Chapter 200
Chapter 200
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of Monarch Isle, inside the camp.
A burly man in black jogged up to Howard and bowed, his expression urgent. "Mr. Williams! Headquarters just sent word—they're demanding we move immediately. We need to unseal the treasure now. No more delays!"
Howard's face darkened with irritation. He spat out a curse. "Push, push, push!"
"All they ever do is push!"
"What's the damn rush! Kane's already trapped on Ironspire Island. The game's over. No one can stop us from claiming that treasure!"
Still, he didn't dare stall any longer. He shot up from his lounge chair, peeled off his loose casual clothes, and pulled on a crisp set of military-green camouflage fatigues.
"Bring them out," Howard ordered coldly.
"Yes, sir!"
Two black-clad men turned on their heels. Moments later, they returned, escorting two figures.
Isabelle held Winnie's hand tightly. Both were disheveled, their faces drawn with exhaustion, their eyes shadowed with fatigue.
The sudden captivity and terror had stripped them of their former glow.
Winnie pressed close to Isabelle's side, fear flickering in her eyes, though she bit down hard on her lip, refusing to cry out.
Isabelle lifted her gaze and stared directly at the smirking Howard. "Howard, I'm warning you—let us go. Now. When my husband gets here, he won't let you get away with this!"
"A worthless bitch thinks she can threaten me?"
Howard's face twisted with fury, violence flashing in his eyes.
Being threatened by a prisoner in front of his men was more than he could stand. Without a word, he raised his hand and slapped Isabelle hard across the face.
Crack!
The sharp sound echoed across the beach.
Isabelle's head snapped to the side. A cry of pain escaped her lips.
Her lip split instantly, a thin line of blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth, stark and shocking.
Winnie sprang forward like a little tiger, throwing herself in front of Isabelle. "Don't you touch my mom! My dad's really strong—he can beat up tons of people all by himself!"
Howard's expression remained flat. He pulled out his phone, opened a live surveillance feed, and thrust the screen in front of Isabelle and Winnie.
A cruel smile spread across his face. "Threaten me? You two don't have the right to threaten anyone."
"Take a good look. Kane's already walked right into my trap on Ironspire Island."
"I've stationed over ten thousand elite mercenaries there. And I've planted enough explosives to level the place."
"When the time comes, the entire island will be blown sky-high. He won't escape. He's as good as dead!"
Watching the figure on the screen who looked just like Kane, Isabelle's pupils shrank. She cried out, "No! That's impossible! Kane wouldn't fall for this! Let him go!"
"My dad's really strong! You guys can't beat him!" Winnie insisted with stubborn confidence.
Isabelle might not have seen how capable Kane was, but Winnie had.
Seeing the panic and desperation in Isabelle's eyes, Howard's smile widened with greed.
His gaze roamed shamelessly over Isabelle's delicate, worn features and slender frame. "Relax. As long as you two cooperate and help me claim the Aetherian Empire treasure, I'll let you live."
"Once I control that treasure and have all that wealth and power, I'll make you my woman. I'll treat Winnie well too. You'll both live like royalty."
Isabelle's eyes burned with humiliation and rage. "In your dreams! My husband will come back and save me. You'll never get what you want!"
Howard didn't seem bothered in the slightest. If anything, he looked even more pleased. He chuckled softly. "That's fine. I've got all the time in the world."
"I'm curious to see how stubborn you'll be once Kane's dead. You'll change your mind eventually."
With that, he waved his hand sharply and barked, "Move them out!"
The black-clad men immediately seized Isabelle and Winnie, forcing them to follow Howard deeper into the island's interior.
At the same time, deep within Monarch Isle's primitive jungle.
Kane raced forward at full speed.
Wind howled through the trees. Leaves and branches whipped past him.
Suddenly, a massive black bear—nine feet tall and built like a tank—reared up from the underbrush, roaring in fury. It swung a thick paw toward Kane with enough force to shatter stone.
Kane's expression didn't change. His footing remained solid as a mountain. He threw a single punch.
Boom!
The devastating force of his fist slammed into the bear's chest.
The one-ton beast flew backward like a kite with a cut string, crashing heavily to the ground. The earth trembled.
Dust exploded into the air. The bear twitched twice, then went still.
Kane had just lowered his fist when the satellite tracker on his belt began beeping rapidly.
The insistent chime cut through the jungle's stillness. The screen's light blinked frantically.
Kane glanced down. The dot representing Howard's group was moving fast, heading straight for the active volcano at the center of Monarch Isle.
"The volcano?"
Kane's eyes sharpened with understanding. "So that's where the Aetherian Empire treasure is hidden!"
His chest tightened. He couldn't afford to waste another second.
Howard was already on the move. If he reached the treasure first, he'd eliminate all witnesses immediately. Isabelle and Winnie would be killed.
"I have to move faster!"
Kane didn't hesitate. His body blurred into motion, weaving through the dense forest at top speed, racing toward the volcano at the island's heart.
After a full hour of sprinting, he finally broke through the jungle and arrived at the volcanic region in the center of Monarch Isle.
From a distance, the volcano loomed tall and imposing, its slopes wreathed in mist. The terrain was treacherous.
It looked peaceful enough.
But Kane had already spotted the hidden sentries tucked behind rocks, gullies, and shrubs.
The perimeter was heavily guarded. Danger lurked everywhere.
Kane crouched low, moving carefully along the rocks, keeping to the shadows.
A stone, disturbed by a bird, clattered to the ground.
Two hidden sentries immediately picked up on the noise. They exchanged a glance, then crept forward with their weapons raised, eyes cold and alert.
Kane sighed inwardly.
What rotten luck.
Damn bird. If I run into you again, I'm roasting you alive.
The two sentries, gripping their firearms, moved closer.
Kane's wrists flicked. Two flashes of steel cut through the air.
Two military knives pierced cleanly through both men's throats.
The sentries didn't even have time to scream. Their eyes went wide. Their bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Kane was about to leave when one of the radios on the bodies crackled to life.
A gravelly voice came through. "Outpost Three, report. Any unusual activity? Any signs of intruders in your sector?"
Kane paused. An idea formed.
He picked up the radio, lowered his voice, and mimicked the rough, clipped tone of a mercenary. "Negative. All clear."
The voice on the other end didn't question it.
Through the conversation, Kane pieced together the full picture.
The sentries guarding the volcano were all remnants of mercenary forces Kane had crushed years ago.
These men had fled in disgrace after their defeat, nursing their hatred ever since.
Now, they'd been recruited by some mysterious organization.
Partly because they coveted the Aetherian Empire's endless treasure—hoping to get rich overnight and seize power.
And partly for revenge. They wanted to take down the Mercenary King and wipe away the humiliation of their past defeat.
Moreover, these mercenaries came from scattered factions. They didn't know each other personally. They only recognized allies by their uniforms and insignias.
Kane's mind clicked into place.
What if I switched into their gear and blended in?
He quickly stripped off his camouflage fatigues and pulled on the uniform from one of the dead sentries, adjusting it carefully.
He smeared thick camo paint across his face. Even someone who knew him well would have trouble recognizing him now.
He then covered the two bodies with deadwood, leaving no trace.
Once everything was handled, Kane turned and slipped deeper into the forest.