Chapter 244 Blackwing Suzanne
"Eulalia, you're twenty-six? But you look..." Hilda hesitated, not wanting to offend.
"Because I have a condition," Eulalia said plainly. "My body... it doesn't age like yours. Get it?"
"Right, of course," Hilda mumbled, noticing the annoyance in her eyes and deciding to drop it.
Both he and Thelonius now saw Eulalia differently. She wasn't just a cute little girl anymore; she was a deadly hitman in disguise. The speed, the precision, the chilling aura she showed during that brief demo – all signs of a true pro.
They were dealing with a killer, and they couldn't afford to underestimate her, no matter how innocent she looked.
"Since you're clearly more than qualified," Thelonius said, clearing his throat, "we'd like to officially hire you."
"Take me to your hotel," Eulalia ordered, leaving no room for argument. "We can't talk here."
Their odd little encounter had already drawn curious looks from passersby. Time to make a discreet exit. The trio quickly left the Summer Palace, blending into the busy streets of Golden Isle City.
A short while later, they arrived at the Cascade Group Hotel. Ironically, the luxurious hotel, right next to the Cascade Group Plaza, was owned by Oliver, Skyview's buddy.
Hilda had booked the presidential suite, sparing no expense. Now, the three of them sat around a large table, the air thick with anticipation.
"So, tell me about this mark of yours," Eulalia said, unwrapping a lollipop and popping it into her mouth.
Thelonius, trying to ignore the weirdness of a child talking about murder, pulled out his laptop and connected it to the suite's projector. Skyview's face, arrogant and smug, filled the wall.
"This is Skyview," Thelonius announced. "Chairman of the Twin Group, and our target for this little operation."
Eulalia studied the image, a slow smile spreading across her face. "He's handsome," she said, amused. "And arrogant," she added, her eyes twinkling.
Thelonius didn't know how to respond to that. Hilda stayed silent, his face unreadable.
"Handsome men die young," Eulalia chirped, her voice deceptively sweet.
"Does that mean I'm in danger?" Hilda blurted out, his eyes widening in mock fear.
"What about me? Will I die young too?" Thelonius joined in, playing along.
"You two are ridiculous." Eulalia giggled, shaking her head at their antics. "But seriously, handsome and arrogant? That's a recipe for disaster. This Skyview doesn't stand a chance."
"I have a feeling you're right," Thelonius agreed, his confidence in Eulalia growing by the second.
He still couldn't understand why someone with her skills had such a low success rate. Maybe her youthful appearance made it hard for people to take her seriously, leading to cancellations and, ultimately, those black marks on her record.
"What's he like, personality-wise?" Eulalia asked, her gaze returning to Skyview's projected image.
"He's the worst," Thelonius spat, his good humor vanishing. "Arrogant, self-centered, a complete narcissist. A real piece of work."
"Oh, he's insufferably arrogant," Hilda added, his voice dripping with venom.
"Arrogant people tend to be careless," Eulalia mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "He should be easy to take out."
"Not necessarily," Thelonius countered, his expression turning grim.
"Why not?" Eulalia frowned.
"He has a bodyguard," Thelonius explained, switching to the next slide. Suzanne's face, beautiful and aloof, now filled the wall. "This woman."
"Blackwing!" Eulalia gasped, her eyes widening in alarm. "That's Blackwing! No, I can't do this. This mission is impossible! I have to go back to Twilight Town!"
"Blackwing?" Thelonius echoed, his brow furrowing. "You're telling me you're not a match for her?"
"Are you kidding?" Eulalia exclaimed, her voice rising in panic. "Blackwing is a legend, a myth, a one-woman army! Everyone in Shadowvale Forest knows her reputation. She's a force of nature! They say the military practically had to drag her into retirement! If I'd known she was protecting Skyview, I would have never taken this job!"
For the first time since they'd met her, Eulalia seemed genuinely afraid. And that fear was directed at Suzanne, the Blackwing.
"Eulalia, calm down," Thelonius said, his voice soothing. "We need you to take out Skyview, not his bodyguard. We have a plan, remember? It's all under control."
"No, it's not!" Eulalia insisted, grabbing her backpack and heading for the door. "I can't do this. I'm out."
"We're willing to pay triple!" Thelonius called after her, desperation creeping into his voice. "Triple your usual fee!"
Eulalia paused, her hand hovering over the doorknob. She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "Not even triple the money is worth going up against Blackwing. I'm sorry, but I can't do it."
"Eulalia, if you walk away from this, your success rate will plummet," Thelonius pointed out, resorting to desperate measures. "Think about what that means for a hitman. It's a stain on your reputation. You can't run away from every challenge."
He was deliberately trying to provoke her, to appeal to her pride. And it seemed to be working.
Eulalia stiffened, her shoulders squaring. "I'm not afraid of a challenge," she retorted, her voice tight. "And you want to know why my success rate is so low? Because I've had the worst luck imaginable. Freak accidents, unexpected encounters with experts, you name it. I've been mocked, ridiculed, humiliated. It's been one disaster after another."
She paced the room, her frustration evident. "I've only taken on eleven missions in my entire career. Eleven! My first one? I was hired by some heir to take out his elderly grandfather. I get there, and the old geezer has kicked the bucket from overexerting himself with a prostitute! How's that for bad luck? My career started with a big, fat failure. Talk about setting the tone."
"My second mission, the target was an artist. Guess what? A massive earthquake hit just as I arrived, and the guy vanished without a trace! Another failure!"
"But my third mission, finally, a stroke of luck. I was hired to eliminate a retired general, and I succeeded. I actually managed to complete a mission!"
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