Chapter 7: All Dead

"Guys, take him out!" The bald kidnapper yelled angrily, his right hand quickly reaching for the pistol at his waist.  His once cold and arrogant shout was now filled with panic and fear. The other kidnappers, hearing the command, hurriedly drew their guns.  But before they could steady their aim and pull the trigger, Leo moved like lightning, transforming into a blur as he charged toward them. With three heavy thuds, three armed kidnappers, including the bald one, were sent flying like sandbags, crashing to the ground heavily.  Just like the kidnappers who had died earlier, they bled from every orifice, convulsing as they took their last breaths. In just a minute, the tables had turned; the prey had become the predator.  Bree, who thought not even a miracle could save Leo today, was now shocked and overwhelmingly relieved. She was shocked by Leo's unexpected strength and relieved that the kidnappers were defeated, meaning she was out of danger.  Despite the bloodiness, she felt no pity for the kidnappers—they got what was coming to them. The last kidnapper, wearing a black vest, stood trembling, his legs shaking. To him, Leo appeared like a demon from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, instilling endless fear. Pointing a shaky finger at Leo, he stammered, "Who... who are you?" The man before him was terrifyingly strong, killing without blinking. What mess had they gotten themselves into? Leo gave a disdainful smirk, slowly approaching the other man. "I'm the prey you were gonna slaughter. Isn't that what you said?" "I was just... speaking nonsense earlier!" The kidnapper pleaded in panic, retreating backward. After a few steps, he suddenly fell to his knees with a thud, bowing desperately. "Sir, please spare my life! I'll give you all the money I have." Leo halted, quietly observing the cowering man.  Seeing Leo not taking action, the kidnapper assumed he was safe and gratefully offered thanks, "Thank you for sparing my life!" He hurriedly pulled out all his cash and handed it to Leo. "Sir, I only have this much cash on me, but rest assured, I have over 300,000 in my bank account. I can transfer it to you immediately!" "I only want cash," Leo replied coldly. All this money was dirty, and accepting a bank transfer would undoubtedly lead the police to him.  He was now just an ordinary person, not the feared Wolf King of the Dark World. Moreover, he didn't have a phone to facilitate any transfer, even if he wanted to. "Cash..." The kidnapper stammered, "But I only have this much... Wait, my buddies might have some cash!" He quickly got up and searched the bodies of his deceased comrades, collecting over 50,000 dollars, and found an additional 10,000 in their vehicle. It was nearly 70,000 dollars in total. Fortunately, these kidnappers carried extra cash to avoid exposing their identities. Ordinary people might not even have a few hundred in cash on them. After receiving the cash from the kidnapper, Leo's icy demeanor slightly thawed.  The kidnapper, seeing this, was overjoyed, thinking his life was spared. "Sir, may I leave now?" Leo didn't respond, continuing to organize the cash in his hands.  The kidnapper took Leo's silence as consent, thanked him again, and hastily made his way toward the door, his pace quickening as he got closer.  As for his deceased comrades, he couldn't care less about them. Surviving was his priority, and he could always erect a memorial for them later.  Revenge? Forget it!  A man like Leo, terrifyingly strong, seeking revenge would be a death wish. Besides, he had already taken several bank cards from his buddies, which would ensure his comfortable life. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his chest. Looking down, he saw a blade protruding through his chest, blood dripping from its tip.  He turned back to glare at Leo with resentment. "You took my money and broke your promise!" With that, he collapsed to the ground, dead. Leo glanced coldly at the body. "When did I ever promise to spare your life? As for the money, consider it a fee for your last words." Then he smacked his forehead. "How could I forget to ask for his last words?" He looked at the body again, annoyed. "It's your fault for being in such a hurry to leave, making me look untrustworthy." He had retreated from the Dark World, now living as Leo Jauncy, not the killer he once was. He didn't wish to kill, but these kidnappers saw him as prey and forced his hand. The Wolf King might have retired, but his majesty remained, not to be defiled by anyone. ***** Leo stuffed the thick wad of cash into his pocket. Finally, he had a little stash. Taking out these five kidnappers was like a walk in the park for him. He used to take on international bigwigs and tough fighters, so killing these men was almost an honor for them. "Hey!" Bree shouted after Leo, hoping he'd untie her. Seeing no response, she called again, "Hey, could you please come over and untie me?" Leo turned and walked toward her.  Bree thought he was coming to free her, but when he picked up a knife with his foot, her smile disappeared.  Seeing the knife's cold gleam and his icy look, she realized he might be there to kill her, not save her. "Please, I have always done good deeds. You can't kill me!" Bree pleaded, her voice trembling. "You can rest assured. You've done a public service by killing these kidnappers, and I won't betray you to the police." Leo hesitated. His instinct as a killer was to eliminate any uncertainty, but she had risked herself to save him earlier.  Bree, on the verge of tears, reminded him, "I did try to help you earlier." Leo stayed silent, his cold gaze fixed on her.  The atmosphere was tense and oppressive. After a long pause, Leo raised the knife and swung it at Bree. Expecting the worst, she shut her eyes tightly. But when no pain came, she opened her eyes and saw the ropes around her were cut. The cold man was already at the door, leaving without a word and disappearing around the corner. Bree sighed with relief, grateful to be alive. Hastily, she retrieved a phone from one of the kidnappers and called her father, Zachariah. ***** Meanwhile, at the Good Manor, everyone was anxiously waiting for another call from the kidnappers.  "Grandpa, you wait here for the call. I'm going out to look for her," Jon announced to his family, preparing to leave. He strongly opposed Gene's decision but dared not argue with the family's and company's authoritative figure.  Just as he was about to leave, Zachariah's phone rang. Assuming it was a routine call, he paused only when Zachariah mentioned it was an unknown number. The family immediately thought it was the kidnappers. "Father." Zachariah looked at Gene for guidance.  "Answer it quickly!" Gene urged, adding, "Don't provoke them. Agree to any conditions for now." Jon's face showed anger at his willingness to agree to anything. He couldn't understand why the usually wise elder seemed irrational, unaware that agreeing now would weaken their negotiating position later. With his father's approval, Zachariah answered the call. Before he could speak, his daughter's voice came through, "Dad," she said.  Instead of feeling relieved, Zachariah comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Bree. I'll find a way to save you." "Dad, I'm safe now. All the kidnappers are dead. I'll send you my location. Come get me." Her words left Zachariah and the entire Good family in shock. They thought they must have misheard.  "Bree, did you say all the kidnappers are dead?" Zachariah's voice was filled with disbelief. The family shared his astonishment. "Yes, Dad, you heard right. They're all dead!" Bree's confirmation over the phone speaker sent the Good family into a joyful uproar.  Relief washed over Gene, who had been deeply worried about his favorite granddaughter. "The ancestors of the Good family must be watching over us," he murmured, his heart finally at ease. As Bree sent her location, several cars left the Good Manor and headed toward her. Among them were family members, security, and bodyguards. Simultaneously, the city's criminal investigation team sped toward the location with a convoy of police cars. ***** When the Good family and police arrived at the abandoned location, despite knowing the kidnappers were dead, the scene still shocked them.  Five kidnappers lay scattered on the ground, four dead with blood seeping from their orifices, the fifth impaled by a long knife. During the police report, Bree claimed her rescuer was a masked stranger. When asked for more details, she lied, giving false descriptions.