Gauron turned to look at the fallen Gates, then glanced at Xiao Ran, whose sunglasses concealed his eyes and whose lips wore a faint smile. His pupils contracted.
At the instant Xiao Ran had shot Gates in the head, he had not seen how Xiao Ran moved at all. All he had seen was a blur before the gunshot rang out and blood splattered across his face.
Yet Gauron showed no hostility toward Xiao Ran. He raised a hand to stop his men from attacking, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and leisurely wiped his face before bursting into laughter.
Blood still streaked his face, and paired with Gauron's savage grin, it made him look even more sinister. Without hesitation, he kicked Gates's corpse beneath his feet and said to Xiao Ran, "Of course I don't mind. I've been dissatisfied with this madman for a long time. Thank you for getting rid of him for me."
"You're welcome." Xiao Ran smiled and made a welcoming gesture. "Can we discuss our business now? Please."
Gauron nodded. After Xiao Ran turned and took the lead, Gauron stared at his back with deep wariness. In that brief instant, Xiao Ran had seemed to him like an even more unreasonable madman than Gates—a very powerful madman at that.
After Xiao Ran turned away, Gauron did not follow immediately. Instead, he slowly raised his left hand while his right hand moved toward his chest. But at that moment, Xiao Ran suddenly turned around and looked at him.
"My apologies. I forgot there were a few little rats that had slipped in." Xiao Ran smiled apologetically at Gauron, then looked toward the tavern where he had been sitting. "Falcon, clear out those rats."
"Understood." A voice suddenly rang out in front of the empty old tavern.