3 The Lucky And Yet, Unlucky Event

The year is 2100 and the technological war from the past had finally blown after close to two decades of recovery. Country Y's economy had finally started to turn around for the better.

Currently, a storm was brewing in Country H, a place that retained its renaissance features. The place was a popular tourist spot that had the rustic feeling that was rarely seen in this day and age. That is, when the tourist talk about the city center.

The capital city's suburbs had buildings that were more worn out than those in the city center. The stone walls had cracks that spread extensively. Some walls even had large holes present on it. Anytime, the building may collapse if there was an earthquake. Not many people stay in these parts because of the lack of structural safety.

Currently, a group of nine mysterious men was gathered in the suburbs. The three men wearing suits sat around a round wooden table. In the center, a large orange filament lightbulb lit the entire room. The men sitting down had bodyguards that were large and bulky in size standing behind them. It was clearly an act of intimidation.

"What is it now?" Taking out a cigar from his side pocket, the man with thin eyebrows spoke in an impatient manner.

"Yeah Cisco, wasn't our meeting supposed to be quarterly? It has only been a month since our last meeting!" The man with the gold glasses frame scoffed in an agitated manner.

"Brother Yang, brother Lopez, relax! The reason I called this meeting is for a very important reason. It affects our entire business chain in its entirety!" Cisco answered Yang who was the man with thin eyebrows and Lopez who wore golden glasses.

"Okay spill it out! You have five minutes!" Yang folded his arms.

"He.." Cisco choked on his words. Just as he was about to finish the word 'help', the man knew that if he did finish the word, he would be killed in an instant. In his right ear, there laid a device that spoke to him.

"Don't even try to mouth the word 'help' buddy… You can try and see if my device kills you faster than your warning." A cheeky voice came through and echoed into Cisco's ear. His back was immediately drenched in cold sweat. "Now, speak as I had prepared for you."

"I recently discovered that the government was starting to close down the Red light districts in Country H." Cisco listened to the man in the device.

"What? Where did you hear such an information from?" Yang raised his thin eyebrows.

"Are you sure you heard correctly, Cisco? You better not be lying to me and Yang. You should know the consequences for lying to us." Lopez warned.

"I am sure of it! My brother works in the disciplinary committee in Country H and he is able to give me the latest insider information!" Cisco lied as he was told. Of the three of them, Cisco was the newest addition to the group. The previous head was Cisco's ex boss and he had succeeded the position soon after.

There was a short thirty second pause. Clearly, what the man had said was very urgent and important for the two other bosses.

"Yang, we should immediately remove all traces of our group from the red light district." Lopez suggested after thinking it through.

"Impossible! If we do that, we would be burning away a decades worth of work! The business partners that we had made would be furious if we really disappeared!" Yang shook his head resolutely.

"But… If what Cisco said was accurate and reliable, the situation isn't exactly favourable for us! We are dealing with drugs, Yang! Thousands of kilograms of drugs! If the disciplinary committee discovers even a trace of our operation, there would surely be a crackdown issued on us!"

"Dammit! Why is the government suddenly closing down the red light district? It brings in tons of tourists and there hasn't been any problematic cases in the past few years." Yang's thin eyebrows furrowed.

Cisco watched nervously from the sidelines. The man in the device had only told him to say that much. The rest would be history, as seen from the fiery debate at the table.

"Cisco! Why are you being so quiet? Aren't you even worried about your own drug business?"

"Ah? Yes, I..I am very worried." Cisco stuttered a little.

"Wait a minute. Are you sure this isn't some ploy coordinated by you?" Yang stood up and slammed the table in anger. He starred straight into the eye of the nervous drug boss. What Yang doesn't know was that what Cisco was more worried about was his own wellbeing.

"Boss! I smell natural gas!" The bodyguard standing beside Yang shouted out.

In the ear of Cisco, a soft but clear voice was transmitted to him. His eyes widened and face turned pale. "Thank you for your service. Now burn in the depths of hell."

"BOOM!" The renaissance building that was poorly sustained exploded in flames. The explosion was so loud and devastating that neighbours that were forced to stay in the suburbs, left their homes immediately. They were afraid that the trembling of the ground would destroy their homes too.

In just one explosion, three of the biggest drug cartels in Country H was wiped out in an instant. Burnt down into ashes over the thousand degree flames, not even the flesh of the clunky bodyguards were left behind.

The culprit for their deaths sat atop the rooftop of a building located 200 meters away. He watched as the entire building collapse in flames. An elegant sight amongst the darkness in the suburbs.

Pulling out his phone, he started to dial the only number that was on his phone. Ring ring, ring ring. Twice was all it took before the receiver answered.

"Well, well! My number one hitman, Zero! How was the mission I had assigned to you? Was it too easy?" A loud male voice shouted.

"The mission was completed. Nine deaths, three were the assigned target and the other six were bodyguards." Zero, the hitman reported nonchalantly.

"Man… You are as boring as ever! This A ranked mission can be said to be a piece of cake for you." The loud receiver booed.

"The thing that you promised me, have you done it yet?" Zero did not care for what the person had said.

"Yes, yes. I have already applied for you. Go and enjoy your break, my boy! The ticket is already boo…" Zero ended the call before he had finished.

The hitman placed his phone on airplane mode, knowing that the person would pester him once again. He laid down on the terracotta roof panels as he closed his eyes. Away from the chaotic world, away from everything he knew as his life, Zero was at peace.

Several days later, the government in Country H concluded that there was a natural gas leak in the suburbs that had resulted in the combustion of an abandoned renaissance building. There were zero fatalities and no citizen was injured by the explosion. It was said to be a lucky and yet, unlucky event in the country.