David glared at the corpse of the expensive mercenary he had hired, his voice dripping with venom. "Damn it! Get everyone into search teams now. If we don't catch him, you'll regret it."
He kicked the lifeless body one last time before his men scattered into the woods, resuming their hunt for Elliott. Pulling out his phone, David dialed a number and waited for the answer. "Give me Elliott's phone number. Now."
A coquettish voice giggled on the other end. David smirked. "You little minx. When I get back, I'll make sure to reward you properly."
The line went dead amid playful curses. David chuckled darkly to himself. "Elliott, you won't even see your death coming." Then, flanked by his men, he strode deeper into the forest.
---
Song Dynasty, Lake Tai, Wuxi, Suzhou
A stunning woman stood at the prow of a boat, her golden robes fluttering in the breeze as she surveyed the serene lake. But beneath her exquisite features lurked a cruel edge. "How many men did we catch today?"
A middle-aged attendant bowed. "Seven, my lady. But... one of them is just a boy, no more than ten. What should we do with him?"
The woman barely hesitated. "Dispose of him like the rest. Turn him into fertilizer for the flowers. Better that than letting him grow up to torment women."
The attendant hesitated for only a second before nodding. The boy's fate meant nothing to her—only obedience mattered. "As you command, my lady."
The boat glided toward a small island, where the silhouette of a manor loomed in the distance.
---
"Abigail, when will Mother return?" A delicate little girl peered up at an elderly woman beside her.
"Soon, young mistress. There's no need to worry."
"Did she capture more people this time?" The old woman hesitated, unwilling to taint the girl's innocence. "I wouldn't know. But it doesn't concern you." The child fell silent.
---
Crack. Crack.
Two shots tore through the underbrush, scattering leaves. Elliott watched as the figure approached slowly, then squeezed the trigger.
Bang.
The man dropped instantly. Elliott scrambled forward, snatching the fallen gun and checking the magazine. "Damn it, only one bullet left? You wasted two shots already—what, were you jerking off instead?" He kicked the corpse in frustration before rifling through the dead man's pockets.
Bang. Bang. Bang—
Gunfire erupted. Bullets whizzed past Elliott's face, snapping him back to reality. His heart pounded—too close. If it weren't for the darkness, he'd be dead already.
He dropped flat, killing his flashlight. His pursuers were sharp; their beams vanished the moment his did. Bastards. Elliott cursed inwardly as he began crawling backward.
Then—
"You are my fire, my one desire—"
His phone blared into the night. Elliott fumbled to silence it, but the damage was done. The ringtone cut through the silence like a siren.
Before he could react, it rang again. An unknown number. He answered.
A voice laughed through the speaker. "Got you, Elliott."
Suddenly, a dozen flashlights flared to life, pinning him in their blinding glare.