was seething. My anger rose rapidly.

She actually dared to say such a disgraceful thing—putting my men in danger while letting Liam Brooks take the credit. Damn it, they were pushing too far.

I would risk my life to make sure their plan failed.

“Sophia Frost, I told you before—if he wants to make a name for himself, he should go out there and fight for it.”

Sophia narrowed her eyes, her gaze turning dangerous as she fixed her eyes on me.

"What do you mean?"

I took a tissue, wiped the saliva off my face, and then threw it onto Liam Brooks' face.

"It means no," I said, not afraid of death and openly defying her.

Sophia Frost and Liam Brooks' expressions darkened, and even the air around us seemed to cool due to the tension.

"If you don’t agree, I’ll charge you with disobeying orders and have you executed," she said coldly.

"And with the higher-ups far away, no one will know how you died. I’ll make up some rebellion charges, and the higher-ups won’t suspect me. Not only will you die, but your former title will be tarnished."

I raised my head and looked at her coldly. “Heh, you think you're above the law? How can the higher-ups let you run rampant?”

"Hahaha, because I control the entire mercenary group. The higher-ups have to follow my orders. Got it?"

Sophia laughed, patted my shoulder, then pulled out a cigarette and put it in her mouth. Liam Brooks immediately took out a lighter to light it for her.

“Did you hear that, Ethan Blackwell? The whole Blackhawk Mercenaries follow my sister’s orders. You’re nothing!”

“If you don’t want to die, then shut up and do as you’re told. Or I’ll kill you right now.”

Sophia Frost affectionately touched Liam’s face, and he leaned in, hugging her tightly.

“Sophia, besides my parents, you’re the best to me,” he said.

As soon as those words left his mouth, they started kissing in front of everyone.

What infuriated me even more was that the other mercenaries didn’t bat an eye and even started whistling and cheering.

I now realized that during my absence, Liam Brooks had often spent the night in Sophia Frost's room.

They had been having an affair behind my back, and now they wanted to take credit for our hard-earned victories.

"Ethan Blackwell, our engagement is off. I’ll tell the higher-ups to annul our marriage," Sophia Frost said.

She immediately took out her phone and called my father to tell him that I had rebelled and not only wanted to break off our engagement but also wanted me dead.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was almost maddening.

She called my father to ask him to approve my death?

Liam Brooks thought I was so angry that I’d lost control. He took the opportunity to go on the offensive, trying to push me even further.

"Ethan Blackwell, look at you now," he sneered. "I’m not afraid to tell you, Sophia Frost and I have already slept together. Before she even knew you, she had my child. The reason she agreed to be your fiancée was to use you to expand her power."

All the mercenaries looked at me with mocking eyes, but Luke Green and the others were furious and stood up for me.

“Sophia Frost, you shameless woman! How could you do this to Ethan?”

“If it wasn’t for Ethan rescuing you from the nightclub, you’d have been a toy for someone else by now.”

“You ungrateful wretch! People like you don’t deserve to be in the Blackhawk Mercenaries.”

"Bam!" Sophia Frost, furious and embarrassed, grabbed a gun and shot Luke in the leg. "You want to die?"

I had already lost two brothers; I couldn’t afford to lose anyone else now.

I quickly stepped in front of Luke to shield him. “Sophia Frost, put down your gun."

But they thought I was finished, that I had no leverage, so they ignored my plea.

"You think you’re still in charge? Do you dare give me orders?" Sophia Frost mocked.

"I’m going to stand right here and slowly kill them in front of you. What are you going to do about it?"

“No one here is listening to your commands anymore."

“Oh, really?”

"I don’t think I’m done yet."

"The empire my father and I built, is not something you two trash can just take. And the new recruits you’ve brought in, they'll be dead before they even set foot on the field.”

Sophia Frost and Liam Brooks chuckled instead of getting angry.

"You say you and your father built the Blackhawk Mercenaries? Hahaha, never knew you were such a good actor."

“Fine, let me show you how clearly you'll die. I’ll tear your face off."

"Scorpion, get the others over here and let’s see if they follow my orders or this liar’s commands."

Soon, the most influential officers in the Blackhawk Mercenaries were summoned by Sophia’s people. They only looked at her, positioning themselves behind her in a protective stance.

"Ethan Blackwell, see that?"

“If you were the leader of the mercenaries, why are they only listening to me?” Sophia laughed. "Isn’t this proof?"

"You tell him who runs the Blackhawk Mercenaries now."

The high-ranking officers immediately responded without hesitation.

“Of course, it’s Frost!”

That one sentence felt like a thousand daggers stabbing straight into my heart.

These men, who had fought alongside me, had even owed their lives to me. Now, they were all siding with Sophia Frost to betray me and see me dead.

"Did you hear that? You still think you’re in charge, but apart from a few loyal followers, no one else is listening to your orders.”

"Ethan Blackwell, it’s time to die."

Sophia Frost’s words fell, and the mercenaries raised their guns again, aiming at me.

I looked coldly at the countless gun barrels, then calmly asked Sophia Frost one last question.

“Sophia Frost, I’ll give you one last chance—put down the gun and let Liam Brooks apologize.”

“Shut the hell up. You still want to struggle when you’re about to die?”

Fine, she had chosen her path to death. I wouldn’t hold back.

"Ethan Blackwell, die!"

"I’ll count to three, and you better get ready to die!"