Every one of them was tall, even the shortest standing at six foot three.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. Expressionless faces.
The bald man at their head stood with his arms folded, his lips curling slightly beneath his thick beard.
Behind him...
Two men crouched with sniper rifles braced against their shoulders, the crosshairs in their scopes already locked onto Chen Siyao's chest.
The other six each held a black rifle. Every muzzle pointed straight at the temple entrance.
The bald man spoke in English, with a heavy Eastern European accent:
"Hand over the goods. The inheritance, the magical treasures. Everything."
The livestream chat exploded.
Not an ordinary explosion, either. This was nuclear.
The flood of comments instantly reached critical mass, all but obscuring the video. Most were expressions of worry or calls to contact the police.
[Guns guns guns guns they have guns!!!]
[Holy shit, are these foreign special forces?]
[Siyao, just give them the stuff! Stay alive first!!!]
[I've called the police! I've called the police!!]
[This is Huaxia's territory! How dare they!!!]
[Don't fight them! Hand it over first! Your life matters more!]
[They have guns! You can't dodge bullets!]
[Special Affairs Bureau, hurry! There's no time!]
[High God, show yourself! Save your disciple!]
Chen Siyao stood at the temple entrance, narrowing her eyes as she sized up the nine men before her.
Her heartbeat quickened, but she didn't panic.
Seven rifles, two sniper rifles. They look like military models... These men know how to position themselves.
The two snipers occupied elevated positions on either side, covering each other. The six riflemen spread out in a fan, sealing off every escape route.
A textbook squad formation.
These were no ordinary men.
The bald man spoke again. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I understand," Chen Siyao replied in