The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

Chapter 119: The Encounter

Elara moved through the narrow alleys of Asenus with practiced ease, her steps light and her senses on high alert.

The city was alive with its usual chaos, merchants shouting over one another, street vendors pushing their latest tech, and civilians going about their daily lives, blissfully unaware of the growing threat lurking beneath their feet.

She had spent years gathering intelligence, maneuvering through dangerous circles, and tonight was no different.

Lawrence’s warning still echoed in her mind. Zergs in the city center. High-level ones. That alone was enough to send a chill down her spine.

But there was something else, an eerie sensation creeping along the back of her neck.

She was being followed.

Her instincts screamed at her, but she didn’t react immediately. Instead, she slowed her pace, pretending to browse a nearby holoscreen advertisement.

The display flickered, broadcasting news updates and promotional feeds, but her attention was elsewhere.

Through the reflection on the glassy surface, she caught sight of the figures trailing behind her. Dressed in dark cloaks, blending into the crowd, yet moving with an undeniable purpose.

Assassins.

She almost scoffed. The Crown Prince had wasted no time.

Elara exhaled through her nose, acting as if she hadn’t noticed.

The assassins kept a measured distance, clearly experienced enough not to make any reckless moves in broad daylight.

She had no doubt they’d strike the moment she entered a more secluded area. But that was exactly what she wanted.

Instead of heading toward the safe zones, she took a sudden turn into a less populated part of the city, the old district, where buildings were abandoned, and security was nearly nonexistent.

She weaved through ruined structures and flickering neon signs until she reached an alley so narrow that only one person could pass at a time.

Then, she stopped.

The air was thick with silence.

And then...

The first attacker lunged.

Elara twisted to the side, dodging the blade aimed at her neck. The second assassin came from behind, but she was faster.

She ducked, swept her leg, and sent him crashing into a pile of debris. Three more emerged from the shadows. She exhaled sharply. Tch. This is going to take time.

She activated the chain wrapped around her wrist, a high-power energy weapon capable of slicing through metal.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, the chain shot forward, wrapping around the creature’s neck.

The zerg stilled. Then, to her horror, it smiled. A grotesque, unnatural grin that stretched too wide across its face. Then it spoke. "Found you."

Elara’s heart nearly stopped.

The creature yanked the chain, pulling her forward with inhuman strength. She barely managed to adjust her footing before it swung its claws at her.

She twisted her body, dodging by mere inches, but the sheer force of its movement sent her crashing into a nearby wall.

Her vision blurred. Blood trickled from her temple. The zerg loomed over her, its head tilting as if studying her.

"You smell different," it murmured, voice distorted, as if multiple tones overlapped.

Elara clenched her jaw. She had to move. Before it could attack again, she reached for the small energy pistol strapped to her thigh.

The zerg lunged.

A single shot rang out. The plasma bolt struck the creature square in the chest. For a second, it stopped. Then, it laughed.

Elara’s stomach dropped. The wound sizzled but did not burn through its flesh.

"Won’t work," the creature taunted.

Elara cursed under her breath. Of course it wouldn’t. Level five zergs had built-in resistance to basic plasma weapons.

She needed something stronger, something with a concentrated energy core.

The zerg moved again, this time too fast for her to dodge completely. Its claws raked across her shoulder, searing pain tearing through her nerves.

She bit back a scream, but she didn’t stop moving. Using her remaining strength, she twisted her body and wrapped the energy chain tighter around its neck.

And then, she activated overload mode. A surge of high-voltage electricity coursed through the chain, sending a powerful jolt into the creature.

It shrieked, convulsing violently. Elara didn’t let up. She pulled tighter, her muscles straining, until the zerg’s neck snapped.

The body fell limp. For a long moment, she just breathed. Then, as if to mock her victory...

The corpse twitched. And then, it started to get back up. Elara’s blood ran cold.

This thing wasn’t dying.

And she had no idea why.