The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 96

Chapter 96

When Oliver posed his question, Nova simply folded her arms across her chest, a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Her voice carried a teasing lilt, as if she was genuinely trying to summon a memory of Bloodforge’s appearance. “Well…” she began, drawing out the word with a mock contemplative air.

Then, her eyes gleamed with a spark of mischief, and without missing a beat, she delivered a perfectly crafted lie, her expression serious and unwavering. “Of course… she’s beautiful.”

She spoke those words with such shameless confidence, praising herself openly in front of Oliver as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

Oliver, for his part, didn’t doubt her for a second. His face lit up like a child’s, eyes wide and sparkling with awe as he blinked at her in disbelief.

“Really?” he stammered, unable to hide his excitement.

“I mean, my idol, Blood… is she, uh, as pretty as you?” he asked hesitantly, the question hanging in the air.

Just then, Andrew approached and gently pulled Oliver aside. “Hey, man, aren’t you asking a bit too much?” he said, stepping right between Nova and Oliver, his tone protective and a little amused.

“Come on, didn’t Nova say she only crossed paths with Blood once? You’re digging way too deep, dude. Isn’t that a bit much?”

Oliver finally caught the hint, lowering his gaze and flushing with embarrassment. He muttered awkwardly, “Uh… sorry, I wasn’t really paying attention at first.”

Meanwhile, the expressions on the faces around them shifted rapidly, like the seasons changing in the blink of an eye—from shock to awe, confusion to disbelief.

The atmosphere was pure chaos, emotions flashing across every face like a storm of feelings.

Nova’s feat of defusing the AK-18 timed bomb right there in front of everyone had left them all reeling.

One by one, they were rendered speechless, stunned beyond belief.

But if anyone felt the impact most deeply, it was Violet.

She had believed that by manipulating events to sneak the AK-18 timed bomb into Nova’s team, they would force them to surrender.

Yet, she never imagined that the one she had always underestimated—Nova—would actually disarm the deadly device.

Not only that, but this teenage girl even knew Bloodforge, the very creator of the AK-18.

Violet felt as if she’d swallowed a bitter pill of defeat, her pride shattered and her stomach twisting in knots as if she’d ingested something foul.

“Violet, she…” The girl clinging nervously to Violet’s side struggled to form the words, stammering so badly she couldn’t finish her sentence.

But Violet cut her off sharply, refusing to admit defeat.

“Come on, this isn’t over! She just got lucky with the part she’s good at. Big deal! What’s so special about her anyway?

“What, does she think she’s good at everything now? The real test is coming next—let’s see what she’s really capable of!

“Just you wait and see!”

Nova and her team were the last to arrive at the factory shed. By the time they stepped inside, every other group had already completed the first challenge.

The selection officer finally snapped out of his stunned silence, cleared his throat, and addressed the crowd.

“Honestly, everyone’s performance just now blew me away. We’ve recorded everything on camera, so there’s no way any of it will be forgotten.

“You all did an amazing job. Now, let’s move on to the next challenge…”

But before he could continue, his phone suddenly rang, cutting through the tense silence.

“Uh, sorry everyone, I need to take this,” the selection officer said, pulling out his phone and stepping aside.

He returned quickly, but when he did, Nova noticed his expression had turned unusually grave, as if he’d just received some terrible news.

She slipped her hands casually into her pockets, appearing completely unfazed as she waited.

After a brief pause, just as Nova had anticipated, the officer addressed the group again.

“Everyone, I’ve just received word from higher-ups. The task force selection event we had planned is canceled.”

The announcement sent a ripple of disbelief through the crowd. A chorus of “Ah?!” erupted from the front lines, voices filled with shock.

An SS-level mission!

By any classification, that was the kind of nightmare assignment that could consume you whole—and kill you if you slipped up.

Even the most seasoned task force veterans would sweat bullets facing something like this.

And keep in mind, even the old task forces with years of joint combat experience would struggle with a mission of this magnitude.

For newcomers like these, who hadn’t even officially made it through the door yet, this was pure hell-level difficulty.

A collective sharp intake of breath swept through the crowd.

No one could tell whether they were more terrified by the sheer insanity of the mission or stunned by being thrust headfirst into a genuine battlefield.

Andrew, Oliver, and Leanne all looked as pale as ghosts as the reality of the situation sank in.

But if there was one person here who had barely cared about the task force selection from the start, it was Nova—and now, she radiated a quiet but fierce anticipation.

“Trinova, huh…” Nova murmured, her eyes sparkling with excitement beneath that cool, composed exterior.

“That place? It’s the ultimate playground for every dirty vice you can imagine—drugs, gambling, flesh trade. A straight-up sin city, no joke.”

It was an infamous den crawling with international criminals, a sanctuary where the world’s most wanted gathered year-round.

Nova had planned to lay low in Zoria for a while before diving back into the global underworld.

With her reputation, returning now would mean trouble chasing her from every direction.

But for once, it seemed Lady Luck was finally on her side.

If she played her cards right, sneaking onto the international stage as part of the task force while keeping her student identity under wraps, she’d get a front-row seat to the underground world she’d missed during her half-year confinement.

Truth be told, she was more than eager—she was practically buzzing with anticipation.

So… to all you old-timers lurking in the shadows of the underworld—are you ready for a fresh baptism of blood? It’s been a long time coming, but I’m back, and I’m itching to see who still has what it takes.