The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 188

**A Symphony of Shadows by Evelyn Hart**

**Chapter 188**

In simpler terms, this is what he truly meant to convey:

“You’re merely a woman. A figure as extraordinary as the commander of the Bloodblade Mercenary Corps—someone of her caliber appears only once in a lifetime, if that.”

“Don’t even think about trying to follow in her footsteps. Perhaps you should take a long, hard look in the mirror first.”

However, after having his pride thoroughly crushed by Nova just moments ago, Sam had no intention of uttering such thoughts aloud.

As soon as he completed his sentence, Nova shot him a piercing glare that felt like ice slicing through the air.

Her eyes, glowing with a fierce, crimson intensity, locked onto him with an unsettling precision that left no room for escape.

The sharpness of her gaze made Sam’s throat dry and his confidence evaporate into thin air.

“I do not wish to hear another word of insubordination,” Nova declared, her tone as frigid as the winter winds.

“If any of you have an issue with that, I suggest you leave right now.”

“Anyone who chooses to stay better be prepared. We’re leaving for Verecula first thing tomorrow morning.”

With that, Nova delivered her final decree.

She stood up abruptly, not bothering to spare a single glance back at the group.

Without hesitation, she turned and exited the Shinjuku apartment, accompanied by Damien Thorn.

Yellowcat cast a quick look at them before trailing behind.

Once Nova, Damien, and Yellowcat had departed, the remaining mercenaries in the Shinjuku apartment finally found their voices.

“Are you kidding me? That woman from Zoria actually believes she’s capable of leading us to a mercenary training ground? Is she trying to get us all killed?” one of them scoffed.

“With skills like hers? Any elite corps would tear her apart in seconds!” another chimed in.

“Let’s be honest—if there wasn’t a hefty paycheck involved, there’s no way I’d take orders from a woman. What a ridiculous joke!” came the sarcastic retort.

Yet, come the dawn of the next day, not a single mercenary was absent; they all gathered at the entrance of the Shinjuku apartment.

These were the types who would sell their souls for a fistful of cash, regardless of the risks involved.

Nova was all too familiar with their kind.

Damien Thorn was in no rush to return to the Shadow Sanctum these days; he was personally escorting Nova Blake to the international mercenary training ground in Verecula.

This training facility was heavily fortified, with every entry sealed shut and no one permitted to enter or exit for a full three months.

Since Damien wasn’t part of the Blood Doll Corps, he couldn’t step foot inside. Instead, he reserved a room at a nearby hotel and waited patiently for her return.

The sun hung overhead, a fiery orb casting a blazing red hue that felt as if it could scorch the very earth, causing the ground to crack like parched soil.

Nova led the twenty-seven members of the Blood Doll Corps as they approached the registration site.

Yellowcat was right there with her.

Unlike the other mercenary teams entering the training ground, Nova’s Blood Doll Corps was distinct for one glaring reason.

Scanning the bustling throng, it was clear that her team was the only one in the entire area with a woman in charge.

This earned Nova and her crew a barrage of disdainful glances, with plenty of contempt and outright ridicule directed their way.

But for Nova, this was a familiar scenario—she had faced such judgment countless times before and remained unfazed.

She found their opinions utterly inconsequential.

“The Grasshopper Mercenary Corps,” Yellowcat murmured, standing closely beside Nova.

She scrutinized the men ahead, who stood under the relentless sun, each one solidly built, their skin bronzed from the unyielding heat.

Years had passed, and the landscape of mercenaries had changed dramatically.

Now, it was Yellowcat at Nova’s side, filling the space once occupied by Ghost-Hammer, Marlie, Falcony, and Snowfang.

Leaning in, she whispered to Nova, “Those guys over there belong to the Grasshopper Mercenary Corps.”

“They’re a rising force—people everywhere have been talking about them globally.”

“Their leader goes by the name ‘Fierce Python.’ Trust me, he’s quite the figure in the mercenary world.”

Yellowcat understood precisely why Nova had brought them here. Sure, part of it was to put the Blood Doll Corps on the map, to establish their reputation far and wide.

But even more than that, Nova was here to scout for those with genuine potential—individuals she could mold into something formidable.

She was resolute in her mission to forge a new force capable of confronting those who had betrayed her.

As Yellowcat spoke, Nova rested her chin on her hand, raising an eyebrow as she gazed into the distance.

At the heart of the Grasshopper Mercenary Corps stood a man with deeply tanned skin—a complexion that defied the typical “pretty boy” image.

Yet, true to his name, he was a brute, built like a tank and clearly no pushover.

He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with a strong, straight nose and sharply defined, chiseled features that exuded a rugged masculinity.

No question about it—even from afar, it was clear he was the real deal, crafted for combat and tough as nails.

That man right there? That’s Fierce Python—the very individual Yellowcat had mentioned.

“Rumor has it, among the fresh talent on the scene, no one can match him.”

“Boss, let me go test him and see what he’s really made of!”

She stepped forward, a lone woman among a sea of hardened mercenaries—never flinching, betraying not an ounce of fear.

The entire Grasshopper Mercenary Corps turned, their sharp eyes appraising her with curiosity.

Yellowcat playfully curled her pinky at Fierce Python in a cocky, taunting gesture.

“I came looking for you—so what do you say, tough guy? Want to throw down with me?”

Meanwhile, Nova distanced herself from the other mercenary teams, finding a secluded spot to converse with the Zoriaien youth.

She cut straight to the point.

“How do you know me?” Nova asked, her voice steady and unwavering.

The young man replied, “You’re actually quite the legend around here, you know!”

He hesitated for a moment, awkwardly gathering his thoughts before introducing himself.

“My name’s Kevin, same deal as you—Special Ops, G11 Sector. I’m not from Suntry Academy, though.”

“I’ve seen your pictures before. You pulled off a solo 5S-level mission. That’s incredible! You’re truly on another level!”

“Word has spread throughout our Special Ops team about your accomplishments. I’m here to level up—brought a couple of teammates along with me.”

“By the way… I heard you vanished for three months. How did you end up showing up here, of all places?”

The mercenary training arena in Verecula was undeniably the fastest place on earth to elevate one’s combat prowess.

Nova had always known: special ops and elite squads from every nation would gamble everything, signing ruthless life-and-death contracts just for a chance to step into this brutal battleground and forge themselves into something stronger.

“Same as you,” Nova replied, her tone calm and unfazed.

There was no way she would share the real story.

After uttering those words, she turned away, ready to move on.

“Gotta go—got some business to attend to,” Nova called back over her shoulder.

“So you weren’t really missing—your sector sent you here on a mission, right?” Kevin speculated.

Nova remained silent, allowing his assumptions to linger in the air.

She let him believe whatever he wished.

But then—

Kevin’s next words halted Nova in her tracks, touching on a subject that struck a chord within her.

“I heard that after you disappeared, your father went mad trying to find you. He was searching everywhere, asking everyone.

“And then, for some reason, he ticked off people from the black market—or maybe just got unlucky—and ended up beaten so badly he landed in the hospital…”