NOVPUB
Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Liam’s Rage II
Liam stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him without making a sound.
He exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit hallway stretching ahead. The place was a maze, lined with identical doors on either side. If he started going into the rooms one by one, it would take too long—and worse, someone would eventually catch him in the act.
I need to move fast.
Choosing speed over caution, he strode down the hallway, his footsteps controlled and precise.
As he moved forward, his senses sharpened. A faint, acrid scent drifted through the air—cigarette smoke. He could also hear voices.
Liam slowed his pace.
He was getting close to something.
When he reached the end of the hall, he carefully peered around the corner.
What he saw made his heart clench.
Five armed men were huddled in a circle, their guns either slung over their shoulders or tucked into their belts. They were playing dice, tossing the small cubes onto the floor while cursing and cheering. Money was scattered around them.
Liam silently analyzed the situation.
Five men. All armed.
Taking them down quietly was nearly impossible. If even one of them managed to fire their weapon, the entire building would be alerted. And even if he somehow took them out without gunfire, the struggle itself would cause enough noise to draw attention.
Liam gritted his teeth. Damn it.
Then—
Footsteps.
From behind him.
His body tensed. 𝚗ovp𝚞b.𝚌om
Someone was coming from the other side of the hallway. If they turned the corner and saw him, he would be completely exposed.
For a split second, Liam considered running. But there was nowhere to go.
Trapped between two threats, he muttered under his breath, Why the hell do I always have this shitty luck?
With no other option, he made a split-second decision.
He walked forward.
Straight toward the five men.
His steps were silent, but despite that, one of them suddenly stiffened. A moment later, the man turned his head slightly, sensing his presence.
"Who the fuck are y—"
The words stopped dead in his throat when his eyes landed on Liam’s face.
His expression shifted instantly—from confusion to pure alarm. His hands moved instinctively, reaching for the gun strapped to his side.
But Liam was already moving.
He shot forward like lightning.
Before the man could even grip his weapon properly, Liam’s leg swung up in a sharp, brutal motion—his foot connecting directly with the man’s wrist.
The gun slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the floor.
Liam didn’t waste a second.
In the same fluid motion, he reached out, his hand latching onto the man’s throat.
A sudden hush fell over the group.
The other four men froze.
Liam tightened his grip, his fingers pressing into the man’s windpipe. The man coughed, his face turning slightly red as his air supply was cut off.
"Listen up," Liam said, his voice calm but deadly. "If any of you make a move, I’ll snap his damn neck."
The remaining men hesitated, their hands hovering near their weapons, uncertainty flickering across their faces.
Liam’s gaze was sharp as he scanned them. They weren’t sure what to do.
A slow smirk spread across one of the men’s faces. His fingers tightened around his gun as he aimed—not at Liam, but at the man Liam held hostage.
Before Liam could react—
BAM!
A deafening gunshot echoed through the hallway.
Liam’s eyes widened.
The bullet tore straight through the stomach of the man in his grasp. Blood sprayed from the wound as the force of the shot pushed the man backward, his body slamming into Liam. But the bullet didn’t stop there—it punched through the man’s body and pierced Liam’s side.
Pain exploded in his ribs.
His grip loosened instinctively, and both he and the man crumpled to the ground.
His breath hitched.
A bullet wound. Not deep enough to kill, but enough to slow him down.
Liam clenched his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the pain. He couldn’t afford to stay down—not with four armed men standing over him, their fingers already reloading their guns.
And to make matters worse—
The footsteps behind him were getting louder. The backup was almost here.
Shit. Move!
Liam’s sharp eyes darted downward—and that’s when he saw it.
A knife.
It was tucked into the belt of the dying man beside him.
Without thinking, Liam grabbed the handle, ripping the blade free as he rolled onto his side. One of the men stepped closer, his gun raised—
Liam struck.
The knife sank deep into the man’s leg.
A piercing scream filled the air.
Liam wasted no time. He pushed himself off the ground, gripping the handle tight, and shoved the knife upwards—straight through the man’s lower jaw.
The blade pierced through flesh and bone, stabbing into the man’s skull.
His scream cut off instantly.
Liam barely had time to pull the knife out before the other three men fired.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Liam reacted in a split second, yanking the dead man’s body in front of him.
The bullets slammed into the corpse, jerking it violently with each impact. Liam used the moment to launch forward.
His hand shot out, grabbing another man by the neck—before slicing his throat open.
Blood sprayed. The man gurgled, his hands grasping at the deep wound, before collapsing.
Liam snatched the gun from his falling hand and spun—just in time to see another gun aimed at him.
The shooter pulled the trigger.
Liam moved instinctively—
He couldn’t see the bullet, but he could read the angle of the shooter’s arm.
Dodge left!
The bullet whizzed past his ear, so close he could feel the heat.
Before the man could fire again, Liam raised his own gun and—
BAM!
A single shot to the head.
The man’s body dropped limply.
The last remaining thug stared at Liam, eyes wide in pure terror.
Who the hell is this monster?!
Liam smirked. "Idiot."
He pulled the trigger—
BAM!
The man slumped to the floor.
Liam exhaled sharply. His body was burning with adrenaline.
It’s not over yet.
Just as he turned to escape—
BANG!
A sudden, sharp pain tore through his right shoulder.
The impact made him stumble, his gun slipping from his grip.
Damn it!
He dived behind the nearest counter, clutching his injured arm. The moment he hit cover, another round of gunfire erupted. Bullets shattered the wooden surface, splintering it into pieces.
They’re closing in.
Liam glanced at the second gun still in his left hand.
Only one bullet left.
He let out a frustrated breath.
"Just my luck," he muttered under his breath.
More footsteps approached. They were surrounding him.
Liam gritted his teeth. No way in hell am I dying here.
He tightened his grip on the gun, his mind racing.
Time to make his next move.
