The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 132

Chapter 132

The ancient Greslin family was a secretive lineage, always making sure their heirs came from the strongest bloodline.

This was a solution their ancestors came up with.

It’s kind of like cultivating a golden silkworm brood–throw a bunch of poisonous bugs into a sealed pot and let them fight to the death, devouring each other.

After enough time, only one bug is left–the ultimate survivor, the one who truly mastered survival of the fittest.

The Greslin family’s international gathering was more like a twisted survival contest–a hidden battleground where heirs proved themselves, just like the deadly silkworm trial.

They never wanted weaklings or mediocrities–only the strong were worthy of their bloodline.

The strongest one would be chosen to secure the Greslin family’s everlasting power and legacy.

“Little girl, you got fooled by some guy, didn’t you?” the skinny elder sneered.

As the skinny old man among the four elders kept rambling on, a woman with distinct Asian features quietly moved closer to Nova and whispered.

While she spoke, the woman shot a quick glance over at Damien locked up in the men’s cage.

She seemed convinced that Nova was just an ordinary, clueless girl who’d been tricked and dragged into this mess by Damien.

The moment the elder announced they’d have to turn on each other, she freaked out, looking pale with shock.

‘Men are the freaking worst, the woman groused to herself.

“Every time there’s a Greslin gala, you see clueless chicks being played by the family’s men and dragged here.

“Like you, for instance.”

The Asian woman glanced over at Nova.

“Name’s Belinda, from B Country.

“This isn’t my first time at one of these Greslin galas—I’m actually here on a mission.

“If an heir brings the right woman to this event, she can seriously boost his chances of making it out alive.

“So before returning, a lot of these guys will even go and hire women from the underground scene.”

Basically, most of the women here aren’t just eye candy—they’re killers or mercs from the underground, pros

at handling dirty jobs.

They signed up for this, each with her own mission.

Which is exactly why, despite how deadly the Greslin Gala is, so many women still show up, ready to be some guy’s companion–risk and all.

“What a rotten family.” Belinda sneered.

“When their kids hit five, they’re just dumped into the criminal underworld and left to sink or swim. If any of them actually manage to survive, they get dragged back in their twenties.

“And still, this messed–up crew has major influence on the world stage.

“That’s why so many heirs jump at the chance to be called back–they’re hoping to leverage the Greslin name for themselves.

“Survive the Greslin Gala, and if the family judges you strong enough, they’ll slot you straight into a position of real power.

“Those kinds of fortunes and real power they could never hope to attain on their own, even with a lifetime of struggle in the underworld.”

So, guys like Cruz, Kurt, and Eskin–the kids dumped into the criminal scene at only five years rather gamble everything, even their lives, just for a shot at the Greslin Gala.

old–would

Since most of them came crawling back just for a shot at power and prestige, then, what about Damien?

His Shadow Sanctum is worth more than a hundred Greslin families put together.

The idea of the Greslins offering him some high position?

Even if they handed him the whole Greslin family on a silver platter, he wouldn’t even bother to look twice.

So why the hell did he come back?

Nova cast a barely noticeable, puzzled look at Damien through the cage bars.

‘Whatever, I’ll just ask him straight up when I see him,‘ she thought.

“I’ve heard the Greslin heirs have it rough,” Belinda said. “To keep the bloodline churning, the women are kept locked up 24/7, forced to spend every day giving birth.

“If it’s a girl, they’re raised until around thirteen or fourteen, then forced into marriage and made to start having kids.

“If it’s a boy, he’s thrown straight into the international underworld.

“With the kind of death toll they have from this whole ‘survival of the fittest‘ deal, just to make sure the family doesn’t die out.

“The Greslin women are expected to have at least one baby a year.”

While Belinda was talking to Nova, a tall, curvy Black girl about 5’9” strutted over.

She spoke broken Zoriaien, flashing a grin at Belinda and Nova.

“I’m Nonna. You two thinking of joining forces, huh?

“With the way this place turns into an all–out battlefield, you’d be crazy to go solo.

“Besides, our guys are all locked up in the cage across the way. Even if we wanted to meet up with them, it’s not like we can just stroll over there.”

Nonna’s straightforward approach made Belinda smile–after all, she’d been skirting around the whole teamwork thing with Nova without ever actually saying the word.

Both of them turned to look at Nova.

They were waiting for her answer.

Just a moment ago, Belinda and Nonna had both seen Cruz tell his partner, Mamie, to “take care” of Nova.

Mamie was a towering 5’11“, with muscles that screamed she was a total badass.

Nova was just a teenager.

And compared to the Western girls here, she looked like she could be blown over by a gust of wind.

How was she supposed to go up against someone like Mamie?

Even if she made a dash to Damien for protection, there’d still be a gap where she’d be an easy target.

And in that window, the crowd here could finish her off a hundred times over.

So of course, there was no way she’d refuse their invitation to team up.

Nova flashed a sly, confident smirk at Belinda and Nonna, catching their hopeful looks before shutting them down.

“Sorry, I’m flying solo,” she replied with a hint of defiance.

Belinda and Nonna stared at Nova, clearly shocked that she’d actually turned down their offer to team up.

“Why?” they blurted out in unison.

Nova’s smirk vanished in an instant.

Her gaze swept over them, cold and calculating, like she was sizing up a pile of cash. Belinda and Nonna felt their hearts drop.

“Didn’t you hear? 3 million bucks for every kill,” Nova said, her voice icy.

“You two? You’re just walking dollar signs.”

She was planning to take them out, too.

Nova’s cold confidence made Belinda and Nonna’s faces drop, and they both stepped back in perfect sync, looking shaken.

‘Damn, she’s no clueless kid–she figured us out in a heartbeat, Belinda and Nonna thought, rattled.

They’d been sizing her up to use as cannon fodder–someone they could toss to the wolves if things went south.

After all, Nova looked so scrawny. On a kill–or–be–killed battlefield like this, nobody wants a weak link dragging them down.

If anyone did, it’d only be because they needed a disposable shield to take the hit for them.

“Let’s go!”

She called out to Nonna–now dropping the act like they’d never met–then the two of them hurried off to a far corner, putting plenty of space between themselves and Nova.

Just then, the five figures standing atop the massive spiral staircase–led by the skinny elder–were nearing the end of their announcement.

“Any lingering doubts or last questions?

“The thirty–minute countdown is about to begin.

“I’ll be right here if you need any final answers!”

At that point, nobody in the women’s or men’s cages gave a damn about any announcements.

Everyone was scrambling toward the wooden crates stacked with weapons, frantically grabbing whatever gear suited them best.

Who had time for questions?

“I’ve got a question.” Nova’s voice rang out.

The crisp sound of her words sliced through the commotion, standing out even among all the noise.

She said it so casually, as if she wasn’t fazed at all.

Everyone reaching for weapons suddenly stopped, their movements suspended as if someone had pressed the slow–motion button on reality.

All eyes snapped to Nova and the skinny elder.

“Speak,” said the skinny elder.

Suddenly, Nova raised her slender hand, gesturing coolly at the four elders perched on the spiral staircase the skinny one included.

In front of the entire crowd, Nova declared, her voice dripping with icy arrogance.

“My question is–if taking out one person scores three million dollars, then what if I kill all four of you elders?

“How much is that payday?”