Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Black Lotus III

“STOP!”

The sharp scream cut through the tense air like a blade, the desperation in the voice halting everything in its tracks.

Lilith’s finger froze just before pulling the trigger completely. The gun was still pressed firmly against Liam’s forehead, her grip steady, her expression void of hesitation. She had already applied pressure—just a fraction more, and his brains would have been splattered across the dirt.

But something made her stop.

Something—or rather, someone.

She slowly turned her head, her cold gaze flickering toward the source of the voice.

There, standing at the edge of the cliff, panting, his face drenched in sweat, his hands slightly trembling, was Dickson.

Liam’s lungs finally expanded.

His whole body had locked up in anticipation of death itself. He had seen it coming, felt it in the way Lilith’s hand never wavered. The pressure of the barrel against his skull had been a death sentence waiting to be signed.

And yet—

By some miracle, Dickson came back.

Liam wasn’t sure if it was by guilt or stupidity, but whatever the reason, it had just saved his life.

Dickson stood there, breathing heavily, his eyes wide as he stared at the scene before him. He had known Lilith was dangerous—everyone did—but actually witnessing her about to pull the trigger with zero hesitation had sent his mind into overdrive.

If he had come even a second later…

Liam wouldn’t be standing anymore.

Dickson swallowed thickly, forcing himself to speak as he took a cautious step forward.

“Lilith, stop.” His voice wasn’t as commanding as before, but it was firm enough to carry weight.

Lilith, still unmoved, tilted her head slightly, her gaze unreadable.

Then, her voice came out cold as ice.

“And what makes you so sure he isn’t working for the Crimson Hand?”

Liam’s stomach twisted.

His brain took a second to even register what she had just said.

The gun was still against his head, the tension in the air thick enough to suffocate him, and yet—this woman had the audacity to accuse him of working for the same organization he had just burned down.

His jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.

“What?” His voice was low at first, as if he hadn’t processed her words correctly.

Then—

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

The anger seeped into his tone as he gathered himself, his heart still hammering, but his frustration overpowering his fear.

“Work for the Crimson Hand?!” His voice rose slightly as he exhaled sharply. “That’s what you almost fucking killed me for?!”

Lilith didn’t flinch.

Liam clenched his fists.

He had almost died, and this woman had the nerve to accuse him of working for the organization he despised the most?

His frustration boiled over.

“I singlehandedly brought down their entire fucking brothel!” His voice was sharp now, cutting through the air. “I tore that place apart with my own two hands! Why the fuck would I work for an organization that evil?!”

For the first time since the conversation began—

Lilith’s expression shifted.

It was subtle. A mere flicker. But Liam caught it.

A moment of surprise.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if processing his words.

Of course, the news of the brothel’s destruction had already reached the Black Lotus. They had been keeping an eye on the Crimson Hand’s movements, and when the brothel fell, it sent shockwaves through the underground.

However, no matter how much they had searched for a suspect, they couldn’t find a single lead.

Yet now—this boy, this nineteen-year-old kid—was standing here, claiming responsibility.

Lilith’s lips parted slightly, then curved upward into an amused smirk.

“Do you take me for a fool?” she finally said, her voice laced with mockery.

Liam’s brows furrowed, his frustration growing.

Lilith’s eyes gleamed as she took a step closer, lowering her voice slightly.

“How can an eighteen-year-old brat bring down an entire brothel?” She tilted her head. “And not just any brothel—but one guarded by armed dealers?”

Her tone was playful, but dangerously sharp.

Liam sucked in a breath, his jaw tightening.

Then—

“I’m nineteen.”

Lilith blinked.

Liam’s eye twitched as he corrected her again.

“Not eighteen. Nineteen.”

Lilith stared at him, unimpressed.

Dickson, who had been watching the exchange in pure agony, quickly stepped forward.

“It’s true,” Dickson spoke up. “I saw it myself. Liam was the one who took down that brothel. He almost died doing it, too.”

’What the fuck, bitch you weren’t even there!’ Liam think in his mind but the stare Dickson gave him was one that says I will let you die here if you say that shit.

Lilith’s gaze shifted toward Dickson.

For a long moment, she didn’t say anything.

Then—

Click.

She retracted the gun.

The barrel moved away from Liam’s forehead, and the pressure that had been crushing him for the past few minutes finally lifted.

But Lilith’s eyes never softened.

Instead, she slid the gun back into its holster, her voice flat and dismissive.

“I don’t believe you.”

Liam’s breath caught in his throat.

What?

Lilith continued, turning slightly away.

“The only reason I’m letting you live,” she said, her tone almost bored, “is because Dickson trusts you.”

Her cold gaze flickered back toward him, her lips curving slightly.

“That alone is the only thing keeping you alive right now.”

