Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Chapter 38: Phoenix Unit in Action_1

Amira’s voice was calm but firm as she addressed her squad. “Everyone, get ready,” she ordered while closing her eyes and expanding her consciousness outward.

Her spiritual energy spread like an invisible wave toward the mayor’s mansion, brushing against walls, furniture, and doors and with every touch of her energy painted a vivid image in her mind—a rough but clear map of the entire structure.

She could sense the life energies of those within—men, women, and a disturbingly high number of awakened individuals. Her brows furrowed as she counted 36 awakened signatures—a shocking amount for a small town like this when its just 2 days since the surge happened.

Soon her spiritual sense settled below into the mansion’s underground, focusing on what it looked like a wine cellar. A grim scene unfolded in her mind: elders, frail and fearful, bound tightly alongside trembling children.

She immediately understood: these were the families of the awakened individuals—hostages used to force compliance.

With a slow exhale, she retracted her spiritual energy, not wanting to invade the privacy of every room as she already had a grim idea of the horrors hidden inside. Opening her eyes as she looked onto Liam and Lilah.

She turned to Liam first. “Liam,” she called out. His head snapped up as he listened intently. “You’re responsible for getting the hostages out. They’re being held in the wine cellar on the right side of the mansion. Follow the right corridor all the way to the end—there’s a door leading down to the cellar. Once you’ve freed them, take them out through the side exit and get them to safety where we’ve secured the rescued girls.”

Liam gave a sharp nod, his expression hard with determination. “Understood, Captain.”

She then turned to Lilah. “You’re handling the guards and any reinforcements outside. There are two or three awakened among them. You can handle that. Knock them out, bind them, and secure the perimeter before moving inside.”

Lilah cracked her knuckles with a dangerous smile. “Sure done captain.”

Amira shifted her gaze to Mira. “Mira, you’re coming with me so pick ten members—women only.”

The squad went silent for a moment as they exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from confusion to grim understanding. The Phoenix Unit had seen this kind of scenario before in their mission before.

They knew why Amira only wanted women inside—it wasn’t about strength, but about empathy and sensitivity in handling victims who had endured unthinkable trauma.

Megan furrowed her brows at first, confused by the request. But as she saw the solemn faces of the other squad members, the realization struck her like a blow. Her expression darkened with fury as the implications settled in.

Whatever she had seen in that mansion wasn’t something she wanted any man to witness.

Amira noticed Megan’s tension but said nothing. There was no need for explanations—not now.

Just as she finished giving out the assignments, the mansion’s front gate creaked open, and seven figures strode out with the guard who had gone inside earlier among them, standing behind a tall man who looked to be in his mid-twenties.

His blond hair was styled with an unnecessary flair, and a thin scar ran from his forehead to his ear. His ears and neck were adorned with gold jewelry, and several piercings decorated his face. He walked with a smug air of superiority, flanked by his gang, each man armed and sneering.

The man’s gaze landed on Amira, and his eyes gleamed with a twisted kind of lust. He licked his lips as he muttered to one of his men, loud enough for everyone to hear, “I’ve never seen a beauty like this. When the boss is done with her, I’m sure he’ll let us have a taste.”

The other men burst into laughter. One of them elbowed his comrade and added, “Yeah, yeah. But I don’t think the boss will get tired of her anytime soon. Still… we can hope, right?”

Amira’s face remained expressionless, but her fingers twitched slightly—a small tell that only her closest teammates noticed. The Phoenix Unit stayed motionless, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Liam, standing near her, muttered under his breath, “Dead men walking.”

Lilah snorted quietly. “They’re practically digging their own graves.”

The gang members kept laughing, oblivious to the armed soldiers standing like shadows behind Amira. Their focus was solely on her, their eyes filled with sick anticipation. The blond leader stepped forward, trying to look charming but only managing to appear grotesque.

“Sweetheart,” he cooed, “you really don’t belong here. Why don’t you come inside? I’ll make sure you’re… comfortable.”

Amira finally spoke, her voice cutting through the laughter like a blade. “I’m going but you won’t after what you said.”

The blond man’s grin faltered for a split second before he plastered it back on. “Oh, you’ve got some fire. I like that.”

His sneer deepened as he whispered with his gang, imagining the vile things they’d do once Amira and her team were captured. His eyes glinted with malice as he murmured disgusting fantasies.

However, Amira and her squad remained unfazed, their expressions calm, almost detached, as if they were watching dead men walking.

Ramirez, one of the guards who had seen firsthand how Amira and her team forced them to release the girls earlier, stepped closer to the blonde man. Leaning in, he whispered in his ear, recounting everything that had happened before they came.

The blonde man’s smug expression slowly faded, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. His eyes darted to the group of fully armed soldiers standing near the vehicles. He noticed the rescued girls huddling behind the last car, shielded by Amira’s people. For the first time, a chill ran down his spine.

But arrogance is a stubborn thing which flared his ego, masking his unease with rage as he stepped forward, puffing his chest as if that alone could intimidate. “Hand over the girls,” he demanded, his voice sharp and venomous. “And all the women in your team. If you surrender quietly, we might spare your lives. But if you resist…”

His eyes roamed lecherously across the squad, lingering too long on Amira and her team members. “I promise you, it won’t be fun for you.” He licked his lips, a wicked gleam in his eyes.