Carl strode out from inside and said quietly to Aegon, "Your Highness, the place is cleared."
"We cornered Bali in a room upstairs and captured him. There are also some... uninvolved people. What should we do with them?"
Aegon nodded slightly before stepping over the threshold into the entrance hall, which had already become a slaughterhouse.
The bodies of Iron Jaw Gang thugs lay scattered across the floor, their blood staining the splendid carpet and lavish furnishings.
More than a dozen disheveled prostitutes, their faces bloodless with terror, along with several unfortunate customers who had clearly come only for pleasure, were held at swordpoint in a corner. They trembled, scarcely daring to breathe.
Two tall mercenaries held Bali's arms twisted behind his back, forcing him to his knees in the hall.
His expensive silk coat was torn, his face bruised, and his bald head smeared with someone else's blood. His fat body shook violently with fear.
When he saw Aegon enter, his little eyes widened as far as they could, filled with disbelief and horror.
"It's... it's you?! How dare you... you..." he stammered. He had never dreamed that the silver-haired boy who had seemed willing to compromise that afternoon would storm his stronghold that night with a band of killing fiends.
Thud! A mercenary beside him drove a ruthless fist into his mouth without hesitation.
Bali screamed. Several bloody teeth sprayed out with his saliva, and the rest of his threats and curses dissolved into agonized whimpers.
Just then, Luke came down the rear staircase, supporting a slight, frail girl in a tattered dress.
She was about thirteen or fourteen, with a pale face and eyes swollen red from crying. There were bruises on her body, but she did not appear to have suffered any worse injuries.
She clung