Chapter 474 The True Hunter
"That's it?"
My hand froze mid-air, the pen trembling. In the distance, the roar of a speedboat engine grew louder. Three dark figures sped towards us in a triangular formation, the boat's spotlight sweeping over the rocks, casting flickering shadows on Fiona's face.
My fingers, slick with sweat, clutched the waterproof marker as I quickly marked coordinates on the map.
The midday sun was blinding, the scratch of the pen on paper mixing with the sound of the waves, creating an irritating cacophony. Fiona leaned against a rock, raising her binoculars, the metal glinting sharply in the sunlight.
Suddenly, Fiona kicked the rock hard, cursing loudly:
"Damn it! Those jerks are early!"
I jerked my head up, following Fiona's gaze. The rusty iron door of the lighthouse creaked open from the inside, and a dozen figures staggered out, each carrying a half-human-sized black box. The metal clasps on the boxes glinted in the sun. Fiona yanked off her sunglasses, her eyes murderous, her voice filled with rage:
"Those idiots! How dare they mess up my plan!"
The scorching sea breeze, heavy with salt, hit me in the face as I instinctively caught the binoculars Fiona tossed at me. The image through the eyepiece gradually sharpened, and the last figure to emerge from the lighthouse made my blood run cold. The oversized blue and white striped hospital gown was filthy, the hem flapping in the wind. It was Anne.
Her head hung low, her steps unsteady, her sweat-soaked hair clinging to her face, casting chaotic shadows in the sunlight.
"Anne?"
My voice trembled, and I nearly dropped the binoculars.
Fiona snatched the binoculars from me, her eyes widening behind the lenses:
"That traitor! I knew we should've killed her!"
Fiona's roar, mixed with the sea breeze, made my eardrums ache.
I couldn't take my eyes off Anne's ankle, which kept hitting the rocks. The silver shackle around her ankle dragged on the ground, sparking with each step, the sound of the chain clinking piercing through the waves.
"She's chained!"
I grabbed Fiona's wrist, my voice shaking with urgency,
"Look closely, the shackle! She can't fight back!"
Fiona shook off my hand forcefully, the hem of her coat whipping across my face:
"Don't be stupid! She's pulled this trick too many times!"
Fiona turned and kicked a rock, the dull thud echoing off the rocks,
"When we catch her, I'll make her wish she was never born!"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my panic:
"Remember a few days ago when Jeffrey's men kidnapped her? He wouldn't need to snatch someone on their deathbed from a hospital, especially if she's still in a hospital gown."
The sea breeze lifted my soaked collar, the salty sea air stinging my throat.
"Jeffrey's men are too smart to kidnap a burden for no reason. This shackle, this pitiful state, it could all be a setup."
Fiona suddenly turned, her sunglasses slipping down her nose, revealing bloodshot eyes:
"You think I haven't considered that?"
Fiona loosened her tie, her Adam's apple bobbing violently.
"But if she was really forced, why hasn't she called for help with so many people around? She hasn't even lifted her head!"
Fiona scrutinized Anne through the binoculars, making her judgment,
"If that traitor tries to pull another stunt, I'll make her regret ever being born."
I stared at Fiona's bloodshot eyes in disbelief, my throat tightening:
"You just want to silence her! Anne knows too many secrets, some of which you were involved in, but you've never spoken about. You're afraid she'll expose those dirty secrets!"
The salty sea breeze, mixed with fine sand, stung my face.
Fiona threw her head back and laughed, a crazed look in her eyes:
"Silence her? You think I'm some street thug?"
Fiona suddenly stepped closer, her breath, mixed with the smell of gunpowder, almost suffocating me.
"Do you really think I can have every smuggler in the Southeast region after her gold-plated shackles with just a snap of my fingers? If she dares to speak, within three days, her bloated corpse will be floating in the open sea."
In the distance, a cargo ship's horn blared. Fiona calmly adjusted her windblown hair, her fingers brushing the gun at her waist.
"Don't use your naive sense of right and wrong to judge. In these waters, trust is cheaper than seawater."
Fiona's gaze locked back onto Anne, who was struggling on the rocks, a sinister smile curling her lips.
"Remember, a true hunter never needs to dirty their own gun."
Fiona quickly tapped on her tablet. The cold light highlighted her jawline, her eyes glinting with ice.
"Notify everyone, initiate Plan B. Anne..."
The wind tore apart her words as she smirked.
"All witnesses, dispose of them as usual."
I lunged at Fiona, knocking her hand aside, my back slamming into the scorching rocks, gravel digging into my flesh.
"You're insane! Anne is chained! You know it's a trap!"
I clutched Fiona's sleeve, shouting, salty sweat stinging my eyes. Fiona didn't budge, the dark barrel of her gun pressed against my forehead.
"I advise you, don't use naivety as a weapon."
Fiona glanced at the distant figures.
"Anyone who truly wants to live would have bitten through the shackle and jumped into the sea by now."
The engine noise tore through the waves. The midday sun bleached the sea white, and I saw Anne being dragged onto the speedboat by her hair. She stumbled, hitting the boat's side, her neck veins bulging, revealing large bruises as she struggled.
Fiona suddenly tilted her head, listening to the approaching engine noise, the midday sun bleaching the sea white.
"They're moving. If you don't want your daughter to become an orphan, shut up."
In the glaring sunlight, Fiona's walkie-talkie crackled. She sneered and pressed the talk button.
"Do it."
I watched the shadow of the boat carrying Anne, my nails digging into my palms, the taste of salty blood mixing with the scorching sea breeze on my tongue.
Fiona calmly slid her tablet into her handbag, the sound of the metal zipper closing unnervingly loud in the silence.
"Diana, do you know what I hate the most?"like
Fiona suddenly grabbed my chin, her nails almost digging into my flesh.
"Naive fools who think tears and pleas can earn sympathy."
The sea breeze lifted Fiona's seaweed-scented hair, brushing against my burning cheeks.
"Your daughter is four years old, right? I heard she likes playing in the sandbox at the kindergarten gate recently?"
My blood froze instantly, and I tried to struggle, but Fiona held me firmly. She leaned in close, her warm breath in my ear, carrying the coolness of mint.
"Guess what would happen if those people knew what time your daughter leaves kindergarten every day? What color bow she likes to wear? Even..."
Fiona paused deliberately, her fingers tracing the pulsing vein on my neck.
"That she hides under the covers and counts stars when she's scared at night."
"Enough!"
Hearing Fiona mention Skylar, I lost control and screamed, only to be met with her more unrestrained laughter.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
