The Mercenary Queen Strikes Back (Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 27

13:57 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

If someone wouldn’t accept Nova, they could beat her; otherwise, they should shut up.

She acted with ruthless decisiveness.

Nova’s voice flared like a torch struck in the dark, and it froze everyone for a beat.

This was a punk territory; the crew around them were battle–hardened muscle–some had even killed when they were younger.

Facing them, Nova showed none of Ethan’s fear.

Instead, she radiated provocation.

‘Is she really not afraid to die?‘ they wondered.

“So arrogant and reckless. Fine–let’s see what you’re really made of,” one of Frostwave Bar’s senior men barked, furious.

He shrugged off his jacket and undershirt, revealing cords of muscle across his chest and arms–he looked as if he could crush a man with one shoulder.

“Nova, I’m going to teach you a lesson. Watch this,” the musclebound man roared and charged.

He clenched his fists, biceps bulging, ready to unleash raw power.

Everyone inhaled sharply.

The attacker was Mason Quade.

Mason had been working out for twenty years.

Rumor had it that, in his youth, he could take down twenty men by himself.

He once fought a group of knife–wielding punks with nothing but his bare hands and left them in tatters.

Mason was Frostwave Bar’s enforcer–the perfect choice to teach this presumptuous girl a lesson.

“Good, Mason.”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Take her out–show her what real men can do.”

The crew cheered like they were at a spectacle.

Victor watched calmly, saying nothing and making no move to stop his men.

He had two reasons.

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Chapter 27

First, he wanted to see how strong Nova actually was.

Second, as Frostwave Bar’s outgoing boss, he knew better than anyone that if Nova couldn’t win his crew’s respect, she wouldn’t last in that position.

Amid the jeers, Mason closed the distance and swung a big fist down at Nova.

Nova kept her head down, expression unreadable. One foot remained planted on the stool.

Even as Mason’s fist neared, she didn’t step back.

Instead, she planted both feet on the stool and met Mason’s punch head–on.

“She’s insane; she’s not dodging that blow. With her frail frame, she’ll be in the hospital for months if that lands.”

“She’s asking for death.”

Gasps rose all around.

Ethan’s face went pale.

Just when everyone held their breath for impact, Nova pushed off the stool with her feet.

In the split second before Mason’s fist landed, her body flashed over his head.

Her form flashed overhead, vaulting right over his head so fast nobody could even follow her with their eyes.

In the blink of an eye, she was already behind him–silent and ghostlike.

Mason realized his punch had hit nothing.

When he searched for her, he felt a cold hand at the back of his neck.

Mason realized his punch had hit nothing. When he searched for her, he felt a cold hand at the back of his neck.

Nova had seized Mason’s nape as if a single squeeze would end his life. For a brief, instinctive moment, she intended to snap his neck–like the countless prisoners she had killed on the battlefield.

Then she stopped.

She was no longer the massacre machine she’d been as a mercenary, Bloodforge.

With everyone around frozen in shock, Nova drove Mason down with a kick. He crashed to the floor.

She pivoted, eyes sharp, voice cold. “You have one minute and thirty seconds left.”

After the three–minute limit passed, she took their silence as their submission. The crew standing there exchanged glances, each reading the others‘ thoughts clearly.

13:57 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 27

Nova had just handled Mason as if crushing an ant.

‘Is it even possible for a teenage girl to possess such terrifying power?‘ they thought.

Even the strongest guy among them, Mason, had been defeated–no one would dare step forward now.

“I admit defeat,” Mason said, bowing his head. “I’m completely convinced. From today onward, Ms. Blake is my new boss. Congratulations to our new leader on taking over Frostwave Bar.”

The room stayed silent for a full three minutes.

Finally, Mason–the one Nova had kicked to the ground–stood up, forcing himself to overcome the fear of her strength.

During their brief clash, Mason had sensed the aura of death radiating from her.

For a fleeting moment, Nova had truly intended to kill him.

Her power was overwhelming; he hadn’t stood a chance.

Perhaps with a leader like Nova, Frostwave Bar’s future would be completely rewritten.

Mason was the first to speak, declaring his allegiance.

Once the first senior figure had submitted, the rest of the crew followed suit, bowing their heads to Nova.

Their previous disdain vanished, replaced entirely by respect.

“Congratulations to our new boss–we swear to follow you to the death.”

“Ms. Blake, forgive us for our earlier offenses. Sorry.”

“Ms. Blake, we surrender to you.”

Their voices rang out, heartfelt and loud enough to seem like they could shake the ceiling.

This was a submission from the soul–respect earned through strength.

Nova had earned all this respect with nothing but her strength.

Ethan watched, stunned, as Nova stood there, cold and commanding, holding the room in the palm of her hand.

As the campus heartthrob of Saint Laurel Royal Academy, Ethan had seen his share of big scenes–fighting tournaments, taekwondo matches, and free combat bouts.

Yet nothing he had ever witnessed compared to this.

It was a spectacle beyond anything he could have imagined in his lifetime.

It was as if he were glimpsing just a fraction of the secret iceberg behind Nova.

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Chapter 27

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Looking at the girl before him, clearly around his own age, Ethan thought, ‘She’s the Iron–Blooded Queen.

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