The Seven Sisters and Their Hidden King-Chapter 227: The Truth

John's voice trembled. Seeing Kate's ghostly pale complexion tore his heart apart.

"Am I... really alive?"

Kate was stunned. The pain in her shoulder was sharp and real.

How could she feel pain if she were dead?

In a daze, she touched her own cheek. The warmth of her skin... the texture... it was all real.

"I thought I was dead," she whispered. "I thought I'd never see you again..."

Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, Kate threw herself into John's arms and burst into tears.

John held her tightly, his heart aching.

She was so fragile—so helpless—like a small rabbit cornered in the grass.

And yet... those monsters had tried to kill her without mercy.

"It's okay now, Kate," John whispered, patting her gently on the back. "I'll never let you be hurt again. Anyone who dares lay a finger on you—I'll tear them apart and send them straight to hell."

Kate cried for a long time in his arms.

Eventually, something clicked in her mind. She abruptly reached for her collar—there had been a hidden micro-camera there.

But it was gone.

She must have lost it while fleeing.

"No..."

Fresh tears welled in her eyes.

They had spent months undercover in Texas, collecting evidence of horrific crimes—and now, all of it was gone.

She had let her fallen companions down.

"What happened, Kate?" John asked. "What were you doing in Texas?"

If they were just investigating a kidnapping, why had they been hunted by mercenaries?

Kate's eyes were red and swollen. She hesitated, then shook her head silently.

John's face darkened. "You don't want to tell me? Fine. I'll go to Texas myself and find out."

"No!" Kate blurted out.

"Then tell me the truth."

John stared at her seriously, his tone firm and unwavering.

Kate looked into his eyes.

She saw the same stubbornness and determination she had as a child.

She lowered her head and hesitated a moment before finally speaking. "Okay. Just... don't do anything reckless. I'll tell you everything..."

—

As it turned out...

Over the past several months, people had been disappearing across the United States.

Kate and her colleagues had been investigating quietly. They eventually discovered a massive cross-border human trafficking ring.

After extensive preparation, they traced the criminals all the way to Texas.

That was where they uncovered something chilling: the missing people were all being funneled into a secret lab base—and no one ever came out.

One of Kate's colleagues had volunteered to infiltrate the base and gather evidence.

But something went wrong. He was discovered.

That's when the mercenaries came after them.

And that was how Kate and the others were ambushed.

Only she had survived—barely.

John listened silently, deep in thought.

Human experimentation?

And on American citizens?

This wasn't some small-time crime—it was a monstrous, large-scale conspiracy.

"Kate," John said slowly, "Can you tell me the address of the lab base?"

"What are you going to do?" she asked sharply.

"I just want to check something."

"I told you not to act impulsively!" Kate shouted. "You can't go charging into Texas! Do you want to start a war?!"

She had told him everything because she trusted him—not because she wanted him to go on a suicide mission.

He wasn't a journalist. He wasn't law enforcement. He had no obligation to risk his life for this.

"Why would you go somewhere so dangerous?" she cried. "You're not invincible, John. Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

She was adamantly opposed to his plan.

But John's expression remained unreadable. After a pause, he simply asked, "Kate... aren't you curious how you survived?"

That gave her pause.

She hadn't really had time to think about it.

How had she managed to survive, surrounded by armed mercenaries?

And now...

Where was she?

Why was John here?

Why did everything feel so... off?

She had been overwhelmed with emotion since regaining consciousness—overjoyed to be alive, grief-stricken over her colleagues. But now the questions were piling up in her mind.

And before she could ask—

The door opened.

Linen walked in and respectfully said, "Your Highness, when shall we depart?"

Your Highness?

Kate's body froze.

She looked down and saw what Linen was holding in his hand—

A mask.

Not just any mask.

It was shaped like a dragon.

A mask she knew very well.

The mask of her idol—the King of Horizon.

She had spent years trying to track him down, to land the interview of a lifetime.

Could it be...?

Her breath quickened.

John took the mask from Linen and slowly put it on.

Then he turned toward her, stepping close to the bed.

"That's my duty," he said softly.

He reached out and gently rubbed her head.

"Those bastards in Texas dared to hire mercenaries to hurt you. They must pay the price. Or I have no right to call myself your brother."

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John... was the King of Horizon.

Kate stared at him in disbelief.

Tears welled up once again in her eyes.

Was this a dream?

Her younger brother—her Little John—was the greatest warrior in the U.S., the King of Horizon?

What were the chances?

The dream she'd had at home... the one that had felt so surreal...

It hadn't been nonsense after all.

It had been a premonition.

A dream that had become real.

Her heart swelled—filled to the brim with warmth, love, and disbelief.