The Understated Dragon Lord
Chapter 176

Chapter 176 The Countdown

Ryan glared at Daniel, offering one final warning. "I'll give you three seconds to decide. If you don't

choose, I'll make the choice for you. If I pick, I'm going to slice your flesh off piece by piece right in front of your darling. But don't worry, by the time I get to the four-hundredth cut, if you're still alive, I'll make sure you die quickly."

"You don't get it; it's not up to anyone to choose! I don't even know you! Why would you want to kill someone you don't know?"

"Someone's offering ten million to have you killed!"

"Ten million? Who's that?"

"You're about to die, so I might as well tell you. The one paying is the president of The Armstrongs, Andrew!"

"Andrew! I didn't realize he was so cheap. He asked you to kill me, and he's only willing to pay ten million? Does he really think I'm worth so little?"

"You're just a country bumpkin, a fucking nobody. Andrew thought it generous to spend ten million on you. Someone like you, I could've found any hitman to do the job for a fraction of that. I don't even

understand why Andrew bothered with me!"

"You don't understand?"

"Of course not, you're just a punk from the sticks! Enough talk. I'm going to count down from three. Either kneel and let me kill you with one stroke, or refuse, and I'll slice off your flesh piece by piece, cutting off your head at the four hundredth."

Ryan swiftly began the countdown.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Ryan's countdown finished, but Daniel didn't kneel.

"It seems you've made your choice. Good, I'll take great pleasure in your suffering."

With that, Ryan sprang forward like a mantis, blade swinging, lunging at Daniel. The maneuver was inspired by a mantis hunting its prey. As Ryan neared him, Daniel landed a kick right in Ryan's gut. Boom!

Ryan was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a large pine tree with a thud.

Wham!

Pine cones fell like raindrops, pummeling Ryan's head. Ryan shielded himself, but the pain of the impact drew a scream from his lips.

"Ryan, right? Weren't you going to slice off my flesh, piece by piece? Come on with your curved knife, and start slicing!" Daniel taunted, hands in his pockets and a grin on his face.

"Damn you!"

Ryan sprang from the ground, pouncing like a ferocious tiger toward Daniel, using all his might. He raised his blade toward Daniel's neck, aiming to sever his throat.

But before his knife could connect, Daniel's leg shot out again with another punishing kick to his gut. Boom!

Ryan was sent flying for a second time, not hitting the pine tree but a fake mountain beside it. The mountain, constructed from large stones, shattered into gravel upon Ryan's collision, stones tumbling down with a crash.