Chapter 636: Chapter 636: Incoming Call
Even the well-trained bodyguards wished they could dig out their noses and become people without a sense of smell upon catching a whiff of the stench. However, Xu Ke appeared as if nothing had happened, watching the three people’s struggle with a blank expression.
If they couldn’t endure even this much, each of them vomiting like that, then what about Xiaxia? How did the delicately fragile Xiaxia manage to stay in such a cold and foul place, waiting for her rescue? If he had been a step too late, would she have drowned herself in the fetid ditch, and her body, rotting away, might have never been discovered? Would no one ever know she had been there, waiting for rescue?
Just thinking about that outcome inexplicably pierced Xu Ke’s heart, a pain like having a prickly board pressed repeatedly against his chest, a dense and stifling pain that never allowed relief, only soft, persistent agonies, torturous and constant.
Watching the three men struggle in the barrel, Xu Ke felt no satisfaction; instead, the more he watched, the more irritated he became, the greater the pressure in his chest grew, the feeling abrupt yet lingering, disturbing Xu Ke’s composure while leaving him unusually bewildered.
Xu Ke didn’t understand why he had become like this. Clearly, when he first agreed to keep Yu Xia, he thought of her merely as a little pet Lin Mengyao kept. He kept Yu Xia because Lin Mengyao would feel happier for it, right? So why did his own heart ache so unbearably because of everything Yu Xia had suffered?
Could it be the pet effect? Xu Ke thought while frowning and holding his chest.
"Tonight, don’t let them leave the barrel. Keep them under until dawn," Xu Ke said, looking at the three who had nothing left to vomit but continued to dry heave.
Originally, Xu Ke had not planned to return tonight, but he still picked up the car keys, started the car waiting outside, and drove back, feeling irritable and needing to see for himself.
While Xu Ke drove from the suburbs to the city, his thoughts scattered in every direction. Suddenly, a distinct ringtone pulled his scattered thoughts back together.
Xu Ke looked at the incoming call display on his cellphone, feeling slightly worried. Ariel had never called him this late before; it must not be a trivial matter.
Unsettled about Ariel, Xu Ke quickly dialed her back. The other end sounded chaotic, noisily unorganized. He could only faintly catch a place name over the noise. With a grim face, Xu Ke quickly turned the car around and sped toward the location Ariel identified.
On the other side, Ariel held a steel pipe lightly coated with blood in one hand, while wiping her blood-stained other hand casually through her hair. Not minding the grit, she used the blood as if it were mousse to smooth her messy hair.
Before Ariel lay many bodies sprawled unevenly across the floor, along with smashed furniture. The walls and floor bore new cracks. Standing in front of Ariel, several people regarded her cautiously.
"You should be thankful this is China, where guns and ammunition are restricted. Otherwise, if this were abroad, not one of you would leave here." Ariel licked an unknown droplet of blood from her lips, her eyes sparkling as she spoke.
The blood tasted metallic, but Ariel didn’t mind; she could wash it off later.
The people facing Ariel involuntarily frowned. Those able to converse with Ariel now were not ordinary figures, but even the extraordinary characters felt some trepidation facing a madwoman.
"We don’t know who you are working for, Miss, but if you tell us who sent you to smash the place, we’ll let bygones be bygones. Consider it a friendly skirmish — we won’t pursue your actions today; how about it?" The man in charge regarded Ariel warily as he spoke.
"And if I don’t tell you, what do you plan to do?" Ariel placed the steel pipe in front of her, crossing her hands on it, tilting her head, looking innocently curious.
"If you don’t cooperate, unless you take all of us down, you won’t leave this room. The brothers on the floor and the demolished room need an explanation," the leader demanded, with anger.
"Actually, there’s no need to be so confrontational between us since we don’t have any deep-seated hatred, and I do admire your skills. I truly don’t want us on opposite sides. Even if you don’t reveal who’s backing you, I know. I just wanted your stance. Join me, and I can offer far more than he does." The leader withdrew his menace and appeared sincere.
Yet, Ariel laughed, boldly and wildly enough that, without the pipe to keep her upright, she might’ve fallen over with laughter.
"You are really funny, going from wanting to kill me to now appreciating me. Your skill at saying one thing and doing another truly baffles me. Men really are strange; they always try to deceive women. Too bad I’m not one of those busty, brainless ones who get tricked easily, and there’s another thing you should know: nobody instructed me to do this — I just happened to dislike you," Ariel said, wiping her tears of laughter.
"Boss, this woman is so clueless; what are we still talking to her for? I say we just go at her until she submits. With our numbers, we can’t lose to her alone?" A man, who Ariel left with a gash on his head, wiped the blood off nonchalantly as he spoke.
The leader remained silent, eyes watching Ariel intensely, contemplating.
"Boss, why are we hesitating when we’ve got the advantage here? Can’t we handle a single woman?" the wounded man pressed.
"I think your brother is right: let’s not be afraid; let’s fight. Then I can finish and go drink and party. So, don’t waste my time — either fight now or let me through." Ariel tossed her hair back and said.
After a moment of silence, the boss measured Ariel’s impatient expression before finally saying, "Since you won’t drink a toast*, you’ll have to drink the punishment. Don’t blame us for not showing mercy."
The leader gestured, and his men surged toward Ariel with the ferocity of wolves descending a mountain.
Ariel changed her stance, raising the steel pipe slightly from the ground. Her body aligned like a sapling standing firm against the wind.