“What was my greatest regret?”
With overflowing pain and excess blood gushing out from his lower abdomen, a young man named Alex clenched his fists and bit his tongue hard, trying to suppress his agony as he felt dizzy.
"That’s what you get from acting up,”
the voice of the underworld boss echoed in the dark alleyway. He pulled Alex by his hair and laughed at the dying man.
"Hahaha, it's so funny how a man who's talented in nothing else than killing tried turning a new leaf, isn't that hypocritical?"
Alex looked up to the boss with a sharp gaze and murderous intent. Flashbacks of when he used to be a loyal dog of the underworld boss flooded his mind.
After being an orphan on the streets and kidnapped by the boss, he and several kids his age had received training. He turned out to be one of the top-trained assassins of the organization and was nicknamed the “Killing Machine” because of his talent for completing missions quickly and leaving no traces.
However, Alex began developing emotions after countless killings and felt disgusted with himself, desiring a change in his life. He made a request to retire from the association, but the request could only be granted if he completed an SSS-level mission—a high-difficulty target with impenetrable defenses akin to a president's.
Alex accepted the mission. The target was an elderly man with vast wealth and a large family with many sons and wives. One of his wives had commissioned Alex to eliminate him and two of his sons.
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But the old man already confined himself to the sanctuary of his abode, guarded relentlessly by the most esteemed bodyguards of the Yun Company. Each sentinel had undergone rigorous assessment, demonstrating an unparalleled ability to evade the swift trajectory of a bullet. High-end surveillance cameras monitored every inch of territory from the grand entrance to the main building, ensuring that even the slightest disturbance would not go unnoticed. The meticulous security extended to the manicured garden where several trained canines patrolled diligently. Alex, a seasoned assassin, meticulously examined the formidable defenses, seeking a way to penetrate this impenetrable fortress.
After days of meticulous planning, Alex devised a cunning strategy. He staged a false assassination attempt on one of the old man's wives, instilling in him a sense of unease. Seizing this opportunity, Alex surreptitiously sabotaged the vehicles belonging to the old man's two targeted sons, meticulously timing the drug administration to their drivers at the most opportune moment. This orchestrated a catastrophic accident, paving the way for his final act. As the injured sons were transported to the hospital via ambulance, Alex detonated the explosives he had strategically placed, ensuring that the incident would be perceived as an act of assassination.
The news swiftly reached the old man, shattering his peace. Tormented by the assassination attempt on his wife and the subsequent loss of his sons, he ventured outside his fortress, unaware of the fatal consequences that awaited him. As he emerged, Alex's keen eye took aim, and a swift bullet ended the old man's life. In accordance with a solemn tradition, Alex carved a mark into a piece of wood as a grim reminder of his eliminated target. This morbid act was his way of honoring their deaths.
Vanishing from the scene, Alex reported the completion of his mission. However, the price of his prowess as a top-tier assassin came at a dire cost. He was relentlessly pursued by his fellow assassins, their eyes fixated on his life. A violent confrontation erupted as they hurled knives and fired guns, while Alex fought back with unrelenting ferocity. He managed to vanquish over 20 elite assassins, but not without sustaining a grievous stab wound to his abdomen. As he desperately attempted to flee, sensing the impending danger, he was struck by a heavy baton. As he collapsed, his gaze fixed upon the boss and his five accompanying assassins.
In the present, Alex sensed the end of his life approaching. The pain became unbearable, his blood draining from his body. As death's embrace enveloped him, he reflected on a life filled with missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. His regrets consumed him, leaving him with a yearning for a second chance.
"Oh, sweet death... Is this what it feels like to pass on? I've wasted my life. I just wanted to be a better person and live a normal life…But alas, those dreams will forever remain unfulfilled. I wish I had lived with more purpose. What was my greatest regret? I can barely remember... I long for a second chance, but it seems fate has deemed it impossible."