Silence fell over them.

Liam’s fingers twitched.

His mind raced with a thousand curses, but he swallowed them down.

This woman—this evil, bitter, psychotic woman—had just put a gun to his head, accused him of being something he was not, and then, after all that, had the audacity to brush him off like an insect.

Liam exhaled sharply.

“Tch.”

He clenched his fists, but he knew better than to push his luck.

For now, he had to swallow his pride.

Lilith had spared him, but her words hung over him like a warning.

For a while, at least.

As Lilith turned around, her mind already dismissing Liam as nothing more than an amusing distraction, the last thing she expected was for his voice to cut through the air once again, carrying words so ridiculous that it made even her men pause.

“I want to join the Black Lotus.”

The moment those words left his lips, everything changed.

The previously silent clearing erupted with an unspoken tension, a shift in the air that was almost palpable. Even the Black Lotus members—who had remained unmoved throughout the entire confrontation—seemed to react, their masked faces tilting slightly, their body language betraying their silent disbelief.

Liam could only imagine the ridiculous expressions they must have been making under their cloth masks.

He wasn’t an idiot—he knew exactly what they were thinking.

Who the fuck is this naive kid?

To stand before Lilith, of all people, and openly declare a desire to join her organization—it was either an act of pure stupidity or a death wish.

Because the Black Lotus wasn’t a group for the weak.

It wasn’t something you just asked to join.

It took real balls.

Not whatever Liam had been displaying since he got here.

And speaking of balls—

SMACK!!

A loud slapping sound echoed through the clearing.

Liam’s head snapped forward violently, his skull nearly rattling from the unexpected force. His eyes widened, his ears ringing as he processed what had just happened.

Dickson.

This absolute bastard had just smacked him in the back of the head so hard that he swore he saw stars.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?!” Dickson’s outraged voice burst out, his expression a mix of anger, disbelief, and sheer frustration. His eyes were wild, his nostrils flaring, his entire body radiating disbelief.

Liam winced, rubbing the back of his head as he glared at his friend. “The hell was that for, you idiot?!”

Dickson didn’t even hesitate.

He grabbed Liam by the collar, yanking him backward with enough force to almost lift him off the ground.

Still smiling politely toward Lilith, Dickson spoke through gritted teeth.

“Give me one second, please.”

Then, without another word, he dragged Liam away.

Liam stumbled over his own feet, barely able to keep up as Dickson pulled him toward a more secluded spot, away from the Black Lotus members but still within Lilith’s line of sight.

The moment they were far enough, Dickson spun Liam around aggressively, gripping his shoulders as his voice dropped into a furious whisper.

“Listen up, you dumbass.” His eyes were blazing with frustration. “If you join that gang, I swear on my mother’s grave—you are NOT going to see the end of this year!”

Liam scoffed, rolling his eyes as he slapped Dickson’s hands away.

“Stop cursing me, you idiot.” His voice was dismissive, but there was a slight edge to it, a sign that Dickson’s words weren’t entirely lost on him.

Dickson, however, was having none of it.

His hands shot up in the air as he exhaled sharply, his expression even more exasperated.

“I’m not cursing you! I’m telling you the fucking truth! It’s reality!” His voice almost cracked with how frustrated he was. “You’ll be dead before you even get a chance to enjoy whatever stupid plan you think you have! You’ll get shot in a gunfight, and I’ll be the one carrying your dumbass corpse back home!”

Liam’s jaw clenched, but instead of responding with the same frustration, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.

Then, with a small smirk, he reached forward and patted Dickson’s shoulder.

“Relax, bro.” His tone was smooth, confident—too confident.

Dickson immediately hated it.

“I have a solid plan,” Liam reassured, his voice dripping with certainty. “Just trust me and watch.”

Dickson stared at him.

For a long, agonizing moment, he looked like he wanted to grab Liam by the neck and shake some sense into him.

But deep down—

He knew there was no stopping him now.

Liam had already made up his mind.

And when Liam made up his mind, nothing short of a miracle could make him back down.

Dickson groaned, running a hand down his face in pure defeat. “Fucking hell, man…”

He knew this was going to end badly.

It always did.

And yet—

Here he was, watching his best friend make another reckless decision that could very well get him killed.

Liam, completely unbothered, simply grinned.

Then, with that same infuriating smug expression plastered on his face, he turned around and began walking back toward Lilith.

The Black Lotus members were still staring at him, their disbelief practically radiating off of them.

And Lilith—

She stood there, arms crossed, watching.

Her eyes were unreadable, but there was something dangerous about the way they locked onto him.

Like she was amused.

Or waiting for him to entertain her further.

Liam didn’t care.

He had already made his move.

Now, it was up to Lilith to respond.

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