The moment X returned to the textile factory, Sunday detected his presence. William was immediately informed that Sloan had tasked X with finding the source of Cross's ammunition. William called Cross, sharing the details of Sloan and X's conversation, and added mischievously:
"If we take X out, do you think Sloan will be too terrified to sleep at night?"
"Possibly," Cross replied. "But more likely, he'll round up Wesley and every other kid he suspects, drag them to the textile factory, and test each one for superhuman vision and reflexes. Anyone who passes gets recruited; those who don't, well, they'll just be disposed of as failures."
"In that case, wouldn't Wesley be in danger if he doesn't meet Sloan's expectations?" William pretended to advise, "Are you sure you want Wesley to go to the Brotherhood for training? We could leave him out of all this."
"Don't worry, William. I believe Wesley already has abilities like mine. But unless he faces pain and hardship, his powers won't awaken.
"Besides, as long as I occasionally take out a Brotherhood member or two, Wesley should remain safe until he learns I'm his father. Sloan and the other assassins will train him relentlessly to save their own skins. He could be ready to leave the factory in just a year."
"No, no, a year? You've got to be joking," William scoffed. "I don't think Sloan has the guts or patience to wait that long. Heck, even six months is enough time for you to wipe out the entire Brotherhood."
"Ha, maybe," Cross laughed, pleased by William's confidence. But deep down, he knew that he couldn't eliminate the entire Brotherhood on his own.
If things spiraled out of control, most members would flee. Not everyone was willing to die for an ideal.
However, with William working in the shadows, scheming to eradicate the Brotherhood, the odds of success increased exponentially.
Understanding this, Cross smirked and continued, "Let's talk about how to deal with X. We need to take him out in one strike. If he escapes, it'll be much harder to track him down again."
"Escape? Hide?" William grinned. "Not a chance. Anyone on Sunday's watchlist is doomed unless they stay in a place with no internet or cameras. Otherwise, there's no hiding."
There was no need to share this with Cross. William simply said, "Get ready to snipe at a moment's notice. Sunday will notify you when it's time."
"Understood. I'll be ready."
Cross had faith in William's capabilities. In fact, ever since he'd taught William to curve bullets and noticed William's physical abilities far surpassed his own, Cross had a nagging suspicion that he might not be able to beat William in a fight.
With their combined efforts, Cross was confident they could eliminate X. After all, X had no idea that someone even stronger than both of them was lying in wait.
After hanging up, Sunday reported to William that X hadn't left the textile factory to look for clues. Instead, he'd eaten something and was now resting.
It seemed that X wasn't as confident as he had appeared in front of Sloan. At the very least, he knew to conserve his energy after realizing he might be used as bait to lure out Cross.
This worked perfectly for William. He planned to use some disposable cannon fodder to draw X out, while he and Cross ambushed him from the shadows.
For William, finding expendable assets was a trivial task. After all, the Continental Hotel's manager in New York was his uncle, Winston.
A quick call later, William drove to the Continental Hotel, entering through a secret passage he had used before. On the rooftop, he met Winston, who greeted him with a smile.
"Hi, Winston. How's life?" William approached and hugged his uncle.
"Not bad," Winston replied, patting William on the back. He released him and gave him a sly smile. "I heard you spent three days partying with some ladies at sea recently. Aren't you worried your mother will come to New York and drag you back to London herself?"
"Ha! You can't scare me, Winston. As long as I don't bring a grandchild back to the castle, my mother doesn't care what I do."
After some lighthearted banter, they shared a meal before getting down to business.
When William explained that he needed some untraceable cannon fodder, Winston handed him a phone number. "Call this number. If you have the money, you can hire as many killers as you want."
After a moment's thought, Winston shook his head. "Forget it. If secrecy isn't an issue, just tell me what you need. I'll handle the rest."
William had no intention of hiding his plans from Winston. For one, it was a subtle test of trust. For another, he believed that as the manager of the Continental Hotel in New York, Winston must have considered taking out the Assassin Brotherhood at some point.
"I'm planning to wipe out the entire Assassin Brotherhood."
"Are you sure?" Winston asked, surprised. Then, something clicked, and he added, "So, all those recent assassinations were your doing?"
"I had no choice," William shrugged. "Some people thought having a few bullet-curving experts meant they could do whatever they wanted. When they set their sights on me and my mother, I decided to send the entire Brotherhood to meet Satan."
"Let me guess—the person who put the hit on you is already in hell?" Winston smiled knowingly. "And the Hammer family, who vanished recently, they were the ones who placed the contract?"
"Anyone who wants me dead, I send to hell first," William said nonchalantly. "But as for the Hammer family's third generation, that wasn't me. I only buried Brown Hammer and his two sons. I didn't touch the kids."
Winston nodded in approval, though his expression turned serious. "It's good to know you have limits. But as someone older and more experienced, let me remind you—'leave no loose ends' isn't just a saying; it's a lesson paid for in blood.
"If you're not ready to get your hands dirty, don't start. But once they're dirty, don't hesitate."
"I understand the principle," William said, shaking his head. "But I can't bring myself to harm children. I'm not a saint—far from it. I've personally killed more than 200 people. But I only kill adults.
"I'll just keep a close eye on those kids. If they grow up and come after me for revenge, I'll deal with them then."
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